Phone: (+1)8477687461
Address: 464 E Northwest Hwy, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
City: Des Plaines
Menu Dishes: 35
Reviews: 10
"Second time here was even better than the first! Via Roma is a lovely, quaint Italian restaurant along Northwest Highway with indoor and outdoor seating, an expansive yet well tailored menu of classic dishes, and a great atmosphere. Perfect for a date night or meal with a few friends/family. Visited on a Tuesday night with my mom. There wasn't a wait and we were seated immediately in their nice outdoor area along the side of the restaurant (on weekends it does get busy and reservations are not accepted, so get there early or late to avoid a wait! . Our sever was the best I've had in awhile at any restaurant; very courteous, professional, and attentive. We were brought bread, olive oil, and grated parmesan along with waters. Via Roma does not serve liquor, but does encourage to bring your own and will provide glasses and corkage for FREE (unlike some other Italian restaurants of a similar size and style . Their menu is not vast, but has all of the essential pasta, risotto, and antipasto dishes one could want. They also have a rotating specials menu that contains some interesting takes and combinations of the basic noodles, sauces, and meats. This is where we both drew our dinner selections from. I had a pesto gnocchi with chicken and sundried tomatoes. This was easily one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. I've had gnocchi both times I've been here and would be happy to get it every-time in the future; They are fluffy, light, and delicious. Equally good was the pesto cream sauce, which was ample with great flavor. My mom had a calamari linguine in a simple garlic butter sauce. The pasta was tender, and while the sauce could have used a bit more character, the calamari was beautifully tender and the best she's had. We rounded off the meal with a large cannoli, coffee, and tea. The cannoli had a good, hard crust with plentiful pistachios on the ends, and was filled with velvety smooth filling. I was especially happy with the tea, as I was presented a wooden box containing ten varieties of bagged tea packets for me to choose between, a rare but simple touch that went a long way. Via Roma is a excellent Italian restaurant that I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone. It atmosphere inside is lively, albeit a bit loud on occasion, while their side patio utilizes its narrow space and only two rows of tables along the walls to make you forget you are in suburban Chicago (at least until the Metra goes by . I cannot wait to come back here and try more of the creative Italian dishes on the menu, or just indulge in more of the same pesto gnocchi; It's really that good."
Full menu - 35 options
All prices are estimates on menu.
Pasta
Linguine
Linguine pasta served with a light sauce, garnished with fresh herbs, offering a delightful blend of flavors and textures.
Carbonara
A classic Italian pasta dish with creamy egg sauce, pancetta, Parmesan, and a touch of black pepper.
Dessert
Gelato
Creamy and smooth Italian-style ice cream, available in a variety of rich and delightful flavors.
Cannoli
Crispy pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta, chocolate chips, and garnished with powdered sugar and pistachios.
Limoncello Cake
Moist lemon-infused cake with a tangy limoncello glaze, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and citrus.
Pizza
Margherita Pizza
Classic Margherita Pizza with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and a hint of olive oil on a thin, crispy crust.
Salads
Caprese menu
Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and balsamic glaze.
Seafood
Calamari
Tender calamari rings lightly breaded and fried to golden perfection, served with tangy marinara sauce for a delightful appetizer.
Fried Calamari
Crispy fried calamari served with a tangy marinara sauce for dipping.
Baked
Lasagna
Layers of pasta, rich meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and melted cheese baked to perfection.
Rice
Risotto
Creamy Arborio rice cooked to perfection, with a rich blend of Parmesan and fresh seasonal vegetables.
Main Courses
Gnocchi
Gnocchi
Soft potato dumplings served with a creamy pesto sauce and topped with Parmesan cheese.
Dolce
Soups
Kids Menu
Sides
Garlic Butter
Savory garlic butter, perfect for spreading or dipping, with a rich, creamy texture and infused with aromatic garlic.
Dinner Insalata
Entrées
Plates Of The House
Trapizzino
Dinner Pizze
Dinner Pesce
Main Course
Penne
Classic Pasta
Fleisch Xl
Risotti
Chicken
Chicken Parmesan
A classic Italian dish with breaded chicken breast, marinara sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese, served over pasta.
Pizzas / Calzones
Sal
Via Roma is a nice Italian restaurant. The service was great and the server was very attentive. The food was good and portions were great. All in all this is a nice cozy place with good food and great service.
Address
Reviews
User
The restaurant offers authentic Italian cuisine with excellent service and a wonderful atmosphere. I'm excited for spring so I can enjoy the patio. It's a hidden gem that's easy to locate and access. I will definitely be returning!
Elder
nice place to go to waste your money for the food they serve order a pasta from the menu and it literally tastes like they just opened a can of flavorless tomato they charged me over 15 dollars and they didn't even put chicken on it. horrible experience it tastes better to eat an instant pasta maruchan and you only spend 1 dollar
Rosmer
Great Italian Cuisine. Great flavors, highly recommended lasagna, spaghetti pasta and chicken Parmesan Traditional plates. My daughter loves the place and the attention was good as well. The most important think it is the care of the attention by servers and the dishes. My recommendation it is put or offer more desserts and change the entrance door. View menu
User
I've dined at around five Italian restaurants before, some charging as much as $40 for a single entree, but I've never been truly impressed—until I discovered this place. The Lemon Risotto from the specials menu was quite good, and I was really pleased with it. The Carbonara was outstanding—absolutely incredible and truly blew me away. The Asparagus Salad was buttery and light, while the Calamari was fresh and delicious. This restaurant is definitely a must-visit!
Garry
Worst italian food or even the worst food I've ever tasted. I love Italian food, I craved it so much, we found that place close to us. I personally was so excited to have my italian meal on the table, but very disappointed . Everything tasted terrible. The smell is so not welcoming, my 3 YO son started to cry saying daddy I don't like the smell. After spending almost $90 now we have too cook. If there was a rating lower than one star that what I would give this place. I'm very upset and disappointed...
User
This is likely the best Italian restaurant in Des Plaines. It's a charming family-owned spot with an impressive menu, and I've never ordered anything I didn't enjoy. While it may be on the pricier side for casual dining, given today's inflation, it's worth spending a few extra dollars here compared to other local options. Via Roma is definitely a better choice for your hard-earned money. Don’t pay attention to the negative comments; some people always find something to nitpick and are never satisfied. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of those critics keep coming back, because the food really is that good. View menu
User
So we passed this place when we were on the train, looked like a cute place. Visited on a Sat night, its a BYOB so that's good. The food was pretty good, but I ordered a limone fish dish but was served a limone chicken dish, the server never came out for a long time so I ate the chicken dish, it was good just that I didn't order it. Later when I told him he said he will take care of it and what he did was made sure the bill was for chicken and not fish. Still not too bad, I would give this 4 stars but we ordered croccantini Nutella to go and I don't think I got that, got some dish but don't think it was the correct one. I've attached a pic, if this is right then I will change it to 4 stars b...
User
This was my worst experience dining out to date. Upon arriving we saw plenty of tables available outside so we asked the host to be seated outside. As she led us outside we asked for a larger table, as FOUR tables were currently open at the time we didn’t think this would be an issue at all AND there was a party of 2 seated at a large table, she replies with no that’s not an option. Absolutely horrendous way to start an experience. Our waiter finally came after a good chunk of time we asked do they usually get super busy on weekdays, the answer was “yes” very curtly and this would turn out to be FALSE. Staff brings us the free bread and we have our wine, upset trying to figure out why we cou...
User
Second time here was even better than the first! Via Roma is a lovely, quaint Italian restaurant along Northwest Highway with indoor and outdoor seating, an expansive yet well tailored menu of classic dishes, and a great atmosphere. Perfect for a date night or meal with a few friends/family. Visited on a Tuesday night with my mom. There wasn't a wait and we were seated immediately in their nice outdoor area along the side of the restaurant (on weekends it does get busy and reservations are not accepted, so get there early or late to avoid a wait! . Our sever was the best I've had in awhile at any restaurant; very courteous, professional, and attentive. We were brought bread, olive oil, and g... View menu
Categories
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Fish Delight in our exquisite fish dishes, crafted from the freshest catch of the day. From grilled favorites to savory stews, our menu celebrates the ocean's bounty with flavors to satisfy every palate.
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Wine A curated selection of fine wines from around the world, offering rich reds, crisp whites, and elegant rosés to pair perfectly with your meal. Savor each bottle's unique aroma, flavor, and complexity. View menu
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Pasta Delight in our selection of classic and contemporary pasta dishes, each crafted with fresh, quality ingredients and flavorful sauces that capture the essence of Italian cuisine in every bite.
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Coffee Indulge in our rich and aromatic coffee selection, expertly brewed to awaken your senses. From classic espresso to creamy lattes, discover the perfect blend to start your day on a flavorful note.
