Bad Roman is located in the Columbus Circle mall on the third floor. The team that created this restaurant also helped create Don Angie, Quality Eats, Quality Italian, other “Quality Branded” restaurants, Zou Zou’s, and more. There was a lot of social media firepower with this restaurant because of how retro it looked in vibe and style. We were able to book a seating pretty easily for 2 at 5:30 PM.
Ambiance & Service
The restaurant is very bustling, with lots of noise and all types of clientele. You will find many on their date nights, and you will find big parties celebrating something as if they were celebrities. The noise level is pretty loud, and you are seated pretty close to other tables. The music is also on the louder side too, but it wasn’t uncomfortably loud. At times it was hard to hear our server.
The service was just average at best. The food came out really quick, but the server was having trouble getting down their timing on when to check on tables. Just a note that they use the remote kiosk when your bill is due. Unlike other card readers, the lower auto tip amount appears on the right and not the left. So take your time in paying.
Food
February 9, 2024 - First Visit
The Strawberry Sbagliato ($17 - right) came with strawberry-infused aperol, bianco vermouth, and prosecco. This drink was just OK to me. It seemed pretty mild, and the flavors were subdued.
The Attems “Ramato” Pinot Grigio ($16 - left) came from Friuli 2022. This skin contact wine had a rosé color, and it tasted mild. It definitely had some noticeable citrus and red fruit flavors. It was unlike other orange wines I’ve had, and arguably in a worse way. It was very forgettable.
The Roasted Garlic Babka ($8) came with a loaf as seen. It was pretty pricey for portion size, but it was freshly baked and warm. The middle appeared to have some green pesto-like sauce. This was good but not great.
The Porchetta Ribs ($19) came with 5 pieces. The rib meat was light, but it tasted as if it was pre-boiled, glazed with a sweet and spicy sauce, and flash fried. The meat had some crispy edges to it, and the meat was not abundant. My partner thought this was a little salty, but I felt it was tolerable.
The Grilled Pork Shoulder ($39) came on top of escarole and was topped with anchovy butter. This had a nice char on it, and the flavor of the pork was pleasant. It was not too sweet. The pork shoulder was a bit chewy in some areas and tender in others. Generally, I thought this decent value for what it was since they do give you a comparable decent sized portion.
The Rock Shrimp Chitarra ($34) came with calabrian chili, sungolds, and citrus. The pasta noodles were a little on the undercooked side from al dente. When you bite into it, it was crispy, and the texture of the noodles felt like it could’ve used about 1 minute more of boil. The flavor of the sauce was pretty good with the zesty and acidic tastes of the citrus along with the mild spiciness of the chili. The rock shrimp was small, but tasted like it was frozen.
The Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake ($17) came as you see. My partner mentioned of everything this evening, this was their favorite. I thought the dessert was actually pretty good. It was not too sweet, and each of the layers were pretty much ice cream. My favorite layer was the coffee ice cream.
June 28, 2026 - Second Visit
The Amalfi Diet ($20) came with limoncello, Ketel One Citreon vodka, and diet Coke. This was just OK for me. It was on the sweeter side.
The Cabernet Blend, Antinori ‘Il Bruciato’ ($24) came from Tuscany, Italy 2024. This is an approachable Super Tuscan, primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. It has ripe dark fruits to the smell but finishes very smooth to the palette. It was a good combination with the veal later on.
The Agnolotti Bistecca ($48) came with filet mignon and balsamic dolce. The agnolotti wrapped with filet mignon was quite delicious, but arguably a waste of meat. This tasted like if the meat was braised and stuffed into the pasta. Portion wise, it’s on the shy side.
The Veal Chop Milanesa ($68) came with pickled peppers and mozzarella perlint. The veal chop was quite large when it came, so sharing it was a good idea. The actual veal chop was cooked nicely. The crust of the milanesa was very crispy, and it provided nice flavors and texture. I would say the one caveat for this is that it’s a very basic course. The pickled peppers were nice, but they did not offer much to the veal. It could’ve used some sauce on the side. Otherwise, the veal chop tasted good and not too salty.
The Eggplant Agrodolce ($16) came with toasted sesame. This reminded us of Asian sauced eggplant. The agrodolce was basically reduced vinegar with sugar. The eggplant was very soft, close to being mushy. The agrodolce was pretty decent.
The Lemon Cheesecake ($21) came with 2 lemons, coated with some type of chocolate shell and the lemon cheesecake stuffed inside. The dirt was basically some sort of cracker with sugar on it. Aside from the appearance, the actual food tasted very similar to a straightforward lemon cheesecake. Aside from the gimmick, you’re paying a premium for the presentation.
Overall Impression
Bad Roman has a lot of social media presence, but the food is decent at best. If you are near this area and want to check out a trendy, happening ambiance, this could be worth a visit. Outside of that, I did not find the food memorable.
Yelp Jabs
Came to @badromannyc to see what all the hype was about it…and I get it. The Fileto with topped Cacio e Pepe Raviolo was iconic and the artistic lemon cheesecake should not be missed! Insta
This Elitist is the prime example of the audience for this restaurant. The food looks interesting, but you can get better value elsewhere if food is what really matters.
Now the babka is mandatory and shades of Cafe Mars monkey bread.
The babka is definitely not mandatory, as it’s just warm fluffy bread with a lot of garlic seasoning on top.
It was super easy to get a reservation during lunch hours on Saturday, and the restaurant was pretty empty. I was blown away by the gorgeous interior design and just how large the restaurant is.
Fast forward a few years later, it seems the restaurant is losing some traffic and heat. There are just too many restaurants in the city to try, and life goes on.
Revisions
- Jun 28, 2026 - Second visit.
- Feb 9, 2024 - Initial revision.