Bottega Romana

I don’t understand all the rave reviews. My wanderlust has taken me to Italy several times, including Rome and the food at Bottega Romana did not meet my expectations. I would have liked to see more traditional Roman fare and Roman ingredients incorporated into their dishes as their name claims. Instead, I was greeted with very average food. The owners were friendly as was the server, but I was more interested in having great Roman food. All in all, it was an average American Italian experience, and not the Roman culinary evening I was expecting.

We LOVE this place. Without exception each dish we’ve ordered has been spectacular. We’ve brought friends and family and they echo our sentiments. Pricing is fair, portions are large, ambience is cozy indoors and warm outdoors (thanks to space heaters and a partially covered patio) and service is efficient and friendly without being rushed. The owners are from Rome and are totally adorable; they’ve clearly poured their heart & soul into this project and it’s evident in the menu and execution. I can’t say enough good things about Bottega Romana; dIt’s worth the short drive from MB to enjoy their authentic Italian dishes.

This is the best Italian place in South Bay…
Hands down!!! So so delicious!!!
My favorite is the fettuccine Bolognese … The pasta is so tender and the sauce is so rich!
The owners are extraordinarily accommodating and the specials are always seasonal.
They are opening a new wine bar which I can’t wait to try.
Highly recommend this place!!!

Omg the best gnocchi I have ever had and I love gnocchi it was perfect and beautiful loved it

The evening had a great beginning. Servers and owners were very welcoming. There were three couples; the other two had gone before, raved, and so we were looking forward to a great evening.
We decided to share every course, so we worked through the menu as we went along. Serve was pleasant, but very slow. We didn’t mind as we all enjoyed the company.
Starters were good to very good. For our primi course, we shared two pastas and a risotto. The penne was cold, the risotto was past al dente. Not special, but not worthy of complaint.
For main courses, we shared the Bistecchina di manzo, Pollo Piccata ai carciofini, and lamb chops, which was a special of the evening. As the chops came four to an order, we requested and the waiter agreed to 1 ½ orders. The meats were ordered medium rare; the beef arrived medium, and the chops were well done. The flavor of the chicken was fine, however the quality of the chicken left much to be desired. Texture was that of previously frozen chicken.
When the bill arrived, we noted that we were charged for two full orders of the chops, rather than 1 ½. Assuming it was a mistake, we reminded our server that we ordered and received 1 ½ orders. His feeble explanation was that the chops were larger! Somehow, I doubt that, and am certain that had we ordered two full orders, we’d have been charged for two orders. Period. Not extra because they were bigger. Rather than crediting us, they did the usual and comped us a bunch of desserts. I never like that option because (a) we wouldn’t have had dessert, and (b) they get trashed when they’re not sold.
We had a wonderful evening with friends, but in the end, confirmed that this restaurant upcharges without warning, as so many other Unilocalers have noted. Our friendship continues, but we won’t frequent this place again.

I came here recently with an old friend.
The ambiance is very nice and smooth and elegant, particularly at night. It’s adequately sized.
In terms of service, the hosts are very polite and well informed on the food available. We were seated almost immediately after seeing a waiter.
The food itself tastes very much Italian.

The night began with dinner here. Located in my hometown of south Redondo Beach, it was great to enjoy good food mixed with a bit of nostalgia. We made reservations for 7:00 PM, and we were served quickly. We sat right by the large window overlooking Avenue I toward the beach. It was a cool night, which was a relief from the heat wave we’ve been experiencing here in southern California, so that definitely added to the good experience.
I ordered the catch of the day (swordfish), which came with greens and small potatoes. To drink, I had a glass of pinot gris. The food was delicious, I just wish I had room for dessert.
This is definitely a great place to bring a date. Check it out.

The location is cute and the ambiance is nice — outdoor dining down by the water. The service was great, too. Was sat before reservations.
The food. We started with the buratta on eggplant and tomatoes with balsamic. Not bad. The eggplant was super salty but I liked the tomato and buratta on the bread. For dinner, My husband ordered the special of lobster ravioli. He loved it. There were big chunks of lobster and he enjoyed the sauce. My meal however left a lot to be desired. I got the beef tenderloin with potatoes and sautéed spinach. The waiter asked medium rare and I said I’d like it medium. It came out VERY rare not even medium rare as he had first indicated. I ate around the edges. The spinach was sautéed with nothing — no garlic, butter, nothing. Very tasteless. Same with the potatoes, super bland. My meal was such a huge disappointment but I’m glad my husband enjoyed his meal, as it was his birthday dinner and not mine. :)

Went here for a family night out and am super happy this opened in the area. The food is excellent, and the setup is great lots of outdoor seating, and a big window in the main room so they can open up the inside seating when its nice. The service was friendly, my only knock was that th

3.4 stars
Excellent service. Waiters were friendly and service was fast and efficient.
The atmosphere was intimate, cozy and refined. It’s a nice place for a date!
The complimentary bread was toasted to perfection with superb texture!
The food portions were a bit smaller than I expected for the price, but I guess for an Italian place of this sort, it was alright. The only thing I tried was the Fettuccini Bolognese, which I regret to say was quite average, nothing special and a little bit too salty for my taste.
Overall, not bad but my review of the food is only based on one dish.

Redondo’s Riviera Village needed a wonderful new Italian restaurant & here it is — located between Dennee’s and Gus Vintage on Avenue I, a block from the beach.
My first visit was for lunch today. I was charmed by the cozy upscale décor as well as by the owners’ delightful Italian accents. Service was outstanding.
(They will be expanding soon to include a wine bar, I was told.)
My pasta meal is not on the menu, but was today’s special. I would go back for this dish alone — it was that good: Ravioli with 4-​cheeses filling & pesto sauce, topped with fresh tomato and pine nuts ($ 20).
Upon first bite, my thought was: fresh. This is a light dish with delicate flavors. Perfection. Not an overwhelmingly huge portion, fine with me.
It’s available once or twice a week.
I declined any bread, thinking of my waistline. Then I declined the dessert menu.
Then the owner mentioned homemade apple strudel and my plan to limit calories flew out the open window on an ocean breeze. At least it was a half-portion…but it came with the creamiest ice cream. Dang. I ate every sweet crumb.
Thank goodness for stretchy workout pants.
Bottega Romana is a bit pricey for the Village but I don’t mind paying for top quality. The owners, a friendly Italian couple, visited my table a few times… and it’s apparent they take great pride in the food they serve. While enjoying the special, I felt special.
Excellence equals successfulness.