Yes or No? I've read both good and bad things about it.

Thanks!
M-

I'm not sure I've ever read bad things about it...

Unfortunately, because so many people write it up in forums like this one, the clientele is likely to be about 50% tourists.

After reading such geat reviews here on Fodors, we had high hopes for a really wonderful meal and were disappointed.

It was filled with tourists, and the meal was inconsistant. Parts of the meal were mediocre at best and a dish that was billed as "tartufo" (with truffles) lacked any hint of truffles but instead was topped with finely chopped crimini mushrooms (scamorza al tartuffo.)One dish was delicious (beef carpaccio)but the pasta was average and the vegetable antipasta mosly fava beans.

I think there are much better meals to be had elsewhere in Rome.

Plafield--Do you mind if I ask what you paid for your disappointing meal at Armando? We will be in Rome in November and this restaurant was one being considered.

Plafield, I just made a reservation for the Monday night that we will be there....Should we just skip it? Don't really want to be surrounded by tourists, plus my bf and I are both chefs and our main reason for going to Italy is to eat. We're only in Rome for 3 days, so I don't really want to waste time on a bad meal. Can you recommend anywhere else? Thanks!

Nini: we had lunch at Armando and paid 51.50E for 1 mixed vegetable antipasti (not a good assortment, too many fava beans), scamorza e tartuffo (no truffles, just chopped funghi of some other sort), beef carpaccio (fresh and delicious but needed a drizzle of good balsamic), spagetti armitriciana (mediocre). 2 coffees and a bottle of water. The service was not very freindly and the meal not well timed. The place was completely full of tourists.

Personally, I think they're past their prime with the huge influx of tourists coming in because of reccomendations. It's fine for a lunch if you'e hungry and around the Pantheon, but I wouldn't make it a destination.

MartiB: If you're going there pimarily to eat (as we did) and you're looking for great authentic food that is reasonably priced, I highly reccomend Le mani in pasta in Tratevere (37 Via dei Genovesi, phone: 065816017.) It's a tiny hole in the wall, no English on the menu (or spoken really by the waiters but they're very friendly and will do sign language and work with you to order if you don't speak Italian.) We were the only non-locals in the place the night we ate there and everything we ate was fantastic. We had a mixed vegetable antipasti (5 different veggies, roasted and totally fresh and delicious) 2 pastas (cacio e pepe and fettuccini w/ ricotta and prociutto) one seconde (veal scallopini) a fantastic dessert, 1/2 bottle of winde and a bottle of water for 48E.

Another restaurant we loved was La Scalanata (32 via Saint Andrea delle Fratte phone: 06699942067.)
It's between the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. We had the most sensational pappardelli with wild boar sauce that I'm still dreaming about. All the food was delicious, except I don't reccomend dessert. We had one antipasti, 2 pastas, one secondi (fantastic grilled liver and mixed vegetable) 1/2 bottle of wine, 1 bottle of water, 2 coffees and one desert for 45.50.

I've also heard that Trottoria Monti is not to be missed. We were planning on having lunch there one day but it didn't work out. We were sorry to miss it but instead we had a fabulous picnic with the most outrageous sandwiches from Volpetti market. If you're in Rome for the food, you must visit Volpetti (in Testaccio, Via Marmorata.) This is a great place to buy cheese (they'll vacuum pack it for you) to bring home with you.

I've written a trip report that has alot of details about where and what we ate while in Italy. Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35005867

Have a great time!

Nini: we had lunch at Armando and paid 51.50E for 1 mixed vegetable antipasti (not a good assortment, too many fava beans), scamorza e tartuffo (no truffles, just chopped funghi of some other sort), beef carpaccio (fresh and delicious but needed a drizzle of good balsamic), spagetti armitriciana (mediocre). 2 coffees and a bottle of water. The service was not very freindly and the meal not well timed. The place was completely full of tourists.

Personally, I think they're past their prime with the huge influx of tourists coming in because of reccomendations. It's fine for a lunch if you'e hungry and around the Pantheon, but I wouldn't make it a destination.

MartiB: If you're going there pimarily to eat (as we did) and you're looking for great authentic food that is reasonably priced, I highly reccomend Le mani in pasta in Tratevere (37 Via dei Genovesi, phone: 065816017.) It's a tiny hole in the wall, no English on the menu (or spoken really by the waiters but they're very friendly and will do sign language and work with you to order if you don't speak Italian.) We were the only non-locals in the place the night we ate there and everything we ate was fantastic.

We had a mixed vegetable antipasti (5 different veggies, roasted and totally fresh and delicious) 2 pastas (cacio e pepe and fettuccini w/ ricotta and prociutto) one secondi (veal scallopini) a fantastic dessert, 1/2 bottle of wine and a bottle of water for 48E.

Another restaurant we loved was La Scalanata (32 via Saint Andrea delle Fratte phone: 06699942067.)
It's between the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. We had the most sensational pappardelli with wild boar sauce that I'm still dreaming about. All the food was delicious, except I don't reccomend dessert. We had one antipasti, 2 pastas, one secondi (fantastic grilled liver and mixed vegetable) 1/2 bottle of wine, 1 bottle of water, 2 coffees and one dessert for 45.50.

I've also heard that Trottoria Monti is not to be missed. We were planning on having lunch there one day but it didn't work out. We were sorry to miss it but instead we had a fabulous picnic with the most outrageous sandwiches from Volpetti market. If you're in Rome for the food, you must visit Volpetti (in Testaccio, Via Marmorata.) This is a great place to buy cheese (they'll vacuum pack it for you) to bring home with you.

I've written a trip report that has alot of details about where and what we ate while in Italy. Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35005867

Have a great time!

Plafield - thanks for the recommendations. We are actually staying in Trastevere, so will definitely go to Le Mani. Did you need reservations?
Thanks!

Thanks for the feedback Plafield. Another Fodorite raved about Scalinata also and I think we will try it. The poor service and unfriendly wait staff that you experienced at Armando makes me think twice about spending money there.

I have to say, we had a completely different experience when we went to Armando last May. We had an 8:30 reservation, and when we got there it was obvious that the early dinner crowd of tourists was still there, however, it very shortly became filled with Italians, who are accustomed to dining later. There was a lineup outside of locals who were waiting for tables when we left at 10 PM. Our service was excellent as was the food. My boyfriend asked for a recommendation from the waiter for one of their Roman specialties, and he ended up with a trippa alla Romana that was to die for! It's a very typical trattoria, not a gussied-up overpriced tourist place, and I think it's a fine place to eat. I wouldn't decide not to go just on the basis of one person's negative review - there are lots and lots of positve ones.

My experience was similar to hazel's. I went to dinner at 9:00 pm, and it was mostly Italians eating there. The food was great, the service good and friendly. In fact, I went back again the next night!

I agree that later is better at Armando's. Romans eat dinner late so the early diners are alot of tourists. My reservation was for 9:30 and the food was excellent and the diners were mostly Italian.
That being said, I would recommend Trattoria Monte (via San Vito, 13/A 39-6-446-6573). I had one of my best meals in Rome here last October when I visited with my sister.Here's my review from my trip report:
"We arrived too early for our reservation and the staff was enjoying their family meal; when sis and I saw the food we could hardly wait to see the menu. The food was delicious. I had Zuccini Flan on Carrot Puree, house made Gnocci with Chingale Sauce and Cod With Onion, Pinoli and Raisin Sauce (wow); my sister enjoyed Sweet Onion Flan, Egg Noodles with Porcini and Beef Shank Stew. We shared a bottle of Maremma Toscana and for dessert Michele had her first Panna Cotta served with strawberry sauce and I couldn’t resist cantucci and Vin Santo."
I believe the tab was about E90.
Also, if you're in Rome on a Sunday, there is a great Sunday brunch at the restaurant atop the Hotel Forum(via Tor di'Conti, 25 ph:39-6-6792446).From my trip report:
"...taking the elevator to the roof where we were met by the maitre d’ and shown to our table overlooking the Imperial Forum . We spent a leisurely 2 ½ hours over brunch, enjoying the view and the food. The street below is closed to traffic on Sunday and there were strolling bands and stilt walkers, fire eaters and jugglers – what fun we had that afternoon. We both decided on the appetizer buffet which was fantastic. A partial list: roasted oysters, shrimp oreganata, risotto, stuffed mushrooms, roasted peppers, cheese (including boccacini knots of fresh buffalo mozzarella), cured meats, melon, proscutto (the most beautiful I saw in Rome, still on the leg bone and served like a steamship roast by the chef), olives; as I said, a partial list. The buffet was also quite lovely to the eye with grand serving platters. We both then had Veal Sorrentino and dessert from the dessert buffet. We tried the panna cotta, cheese cake, baba rum and fruit salad. I again had a split of Frascati, sis enjoyed her coke. The check was E117 and was really well worth it. We had a lovely afternoon on a beautiful day with a vantage over Rome and a birds eye people-watching view - and the food was great!"
One thing I can say is, Rome is a great food town!

Marti B: we did make reservations at Lemani and the place was totally full by 9:30 (our reservation was for 9:00.) It was a Sunday evening, when many restaurants are closed, but my sense is that this place fills up with neightborhood locals every night so I would make a reservation, even if it's the same day, unless you pan to dine early.

Another place we loved in Trastevere was Popi-Popi (Via delle Fratte di Trastevere, 45.)We had our best pizza in Italy here as well as scrumptious fried artichoke and numerous other delicious things. It's a really fun place, huge outdoor seating area and playful, friendly waiters. Lots of groups of young Italians having a great time.

It sounds like our experience Armandos was in part because we were there for lunch, when they seem to have a lot of tourist business from people visiting the Pantheon. Perhaps this is an example of how some places give preferential treatment (food and service) to non-tourists.

It sounds like if you go to dinner at 9:30 or so, Armando's is filled with mostly Italian patrons and the food and service is better for them so a tourist gets the benefit of beng part of a local "group." And maybe not. Perhpas we just hit them on an off day, but I have read from other sources (here and on Chowhound) that it's not really a "destination" restaurant anymore.