Tabbouleh
Freni E Frizioni

Freni E Frizioni

Via Del Politeama, 4, Rome, Italy

Barre • Caffè • Panini • Cocktail


"Ah Freni e Frizioni, the famed cocktail establishment with an impressive aperitivo spread. You've heard about it from every travel influencer out there and even if you haven't, you would very likely stumble onto it when strolling around Trastevere at aperitivo'clock. It's an impressive space with soaring ceilings and chandeliers. Huge outdoor patio. You would never pass it by because it's so cool. I've been twice, once during late COVID times when they couldn't have their famous spread out for people to help themselves (you were able to order some things but we didn't) and once in late February 2024. First time, we liked it enough, like I said, cool atmosphere, good drinks, not expensive. It didn't leave enough of an impression to leave a review so here we are now. Service is really nice, definitely rushed but hello, the place is packed so I hardly expect white glove service. As is typical in Italy, getting out of there took a while, so your best bet is to approach staff with your card ready to pay. They have hand-held devices. The aperitivo is crazy cheap. That said, don't expect what you see in Youtube videos. It ain't that. To be honest, I'd rather pay more that whatever it is (I think 3 Euro if you buy a drink) and get some quality items. The bread was so hard and stale, I almost spit it out and the hummus was just not good. Again, so cheap that you barely care but it's rare that I've had an aperitivo that I'd call inedible and many places offer complimentary bites that they bring to the table which I much prefer. I may be in the minority. This place gets very packed. I love how creative they are with cocktails (their menus are really fun) and my glass of wine was AOK."

Layalina Ristorante Libanese Arabo Shisha Bar مطعم عربي لبناني

Layalina Ristorante Libanese Arabo Shisha Bar مطعم عربي لبناني

Piazza Delle Crociate, 21-22-23/Primo Piano, Rome, Italy

Siriano • Libanese • Barbecue • Porta Via


"2024 Update: Let me start by saying that the place is very nice, welcoming and well kept (we had already been there a few years before), the welcome is kind and courteous, nothing to say. The food and the dishes in general are tasty and of good quality, even from this point of view we were satisfied overall. I don't give the maximum for two reasons, the quality/price ratio is really inappropriate compared to the courses and the meat served... the bill was 85 euros for two without wine, a little too expensive and I'll explain why... We take two creams which were supposed to be served with Arabic bread (we are told) but are priced separately on the bill, then three pancakes with vegetables and creams and one with minced meat, finally their main course which however must necessarily be taken by two at the cost of 18 euros CAD one (36 euros), which I expected richer, for two there were 4 skewers of meat (lamb, beef and chicken) on a bed of rice and 3 pieces of grilled vegetables, then a dessert (6 euros) and a tea (2.5 euros). Furthermore, 5 euros CAD each for a drink based on fresh mint and lemon flavored water with lots of ice, very refreshing to be honest, but really too expensive, in the end we are talking about water. Having said that, I didn't eat badly, on the contrary... but 85 euros seems excessive to me. For example, I didn't like paying 4 euros for service and not even receiving bread and I would have expected a final fee typical in ethnic places. In the end, with the fork discount we paid around 75 euros, still a little too much for me, and doing the math again it wasn't even applied correctly, in short, a bit of a bitter taste in the mouth at the end. Excellent Lebanese cuisine restaurant, slightly expensive perhaps but the quality of the raw materials and the style of the restaurant are worth a visit to discover the traditional cuisine of those areas of the world. Friendly, polite and informal service! I don't know if I would recommend the 25 euro menu because you are limited to a starter of small samples and a grilled second course... perhaps it is better to order what you want to taste, even the portions are more generous. well done!"