Romul’s
315 Oak St, Hood River, OR, 97031
Romul’s Menu
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Address :
315 Oak St
Hood River, OR, 97031 - Phone (541) 436-4444
- Website https://www.romuls.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Upscale
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Richard W.
My wife and I stopped here after hiking a few of the waterfalls off of I 84, we must admit this is the best hands down eggplant Parmesan we have ever tried! The pear salad is impeccable, The eggplant chips for the appetizer was spot on! Whatever you do don't miss this restaurant it is a star! To top it off the service was top-notch, please do not miss stopping by!
(5)Dd A.
When we walked in we were the only two in the restaurant, so it was very quiet--dead actually. I had chicken parmigiana. It was a very plain, very thinly coated piece of chicken breast, no flavor, served on a bed of bland spaghetti with very bland marinara sauce. No melted cheese anywhere. If it hadn't been for the server grinding some fresh parmesan, the dish would not have had any cheese at all. My son had the Lobster Ravioli. Overpriced, period. It was $17.95 for 7 small pieces of ravioli. That was it! No veggies or anything. He came in very hungry and left very hungry. The appetizer included in the meal was Italian bread sliced so thin you could practically see through it. The best thing about this place was the ambiance--very nicely decorated. I have had much better fare.
(2)ivan k.
After seeing great reviews, we decided to check this place out. But, simply put, both the pasta dishes we took were bland and flavorless. The ambience good and the wine great, and that's about it. When I read the reviews again now, I see that they rave about the ambience and the service. Service, aha. The staff members came and asked us how everything was. And then a few more of them came. The bartender came, and somebody from the back also came I think. After a point, it felt like every two minutes somebody was asking us how everything was, to a point that it felt like it was interrupting our dining and our conversation.
(3)Jacob M.
I really enjoyed this place. What a beautiful old building it's inside. I had the wilted spinich salad which was perfection and my friend had the lasagna which she couldn't quit raving about. It was also neat that the owner came out and talked to us. Great ambiance, delicious food and drinks. Definitely make this a stop!!
(5)Michael C.
This is a tremendous restaurant. All pluses here with no minuses. Service: Excellent A+ Atmosphere: Nice decor, a bit dark but overall comfortable. A Drinks: They make a perfect martini. A+ Food: They serve a delicious homemade bread with olive oil. We demolished the basket. The eggplant chips are unique with a homemade tomato sauce. I could eat a basket full of them. A veal piccata was good as I have in Boston's North End or Providence's Federal Hill and better than a similar dish I had in Eindhoven recently. A++ Desert....way to full. Prices: Fair given the quality. This one is a winner.
(5)Tanya M.
For lack of a better word, this place was dope!! I loved it! We brought three bottles of wine and they waived the corkage fee and we got complimentary moscato for dessert. We also ordered every dessert on the menu and everything was fantastic. Jackie waited on us and was awesome!!! Will def be back. Can't believe I haven't been here before.
(5)Sovy C.
impulsive drive to hood river with the fam and had some great italian food. the spaghetti carbonara and risotto were great!
(4)alex s.
Good service at fair price but just average - mediocre food. I ordered the chicken Parmesan which was a fried dry chicken breast on top of spaghetti that tasted canned.....the Caesar salad was just okay too and rather tasteless.... people that I was with also thought their meals were just okay and bland ......maybe chef was having bad bland cooking day as most other people writing reviews seem to have had a far better experience....
(2)Cherri K.
Great place to eat! Food delicious and service was great! Greek salad was really good!
(5)Holly R.
Absolutely incredible. Amazing food, charming atmosphere, fantastic wine, and A+ service. Romul is personable, charming, and extremely good at what he does. Get his fave, the veal piccata. It came with some perfectly cooked green beans and deliciously cheesy risotto. I ate every bite. And he gave my friend the VIP treatment for her birthday -- complimentary bubbly and dessert! Wish this place were closer to Portland!
(5)Kristi B.
My mom, sister and I went here just because we were passing by and hungry. We are so glad we did. The ambience is wonderful. The owner was super friendly as well as the rest of the staff. They even gave us a glass of passion fruit moscato at the end of our meal. We had risotto, lasagna, and chicken parmigiana. All were phenomenal. We also ordered the bacon covered dates. Again this was an incredible treat. I can't wait to bring my husband here.
(5)Patrick H.
Stuffed dates wrapped in bacon (ok) Chicken Marsala (tough, dry chicken with a flavorless sauce) Manicotti (tough pasta, canned, blah sauce, it has cheese on it! in it?) Good $8.50 a glass Argentinean Malbec! Have no idea where all the good reviews came from? Skip it!!!
(1)Robert G.
My family is in town from Seattle for a family wedding. This proved to be the perfect pre wedding dinner. To start the food is outstanding. Authentic enough to please our little old Italian relatives in tow. Staff was wonderful, we had a well behaved two year old with us and they were great with her. If you are in Hood River and need a taste of the old world rather than another brew pub this is the place you are looking for!
(5)Elisabeth M.
First of all; the best tiramisu I've ever had in my entire life. The lobster ravioli was delicious and the portions were perfect. Overall amazing and worth every penny. Wonderful atmosphere and knowledgeable staff only add to the experience.
(5)Margie B.
Excellent food,great service. I highly recommend the Parmesan encrusted chicken over the pene vodka. Excellent sauce and atmosphere. Monica was a great server.
(5)Sam C.
My wife and I were on vacation in Hood River for the first time ever when we choose to make Romul's our Anniversary dining destination. As usual, we did a bit of due diligence research prior to making this decision and found that Romul's had a score of 4/5 on Yelp. So we checked it out. We had drinks to start; a ketel one martini for me and a sparkling wine drink for my wife. The drinks were fantastic. We sat outside, but not before noticing the gorgeous bar inside. My guess is this place is perfect for having drinks with friends. The food menu was more or less classic Italian food, manicotti, eggplant parmesan, lasagna etc. I ordered Chicken Marsala and my wife ordered the clam buccatini. Both dishes were plated well, however it was when we started to eat that we found problems. The clam buccatini was a joke. If you don't know, buccatini is a tubular pasta the shape of spaghetti, like long, skinny rigatoni. As with all tubular pasta, its designed to pick up sauce on the inside as well as the sauce that sticks to the outside. Although it's one of my favorite pastas, it had absolutely no place whatsoever in this dish. Basically, it was steamer clams and the liquid that they were steamed in dumped over noodles. The clams were good but there were very few, and all she was left with was butter-wine water and with pasta floating in it. Totally unappetizing and gross, not even close to being worth $21. Minus the noodles and this would have been an $8 appetizer. My chicken marsala was palatable but nothing special. The chicken was tiny, and instead of portabella or crimini or something exotic I got regular old button mushrooms. The sauce had good flavor but was lacking salt. The worst part of my meal was the lazy potatoes. The place was dead when we went, and they still served me reheated roasted potatoes from hours before. Kind of a slap in the face for a $17 dinner. This place might be good for non foodies who just want to sit outside and eat, and if you like baked pasta dishes with lots of these and cream I'm they do that well. And as a bar I think Romul's is probably exceptional. But as an upscale, date night type experience, you can do much, much better. We stayed at the Best Western, and ate at the Riverside Restaurant for breakfast and dinner and enjoyed it much more than Romul's.
(2)John B.
I'll get back with more detail after our road trip but just need to do a quick rave about the food, service, atmosphere and value here. If you are within 100 miles, it is worth the drive.
(5)Roman B.
It's what I call "industrial" cuisine. Plain, no character. Lettuce in the salad was wilted. Meatballs I can do better. Expensive for what you get. You can find better in Hood River.
(2)Jasmine H.
This place is great! Its a fancy restaurant look with a laid back vibe. I went here a couple nights ago with my boyfriend for a nice dinner. Im a italian food lover, him on the other hand.... not so much. However it was my night to pick dinner... and too my surprise eventhough he hates Italian food usually. . He ABSOLUTELY LOVED his bone in Italian pork. And tge chicken parm I had that was nestled into a bed of delicious chicken alfredo was to die for. Theyre prices are spot on fir their portions, I had not eaten all day and still had to get a to go box for some of my pasta. The decor is fabulous and the waitresses were prompt and friendly. Would've given 5 stars but the music in the joint was a little loud (opera style) and kinda hurt my ears. But dont let that deter you. Great dinner spot!
(4)Derek N.
Excellent! My wife and I give this place 5 stars for service, atmosphere, and food quality. We have not been to this establishment before this outing. We travel to hood 10-15 times a year, but I usually pick a pub. My wife won out and I'm glad.
(5)Jefferson S.
Well, I was going to say a lot of nice things about this wonderful place ... But everyone has already said what I wanted to say. This place is very nice and really does remind me of several delightful places throughout small villages of Italy. We had a very nice and casual dinner. thank you
(5)Carlos A.
At best an average restaurant. It had all the basics to be a great restaurant, great venue decent menu selection and good service. It fell short on the food quality, not much flavour. The Ossobuco was almost tasteless, and the Rizzoto was equally bland. How disappointing, the deserts were good and great portions.
(3)Eric G.
Went here with my fiancé hoping for a nice intimate dinner. I want expecting much except for good Italian food. Let me tell you, what we got was so much more. I chose this restaurant based on the reviews, and they aren't kidding. The food and drinks were perfect and on par with what you would find in an authentic Italian restaurant. The prices are reasonable as well as the portions are good. But what set this place apart for me was the service. The restaurant was full but you would not have known it. The entire staff was very friendly and attentive, which paired with meal made for an excellent experience. It is great to have a go to destination restaurant, as I am now a customer for life! Thanks again to the entire staff of Romul's for an amazing dining experience.
(5)Michele R.
The delight is the pastas, some house made and all with hand crafted sauces, prepared perfectly al dente, skillfully dressed with the sauces and beautifully presented that all four of us at the table for dinner wanted to devour every bite of our respective dishes. So we did. The bottle of San Giovese we ordered was such a good buy (only $30) and so luscious that we wanted to sip every drop. So we did. The dilemma was the dessert menu of about eight house made items sounded so tempting we wanted to try some even after polishing off our pastas. So we ordered two to share four ways. We ate every crumb. The bargain was this wonderful meal for four people clocked in at about $116.00 before tip. Less than $30 / person. A great value. We all said we would come eat here again when we're in Hood River. If you are in Hood River you should do that too. Because the puzzle is while other restaurants around town looked to have sizeable crowds, Romul's did not on a mid week summer evening. We have eaten in some of those other restaurants during other Hood River visits. Romul's easily wins our vote as the one we've most enjoyed. This family run, Italian themed restaurant is unique from the small plate restaurants with bars or brew pubs with food places prevalent in Hood River that tilt to a focus on libations. Romul's has a bar but the focus is on good meals and warm hospitality. Romul's was in nearby The Dalles for a dozen years before moving to Hood River two years ago. We wish we could get them to move to our home town. In the meantime, we wish them lots of business to be able to stay in Hood River for many years to come. FAMILY RUN Romul, a nice man with a delicious accent, is in the house; mostly the kitchen but front of house too. So is his charming wife who both does a good amount of the cooking she tells us and waits tables too, as does her delightful daughter. Service was warm, gracious and efficient. FAMILY FRIENDLY A family with small children was just departing an inside table as we arrived, another arrived soon afterwards and another family with toddlers was outside on the front sidewalk patio. Romul;s is welcoming for children and their parents. AMBIANCE Romul's is equally welcoming for all others with old world Italian style murals on walls and Italian (elevator pop) music on the sound system. Metal topped tables and wood chairs. Lit votive candles and a stem of fresh flowers add to the 'aaahhhtmosphere'. That said, this is still a 'come as you are' place. . MENU & PRICE POINT The menu seems ninety percent Italian and the remainder Greek, Appetizers plus soups and salads range in price from about $8 to about $15. Pastas, risotto and entrees (chicken, veal, eggplant, shellfish and fish dishes) range from $13 - $24. Desserts $7 to $8. LIBATIONS Full bar. Modestly sized, thoughtfully crafted and fairly priced wine list. THIS N THAT: 1) LOCATION NOTE: In the former Annz Panz space on Oak Street in downtown Hood River.. 2) ACCESSIBILITY: Level in and all on one floor. Standard height seating at tables. 3) BEST TABLE: For a party of two, the two top at the window in the bar looks pretty special. 4) LUNCH & DINNER SERVED: Doubles your opportunity to go and enjoy! 5) STAR 5: My Brooklyn born and raised Italian American hubby seeing my 4 star rating said "Four? Wassamatta you? Five!" So, there you have it.
(5)Aaron T.
Not sure if it was because we were starving or if it was really that good, but we all really enjoyed what we ordered and finished our whole plates. Bread was soft and flavorful, which is different than you normally get (more crusty). Sauces were good and they accommodated our pickiness about certain ingredients.
(4)Stan L.
I'm in the area visiting my good friend who found Romul's for our lunch after sightseeing. It was a fantastic experience! The owner recommended his lasagne and it was exceptional. We enjoyed the pear salad first and accompanied the meal with excellent Chianti and Valpolicello by the glass. Our host was attentive and warm. Don't miss this memorable Italian restaurant. Definitely one of the two best I've experienced.
(5)Jack J.
Awesome delicious food. Great martini, steak was perfect, clams huge and best tarimisu ever. Server was fantastic. Will be back when we are in town.
(5)George Z.
We 5 (+ twins - almost 2 yrs) came on a Sunday evening and were seated immediately. Ordered a bottle of Sangiovese (to be subsequently followed by another one.) The service was excellent and the owner was nearby during the time we were there. The "kidz" wanted cheese, cheese, cheese. The waitress brought two plates and shreaded, what appeared to be a 1/4 lb on to each plate. They were happy. We were happy. The food was outstanding. My "measure" at an Italian restaurant is linguini and claims. Here, the clams were fresh and the linguini "just right" and served in a plate/pot-like) dish. And it was excellent. The best I've had excepting, of course, Italy. We also had eggplant chips, stuffed dates, gnocchi, girella primavera, the torte of the day, bread pudding, gelato AND espresso. The waitress brought an indivudual mini chocolate mousse for each twin. Next time I'm here ... I'm goin' back!
(5)Brittany W.
Awesome welcoming atmosphere. The food is delicious and Romul himself sat us and checked on us multiple times. They have a very interesting wine list and if you bring a bottle from a local winery he doesn't charge a corkage fee. His wife also checked in with us and was very nice, she makes all the desserts herself, we were stuffed from the food but they all looked decadent. We will definitely go back and recommend this restaurant to anybody.
(5)Christina T.
We are on a road trip and we came to Romul's precisely because of the many reviews read. Food indeed was great, but service was sadly, disappointing. By that I meant we felt neglected and not valued as customers. There were only 8-10 diners (including me and my husband) the whole time we were there. It appears to me that others were welcomed warmly except for us. There's a man whom I supposed is the boss, sat down and chatted at length with a party of 4 seated next to us during our entire dinner. Although he saw that we had waited quite a while for bread to be served, he didn't take any initiative to come to us. Neither did another female server took any initiative to attend to us. Our server was busy chatting with two other diners that he "forgot" about us for a while. I wonder if those diners are all regulars and hence the staff are so friendly to them? For what we experienced today, it was really a very basic service which every eating place offer. Nothing fantastic, nothing to shout about. There was no initiative, hardly any greeting (apart from the usual "how are you", "thank you"), no recommendation of what's good on the menu. I hope they could give the same warmth to every single diner in future.
(3)Mylee K.
Wonderful! My husband had the Pork Schnitzel and loved Ãt. I had the grilled pear salad and the spaghetti marinara. The pears were very tasty and the hand made pasta was perfect. Perfect flavor, perfect texture ( hard to do...so often home made pasta is grossly gooey), and fresh, clean, tangy, umami red sauce. The restaurant itself is stunning! Must be seen to be believed, and the antidote to cold, industrial, warehouse bistros. Exquisite, ornate decor, music and lighting. The owner/server -- who sings -- really hit it off with my husband, which made the whole experience personal and intimate and even warmer. If in Hood River, eat here!
(4)Margie N.
Ate here for lunch and had to come back for dinner with my hubby, son, niece and her brand new hubby and friends! Loved the Favette with vodka tomato sauce....soooo delicious!! The people there were so friendly and gracious....we are definitely coming back again the next time we're at Hood River!!
(5)Rhi M.
Ate here last night on a visit to Hood River- luckily it was our last night or we would have gone back again and again! Loved the atmosphere, the waitstaff, and above all the eggplant Parmesan.
(5)Owen T.
I really enjoy this spot, I always order Peroni (italian beer) when im there. I find it a little funny that its promoted as a premium beer outside of Italy as it is just a regular large brewery in Italy. Genuine Italian american's running it with deep knowledge of wines to match your meal.
(5)Joe E.
Romul's is part of our 4 restaurant rotation in Hood River (ma and I don't get to the big city too often) and, being originally from New Jersey (which invented Italian food) we can say that if you are looking for good Italian food ANYwhere in Oregon this is the place to find it. It also helps that they have a very nice wine list (a lot of local wines included) and a couple of our favorite servers anywhere. The husband and wife team always greet us with a smile and an (usually bad) attempt at humor. They put up with us, give back as good as they get and are extremely good at what they do. The food is great, the atmosphere -- especially outside in the summer -- is really wonderful (they clearly spent a lot decorating the inside) and we are made to feel at home (without having to clean up). Keep it up Romul, we needed a good Italian place in the Hood.
(5)Holly S.
Bacon-wrapped date appetizer was amazing. The chicken stuffed with feta is fantastic. Veal piccata melts in your mouth. Ten wines by the glass--the Cabernet and Syrah were both great accompaniments to the meal. We'd give ten stars if they were available!
(5)Scott H.
I'm giving a 4 on potential. I was quite crestfallen that one of my favorite eateries in Bingen would be closed for moving on my most recent visit to the gorge. Now off to find a new restaurant that isn't a giant brewery or a pretentious snobby cafe. I had heard good things about Romuls so I tried it out with my wife and friends. We brought two kiddos and the waitress was very accommodating with their needs. However, the place seemed a little understaffed and service suffered as a result. We had to actually ask for our dessert menus. Pasta was fresh. Can't really get that anywhere. It was a little dense and clunky though. I got the bolognese and I feel it would have been better with a lighter noodle like a parpadelle, but what do I know. My wife got the Lobster Ravioli and my behest. A light should have gone off when I saw the difference in the cost from the other dishes. Proportionally it was more inexpensive than the other dishes. Basically the ravioli were filled with cheese and bits of ground up lobster. Probably not that much actual lobster thence the lower price. I'd probably go back and try some other things. The dessert definitely saved this place. Excellent tiramisu. Give it a try. Try some things other than what I did. Maybe this place is awesome. Prove me wrong.
(4)Tricia J.
Great polite service. Food was great. Spaghetti and meatballs and a pasta dish is what we had. Very good. Bread was so good, moist and fluffy. Glad we stopped here.
(5)Christ F.
Came in tonight and brought in some friends, it's always like coming home to eat with family. They treat us so nice. The meal was amazing, had the house special (Salmon, but they know about my stomach problems and alter the recipe to suit) It you don't come here your just wrong..
(5)Chris S.
The food was average. We started with one of their specials, a caprese salad, which was fine. I had the bolengse which was a little on the sweet side, not typical of this style sauce. It was a bit too tomatoey, with not as much meat. My husband had the shrimp pasta. His dish was a bit more flavorful, but still just average. The service was friendly and super fast (the speed, I'm sure, was due to it being a Sunday evening). It was a fine restaurant, with fair prices, but certainly not a 5 star restaurant.
(3)Kevin C.
One of my favorite places to eat dinner in Hood River. We had a party of 11. Every dish was very good. The staff was great and the cocktails even better. Keep up the great work guys.
(4)Stefani B.
I have had the pleasure of eating here several times now. The food is scrumptious, atmosphere comfortable, and service is outstanding. Last night my boyfriend and I both chose one of the specials, so we had shrimp cannelloni and a veal gnocchi dish. Oh my goodness, every single bite was a treat! I have also had the lasagna and eggplant Parmesan, and both were absolutely perfect! Outdoor seating option is nice too. Romuls is worth trying- you will not be disappointed.
(5)Magali J.
My friend and I went on a Friday afternoon and shared the pear salad which was delicious and plenty for two to share. I ordered the lasagna and it was hands down the best lasagna I have ever had. Wonderful flavors! My sister ordered the shrimp scampi and she said it was also very good. We split the tiramisu and order coffees and I have to say the tiramisu was out of this world! The gentleman who waited on us was so gracious and nice. New favorite place to eat in Hoodriver! Looking forward to my return!
(5)Steve N.
Yelpers, I don't get the 4 1/2 star rating for this restaurant For starters, our pleasant enough waitress had too many tables, resulting in less than attentive service. The bread was a fail, not stale, but not very fresh, cold with thin, soft crust. Not worth the calories. The entrees were middling , especially given the prices. A mixed seafood over pasta dish was flavorful, with properly al dente pasta, but skimped on the seafood. The salmon in it was over cooked, the dark, fatty meat still attached, and really fishy. Diners shouldn't have to scrape it off themselves. My wife's salmon dish was okay, again somewhat overcooked. Maybe we caught them on an off-night, the overall experience was fair, but far from a 4.5 star rating.
(2)Elizabeth P.
Loved this place! Excellent service, nice atmosphere but not snooty, and delicious food. I had the best lasagna I have ever eaten in my life. My little girl had the kids mac and cheese, which was excellent but the portion was small for the $8.
(5)Kate D.
We stopped in here on a Monday at 4 at the end of an Eastern Oregon road trip. We were seated quickly & I noted that they had nice outside seating with several tables, although we were personally craving AC at that point. When I asked for a wine list I was told they didn't have one, so I asked for a glass of Pinot Grigio. The waiter didn't tell me where it was from, & it was served slightly warm. Bread was promptly brought to the table. It was white cheesy bread cute into small bits, which was disappointing. My partner got the special bay shrimp manicotti. It came with 3 rolls, which was an excellent portion considering how rich it was. The bay shrimp, a manicotti combination I've never seen, deliciously melted with the ricotta filing. A cream sauce covered the rolls for an added finish of gooey goodness. I ordered spaghetti & meatballs. When trying new restaurants, I usually go with a standard basic as a point of comparison. For Thai, it's red curry, for Italian, meatballs. I was not impressed with this particular rendition. The noodles were over cooked & gummy. It was heavily sauced with the consistency of puréed tomatoes. The meatballs were small & dense: I don't think you should need a knife to help cut the meat, it should fall apart from pressure from your fork. Overall: not impressed with the bread & wine. My partners dish was great, but it's hard to judge if that was talent or cream & cheese. I'm sure there are better things than spaghetti & meatballs on most Italian menus, but to me that dish is a perfect example of how a place can prepare a basic noodle, spaghetti, a basic sauce, marinara, & a basic protein. If I was a local, I'd probably try this place again to see if there was a reasonably priced, favorite dish. But if you're here on vacation & only have a few meals with your travel partners, I'd try somewhere else. The 2 pasta dishes & 1 glass of wine were $50, ouch.
(3)Marisa S.
I am so excited about having Romul's in Hood River. We have been wanting to go to the original location for years, our friends from town have been recommending it, however we never made it to The Dalles (even though it is only 22 miles away). Last night after we had dinner, we started strolling around town and we saw people dinning outside the former Ann's Panz location. I tried to look for the name and couldn't see one, so we decided to step in and inquire. The place has been completely remodeled and it looks so nice, they are still working on the mural, so you will still smell fresh paint. A lady, I'm guessing is one of the owners or managers told us it was Romul's and that today was their opening. She was very welcoming and asked if we were having dinner, we told her we just had, but we could have some dessert. She started running through the list of desserts and she mentioned the Turtle pie, a layer of chocolate cookie crust then pecans and caramel covered with chocolate ganache, she had me at caramel. We had two cups of coffee and a Turtle pie. We sat in the little outside area, at the table next to us was a nice family from the Netherlands, their dishes looked delicious and they agreed. By the way, the pie was delicious, I meant to take a picture, but I dove right in. I asked for a menu to check it out. We are coming back on Saturday and I already know I am having the Pear salad and I am still between the Eggplant Parmesan and the Gnocchi. This is a great addition to Hood River, even though there are many great places in this town, we needed a little injection of something new. I can't wait for Saturday, stay tuned. 7/28/12 We went to dinner and we had a great night. We were welcomed with a glass of Prosecco. All the tables got one upon arrival. I don't know if this is permanent or because it is opening week. I ordered a glass or red wine, Romul himself recommended it. My hubby had a margarita (of course). My wine was delicious and the margarita was perfect. I ordered the small pear salad, YUM, the pears were grilled and warm the combination of green gorgonzola and cranberries was an explosion of flavor in my mouth. I went with the Eggplant Parmigiana and my hubby with the Lasagna. Both dishes were delicious and gigantic portions. I ate only half and gave my hubby my other half. It was perfectly cooked with creamy ricotta between layers of eggplant, DOUBLE YUM. The lasagna had this amazing sausage with a wonderful sage flavor. I didn't have enough room for dessert, but I would have chosen the Turtle Pie again. I will be dreaming about it all the way back to Scottsdale.
(5)Dave G.
All was good...but the shrimp canaloni was soooo goood! I can see someone ordering two...if they have room.
(5)Patti D.
This was awesome! Romy (he admitted this was his childhood nickname) was the most gracious host. Food was awesome...lasagne amazing, chicken piccata yummy...service impeccable! Highly recommend!
(5)Jen B.
Nice atmosphere. We sat in the bar near the window. The server did not know much about the wine but to his credit he did go ask someone. I ordered the grilled pear salad and it was good although there were some slimy pieces of lettuce. The bread was good and rustic however the olive oil for dipping tasted a tad on the rancid side. I ordered the eggplant Parmesan and my hubs ordered the veal piccata which came with creamy risotto and steamed squash. My dish came without sides and it was ok. That's all to be honest I think trader joes has a better eggplant Parmesan. I tasted the creamy risotto and it was good I didn't taste the veal. My hubs said it was good. For dessert we had the tiramisu and it was awesome! I should have ordered that for dinner! The bar keep brought us each a glass of dessert wine on the house. Bonus! And it was good! The dessert was so good this place Earned 4 stars. Other wise it was meh.
(4)Amanda C.
The food needed seasoning and more garlic, but the staff is so friendly and the location is great.
(2)Katherine W.
First visit. My husband and I popped in for a spur of the moment lunch on Saturday. I has the soup and sandwich special. Homemade minestrone and green salad topped with shredded carrot and parmesan, house dressing. Husband had the sausage Philly sandwich. My meal came with fresh, warm, homemade foccacia, hmmmm. Sandwich was also on housemade bread. Everything was fresh, homemade, and made me feel like I was back in Italy. Our server was very nice and she did an excellent job taking care of us. Can't wait to go back for an espresso and one of the fabulous desserts she told us about.
(4)Susie G.
Service was friendly. Outdoor seating was nice. This was not the best Italian food I have ever had. My expectations were high and they didn't meet them. The food was not bad, but not great.
(3)Kiara B.
Excellent service, authentic food a mix between Greek and Italian and I've been to both countries so I know and the service is awesome! Very delicious and the owner has a great accent :-)
(5)jon h.
We live here and can say that we like this place better than most in Hood River. While relatively new in the Hood food scene, Romul's has shown themselves to be friendly, honest and a value on the food budget. We've got our favorites, like the martinis and chicken marsala, but are sure everything is good. It's on the fancy looking side, but we are comfortable when we go in for a casual meal with friends... and the staff is too! What we don't like, is reading a review that is negative, by someone who has never written a review, and by someone who created a Yelp account with the sole purpose of slamming a legitimate business that wants to do the right thing. People aren't stupid when it comes to Yelp. We are real people writing this, and we love Romuls...from staff to food. Try for yourself and be nice, It comes back.
(5)Nikii M.
Three of us were in Hood River for a Fiber Festival and Romuls was recommended to us by a knitter who also is on the wait staff. From the time we entered the restaurant, we were transported to Italy. A large mural dominates one wall. Our wait person was very attentive and helpful. I ordered one of the specials, Rabbit with Risotto. The portion was so large that I was unable to finish, and took a box back to the motel. For dessert, we split panna cotta with raspberry sauce. The perfect ending to a perfect meal. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Kristin O.
My husband and I had a pleasant meal here complete with a great bottle of Chianti. The bread served before the meal was only okay and our appetizer salad was bland with little to no dressing, especially disappointing for a dish close to $9. The Favette pasta and lasagna were both good, as was the tiramisu. I would likely try a new place rather than return to Romuls any time soon.
(3)Bruno B.
This is an attractive and pleasant place with attentive and friendly service, even a "how are you doing" from what was probably the owner. While we enjoyed our dinner of salads followed by the Orrichiette with Shrimp and the Favette with vodka sauce, we found fault with a few things: - the pear salad featured only two thin slices of pear, basically "token" pear. - while the homemade pasta was great, the shrimp and chicken that came with it were both somewhat overcooked. Recommended, but you might try some other dishes.
(4)J S.
Surprised at the good reviews - there are lots of excellent places to eat in Hood River, but Romul's is definitely not one of them. I tried it three times - when they first opened I ordered the salmon special and was brought a small, thin and overcooked piece of fish. It wasn't just the poor cooking . . . the piece of fish was substandard to start with. My companions' meals were also disappointing. Thinking it was just because they were new, we went back when family was visiting, because of the pleasant sidewalk seating, and had similarly poor food, so we decided not to return. We actually did go back once more when a bunch of friends were going - and the general consensus was that food is simply bad there. Yes, it was somewhat popular when they opened as it was the new place, and Romul is friendly, and the location is fun, but the food is bad and the locals don't go there anymore. The service is nice, although one server keeps referring to wines as "I-talian." In Hood River? Try something else!
(1)Kelly B.
I am really glad we found this restaurant in Hood River. For the price, the food was excellent, service friendly and attentive, and being able to eat outside a plus.
(4)Coral H.
An attractive place in downtown Hood River. The service is attentive. The portions are huge. A small salad is a regular salad size not sure what a large salad would be. The food was not that flavorful. I had Osso Bucco and it was a little dry and not much flavor tying it in with the risotto.
(4)Julieann F.
The eggplant Parmesan was perfect: well seasoned and firm- not mushy. My husband's chicken Parmesan with Alfredo sauce was so very good. The waitress was very accommodating. We'll be back the next time we're in Hood River!
(5)Neil C.
Girlfriend and I went Sunday night around 8:30. As you would expect, place was not that busy late on a Sunday night. So we got some one on one attention from the owner. The owner was very friendly and gave both of us a free glass of wine. The wine was so good we both ended up ordering a few more glasses. We had the bacon wrapped dates for appetizer. 3* Veal Picatta 5*. Awesome! Spaghetti and Meatballs. The pasta was 5* and meatballs were 2.5* (dry). Service was excellent 5*. Atmosphere, 4*. Overall, solid place and we will be going back for more. We are excited to have a good italian place in town. Prices are reasonable, good value for your money.
(4)Beau M.
Really enjoyed our visit. Had an excellent meal. Waiter brought two chocolate mouse cups for the kids. Thought they were awesome too. Definitely our favorite new place to visit here in Hood River.
(5)Joe S.
Lovely new place, welcome addition to the neighborhood. Wife and I had a great desert and coffee sitting in their outdoor area. Dutch family next was having dinner which looked terrific and they said tasted wonderful. Nice salmon, pastas, etc. We'll be trying those soon.
(5)Paul E.
Great food , atmosphere , and service, , just what I would expect after eating at their location in the dalles.
(5)Patty P.
We ate at this establishment last night. The service was fast and friendly. They let us sit outside on the patio with our two dogs and that was an added bonus. I had the Bolognese pasta and my husband had the lasagna. Both very good. My only suggestion would be to include more local wines on your menu and more option for wines by the glass. We would eat here again, food was delicious. Finished off the meal with vanilla bean gelato to complete our Italian experience!
(5)Lynn W.
We had a wonderful time at Romels. The service was excellent, the atmosphere was delightful and the food was excellent. We had no complaints and can't wait to go back.
(5)Margaret S.
Charming atmosphere, excellent service and delicious food! The owner made personal contact with our table more than once! I'll be back!!!
(5)