Our friends from the Valley are foodies in the truest sense. They keep a running list of places they want to try, and Bad Roman Beverly Hills had been on it since it opened. They were hesitant, though. The online reviews are all over the place: some people love it, some call it style over substance, and a lot of people land somewhere in the middle. So on September 5th, my husband and I made it a double date and the four of us went to find out for ourselves.
The short version: Bad Roman is not the best Italian food you’ll ever have, but it’s very good, the cocktails and desserts are standouts, and we had a genuinely fun night. Here’s everything we ordered, what we’d get again, what we’d skip, and what to know before you book.
Getting a Reservation at Bad Roman Beverly Hills
Bad Roman is packed. We booked a table for four about a month ahead, and the best we could get was 5:15 p.m. on a Saturday. The restaurant was busy the entire time we were there. If you have a specific date in mind, especially a weekend, book as early as you can. Walking in and hoping for the best is not a plan I’d count on here.
If an early dinner works for you, take it. A 5:15 table meant we could order a lot, take our time, and still have room (barely) for dessert.
Parking
There’s valet at the restaurant, but we parked in a public parking structure just steps away and it was completely fine. It’s a short walk, and in Beverly Hills that’s about as easy as parking gets.
The Room and the Atmosphere
Bad Roman Beverly Hills took over the space that was the Palm steakhouse for decades, and you would never know it. The room is loud in every sense: glowing lanterns, a huge chandelier, green velvet banquettes, patterned tile, and bold murals. It feels festive without being stuffy, and it’s clearly designed for people who like to take photos of their table (guilty).
Every staff member we dealt with, from the host to our server to the people clearing plates, was friendly and relaxed. It’s the kind of service that makes a busy restaurant still feel welcoming. Ask your server about the items that aren’t on the menu (more on that below).
We went for a date night, but I noticed quite a few tables with kids, and it made sense. This is a playful restaurant. If your kids are adventurous eaters, or even if they just love pepperoni and pasta, they’ll have fun here. I’d happily bring mine next time.
Start With the Cocktails
If I had to pick the two best parts of our dinner, the drinks would be one of them. The cocktail menu at Bad Roman Beverly Hills is creative and a little silly in the best way. Between the four of us we ordered a Grey Goose straight up, a Strawberry Sbagliato, a Tequila Granita, a Roman Cocktail, and a round of Lamborghini shots for the table.
- Tequila Granita: This was mine, and it came out like a grown-up snow cone, with shaved ice piled high in the glass. It’s made with Dobel Diamante Cristalino tequila, Cointreau, and Calabrian honey. It was refreshing and so much fun to drink.
- Strawberry Sbagliato: A strawberry spin on the classic, with strawberry-infused Aperol, bianco vermouth, and prosecco. Light, bubbly, and a good pick if you don’t want anything too strong.
- Roman Cocktail: The more serious drink of the group: rye, Campari, and hazelnut. If you like a Negroni or a Boulevardier, this is your order.
- Lamborghini shots: These arrived sitting on tiny toy Lamborghinis, which got a laugh from the whole table. The shots were bright green and not strong at all. I honestly couldn’t tell you what was in them, and that’s not really the point. You order them for the moment.
Cocktails here run in the low-to-mid $20s, so this is where the bill starts to climb. Still, I wouldn’t skip them. They set the tone for the whole meal.
The Starters: Don’t Skip the Garlic Babka
If you order one thing at Bad Roman Beverly Hills, make it the Roasted Garlic Babka. It’s a soft, pull-apart loaf with roasted garlic baked into it and a snowy dusting on top. It’s so good, easy to eat, and easy to share. At $12, it’s also one of the best values on the menu.
We also shared three other starters:
- Whipped Ricotta with Truffle Honey: Creamy ricotta topped with black truffle, served with bread for spreading. It was very good and one of the prettiest plates of the night.
- ‘Roni Cups & Ranch: Exactly what it sounds like. Thick slices of pepperoni are baked until they curl into crispy little cups, and you dip them in ranch. They’re tasty and fun to snack on with a drink. Is it a genius idea? Not really. But I understand why people order them, and kids would love these.
- Eggplant Pull-a-Parm: Picture a blooming onion, but made with eggplant and finished like eggplant parmesan, with a bowl of marinara for dipping. You pull pieces off and dunk them. It’s creative, and I enjoyed it. At $35 it’s one of the pricier starters, so it’s best for a group.
The “Secret” Menu
Bad Roman Beverly Hills has an off-menu list that isn’t printed anywhere. Just ask your server about it when you sit down. We tried two items from it.
The first was the B’B Paccheri, a wide tube pasta that was good and worth trying if you’re curious about the off-menu options.
The second was a side of Chicken Parm for $15. We follow Rick Lox on Instagram, he recommended it, and we couldn’t resist. My honest advice: you don’t need it. It’s a very small piece of chicken parm, and by the time it reached our table we were already stuffed. There was nothing wrong with it, but it didn’t add anything the rest of the meal wasn’t already giving us.
Pastas and Mains
Chicken Scarpariello Rigatoni: Rigatoni with chicken, sweet sausage, and hot cherry peppers. It had a nice bit of heat and tang from the peppers. Good, solid, and a safe choice if you want a hearty pasta.
Filet Mignon Meatballs: One of our friends has eaten a lot of meatballs in his life and has strong opinions about them. He said these were very good. I agreed they were good. To me, they tasted like freshly made, perfectly cooked meatballs, which is a compliment, just not a revelation.
Spicy Brussels Sprouts: We ordered these because we felt we needed at least one vegetable in a ridiculously heavy dinner. I’m glad we did. They were good, a welcome break from all the cheese, and I’d recommend them.
The Filet With the Raviolo on Top
This was the dish I was most curious about at Bad Roman Beverly Hills. The Filetto is a filet mignon topped with a single giant Cacio e Pepe Raviolo. You cut into the raviolo and the cheese sauce runs down over the steak. How often do you get to do that?
It was fine, but I wouldn’t order it again. The filet itself was standard, and once the fun of cutting into the raviolo passed, there wasn’t anything special about the dish. I honestly think I could make something very close to it at home. It’s also the most expensive thing we ordered (the steak is $58, plus $9 for the raviolo), so I’d put that money toward another cocktail or an extra dessert.
Dessert Is Where Bad Roman Shines
Along with the drinks, the desserts at Bad Roman Beverly Hills were the real standouts. We ordered three desserts for four people after an enormous meal, fully expecting to take most of it home. We finished nearly all of it, and we would order the exact same three again.
- Hazelnut Cannoli Sbagliati: “Sbagliati” means “mistaken,” and this is a deconstructed cannoli: crisp shell pieces arranged around a bowl of cannoli cream topped with hazelnuts. You scoop the cream with the shell. It was delicious and very easy to share.
- Lemon Cheesecake: This one comes out looking like two whole lemons sitting on a bed of graham streusel, finished with candied Sorrento lemons. It was wonderful, and a lighter-feeling finish after such a rich dinner.
- Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake: Layers of tiramisu flavor in ice cream cake form, with chocolate crunchies. This one was wonderful too.
If you’re trying to save room for anything, save it for dessert. Of everything on this list, it’s the part I’d push hardest not to skip.
What to Order at Bad Roman Beverly Hills (and What to Skip)
Order again:
- Roasted Garlic Babka
- Any of the cocktails, especially the Tequila Granita
- Whipped Ricotta with Truffle Honey
- Spicy Brussels Sprouts
- All three desserts: the Hazelnut Cannoli Sbagliati, the Lemon Cheesecake, and the Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake
Good, but optional: the ‘Roni Cups, the Eggplant Pull-a-Parm, the Filet Mignon Meatballs, the Chicken Scarpariello Rigatoni, and the off-menu B’B Paccheri.
Skip: the Filetto with the Cacio e Pepe Raviolo and the off-menu side of Chicken Parm.
One more tip: we over-ordered. For four people, two or three starters, two or three pastas or mains, and a vegetable would have been plenty, especially if you want room for dessert.
Quick Need-to-Know: Bad Roman Beverly Hills
- Address: 267 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
- Phone: (310) 861-4040
- Dinner hours: 4:30 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. They also serve weekday lunch and weekend brunch. Check the restaurant’s website for current hours.
- Reservations: Strongly recommended. We booked about a month ahead for a party of four.
- Parking: Valet at the restaurant, or park in the nearby public structure and walk over.
- Website and menus: Bad Roman’s official website (hours, current menus, and online reservations)
- Secret menu: Ask your server.
- Kids: We saw several families. The menu has plenty of kid-friendly options like pepperoni cups, meatballs, and pasta.
- Prices: Starters run roughly $12 to $35, pastas are in the $30s and $40s, cocktails are about $20 to $24, and desserts are $16 to $21, based on the online menu in September 2026.
Is Bad Roman Beverly Hills Worth It?
Yes. Is it the most amazing Italian food you’ll ever eat? No. If you’re after a quiet, traditional trattoria, this isn’t it. But the food was very good, the service was warm, and the four of us had a great time. Our friends left glad they finally tried it, and I think that’s the best way to read the mixed reviews online: people who expect a serious Italian meal come away underwhelmed, and people who come for a fun night out tend to love it.
Next time, we’re bringing our kids. And whoever you bring, don’t skip the cocktails and don’t skip dessert. They’re what make a night at Bad Roman memorable.
Read More on Culinary Passages
If you’re planning an Italian night out in LA, or just looking for your next reservation, these are the posts I’d read next:
- Pizzana vs. Uovo: How They Actually Compare: Neo-Neapolitan pizza in Brentwood versus fresh pasta flown in from Bologna.
- Pizzana in Brentwood: How It Became Our Family Spot: Our go-to when we want Italian with the kids.
- Southern Italian Cooking in LA and at Home: Where to find the real thing in LA, and how to make it yourself.
- Kazan Beverly Hills: A Fine-Dining Take on Ramen: Another Beverly Hills dinner worth planning around.
- Why We Still Love Black Market Liquor Bar 10 Years Later: If creative cocktails are your favorite part of a night out, this Studio City spot is for you.
- Telefèric Barcelona and Bacio di Latte: A Kid-Free Night Out in Brentwood: Another double date with our Valley friends, with gelato for dessert.
- 10 Los Angeles Restaurants Parents Love: Places that work for both the grown-ups and the kids.
- LA Dining Rules: 6 Honest Ways to Eat Like a Local: How I actually land hard-to-get reservations in this city.
