Trattoria Da Enzo al 29 is an authentic Roman trattoria located in the charming Trastevere neighborhood. It is renowned for its traditional Roman dishes and a strict 'no reservations' policy, which often leads to long queues of eager diners. The atmosphere is lively and bustling, offering a genuine local dining experience.
Customer Perception
Customers consistently praise Da Enzo al 29 for its authentic Roman food, with many highlighting dishes like carbonara, fried artichoke, burrata, and meatballs. The restaurant is extremely popular, resulting in significant wait times (often 1-2 hours), but patrons appreciate the attentive service, including servers offering drinks and samples to those in line. The ambiance is described as bustling and lively, and the owner is often seen ensuring smooth operations. Despite the wait, the experience is generally considered worth it for the quality and value of the food.
Additional Details
The trattoria is situated in a more quiet part of the Trastevere neighborhood. The staff is noted for being friendly and some waiters can speak common words in several languages, enhancing the experience for international visitors. Cash is preferred for drinks ordered while waiting in line.
No specific dietary options (e.g., vegan, gluten-free) are explicitly mentioned in the provided information.
Best Times to Visit
To minimize wait times, it is highly recommended to arrive well before opening hours (e.g., 30-60 minutes prior to 12:30 pm for lunch or 7:30 pm for dinner), as lines form quickly and reservations are not accepted. The restaurant is open Monday to Saturday for both lunch and dinner, and closed on Sundays.
Best dinner we’ve had during our Rome trip. We got in line at 5:30pm (17:30) and were 3rd in line. They DO NOT take reservations so get in line with plenty of time before they open at 6:30 (18:30). We were able to order drinks at the register while waiting in line which was amazing. Once seated, we were told to order everything we wanted (drinks, starters and entrees) all at once within 45 seconds of sitting down with no menus offered in line which was a little disappointing because we felt rushed but also we knew to get in line early so I guess pick your battles but be prepared. We got the zucchini and artichoke starter (seasonal can’t remember the name but it was great and NOT fried) served cold and refreshing after the wait. Wine bottle we ordered was Capolemole, great vino easy drinking. Entrees were carbonara and lamb ribs, so frickin good I’d have every time over!!!!! Then for dessert we had tiramisu and wild strawberry pudding of some sort. Everything was amazing and we’d definitely go again and every time we come to Rome in the future. Bread basket was placed on our table with no request and was around 3€ so I’m assuming if you don’t want it say no respectfully. The service was amazing and there were local food tours coming in the entire hour prior to opening so you know this place is worth the hype.
Got there 15 mins before open on a Saturday for a party of 2, was a few parties away from being able to sit in the first round… so ended up waiting 75 mins before being seated in the second round.
Cacio e Pepe and the oxtail rigatoni both had great texture and taste. The cocoa powder on the rigatoni was interesting but probably unnecessary.
Got the veal scallopini special (ok) and the fava beans special of the night (also ok, a bit too salty).
Tiramisu was made with Nutella which was an interesting twist that I personally liked.
There’s a lot of outdoor seating and some indoor seating.
4
4⭐️
Da Enzo is definitely one of those places where the hype is real — and so is the line. Be prepared to wait (a long time), so it’s best to arrive early.
Overall, it’s a solid trattoria with good, honest Roman food. The service was perfectly fine — nothing exceptional, but efficient given how busy it gets. While it’s not a mind-blowing experience, it’s still worth visiting at least once.
We tried a few dishes:
* The famous burrata with cherry tomatoes was excellent — fresh, creamy, and absolutely worth ordering.
* Another burrata with anchovies and breadcrumbs was decent, but not something I’d go for again.
* We wanted fried artichokes, and ended up trying both fried zucchini and artichokes separately — I wouldn’t recommend the zucchini at all. The artichoke, on the other hand, was very good, but quite small (just one piece for €7.50 feels a bit steep).
For pasta:
* The amatriciana was definitely the better dish — rich and flavorful, though it had quite a lot of fatty pork pieces. I understand that fat adds flavor, but this leaned a bit too heavy on it.
* The cacio e pepe was okay — very simple, but lacked depth and punch compared to what you’d expect.
Dessert:
* The prosecco was nice, and the tiramisu was decent, though I wasn’t a fan of the chocolate addition — it made it overly sweet and took away from the classic balance.
All in all, a good experience, but slightly overhyped for what it delivers. Worth trying — just manage your expectations (and your timing).
5
This ended up being the best pasta I had during my entire trip to Rome. I ordered the amatriciana and it was incredible. The line was honestly insane, but since I was dining alone, they were kind enough to bump me up and seat me with another girl who was also eating solo, which made the experience even more memorable.
The service was great, especially considering how busy they were, and the owner/manager guy was very sweet and welcoming. I can definitely see why so many people want to eat here. I’ll absolutely return on my next trip to Rome.
4
The quality and quantity of the food were both very good and well aligned with the prices. The portion sizes were satisfying and the overall value for money was excellent. The only downside was that the restaurant is quite small, and we had to wait in line for about 30 minutes before being seated. However, the food and overall experience made the wait worthwhile.
