Joni Detwiler
Amazing restaurant! My friend and I stopped in on our way back to her home in Ft Myers after swimming with manatees earlier in the day. The brothers from Roma treated us to a wonderful meal and experience. My pistachio pesto pasta was amazing; my friend enjoyed lasagna and tiramisu.
Enjoy!
… moreLindsay Black
If you’re looking for authentic Italian in the Palmetto/Bradenton area, Ragu is truly something special. From the moment you walk in, it feels like you’ve stepped into an Italian home — warm, welcoming, and filled with the kind of hospitality that makes you want to stay all night.
The restaurant is run by two Italian brothers, along with their amazing friend who is the chef, and you can taste the passion and authenticity in every single dish. The food is phenomenal — fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Every bite feels like it was made with tradition and pride. The wine selection is thoughtfully curated with wonderful Italian options that perfectly complement the menu.
The service is just as impressive as the food — genuine, attentive, and full of personality. It’s not just dinner; it’s an experience. The atmosphere, the people, the wine, and the cuisine are truly above the rest.
Ragu isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a little piece of Italy right here in Palmetto. Highly recommend!
… moreBetty Tom
What an incredible neighbourhood gem!! We have driven past this quaint restaurant many times meaning to stop by and try it and thankfully tonight was the night!!! Now I am kicking myself for not coming sooner. The food, the ambiance and wonderful service were a 10/10!!! Don’t wait and try this amazing Italian gastronomic experience!
… moreC Anne
I am so happy we came across this place by accident. Romantic, intimate, cozy vibes with great food and drinks (Italian beer and various wines) to match. What made us all really excited was simply the bread and butter. Y’all it was to die for. My suggestion is to try anything and everything on that menu because non of our meals disappointed.
I cannot remember the specific names of the dishes, so I will give a brief description for reference.
Appetizer: Fried lasagna. YUM!
Mains: Lasagna; Veal; Scallops and shrimp fettuccine. All YUM!
This place would be adorable for a valentines date night or first date.
… moreRachel Baillargeon
Everything was so delicious & the staff was very friendly, which made the evening enjoyable. We started off with the Burrata appetizer special & some white wine and it was AMAZING!! Then got the chicken parm which was super crispy and flavorful. We also got the Fettuccine bolognese and the sauce was very tasty. Ended the night with some coffee & homemade mixed berry cheesecake. I will definitely be back and would recommend this place to others.
… moreVivvy B
The restaurant is cute and clean. The staff were friendly and nice. The bread was good and soft. The eggplant appeitzer was just ok. It had a pasty, flour like taste to it. The fettuccine was not great. Very very garlicky. So much garlic it was practicaly not edible. (I do love garlic, but this was too much). The chicken parm was just ok as well. The pricing was very high considering the flavor of the food. I would parallel the food to that if Olive Garden, only Olive Garden does a better job with the falvoring. I am Italian so I know good Italian, this was not it for me.
The Canoli plate was good. No complaints there. I would encourage the owners to take customer feedback to heart. I want to see this place succeed. The foundation is there. It just needs some modification.
(Also found it odd that the menus were papers clipped to clipboards. The prices are too high for that quality menu)
… moreEve Reese
Absolutely AMAZING Italian food. The owner was really nice and told us they were from Rome and it shows in their food. We got the lasagna and octopus. The lasagna is the best we’ve ever had. Even the bread was so fresh and tasty. We did pick up but when we went in, it was like a cozy little house. Very nice atmosphere, very cute. We can’t recommend enough.
… moreTom Amesbury
You drive past everyday. Stop and go eat. Food and service were outstanding. Best Italian I’ve had since visiting Italy.
… moreJordan Kruger
I ordered the Linguine pesto di pistachio and shrimps. My mother ordered the Lasagna Ragù Bolognese. It was phenomenal! The pasta must be imported because it has a deep wheat and nutty flavor to it. I used the left over appetizer bread to soak up as much of the pistachio sauce that I could. It is far superior than the watered-down pasta at Olive Garden. The restaurant was originally a house and is located just north of the Manatee River on Business State Road 41. From my understanding it is operated by two brothers and an uncle who are originally from Rome, Italy . These gentlemen have been in business for three years. If you appreciate authentic Italian food then give Ragù a try. You won’t be disappointed.
… moreFrederick Coyle
Spent Valentine’s dinner there and first let me say the atmosphere was wonderful and the service polite and attentive. We had a bruschetta with mozzarella for an appetizer which was very good along with the bread. The glass of wine for $13.00 was a bit on the high side and not even a half a glass. For the main course we had Lasagna Ragu bolognese. I will say it was bland and not much flavor. Expected more meat in the sauce and have had better. For the price of the dinner it was disappointing but if you like atmosphere and good service alone then try it.
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