La Barcaccia

They’re clearly milking the location for all its worth. I can only comment on the gelato quality but, boy, was it bad. Honestly, it tasted like the ice cream you’d get on a McDonald’s 25 cent cone. Despicable! I’m so disappointed. And a cup was € 6! Avoid this place.

Lovely location right across from the Spanish Steps. Pizza, Pasta, Gelato… Mamma Mia! Everything here is splendid. Friendly environment for tourists and a top notch customer service. Definitely a place to visit.

What a tourist trap. 5 euros for a one scoop of gelato in a small plastic cup. There are no prices posted so they probably make it up as they go. The gelato was ok, but nothing special. I had a lot better and paid half of the price they charged me. I would not advise this place especially if you are a tourist who doesn’t speak Italian.

J’ai acheté deux glaces dans ce bar ! Les glaces sont très bonnes, le cornet très bon. Cependant, un peu cher 7euros pour une glacé avec deux parfum !

I bet you are wondering how I have not reviewed a gelato place yet. Please bear with me, I am reviewing in order of the places I went. I waited a while to have gelato as I am not a huge ice cream fan (I know, I know, I am sorry). So I had some bizarre notion that I would not like gelato. Thinking back to all my missed gelato opportunities almost makes me weep with sadness now… Luckily, my introduction to gelato in Italy was done with Barcaccia. It is located right across from the Spanish Steps and it was wonderful! I had the Amarena flavor and I was blown away! Dark red cherries with an almost boozy taste in creamy vanilla gelato. It was sweet (but not cloyingly), it was creamy (without feeling heavy) and it was… soft? I have tried over and over again to think of a different word for it, but that’s the only one I can come up with. It had the same textural feel as really REALLY thick whipped cream. After eating Amarena here, I ordered it at every single gelato shop moving forward (along with another flavor so I could still explore). I was soon to find out that alongside Bob’s pizza quest, we also had a gelato quest on our hands. My mission was to eat gelato at least once
. Let the quest begin!

I was excited to try my first Gelato in Italy, especially since I eat it about once a week in the States.
The Gelato itself was fine.
But what ruined my experience was when I asked to try ONE flavor, the guy behind the counter laughed at me and was telling his coworkers. I said I didn’t need to try it then. There was no line behind me.
This guy needs a new job.

After sitting on the Spanish Steps and people watching for almost two hours we were famished. What’s better than a giant cone of gelato to comfort our grumbling tummies? La Barcaccia is literally right across the street from the bottom on the steps. They’re offering up about two dozen flavors and there is no such thing as a small cone. I think we paid about 10 euros for two huge cones which we later learned was a bit high, but the cones were seriously huge.
The gelato itself wasn’t my favorite in Italy (I tried the hazelnut and pistachio) but I can’t deny the fact that it was totally convenient. And the gals behind the counter, who I’m sure are used to tourists, were really nice about translating the names of the flavors.

The restaurant is upstairs in air condition, which is a major plus.
The menu had more than than pizza and pasta. We ordered a chicken salad.
I wanted to add some different ingredients which no one usually allows. The waiter dos allow it.
The service was great. They were fast and efficient and the food was good

We ate at the restaurant for lunch (upstairs). They offered gluten-​free options on the menu as the staff was very knowledgeable. We ordered the smoked salmon plate to share for an appetizer (amazing!). I had the sea bass which was also delicious (and GF). My husband had the gnocchi, which seemed a bit heavy to him. We finished the meal with crème brûlée served with gelato and espresso. Unfortunately, the gelato was served on top of a crumble that was not gluten-​free (which is why I gave the place 4 stars). Service was a bit slow, but overall our experience was good.

Cute place with nice interiors. We ordered dessert, gelato and tea. They were all great, plus they had free wifi. The only downside is that the service was slow.

Came here simply for gelato. As a matter of a fact it was our first gelato spot here in Rome. Right in front of the Spanish steps, it is hard to miss.
One of the biggest tourist spots around, so as usual, the price is a bit more than others in a non «touristy» location.
That is the only reason I had to deduct one star. Can’t blame a business for making money though right? But as soon as you venture around, you will see that there are just as good if not better for cheaper.
I could not deduct anymore stars because the gelato we had was good. Nothing wrong with it. It was smooth and decadent and very satisfying. Workers were friendly and prompt too. They spoke English well so no problems communicating.
With SOOOOOOOO many gelato spots around, you can definitely afford to pass this up, but if you absolutely need your fixing, you can’t go wrong here either.

Not really sure what the other reviewers of this place had happen to them but we went in for a gelato (admittedly a little pricier than other places) but ended up having the absolute best espresso while in Italy! I ended up having 2 and my wife had a Marachino (sp?) and they were just great. Service was fantastic… it was like being in a bar only with different coffee drinks. Went back a second time and had an equally awesome time… ordered panini s and they were tasty as well.

A small bar with an upstairs restaurant right on Piazza Di Spagna and in front of the famous fountain with the same name. I have never eaten at the restaurant, so the review is just about the bar.
As you can expect, being located in such a central and touristy place, the prices are quite expensive. For example the smallest ice cream cone or cup costs € 3.50 while you can easily buy one for € 2 at other bars in the center.
Still, I must say that the quality is good, and probably the best within a few blocks of distance.

RUDE PEOPLE RESIDE HERE! If you’re an American tourist, just stay out. We were so mistreated at this place while purchasing gelato, and the gelato sucked!
If you want amazing gelato, go to Pompi right around the corner.
This place doesn’t even deserve 1 star. BOOOOO!