Head-to-Head

BAD ROMAN vs RAO'S

BAD ROMAN and RAO'S run neck-and-neck in New York — both worth booking once.

BAD ROMAN

New York · Italian-American · $$$

Food 9.7 · Ambience 9.7 · Value 9.7

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RAO'S

New York · Italian-American · $$$$

Food 9.7 · Ambience 9.7 · Value 9.7

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The Verdict

BAD ROMAN and RAO'S run neck-and-neck in New York — both worth booking once.

Both kitchens score 9.7 on the cooking — the differentiator is what happens around the food.

Both kitchens cook Italian-American in New York, but the rooms read differently. BAD ROMAN works for impress clients, first date; RAO'S works for impress clients, first date.

RAO'S runs heavier ($$$$) than BAD ROMAN ($$$). For one-off occasions, the higher tier reads correctly; for a regular table, the cheaper one carries.

Which One for Which Occasion

Occasion	Editorial Pick
First Date	Eitherscoring is too close to call cleanly.
Close a Deal	Eitherscoring is too close to call cleanly.
Birthday	Eitherscoring is too close to call cleanly.
Impress Clients	Eitherscoring is too close to call cleanly.
Proposal	Eitherscoring is too close to call cleanly.
Solo Dining	Eitherscoring is too close to call cleanly.
Team Dinner	Eitherscoring is too close to call cleanly.

The Numbers

Our scoring puts BAD ROMAN at 9.7/9.7/9.7 (food / ambience / value) and RAO'S at 9.7/9.7/9.7. Pick the dimension that matters most to your evening and follow it.

How to Book

Both restaurants sit in New York's top scoring tier — neither takes same-week walk-ins for prime weekend slots. Set booking alerts on the platform each uses (check the practical-info card on the linked detail pages above). Weekday and earlier-seating windows are the realistic targets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, BAD ROMAN or RAO'S?

On our editorial scoring, BAD ROMAN leads (9.7/9.7/9.7 vs 9.7/9.7/9.7 for food / ambience / value). That said, the better pick depends on the occasion — see the table above for the per-occasion call.

How much do BAD ROMAN and RAO'S cost?

BAD ROMAN sits at $$$ ($120–250 per person); RAO'S at $$$$ ($250+ per person). Add 30–40% for pairings.

Which is harder to book, BAD ROMAN or RAO'S?

Both sit in New York's top tier — same-week tables are rare. Prime weekend slots fill within minutes of release at either; weekday and earlier-seating slots are the realistic targets. Set booking alerts on whichever platform each restaurant uses.

What's the best occasion for BAD ROMAN vs RAO'S?

The occasion table above maps each of the seven RFK occasions to the editorial pick. In short: pick the restaurant whose room and format match the moment, not the higher absolute score.

Can I do both BAD ROMAN and RAO'S on the same trip?

Yes — both are in New York. Pace at least one full day apart; at this price tier each is a full-evening commitment. If you're optimising for one over the other, the per-occasion verdict in this guide is the right tiebreaker.