Restaurant eating

At the dead centre of Rome in tourist season, yes, maybe book a table, but I question people trying to do this from home, especially if reliant on recommendations at TripAdvisor.

I don’t know how many days you have in Rome but I’ve never booked a restaurant, you will find menus generally in English as well as Italian posted outside and a peek at lunchtime is worth more than a thousand wonderings back at home.
We follow these principles:
... wander away from the big tourist things to find the possibly authentic.
... if there’s a sign saying tourist menu keep walking
... if nobody is smiling keep walking.
... find prices that look sensible, plates in front of people that attract.
You have a number of categories on the menu. You do not have to eat from each.
Antipasti, has nothing to do with pasta, means before food, appetisers. Share if you wish
Primi: first courses including pasta and soup
Secondi: second courses which are precisely as described, meat, fish, etc, but no automatic side things
Contorni: side dishes you might share
Dolci: sweets

Well, um, not actually in Rome, but our wonderful restaurant in Soriano nel Cimino 2010.
I suppose we go for good food and good mood, rather than grandeur.