Veteran restaurateur, Tony Roma, opened his first restaurant, Tony Roma's Place, in North Miami, Florida on January 20, 1972, specializing in "Barbecued Ribs". The restaurant featured a casual decor and comfortable ambiance with the feel of a neighborhood bar, genuine cordiality, a simple menu of sensational food at reasonable prices, late-night food service, with people traveling miles to sample this signature product. Tony Roma's Place soon became one of Miami's most popular and successful restaurants and firmly established its niche in the marketplace.



In January 1976, Clint Murchison, Jr., a Texas financier and owner of the Dallas Cowboys, was in Miami for the Super Bowl. After sampling Tony Roma's ribs and cole slaw, he was convinced they were the best he had ever tasted. Mr. Murchison approached Tony Roma with the offer to purchase the majority of the U.S. franchise rights and establish a jointly owned company, Roma Corporation. Along with Tony Roma, he then launched an impressive growth plan leading up to the rapid expansion, which took place during the 1980's. Tony Roma's award winning ribs have been introduced in restaurants across the U.S. as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Japan. Today, there are over 225 locations on five continents. From Dallas to San Francisco, Orlando to Vancouver and Tokyo to Madrid, Tony Roma's is creating an international incident with its flame-grilled ribs, steaks, chicken and seafood. And yes, both our beloved Tony Roma and Chef David are retired, but they keep a close watch on the international sensation they created: Tony Roma's, Famous for Ribs restaurants.


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