In this interview, Dennis Prager talks with Tony Roman, the owner of Basilico’s (also known as Tony’s Restaurant) in Orange County, California. Roman explains why he refused to comply with mask and lockdown mandates during the COVID‑19 pandemic, keeping his restaurant fully open and operating without restrictions. He reports that no COVID cases have been traced to his establishment and that his staff have shown up consistently, making the year one of his healthiest. Roman describes the intense backlash he faced – death threats, accusations of endangering public health, and calls to burn the restaurant down – which he frames as evidence of a “tolerant left” that cannot tolerate dissent. He also recounts a surge of support from patrons who travel from across Southern California and other states to dine at his restaurant as a patriotic act, likening the experience to a battle for American liberty. Roman uses historical references (Columbus, the Italian hero statues, Normandy, Pearl Harbor) to cast the mask‑mandate opposition as a continuation of the fight for freedom. He urges other business owners to take a full, uncompromising stand against government mandates, arguing that fear should be replaced with courage inspired by the nation’s founders and soldiers. The conversation blends personal anecdotes, political rhetoric, and calls to action, positioning Roman’s restaurant as both a dining venue and a symbol of resistance.
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And I have a fighter. You all know my love of courage. Without it, there is no chance for good to prevail on earth. Tony Roman is the man. He's the owner of Basilico's. So let's see, pasta e vino. We were even giving you The Godfather. I mean, is that— by the way, is there something like wrong about that? Italian guy comes on the show and we play The Godfather theme.
You know, it's almost like the Italian national anthem these days.
Well, I'll tell you one thing, we're with you on Columbus.
Oh, okay. Well, you know, that's another stand that we took. When they tore down the statues, I put up a drink on our menu saying, "Raising a statue, raising our own statue to an Italian hero." And again, people's heads exploded. And I enjoy doing it.
So he has kept his restaurant open, which is all I've asked restaurants to do. Why are you listening? It shows you the power of fear. I mean, it's not— when Tony Roman is not here, because I don't want to take his time, I want to reflect with you some very, very, very big conclusions that I've drawn about humans as a result of what I've seen in America the last 6 months, maybe next hour, and applying it to the terrible situations in Russia and Germany in the mid-20th century. All right, anyway, back to Tony Roman. So let's see, so no masks, and this is meant seriously. Do you— has anybody that you know gotten seriously ill as a result of their experience in your restaurant?
There's been nothing traced back to the Basilica. There's no contact tracing of anything.
So, and your workers have been showing up every day?
This has actually been one of our healthiest years that we've ever had.
Right.
You know, we've had years in the past where an employee would get a flu and we'd make them stay home. You know, we would do that anyway. Right. So, but yeah, when we took our stand against, against the masks, that's when the left really went, went insane. And, and the supporters of the tiny dictator, you know, here, here in our state, especially on the celebrity side, we got hit, we got hit from, from everywhere, you know, the shamers. And, you know, based on that, we started to receive, you know, death threats, people calling to threaten, you know, basically to burn the restaurant down. They want to follow me to my car, put a bullet in the back of my head and everything else. So yeah, that's the tolerant left that we always talk about.
Right. There's no such thing as tolerant left. If you're tolerant left, you're a liberal.
That's it.
So this has been a success for you? Have people flocked to your restaurant?
You know, at first when I took the stand, it wasn't a business thing. Like I said, I didn't think about the business at all. And I tell people who consider taking a stand, you are blessed to be in a position to have a platform of a business to be on the front lines of this. And take a stand, not for your business, but for America, right? And so when I took our stand, even my young staff, they thought it was nuts. They said, Tony, this is going to be bad for business. I didn't care. I didn't care at all. If my space was a plot of dirt, I'd do the same exact thing that I'm doing now. And originally, you know, initially, a lot of people didn't show up. I mean, we were empty. People would come pick up to-go food and delivery, and that was it. But over time, they started showing up. But when the hate started coming towards us and that was publicized, the supporters started to come from everywhere. I mean, we have people driving from Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Utah, Oregon, Washington, LA all the time, Ventura, Sherman Oaks. They're coming from everywhere. And it's because it's at the restaurant. It's not, yeah, sure, you come down, you have great food. It's Italian home-cooked style food. It's my mother's food. She created all of it. All the recipes, but it is a movement now and people want to be part of the battle. People come down there and you should see the energy. It's incredible. Patriots everywhere. They're swarming the place. And it is a— I mean, great people.
Yeah, I'm definitely coming. I mean, I just gotta finish my book. And as I told you, that's pretty cool. I publicly announced the day I handed the book, January 31st, where the next day We're coming to you for a celebration. And a living martyr is coming, which is a very big deal because he's somewhat of a hermit.
That would be amazing. And I want to say something.
That was a joke. He's not a hermit.
No, he doesn't look like a hermit.
No, he's not a hermit. He looks like a hermit. He's not a hermit.
He's been a gentleman. He's been very helpful.
No kidding. He's awesome.
But I want to say too that when business owners feel fear about taking a stand. First of all, if you're going to take the stand, do it fully. Do it right. Don't do half measures.
Yes.
No restrictions, right? None. Go, go back.
So here's the question. All right, here's this. Everybody listening is waiting for this question, including me.
Yeah.
So here it goes. Why are you almost alone among restaurant owners?
That's what I was going to get to next, because the fear people feel, right? And I tell them When you feel that fear, think about the real heroes. Think about the— think about the founders of this country who sacrificed everything to gift you the precious freedoms and liberties that you have. And think of the soldiers who have fought and died, who have taken real, real shrapnel and bullets. Right.
Right.
In defense of those— of those things. And you're going to surrender all of that over a mask mandate and and a pandemic of fear? No. You have to— when you're afraid of losing a liquor license or business license or receiving a citation or a fine, think about them and honor them. Because if you surrender those things, you are dishonoring them. And I think if people have that in mind, they will feel the courage that I feel. It's as simple as that.
We are such kindred spirits. I've always said how Normandy has affected my life. Going to Normandy Beach, seeing thousands of guys lying dead at the age of 20, 23 years old.
There's nowhere I'd rather go than there.
I cannot wait to make that trip. I said, wait a minute, so I'm going to be scared of Gavin Newsom? These guys attacked Nazi machine guns and I'm going to be frightened of Fauci and Newsom and Pelosi? You got to be kidding. Or Garcetti.
And think about nothing. Yeah. And think about this. The lockdown started today. The new lockdown. Right. What is today? The anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
That's right. Well said.
Right. Think about that.
I do think about that. That's why you're here.
Thank you. Appreciate that.
I want— I want the line. People should call for reservations, you think?
Because, well, we only reserve one table in the restaurant. It's like— so it's like the Godfather table.
All right.
But 6 or more.
It's first come, first serve.
It's first come, first serve. But the people have a great time waiting outside. People are always—
Tony's Restaurant, Orange County, California. Tony Roman.
