Sammie's Italian Reviews

Amazing! My friend and I went on a Friday at 6;45 and was told we would be seated at 9pm in the bar. Yikes! The next day we arrived at 4,30. Sammies opened at 5pm. We were seated in the bar right away. This was great, the bartenders were very entertaining and the drinks were great. The food was outstanding! Very authentic Italian cuisine! The bread was sooo good! The Beet Salad was wonderful. I loved every bite of the Veal Picata. But the Tiramisu was the best I’ve ever eaten! The sauce poured over the dessert made it a unique version of this classic! Can’t wait to visit Austin again and return to Sammie’s!

My daughter's name happens to be Samantha and she picked out this restaurant for our visit before Thanksgiving. I do like Italian food and this was the best I've ever had in Austin and best anywhere in years. I ordered the Chicken Parm and it was huge so I had to take the leftovers home. Everyone's meal was delicious and the service was outstanding. I notice that their sister restaurant is Lamberts which happens to be my favorite BBQ place. They're doing something extremely right.

I will say that sammie's looks to be a 5 star priced restaurant with 3 star service and crowded atmosphere. Will charge for every soda you order (coke, diet coke, or sprite were their only options). Served in a glass filled to the brim with ice and a straw that does not reach the bottom of the glass. Their food choices are overly priced for the amount of food ordered. Noodles are one of the most inexpensive foods to buy amongst any market. This place is way too overpriced and way too crowded to really be enjoyable. Trying to create an 5 star experience for the customer by having their staff work as a team bringing food out to each table in an attempt to look professional only backfired as our meals were delivered to the wrong individuals. I have to say that our server, Lindsey, really missed the mark in what would have made this experience just a tad bit better. If it wasn't enough to be over charged for some sphaghetti with meat sauce it would help if our server was more attentive and vocal about our options. Would I recommend this place for dinner more than once? Absolutely not

We stopped here because we wanted a dessert and after dinner drink. The best place to go for this is always an Italian restaurant. It was our first time in Austin and this is where our phone search took us. The atmosphere is awesome. Lots of red old-world, black leather vibes. We sat at the bar and were treated so well. We had fabulous Vin Santo and Tiramisu. We were even given a free taste of their homemade Limoncello. Can't wait to go back and try their pasta!

Seriously, this is a great reason to go to Austin, just get your reservation now, because there is never an empty seat in this old-school yet modern eatery. From their mixologists to their sommelier, they know their drinks. The chef's dishes are flavorful, bright and plentiful....even the simple dishes are packed with freshness and are satisfying. The atmosphere is just, well, makes you feel like you're in NYC not Texas and that maybe, just maybe you'll get a glimpse of Sammy Davis or Frank Sinatra. Really, check it out whether it's 2p on a Friday afternoon or time for a late dinner, you won't be dissapointed.

Great vibe and outstanding food. We had the mozzarella sticks, Italian chop salad, cheese and pepper pasta and veal parm. All were fantastic. We shared everything. Drinks were also great. We would definitely come back here next time. You need to make a reservation for the place is small. Luckily we walked in and were able to eat at the bar. Service was excellent. I’ll be back!

pretty good italian joint. portions are good size. dishes were straight forward. service was good. cocktails did the job.

This evening was made exceptional by your server, Ford. He was polite, offered great food suggestions for my date and I, and anticipated our needs well. The food was arranged carefully and tasted very fresh. We will be coming back!

I can’t say enough about this restaurant and the service. Our server, Dustin, was amazing and gave us wonderful suggestions. My husband and I shared the cheese sticks, Caesar salad, chicken piccata, and cheese cake. All were so good. Will definitely dine here again!

I was quite unimpressed with the experience here. We had dinner the night after Valentine's and honestly we both wished we had gone elsewhere. To start with they seated us outside at 5:45 PM with many tables open inside after insisting that our reservation was for outside. To add insult to injury they seated us under a loud speaker playing music we didn't care for and had to raise our voices to hear over. The food was at best average- I had Bolognese and it was very average and at $32 a poor buy. They could learn to make the dish at 68 Degree Kitchen. We don't recommend, there is better Italian at better prices all over Austin.

Delicious Italian food! We couldn’t get a table on short notice so we popped in for an early seat at the bar and it was well worth it. We started with the warm Burrata which I have never had before and it was shockingly delicious! Their home made bread with olives was amazing. Next we split the chopped salad and lasagna. The salad was a bit bitter to me with more purple cabbage than I care for but the chick peas, salami and mozzarella were great. The lasagna was very light , hot and authentic. The bartender also was able to make a 20th Century which most either haven’t a clue what that is or they don’t have the ingredients. The house Chianti was also very good. To finish the night my husband had an expresso martini which was over the top good. Only negative was we received all of our order at once which could be contributed to how we ordered it. It was definitely a ton of food for just two people

Took a group of business associates out to dinner based on a few recommendations. Could not have been more pleased that I did! Excellent wine list, excellent service and everything we ordered- from the calamari appetizer to the entrees was fantastic. Atmosphere can’t be beat if you are looking for an authentic Italian restaurant feel.

We were sat promptly after we valeted our car for $12. There is parking in the area. The room is a pleasant decor, sorta old world feel but very nice. Noise level is a bit high. Our server came over promptly with water, focaccia bread and crispy bread sticks. She asked if we wanted anything from the bar. There is a nice selection of wines by the bottle mostly from Italy. Cocktails were also poured but a little light on the pour. We enjoyed an appetizer of meatballs (3) that had a little kick in the sauce. Caesar salad was tasty also had a little kick as well in the crumble topping. Portion sizes are large as our server Gia told us. Chicken Parmesan and lasagna plentiful Cacio e Pepe was good and an average size portion. We were pleased with our meal. Deserts were good gelato and a cannoli. No tea, no decaf either.

We had dinner here the night after Valentines and it was disappointing all the way around. We were seated outside under a loud speaker, service and the kitchen were slow, and the food was not good and it was overpriced. Perhaps the worst Italian we have experienced in Austin.

First, the food: with friends, we have eaten here four times within six weeks. The first two times, the food quality was super. The last two times, quality has slipped. Some dishes excellent, others not as good anymore. Service: friendly and courteous but ever changing. On each of our visits, the waiters and waitresses were different. Not a good sign. At this point, neighborhood Italian joints in NYC are not in danger of losing the race.

Went for a special celebration dinner. We were seated at a table that appeared to be placed in the waiting area. Food was decent, but the atmosphere was so incredibly loud, it was difficult to have conversation. So, maybe good for a bachelorette party, but definitely not for a dinner where you want to talk to the people you’re with. Celebration was never acknowledged and honestly felt like we were trying to be upsold the entire time and an afterthought at the table on the waiting area. We picked what looked to be a nice restaurant in hopes of having a nice dinner to celebrate a big event, but should have read reviews to see how loud the place is. Turing down the music would have been a good start to controlling noise level

Ok another place and I don't make reservations. Its fun to walk in and see how they accommodate you. They were accommodating and in a few minutes, I was seated at the bar. Others on this Sixth street epicurean place were having a good time. It's dark might need a flashlight to read the menu. They had outside patio seating in front. Note parking is on the street and check the meters for times. The first thing I ordered was an Old Forester (Old Fashion) "Sammies Selection". That the bartender made right in front of me, a first. They used what looked like two different bitters. It was a good drink. Onward to Spaghetti and Meatballs. Three meatballs and a homemade sauce with a peppery finish it was good. Not a hang-off-the-plate spaghetti but a bowl of spaghetti. It was served quickly as were other meals nearby. I recommend reservations as this place has always been packed every time I passed by. Probably would have ordered a nice Chianti next time. They have a menu online and it is pricy.

This was our first visit post COVID. The food is B+, service is C (the wait staff does not greet customers, smile, or say thank you. It's as though they all wished they were elsewhere). It took nearly 40 minutes to get our main dishes. The noise level is F (like 42d street subway at rush hour). We won't return. That said, the place is wildly popular and packed every night. Why??

I'm a former NYer and local Austinite. I've now been to Sammie's at least 6 times and while it took them a while to get it right, I think they've finally done it! It's got a great "old school" feel and atmosphere and the food gets better every time I've been there. It's loud and it's a scene but I think that makes it all the more fun.

First time coming here and we will be back. Make sure to make reservations; you can come without reservations but expect a wait. The interior is something has the "old school" feel to it; old photos cover the walls. Nice music playing (a bit loud). They brought out fresh bread and bread sticks. We had to repeatedly request olive oil and balsamic vinegar but honestly, you don't need them. The bread has a really nice hint of rosemary and they taste freshly baked. We had the Caesar salad and these are quite good. Oddly no croutons or parmesan cheese. It's a delicious salad but just missing the typical accoutrements. We also shared an order of Calamari and it's quite good. For our main entrees, we had Cacio e Pepe, Rigatoni Bolognese and Lasagna. I tried the Cacio e Pepe and I know that is what I'm having the next time we visit here. It's an amazing pasta dish. The Rigatoni was also quite good. For the lasagna, it is good, but honestly, a bit heavy. They do not scrimp on the cheese or meat, but it was heavier on the mozzarella cheese and too little of ricotta (if there was any). The lasagna portion they serve is easily enough for four people, so if you are with a group and want to share a meal, just order one lasagna. We had a variety of drinks and they were mostly disappointing. I do realize it's an Italian restaurant but I would still think they could serve just about any drink. I ordered a cocktail and when it was brought out, I was told "this is our version" and it was bad enough I had to send it back. The server was nice and told me that wasn't a problem. Ended up having a dirty martini with olives. To start off... the olives! I never thought I would complain about olives in a drink but these were not cocktail olives. And the martini was pretty bad and ended up not finishing. One in our party wanted wine and the server was not at all knowledgeable about the wine list. In fact, neither were the bartenders. Their cocktail/wine list is 26 pages and we just didn't have time to review it all. The glass of wine brought out was red and our friend specifically said she wanted something white. I went to the bar and the bartender couldn't give a recommendation. What's the point of this extensive wine list if your employees don't know much about it. I've worked as a server and had to memorize the entire bar menu. We ordered desert and we were going to take it home; My friends had Tiramisu and they said it was the best they have ever had. I had the NY Cheesecake and it was quite good but I don't believe they make it. The downside of our experience was the hostess. Some hostesses seem to feel they wield control and abuse that... as did this person. We did not have reservations and simply just wanted to put our name on a list for anything whether it was outside or at the bar if we couldn't get a table. It was 8pm and were being told 9:30 - 10pm. Although there were three empty tables outside and there were spaces available at the bar, the hostess was being quite obstinate. After awhile, it seemed as if she wouldn't even take our names but ultimately she did take our name and number. After an hour of waiting, we went back inside to see where we were on the list. It was now 9pm and there were plenty of open tables and she sat us right away. The bigger question is how long had those tables been open? I'm 100% sure if we never came back... they never would have actually called us. Extremely poor service by the hostess. I've been to small diners and they will text you updates on your spot on the list. So, if you put your name down on the waitlist, check back frequently because it's likely they will never contact you. Hostesses seem to have a power trip here.

I had a good night although it’s very noisy, if your looking for a quiet relaxing atmosphere this is not the place to go, also the food was ok, We shared Caesar salad between 5 and I had the brown butter knocci, tasted nice, I’d say it was a good experience to eat here but it’s too expensive for my budget, I’m still shocked at the price of my meal including a dirty martini. I’d definitely recommend the food and if your a high earner then this is the place to go.

We heard really great reviews but some People said over-hyped. I don't agree with the overhyped. Reservations were full so decided to try to walk in around 8:15 pm on sat night and surprisingly got two bar seats right away. Had pasta vodka and rigatoni bolognese and Both were some of the best we have ever had. Unique with vodka sauce was a little spicy kick that we loved! Will def go back when in Austin.

I was hesitant to go to Sammie's after reading a bunch of lackluster reviews. However, we had a reservation and decided to go for it. Boy am I glad we did! Service was wonderful. We were taken care of by at least 5 different people. We got the mozz sticks, caesar salad and chicken parm. Also had some wonderful wine and a couple of martinis. Nothing bad to say about the experience. The ambiance is great. Feels authentic Italian as any place I've been. Waiters in red coats, checked floor, valet. Don't think twice like I did. Go for it.

Walked in and immediately felt at home in this cozy Italian restaurant. Sweet by the red & black bar & settled into a booth. Braiden was our adorable & professional waiter. Had meatballs, Tommy’s Caesar salad & chicken piccata. Robust Italian wine list including Montepulciano areas. Just spectacularly enjoyable meal. Must go.