We recently came in to try the "Italian hot spot" in Wakefield (we are new transplants). There always seems to be a wait here and we put our name in for a table outside for two. Hostess said 30 minutes. Three tables leave, none get cleared, and I had to go back in after 40 and ask about our table. Finally seated and our server was clearly angry she got say again. Came by once for drinks (brought me a moscato instead of a Sauvignon blanc), once to drop the appetizer off (before we got plates and silverware, and once to drop off the entrees. Never asked how everything was and finally came back to drop the check. Food was mediocre at best- calamari was chewy and clearly frozen, chicken parm was okay, and the chicken broccoli ziti had so much garlic I thought it was gonna start coming out of my pores. Probably won't be returning. read more

The drinks are good. I didn't try the food... But let me tell you something...this place has attitude. I was sitting at the bar and I had my headphones on. The "swank" bartender rolls up and pressures me to order food..."I am waiting for a friend". The bartender scoffs at me and says, "ya dude...just hang out why don't you" and walks away. I was confused...I had just gotten a drink and was on my phone. Then I think, "oh, he wants me to start ordering food!." Then I'm like, this Italian guy, probably related to the owner or maybe even is the owner, thinks he's IT around here and he can behave anyway he wants to. I take exception, and confront him in front of the entire bar. He then cows. He backs down because he knows he has to. He offers me a free drink and an app after he talked to god knows who. But at the end of the night , he charges me for the drink but not the app and tried to get away with it. I confronted him again and he cowed again...."whatever you want to take off...whatever you want to take off". Duplicitous human beings...but I give him credit...he didn't care. That was HIS realm. But there's consequences to being a dick. The drinks are great. If I didn't confront these people, I'd totally come back...however, these slimey Italian workers will spit in your food, look at you sideways and ruin your night if they feel like you don't measure up to be in their "posh" restaurant. Just watch their eyes as you walk by them and see for yourself how unprofessional they are. read more

Have driven by this restaurant many times and had not tried it. Went yesterday for lunch with my husband and his friend the both had the Chicken Marsala and I had Eggplant Parm with Angel hair pasta for lunch. Absolutely delicious, service was great and $ was appropriate. I would recommend them and definitely looking forward to going back and trying the dinner menu read more

what started out as kind of a bad evening turned into a wonderful experience. We arrived at the restaurant on time, gave out name and the couldn't find our reservation. The person who took our reservation had written it on the wrong night. We had to wait about half an hour and they finally seated us. The manager/owner came over to us and apologized and said he would send over a couple of appetizer. They send over so many appetizer, that we where more then pleased. They were so gracious and kind. The food here was yummy, the service awesome. I would and will go back and will recommend to everybody. Thank you for a wonderful meal and great memories. read more

We have frequented this restaurant very often over the last 10 years. One of my favorite places in the area. Tonight, not so great. We went for an early dinner for my husband's birthday. The restaurant was not crowded or busy. My husband ordered the steak tips (which we have heard rave reviews about) and they were "barely edible". He ordered Medium and they were actually beyond "well done". We did notify our server, and she apologized. That was it. We will be taking a long break from dining here in the future. read more

We've eaten here a number of times, usually at the bar. the food is generally good, I'd say 4/5 stars. The service is usually 2 or 3 out of 5 stars. If they spent less time chatting and more time on customers would be a lot better. read more

I've been to Sabatino's multiple times before Saturday night, but I can say I will NOT be back again. My best friend is moving to NY and we wanted to spend the night celebrating her. Fortunately for us we had a designated driver (BEING SMART). The staff couldn't of been more rude to him. They asked me not once, not twice, but FOUR times to move my boyfriends seat/asking him to STAND because he wasn't eating/drinking alcohol even though he was with a group of people who were eating and drinking. I have never been to an establishment that treats a designated driver & paying customers with such rudeness. This man was keeping Sabatinos customers safe from drunk driving yet was treated like dirt. He works long hours as a RN, this should of been a nice relaxing night out with friends for him, instead it was full of uncomfortable situations. Extremely disappointed. read more

We were there on Sat The service was excellent and they have the best veal and chicken parmesean!!! Very economical read more

Being my first experience dining at Sabatino's, I had an absolute delight having Lou as my bartender. He greeted me as I was walked in and I immediately felt welcomed. Lou was energetic, charismatic, and overall had a great sense of humor. Besides his exceptional customer service, I ordered the Seafood Risotto. I didn't eat much of it since I got myself full with appetizers, BUT I did take it to go and reheated it for lunch today at work...and Woah! Let me just say...I had quite the experience and felt I was having an out-of-body experience with every bite. It was such a savory meal mixed with the perfect subtle blend of garlic aroma, I can't imagine choosing a different plate when I go back. I highly recommend this entrée to everyone and anyone looking to get your taste bud's needs met. It will satisfy your oral experience from the very first bite up until the last one. WARNING: You may end up licking the residual flavors from the plate leaving it clean and ready for the next entrée. read more

Sabatino's - Seafood Risotto - Italian Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

Food and service are great.. BUT and this is a BIG but... I'm 27 years old and was told I can't have a glass of wine at dinner because I have an out of state license. I guess 27 in NY doesn't mean you're 27 in MA? (mind you I'm born and raised in MA, have been eating and drinking here for years, and have only recently moved to NY... now being told I'm not allowed wine??) read more

Everything is great here. I especially love the eggplant Parmesan. They are the only ones that make the eggplant exactly the way I like it

Our new favorite Italian restaurant! We had a reservation and when we arrived we had to wait a little bit because it was pouring out and all those outside tables now had to be accommodated inside. We didn't wait that long and it was no big deal. The owner was so apologetic and sent us a round of drinks for being patient- although this was totally unnecessary, it was such a kind gesture.. The drinks were amazing. I highly recommend the Asian Pear or Espresso martini. The food was superb. Honestly, the best Italian food we've had in a long tim. Our waitress, Deb, was so funny and attentive. Overall, an outstanding experience. We will most definitely return! Thank you, Sabatino's! read more

Phenomenal. Probably the best dining experience you can get in Wakefield. Get a table, order the Sirloin Steak Sabatino with a side of pasta, devour it, and reminisce over what you just ate. That's all you need to be happy. read more

went here for a dinner date with the wife and it was defiantly the right choice everything was amazing from the service to the food i got the chicken parm and my wife got the tripe everything was fresh and delicious will for sure be back read more

Not a fan at all. Food is mediocre at best. Found the minestrone soup bland and the pasta over cooked . Would never eat there again. Disappointed because I really wanted this to be a place to go to locally. read more

My wife and I visited this restaurant for the first time last Saturday for lunch! What a great experience! We like to sit at the bar when we can and we had a great bartender whose name we did not get unfortunately but he was pleasant, knowledgeable and was happy to be working! The food and drink menu is expansive and the price point was perfect! We recommend Sabatino's for either lunch or dinner read more

The food was good but not a big plate of food. Drinks were very good. Would rather go to massimos great service

As long as you don't mind a noisy place, you will love Sabatino's. The bar is great, the food is excellent, and there is always an owner on the floor. We go at least once a month and would go more often if it was a bit cheaper. Killer dishes are the gnocchi, the eggplant rollotini, the veal saltimbocca, and the steak tips. Yes, steak tips at an Italian restaurant. Enjoy! read more

This place is ridiculous Carmella Sabatino is a terrible owner. I literally just walked out after an argument with her. My wife and two kids walked in and asked for a table. We were told it was a twenty minute wait and that she just gave a table their check. We waited. Upon clearing two tables she proceeded to seat a family that walked in after us. When I asked why she said they had reservations. I asked to see the reservations and they were jotted down on a napkin. It was obvious she sat them because she knew them. The food is decent here but I'll never be back because of her poor attitude. read more

Sabatino's - The store front of Sabatino's - Italian Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

Gave them a last min catering order for a luncheon on the following day, and they were happy to help me out. I ordered steak tips, salad and ziti w meatballs. They gave me more than enough for 10 and the food was excellent. I'm not usually a steak tip person but they were quite good. The meatballs were top notch too. I did a pick-up and they were right on time and the staff was very friendly. Looked like a great spot to dine as well. I will def be using them often for my lunches going forward. read more

I went to this place a few times. Its busy, a little loud, but the eggplant and chicken was very good, and so where the other dishes. Good place if you like to sit at the bar, or just have a drink or dinner. Prices seem very well, and the food is good. Nice Atmosphere read more

Great local spot for a glass of wine and pasta. The broccoli margarita is unique and very good! Always fast friendly service! read more

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Always a great time with the family. Super accomodating and friendly staff. Excellent food as well as service

Went out with my husband Friday night. When we walked in, there was a large very loud crowed all gathered around the bar. There were 3 tables available, a small 2 person table right next to the bar, a 6 person table further away from the bar, and a table for 4 back in the corner away from the bar. I asked the hostess if we could get the (4 person) table farthest away from the loud bar crowd and she told me "the whole restaurant is loud" & no, she was expecting a large party coming shortly, but we could have the small table next to the bar. Not wanting to wait, my husband wanted to eat, so I said ok. The food was pretty good. They served bread (that wasn't very soft) you could use dipping oil that was placed on every table. I didn't care for the oil, I've had much better oil in different restaurants, so I asked our waitress if we could have butter. It's sad when plain butter is better than italian dipping oil. My husband can't have dairy, so when we ordered his dish, I asked if there was any cheese on his dish, she said no, & we said "ok good". But when they brought his complimentary salad, it had a bunch of cheese on it, instead of sending it back, he didn't eat it. Other than that, what we ordered was pretty good. Good food for reasonable prices. What was extremely disappointing was the hostess. We ate, paid and left, and during that time no big party ever arrived. In fact 2 more tables (far away from the bar) had left. So when we left there were 4 empty tables (away from the bar), yet we were forced to sit there next to the very loud, irritating, noisy, swearing drunk people all screaming, laughing & joking around. NOT what I had hoped for on a night out. You'd think she could have approached us and asked if we'd like to move to a quieter table. Good food, but still pissed at the rude hostess. Terrible customer service skills. read more

With the glut of Italian restaurants in Wakefield, it's tough to differentiate. In my humble opinion, Sabatino's is numero uno. My wife and I always request a high top overlooking Wakefield Center. With the bar to the other side and televisions providing sports news. The spot is perfecto. Start with the antipasti. The salumi and warm vegetables are deliziosi. There is more than enough for three or four and it's quite a bargain. Try the steak or lamb tips. Your mouth and taste buds will thank you. So perfectly prepared with a side a hot peppers (request extra peppers). The combination of heat from the peppers and fantastic flavor of the tips will knock you out. Drinks are mixed perfectly and are quite generoso. If you dine Wednesdays or Fridays, request Marie, she's super friendly and a great server. You will not be disappointed. Buon appetito. read more

Went to Sabatino's for dinner over the weekend... Sat at the bar and had a great time... Friendly staff and great drinks... Had the Eggplant Rolatini.. Will definitely be back for that again.. The best I have ever had. Prices were reasonable, good service... Only downfall, was not many on street parking spots available read more

The hostesses should be better educated. I called to ask what kind of draft beer they had (because the bar is very nice) and she did not understand what I was asking. She asked me to repeat. I did, and without saying anything she handed the phone to another woman, who said "can I help you?" And I finally got the beer list, lol. The food is amazing, I do recommend this establishment read more

Delicious food and awesome service. Had the veal marsala which had excellent flavor, and the fresh pasta was cooked to perfection, had awesome texture, and soaked up the sauce beautifully. Will definitely be back! read more

Excellent meal tonight. Veal and Eggplant Parm with Pasta Just outstanding is all that needs to be said. They don't take gift cards. Waitress said their computer software can't. ??? Get this fixed please. read more

I would go back again. The meals my friends and I had were good. First criticism is the Angel Hair pasta I ordered with my Veal & Eggplant Parm combo. The pasta for my friends dishes were served on their platters along with their dinners. My Angel Hair was served in a separate bowl and the taste was that of what I call "prep butter". Not sure why they used that product in it as it changed the taste and also the color of the sauce. Also, my brother had called the restaurant earlier and spoke with a "Mike" and asked if they had Tripe. Fellow said yes, and price was $18. When I saw the Tripe on their menu it showed 2 portion sizes at different prices--not one price of $18. The service was excellent. Our visit was this past Sunday afternoon, March 31, we got there a little after 1:30pm. read more

Have wanted to try Sabatino's for a while finally got a chance and was not disappointed. Atmosphere was great it was a Monday night sports on screens @ the nice size bar lots of tables there's some in back also along front of bar and around windows at front of restaurant and looks like kind of windows that open up nicely in the warmer weather. Service was great I can't remember our servers name but she was great we like to bust em a little done good natured fun and she was great with it see we're ball busters but we tip well. The food was pleasantly surprised as I saw mixed reviews on here but as most times I like to make my own decisions and glad I did. I think sometimes people's are always 1 star no matter what they're just chronic complainers so I gotta taste good myself. We started off with appetizers an antipasto eggplant rolatini and shrimp grand marnier all three were great and I gotta say there were three of us and the antipasto was for two and it was stacked so it's definitely for more than 2 and we also got a few orders of garlic bread cause well garlic bread. For entrees I got the chicken cacciatore with ziti it was delicious and huge serving one friend got grilled sausage with peppers onions roasted potatoes and broccoli rabe he loved it and other friend got shrimp fra diavolo which he said was great. Good food service atmosphere and price was great. Definitely will be back. Oh I forgot to take pictures of main course I'll get the hang of this one day read more

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This restaurant is an absolute GEM!!! From the service to the food, I was amazed. Home style classic Italian food served in a modern cozy setting. The pasta, salad, and appetizers and super reasonably priced and taste fantastic!! In my opinion, best place in Wakefield! read more

I ordered a take out from them, and their food quality was really disappointing. The pasta was soft and overcooked. The shrimp was hard and dry. The food was watery. I felt like I was eating something that was cooked yesterday. Really sad about what I received. read more

I had the steak tips at Sab's recently and I was blown away. I put their steak tips right up with Flaramo's and New Bridge Cafe. read more

Awful, Awful, was with my cousin, had 3 apps. Shrimp with a liquor sauté, it was Ok. Then there were clams casino, that were dry and bland. For the next appetizer, we had fried calamari, the worst I have ever eaten. Too much batter, and over cooked. $100 plus a tip, and a case of upset stomach after. Never will go there again!!! read more

Went here to grab a drink with friends the other night to not only be treated rudely by staff. We grabbed our drinks and paid before last call to be courteous and let them know we will finish our drink and go. I headed to the bathroom before getting to finish my drink and come back to my friends letting me know they cleared all of our drinks before we could even finish, although we had already paid. Quote by one of the waitresses/bartenders "yeah girls were done here, we're closed" as she took our drinks. Only giving them 2 stars because their espresso martini was good. Wouldn't recommend coming here unless you want to be treated poorly. Also, the manager was present and didn't chime in to stop this rude behavior. read more

Wasn't sure where to park- but circled around and finally found parking in front of what looked to be a library- across the street from the restaurant. Some of the reviewers described the restaurant as loud. That's true. It's appears to be a townie place where friends and family come to catch up. It's good for families- not necessarily good for a first date or a special occasion. I ordered the fuselli with sausage and broccoli. $18.99. The menu said it would be sautéed in garlic and oil. To my surprise, the chef poured all of that oil into my dish so my wonderful meal was sitting in a pool of yuckiness. The lady next to me at the bar got steak tips and they looked very good. Might have to go back and try them. Bartenders and servers are all super nice. Update-- went back and tried the steak tips. $17.99 for the steak and one side. I chose the broccoli and it was cooked perfectly. The portion was appropriate for me, and I did eat most of my dinner, but the gentleman I was with needed more to his meal. I think the more appealing price point to the customer would be 19.99 and throw in a baked potato. My steak tips were good. If I were in the area, I might stop in again. read more

Delicious food and wonderful waitstaff. I've been coming here for years and have never had a bad meal or time!highly recommend! Their homemade fusilli is amazing. I've sampled most of their menu, including the eggplant, chicken parmesan, fettuccine Alfredo and most recently the chicken limone and everything is fantastic! Highly recommend for a fun night out! read more

This is a nice restaurant the food is better than average a little crowded service was average, the bathroom needs a bit more attention. Over all I give it 3 1/2 Star. I would come back again read more

Good food usually. however didn't want to wait for service when 9 staff members walked by us without greeting us unfortunately.