My fiancée and I wanted Italian food but didn't feel like driving far, so living less than a mile from downtown Flint I checked Yelp and Google and found Sauce Italian American Kitchen inside the Hilton. It wasn't busy when we arrived on a Monday evening, but what we ended up experiencing was honestly amazing. We sat down and asked for wine recommendations, and our server James immediately stood out as knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about what he was serving. He recommended the Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon. We were not expecting much because the last few bottles we ordered at other restaurants were just okay, but this recommendation was absolutely on point. The wine was excellent and exactly the kind of red we enjoy. My fiancée wanted burrata. I usually don't care for it but agreed, and what came out was a seared burrata with sauce that was rich, warm, and seriously delicious. That was the beginning of a great night. James brought us bread with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and spices, and we loved it. I think it was sourdough but I'm not an expert, I just know we kept eating it. For entrées, my fiancée chose the lasagna and I went with the chicken marsala. The timing was perfect, everything arrived hot and fresh just as we finished the appetizer and our first glass of wine. The chicken marsala was incredible. The seasoning was perfect, the sauce coated the spaghetti beautifully, and the mushrooms tasted fresh and flavorful. Easy 10 out of 10 for me. My fiancée loved the lasagna too and said it tasted homemade in the best way, exactly what she wanted after a long day working at the hospital. We also had the chance to meet the chef behind the food, Chef Khalilah, and she was wonderful to talk to. You can tell she puts real passion into what she does, and it shows in every bite. For dessert, my fiancée went with her classic tiramisu to end the night. I wanted an affogato even though it wasn't on the menu, and James said he had espresso and vanilla ice cream and would figure it out. He absolutely came through. Total hero moment. Honestly, this place deserves recognition. Great food, excellent service, and a warm, welcoming vibe. People don't always think of Flint as a destination for a great dinner, but they're missing out. Sauce Italian American Kitchen delivered an awesome experience from start to finish. Huge kudos to James, Chef Khalilah, and the whole team. We'll definitely be back. read more

This evening I ordered the following from DoorDash: * Pasta Verdura (x1) * Side Caesar (x2) I very clearly stated to NOT place my cold salads on top of hot pasta in the bag. I have to state this because they always do this. When my order was delivered I received the Verdura and one House Salad, not my two Caesar Salads. In addition, the House Salad was on top of the hot pasta and was therefore hot as well. Furthermore, the pasta was swimming in sauce. I called the restaurant and spoke with a gentleman. I believe his name was James. I explained the errors to him. He did not apologize at all. In fact, he told me that I either did not enter the note appropriately, or it did not come through on their end. He said that he bagged up my order. He also said nothing about the salad screwups. I told him that putting cold salads on top of hot pasta is their common practice with my orders, he said nothing. I told him that I was bringing this to his attention so that they could improve this practice. Once again, no response. I said to him that not putting cold salads on top of hot pasta should be common sense. He replied with, "I'm not going to have this discussion with you. You can take it up with DoorDash. Well, I am going to take it up with DoorDash and Sauce just lost a frequent and loyal customer. If he bagged up my order he obviously did not check to ensure the order was accurate. His attitude sucked: no apology and blaming the customer. Disgraceful! P.S. No salad dressing with the House Salad. read more

I'd never been to Flint Michigan and the only thing I'd ever heard about it was the water problem they had a few years ago. However I was invited there to participate in a theater workshop Feb 11-16, 2026 ... the Hilton Garden Inn was where i stayed & SAUCE is the hotel restaurant ...It is spacious and spotless with quite a few tables more than a lot of hotel restaurants The food is Italian with large portions including the salads ... they have a wonderful bar which fixes drinks as well as serving a wide selection of wines ... top notch servers and service read more

I've been to my fair share of hotel restaurants.....usually due to nothing nearby or too tired to head out. My first visit here was no exception. Fortunately, unlike most other bland, run of the mill hotel food spots, Sauce was great! So good, I went back for dinner night 2. I enjoyed their pan fried cod and chicken Marsala entrees. The dishes were cooked perfectly, lots of flavor, and visually pleasing. I really enjoyed my meals and the hotel was really nice as well. If traveling to Flint, eat and stay here. read more

Sauce Italian American Kitchen - Chicken Marsala. Replaced pasta with Broccolini - Italian Near Me - Flint, Michigan

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What a gem located in downtown Flint inside the Hilton Gardens. There is an amazing atmosphere and decor. There were eight pastas to choose from and many sauces. I had the penne with meat sauce. It was a blend of marinara and tomato sauces with beef, basil, and garlic. It was delicious and the portion size was generous for $14. I added a side salad for $4 and it was amazing. I have photos of both attached. There were two negatives which resulted in the 4 stars instead of 5. I inquired about bread. None came with the meal but the server told me they had garlic knots. I ordered them without asking the price. I received three tough over baked garlic knots with marinara sauce which was room temperature. They were horrible and $10! My other issue is that I waited a long time after ordering for the salad and had only had a few bites when my entree arrived. Even with the two negatives, I will definitely return and just skip the garlic knots. I want to try more of the sauces. read more

Sauce Italian American Kitchen - Bar area. - Italian Near Me - Flint, Michigan

We've had some less than desired visits to Sauce during a holiday brunch but sitting at the bar recently before seeing a show was an amazing experience. Delicious happy hour drinks, our pastas both were amazing and the Gelato was out of this world. Highly recommend sitting at the bar if you are heading to Sauce! read more

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I decided to treat myself and try out Sauce for an early dinner (plus take advantage of their Mon-Friday 4-6pm happy hour) and I was very pleased! You can't miss it, just inside the Hilton garden inn right next to Churchill in downtown flint and it greets you right at the entrance. Inside it has a modern take on an art deco sort of vibe and the seating was comfortable. I ordered a couple drinks and a few apps (3 for 25 or 1 for 10) and enjoyed them all! I ordered the cosmopolitan and the house margarita (really liked this one) and for my 3 apps I ordered the polenta fries (interesting but not bad. The creamy dipping sauce it came with was ok), the lobster sliders with house chips (very good) and the garlic Parmesan flavor for the chicken wings (very flavorful with nice garnishes). The servers and bartenders were all very friendly and amenable, so I will definitely be returning to check out the rest of the menu! read more

Sauce Italian American Kitchen - Chicken Traditional Wings and Lobster Club Sliders and Polenta Fries - Italian Near Me - Flint, Michigan

We had our first experience at Sauce last night We ordered Pappardelle Bolognese with a house salad and Gorgonzola and Michigan Cherry Salad with salmon. The salads were great--fresh and generous portions. The pasta was disappointing. It was a cold sticky clump with mediocre flavored sauce that was splashed all over the side of the bowl. Our server was sullen and never made eye contact. We had to ask her several times for things like beverage refills and a bread basket. We made a reservation but a table wasn't ready when we arrived. We were seated 28 minutes later. Overall negative experience. read more

The food and ambiance were excellent. I would rate this a six star if I could because of the food service.

This is an absolute delicious Italian restaurant with so much more! The location is perfect and the inside is absolutely gorgeous. The only thing better than the food is the Service. The Bolognese is a staple... I wanna say everything else is delicious but I always get the Bolognese so I don't know! read more

Beautiful environment, unique menu, and perfect location. Ample parking and always great services. The cocktails are incredible.. maybe too good. In a rush? Grab and go coffee and baked goods available. read more

Sauce Italian American Kitchen - Italian Near Me - Flint, Michigan

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My Chicken Marsala was fine, but the Mushroom Ravioli was doughy and lukewarm. We should have sent it back but the waitress didn't come by until we were half through. Also, I didn't note that everything is apparently la carte, as there were no salads that came with the meal. Our first and last time there. read more

Service is top-notch. Came here during Bikes on Bricks. The server was attentive and quick. Not too loud for the ambiance. You can meet up with friends and do brunch or business meetings. The food was delicious. My husband loved his sandwich - see photo, and I enjoyed my omelet - also in pictures. I highly recommend this spot! read more

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I would eat here every day again and again !!! WELL DONE! Good service, food, and wait time wasn't long.

This is a great spot to sit and enjoy a meal. Absolutely beautiful mid century modern restaurant and good food. They seem to be slightly short staffed so things are not too speedy but we didn't mind. The prices and great and food was hot and yummy. $10 for my delicious broken yoke breakfast sandwich and breakfast potatoes (crispy and seasoned well). $13 for a good size burger and delicious French fries. $6 for a double stack of pancakes with some sliced strawberries Our server was nice as well read more

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The arancini is delish! this is personally my favorite menu option, but everything on the menu is great quality. Service is always very friendly, whether stopping in for breakfast or dinner. read more

For a quick lunch in Flint this is a really cute spot with a great variety! Overall the highest rated item we tried was the pasta! The burger had a LOT of meat so keep that in mind when trying! The Caesar salad was pretty standard but in the piada was a great lunch. Service was good as well! read more

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Love Sauce!! The menu options really are unique and full of innovation and the craft cocktails usually are top shelf! Service is usually top notch even with the issues of staffing that is a problem in most restaurants and bars. The wait times for both service and for food/drinks is minimal. Service is impeccable and the food is great. Yes, it's pricey but worth the indulgence. The pizzas are so good- my husband and I love the pizza with Alfredo sauce- great crust, wonderful sauce- it's delectable. We w also enjoyed the cheese plate app and the tira misu dessert. The cocktails are some of the best we've had downtown. There isn't anything I've had yet that I would not hesitate to get again because I've been pleased with it all. The ambiance is terrific. If you're looking for a romantic evening with your significant other, or a fun girls's night out, this is the place.. read more

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It should be noted that all the pictures of this place are actually of the main restaurant, Sauce. The rooftop bar is closed in the winter. Sauce is excellent and highly recommended. read more

I love this place. Service is always great! Food is always delicious. The ambience is delightful and pleasant. Been multiple times and has yet to be disappointed read more

The food is good , atmosphere is fabulous and the service needs lots of improvement. It's worth the trip and hopefully they will work on read more

Sauce Italian American Kitchen - Italian Near Me - Flint, Michigan

Service was amazing. The food was even better. This is my second time here and it's always a blast. read more

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Good food, but not amazing. Slow service. The ambiance/art deco decor are neat. It feels a little like a hotel restaurant trying to dress up as fine dining, which I guess it kind of is. I had the calamari, salmon and a side salad. All were good, but slightly forgettable. All in all, a decent place to stop for decent Italian if you're not in a hurry. read more

found this gem while visiting Flint and i must say i was highly impressed. there are not that many food options in Flint so i came in here with no expectations, however, i was blown away. they have recently changed their menu but still maintain some of their classic dishes. i sat at the bar and the bar tender Taryn recommended the lasagna and provided amazing service and attention to detail. The taste of the fresh tomato sauce and texture of the al dente noodles were everything i needed! they also have a great wine selection. the restaurant itself has modern decor and enough space to host large parties. i definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion. read more

Sauce Italian American Kitchen - Lasagna Rotolo - Italian Near Me - Flint, Michigan

Updated for Mother's Day Brunch Time to give it another try. We were seated at 12:15 with a 12 o'clock reservation. They were busy, so no need to belly ache over that. On the other hand, they were SO busy, that we started ordering 2 drinks at a time, because we grew tired of looking at empty glasses. Talking about that, there were three beverages listed on the menu. When I asked for for a different one, I was told that for today, no "special" orders from the bar were being served. I insisted our server ask the bartender and was told they were going to make an exception for me. Ironically, the tables around us were filled with non-menu drinks. Remember when I mentioned that we were seated at 12:15? Our food arrived at 1:37. I know the restaurant was busy, but it seems they are overextending themselves. On a positive note, this time the kitchen got the Eggs Benedict perfect. Except, Canadian Bacon on the side meant Canadian Bacon on and take it off yourself. No biggie, I guess. The table next to us noted that the Filet ordered medium-rare arrived well-done. Sorry to have to reduce the stars, but you'll have to do better! There were a lot of little things that added up to a bigger experience. read more

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Everything was phenomenal!! Our service from Starr was incredible! She was very attentive and knowledgeable. She was the perfect fit for our group of girlfriends! The food and cocktails were delicious. We had a guest arrive much later due to a family emergency and she ended up bringing her daughter and the staff was very accommodating. We were able to preorder their food and it came right out. I highly recommend Sauce for dinner! Can't wait to check them out in the summer!! read more

Food is great a little pricey. The atmosphere is neat there's a old bank safe. Inside.

I really enjoyed myself on the roof! The food was good and the live music was wonderful. I felt I was living in another city.

From the time we walked in the experience was marvelous! The drinks was delicious and food was scrumptious. Fresh, tasty and filling. The Gorgonzola Michigan Cherry salad was sooo good! I also had the Pollo Parm and each bite was perfect. I would definitely come back. Our waiter took care of us from start to end. Support this business. read more

Sauce Italian American Kitchen - Bar area - Italian Near Me - Flint, Michigan

Really enjoy getting dinner here after work. Weekdays can be quiet, but its always busy on a night when they have a show or performance downtown. The summertime there is a really nice rooftop bat that usually has live music & always has a spectacular sunset. Bonus that with a Hilton credit card you get 7x the points at the restaurant. Parking can be tricky but as with anything downtown patience is a virtue. The girls behind the bar are always such a treat, ready with a smile or joke when you need it most. Dont forget brunch either, great choices. Hope to see this place stay for a long time! read more

We came in at night and had heard good things; we looked at the menu and kept hearing about brunch. Much to my excitement, the waitress brought a brunch menu for us to go over. So glad she did! We got great Benedict, quality fruit and everything was fresh. The restaurant itself is so fun inside and they recently opened a rooftop bar. Has the potential to have a nice semi fancy dinner! I will have to say, the kale salad for the dinner menu was not great. Needed the kale massaged and seasoned. We loved the pizza and the pizza bread was a hit with our friends kids! read more

Beautiful room, nice servers, horrible Italian food. If you like, watery over cook pasta, garlic knots without garlic than look no further.

Nice relaxing and modern space with great staff. Staying at the attached hotel and staff made me feel welcome. read more

Sauce Italian American Kitchen - Taryn was great! I asked for a dessert coffee drink and she created this wonderful and tasty treat. Will be back again! - Italian Near Me - Flint, Michigan

1/2 hour since being greeted, water is all we've received, placed a drink order after 15 minutes, ate here once before and food was above average, but nothing incredible. Servers seem to be untrained and somewhat frazzled, watched people get drinks ahead of a guy who'd been here at least 15 minutes before them. Front of house staff make the food reviews irrelevant. read more

Sauce Italian American Kitchen - It's been 40 minutes and this is what we've been served - Italian Near Me - Flint, Michigan

Very nice alternative for downtown Flint. Food was very good at reasonable prices. Staff very courteous. Pretty decor. Recommend.

What a great dinner! I had the Special; Seafood pasta and house made fettuccine! It was so delicious they did not drown it in sauce it just was a good combination. They also added rainbow carrots and broccolini, yummy! My husband ordered the Pollo Parmigiana, he enjoyed it immensely, the chicken was just melt in your mouth. In the drinks, just delicious. read more

Had the penne pasta with bolognese and my companion had angel hair pasta with the meat sauce. We both loved what we got. 10 out of 10. We also ordered side salads with white vinaigrette. The salads were a good size and very fresh. The bread was also amazing. I highly recommend Sauce. read more

If I can give this hidden gem a 7 star, I absolutely would. My family of four came here for dinner a few weeks ago. When walking in, I was immediately drawn to the Art Deco ambiance of this restaurant. The staff was so helpful and friendly. We ordered the charcuterie board, fried calamari, and the caprese salad. Everything was so carefully prepared and absolutely amazing! Our main course came and it was perfection. Pastas and steak was phenomenal! I was so in love with the whole ambiance of this restaurant, I asked if we could take some pictures here for my daughter's senior pictures. Dan (the manager I believe) didn't just say we can do that, he gave me his number if we needed anything when we got there. Not only did Christie, JW, and Marilynn go above and beyond for us and our photographer but they're hospitality was utterly heartwarming. Thank you so much for the whole staff of this beautiful hidden gem in downtown Flint. Sincerely, a customer who can never thank you enough. read more

Shooting for this place to get better!!! I have high hopes for it and the city of Flint... but with that being said, the main competitor is CORK and if they want to compete and succeed they definitely will need to step up there game! Here's the breakdown... Location: 5stars, downtown and just a great location and historic building. Ambiance/Restaurant Feel: first entrance to Sauce... off Main Street (Saginaw) beautiful old building. Hostesses very nice and accommodating! Chairs nice and comfortable, nice table layout... walls stark white and need more historical pictures of downtown displayed. Menu: THIS is where they need lots of work! Very limited menu, 2 pasta dishes... it's America who does love pasta... need more than 2 options. Pizzas aren't true Italian style, This obviously is the "American" Style in the menu, just over all not a huge variety and not impressive at all! Wine: Not good... highest priced option is $36. I'm a wino person, I'm not saying you need super pricey options but have good options.... very limited and the Italian selection is weak! Staff: Great... from the hostess greeting to our server Larkin... fantastic job for being a new establishment! Overall out of 10stars we rate it a low 5. Needs some work before we will be back, but I hope it gets through the rough trial period and makes adjustments as I love a new local restaurant I would like to come back to. Definitely give it a go... also support local and new, but it does need some work overall! read more

We had an excellent anniversary dinner. The calamari appetizer was tender and covered with with a light flakey crust. The lemon aioli dip supplemented rather than overpowering the flavor of the calamari. My Pappardelle Con Bolognese was a refreshing change from the usual heavily sauce Bolognese dishes. My wife ordered the scallops. Once again quality supplanted quantity with three large succulent scallops over a bed of delightfully cheesy risotto. As a bonus every staff we encountered wished us a happy anniversary, a nice personal touch. The ricotta cheesecake was lighter than the usual cheesecake and would probably be to someone's taste. However, I'm still a fan of the traditional heavier, creamier, and probably unhealthier cheesecake. Still, a wonderful way to celebrate a special occasion. read more