Pretty restaurant and intriguing but overpriced menu. Even though the restaurant was half empty, we were seated in a corner despite asking for a different table. I suppose we could have made a bigger effort but didn't want to make a scene. The hostess came to our table as much as our waitress (which was nice) and was much friendlier than the latter, who was a little snobby. The food was good, but not great. I had the Beef Bourgogne, which was very tasty but a little tough and salty. My friend had the Brisket Alessandra, which sounded delicious but was drowning in a cream sauce and was even tougher. read more

I have been to this restaurant before and I remember the food to be above average . This time around the food was average . The ascargo that we ordered was good and so was the tomato soup . The bread basket which listed as freshly baked was cold in the middle and seemed like it was taken out of the freezer and warmed up . The shrimp pasta was average and lacked any distinct flavor . The braciole was also not some thing I was too taken away with . The steak was too well done and the pasta sauce had too much salt in it . The service was however exceptional and our server was on top of things . The ambiance of the restaurant is also very nice and warm , however we did see a mouse running around which is an issue with older buildings in this area . They also charge 3.5 percent to use credit cards which is a little too much in my opinion for a restaurant . read more

See all

Six of us had such a a great meal. The Paella was one of the best things I've eaten in ages. The Bouilliabase special had a wonderful sauce. Service was great and the ambience is inviting. We didn't know that they now serve liquor and were surprised by the new $20 corkage fee. But altogether A memorable meal. read more

We've dined at Sontousa at least half a dozen times and last night was the first time it wasn't a 5-star experience. The food was excellent but the service was poor: after the owner took our order we were basically abandoned. No bread, no checking on the meal, no inquiry about dessert, exceedingly long wait for the check. In fairness, we think this may have happened because some of his employees didn't show up last night, but it would have been nice if he'd at least acknowledged this was not the dining experience he seeks to offer instead of ignoring us. We'll hope out next visit is back to 5-stars. read more

Food fantastic, owner gets to know customer likes and dislikes. Recommend making a reservation and enjoying yourself

Excellent food and service. They also have a range of gluten-free and vegetarian options and will also adjust a recipe to accommodate special requests. read more

Food is authentic! Service is great! Indoor and outdoor dining spaces are very pleasant! One thing to consider: Food portion is not large for the price. read more

This is a BYOB, cash ONLY Italian restaurant. There is an ATM nearby. There's metered street and lot parking. The food was good. There are outdoor tables. There was a couple playing live music. Ernesto got us a table although we didn't have reservations. read more

See all

Our family and guests went to a celebration dinner. The food was mediocre to poor. The food tasted like it was cooked in old oil. The server was the worst part.The waitress, who is also the owner is uncivilized and inappropriate.She dropped food on my husband's clothes,did not apologize and commented it will come off.After dinner, she removed all the dishes, but left my husbands. During dinner, she shouted out to another table that she got into a confrontation with, that she is trying to run a business. I wonder if their regulars keep them afloat. As locals,we and others will not be back.This restaurant has no place in the Mainline area where there are excellent restaurants as an option. I wonder if they're still open because of some transient clients. read more

Excellent food and easy parking in Bryn Mawr, reasonable prices , and options to BYO.....!!

A group of 15 of us went here recently for a Christmas luncheon for work. Love the ambience and decor in the place and Ernesto, the owner, was the perfect host. The antipasto platters were beautifully presented and full of good stuff... cheeses, meats, pears, roasted peppers, olives, etc. Sardines too, I think, which not many people seemed to like LOL. I had a nice BLT on good bread with avocado and a spicy mayo... I think it was chipotle mayo, but I didn't taste any chipotle... It had just a subtle heat to it which was perfect. The fries were awesome - I just wished I'd had maybe 10 more of them or so LOL. Seriously though, they were really big actually homemade fries so the four that I had filled me up. I also had a side salad which was some nice mixed greens and grape tomatoes with a balsamic type dressing. Overall, everything was great! We were really surprised that only one other table was filled while we were there... Hopefully it fills up more at dinner time. Kudos to Ernesto and his staff. I would love to go back sometime. read more

Sontuosa - Italian Near Me - Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

See all

Bring cash otherwise you will have to pay 3.5% credit card fee. I completely understand why small establishments don't want to pay the fee however it's the responsibility of these establishments to make their customers aware they will be having to pay a credit card fee. Nowhere on Sontuosa's website is there any mention of having to pay the credit card fee. The 2 times I spoke with them they never told me. They didn't even mention it when they presented us with the check. Had I known I would have been sure to have enough cash with me. Now onto the food. My husband and I shared a caesar salad and while it was very good I thought the price at $14.00 is too high for what you get. In the past 3 weeks I've eaten at 2 Italian restaurants in the area and the most we paid was $10.00.For my entree I had the brisket. It was good but I've had better. My husband has lasagna and it was excellent. Our friends had the grouper special and the spaghetti with clam sauce. The grouper was a huge success. The spaghetti with clam sauce was good but it was another instance having had better. Bread is not complimentary. It costs $5.00. Dessert was very good. Obviously I have mixed feeling about this dining establishment so I'm not sure if I will return. read more

Very good food. Loved the steak, pork milanese, mushroom gnocci, and veg risotto. Stuffed aubergine was okay-good. Bread was just okay. Deserts were good. Service was great. Glad they offer outdoor dining because covid's not going away anytime soon people. My only complaint is that the servers should mention the prices for specials. Dining out has become very expensive, even at BYOBs. Restaurants should be transparent about prices for items not on the menu. read more

I don't get out to PA as often as I should, and that became even more apparent after hitting up Sontuosa for my brother's birthday. Cute place - apparently taken over from a previous pizza shop - so it's a good thing them offer of a variety of pizzas...along with many other tasty treats. They were also rather accommodating for the 3 year old and 4 month old joining in on the celebrations. For appetizers, we had: Bruschetta: We opted for the traditional (tomato, onion, basil) and the mushroom and shaved ricotta salsa. The traditional tasted super fresh, but I thought the winner was the mushroom one, just bursting with flavor. Octopus: I'm a yuuuuuge grilled octopus fan, and Sontuosa's is no slouch. Not chewy, well-prepared. Mussels: We got the white sauce preparation (and a some spice) - lovely; while we were almost stuffed from the other apps, I just found myself looking for (or asking for more) table bread to soak up the saucy goodness! Mains: I ordered the Grilled skirt steak topped with Gorgonzola cheese served over pureed parsnips and dressed in a red wine reduction - cooked nicely, though a little light on flavor for me. But the pureed parsnips/Gorgonzola was bangin. Mom got, IMHO, the winner of the night (and the dish I was eyeing, but ended up striving for diversity at the table) - Agneau (Grilled lamb loin marinated in mint and red wine finished with wholegrain mustard and black bean sauce). I'm normally not a big lamb guy, but the mustard got me interested (addict) and wow did my mom (and Sontuosa) get this dish right. Wow. My brother opted for the daily special - braised short ribs. And these, indeed, were the fall-off-the-bone, seemingly slow-cooked for hours, type of short ribs. While he had to share some of his bounty with the little ones, they all seemed rather pleased. My dad opted for the branzino filet, and it wasn't long before his dish was clean. My sister in law ordered the "Not Yet", which sound super interesting with the salty/sweet combo (White with prosciutto san Daniele, Gorgonzola, sun-dried figs). I managed to barter for slice, and while I'm normally more of a red-sauce pizza guy, this...this was good. We also ordered a side of sauteed brussels sprouts (as if we needed more food) - not the gang-busters, bacon-infused variety (again, as if we would really need that), but a nice, solid side. And on to the sweets: The birthday boy (dad/brother/son) opted for a flourless chocolate cake ala mode. And, I mean, how do you go wrong with that? A spoonful of decadent, dense chocolate cake topped of with some vanilla ice cream...that could end wars. Lovely. Mom ordered the caramel/walnut-filled crepe with ice cream - sweet, but not too sweet, really nice. I, as a bread pudding fiend, got the bread pudding (with ice cream - duh). And while most bread puddings I've had are on the lighter/fluffy side, I do actually from some density. This bread pudding has some mass! I probably could have used a spork to get all the way through, but oh man, a spoonful of the densely warm goodness topped with slowly melting ice cream...I would make the 2 hour commute from LIC just for that (and maybe some of that lamb/mustard masterpiece). My brother has good taste in PA restaurants. Thankfully, I have good taste in brothers. read more

See all

We used to come here when it first opened. The room was dark and the decor was cheap, but the food was always very, very good. Unfortunately, it was usually pretty empty and we doubted it would last. We moved away for several years and recently returned to the area. We were surprised to find that the restaurant was still open, that it had been redecorated, and that it was packed. We had a really wonderful meal that was marred by one strange and entirely avoidable incident. THE GREAT - A pork ossobucco special was remarkable. This was a really nice portion and it was falling off the bone. - The eggplant dish is still on the menu, and it is still delicious - My wife ordered a cauliflower tomato soup. She loved it. I don't like cauliflowers or tomatoes, but I still thought it was really good. THE VERY GOOD - Our waiter was fantastic, but he had to cover too many tables. It took a while before anyone told us the specials. - A chocolate mousse cake was good but not great. THE BAD - A bone marrow appetizer was poor, mostly because there was almost no marrow in the bones at all. I'd generously estimate that there were one and a half small bites. What tiny bit we got was totally overwhelmed by an otherwise tasty onion-forward salad. - Mary, who has always been lovely in the past, came over to clear our plates. She gestured to the marrow bones and said "Isn't that incredible?" I politely told her that there was almost no marrow and that we could barely taste it. Instead of just saying sorry and taking it off the bill, she started arguing with me. "We can't do anything about the bones they send us!" she said. Like hell you can't. You can not serve them for $15 when you realize they're empty. Or you can graciously accept it when someone honestly answers your question. What was especially weird was that they ended up taking it off the check anyway. There was no reason to turn it into a conflict. It kind of put a damper in an otherwise excellent meal. Usually I'd take off at least two stars for that. The fact that I'm only docking them one tells you just how damn good everything else was. read more

Great neighborhood family owned and focused restaurant. Tight space but the food and atmosphere of a family kitchen is worth it.

The food was delicious! It's byob so of course the drinks were good too the service was awesome, but we were also there on a non busy week night. The atmosphere was sleek and informal. It's definitely on the pricey side for me, but would def recommend! read more

What a delightful dinner outside on a beautiful evening. Very nice Caesar salad. The lamb loin was rare and deliciously seasoned. The Aubergine is something to return for. The owner learned the recipe from his Aunt, who learned it from his deceased mother who learned it from a Lebanese friend. Great way to celebrate two weeks since our second Pfizer vaccination. read more

Sontuosa - Lamb loin. - Italian Near Me - Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

See all

The ambiance,service and food were exceptional---- it was one of the best dining experiences

We were at your restaurant Saturday night. Service was good. The calamari appetizer was very good. The lasagna was one layer of noodle with a creamy goop on top. The aubergine was one layer of eggplant with a creamy goop on top. For $37 I expected delicious. The couple we were with thought their food was ok. The beef was too salty. You seem popular so maybe it was a bad night? read more

Warning: this restaurant charges a $5 corkage fee (except on Mondays,) as clearly noted on their menu. This has sparked some debate, at least locally. The question for each of us to decide is whether the rest of the experience more than offsets this additional five bucks. We went there on a Friday night after 6, parked right in front of their door for free, and brought with us a Chardonnay from Schug winery (in Sonoma, where we visited two weeks ago), not something you would find on any restaurant wine list in the East. Let's summarize: I had no costs to park, nor need for an Uber, and I got to select wine that I bought at the vineyard (in Sonoma, I'm just saying), had the same wine opened, placed in a cooler, and someone else had to clean the goblets. Cost so far? Five dollars. Next, we ordered the delightfully refreshing salad called Tio Rico, which they kindly split in two. We then enjoyed the Chianti pizza, with Brussels Sprouts and a potato purée as its white sauce. We enjoyed a few slices of their Italian bread, brought from a secret bakery down Philly. (For out-of-towers, Philly bread and pizza doughs are the best in the country, due to the Philly worder, the essential ingredient). We dipped the bread in peppery olive oil, reminiscent of my recent trip to Sonoma, in case I had not mentioned it earlier. Our main course, again split, as part of my new habit of no longer leaving every meal stuffed beyond capacity, consisted of a Lebanese style Moussaka called Aubergine, which was beautifully presented with a layer of tomato sauce and a crosshatch of pesto. We ordered the delicious, surprisingly sweet, roasted Brussels as our side, again which we split. And that was it. No more, thank you. (Think: my previously mentioned new habit.) The place got full shortly after 6:30, so I was glad I made a reservation. The atmosphere was friendly; the owners treated everyone like family. The owner is a downtown kind of restauranteur bringing his action to the suburbs. The décor was lean and modern, once you walk past the pizza ovens. This is not a pizza shop serving food; it is a restaurant the serves pizza too. This was not an inexpensive menu, but a good value, especially if you wish to drink a very good Sonoma wine for five bucks and park for free. read more

I love this restaurant! The space used to be Bravo pizza but now it is an upscale restaurant! The grilled calamari is delicious as well as the pita and hummus. I ordered the paella special and it was delicious!! Definitely come here for date night or a night with family! read more

Food and service great!! Some portions are smaller but still a good size. Apps- flatbread and meatballs were delicious as were the entrees. We were a party of 14 and everyone was pleased with their meals. We brought our 3 children (4,7,9). They accommodated them with kids meals (not posted on menu) and we're attentive to them however I would probably not bring them back as it would have been more enjoyable just adults definitely heading back hopefully sooner than later!! Muchas Gracias!!! read more

Sontuosa- Bryn Mawr -  I've been looking for a reason to come here for a while.  Mary and Ernesto Guzman are quite the dynamic culinary duo.  I didn't want to deal with the extra hassle of making a bunch of side dishes for Thanksgiving so decided to do take-out here the day before.  We got a free turkey from Giant so that is the only thing we made ourselves (We brined it in a brining kit from the Head Nut and cooked it inside a parchment bag and it was very moist and delicious... no basting!) From Sontuosa, we got mashed potatoes, stuffing,  cranberries,  brioche (I think) rolls, gravy, creamy green beans, and pumpkin eclairs and a chocolate mousse and salted caramel tart.  My absolute favorites were the tarts, a perfect combo of chocolate mousse and salted caramel in a buttery shell that was firm but had the perfect amount of snap in each bite.  The stuffing was by far the star for me.  It tasted like homemade, buttery bread with the perfect combo of nuts and dried fruit. The stuffing was in a category all by itself!  The gravy was exceptional too... very light and not as heavy as my family members usually make.  The night before when we picked up our food, we also got a wood-fired cheese pizza to eat Wednesday night which was outstanding. There is outside seating at certain times of the year but no heat lamps once the weather gets really chilly. Per Ernesto, the cold air kind of ruins the food. You can see the trains go by when you eat outside so as soon as there is a warmer evening  (probably spring) we plan to eat here since that will thrill my shrunken human.   We ate here a few years ago and my husband still raves about his double stuff pork chop.  Thank you Mary and Ernesto and the rest of the staff at Sontuosa.   https://sontuosabyob.com/ read more

See all

Sontuosa - Bryn Mawr - Lovely al fresco dining tonight and my little dude got to watch trains go by. We had the grilled calamari, meatballs, fresh bread with sweet fresh ricotta, chicken, Salmon, branzino, "aubergine" eggplant with ground lamb and chocolate mousse layer cake and blueberry crumble. Our favorites were the chocolate layer cake and grilled calamari... so nice to see it prepared a different way besides fried. Mary Guzman and Ernesto Guzman are so welcoming and friendly as well. read more

See all

Saw this place opened a few weeks ago and finally was able to try some of their food today. Walking in, this place looks so much different than the old establishment. I was presented with a lunch menu, but I'm not sure if there is also a dinner menu. This place is a BYOB, but there is a $3 corkage fee. So I tried the Paps pizza. A personal white pizza with a fried and runny egg with applewood sausage. One bite and I was in love. This was one of the best bites of pizza I've had in awhile... Sadly, I didn't love the outer crust for some reason, but that wouldn't prevent me from getting another pizza... I will try the Bonner next time I am in there. It's an $11 tuna hoagie, so that would be one of the most expensive ones I've ever had and the most expensive tuna hoagie is one of my favorites... I'm hoping it's worth it. read more

This place has decent food, but customer service is the worst I've ever experienced! Would never return to this restaurant.

This restaurant tries hard. They set up a nice outdoor area in summer. The pseudo Art Deco inside is hard to adjust to. It looks more like a showroom for diner supplies than a dining establishment. It looks like the before set up or a restaurant rehab show. One guest we took did not want to order food because they were so put off by the look. The open kitchen in the front of the place doesn't help. As for the food, even our jaded guest was impressed with the quality. The pizzas are good, but I recommend eating in, not take away. Overall good value for the price. Service was good on the three occasions we went there. A couple of times they had to ask the kitchen about how dishes were prepared. The owner seems to be ever present, and friendly. read more

Food is creative, fresh & extremely well-prepared. The staff is knowledgeable, warm, responsive. A little noisy when busy. Owner friendly and caring. read more

Amazing meal when I was just expecting the usual when I came by Bryn Mawr to visit daughter who attends the college. From the fresh baked bread basket to the best mussels ( white wine and spicy ) and the sauce on them had us plunging our bread into the bowl. Ate outdoors until unexpected rain, then the charming chef owner wished us into a huge gorgeous dining room where we devoured our entrees. The paparadelle with huge fresh shrimp in a béchamel sauce was delicious. Others had the chicken, risotto etc. each more yummy then the last. As we left I was not surprised to see a pic a of the great Anthony Bourdain on the brag wall. Truly a memorable meal and can't wait to return. read more

This place should be rated at $$$. It was totally worth it the food was fabulous. We each had salads the crispy & caprese then split a cavetelli pasta which was served with bread. If I come back to Bryn Mawr this is where I'd like to eat. read more

says lunch and dinner but not open for lunch?????? please open i need food and air conditioning

Had a wonderful meal at Sontuosa last night with my wife and mother-in-law. The owner Ernesto could not have been nicer as was the rest of the staff. You pass the open kitchen to enter the main dinning room and get to see all the action. I had a squid ink pasta with shrimp which was fantastic. My wife had an Aubergine that was very good. But the winning meal went to my mother-in-law a very thin crusted pizza with prosciutto and figs. Reminded me very much of the well know Pepe's in New Haven. Great time! read more

Great people! Great food! Nothing much else to say. Dining outdoors with music... what more can I ask for?!?

Very happy with our dinner here! Great food and ambiance. We will be coming back! Grilled Calamari app, Aubergine, barramundi all excellent!

This is family restaurant, with delicious and unique items on the menu (haven't had bone marrow in 15 years). It is a mixture between Mexican and French cuisine. Everything is delicious and the atmosphere is superb (great for a date pr for family dinner). I was a little taken aback bu the cash only policy(extra trip to the ATM). read more

Really good byob, high quality cooking, one of my favourite restaurants on Main Line.

Fabulous! What s gem of a find. Had lunch today, at this tucked away restaurant in Bryn Mawr. The decor is very welcoming, as was the staff. A nice selection of lunch items to choose from. All entrees had a great presentation, fresh, and delicious. The service was quick, and regularly checked for water or anything else I might want. The chocolate flourless cake was the best :) Definitely a restaurant that should be visited, and revisited. read more

Tried this new byob last night and can't wait to go back. It's in the Bravo Pizza space near the Bryn Mawr Post Office, well worth straying a bit from the beaten path. Our party had a combination of the mussels, meatballs, Bronzino, pizza, steak and Caesar salad. All expertly prepared and presented. All delicious. The owner, Ernesto, modeled charm and ease for the friendly waitstaff making for a fun memorable evening. Bravo indeed. read more

Everything on the menu is amazing and comes with a great story! I'm usually not a fan of flatbreads, but theirs are small, 8 slice pizzas...and are fantastic. Super personable staff, especially the owners. I can't rave about this enough. Every time I go, I'm blown away again. read more