Sabatino's Italian Restaurant
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: (410) 727-9414
- Best of Citysearch:
- Salad 2006, Italian Food 2004, Late-Night Dining 2004
- Hours:
- Daily 11:30am-3am
Editorial Review for Sabatino's Italian Restaurant – by Scott D. Morrow
The Scene
The mirrors that ring the comfortable dining rooms reflect soft lighting across cloth-covered tables. Although Sabatino's is large, the space is divided into several small rooms for an intimate feeling. Soft music seldom strays from its place in the background.
The Food
To start, Sabatino's garlic bread is a buttery treat made with fresh garlic, grated cheese, herbs and a hint of red pepper. For the main course, traditional pastas come with red or white sauce. Veal, chicken, beef, pork and seafood dishes are attractively presented, perfectly cooked and served in generous portions. Insider's tip: the fantastic veal Francese a la Sabatino combines lightly breaded veal fried in wine with a refreshing, lemony tang. Ask about the daily specials for the latest ideas from the kitchen.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Small PlatesCan't make up your mind? Many of the entrees are available as appetizers. Half portions are also available.
Just DessertsGourmet delights are from nearby Vaccaro's, so you know the desserts are out of this world.
User Reviews for Sabatino's Italian Restaurant
05/06/2007 Posted by westernfb
I went to Sab's a couple of nights ago. It had been about 23 years since I had eaten there. I remembered how wonderful the Bookmaker salad was and how I had to scrape up just enough money to afford that and a couple of drinks. I always vowed that I would go back when I could afford a full-blown dining experience. Finally, I did so, two days ago on a vist to Little Italy. The Bookmaker salad was disappointing. To be specific, it was the dressing, perhaps the centerpiece of the salad, that was disappointing. The ingredients were so gritty that it felt as though the cheese had been replace with sand. It was nasty. As for the main course, a meat ravioli "Al Gus," there were six small ravioli in a sauce that tasted like a bland chicken stock with a few slices of pepper and olive thrown in. The meat filling was also bland. I was stunned, given my memory and reviews I have read. I've had better Italian dining experiences at chain restaurants. Perhaps it was just a bad day for Sab's, but I don't plan on going back. Amicci's, nearby, is a much better bet for the money, as is Italian Gardens, up in Towson. Such a pity it was to have to experience the decline of one of the stars in my memory.
01/27/2007 Posted by tonibac
My husband and I were out downtown with another couple and we had an GREAT experience at Sabatino's last night. It was a busy Friday night, but we were seated within minutes, even without a reservation. We were greeted warmly at the door when we arrived by a smiling host who seemed genuinely friendly. We were seated on the 2nd floor in a cozy little room with lace curtained windows. Our server was quick to get us started with drinks and a rundown of specials. She was friendly and knowledgable about the menu and quick to suggest her personal favorites. We started with a Bookmaker Salad - just 1 for the 4 of us to share - which was HUGE and AMAZING and enough for us all to share. We skipped appetizers - just not hungry enough to eat that many courses. We all ordered different entrees so we could pass them around the table. We tried the Veal Francese a la Sabatino, Baked Rigatoni, Chicken Lynn and Shrimp Renato. All 4 entrees were delicious! My personal favorite was the Shrimp Renato. It smelled so amazing when our server brought it to the table that my mouth was watering!!! It tasted even better! We ordered 2 desserts (cannoli and tiramisu) and 4 forks, and they were delicious, as well. The service was great and our check at the end was surprisingly reasonable, especially given the amount of food we were served. The same friendly guy was still at the front door when we left and he chatted with us while we waited for the valet to bring our car around. Again, he was personable and really quite witty. You could really tell that he was happy to be there, that he loved what he was doing, and that he truly cared about our comments. I can't believe I've lived so close to Sabatino's all my life and have never been there before. I will definitely go back soon!
Pros: great food, big portions, inexpensive, friendly service
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