Pete & Sam's Restaurant

russell b.

Joined 8 months ago

Th service was just horible i have notice last couple of times i been there the servise declining. The employees are just rude. We were only customers there at 4:45 pm, the employees just walked around and never acknowledge we were there . I will start going to Colettas or Olive Garden from now on.

Doesn't Recommend

eljaycit

Joined 2 years ago

I made many jokes about Olive Garden having the worst Italian food, and after eating at Pete & Sam's, I owe the Olive Garden an apology. Pete & Sam's is the worst. The food, the service, the facility, and the prices were all substandard. Our party sat where half the table had lighting and the other half was so dark, I had to use my cell phone to make light to read the menu. The waiter made a rude remark to our guest for having confused him by ordering a "plain" salad, which the waiter interpreted as a "dry" salad, and upon correcting him, he got irritated, to which I sternly corrected him right back. I had to get up to get our guest straws, get my own beer that he forgot, and other things. I had to ask other waiters for help because mine was no where to be found, and the other waiters seemed embarrassed about it.

The food that I sampled from others at the table, including my own was bland, plain, burned, or just nasty. I spotted several people offering their food to others at the table because they didn't like it. I saw one person scraping something gross off his food that was not food. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana, which had many parts darker black than my car tires. I chipped off the burned sections and tried eating the rest, but it was the most repulsive eggplant parmigiana I ever had. It was so soggy, it could have been a soup. After pouring it out of the stainless steel boat they cooked it in and onto a plate, I notice the entire bottom was black and burned. Nasty. The salad was no better, just a small bowl of iceberg lettuce and a few pieces of tomato hardly worth mentioning, and for that they charged an extra $4.50 (an overcharge of a buck from their menu listed price).

I was eager to forget this horrible dining experience, get up from the dark drab hole we were seated in, and get in my car in their worn down parking lot and leave, but that's when I noticed the 'insult to injury'. They had hidden $7 in the subtotal (and no it was not gratuity). Understand, they hand write their tickets, and do not use a calculator tape to show the math, which makes it easy to overcharge (purposely or not) a customer. Not only was I overcharged, but I was then charged tax on the overcharge. I held up the line with no apologies to have them run it on an adding machine, and they were embarrassed to find I caught them. No apologies from them, just defense for their waiter making a mistake in doing simple math. They cared more about their incompetent (possibly dishonest) employees than customers.

After eating at the Cordova location about three times, this was about my fourth time trying them out. I thought maybe their main location would be better. Nope. It was horrible in all areas of dining. Now, I know what you're going to say, but they are a Memphis landmark. That means nothing to me when I'm rating the dining experience and especially the food and service. I have tried them enough times now to know that they must have a cult following to continue giving them business when the food, service, prices, and atmosphere is as bad as I described. They are a complete waste of time and money to eat there. But if you want to support them just because they are a Memphis landmark, go for it. I just recommend you eat first and don't expect much from the service.

Recommends

flores69

Joined 2 years ago

de-friggin-licious. Some of the best seafood I've had in Phili.

Recommends

trailergurl

Joined 4 years ago

homemade italian. best italian I've had in years! Can't wait to return...

Recommends

memphisbelle88

Joined 5 years ago

Last Meal. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain always talks about a person's last meal and mine would definitely be Pete and Sam's Toasted Ravioli, Italian Spinach, and an entire BBQ pizza. My family has been coming to Pete and Sam's since it opened and I love this place. Go for an unforgetable family meal in the 50s era wood panneled dinning rooms on red and white checked tables or pick up a couple of pizzas from Miss Vita up front and be sure to admire the pictures of Elvis and nearly every other famous Memphian on your way out. Memphis would be a far different and a very hungry city without Sammy!

Doesn't Recommend

SUSAN07

Joined 5 years ago

Good Food - Terrible Service. My family went to Pete and Sam's to celebrate my father's 80th Birthday. We had a party of 30 people ( we had reservations so they knew we were coming). Unfortunately, they only had ONE server and even she was covering other tables!!!!!

In her defense, she did an OK job - but food was cold - she didn't know who ordered what . She simply stood at the end of the table and screamed out the entrees that were on her tray. It was up to us to determine if it was our dish being served.

The tables were not bused between the dinner and desert so my sister and I had to bus them ourselves to make room on the table for dessert. It was horrible!!!!!!!!!!!

I let the management know about the situation and they acted clueless.

Recommends

dannyw98

Joined 6 years ago

The Legendary Pete & Sam's. After over half a century, Pete and Sam's is still the best. The atmosphere is refreshingly non-stuffy and perfect for a large family, the wait staff is always friendly and most importantly, the food is outstanding...time-tested recipes unchanged by trends or fads.

The Veal Scallopini with a side of sausage pizza and ravioli with a fresh, crisp Italian salad is an incredible feast that I have enjoyed for years. Occasionally, I will sample my wife's eggplant parmisan and it's very, very good as well.

The wine list is up to you. Stop by Buster's Liquor at Poplar and Highland on the way...Pete & Sam's is BYOB for a small corkage fee.

If you are looking to spend $$$$ for modern ambience and food that is more suitable to the eye then the palate, may I suggest another restaurant. But, If you are looking for the very best Italian food in Memphis, go to Pete & Sam's.

Doesn't Recommend

aodhan51

Joined 7 years ago

Formerly great restaurant that's run it's course. I've been eating there 40 years, but in the last 3-4 years the restaurant has diminished greatly. The food is now only fair, the kitchen is mismanged - food comes irratically to your table, often cold, and the service is non-existent. On my last visit, and I emphasize LAST visit, there were 6 of us, and every entre came at a separate time. The first entre didn't arrive until an hour after we ordered. It's sad. It has been extended-family run for years, and the manager/nephew who held things together left about 3 1/2 years ago. Now the owner's kids run it, and they have failed. It's one of those situations where they take the customers for granted, and the old-time customers have had enough.

Recommends

trippd

Joined 7 years ago

excellent. only things i've ever eaten are their ravioli & min-pizzas, but they are heavenly! I've been eating them for a long time. I wish Atlanta had one... going here & thru the Corky's drive-thru on Poplar are the two things I do every time I vist Memphis.

Recommends

me1111

Joined 8 years ago

A friend from Corleone.. We are from Sicily but have been living in Louisiana since I was 10. Both sides, maternal and paternal carried their culinary skills back here and kept them active. Since being displaced by Katrina, we have taken residence here in memphis, and gave Pete and Sam's a try. NOWHERE, besides my mother's kitchen have I ever tasted such great Italian food. The owner was extremely nice to us, spoke my language in Sicilian dialect, made us feel like coming back - forever! From a personal point of view, and ffrom a person who (knows) what Italian food should taste like, all others can shut the doors - at least the ones that I tried.