Sam's Ristorante & Pizzeria

I started the Harlem High - Class of 1978 alumni dinners approx, 2 + years ago. We go to Sam's once a month and we have a great time and great food. Our waitress does an amazing job whether our group is 10 people or 40 people. Great atmosphere, great food, personnel are very friendly. A fantastic Italian restaurant.\r \r A few months ago we took my husband's relatives from Nebraska to Sam's and we all had some kind of pasta and the relatives said it was one of the, if not the, best Italian food they've ever had. They travel the world and eat at many restaurants plus together, the They said they will be back as Sam's food is, on a scale of 1 to 10, a 10. more

My husband and I visited the Sam's in Rockford and assumed the Machesney location would be similar - very wrong! We went there for our anniversary. The atmosphere is less than desirable. No white table cloths on the tables - but there are wine lists and candles - but no one even took the time to light them. Plus, the bus boys are no where to be found (on a Saturday night at 7PM) so we had to look at dirty tables throughout our entire dinning experience. Upon questioning the waitress (only one), she said that they let the bus boy go home because it was not busy. At the same time we could see two workers through the kitchen area laughing and talking as if they had nothing to do! Although the appetizers were fair - the salad was nothing but lettuce - and the pasta was under cooked - and I had to send it back. The replacement was a little better - but disappointing for this being an Italian restaurant. My husband had a steak that he indicated was fairly good. Our bill was over $10 more

I had a great time eating here one night with friends! The servers was a blast and food was great. Prices are decent and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good time. more

We have a ton of italian places in town, but this place is a nice getaway. They have a faithful clientelle and the food is good. Nothign standout, but good. more