Pete & Sam's Restaurant

This is a good place to go if you are craving for a good pizza. They have lots of good pizzas in here and they are cooked in brick oven. more

Horrible decor, horribly outdated look, and food was the worst I've ever had in an Italian Restaurant. I LOVE Italian food, it's one of my favorite food groups! I can't remember the last time I've sent food back at an Italian restaurant, been that let down by the food, or the last time I've been that unimpressed with the upkeep of a place I'm eating at.\r \r The Food:\r \r I had the lasagna, with a salad and ravioli as a side. The ""pot"" of lasagna they brought out was BLACK it was so over cooked. I've never in my life had any that dry and burned. After one bite, I sent it back, and the waiter acted like I had no idea what I was talking about. I got the Cannelloni afterwards... Was so soupy it was ridiculous. There were several people that ordered the lasagna in our group, and EVERYONES was black and burned. Not one person that had my dish was happy with their food. Had three bites, and pushed it away and gave up. The ravioli, was mediocre. The salad was made with VERY wilted lettuce and was also soupy b/c of the massive amount of salad dressing in it.\r \r The ""Decor"" and general look:\r \r So out of date it's not even funny. I had heard it had that ""Old Chicago mafia family restaurant"" style feel to it... if by that you mean ceiling tiles COVERED in water spots, falling off the ceiling, and in shambles surrounded by dark panel wood walls like you'd see in an old single wide trailer, then I don't want that ""Old chicago mafia"" feel... I've never been in a restaurant where such LITTLE care and attention was given to your ambiance. It was disgusting, and unpleasant to say the least.\r \r And I know they can't necessarily help this since they've been around so long and it's a small area of land, but the parking is HORRID. Not that big of a deal in the summer, but when it's 28 degrees out I don't want to walk through other parking lots to get there. Not sure why that many people were there, apparently it is very popular and the reason for that evades me.\r \r Save yourself the let down and go to Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill... so much better. And if your craving Lasagna, you'll be better off getting a Stouffers from your local grocery store frozen food section. Trust me, I don't EVER write reviews, but my conscious compels me to do so in this case. more

This place is a gem, I will recommend this to my friends more

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. more

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. more

Some of the best seafood I've had in Phili. more

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

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! Pros: BBQ Pizza Cons: Parking can be a pain more

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!!!!! more

This place is very interesting - people either love it or absolutely hate it. Personally, I think it is one of the worst restaurants ever. The food is just plain bad. The service is just plain bad. The atmosphere - well I kinda dig the atmosphere. It's kind of 1970's cool. But, that's not enough to make me ever want to go back. more

If you arent a regular here dont be surprised if you get horrible service. And if you are a college student dont be surprise if they completely ignore you. The food isnt that great and the prices are high. And the parking is horrible. more

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. Pros: Family friendly, Great Food, Great Service, BYOB (wine) Cons: Parking more

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. Pros: Pizza is still good-if you get it hot Cons: Everything has gone downhill more

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. Pros: very good food, inexpensive Cons: the parking lot -- couldn't possibly cram more cars in smaller spaces more

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. Pros: Everything Cons: No wine in house more

When I move, my priority is to find a decent Italian place. Pete and Sam's was my first attempt here. It is in a part of town requiring a guard outside. The lot is super tight so put on your maneuvering cap. The atmosphere, owner photos, service and bread gave me hope this could be my new Italian place. The antipasto was good but could use more salad items. (Yeah I know everyone makes it different.) Then the entree came. Pizza is made with orange cheese. My eggplant was unrecognizable under a ton of sauce. No cheese on top. The side of spaghetti came in tiny vegetable bowls. All of this could be overcome if the sauce had not been so super sweet. Spaghetti sauce that tastes like dessert? Definitely an acquired taste. No offense meant to those who love and enjoy it but I am going to keep looking! Pros: service, atmosphere Cons: food, parking more

If you're looking for some artsy fartsy designer chef with a degree in elitist snob cookery and a show on the food network, go somewhere else. This is not rarified cuisine. It is simply the best. This is decadent, indulgent comfort food. The ravioli is better than sex. The toasted ravioli is beyond compare. If you're on Atkins and can't indulge in pasta, the steak and Italian salad is so good it will make you cry. There's a second Pete & Sams that opened up in the boonies of Cordova. Come early to both restaurants because there's always a crowd. And don't wear tight clothes, because you will have to loosen your belt. Pros: the food, the food, the food more

If you are looking for tasty and authentic italian food Pete and Sams is not the place for you. Don't be fooled by all the recommendations this place gets. It is simply not good italian food. The only highlight of our dining experience was receiving a mini-pizza as a side dish and watching the kid at the table next to us throw spaghetti at his sister. That is good fun! Otherwise there was nothing overly exciting or authentic about anything our party of four received. I must say though that the house red wine is much better than the ""chateau yesterday"" they are pushing over at Coletta's. Pros: Inexpensive more

Pete and Sam's is a classic Southern Italian family-run restaurant with great food, healthy portions, friendly service all at reasonable prices. Great for groups or the extended family. Bring your own wine. My favorites: Pizza, Italian Salad, Steak Tenders for Two. Only need reservations for a big group. Pros: Good Food, Old-style portions, Cozy/dated amtosphere Cons: parking, not the best 'hood more

This place is not fancy, but the food is great, the service is excellant given that the place is so busy all the time, and the prices are reasonable too. It's a great place to take the whole family. It's hard to find parking, because it is so popular, but it is worth the trouble. Pros: Great food, good service, reasonable prices Cons: parking, crowded more