Sam & Luca Italian Bistro

Excellent food. The eggplant parmagiana was excellent. The mussels were stupendous with very scrumptious broth. The mixed drinks were also quite good. Prices were a bit high. Ambience and service were quite good. The deserts were excellent. We will be back.

5 Gold Stars is not enough. This is our first visit here. Amazing service started as soon as we were in the door and was greeted by the manager. After finding out it was our first visit, he entertained us with the restaurant's history. Service was prompt from the beginning and continued all night. Our waitress Zoey had a bubbly personality that must be powered by a nuclear reactor! We took Zoey's recommendation on the Bruschetta special of the night and also added the Calamari appetizer. Both were amazing, however the Calamari was the most tender that I've ever had. Our main course was Lasagna and Lamb Chops. The Lasagna? AMAZING! So tender yet it held together. The manager explained it was his father's recipe after many times of tweaking it to make it perfect. As for the Lamb Chops, I normally add a lot of salt to my meals but this was perfect. The Asperagus was perfectly aldente! Deserts were equally amazing. Our service was not limited to Zoey. Any employee would stop at our table to pick up an empty plate or refill our water. This restaurant is a clear example of top down leadership. My wife and I used the word amazing many times; much more often than we normally use, lol.

The lasagna at this restaurant is hands down the best I’ve ever had—and that’s saying a lot because lasagna is my absolute favorite dish. The braised short rib and rich béchamel sauce took it to another level. Every bite was packed with flavor and perfectly balanced—I was truly blown away. My husband had the braised short ribs over polenta, and it was just as incredible. Tender, flavorful, and beautifully plated. You can tell the care and craft that goes into every dish here. If you love Italian food (or just amazing food in general), this place is an absolute must. We’ll definitely be coming back!

Such a wonderful experience. We dined in for brunch today (Saturday). Our food was delicious and the service was superb. I ordered the avocado toast with a side of fruit and a cappuccino, and my husband had the special of steak and eggs. Our waitress Zoe was so sweet and attentive. We will definitely be returning for brunch and for dinner. Go try Sam and Luca! You won't be disappointed.

The eggplant parm was really good. Our server was fantastic. But we ordered a $36 appetizer sampler and the portions were so small it was lame. 3 meatballs, 4 mozzarella sticks ( albeit the best mozzarella sticks we ever had) and somewhat tasteless bruschetta. They need to do away with that menu option or increase the sizes of the portions. The shrimp on the shrimp risotto was fantastic, but the risotto itself was disappointing.

I wish I could give this place 10 Stars. Everything about the dinner was fantastic from the service the attention to detail and the food. If you go here I highly recommend the short rib dish. My husband had the linguine and clams and said it was the absolute best he has ever had in his life. We've been trying to get in there for a while with our friends and tonight we went to celebrate our friend's birthday. They did not disappoint. We have found our regular haunt for our monthly dinner.

We were a party of four at our table, greeted and sat at our table very quickly. Our server came and offered recommendations of the house specials and got our drinks. Server brought out drinks and bread and butter, cold vs warmer for spreading on French bread. We all had the half salads. The Caesar Salad was the perfect size, lacking in taste and under dressed. Needs more of an anchovy taste very bland. Dinners came out and were excellent in size portion and beautiful presentation. There were two orders of lasagna and very good taste but luck warm, needed to be hotter to allow the cheeses to melt. The server came many times along with the owner. The restaurant looks to be on point., Good communication and with the staff. The restaurant is very inviting to come in for dinner. There is also outside seating great for long afternoons. Dinner is a little expensive but that is the sign of the times. They have Happy Hour and $2 dollars off glasses of wine from 4-6pm

The food quality was excellent. From the short rib to the salmon to the lasagna. All top notch in flavor and quality. The service was great and the chef is amazing. The salmon was melt in your mouth and full of flavor. The short rib almost didn’t even need chewing, it was so tender. The lasagna is probably the best I’ve had.

We showed up at 3pm, we thought this was the start of their happy hour on a Monday night, it says this on Yelp and Google, The door was locked :( but a nice young man, Josh came out and apologized for the misconfision, he even recommended a local bar for us where we could wait! We were impressed that he came out and greeted us to let us know! Well we came back at 4pm, and we are glad we did! We sat at the bar, the bartender was upbeat and friendly I like they had a bunch of nice wines by the glass, I had a dry rose and my husband had a glass of Cabernet. We split a yummy bowl of garlicky black mussels, then a huge cut of prime rib, it said 14 oz. But it had to be 18 oz. Perfect medium rare, with crispy potatoes and broccoli. We had a couple more glasses of wine and even added dessert! :) a lemoncello cake and some ice cream. The prices we reasonable, the service was solid, and the atmosphere was great! Nice to see a independent restaurant doing so well on a Monday night! Thanks Josh for opening the door early and capturing some new regulars, we really enjoyed ourselves

This place is very small. Had a disagreement with a manager about making reservation for over eight. But we went anyway, and we proceeded together, lol which is very weird after a horrible conversation I had with the manager, But the food here is outstanding. I'm not a huge fan of pasta, but they had beautiful chicken and seafood dishes here and it was fantastic. Kudos to the chef ambience not great but it's not bad stuck in the late 80s early 90s booth and just random wood cables in the middle of the place, but it was really good. You might like it for a casual night out.

Great place for authentic Italian food! The staff were friendly and attentive. Food was out in a reasonable time. Hot and well proportioned. Plenty of room for small or large parties. We will definitely be back!

We have been enjoying Sam and Luca for years now! I love their short rib with risotto. We have ordered a little bit of everything off the menu but our favorites would be; the mozzarella sticks (to die for), the bruschetta (seasonal is always great), the short rib with risotto, chicken Alfredo... I guess everything is yummy. They make a mean dirty martini and also have a wine list that is dang good for a mom and pop restaurant. Highly recommend Sam and Luca and the service has always been excellent!

The ambience was low light date vibes. We came in around 4 PM and there was a toilet table available but by 5:15 the entire restaurant is full so if you're coming on a dinner date, highly suggest making a reservation which they do take the kitchen is an open kitchen so you can see all of your food being prepared and made right in front of your eyes if you so choose mozzarella sticks were probably the best mozzarella sticks I've ever had in my whole life. They were flaky and crispy and perfectly cooked, and the homemade marinara sauce was delicious. The ancho salmon was really well seasoned and had a crispy outside with a juicy perfectly cooked inside. The Alfredo was creamy and the chicken was outstanding. We will be coming back.

My shrimp scampi was dang good! Lots of huge shrimp, not sure why people were saying 4 shrimp- also mine was with linguine not fettuccine. Delicious! Service was great!

We decided to bring the whole fam for my birthday dinner and we're so glad we did! It was amazing!! We had a reservation, but came earlier because we were hungry :) while we waited for our table we sat at the patio bar and had a couple of cocktails that were tasty & the bartender was friendly and attentive. For dinner we had the beef shortrib which was one of the best I've ever had - and a huge portion! Also had ravioli, chicken Parm, chicken fettuccine and the special with shrimp and scallops in pasta. Everything was fantastic including the service! We'll definitely be back!!

Zoe was a fabulous and helpful wait staff. She was interesting and kind, offering great menu suggestions as well. Josh, the manager, came by to check on us and when he found out it was a 60th wedding anniversary celebration he brought out a dessert tray. What a treat. He was very kind and attentive. The food was absolutely outstanding and five out of the six all ordered something different. We could not stop raving about the place. It was a happy friendly atmosphere. A new favorite spot!

Came in on a reservation on Valentine's Day, which I understand can be very busy and that can screw things up but honestly, the food was good, but the service was absolutely terrible for how much money we were paying. Over $200 on our bill and we couldn't even get prompt service and then they pre-add gratuity. I'm sorry, but for poor service I'm not giving you a tip. The nerve...

Really enjoyed our dinner at Sam & Luca. This is Mesa Italian restaurant has been on our list for a while, and I'm sorry that we haven't come sooner. There is a main dining room with a smaller room off to the side. There are wood paneled walls that give it a slightly rustic look. I love that you can see into the kitchen where the cooking is being done. Our server was lovely, very attentive and friendly. We started off with cocktails which were delicious. Who order the calamari which came with two sauces - - a marinara and a red pepper sauce. We moved on to dinner and it did not disappoint. We ordered the branzino from the special menu, which was served with a very light fresh tasting angel hair pasta. We also got the brasato, which was a very tender short rib served over wild mushroom and asiago risotto. It was absolutely amazing! Not only was the food really delicious, but the portion sizes are absolutely enormous! Even our appetizer of calamari was very large. We actually got a full second meal for my leftovers!

We finally made a reservation for dinner at Sam and Luca. What a great decision!! The minute we came through the doors we received a warm welcome and were shown to our table. Our waiter, Philip, took our drink and appetizer orders. The calamari was delicious and I'm still dreaming of those mozzarella sticks. Next came dinner. Our table ordered lasagna, cheese ravioli and eggplant parm. We all had the side Cesar salads. Everything arrived to the table hot and our meals were all amazing. We decided to share a dessert and ordered a slice of turtle cheesecake. If you're looking for a new place to try don't wait as long as we did to make a reservation at Sam and Luca. And do yourself a favor and request Philip as your waitstaff!! He went the extra mile and made a lovely evening even better!!

First time and walking away with only an excellent review on service and food. We had the chicken Marcella, the sauce was excellent and it had a lot of mushrooms to our delight. Looking forward to our next visit.

This was a disappointing experience. This is a middle of the road, mediocre option in a town with much more to offer. Unfortunately, the food was just very mediocre. The ambiance was nothing special; it doesn't have any character or interest. Our waitress was fantastic. The rest left much to be desired. Frankly, I'll go to North Italia for basic Italian faire next time. It's the same price points with better service, environment, menu options and flavors. Alternatively, hit up Brio or Humble Bistro. Anywhere but here. 2/5.

Okay so I've been here NUMEROUS times and it's always incredibly delicious. I love the ambience, service and the over all mom and pop feel. Recently (last yea rod so) Josh the manager is so personal and has the best recommendations. We came here and he allowed us to have the private room for the gender reveal of our second baby, they were all extremely accommodating! Now here enjoying a date night he was kind enough to say hello, this is my go to Italian restaurant in Arizona. Will be coming back always!

Girls night out at Sam & Luca made even more fun than normal with the warm ambiance, absolutely the best server (Zoe), and friendly owner (Josh) who spent time chatting with our group at our table. And the food?? Mangia!! Absolutely delish. The best short ribs and risotto I've ever had. And their cocktails were amazing as well.

This restaurant is BOMB! This is great Italian food with superb service! I'm sure many of you know how are it is to find a great Italian restaurant, and most of them are pretty mediocre, but this place is different! Not one is the food delicious, but the servers are fun and personable, and they have many unique dishes on the menu. For menu items we had amazing lobster ravioli, I always love their Caesar salad.... Our favorite drink is the limoncello martini, plus they also have limoncello tiramisu.... However our favorite is the salted caramel cheesecake! One of the other things that we absolutely love about this restaurant is that it is not an overly loud place, so this is a great date night restaurant because you can actually hear your significant other speak from across the table, lol! Give this place a try...you'll love it!

We just tried Sam and Luca for the first time and WOW. Fresh food, amazing service & daily specials. We will be back.

The food is absolutely amazing. Everything is so fresh and prepared to order. The cheese sticks are phenomenal! The artichoke lemon soup is out of this world. Protect The kitchen staff here at all costs!

Food was fabulous! Linguine white clam sauce, eggplant parm! Service amazing took special care of us since my husband and our friend are allergic to shellfish. They also were very kind about my inability to have spice in my food!

Used to, this was one of my fave places to go to. They've definitely had some changes over the years. Tonight, after our valentine's date night, we most likely won't be back. First, we sat for a while,dismissed a few times by our server, who could have easily seen that we still had menus and no drinks. Finally, we had to ask our server to order drinks. They brought us bread. Three little slices for 2 people (it gave us a good giggle). Ordered chicken parm and the stuffed shell special. Chicken was overcooked and dry, a bit tough. Shells were not well heated throughout, and the cheese is cool and goopy. The meatball was really dry, tough and also at room temp. Halfway through our meal, the server came to check on us. We asked for some cheese, since we were offered it at the time that our meal was brought out, and finished dinner with a smile and nod. Sorry, but there are just too many great choices to eat at, to come back for subpar food.

We stopped by for dinner at Sam & Luca for the first time . It's a warm , cozy restaurant. Zoey our waitress is extremely nice and helpful . I had Salmon and my husband has lasagnas. The best !!!! Definitely coming back .

Hands down the BEST service we have had in years! And the food?! Legit! This Italian girl was one happy camper. Family owned and you feel like family when you enter. The salmon was mouth watering, just perfection. The mozzarella sticks best we have ever had. Literally everything we had was phenomenal. Can't wait to go back.

I can't comment on the food because we never got to that point. About 3 days ago I tried to make a reservation and there were no slots prior to 8:30 open. I called yesterday to ask about a waiting list and was told they did a call ahead. Today I called to put our names in for around 5:30. I was advised at that time that since it was just for two and it was before 6 we would be seated pretty quickly. I arrived at 5:15, and advised the hostess that I was there. About 35 minutes later they came over and told us it would be another hour before we could be seated. There were at least 4 tables open but they were for four people. They would not seat us there. We were extremely annoyed and felt like we were being dismissed. We left as we were not going to do business with a restaurant that doesn't have an efficient service. I've been told time and again what a great place it was. My experience says differently. My companion and I took ourselves and our $100 plus 20% tip over to Carrabas. They seated us immediately. The food was delicious. They treated us like customers should be treated. This summer, when the snowbirds are gone and you're hurting for business, I'm going to remember our treatment. I'm also going to be telling my friends and family and acquaintances.

We'd heard about the Monday Prime Rib Special. We ordered Red wine, Caesar Salad, Prime Rib and Scallop Risotto. The Service was very good. The Wine was good. The Salad was quite large but had very little dressing. Not great and we love Caesar salad most places we go. Dinner was served too quickly as we both had a lot of salad to eat. A small amount of bread came with the salad but it wasn't great either. The tiny table couldn't really accommodate the entree and the salad at the same time. I loved the scallops. They were cooked perfectly. The risotto, not so much. Way too many sun dried tomatoes and not smooth and creamy as it should be. The Prime Rib was also disappointing. I've rarely had tough Prime Rib. It was a generous portion but seemed like it wasn't roasted low and slow. The broccoli was good but the roasted potatoes were cool. Overall, we won't be back. Too many areas that just weren't up to par.

My friends took me out for my birthday and treated me to the most lovely dinner ever. Everything from the greeter when you first walk in to the waitress to the servers refilling your drink to the owner and chef, the whole service was attentive and engaged. The food and comfortable experience was a true team accomplishment and I wanted to return the next day and try other dishes because everyone was happy with what they got. I had read reviews here on yelp that the chicken marsala was a bit dry so I let the group know. But we have die hard chicken marsala people and they both loved it. The rest of the bunch had eggplant parmesan and a salad and the bread. I tried the braised beef or brisato. The brisato was as juicy and tender as the reviews declare and I cleaned my plate. The sliced bread was moist and flavorful and didn't need any oil or vinegar; it was fabulous on its own. For dessert, a friend insisted I try the lemon cheesecake and it was refreshing and flavorful, not too strong of a lemon flavor. Very natural and yummy. I split a pistachio cannoli and it was really nice. I still can't find cannoli like they make in my home state of Michigan but, this one is probably the best I've had in Arizona, though it's not traditional and on the smaller side. The restaurant had comfy tables and chairs if your gut overflows and plenty of room for wheelchairs/powerchairs. It's a busy strip mall so parking is at a premium. Early dinner seemed the easiest to accommodate everyone. Every employee was genuinely friendly and fun. I'll be back! Hopefully soon!

We ended up really enjoying this place. Delicious food, which is obviously the best part. A few vegetarian options, and everything I've tried is good. The staff is cordial and helpful in making suggestions. Very comfortable setting, with indoor and outdoor dining options.

This restaurant is on the front side of a plaza so you have to look for it. It was a cute hidden gem. Inside is open dining room with a small bar with seating they do have a happy hour that runs 3pm to 6pm and their menu had quite a few options. We started with a couple of wines, and tried their zucchini, which was breaded and cooked deliciously served with a red Marinara sauce. We also tried the drunken mussels which were cooked to perfection and served with some baguette bread. We then ordered the Chard Pepperoni pizza, the crust wasn't too thick. The red sauce had a great flavor and had some pretty good cheese, so all in all it was a good meal. Our server was Kosuke and he was amazing, very attentive and knowledgeable. Made suggestions and took very good care for us. We also had a chance to meet the GM Josh, who is also pleasant. All in all, it was a very good experience and we will definitely return.

For those of you who are not yet aware, Sam & Luca's offers 25% off for pick up/take out orders on Tuesday's. My spouse Will and I ordered last night and in their typical style, the meal tasted just as good at home as it did in the restaurant. It was also as good today for lunch because the meals are so large, there is plenty for lunch the next day! How do you beat this! Check it out!

Lovely Atmosphere with comfortable seating and modern decor. I was welcomed as I walked in the door and shown to my seat quickly to meet my awaiting friend. My friend had a breaded zucchini appetizer waiting to delight my taste buds. The breading was crisp and tasty. The zucchini was large. We shared and still had some for leftovers. Our wonderful waitress, Zoey, brought my thirst quenching tea with lemon right away. Zoey made sure our glasses were always full. She let me have time to view the menu, then presented the specials. I wanted to try everything. It all sounded delicious. We both chose the chicken with a side of spaghetti. The chicken was tender and juicy with a nice texture. The spaghetti was good. We both ordered dessert, as well. My friend enjoyed hers so much she wanted to lick the plate. The chocolate mousse cake had just the perfect amount of richness and density. The hazelnut cannoli was delicious; the filling and shell were scrumptious. We both agreed we had five star service. Zoey knew the menu well and actually seemed to enjoy her job and appreciate the quality of the food. She was polite with conversation and service. Zoey came at just the right time to clear the plates, present more dining options, and check on us. She's an asset to this establishment and is a big reason why I plan to dine here again. It was a great evening catching up with an old friend in a great restaurant!

I'm from the Northeast and the food is good and they have different kinds of food which are worth trying.

I was happy to see Penne a la Vodka with Shrimp as a special. I order it any time I see it on a menu. Only once has it surpassed my expectations. I did not get to meet the chef who prepared it last night, but it was perfection. The penne was light and airy. Unusual for a penne. The vodka sauce was a beautiful color with a delicious taste. The shrimp paired well and added a nice crunch. Thank you for a dish that did exceed expectations. I wish it could be on the daily menu. The service was quite good.

Food was AMAZING! The Brasato was extremely tender, needed salt but the flavor was there. The pollo fettuccine was flavorful but again, needed salt. The margherita pizza was Devine! (No salt needed lol) and don't get me started on the Carmel brûlée cheesecake. I swear I'm going to dream about that! Now the service was amazing. Our amazing waitress was very attentive and made us feel so comfortable and welcome. She suggested the best meals! Now, the bill for 10 people was $520. They got us with the soup and salad. They didn't mention it was an extra charge. ($7 for the salads and $10 for the soup). We assumed it came with the meal but assumption is our worst enemy lol But honestly, the food and service was so amazing. We're definitely going to come back. Drove 41 minutes to get here but we definitely will make that drive again! Thank you for this experience!

Colin was an exceptional waiter. He was friendly and attentive and I had a great time in this restaurant. The food was exceptional. This has become my favorite place.

Awesome! Nice quiet place for a date night. Food was excellent! Parking is kinda limited.

Zoe (our waitress) was wonderful! Attentive but not overly and always had a smile on her face. Everyone was actually very friendly. The food was delicious! My husband and i loved the meatballs (appetizer) and his salmon was cooked PERFECTLY. Small but cozy place. We will be back.

This is our new favorite Italian restaurant. The food is amazing truly amazing. We have been to many Italian restaurants and you can tell the quality is top notch. The service is great. I had special requests for the hostesses and servers and they were happy to accommodate. Dining area is just the right size - not massive and not too small. Defiantly worth a try if you are looking for a great evening out.

The ambiance and service is great! We enjoyed getting to see into the cooking area from our table. The price is quite a bit high for the quantity. The food flavors could be more bold; the flavors were muted. The fried zucchini appetizer and complementary bread and oil were very good.

The food here is top notch!! When I eat here I feel as if I am eating with family!!! Great job to all the staff!!!

The food quality was excellent. From the short rib to the salmon to the lasagna. All top notch in flavor and quality. The service was great and the chef is amazing. The salmon was melt in your mouth and full of flavor. The short rib almost didn't even need chewing, it was so tender. The lasagna is probably the best I've had.

Very good Italian. Nothing magical, just good stuff served in a comfortable atmosphere at. A reasonable price..

very good! my bf and i got the margherita pizza and capellini pasta and they were both great! our server was very attentive

The food was great and so was the service. I brought my Italian husband and father-in-law here to give it a try after seeing such fabulous reviews. They didn't disappoint. The food was really good and the service was great as well. Our server was very attentive, making sure waters and drinks were kept filled and suggesting different entrees on the menu. We will definitely be back.

You guys need to get ahead of this new chef transition. Your new chef is only concerned with the meats. Great point when serving steak & lamb but if you cannot produce chicken Marsala or a Demi or Marsala sauce you have far bigger issues as an "Italian" establishment. My last 3 trips were wasted on lamb chops with white gravy and today's trip with country fried chicken and noodles Marsala. New dish I guess. New meats are awesome. If you cannot produce authentic sauces then it's just Cracker Barrel in a better venue. Owners you need to get involved here or you will slowly become another great place that died on a dollar. I won't waste another $200 night eating food you admittedly know needs improvement waiting on the season to die down. Folks are moving on. Time to get involved. Awesome atmosphere and beautiful drinks. The bartender asked me 3 times about trying the lamb? We talked about it each time he asked? Sad review for a place that was awesome. You guys need to get on it before it's too late. My followers are great through other streams but this is a concinsous only you can fix.

We made a reservation for a date night and were excited to come in. We showed up, got seated and then waited, and waited and waited. After about 15 min of watching multiple servers walk by, and the manager hanging by the food, the buser finally came over to refill our water, and I finally asked for a server, he went over to the host where I witnessed some frazzled back and forth on to "who's table is it" so after almost 20 min and us ready to walk, a server finally came over . He apologized, we ordered and got our food, the food was mediocre, smaller portion than I had anticipated, and simply weren't impressed. Decent enough, but probably won't be returning. Bummer

Mark & angelica are the very best waitress & bartender so personable and friendly & helpful food out of this world !!! Highly recommended Mussels were fabulous !!!

Excellent food and service! Made us feel special being a first timer. Loved the ambiance and low level music.

I can't say enough about this place. From the moment we walked in and greeted by the hostess to the gentleman that kept our water glasses full to our waitress Zoe who was delightful. The food was delicious. I had the braised short ribs. It did not disappoint with a side of risotto. Finished off the meal with the espresso cannoli's. Everything from start to finish was top notch.

Dennis left and they changed everything, and it is no longer good. The food is bland, you can tell they are trying to save money on the recipes. Too bad, this food used to be amazing! Time to find another place for special dinners.

We have dined here a few times and never disappointed! We just went for my birthday dinner and we were greeted by Josh who being told it was my birthday proceeded to bring me a lemon shot along with a sampling of seasonal bruschetta which both amazing! B was our waitress who gave us impeccable service! Food was on point as always! Thank you