Sambucas On Church

This is a hidden gem at the Church and Wellesley village. Food and services are always excellent. Price is good and they give you very generous portions. I love their shrimp pasta there. Been here for brunch a few times and their steak and eggs are excellent.

At past 12, we decided to dine in the well-established, welcoming, and cozy restaurant, Sambucas. We ordered black pepper salmon and santa cleopatra panini. They were delicious, good portioned, and satisfying. Service was great. Atmosphere and ambiance were accomodating. It was not too busy after lunch. Seating is indoor and plentiful. Washrooms are clean and at the back. Wait times for meals are reasonable. No other complain just good comments.

Afternoon lunch menu had numerous choice and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly staff. I decided on the Reuben sandwich with fries. It was delicious and fresh. The sandwich was thick and juicy with cheese on rye bread with crunchy fries. The other dish was a club house with fries. Highly recommend.

Absolutely delicious! This gem of a restaurant was the highlight of the last leg of our trip. The lamb shank was fall of the bone tender, the paella flavorful, and the supreme chicken melted in your mouth. Highly recommend and we will be back.

Good place to have dinner. We ordered lamb shank and a $40 for 3 courses. The steak was okay but the lamb shank tasted so good. It’s worth a five star since the price is not expensive at all and it offers a generous serving size. Also, the service is pretty nice

This local restaurant has won my heart for the best risotto I have ever tasted. I got their seafood risotto and each of the rice grain is just full of flavour and umami. Dish came with a generous portion of mussels and other seafood. Seafood was very fresh too and I’m usually not a fan of mussels but I ate this dish down until it was spotless. Everytime I hear risotto I always think of this place immediately. Highly recommend!! Plus waiter was very nice and friendly and interior was very cozy and clean ~

Four of us dined here on a Friday night around 8pm. We did not have reservations. The restaurant had a few tables open so we were seated right away. The service was absolutely outstanding. There was one server for the restaurant and he hustled! When we placed our order, we mentioned it was my sister’s birthday and he asked what her name was. When we got our dessert, he put a candle in it and sing happy birthday It was so special and absolutely so sweet. The food was incredible. We ordered the lamb shank and the T-bone steak - we each had a salad and the lava cake for dessert. The mashed potatoes and the seasonal vegetables that came with each meal were also delicious. I would highly recommend!

I recently visited this Italian restaurant with a friend for dinner, and I was thoroughly impressed. The portion sizes were generous, the service was excellent, and the highlight of the meal was, without a doubt, the crème brûlée. Made in-house, it was absolutely amazing—easily the best I’ve had in a while! Everything I tried on the menu was delicious, and the staff went above and beyond by modifying a dish I requested—it turned out perfectly. If you’re in the neighborhood and craving Italian food, I highly recommend checking this place out. I’m already looking forward to my next visit, especially for that incredible crème brûlée!

We got free run chicken in mushroom with steamed veggies and mashed potatoes--well no potato or mushroom sauce since we asked for dairy and gluten-free. It was totally delicious (way better than the greasier, less professionally cut chicken at Flock) even without these items. The veggies -- green beans, broccoli and carrots -- were perfectly cooked and if I'm gonna raise the bar, the chicken was just a tad over cooked, as well as sliced so the juices ran out. Never slice the chicken! Regardless, it was a fantastic meal, a step up from what's usually found on food delivery sites. Awesome! Probably the best meal I've had from STD delivery out of hundreds of orders. Go for it!

We visited Sambucas a few days ago for lunch. It is one of our favourite places. Why? The food is consistently excellent, the service is friendly and welcoming. We have never had an issue when at the restaurant. Our server, Frank, was friendly and took great care of us. We will be back.

I ordered the Cesar salad and garlic bread and both were pretty good. I'm a bit a fan of a bit more of a creamy Cesar dressing which is why this gets only 4 stars, but over all quite good

$38 for a Prix Fix dinner menu? Pretty awesome deal to be able to have steak and mussels for $38. Where can we find a better deal? Food was decent for what you pay for. Restaurant is on church street, difficult to find parking. But the overall experience was nice. The servers are very friendly and efficient. I would come back and try other things on their menu

This place is beautiful inside with great staff and even better food. It is located on church street where in my opinion all businesses go the extra mile to make you feel good. The food is authentic and extremely delicious with an array of things to choose from. This place deserves a try.

Came by for lunch on a weekday and the restaurant was pretty quiet. I ordered the Eggs Natasha ($12) which looked delightful on presentation. The eggs were perfectly poached and the hollandaise sauce was light and creamy. Among the sides, there was a good mix of colours from the fresh salad, homefries that were stir-fried with onions and pepper, and four slivers of fresh cut fruit (orange, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon). Although service was a bit slow, the food was good and with all things considered, the portion size alone was well worth the price. The only thing I didn't like that much was the homefries, which were too mealy and soft. It would be nice if they were crispier!

Such a great place for brunch/lunch or dinner. The staff are friendly, attentive and the food is delish!

Came here for Summerlicious. 23$ is definitely a value meal. It's a great place for lunch, you get seated in a rustic dining environment that's still casual but artsy. Got the: -Goat cheese and apricot crostini (if you read my other reviews, you'll know about my love for goat cheese foods haha) -Red Wine braised Lamb shank -chocolate lava cake w/ vanilla ice cream My friends got the steak, seafood linguini, and chicken breast We also got a pitcher of Stella to share. I think the crostini is my all time goat cheese food. I'm not even going to describe the taste - go eat for yourself. Lamb shank was very meat-off-the-bones and you really gotta get messy and eat with your hands. Dip the shank in the meat jus and just gnaw on it. Lava cake was just oozing chocolate - it wasnt too sweet which is rare because usually these desserts are too sugary. The vanilla ice cream really contrasted the hot chocolate lava. Sambucas on Church actually offers the Prix Fixe Menu for Lunch and Dinner during non-summerlicious/winterlicious times too, so i'd definitely go again.

I came here for winterlicious 2020. Prix fixed dinner menu was pretty good, good options. I ordered the steak and lobster for my main, my partner ordered tomahawk pork chop. Everything was ssssoooooo delicious!! I absolutely loved my steak and lobster, it was soooo good. Great portions, more than I expected! Service was great. We went early for dinner but within an hour the restaurant was full!

In my opinion, the food is good but the employees here made my experience here not so good. I went to this restaurant for winterlicious and I tried to call in and make reservations but that was a real struggle! I had to call 3 times that day because I would try to make reservation and they would put me on hold but after a few minutes hang up on me. Also found that the employees to be a bit disrespectful as we looked "younger" so they didn't give us as much attention as the other customers they had there at the time. Food was good tho! I had the mussels as my appetizer; they were very generous with the amount of mussels that they gave! The sauce it was in was also very delicious as well. For my main I had the linguine; I thought the ratio of pasta to "toppings" were not really good since there was a lot of pasta and not as much "toppings". The main definitely filled me up cause of all the carbs aha! For dessert; can't remember exactly what it was called but it was delicious! If you like dark chocolate and cake this really hit the spot for me! Would recommend! Would I go again? Maybe if they had a change of employees I would go back, but for now I would say pass.

Last dinner for summerlicious for 2017. Enjoyed the atmosphere for the restaurant. Service was great. Got a plate of mussels, steak & lobster, and a chocolate tartufo for dessert. Nice big plate of mussels, in a wonderful sauce. Steak was a bit chewy. Excellent mashed potato. Tartufo was tasty. A great way to end the meal. Would definitely come back to try items on their regular menu.

Sambucas on Church is an institution in the Church and Wellesley neighborhood. It has been at that location for as long as I can remember, and still has the homey decor from when it used to be called PJ Mellons. I had lunch during a weekday and enjoyed their Summerlicious offering. Sambucas regularly offers lunch and dinner prix-fixe menus at the same price point as Summerlicious, so guests can enjoy a good meal/deal year-round. I started with Greek Salad (crisp lettuce mixed with kalamata olives, English cucumbers, bell peppers, red onions, tomatoes, and feta cheese dressed with oregano olive oil vinaigrette); it was a generous serving that could alone fill up a person with small appetite. The lettuce was fresh and overall it tasted fine. For my main I ordered the Steak (grilled striploin steak with peppercorn sauce served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables), which was cooked as per request, medium rare, and was more tender than I expected. The peppercorn sauce was a nice touch. Finally, I had the Lava Cake (warm rich white and dark chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream); it was good, although the particular cake I received did not have melted chocolate in the middle as expected; a bit disappointing, not sure what happened, but it was still an OK finish for the meal. Sambucas stands out in its class. If you are looking for a trendy place with innovative cuisine, go somewhere else. Sambucas is a reliable neighborhood restaurant, with outdated decor, that serves good but simple food at reasonable prices. Service was friendly and efficient during my visit. Parking is available on the street. Wellesley subway station is located a block and half away. TLDR; good food, good service, good value https://thomassu.smugmug.com/Food/2019/190712Sambucas/n-GLc29w

I went there to try their summerlicious dinner. It was $28 for the 3-course dinner which included appetizer, main course and dessert. I selected PEI mussels, steak and lobster tail, and Tartufo as my three courses. The mussels were very fresh and there was no empty shell in my bowl. The steak was so huge and rare cooked. It was so juicy and no bloody taste. But the lobster tail was so tiny and the meat was so fragile which seemed like not quite fresh. Tartufo is a traditional Italian dessert which was made me feel satisfied for the whole meal! I can't complain anything on the dessert. Each portion was huge and I think it is worth to try! I will recommend this restaurant to my friends.

It's ok restaurant. The good thing with this restaurant is that that have all year Price Fix menu. And my favourite is the mussels to start with bread, then the steak for main and their sorbet for dessert It's about 30$ for these items. But the last time I visited there, i had few dead mussels in my bowl which was a bit disappointing. Staff are great and attentive. Food-3 stars Staff-4 stars Location 4.5 stars

Consistently not only good food but service. Italian wheat free pasty ... chicken in reduction sauce.. risotto... you can't go wrong. Friendly considerate patient caring service and cooks set this place apart. They aren't just trying to give you a nice meal... but a great experience too. PLEASE SUPPORT THE VILLAGE as this restaurant and staff support you.

We decided to go to Sambucas (On Church) for a Winterlicious dinner. Out reservation was for 6:30 pm on Sat Feb 8th, 2020. The place was packed. We received our apps at 6:40 (Greek Salad & Mussels ) Our main meals came 50-55 min later. When I mentioned to the waiter he basically said " look at the place, it's packed." I had no problems with the meal itsels, it was delicious. I noticed that this place had no bartender. All the wait staff were responsible for drinks, coffee etc. Meal was great, ambiance, not so much.

Overall We had very poor service from your waiter. I have been part of the community and I have been to your restaurant before, I have always had decent service from you but not recently , the waiter did even offer me a napkin, to begin with, waiter asked me to grab the food from his hand TWICE!!, he was too lazy to place it on the table. Never in my life, I was asked to do that. He consistently got the order wrong as well then we had to correct it, we asked him not to bring any bread clearly but it then placed it anyways The whole dining experience was ruined by this poor service. I would really like to come to your restaurant again but I am afraid if I would be paired with the same waiter again and I don't want to go through the same experience again. I do understand how hard for folks like you in our community to keep the business going and I do understand there is a labor shortage, that being said above service is unacceptable because this issue is happening repeatedly And this is not the first time, had same experience twice with the same waiter in couple of weeks and reported the experience. Still no change!

The lunch menu is great! We order eggs benny, and they are always nice. We usually do take out since the pandemic, and it is always cooked well, and still hot when we get it home. We substitute the home fries for regular fires, and they give you a house salad and a fruit plate. They give you quite a bit of food for the price, so in my opinion it's great value.

Sambucas on Church - a cute ambient restaurant right by Wellesley and Church in the heart of the gay village. We originally came during the lunch hour for Summerlicious, which was a great offer for $23 - an appetizer, main, and a dessert. However, upon arriving, we decided to order off their regular menu instead. We also noticed that they had a fixed price menu throughout the year (not just for summerlicious), but also for $23 with slightly different options. The staff were kind and quick to serve us (we made a reservation). I ordered the Piccante pasta that came with both garlic bread and a caesar salad, so it was quite a good, filling meal for $15.95. Our food came relatively at the same time, mine took slightly longer than others who had ordered paninis and other pastas, but mine arrived not long after. The pasta was great - it was linguine with black tiger shrimp (my favourite), onions, peppers and spinach in a spicy Cajun olive oil sauce. As a spice-lover, I wouldn't say it was spicy at all, but it was tasty and flavorful. I had to take the rest home and it was slightly oily (after all, it was olive oil sauce), so I couldn't really complain. But the pasta tasted great and I was more than satisfied with my meal. My colleague had the Parmigiana, which was essentially chicken parmesan. It was also super big and filling, and had just the right amount of cheese. We wanted to try the lava cake which I had heard great things about, but we were so stuffed by the end of it that we couldn't get it. Would definitely return to try more options on the menu. They have a huge variety - a huge breakfast menu, pastas, pizzas, paninis, the works. Overall 4/5 stars and would recommend trying for more affordable options in the pricey area of downtown.

I came here with a friend. She was starving and ordered the summerlicious menu. I didn't want to eat as much so I was happy that they had their regular menu as well. This place was super busy, so we figured it was a good spot. The service was friendly and informative. He told us that the portions were pretty big, and he was right. I ordered the caprese salad. It was delicious and not over dressed (which I find often happens). My friend got the mussels to start. I'm not a fan, so I didn't try them but she said they were really good. Next she had the trout. I did have a piece of that, which was delicious with the mango salsa. For dessert she let me split her pineapple upside cake with her. The waiter recommended it and it did not disappoint. It came out warm, was not too sweet and just melted in your mouth. I look forward to returning!

With Summerlicious prix fixe meals, I never expect anything above decent. What I've always gotten in the past were dishes that were "child-size", albeit presented in large plates/bowls. The quality of food was also always debatable, because sometimes you would get dishes that feel as if they were pre-made hours before, dishes that were hashed together using smaller amounts of spices/seasoning, dishes that were sloppily presented, and so forth. Notwithstanding my hesitation, Sambucas' Summerlicious dinner menu was well-received! I visited with a Scarborough meet-up group and we were seated at the back. The servers were all very responsive, polite, and amiable. The interior design seems to capture both intimacy and the everyday, with its predominantly brick walls, dim lighting, and the white tablecloths with standard silver cutlery. What really adds flavour to the interior design though is the plethora of art pieces from diverse styles that hang from the walls. I am very appreciative of restaurants that put effort into their interior decor. It adds to the experience, and Sambucas did a quality job on this criteria. For my Summerlicious bundle, I ordered: - Mussels as my appetizer: Sambucas' chefs don't skimp out. My entire table ordered the mussels and each of us received a plate that was mountain-topped! The mussels were well-cooked; they were neither too raw nor overcooked. The sauce was delectable with its coconut base that was combined with various herbs and diced tomatoes. By contract, many mussel platters that I've ordered at other Italian restaurants often came with a tomato-based sauce instead. I'm not exactly a fan of cooked tomatoes and I'm quite a devout coconut-lover, so this appetizer was both delicious and aromatic! This was my personal favourite of the night and would have enjoyed it as my appetizer, entree, and even dessert! - Swordfish as my entree: Many of my colleagues ordered the Steak and Lobster. Heck, for an affordable price of $28 dollars (for a 3 course meal), I would assume most would jump on that bandwagon. I, however, don't exactly have a penchant for steak, so I opted for a fish that I don't commonly come across. Personally, I think I got the jackpot of the night because, while my colleagues were complaining about the toughness of their "medium-done" steaks and chewy lobster meat, I thoroughly enjoyed my dish! The swordfish was grilled and then subtly softened by a white sauce that seemed very similar to tartar sauce with extra cream/coconut and herbs. It came with half a lemon to add a citrus zing to the meat, but I found that it worked well without it. Additionally, the texture was not tough nor too soft. It was firm and held well on its own, unlike halibut and other fishes you often find at general fish and chips joints. Sambucas really likes to load you up on their sauces by the way. For some dishes (like the veal), the volume of sauce is excessive, but for the swordfish entree, it was perfect, as it helped to flavour the rice and vegetables hiding underneath the large slab of fish. I can't say too much about the carrots, green beans, and rice that accompanied the fish. They were just standard fillers, but the fish was well-portioned and masterfully cooked. - Rhubarb Tart as my dessert: I am not a chocolate enthusiast, so I opted for the tart instead of the usual tartufo that my colleagues ordered instead. I enjoy berry-based desserts, so rhubarb was a good alternative. The crust on the tart was not too thick and the overall taste of the dessert was excellent. It was sweet, but not overpoweringly so because the sweetness was accompanied by a subtle sour undertone, which I enjoyed. Topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, the dessert was well-packaged. The only caveat was that it came lukewarm. I really love getting my crumbles/tarts steaming hot so that it would meld better with the vanilla ice cream on the side. Holistically-speaking, Sambucas provided me with the best Summerlicious experience that I've had so far. The interior decor, food, presentation, and service were all great. The portion size was up an ante compared to other Summerlicious restaurants because you can certainly end your night with a full belly here. I highly recommend coming here for any Summerlicious/Winterlicious deals and will be frequenting it myself in the winter.

*This review is for their summerlicious menu but apparently they have a prix fix menu seven days a week* First I have to say that no matter what you get, this place is definitely a great bang for your buck. For $28, you can choose an appetizer, the main course, and a dessert. I got the caesar salad, seafood risotto, and the chocolate lava cake. By the end I was incredibly stuffed and satisfied. My friend ordered the steak and lobster which I thought was going to be tiny considering the price point but the steak was huge! I took a bite and they did medium rare very well. I knocked off a star just because I felt like the mussels in my risotto weren't as fresh as they could've been and inside the restaurant, there was no AC so devouring a plate of piping hot risotto on a hot summer evening wasn't as pleasant as it could've been. However, the food was still delicious and definitely worth the money. I think next time I'll come just for the steak and lobster!

The atmosphere is nice and the service was okay. I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. The meatballs looked and tasted like frozen President's Choice meatballs, they definitely were not made in the restaurant and the sauce tasted like jarred spaghetti sauce. For the price, I definitely expected more. Really was not impressed.

I really can't be bothered with this place anymore. I'm tired of the bitchy attitude from their wait staff, and one waiter in particular, who is a bit too familiar. And do NOT show me that attitude and get pissy with me when I bring in a group of 8 for dinner. I don't care if you're busy You should be jumping through hoops for a large party, not giving me attitude. It's really too bad because the food isn't bad.

I came here for summerlicious. The mussel appetizer was great. It was a lot more than expected. The main entree was a let down. I ordered the osso boco and i believe they had it frozen. When it came to me, the entree wasn't even hot or warm so i asked them to heat it up. It was ok. The sauce was too overpowering with too much peppercorn. Also, the braised veil was dry. The dessert was better. Anyways, just average.

We have gone to Sambucas many times before, and have thoroughly enjoyed every visit. Tonight we went there and what seemed to be the wait staff manager was discussing some errors that the new staff had made. But not to them directly, but instead to the other new staff. That aside, he then began discussing his favourite show (big brother) and discussing it in detail. Cursing with almost every other word, and not quietly either. As I said, the food here is great. And a great place in the village to eat. But the wait staff need to begin showing class as they had always done in the past. Didn't appreciate the cursing during our dinner. Not sure what has changed.

Food: Menu hasn't changed in decades. Best anyone says is "good value", but not creative. Decor: Has not been renovated or updated in many decades. Fake brick wallpaper covered in sticky grime. Wine list: questionable Clientele: Nobody under 65. Pensioners looking for lots of food at low prices, mostly regulars. Advice: Look across the street, there is a restaurant with similar food and prices but they've actually renovated and updated the menu twice in the past 5 years. Service: I usually got a "too busy to deal with you" vibe, but now I realize in retrospect service was just bad. Food came quickly but god forbid you take more than 13 seconds to order. Then the following happened which led to me giving this bad review: One of this restaurant's waiters was packing up the restaurant seating in the street, and the last customers were paying their bill. I was finishing the last 1/4 of a cigarette before entering a neighbouring shop. The waiter started being extremely aggressive that I could not smoke on the public sidewalk, which was in front of another business, and the conversation escalated in less than a minute to him yelling "F*** you! F*** you! F*** you!" and him rushing me with the legs of a stack of patio chairs. The owner of the bar I was entering said that this was a recurring problem with this particular waiter. This restaurant sits below and beside two bars and above a sex shop, so this is most likely a regular occurrence. This restaurant's staff should not be assaulting customers of other stores and bars on the public sidewalk. We have enough mentally unstable and aggressive people on church street without Sambuca's adding to the problem.

Really enjoyed my first time here ! Fresh, tasty, big portions, very fairly priced and the decor was nice too

Came in here on a Thursday evening to sample there Winterlicious offerings. A long narrow restaurant with exposed brick walls and dark wood tables with hardwood floors. Our waitress was very bubbly and friendly and came over to take our drink orders. We wanted something fruity and tropical. She joked and said we'd have to go the caribbean for that but she'd do her best to whip up something along those lines. She later returned with a tall ruby red refreshing blend of grenadine, gingerale, pineapple and cranberry juice. It totally took us back to the caribbean! From the Winterlicious menu I ordered Crustini -Three piece crustini topped with smoked salmon and avocado mango relish The salmon was fresh and ample and I loved the refreshing taste of avocado and mango which totally blended well with my caribbean drink. Filet Mignon -Pan roasted bacon wrapped filet mignon with morel mushroom red wine sauce, served with herb roasted vegetables and buttered baby bok choy Boy oh boy did this knock my socks off! I was expecting a wee little piece of meat but out came this hunk of juicy delicious well seasoned generous cut of meat! Everything on the plate looked amazing and tasted equally delicious! Walnut brownie with vanilla ice cream Two Fudgey warm brownies packed with toasted walnuts with a side of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge, simple but lovely end to a fab meal! Tea - English Breakfast by Bigalow Overall superberb meal which totally exceeded my expectations as this was one of the cheaper winterlicious offerings however it was surprisiningly a high quality and outstanding meal + top notch friendly service!

Close by to Wellesley station and easily accessible, we thought why not try it out for winterlicious? Right away, the servers were sweet and attentive, and there were plenty of tables available for dinner (granted it was a Monday at 5pm). Ordered the Caesar salad, rib steak and lava cake, $28. All absolutely delicious. That sauce with the rib steak ... Mmm absolutely scrumptious and I was stuffed! They have a prix fix menu for $28 on regular (non- winterlicious) days, so if you don't have a chance to visit before it ends, you can always try out a similar prix fix menu any other time.

Disappointing display. Always frustrating when a restaurant could easily do better but doesn't. So many simple things Sambucas could have done as an "Italian" restaurant for a better experience. Heat up the bread, use real Parmesan, don't wait for me to ask to fill up the waters, give sufficient napkins. Everything had to be asked for her, which wasn't necessarily bad, but the food wasn't good enough to justify it. I ordered penne allá vodka, but was not a huge fan. It didn't taste like other allá vodkas I'd had in the past, rather tasting like extremely salty tomato pasta. The restaurant itself was nice, with good atmosphere and very clean washrooms. Will not be going back, hoping they put more effort into the quality of their food

The was a remarkable find. The food was subvert. It was very well prepared. It was very tasty. It was nicely presented. The portions were very good sized. We had a chicken special and steak. It has a great menu. The wait staff was very attentive and very helpful. The space was very nicely appointed. We will definitely go back.

I was there yesterday with a bunch of friends and tried their summerlicious menu ($25 dinner). The atmostphere was definitely cozy and calm. The waitress was very friendly as she kept asking us if we were doing okay while waiting for some friends to arrive. My 3 course meal included: (appetizer) Baby mixed greens, pancetta bacon, mandarin orange, roasted pistachio, blue cheese and woodapple dressing, (entree) Pan seared halibut with papaya and avocado relish, served with grilled vegetables and herb roasted potatoes, (dessert) Lemon meringue pie. I absolutely loved the salad appetizer. The salad was fresh and full of flavor with the pistachios as the add on. The dressing was made just right; not too sour, not too sweet. It was definitely a good start. Then the entree came and the halibut was too dry (overcooked) and had no flavor to it. Another friend of mine got the same entree and also complained of the dryness. The salsa on the halibut was good, however, I wish I had more on my plate to compensate for the dryness of the fish. The grilled vegetables was too oily and had no salt or pepper on it. The potatoes were too salty for my taste. So after being disappointed with the entree, the desserts came and my lemon meringue pie was not to ratio (50 meringue: 50 lemon curd) and it was very small. I was not impressed by the main course. Then comes the bill. The waitress decided that since we had over 8 people, she would charge us all on one bill, which would mean a definite service charge for her. We wanted separate bills, but she never asked. (Smart server!) All in all, I liked the environment and how happy my friends were, but I feel that the food was not good enough for me to go back again.

We tried this place twice... Not overly impressed!! The food the first time we were there was ok but the place was very understaffed... tonight I got to deal with Allison who should not be working with the public... We have been in Toronto for seven days and had wonderful service and wonderful food. Try somewhere else!

Came here for a birthday dinner and we decided to try the prix-fixe menu at $28. There is a wide variety of choices on the menu. I started off with the salad and my boyfriend got the mussels. The mussels were in a curried broth and were probably the best thing we had that night. The salad was fresh and I like that they went light on the dressing. Entrees were just okay. My boyfriend didn't like the lamb shank much. The steak was a lower grade of meat, it was cooked to a perfect medium-rare but was a bit bland. Desserts was tiramisu and creme caramel. Not overwhelmingly sweet which I enjoyed. Our server Josh was great. He was attentive and even offered to take pictures for us. Overall I found the food mediocre but the service was great and they were able to accommodate a large group.

Good food. Great portion. Good price. Lunch menu is especially great. Dinner is good as well. I have taken people from different ethnic background and they all liked the place.

I remember visiting the Baldwin Street location as far back as 2011 during my lunch breaks. The pizza and pastas were delicious and reasonably priced for the location/ portion size. This was my first time visiting the Church Street location and I was somewhat disappointed. The waiter seemed a bit flustered when I asked him for a wine recommendation with my pasta dish. I had the "Pesto" pasta, while my date had the "Piccante" pasta - both were fairly bland in flavour. His pasta was definitely spicy, but there was something missing. We didn't feel the need to order dessert. The saving grace was the "Magic Mushroom" appetizer. I may come back another time to try a pizza, but only if I'm in the area.

Your average casual restaurant. Nothing wrong with it except if you come in a bigger group like 15, don't go. Simply the restaurant cannot handle the capacity. Waitress could not deal with the extra people not accustomed to give proper customer service. With all the other options in the vicinity, its not in good competition. Also it's memorable, but for the wrong reason.

We came in today for Winterlicious. The food was wonderful, good service and a great value. We ate off the $18 lunch menu. I had the soup of the day which was creamed cauliflower and blue cheese. It came in a large pasta size bowl and was good. A nice consistency with just a faint blue cheese taste. My son had the pear and marsipone cheese crustini. It was quite sweet, almost dessert like. He felt that it would have been better with a goat cheese to cut the sweetness but he enjoyed it anyways. For our mains, I had the pork schnitzel which was tender and flavourful. My son declared his stuffed chicken as the best chicken he had ever had. For dessert I had the lemon tart. The pastry was a bit hard to cute but the filing was a heavenly tart wonder. My son had the white chocolate lava cake. A bit too rich for me but he simply loved it. The wait staff was very attentive and we will return.

I have to catch up on one last review for places I have recently enjoyed... This one was a little hard for me to rate; I am sure my friend would give it a 4, but it wasn't as good overall as my other 4-star restaurants, so would really give it a 3.5. My friend had been trying to take me to Sambuccas for a while to try their $25 Prix-Fixe menu which apparently includes the best crème brulee, so we eventually went on a Sunday evening in June. The restaurant itself was nice enough, upscale-casual, not too loud or bright. The service was okay, but the server was a little hard to find at times. The prix-fixe menu had a wide selection, and the food was generally good. I started with PEI mussels in cream sauce, which were very good, and my friend had the mixed salad. For entrees I had risotto with grilled chicken and mushrooms, and my friend had the Spanish paella. We both agreed that the risotto was the better choice, although I also tried some paella which was okay. For dessert, she of course had the crème brulee and I had the chocolate lava cake, both of which were fine. With drinks, the bill was about $75 for two people. Entrees on the regular menu vary from about $12-20.

From out of town. The food, the staff were all exceptional. Josh knew the perfect wine to try...Absolutely delicious.. perhaps too many choices for me but only because I wanted to try them all. Chose 4 , Delicious Cauliflower Blue cheese soup to start. Yummy! Next I tried the Calamari fritti. Superb and the spicy aioli for dipping was delicious... With Every Corse fresh ground pepper was offered and I love that. My waiter Josh asked me if I'd like more time before the next Corse which was truly appreciated...After all I'd planned a 5 Corse meal basically because I wanted to try them all. Next a wonderful light and delightful Pear, brie cheese and walnut salad with mandarines. Again mouth watering. The next Corse pasta...Without worry by now it met all my expectations... They even let me substitute in my favorite noodle...Linguine for penne.. All of the other staff made the experience one not soon to forget... Joe(the great grinder, pepper that is...He told me to say that) Kimberly for great conversation and Aaron as well...Even though they all had their own tables they all looked after me as if I was at one of theirs. Please check this place out And now for dessert Sorry got to get back to my meal. When visiting Toronto you gotta go here. 1990's prices and just so Much more. You will not be disappointed I promise

I've had eventful experiences that weren't as bad as my experience at Sambuca's on Church. As the name suggests I was super excited to try their Winterlicious lunch to the extent that I made reservations and couldn't wait for a much awaited Friday lunch. Upon reaching the restaurant we were greeted by a host and was told that my name was not on the list which means they didn't enter my reservation details. Furthermore I was told that I'd have to wait for another 50 mins or so for a table, to which I decided to do a take out instead. So I ordered a soup, seafood risotto and Tiramisu to go. My friend ordered a seafood salad. We realized that a take out shouldn't take that long. After a good amount of time our orders arrived and in spite of giving separate orders they added everything in one bag which was still ok. So when we went aside to segregate our orders we noticed our dessert and plastic cutlery were missing. That's not the end of it. When the time came to pay for our bills they did not charge us separately and put everything on one tab and were super busy to amend it . I have dined at numerous restaurants during rush hours and never have I came across such an experience so appalling that it failed to match Toronto standards.

Just went here with my husband for Summerlicious. The menu looked good, but overall we felt the execution was pretty clumsy. For appetizers we got arancini and leek soup. The soup was okay, but the arancini were cold in the middle. For the main course I got the shrimp and lobster fettucine -- the lobster was overcooked, and tough to cut up with my butterknife (but why do I have to cut things in my pasta anyway?). The shrimp still had their tails, so I had to fish around and get my hands greasy removing them. The flavour of the pasta was okay, if not a bit oily. My husband ordered the swordfish, which was strangely soggy in the middle and came with flavourless steamed veggies. For dessert I ordered the creme brulee (even though they brought me the cheesecake). My husband ordered deep fried tiramisu out of curiosity...and what he got was basically a giant burrito stuffed with tiramisu. It was difficult to cut (with a steak knife!) and difficult to eat. We will not be going back.

We had meals from the prix fixe menu. The salad was crisp and fresh with goat cheese. The tomato dill soup was flavorful but the dill was quite subtle. The entrees were plentiful and delicious. The Spanish paella included 9 mussels surrounding the rice, chicken, shrimp, sausage and mushrooms. The Angus steak was cooked to order with a nice seasoning on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes. Dessert was a pleasant surprise. The chocolate lava cake had a white vanilla creamy center. The creme caramel was quite good, very similar to a Mexican flan.

How do I describe my experience here lately? Well after being a regular for many years, my most recent trip was my last. First they had one person running the front of the house who could care less if you were a paying customer (these are the ones that expect a tip). After he threw our menus at us which spilled my friends water, he came by took our orders. My friend asked for a modification (as it was previously on the prix fixe menu earlier) which they have always accompanied. So we left. The waiter made no effort to keep us as customers and ran behind the bar to sip his diet coke. I think he must have worked for Rogers at some point in time. Guess I won't be returning until they get more staff and someone who has a bit better customer service. Remember we pay your tips based on service. It's not something you just get.

Sambuca's is a three and a half star restaurant. It's not amazing but its a place I come back to often; its dependable. It's a no attitude restaurant that offers home-cooked-style meals. I've tried multiple dishes but the one that I prefer the most is the grilled chicken risotto. It's a hearty dish with fresh ingredients prepared on the spot. The menu is extensive and offers a variety of pasta dishes, pizzas and chicken entrees. It's not the type of restaurant that screams hip, trendy or excellent but its a place I always find myself considering a plan B. Good food, great service and a nice selection of wine & martinis. You can't really go wrong with Sambucas. Side note: This restaurant is never packed. I think one reason for it not being a popular spot on Church Street is the crowd; the demographic for this restaurant is 50 plus. Not a negative, just an observation. I'm not ageist but every visit feels like a retirement home dinner. As I mentioned it's an attitude-free restaurant, so maybe that's what draws the old queens.

Excellent place for brunch on a Sunday morning. Friends called asking us to meet in the village for brunch. We all decided on Sambucas as we've been there before and have always found the food to be fantastic. We arrived at 11am and the place was quiet...however, by the time we left at 1ish...it was fairly busy. Today I opted for French Toast with carmalized apples. It also came with home fries, bacon or sausage, and large slices of watermelon, cantelope, and honeydew. The French toast was amazing. Bacon cooked perfectly, home fries good...fantastic meal. Much better than the French toast I had a day earlier Symposium Cafe...although they both were the same price...$10.95. My dining companion had Eggs Benedict. It also came with home fries and the above mentioned melons. He also said it was FAR superior to the Eggs Benny he had at Symposium Cafe the day earlier...at the same price of $10.95 as well. Server was excellent, very friendly and welcoming. Atmosphere was warm. Great place to dine, especially if you get a window seat. I wished I lived back in the city as this place was excellent..

This is my first time visiting Sambucas for Winterlicious 2015 for dinner. Glad I made a reservation as it was quite busy the night of. They were very accommodating especially for my party of 6 people. Courteous staff who were extremely helpful in making choices. I was simply blown away by the appetizer, which really looked like a main course! The PEI mussels were cooked very well and the sauce to accompany was excellent. Main course was the rack of lamb which was again cooked to perfection at my request (medium) and was seasoned very well. Dessert however was a tease! With a chocolate and nutty nutella cake in a shallow pool of creme anglaise, I was craving even more! Overall an excellent atmosphere for dinner, great food all for $25 (around 30 with ax) puts Sambucas in my top 5 fav Winterlicious restaurants.

A real disappointment. I could understand time that it takes to prepare complex dishes, some chops, some seafood creations. But this is a simple pasta place, and the waits were interminable! How long did it take to get the evening special, which was a ridiculously simple chicken and mushroom mix on a bed of fettuccini? How about 30 minutes from the moment I ordered it? Worth the wait? Hardly. The sauce was unseasoned, the pasta overcooked (ok, that makes sense), the chicken honestly tasted like was warmed up and not grilled at that moment. I had to keep adding salt and pepper to give it something. Then at the end, all the sauce thinned out at the bottom, leaving an unfortunate pool which should have been thicker during the preparation. The carrot ginger soup that was the appetizer wasn't much better. Again, the barely visible sprinkle of parsley didn't do much to add any taste, because once again the soup was redolent of anything but carrots or ginger. I don't know what it was --probably something concocted with a little splash of Progresso. I didn't even bother with the "homemade" desserts, which were on a list as I made it to the back to the restrooms at the end. I just couldn't do it. The best thing is that it's convenient there on Church St., and it was pretty cheap. Service was just OK. Oh, and could someone please lose the loud (for this kind of restaurant) house music and the high BPM thumping?