Sugo Italian Steakhouse

We celebrated my father’s birthday here, and everything was wonderful. The food was amazing, and the service was truly phenomenal. It’s definitely better to visit during the week. They offer free valet parking, and the restaurant is just a short walk from the drop-off point. Plus, the hotel lobby smelled incredible. Overall, one of the best fine-dining restaurants in North Carolina. My only critique is that I prefer to pack my own leftovers rather than having the waitstaff do it.

My husband and I had an amazing dinner at Sugo! The service is great, the atmosphere is cozy and inviting. The food was wonderful. We were especially impressed by the foccacia bread appetizer and the butternut squash casserole side. Highly recommend!

**** in depth review**** All in all we decided to give this restaurant a 6/10 I want to start out by saying the service here was phenomenal, the hostess’s were really welcoming and took us to an awesome balcony while we were waiting to be sat. Our Server was attentive and really helpful. 10/10 on the service and atmosphere. Where this place fell a little short in our eyes was the food, everything tasted good, but the meal itself just didn’t taste that fresh… here’s what we ordered: Starters: Caesar salad Focaccia Risotto balls Mains: Petite Fillet (Medium well Dry aged Boneless ribeye (medium) Brussel sprouts Dessert: Tiramisu Donuts Caesar: the dressing on the Caesar was great - this was a good salad but it has so much dressing on it the thing was basically swimming, I would recommend light dressing but for this reason I give it a 7.5/10 The risotto balls: they were really good, no notes there 10/10. But fried. The focaccia: this tasted really good but we were expecting fresh bread this was pan seared in a ton of butter. So it tasted great because what doesn’t when it seared in butter but it was really heavy. 7/10 it was like eating a piece of Texas toast, this was not focaccia… And here’s where it gets hard to rate the restaurant. Because all the dishes above were really good but the risotto is obviously fried, the focaccia was seared in butter, and the salad was drenched in dressing. So the appetizers were really heavy and filling but tasted good. The steaks were solid, both cooked well and the quality was good. Just coated heavily in butter. The Brussels sprouts were good but coated in so much honey vinaigrette that it was really really sweet and also heavy, you couldn’t taste the Brussel sprout and it was just heavy. 6/10 The donut dessert was delicious, but guess what? Also fried. The tiramisu, was good but not enough espresso flavor, tasted like it was made with coffee liquor instead of espresso. It was still good but 7/10. So all in all, the food was good but we felt like everything was fried, or soaked in butter. So it all tasted good but we left the meal feeling like nothing we had at all was fresh tasting because of the insane amount of butter and oils that were consumed. For that the restaurant is getting a 6 For what you’re paying I just expected a a better culinary experience, opposed to just soaking everything in butter… the dishes were not balanced just heavy. This was disappointing from what would be considered a higher end restaurant for the area.

Had a lovely dinner on Friday night celebrating a friend’s birthday! The biggest highlight was the service, Olivia was so sweet and attentive! Best service I’ve had in a long time. We enjoyed our food very much and the portions were surprisingly huge. We never felt rushed or like we were waiting long! The stand out dishes to us were the short rib, ala vodka sugo style, and arancini! I can’t say it’s the best Italians food I’ve had but that could just be because I’m Italian and am spoiled when it comes to Italian food. This was some of the better Italian food I’ve had in Wilmington though! We will be back!

Amazing service, atmosphere and food!! I dressed up in a nice dress for my birthday and got compliments from the staff, which made me feel great when I was worried about being overdressed. (Everyone was dressed nice) The hostess Olivia, (I think that was her name) was very accommodating when I called ahead to let her know I’d be a little bit late for my reservation. She was very attentive and let me know about the complimentary valet service and led me to the bar while my table was being reset. The food was delicious and our server Joseph was able to give me a great wine recommendation. We got the calamari to begin and it was delicious and plentiful. My husband got the chicken parmigiana which was a big serving and I got the bolognese, which was more than enough! We ended up being too full for dessert but our server came back with a mini complimentary dessert because they couldn’t let us leave without a dessert! Overall, this place is definitely a favorite of mine now.

I had really high hopes for this restaurant, but unfortunately, I was let down. Once we arrived, we were promptly seated, which was great. We brought our great Uncle, who is a bit older, and as the waiter started going over the specials, he felt the need to yell. We had actually already made our decisions on what we wanted and did not need the extremely disruptive tone. It was actually unnecessary. Later in the meal, the waiter bumped my brother in the head with a tray. And as we were having dessert, a waiter at the table to our side, dropped a glass at my brother and my feet. Despite the hiccups, the food was good, but no actions were taken to try and make up for the major disruptions to the meal. We spent over $450. I would have appreciated some sort of corrective actions, but none were taken. I will not recommend.

Located in the Hotel Ballast, Sugo is a fine Italian Restaurant. There are several dining areas. I sat in the dining area facing the Cape Fear River and caught a beautiful sunset. The servings are generous. I had the Ceasar Sald and Calamari with Marinara Sauce and Italian Chimichurri. It was a meal! My server, Joseph W. was attentive and informative. Will be back to enjoy their delicious food.

This restaurant exceeded our expectations! We reserved the private room downstairs at Sugo for our company Christmas party of 20 people. From the start Lauren was absolutely amazing. She helped plan the menu and made special requests. The staff was on top of everything and the room was amazing! We didn't get many pictures, but we tried pretty much everything on the menu. The highlights were the veal milanese and ALL the desserts! Fair warning the veal is served pretty spicy, but 100% worth it. We 100% will be back.

A girlfriend and I met for dinner at Sugo. Our amazing waiter, Noah, is the son of a friend of hers, so we asked to be seated in his section. Noah is super nice and a fantastic server- he took the best care of us! We are both foodies, so we ordered a bit of everything! We started with the filet tartine (this could be an entire meal itself and is possibly my favorite menu item). We had the arugula salad because fried goat cheese is always a good call! We split steak and a side of mac and cheese along with the mushroom ravioli, which was also incredible! By this point, we were beyond stuffed, but Noah made sure we also tried a little bit of dessert. Everything was absolutely phenomenal- the service was top notch, the restaurant is so lovely, and the food is incredible. I can't wait to go back!

We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary here the day after Thanksgiving, and Sugo Steakhouse absolutely made it special. We were seated in a great spot in the restaurant, and both the hostess and our waiter greeted us with warm anniversary wishes. From the start, we felt truly celebrated. The cocktails were fantastic, and every dish we ordered was perfect. We had the arancini, pasta al vodka, petite filet, and the Wellington -- all cooked beautifully and full of flavor. They even sent us home with a complimentary donut dessert, which was such a thoughtful touch. We couldn't resist also trying the tiramisu, and honestly, it's the best one in Wilmington. Amazing service, delicious food, and thoughtful details. We will definitely be coming back!

Went out for a date night and this was a great place to be. Venue: has that classic retro Italian fine dining. Ambient yet lively atmosphere. Food: ordered mushroom ravioli as recommended and we had to order beef Wellington to try. Mushroom ravioli was exceptional. Freshly hand made ravioli pasta, deep flavor of the mushroom/ truffle was amazing with red vino recommended, that complimented the dish. Beef Wellington was good, simple and classic. The airy crispy croissant crust of the welling was delicious. Dessert, in the other hand was a Miss. we received complimentary cake for special occasion and I forgot what other cake is but it was dry cake- never tasted pretty battered cake. The waiter said they were did not have typical ingredient for that night for that cake. Service: service was good. Kind and personable gentleman who waited on us. Price: $$$

The service was very attentive although cocktails were a bit slow to arrive. We loved the view and ambiance of this Italian steakhouse. Our party ordered the arancini which was delicious with a nice spicy sauce, Caesar salad (don't pass on the anchovy), and pork belly appetizers. The steaks are charbroiled and were cooked per request. There are lots of sides to choose from and to share amongst the table.The veal was delicious but the rigatoni with tri-tips was okay - the rigatoni was a bit over as were the tri-tips. A bit overpriced for the quality, but overall a lovely option and alternative to coastal seafood restaurants when you need that break.

We had dinner last night at Sugo. Spectacular sunset views of the Cape Fear River. This was our second time at Sugo's. Dinner was simply sensational and our server, Savannah, was awesome. She made our dinner extremely enjoyable. She was very attentive, knowledgeable and a great personality.

Excellent Service and absolutely excellent food! Began with a Caesar Salad which was cold and predressed for superb flavor! Shrimp Alfredo was to die for! with a side of Au Gratin potatoes! you must experience this fabulous restaurant. the decor added to a beautiful ambiance!

Came in for dinner on a weeknight while staying in the area for work. I sat at the bar and the service was excellent! They have a decent wine list and a pretty big, interesting menu loaded with unique dishes. I started with their pork belly and it was really good! Not very fatty, but loaded with meat and flavor! Their Veal Martini was really interesting and nicely done! The cherry peppers offered a very nice spice to the dish. Their grilled focaccia was really good and that olive oil and herb dipping sauce that came with it was incredible! Save room for dessert, the baked Alaska is a fun way to end the dinner. Definitely would return!

My husband and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary at Sugo's recently when the restaurant was extremely busy -- because of that, our food orders were lost in the kitchen and we waited quite a while to eat. Many thanks to the General Manager and servers for making up for the delay and sending us home with smiles on our faces. S&J

Sugo has a great ambiance - upscale, but not stuffy!! The hostesses were prompt and friendly. Our food was top notch. Our server was extremely knowledgeable about the entire menu and drinks. We celebrated a special occasion here and it did not disappoint! Steak was cooked exactly how we ordered and they cut and served it to us.

10/10 experience. Our server Gia was absolutely wonderful from her professional demeanor to her amazing menu recommendations (Filet Tartine!!) Gia took the time to explain the menu, help us decide what menu items may be best for our taste, and make sure we felt special for our birthday celebration. Sometimes it really is the server that makes the experience!!

A really good dimly lighted steakhouse, lacking creativity, with an Italian emphasis, in the Hotel Ballast. The Sugo Slab Bacon is tender, but the amount of fat is overwhelming. The Lobster Pasta is the pasta alla vodka, with lobster and is very good, but with a smoky aftertaste. The Au Gratin Potatoes are good, but simply served with catsup. The bar is full service and the wine list is diverse. Service was excellent.

I could not wait for this place to finally open! I was in no way disappointed I had gone shopping beforehand and got new boots and a new outfit and was very excited about dinner The only thing for me that was offputting is the way people dressed for dinner... A T-shirt and a ball cap after wearing something fancy to eat dinner wasn't exactly what I was expecting Anyway, onto the food, our server's name was Noah and he was pretty spectacular. I think the pictures will do justice and nothing else needs to be said, except that the service from the front door to leaving was absolutely phenomenal Definitely going to be a return visit very soon!!!

First the service was amazing- from the hostess, to the runners, and of course our waitress- all very friendly, available, and friendly! The food was also great- arugula salad, veal parm and chicken parm were our dishes. All oversized! Be aware the veal was a chop served with the bone not thin slices. Pene a la vodka also delicious. Will be back for sure. Nice job in the remodeling from the old Ruth's.

Made a reservation online and dropped off the car in front of the hotel for valet parking. Validated the valet parking ticket with a hostess. At the end of our meal, our waiter informed the valet to get our car ready for us. It was nice having one of the staff standing by the entrance open the door for us since we had our hands full. Seating is separated into three spaces. We sat in one of the comfortable corner booths. There were not many people present during our early dinner so we basically had a private dining area, which was good since we had our toddler with us. More people started coming in by 6:30pm. Meat is from sustainable sources. Dry aged steaks are aged for 28-32 days. Fish is caught from the Atlantic. Fish of the day on the day of our dinner was grouper. Pasta is made in house. Overall, all of the food was great. We ordered appetizers of clams casino, housemade Parker house rolls, Caesar salad, boneless ribeye (16oz), Al tartufo, and Alaska al forno dessert. Clam casino came in bite-size circular pieces of a mixture of minced clams with peppers, parsley, lemon aïoli on top of thin, focaccia bread and a small piece of soft bacon on top. The taste reminded me of pizza. Not my favorite, but still tasty and my partner liked it. Parker house rolls were delicious, soft, housemade, and served warm with fresh garlic herb butter. Caesar salad was your typical Caesar salad with an addition of anchovies on top. Croutons were a little bit stale. Boneless ribeye was cooked exactly medium per our request. It automatically came with the house steak sauce, which tasted like there was some cocktail sauce in it. We ordered the peppercorn sauce for an additional price, which was flavorful, savory. Al tartufo was homemade mushroom ravioli in a rich bacon truffle oil cream sauce. It looked like a small dish, but looks are deceiving. It was filling. Menu says it is limited quantity, so glad I got to try it. "Accessori" confit mushrooms was flavorful. Accessori items are enough for 2 to 3 people. Alaska al forno was impressive when our waiter lit it up on fire. It's a piece of poundcake topped with honeycomb gelato and fully covered with meringue. It was served with 3 caramelized banana slices on top of a chunk of candied rice crispies. For drinks, they made a sweet mixture of passionfruit juice with club soda topped with whip cream. Would get this again. Women's bathroom was nice with touchscreen mirrors. Music playing during our dinner was a mixture with some dance/EDM, which is my jam. No high chairs available. Logan, our waiter was great. Sugo is definitely worth checking out!

Very nice upscale restaurant. It's located in the old Ruth's Chris location, which is inside Hotel Ballast in downtown. It's right off the boardwalk, with great views of the river, depending in your seating. We started out at the bar for drinks before our reservation was ready. The bartenders were great. Great selection of cocktails and wine available. I did not try any Italian dishes because I was eyeing the steaks. The steaks range from the $40s to $160s. The $160 is for the 40oz dry age tomahawk, which feeds two. I stayed in the middle with my selection and got the 16oz boneless ribeye. The steak was great. Highly recommend. The service was 5 stars. Highly recommend. Don't forget to make a reservation and bring you credit card with a high limit.

Yum! Steak carpaccio, I didnt expect it to be that good. The flavors are unique. Im a steak tartare fanatic myself, so I rarely think carpaccio is stand out. This was. Lobster pasta, also a favorite. Decent amt of lobster, beautiful dark green basil oil was a key touch. Lovely ambiance. Beautiful restaurant. Excellent service. Our waiter was young and new to the role, and it still was one of the best experiences service-wise that we've had anywhere. I (personally) think the wines by the glass could be improved upon. But I'm particular so disregard that unless you're a wine snob. Somm was extremely friendly and helpful. O, and it was our anniversary and they brought out some complimentary desserts, nice classy touch. They want you to be happy, and they go above and beyond.

Wow! Had a wonderful meal at Sugo. Brought all my kids and everyone agreed it was excellent. I had the veal cutlet on a bone parmigiana style. OMG! Can't wait to go back and try some more of the menu!

First time dining here and we thee absolute best time. From the Rib eye, Beef Wellington and Lobster Mac & Cheese.. everything was delightful and so flavorull! My rib eye was cooked perfectly. The dim lighting was a plus! The customer service was awesome!

One of my favorite places to dress up and eat delicious food! Upscale venue and quality ingredients. Beautiful decor.

The restaurant was beautiful, service was wonderful but the steaks were a disappointment. They were so charred they were as black as a lump of coal....I had the skirt steak and given it's a thinner cut, all I tasted was char.. didn't really even get any taste from the meat . Others had the filets which were also pitch black but given the thickness of the steak, it wasn't just burnt taste. I wish they would have given some direction on what charred meant., or the option to have the meat not charred. Quite honestly I would not serve something that charred to a guest in my home. Arugula salad was fabulous and the fries were perfectly done. I be know everyone slams Ruth Chris, but they do a wonderful filet, perfectly cooked and not charred to a lump of coal.

This place is simply incredible! We dined here this even to celebrate a friend's birthday, and we're truly impressed. The food was outstanding, steaks cooked perfectly. Service was also excellent. The ambiance is certainly more upscale, which is nice for inside of a hotel. Would definitely recommended Sugo when in the area!

Staying at the hotel where the restaurant resides..here are my thoughts: * Friendly and efficient service * Very clean presentation..8 oz filet was cooked to temp and flavorful. * Mashed potatoes were excellent.. No bread but not a dealbreaker .. great views from my table

I know this is a fairly new place and friend highly recommended it so we went and checked it out. I will say the service was amazing, the staff were all so nice and helpful and accommodating. They get 5/5 for sure. They're really why the review isn't a e/5. The food for the price... meh. Nothing super amazing. Nothing horrible or anything. I eat penne vodka wherever I go. Since moving to NC from NY I've been searching for my new penne vodka spot and for the price... I got like 36 noodles lol. My bowl was all sauce. For the price definitely not worth it and if the portions are going to be that small please make them out of this world delicious. I will give them another try because I know they're fairly new. I know they're known for their steaks (I'm a veg so that doesn't help me) but I think I'll go back for one more shot and will update my review of the food is more memorable.

This is the old Ruth's Chris inside the hotel Ballast in downtown Wilmington. I ate at the bar. The service was very good. The steak was perfectly cooked.

We sat at the bar because reservations were full. Thank goodness we did because Joey the bartender made our night. He was very informative about the area and helpful with our food decisions. The food was outstanding! If we are back in Wilmington you will see us again!

Where to start. The only thing that is Italian about this restaurant is the name which is just Italian for the word sauce. From the uninspired "black pepper" arancini which is loaded with salt and basically tastes like mush, to the charred steaks, to the uninspired recipes and insane ticket times, One thing is clear, this restaurant will not be here to stay. If you're expecting to get Italian classics please don't. Instead they are replaced by French dishes which have no place in an Italian restaurant. From au gratin, Parisian gnocchi, beef Wellington, and a butternut squash with a marshmallow (clearly store-bought); none of these belong in an Italian restaurant. The menu reads as if someone just graduated from culinary school and wanted to act as if they knew what they were doing. All of this could be forgiven if the steaks were worth it. Unfortunately they are not. $100 or more for a steak that tastes like it's fresh out of the freezer. Charred on both sides, someone does not know how to cook a steak. I wonder if the chefs that work here have any actual culinary experience or simply pulled the recipes from allrecipes.com. Please save your time, wallet, and taste buds from this atrocious excuse as an "Italian" restaurant.

Best Italian in the area. Great service! I would recommend for a date night or a mice family dinner.

The prices can be staggering ($175 for a tomahawk ribeye), but we order the least expensive petite fillets ($45) and table sides and they wonderful. If you are very careful in ordering, your final bill will still be still among the highest in town - but you will have a terrific dinner.

Food was absolutely delicious! Service was impeccable! Ambiance was absolutely wonderful actually I made some new friends while I was eating at the bar. I also forgot to mention that Katie, Olivia, and Quinton all picked my dessert for me and I can honestly say I've never had a piece of chocolate cake or cake period that was that delicious. You must come try this place and I guarantee you'll thank me later.

Lovely date night with good food and good service. Ask for a table overlooking the River!

We know the owners from having gone to Oklahoma's and Concord many times. But when we heard about this, it was like music to our ears! There's no great Italian options around here and now there is. Service was over-the-top great. We absolutely loved the beef. tartine, the filet was amazing and the lasagna was so good that I almost crushed it all (and it's massive) Absolutely positively highly recommend this place!

Amazing service, atmosphere and food. Staff were friendly and extremely professional. For starters we had the mozzarella and Parker rolls. Both were fantastic. The butter with the rolls was garlicky and perfect. I also had the beef Wellington, fries, and a lobster tail. All were cooked perfectly. My family had filets and vodka pasta. We were far too full for desert. This is a fantastic new addition to downtown Wilmington!

Fantastic experience. Service was impeccable (except for having to ask for a red wine glass for my red wine) and the food was great. We have been searching for fine Italian dining in the Wilmington area and this will be our "go to" place.

Outstanding Costumer service. The food was excellent!!. Our waiter was efficient, excellent manners, cordially and knowledgeable about the menu, he recommended few item on the menu and was delightful. We love everything about this restaurant. Have a beautiful view as well.

My husband and I went for our 47 anniversary and Sugo did not disappoint! My husband had the Kansas NY Strip and it was seasoned to perfection and cooked exactly how he asked could not have been any better. I had the chicken parmigiana and it was delicious! We had the Calamari for appetizer and it was amazing and tender. With his steak he had the au gratin potatoes and they were delicious the Caesar salad was wonderful the best tasting we have ever had. Our waiter Joey was friendly and attentive and went over the menu with us very knowledgeable. We are from NY and this meal would rival any meal we would have had in Manhattan. If anyone coming to Wilmington wants a meal that doesn't disappoint go to Sugo!! We made reservations before we left to take our family there Christmas Eve. Try it you will love it.

Step into sugo for a night of amazing food, great company and a memorable experience. Food... 5 Service... 5 View ...5

Best steak I have ever had in my life. My girlfriend and I went here for a special night out since we don't eat out much. The price might be discouraging, but I swear it's worth every penny. Even though we kept a budget to just 2 dinner entrees and a couple sides it was actually less than we thought it would end up costing. The quality of the food and the service is 100% worth the price. My girlfriend ordered the fish catch of the day (I believe tilefish with a buttery sauce). The flavor of that fish, which I was only able to have a bite if (thank you my love ) was eating a type of fish I've never experienced eating in my 35 year life. Between the perfectly cooked fish to the mixture of sauce and almond butter it was a 10/10 for me. But like I said. I only had a bite of it. Now comes my $75 28 day dry aged Kansas steak. I am a steak connoisseur, and I've been to the best steak houses from New York to San Diego. This steak I ate was possibly the best I've ever had in my life. Medium rare cooked to the tee perfectly. On the bone steak with a glorious shiny marble coating that you rarely ever see (as seen in the photo). The only regret I had was wasting a single piece of this steak on the house steak sauce (which i understand why they serve it automatically, some people need a steak sauce). This steak needed no sauce or any side effects and to try to enhance its flavor. I enjoyed every bite as if I was a king. I gladly paid the price of the tag + 35% tip for their service .. especially since it only took 20-30 minutes from the time we ordered til the time we were delivered our entrees. Our waitress also told us without looking at a notepad exactly what each of their top dishes were made of... kind of hard to find nowadays. We will definitely be back again as I've seen many other dishes we both can't wait to try... like the mushroom ravioli dish as I saw the table next to us had ordered, my lord that looked fantastic... I wish they had that dish as a small appetizer but I know that's not reasonable This will definitely be our "all out date night" spot for now on. Service 10/10 Atmosphere 9/10 Quality of food to price ratio 10/10 Free valet parking Downtown Location 10/10 Also Having to change our reservation 3 times within 2 days due to complications with our schedule, wasn't a problem at all, some places will give a bit of an attitude if you need to move your reservation 15 minutes but not at this spot. I was shocked at how easy it was to change our reservations, another 10/10 ... Ruth Chris should be shaking in their boots. SUGO is the way TO GO

Went to dinner sat and liked it so much got takeout from there the following Friday! My husband got the steak and I got the alla vodka and got mozzarella sticks as an app. The steak was cooked perfectly and the vodka sauce with the pasta was out of this world!! Even the mozzarella sticks was one of the best mozzarella sticks I've had in a while! Staff was super friendly and attentive. I'm glad we finally have a fine dining place here in Wilmington!

Amazing food! Matt was a server and very very knowledgeable. Great place. Will go again

Larry was a great waiter! I wanted alfredo but am not able to eat shrimp, he was quick to offer accommodation! The chicken Alfredo was the best I've ever had. Everyone we came into contact with was great. When I made a reservation, I noted that it was for my graduation, and I got a well-wishes card signed by everyone!! The view of the river outside the window was the cherry on top. Great place, can't wait to go back!!

Let me start by saying Valet parking was a nice perk, especially parking downtown on a Saturday evening. I made my reservation on-line. I noted that we were celebrating our Anniversary. Was disappointed when they seated us in the bar area. Never got to see restaurant part on our special evening. Service and attention were excellent but the food took forever to come out. Three hour dinner. For the prices that they charge, everything was a-la-carte. There was no presentation as far as the dinners. Steak came out on a plate alone in the middle of the plate; with not even a garnish. I ordered the lobster tagliatelle. Dish came out as linguine, not tagliatelle. Waiter said they never changed on menu. They should tell you that if you are ordering. Not impressed at all. Nothing special. So many other restaurants that are better. Don't waste your time or money.

Food wonderful Service amazing! Olivia was fantastic. Place is clean and well kept Definitely recommend the penne vodka with chicken cutlets and the rolls were delicious

From the apps to the main course, all the food was amazing. Specifically, we tried the lobster mac, lasagne, and chicken parm. We'd definitely go back (but probably skip the baked alaska next time)!

Semi friendly staff Luke warm food and cold steak sauces Extremely overpriced for the quality of food Won't be going back

I had the ribeye which is the most expensive thing I've ever ordered at a restaurant ($68) but it was worth it. Best steak I've ever had in my life. It was an expensive night out with the wife but the food was excellent. It is worth a visit for special occasions.

Phenomenal, phenomenal service and food. Beautiful and elegant decor and situated on the water. Amazing experience, we will definitely return!

I was hoping to love it. I made reservations for our 29th wedding anniversary. We arrived early and we were told it was packed and we would have to wait but we could order a drink so that is exactly what we did. The hostesses and waiter for the drinks were wonderful. Very friendly and informative as if they really valued our business. We knew it might be busy because it was a triathlon weekend in Wilmington and it was the new restaurant. It had only been open a few weeks. We realize new restaurants have to get in their groove so I am trying to be fair. We were seated at our reservation time and when we were taken to our seats we were seated in the bar area. We were told earlier that the bar was too busy for us to wait in. They were right. It was so noisy we felt like we needed to almost yell to be heard. I am sure I gave a not too nice look. After all, we had make reservations well in advance. The hostess said it should quiet down but our view was a crowded loud bar. I did like the painting or art behind the bar. It was very European looking. So, we started out not in a very good mood. If it had been me I would have moved us immediately or given us another option. I guess they were just too busy for that. The waitress came by and asked us about drinks. We ordered another drink and immediately ordered an appetizer because we had previously looked at the menu and knew what we wanted. We ordered clams casino. Two other sets of people had just been seated after us. One couple got their appetizers at least 20 minutes before we did and the second couple got a big tomahawk steak before we got our food. I am talking appetizer when I say food. It also took a long time to get drinks. We almost felt like we had to order way ahead before we even wanted one just to get one. We finally got our clams casino. It was not what we were expecting. It was a breaded combination that probably had clam in it on a crostini. We shared it and I don't think I really tasted clams in it. It wasn't bad but I wouldn't order it again. It took 30 minutes to get the appetizer. We finally got our entrees after about an hour of being there. I ordered the Mushroom ravioli and my husband ordered an 8 oz. filet with blue cheese crust. We also ordered the au gratin potatoes to share. My husband usually orders a medium rare steak but tonight he ordered rare which was his fault and a mistake. I will say he did it because he assumed they would mess up the medium rare because of the way we were served and the amount of time it took to get everything I think he believed a steak would not get care and better to er on the side of maybe sending it back than have it ruined to start. I will say my mushroom ravioli was very tasty. I had a bite without parmesan. It was very good. I wish I had not added it. It was not needed but was still tasty. Since it was our Anniversary, we had thought previously about getting a special dessert or an after dinner drink but considering how long everything took and the noise level, we were just ready to leave. I don't like writing negatives about a new restaurant in Wilmington because we love this city and want it to thrive. I am sure 90 percent of the people that were there loved it. I guess we were hoping for a tiny bit more intimate setting for our dinner. It just felt like we were yelling at each other in a bar. It was also not inexpensive which we knew in advance. We never mind paying for quality food and the experience.

The hype was bigger than the experience actually turned out to be for us. The food was so-so. The appetizer, aroncini, was delicious, but the ribeye was over cooked. The salmon dish was sitting in a sauce of long grain rice instead of risotto the menu stated and was way too sweet to finish. The green beans were yummy. The drinks were well made. We would go back and sit at the bar for an app and drinks, but for steaks we will stick with the tried and true, True Blue.

Best restaurant in Wilmington! Have been to most of the fine dining restaurants in the area, and Sugo stands above them all. Food, service, view....can't beat it.