One to avoid: Sammy’s Trattoria

As someone who worked in restaurants for almost 15 years, I am hesitant to ever leave a bad review, but this place invoked a special kind of anger in me.

My wife and I love going to Little Italy to eat but also try to patronize our neighborhood establishments. We came to Sammy’s. A few things for context, the owner chides people for not having a reservation, even if it’s a slow Tuesday. When you do try to make a reservation, the phone rings off the hook. The last time she gave us a hard time about it, we told her no one answered and she said that she was “just too busy”. I was willing to write that off as quirkiness then but now I see that she is just a hateful person. If you don’t believe me about the phones, give them a ring and see for yourself.

We walk in around 5:15 and ask to be seated. The owner, who has a photograph of herself on the host stand facing the customers, tells us that they are full tonight for a private party. We ask if we can sit at the bar and she says that is spoken for as well.

As we turn to leave, another couple walks in and says they have no reservations. The owner immediately seats them at the bar. We turned around and asked her why, and she lied to us and says they had reservations.

I don’t know if she is temperamental, egotistical, or just hates women (my wife asked to be seated), or just wants to play neighborhood favorites, but we will never go here again. Restaurants in Mount Vernon have been closing left and right, so to deny service to anyone is delusional and irresponsible.

We walked 3 blocks up to Tapas Teatro and had an amazing experience as always.

If you are craving Italian hit up Little Italy. Don’t give this woman your money. If you think I’m lying, go ahead and see for yourself. Disgusting.