Sambuca in Sunderland

First time visit. Seating very uncomfortable, table of 8 inc children. Starters ok, mains ok, not particularly hot. Easy parking, but toilets not very accessible for anyone disabled. I would the experience as a 6/10.

Went for lunch before a show at the Sunderland Empire and there was a good selection and good views over the River Wear but the toilets are downstairs and not situated very well for people with reduced mobility. The car park is only small and you can get an aroma from the fresh fish market shop next door but the price is reasonable and easy to get to.

Waitress never pointed out the specials on the blackboards , would have ordered different food if I'd been made aware of these Potato skins not very tasty Tomato garlic bread was too dry Vegetarian pasta very average Eton mess covered in red sticky sauce like you get on an ice cream , I didn't like that Young male waiter was helpful but the lady on duty didn't look interested in us , brought the wrong coffee out Food was average , service could have been better . Would I go again ? Not sure , but probably not , given the other restaurants available

Five of us went so Sunderland Sambuca today for our daughters graduation. Not booked so waited around 15 minutes for a table. Ordered drinks and food easily enough. One order of soup (was fine) and four orders of potato skins ( all over cooked). Mains ordered were two aribiata, two bolognese, cheese garlic bread and one calzone pizza. All pasta’s were great as was the garlic bread but the calzone pizza was like a rock. I brought it to their attention and they offered to cook me another one which I accepted. Waitress told me that it had been over cooked. On arrival of the second one it was clear that this had also been over cooked. Could cut through it and was like a rock, unlike the soft pizza I had expected. Told them to take it away and not to bother doing anything else as everyone was finishing their meal. Not one person apologised for me having the same standard the second time or for the fact Rabat I ended up with no meal. Asked for the bill and my pizza was deducted from the bill. This was 5 lunchtime specials which we have had before and never had a problem. You would think that an Italian based Resturant could cook a calzone pizza when they have had two goes at it. very disappointed with no apologies for a disappointing visit and one customer leaving hungry and four disappointed ones. Must do better

Absolutely fantastic everytime we visit.From start to visit nothing is ever a problem. The food is served hot,and cleared quickly during courses. Great if a big group of you,advisable to book first.

Over the years I have tried everything from the menu and loved every single bite, every time. One of my fav places in the north east. Also the team makes you feel like family xx

First time eating in sambuca food was delicious and service was brilliant very attentive and can't wait to go back

First time visiting the Sambuca branch at Sunderland and it was amazing. Great service, great food and I was extremely impressed. Would definitely recommend, and will visiting again in the foreseeable future.

The food was delicious we all had starters and mains and everyone was impressed with quality of food Very good friendly service from staff will definitely be back!

Food lovely - had starters and mains - everyone enjoyed Service great Friendly easy going Fabulous value for money

Under these new restrictions, this was our first venture out. We felt very safe, tables were spaced out, a 1 way system around the restaurant and staff keeping to regulations religiously. All this in mind, staff were welcoming and friendly and the food was as lovely as ever. Well done Sambuca's Sunderland for getting it right!

Popped in for lunch on Friday and were very pleasantly surprised. He ate from specials board and I had the happy hour special. Food was delicious, staff were friendly and we didn’t wait long. Will def go back!

Love sambucca at south shields and we decided to try the one in Sunderland, we wernt disappointed, it was amazing ,my grandchildren like to when they are on school holidays, we eat the lunch time special menu,food is so good, freshly cooked excellent ingredients service spot on , staff helpful and attentive, a big thank you to you all ,it was busy when we were there and you all worked do hard ,give it a try you definitely wont be disappointed, thank you again

Lovely evening with my husband and three very good friends. The food was excellent and the ambiance was perfect. This restaurant is excellent value for money and would fully recommend

Visited this evening for the first time in a year with my husband and 3 children. We have enjoyed sambucas in the past and thought it was very good value for money. However this evening we visited and were left disappointed not only with the quality of food and drink but also with the price. Firstly the potato skins for starter were not like they used to be. They were chunky and tasteless without any crunch. The garlic dips didn't taste like garlic. The spaghetti bolognese was really tasty but the portion size was on the small side with adults and children getting the same amount. My husband got a meat feast style pizza and me and the kids got spaghetti bolognese. We also had a garlic bread and 4 deserts. The ice cream was tasteless and didn't have any flavour. £3.50 each for tasteless icecream. The pop tasted like cheap asda cola. We waited a long time for deserts to come out. When we went to pay both myself and my husband were shocked that the bill came to almost £80. We thought of sambucas as a cheap, tasty meal. We were told the bill was so high because there was no specials and because it was an evening. We dont mind paying the price if the food was better but better quality drinks, starters and deserts should be given. I would not recommend and Wont be returning.

Always value for money good food, service is good and food is tasty and ample portions sizes. Nice place to visit with good views up and down the river wear.

Sambuca is literally on our doorstep, so when you can’t be bothered to cook it’s ideal Latest visit consisted of potato skins , garlic mushrooms, and garlic breads for starters. Mains were a range of pastas and chicken dishes highly recommend the Kiev ❤️ staff are lovely and welcoming excellently priced. Never had a bad meal always consistent.

We've visited Sambuca many times and today with two of our Granddaughters, we were seated in the corner next to a window over looking the river and our sleeping baby gt. grandaughter was accommodated safely too, our chosen meals were served promptly and we enjoyed them very much, there was Pizza left over we were asked if we would like to take it home and it was duly boxed, the staff were efficient and attentive as always, we'll be returning very soon.

Lovely three course special,first class service from pleasant atentive staff,and a big group of people all sitting together. Views across the riverside if you're next to the windows and priced under a fiver, very good value and ample on the plates.

For the price it was amazing 5a for starter huge thin base pizza and dessert which I couldn't finish. Food quality was average but absolute bargain that deal hidden at bottom of menu

Come here quite often as it’s near my dads assisted living. All the staff are friendly and don’t make any issues of my dads obviously disability. The food is great big portions and price is amazing. Nice and quite with spacious tables. Would definitely recommend

We have not been in the restaurant for a number of years however called on spec as a “date night” with my Wife

Come here every time we visit my brother who lives in Sunderland and we LOVE IT! Princes are amazing, food is great and staff are friendly. Would highly recommend especially if you’re on a budget, and would love it if they expanded and came to Leeds!

Been here tonight for grandsons 7th birthday with my family I had prawn cocktail then carbonara with cheese garlic bread husband had chicken Kiev which was massive everyone enjoyed it and was very reasonable the staff were very friendly and helpful

Very cheap and cheerful, food is always hot and a good choice. The main menu when not on special is also good and reasonably priced.. the staff are always very friendly and welcoming.

If you like yesterday's leftovers. And food which does not look edible go for it. Had the lunch time special and the place was packed. So I was expecting a good value for money meal. Was very much proved wrong was going to take the meal back places was so busy could not attracted the staff attention. So left money on table and walked out.

Lovely restaurant inside, the views are amazing, looking out at the River Wear. The food is of good quality and the food is not badly priced. The lunchtime special only cost us £4.95 which is good for being a 3 course meal. The Starter consisted of either Minestrone Soup or Potatoe Skins with dips, the Main was the choice of a Pasta Dish or Pizza Dish and for dessert ended with either Ice Cream or a Hot Beverage. Nice change visiting a new Italian Restaurant, the waitors were very pleasant and kind. Would visit again

Was here last week for friends birthday tea and it was lovely staff friendly and helpful and didn’t wait long for our meal the carbonara is amazing and also the cheesy garlic bread mmm

Ahhhh after a long day at work, me and my sister came to sambucca from County Durham. A bit of a trek but worth it as the food is always top notch. We had soup for starters and a chicken cordon bleu and a pollo sambucca which I always ask for it to have a dash of chilli in. Food came out superb as always.

Called in for lunch today and had the special . At £4.95 for a three course meal you can’t get upset.

This restaurant is truly underrated. Visit at least once a month and have never been disappointed. Prices are fabulous and have been to much more expensive restaurants and have been disappointed. By kids love it and won't go anywhere else. The Italian menu is delicious, but the Sunday lunches are the best around also.

We hadn't been for ages when my son suggested we eat here again. I always have the goat's cheese bruschetta followed by the Chicken Cordon Bleu with chips and then the sticky toffee pudding. Yum! My son and husband usually share a garlic bread, then my son has a pizza while hubby most often tucks into the Chicken Voldastana with chips and cheesecake for dessert. My son loves the sticky toffee pudding like his mum!

My first visit here, arrived at 1.30 for a meeting with my 3 cousins who were arriving at 2pm, was worried to be on my own as had arrived way too early, but lovely waitress gave me a nice table with view of the river and menus to look through (and a large glass of house white helped :) ) We all had an amazing 3 courses for 4.95, cheaper than a Macdonalds :O Minestrone soup was lovely , I was worried it would be too filling but it was light, not stodgy, just enough to not quite fill you , then I had Penne Bolognese, substantial size and very tasty, waiter dashed over with parmesan and black pepper, just as they should when having pasta etc. Anyone who knows me knows I always try the Bolognese any time I go anywhere new and I seriously rate this as a good un. Ice cream as the 3rd course was just the right size for a bulging tum. My cousins enjoyed their potato skins and dips and pasta Arrabiata too (also from the 4.95 3 course menu) Now I am definitely coming back to try the Sunday dinner soon and will also come back to try something else, the steak Diane is tempting :D One tiny complaint, menus need replacing they are very tatty and old, but that is a constructive criticism

Visited early evening the place was buzzing and the staff were on the ball showing us to a table staitaway, the food was Excellent value for money whould highly recommended.

Went for a family meal. The menu is good and tasty and cheap. The food arrives quickly and the staff are helpful.

A good family Italian restaurant. Wonderful food, fresh seafood. Very informal and bustling but a great evening was had, if we ever go to Sunderland again I would certainly visit again.

Spot on food piping hot. Waiting staff very friendly and plenty of parking. If anything the drinks are priced above average but considering the food prices are so low and such good quality it's hardly a criticism.

I like this restaurant because of the atmosphere and the views over the river. The food was fairly average on this occasion. I had Sea Bass which was somewhat overcooked. My wife had steak and lobster which was a very reasonable price considering. My two children were very happy with their meals and we'll come again

Very clean and reasonably priced food and lovely views of our river. Staff on Sunday seemed in a very flat mood. I had lamb dinner but the lamb did not taste like lamb and my dinner was swimming in gravy ! I would possibly go back as my friends all rate it but maybe on a different day and to only try Italian food x

After driving for over 4 hours to visit some very good friends in the North East, they took us to this restaurant. As it was Sunday we all decided on the 3 course Roast Dinner for the unbelievable price of £6.95!!!!. I chose, potato skins for starter, roast beef & yorkshire pud for main with an ice cream to finish. I have to say all 7 of us thought the dinner was exceptional & for the price it was very much value for money!!!. Will certainly visit here again on my next visit to the North East. Thoroughly Recommended

An impromptu stop off for lunch after a walk along the river. We ordered from the £4.95 menu, soup or skins for starter, any pizza or pasta and ice cream. Soup was gorgeous, home made and tasty, potatoe skins came with most delicious garlic mayo. We both had pepperoni pizza and couldn't fault it, all washed down with a glass of wine. Would highly recommend, great value for money.

After reading mixed reviews, we decided to see for ourselves and booked for lunch. Very good service, pleasant atmosphere with beautiful views of the river and most importantly, the food was simply quality. The seabass is a must. Top chef here, so give it a go!!!!!

I go here quite often with my family and never write it a review so thought I would today...we never book a table but can usually be seated straight away or with only a short wait. Absoulute bargain at only £4.95! You can have either minestrone soup or crispy potato skins n dips for starts, any pizza or pasta dish including seafood for main and choice or ice cream and coffee for desert.. small pop is only 1.50 too so idea if you are on a budget, probs cheaper that a maccyds and so much nicer. Service is good and you dont have to wait long for your food. They have a good choice on their specials board all at bargain prices. I went yesterday with my mam and kids during Easter holidays which can cost fortunes keeping them entertained and our whole bill was only £26! What more can you ask for.. even an extra full size garlic bread is only £2? Lovely views of the river wear but the kids do hold their noses when walking up the stairs because of the fish smell from the fish quay shop... the down fall is the toilets are down stairs and are a bit minging.. but thumbs up for everything else thanks x

My wife and I have been here for lunch twice in the last two weeks and have tried the Three-course Specials which, at £4.99, are excellent value. So far, we have tried potato skins and minestrone soup for starters; lasagne, pasta marinara and bolognese for mains; ice cream for dessert, and have enjoyed all of them. On both visits there were around thirty diners, which is probably an indication of its popularity. Neither of us are pizza lovers but other customers seemed to be enjoying their pizza offerings. Although fairly busy, the service was both friendly and prompt and we will definitely be back again.

I've eaten in both the quayside and Sunderland branch multiple times and have always had a great experience. Today however it was a very different experience. I have come back time and time again for the delicious cannelloni but today I couldn't eat it. The pasta ( if you could even call it that) was in fact a soggy pancake . Absolutely stomach turning. Sent 80% of dish back to kitchen after showing waiter the "pasta" and he shrugged it off and Didnt even offer to replace my meal with something edible or discount it from the bill. I then ordered a pepperoni pizza to take out and again the base was soggy and the pepperoni was very scarce. Very disappointed as I go here for the same dishes and the good value for money. I also got garlic mushrooms for starter and they were also vile but I had never had them here before so I had no standard to compare them to.

As the title says cheap and cheerful, nice view of the river wear, OK two while away a hour or two...

I visited Sambuca restaurant in Sunderland tonight with a few friends. As soon as we had walked in the entrance we were hit by an awful gush of a strong fishy smell which left us borking. We where then approached by one of the waitresses in an abrupt and aggressive manor. We got starters and mains. The staters weren’t the worst but nothing to rave about. As when our mains came, we were left with empty stomachs due to them being so awful and plastic tasting that we couldn’t attempt to eat them, one of my friends ordered a lasagne but to which she received the equivalent to a tin of Heinz tomato soup. When we had told he waitress about our issue with the mains she didn’t seem to happy and choice to ignore the situation with no remorse towards our feeling. We were then left sat for a good half waiting for the bill with no instruction on where to receive it. Safe to say, will not be returning.

Called in on the off chance for a cheap lunch. It was so nice we now go most Sundays for lunch. Special menus are 3 courses for less than a fiver with an excellent choice of mains.

Sunday Lunch at only £6.95 for a 3 course meal is unbeatable. The food was really good with decent portions, served quickly by ever attentive staff. The full menu with a great selection of seafood dishes is also available. Give it a try you shouldn't be disappointed.

Went tonight (16.11.17) with friends for a girls catch up only to arrive to a huge table of probably 15-20 young teenagers ( maybe 13-14 yr old) we could not hear ourselves think let alone talk! We were sat at a table directly behind the kids even though there were many other more appropriate tables! I personally got hit on my arm time after time by a particularly cheeky young lad who was obviously doing it on purpose! The staff seemed to not be able to handle the situation and didn’t try to calm the kids!

Great service, great view over the river, excellent selection, good lunchtime special, reasonable price list and secure off street parking. I would recommend this for a visit.

Location is lovely, right on the river, right next to fish market, so hold your breath as you walk to the door.

Although this is a 5 star review, I am going to start off with a negative, as this restaurant is next to the fish market, the walk up the stairs does smell of fish, but do not let this put you off, the smell does not continue into the restaurant. The staff are very friendly and helpful and the food was delicious and reasonably priced. My wife had the pasta arabiata (may be spelt wrong) which she said was very tasty and well cooked, and I had the Chicken cordon bleu which was fabulous and the biggest bit of chicken you could wish for, definitely good value. We were tempted by the honeycomb cheese cake for dessert and it was a good choice, very tasty and not to heavy.

When we fancy italian this is the ONLY place for us! The food is to die for and they offer...

Fuimos para el tiempo de almuerzo especial que es muy razonable. Pero sólo pagas por lo que recibes y la dirección debería avergonzarse de el stand de comida venden o quizás probarlo por sí mismos. La comida es sólo adecuada para cerdos y perros. slurry...

Este es un restaurante muy agradable con un personal muy agradable y servicial, la comida es muy buena y no un menú especial de 3 platos para 4 libras 95

We arrived at 12.03 on Sunday so the restaurant wasn't busy. We had potato skins to start which were nice, but came before the drinks we had ordered. We had to prompt the waiter to bring out drinks and when they came the order was wrong. Not a big deal so not worth complaining about, they brought 2 halves when we had ordered a pint and a half. Then things got worse. We waited another 40 minutes for our main meals, and in the end had to ask where they where. The waitress checked and said they would start cooking now. They arrived after another 10 minutes but weren't worth the wait. Another couple arrived after us and sat at a table close by. They ate their 3 courses, finished their drinks, left, and another couple sat at the same table. The second couple had eaten their starters, and received their main meal at the same time as we did. That's 5 courses delivered to that table in the time we were waiting for 2!We ordered Sunday dinners but the pork was burnt, the veg was hard, and the mash was just thrown on top of the veg. Despite having to ask for both drinks and our main meals, and despite leaving a great deal of our main meals, not one person offered an apology, or even asked if the food was ok.We won't be going back.

Our usual Italian was booked & we took the chance as none of our group had been here before but we were all glad we did.Everyone commented on how good the food was, some saying it was the best they'd ever had, the staff were excellent, the views probably the best in Sunderland & the value for money well worth it at only £144 for 8 people for 2-3 courses each including drinks.The belly pork starter my wife had was beautiful & the Seabass, mussels & prawns my friend had - to die for!

Normally cheap cheerful no complaints, in and out. However our visit on Saturday with friends did not go well.Staff seemed sooooo miserable especially two of the woman!Our order was in correct, missing garlic breads etc. Staff very lousy at handling..all staff knew order in correct however chose to avoid our table would not give eye contact did not want to come over to speak with us to sort the problem.It did appear that it wasn't just our table that was having problems with orders either.We won't be returning in a hurry and shame as we usually visited sambuca Sunderland 2-3 times monthly.

We took my mother in law, on Sunday, this is the second time we have been to the restaurant, again we were not disappointed, the Sunday Roast is very good, at £6.95 for 3 courses you can't go wrong! The staff are also good, very helpful, very friendly!

This is our favourite restaurant. We visit about once a month and have done for a number of years now. Have never had a bad meal here. The food is always hot and tasty and there's a great selection on the specials board tooWe always get a variety of dishes every time and never have any complaints. The price is very reasonable too. Staff are friendly and courteous. Looking forward as ever to our next visit here. Yummy. :0)

Fabulous food fabulous prices, the staff were amazing , we had lovely views , so diffferant to most resterants we have visited in Sunderland highly recommended

The place itself is dirty and scruffy. Upon arrival we were seated promptly and served drinks, however it all went downhill from there. The potato skin starters were tough and had clearly been warmed up. Our pizzas were even worse, we couldn't finish them at all and gave up after less than half. After finishing our mains, we were then left to sit 24 minutes without being handed the bill until we had to call a waiter over and remind him of our presence. It was cheap but I should hope so after that experience. Nice staff but horrible in every other aspect. Other sambucas are nicer

This is one of our favourite restaurants in Sunderland, the quality & quantity of the food is fantastic, perfectly cooked & reasonably priced. Last night I had the stuffed peppers to start & the chicken sambuca, my boyfriend got the spicy beef & the steak & lobster for his main, he said it was the best he's ever tasted. We've never had one single complaint or problem with this restaurant, just excellent

Impressed with this sambuca as the views over looking the river with the fishing boats was nice.Staff seemed friendly but slow to take our orders. The food was very good and such good value for money I would highly recommend.

I went to Sambuca Sunderland... on friday afternoon and found everything about it excellent. The view over the river,the serving staff the quickly served and delicious food all combined to make it a very enjoyable experience. I look forward to my next visit.

Ate here cos it's cheap and cheerful and the kids like it ... is adults ate from the specials board .. which isn't cheap but very cheerful .. the black pudding starter was absolutely amazing ... the filet steak in port sauce was tremendous too ... kids had pizza easily pleased ..

We visit here once or twice a month and would return if it wasn't good food and good value.We have the daytime special at £4.95 for 3 courses which is great.Nice location on the river with good views of the Glass Centre Recommended

We are regulars here and most often dine Italian. However, yesterday we had our first Sunday lunch - unbelievable value at £6.95 for 3 courses. I had the chicken which came with potatoes both ways, Yorkshire pudding and 4 veg! Swift, friendly service, elegant décor and stunning views over the river make this charming little restaurant one of our absolute favourites!

Dined here many times over the years. Often getting the surf and turf which is always yummy! The tempura prawn starter is also really good.

Love to eat here, overlooking the river. The service is excellent and the food is great value. Lots of choices and always worth looking at the 'Specials Board" Will be going here again. . . . And again !

Went here for a colleague baby shower never been before quite smelly walking up the stairs as right next to the fish quay had lasagna was ok but nothing special not sure I will go again xx

Love this place, great food and very reasonable prices, especially the happy hour menu.Always been good service

went to Sambuca for my 50th Birthday with my family. the food choice was very good. all staff were very polite and helpful and did not rush us. you need to open a restaurant in Staffordshire.

I visited this restaurant with my partner and for us, it was horrible... They need a renovation... When you arrive to the hall and up the stairs it smells very bad (cooking odors) ... Old dark atmosphere, staff wore inappropriate clothes, tasteless food... We had a starter, one pizza and a filet steak with lobster ( the filet steak wasn't cooked how I ordered and it was small . In another table, two guys were returning to the kitchen the same dish ) ... Sorry , but we won't be back...

Came in for Sunday lunch today and have to say I was very pleasantly surprised! The Sunday lunch menu is very competitive, the food was excellent (the carrots/broccoli were slightly undercooked for me, but I like them soft enough to cut with a fork!), and the portion size was perfect (a little big, if anything!). The service was also incredibly quick and the staff were super nice. Overall, really enjoyable :)

I visited here for tea with my family. From waking in I was disappointed. Staff we ok.young boys without a clue of what to do.a woman with holey thights and shorts on that were so short that was inappropriate.food was ok apart from the small portion sizes. .what got me was the glasses were so dirty. On my return home I had a curved line of cold sores from the glass..NEVER again will I go here

The portions at this place are tiny. You get a very small number of potato skins and while I know that this may be acceptable in the £3.95 special I actually went to the restaurant when happy hour was over and the food was full price and still found the portion sizes very small. There was not enough food to fill you and neither myself nor my friends are large people. I then got a lasagne for my main and have seen larger child's portions in other restaurants. I know they say quality over quantity but you need both in moderation and while the food was tasty there was simply not enough. The plates and glasses also seemed a bit dirty to me. I will say that the staff were very friendly but something needs to be done about the food.

Great foodGood portion sizesGood menu choiceAcceptable prices.Free parkingStaff AttentiveLittle bit noisy but great for families

This is a popular restaurant situated on the River Wear overlooking the harbour and University buildings. The fish menu is varied and some of the specials are to say the least, novel. This good be a first rate restaurant if the staff paid a little more attention to detail in terms of laying the table, presenting the food and knowing the menu. Most of the menu was a tad overpriced and my Sea Bass was overcooked and slightly dry because of it. The skin was left on the fish and had not been grilled at all. Worth a visit though.

First visit here and was very impressed. Nice staff, nice decor and nice, cheap food. Steak, seafood, chicken, pizza, pasta and starters to choose from and specials on the black boards.

I visit here many times with it being so cheap! However, the portion sizes are a bit on the small side. It is also quite noisy but other than that it's a pretty nice place!

Visited here several times with my partner. Extremely cheap, with starters, mains and drinks for two people coming to around £15, cheap as! 2 minute drive to Sunderland city centre, I'd recommend for those dining on a budget or those wanting last minute good food.

Went with people from work for happy hour during the day. It's hidden away down near the student campus on pans bank. It's is extremely good for money with the meal and drink costing £5.50 roughly for a three course one may I say. It's fantastic value for money and you get served really quickly too which was great as only got an hour lunch.

24th July 2016had lunch here today, before going for my second visit to the Sunderland Air showthe food was very good, price and service excellentanother Sambuca ticks all my boxes£5.95 for a 3 course meal ,,,, yes reallywell worth a visit and I will be back your on the south quayside over looking the University and Glass centreup a few stairs and into the restaurant, great value

We love going in here as a family on a Saturday afternoon for the daytime specials - you can't go wrong with £3.95 for 3 courses. Tasty food, great location and great prices.What are you waiting for ?

Called down last week for a takeout, definitely the best takeout Italian I Sunderland and practically half the price than other Italian takeouts in Sunderland (shame they don't deliver)

We were taken here by relatives & friends. Think they may have got a shock as we did. It wasn't at all busy yet 6 of us were squashed on two tables pushed together, usually set for 2 people!! Most of the menu is on chalk boards: whilst they look great, we were informed most of it wasn't available as we made our selections - must have been a very busy weekend. The delivery of food appeared very random, & my T bone was anything but. No draught beers, all from tins. Lacking any real atmosphere. Won't be rushing back, if ever.

This has to be one of my favourite places to eat, so much so that myself and my husband often eat here on a weekly basis and often take friends and family.The staff are amazing and know us by sight now. Even bringing over our drinks and food without us needing to order! (Maybe we need to change things up a bit, lol). They are all so friendly and really can't do enough to help.The food is always served quickly, no matter how busy the restaurant is. Food is always well cooked, all plates come out together and extras are never a problem.The tables are cleared quickly, drinks brought over promptly and everything is done with a smile. And the views over the river are beautiful.I really can't say enough to praise the staff here, both in the restaurant and the kitchen and we will be back, probably next week.

Myself and my partner came here for some food as we had previously been here and found the food very good, we both had potato skins for starter, they were as you would think normal portion for a starter didn't spoil our main, we then had the boshetta pizza ( don't think that's how it's spelt ) anyway the pizza is a medium size, with a thin crust. This is a very cheap ideal place to go for good food, it's ideal for families with young children.However... The service is far too fast for us, we like to relax and chat whilst deciding what we are going to eat . When we were seated the lady came over and asked for drinks, so we ordered and they came straight away, as the lady came with the drinks she placed them down and asked straight away for our starter, this is after two minutes after we sat down, so I said politely could we have another two minutes to decide what we were having, so we both got the potato skins for starter and the two pizzas for main. Me and my partner were relaxed after she had taken our order until three minutes later the potato skins came and of course they were hot and very enjoyable so the lady came and took our plates away and me and my partner were chatting away, then the pizza came two minutes later, don't get me wrong the pizza was really nice very good quality food, I just personally thought the service is very quick for my liking, the staff are very welcoming and said thank you for coming which I like to hear after you spend money at their restaurant.

Went here over the weekend and got a nice window seat with a great view over the river. We all went for scallops with black pudding and a pea puree for our starter. It was tasty, and the scallops were cooked well. For the main, again, we all went for the same thing. Fish mixed grill. about 5 different types of fish on one plate! Almost all perfectly cooked with the exception of the cod which was a bit dry and tough. Good value and friendly staff.

We had an overnight stay in Sunderland and thought the riverside location of this restaurant was interesting. It was, it is situated on the banks of the River Weir, opposite the university. I would strongly recommend this restaurant to families with young children or those on a tight budget. Most of the menu was low priced with 12 inch pizzas with the usual variety of toppings for £3.50, pasta dishes and chicken dishes at the same price and steaks starting at £10.50 for a sirloin.What I particularly liked was that despite those prices they also offered some unusual and creative dishes, such as fillet steak and half a lobster for under £15. These sorts of prices coupled with this menu allows parents with young children to try something new whilst their children are well-catered for.But menus at this price are always a trade-off, and in this case it is space. Tables are packed quite tightly to enable more covers. Unwittingly, we ate during what was obviously peak family time. I have no objection to this as I believe that it is important to share these experiences with children and teach them how to eat in public. Other diners need to be tolerant but this does not mean that children should be allowed to do as they please. Where parents are unaware of levels of acceptable behaviour, staff must intervene - for Health and Safety reasons if nothing else. There is no doubt that some of the children there prevented other diners from fully enjoying the experience they were paying for.Staff were however very polite, helpful and welcoming. If we'd turned up an hour later we wouldn't have had a problem. We probably won't be rushing back though.

Out of town and down by the fish quay. Sambuca offers wonderful views of the river wear. With prices that are fantastic! Almost costs more to eat in. Friendly staff and pretty good foor choice as well. Beer was served from a can instead of draught which is a downer but once i found out changed to the small bottles of Peroni which weren`t too expensive and a lot better.

Been here on a number of occasions when visiting our daughter at University and have never been disappointed either with the quality of the food or the value for money. Even asked to have a window seat on a busy Saturday night when booking and it wasn't a problem. Even better we had a beautiful sunset.

Great location and view, good service, food was fine for the price if I'm being nit picky sauce in carbonara slightly thin, and Diane sauce of steak could do with a touch more cream. Asked for no potatoes in veg side, could have added more other veg to make up for it, but at the end of the day for these prices very good value. Biggest let down with this place is the lighting. The spotlights are very harsh and using dimmer bulbs in the amazing chandeliers would create a much warmer environment. Good effort tho.

I visited Sambucas with a friend for lunch, we had the £3.95 lunchtime special.We both had potato skins to start, lasagne for our main then ice cream for my friend and a coffee for myself.We couldn't really fault the food, it was hot and tasty but perhaps the portion sizes could be increased a little, they looked 'child size'!We both had a bottle of Peroni and the bill, including the tip we left was £15.The restaurant itself was clean and well decorated and the service was good.I'd definitely visit again!

Been a couple of times now and every time it has been lovely! Foods great, the staff are friendly and have a laugh with you and it's all quite cheap!

No complaints at all.Cheep and cheerful Italian. Definitely had worse but also had better - 'You get what you pay for'.Saying that, I don't understand why you'd take your kids to Maccy D's when you can get a decent meal here for less money! :)

The food here is always good and the menu extensive from a good value 3 course to more expensive choices. Excellent value and friendly efficient staff. It could do with a bit of refurbishment inside now but otherwise worth a visit.

Visited here with other half and two young children under 5. Place was very busy but we were shown to our table and drinks order taken straight away. Staff were very friendly, great with kids. We went for the 3 course menu, at 6.95 this is unbelievable value. Both had skins to start. Cooked nicely, although could have done with a bit more. I had lamb other half had pork, very tasty, gravy really nice. Kids shared a margarita pizza, nice thin crust, plenty of cheese. Then they had our ice cream. The main reason I would recommend this place is the price, its unbelievable value. The food isn't out of this world but is tasty, and served with a smile. The views over the river are lovely, the entrance and toilets need some attention though.