Samooni Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Knightdale

Let me start by saying this is the first review I’ve ever made on Google reviews and I hate writing this because I want new restaurants to succeed in a franchise-heavy Knightdale area. This is absolutely the worst restaurant and experience I’ve encountered in many years. Examples below:

Arrived 5:10 with maybe 5 tables full - server arrived and asked for our drink order. Had a glass of red wine and a glass of Prosecco for my wife. Red wine came in a chilled wine glass and Prosecco in a warm glass. Also, the Prosecco was opened in the main room and the cork shot across the restaurant.

We brought our kids, which apparently is a bad idea. After 45 minutes (without an appetizer garlic knots never arriving), I asked to get the food to go. The owner seems irate and said, “I know you have kids, but the food is made fresh. We aren’t a chain.” I understand and appreciate fresh food. I have been to restaurants around the world and have never waited 45 minutes for garlic knots nor have been blamed on having a poor experience because I have children.

I ordered the “fresh” Spaghetti Toseanello which is supposed to include peppers and fresh pasta. The pasta 100% is not homemade and you don’t have an option to choose a different type of pasta, which also indicates there is nothing homemade about this operation. (Pictures included). The sausage is was incredibly burnt.

My wife ordered tortellini ‘Michael D’Angelo’ which turned out to be burnt soup (picture included).

After asking the food to go after 50 minutes, I was told it would take longer because they now had to transfer the food to takeout containers. Logically, this doesn’t make sense ad that also means the food was ready and just wasn’t sent out?

We saw the ‘waitress’ twice, only the second time because she forgot the adult drinks the first time. Never saw her again. As someone who has waitered for years in the past, I would’ve been able to hand the small amount of tables in the restaurant- max 10-12.

After getting our order to go and getting home, seepage and sauce was all over the bags and spilled on the counter. My wife’s meal looked like and jiggled like soup. Mine again had burnt sausage, no peppers, and little to no spice. Absolutely nothing fresh about it.

They forgot our knots and when I called they said they hadn’t charged us (they had).

0/10 experience. Again, I hate writing this because I want non-franchised owned and fresh restaurants in Knightdale. But...

Thought we’d try this place out for some good Italian food. We left extremely disappointed. The menu looked great and their website describes the food as authentic and fresh. It’s neither. I went with my wife, 4 year old son and good friend. The kids cheese pizza was a greasy mess. The mozzarella sticks tasted like something I’d air fry at home, the calamari was chewy and flavorless. The lasagna didn’t even resemble lasagna and its contents were buried under a soupy sauce. My wife’s chicken dish was also drenched in sauce to disguise the small portion and dry chicken. The chicken parm was comparatively decent but the pasta side dish was barely sauced and watery. The tiramisu was served partially frozen in the middle. The garlic bread was drenched in butter making it very oily. None of the food showed signs of authentic or fresh. The coffee was good but turns out unlike every other restaurant in existence you are charged per cup. When I asked for the 2nd cup of coffee to be removed from the bill since I was not made aware of the per cup charge, I was told by the waitress that she asked but was told that was their policy. After expressing my displeasure a woman who I assume was the owner came to our table and stated “you wanted to speak with me”. I said no but restated my displeasure with charging for coffee refills and not being willing to remove a $3 charge for a customer who just spent $150 for dinner. She did nothing but reiterate the charge per cup said thank you and walked away. Her attitude was cold, unappreciative and unapologetic. Even if there was anything positive about the food she would be the reason I’d never come back. I got the feeling she couldn’t care less about us as customers. Do yourself a favor and skip this place now and...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exceptional Italian Dining at Samooni's!

From the moment we walked through the doors, Samooni's Italian Restaurant made us feel like welcomed family. The warm, friendly greeting we received set the tone for what turned out to be an absolutely wonderful evening. The staff's genuine and personable welcome immediately put us at ease and made us feel truly comfortable.

The wine selection is impressive - they offer an excellent variety that caters to every taste and preference. You'll find something to love.

The menu is expansive with so many tempting options that choosing was almost impossible! Everything sounded delicious, and the food absolutely lived up to expectations. Each dish was expertly prepared and bursting with authentic Italian flavors.

The service throughout our meal was outstanding - attentive without being intrusive, knowledgeable about the menu, and always there when we needed something.

One thing that really stood out were the generous portion sizes. You definitely get excellent value for your money - the servings are large and satisfying, perfect for sharing or taking home leftovers to enjoy again.

Overall, Samooni's delivered an exceptional dining experience from start to finish. The combination of warm hospitality, excellent food, great service, and wonderful atmosphere makes this a restaurant we'll definitely be returning to. Highly recommended for anyone looking for authentic Italian cuisine in a welcoming...