Looking for the best Italian restaurant in Hollywood, Florida? Look no further than Sardelli Italian Steakhouse. This Italian steakhouse is not only a unique dining experience where you can opt for delicious pasta or a number of amazing steaks, but also a place where reservations are hard to come by because it’s a locals favorite.
Here’s a recap of our amazing experience at Sardelli. As you can see from this image, and on other sites, the Sardelli’s reviews are off the charts, so we were really excited to finally dine here.
Sardelli Italian Restaurant Review
Located on Van Buren st Hollywood, Florida, this had been on our list for a very long time. We’d tried to get reservations on a number of occasions. Sometimes even a week out, they were completed booked!
The thing is, they are only open a few days per week, and despite their sprawling, four story venue perched inside a towering mansion, this is a tough reservation to get if you don’t think ahead.
We decided to take a stab on a Sunday night reservation and lucky for us, we finally got a table!
I knew I wanted to sample a lot of the menu offerings since we waited so long to get here, so I skipped lunch, hydrated, and got ready to hit the bar early.
Throughout the entire visit, the entire staff was amazing. We met Carmen Sardelli, a very sweet owner who checked in on us. We arrived early and had a drink at the bar and picked the bartenders brain on what to order here. She recommended the creamed corn, the pork chop, (even though she doesn’t eat pork chops, she said it’s incredible,) the veal chop, and of course, steak.
With the kitchen to our backs, we had a chance to see some of the chef making the food coming out as we enjoyed our cocktail and took in the supper club type vibe. The steaks looked incredible!
Here’s a photo of some of the meals I was getting to take a look at while bellied up to the bar.
I wanted to compare their Italian cuisines first and foremost, so steaks will have to wait until another visit, but wow, did they look good!
I started with a pick me up given our late dinner and went with an Espresso Martini.
Sardelli Wine List
If wine is your thing, you’ll be amped to hear they offer a huge selection of wines. White wine, red wine, rose, riesling, Chardonnay, champagne, prosecco, it’s all here.
The Dining Experience at Sardelli Review
We were seated in the first floor dining room. There are four floors, and our friends who joined us explained that each floor had a balcony and some areas were more open air. Tropical Storm Debbie was lingering, so we were lucky to be in the enclosed ground floor area on this occasion. I like this area as it offers a view of the open kitchen and the bar. It’s very cozy and comfortable.
Our waiter greeted us and told us about the specials. There were quite a few, and we took advantage of the appetizers on special. We had a stuffed zucchini, even though I really wanted the stuffed Cubanella pepper, but I was outvoted. Next time!
I added a dirty martini with a blue cheese olives (of course) to consume with my meal.
We also had the sweet and spicy shrimp, which honestly, was indescribable. It had a great touch of heat which made it a shrimp unlike any other I’ve had!
This comes from the habanero jelly, and honestly, the word jelly scares me because I don’t like a lot of sauces on any protein, but it’s not a big deal, it’s almost like a glaze. These were the highlight of the appetizers!
Our friend Dom ordered the Fettucini Carbonara, and the sample I had was out of this world! I had carbonara two nights prior or that would have been my order as well.
Instead, I opted for the Pappardelle, which was a flavor bomb of veal, bolognese, pork, beef, and parmigiano. Like the carbonara, it was unreal! I’d re-order this any day of the week.
Michelle and our friend Allexis were both driven to the Gnochetti Sardi, which is a braised veal shank with parmigiano, thyme, truffle butter, and veal broth. Michelle is a huge truffle butter fanatic, so I knew she’d go this route. Yet again, this pasta was mind blowing!
Everything we had was incredible. Dom added in the croquetas which weren’t on the menu but wow, they should be!
Dessert Menu
The dessert menu features a cannoli, which is my go-to. There’s also many other options, but we were stuffed. Then, a surprise came out. Dom had let them know we were celebrating my birthday and an absolutely incredible cake came out. We made room for it and didn’t leave a single crumb on the plate!
What I Like About Sardelli’s
What’s there not to like? They have a massive menu of Italian dishes coupled with sizzling steaks and great appetizers. I can’t recommend coming here for a meal enough.
The meat inside our pasta dishes was impeccable, but what else would you expect? The reviews for this place were so unbelievable that I almost thought it would be a let down. Nope. Not at all. This gem located at 331 Van Buren St in Hollywood is an absolute gold mine.
This is the perfect place to gather with friends for a meal, host a business dinner, and really feel at home. It’s one of the best restaurants in South Florida for a reason. The Sardelli reviews you’ll read elsewhere, like on this page, are legit.
What I Didn’t Like About Sardellis
I’m going to sound like I’m nitpicking here, but don’t let these steer you away. The parking is difficult and you’ll be wise to valet. It’s $10 and well worth it. Other than that, parking is very difficult and hard to come by unless you want to walk a few blocks.
It’s also hard to get a table, but is that really a bad thing? Absolutely not! It shows that the experience is worth it as other people are rushing to get a table at this delicious restaurant. Just think ahead, or do what we did, and go on a Sunday night.
Summary
I wish it didn’t take this long to make it to this place! We will be back and be back often. Everything from start to finish was incredible. When I first walked in and saw the size of the tomato and basil samples on the chefs counter, I knew the reviews were legit. Every dish was fresh, and I made a list of items I’m definitely sampling next time, including:
- steak
- short rib
- oyster mushrooms
- veal chop
- salad (we opted for more food versus getting filled up with salad this time)
- sausage
You can expect us back very soon. I’ll be updating my list of the top Fort Lauderdale Italian restaurants today as Sardelli MUST be included. It’s a no brainer.
Sardelli’s Address:
331 Van Buren St. Hollywood, FL 33019
Website: https://www.sardellis.com/
About Tim Schmidt
Tim Schmidt is a 20+ year Entrepreneur and Digital Marketer. A Fort Lauderdale-based "Digital Nomad," he enjoys traveling as much as possible with family and friends. AllWorld is his escape to document all of his adventures, including being a hardcore "foodie." He has property in Costa Rica and visits several times each year and is happy to offer his expert advice for planning your trip.
