Ristorante San Marco
504 N Bethlehem Pike, Ambler, PA, 19002
Ristorante San Marco Menu
-
I Pesci
-
Carne E Pollo
-
Antipasti
-
Insalate
-
Le Paste Fresche
Healthy Meal suggestions for Ristorante San Marco
-
I Pesci
-
Carne E Pollo
-
Antipasti
-
Insalate
-
Le Paste Fresche
Visit below restaurant in Ambler for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
504 N Bethlehem Pike
Ambler, PA, 19002 - Phone (215) 654-5000
- Website https://www.sanmarcopa.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Daniel C.
This was a once in a lifetime experience, since I will never go back. Tons of specials that would have deserved a special sheet in the menu (including the prices...)We ordered drinks that were not top notch quality, and got our appetizers before we were able to finish them. The salmon and tuna carpaccio was almomst frozen, and overwhelmingly lemony, and I would still be looking for the tuna if I weren't rushed since the waiter was clearly waiting for us to bring the entrees, looking at us constantly, which made me kind of uncomfortable. We then got our entrees, that were ok. deserts were great (I would recommend the fig tart.) Then came the bill... and what a bill... Almost 200 dollars for a not so great culinary experience.
(2)Aaron T.
Considered a lower rating because of the older crowd and the horribly loud piano in the bar. Problem is the food's too good for 3 stars. Cheers!
(4)Peggy N.
So many people raved about this place, but I was disappointed. Despite having a reservation and arriving on time, we waited a little over 30 minutes to be seated. That alone turned me off completely. But knowing that strange things happen, I decided not to let that cloud the experience. It would have helped if someone had apologized for the long wait, but no one did. We were seated in a corner, which is not necessarily a problem as long as you are not let there and forgotten all night. I am always horrified by people waving down waitstaff to get their attention, but the night just dragged on and on . . . and I actually just wanted to order food and eat it. I was hoping that the food would be fantastic, but it was just ok, and not very memorable. I had been looking forward to this as my birthday dinner, but wasn't even in the mood to stick around for dessert. I don't have the heart to give one star, since the waiter was friendly enough, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the food wasn't horrible (though overpriced.) However, I can't imagine what would inspire me to try here again.
(2)Sharpie S.
We had dinner here recently and it was absolutely one of the best meals I've had all year. The lobster ravioli was amazing with huge chunks of shrimp and lobster added on top of the ravioli into the wonderful pink sauce. Best version of this meal that I've ever had. My husband also enjoyed his dish and dessert. Drinks were a bit pricey but that's to be expected. Would return again and plan to do so with friends this week for a birthday celebration. Used our restaurant.com gift certificate which made the meal even more reasonable.
(5)Kristin S.
Live so close to here but hadnt been in about 10 years...I mistakenly thought of it as an old folks place...wow...the service was great, the food was divine, and their house red knocked my socks off. I plan to go back very soon and can see it becoming a new regular place for us. They even made my picky daughter rigatoni alfredo with chicken which she devoured. The bronzino was fileted tableside and was perfect. The calamari (not fried) was as soft as a gnocchi.
(4)Brian H.
OK, let's start with the bar. I've been coming here 3-4 times a year for many years. The bartender, you know who you are, can be very rude, very short, makes you feel like he is doing you a favor by taking your order. But, if you are lucky, you can catch him on a good night where he is happy and your best friend. Flip a coin, 50/50 chance. The piano, although a little loud, fills the room with a nice musical selection, just make sure you sit at the far end of the bar. The bar always drags in the local 50--60+ somethings, who sit there for hours and get louder with each drink...especially the blonde women. Now for the food. The food is average, the arugula salad is overdone with the lemon, the pasta dishes, all of them just OK, (tip: an appetizer portion of pasta and a salad to start is sufficient ). The branzino (tender, light, white Italian fish) is the best I've had inside or outside Philadelphia. The veal very tender. Appetizers are average, I've had pretty much all of them. The desserts I've had much better. The osso bucco, eh, I've had better, certainly not "fall off the bone, melt in your mouth", and to be served with plain white rice and not risotto is an insult. Dog please, this is a friggin' Italian restaurant. The service in the dining room (bringing a translator may be an option to understand the waiter through the accent), is good to begin with, but then try to find one during your meal, you cannot. The prices are higher than should be, they are NOT in center city, this is the burbs. The specials (which are not written anywhere in sight) are 50% to 75% higher than everything else on the menu, but you don't know that until the check comes. BUYER BEWARE. The decor is stuffy/dated. Usually a crowd to match the decor (except me of course ;-) The owners are as rude as the bartender, and it seems the servers are catching on to that spirit. The chef is Asian, in an Italian restaurant, go figure.
(2)Joe C.
I took my mom here for Mother's Day. Delicious food. No question about that. However, 3 significant problems: 1) Far too expensive for how much food you get. 2) Their Mother's Day menu, which they posted on their website, was out of date. (Probably intentionally). The prices were much higher on the ACTUAL menu they gave us. For example, the dish my mom got was listed as 17.95 on the website. But at the restaurant, it was 23.95. 3) The servers were not very friendly. Almost felt a kind of dickish vibe coming from them.
(2)EIleen H.
Food was very good, but definitely not worth the attitude. Would never go back again and definitely do not recommend. We were meeting another couple for a 7pm reservation. We were 15 minutes early and waited at the bar until 7:15 and then asked to be seated. We had a drink at the bar and then another when we sat down so it wasn't as though we weren't spending money. After dinner- and beware! - specials are very pricey!!- and dessert, we were asked to leave. Yes, that's right- at 8:40 we were told to please leave because there was another table waiting and yes, remember, our party was late anyway. I wouldn't have mind retiring to the bar- maybe a complimentary drink? but I have never been asked to give up my table after spending over $200 in less than 2 hours. The owner's attitude was awful. Surely should have chosen another profession that didn't deal with the public. I have never had an experience like this and will never repeat it.
(1)Pearl O.
dined here for momma k's birthday dinner. this restaurant was perfect for the occasion. and seems like it would be for other "occasion" type meals. this restaurant has the class and taste of a philadelphia italian restaurant, but: - with a spacious parking lot - without an annoying drive into the city - within close proximity to my folks house in the burbs - with reasonable prices the food was tasty, the decor lovely, and the service attentive. momma and poppa k said they wouldnt mind returning - go me for finding the place!
(5)Zach Z.
I can't comment about the quality of the food because we never got seated at our table. I made a reservation for 2 on Saturday night and we waited at the bar 30 minutes beyond our seating time with no indication that we would be seated. We definitely checked in with the hostess and owner when we got there and there was no mention of them running behind. There were 3 other couples waiting at the bar for 30 minutes or more in the same situation. The old man bartending was rude, slammed the drinks down, insulted his servers, and made it clear that he was too busy to deal with anyone....(the bar wasn't that crowded). It was just uncomfortable and hostile. We left because it was apparent this place had no regard for its customers.
(1)Melissa T.
What an amazing meal! We had my Brother's rehearsal dinner here and feasted Italian style. I had the salt encrusted bronzino and it was to die for. Everyone wished they got it! The soft shell crab appetizer was also fantastic. The owner came to the table and made sure everything was perfect. If you are having a special night out, I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Andrew D.
Authentic and phenomenal Italian cuisine. Reasonably priced, good service, large portions, tons of daily specials. Highly recommended.
(5)Andrew M.
Everything was excellent. I tried almost everything on the menu in one long four hour night. We spent close to $800 but it was a large group so it was not more then $100 per person. It is a bit formal for my taste but the food was great. You could just close your eyes and point to anything on the menu and you will enjoy it. My only problem is the menu is in Italian and I forgot what I had. But this is one place I can't wait to get back to.
(5)Tejas P.
The bartender at the piano bar was a huge jerk telling me that if I wanted a Moscow Mule, that I should go to Houlihans...just not a nice experience to begin the night. The dinner service was ridiculous...at least four people waited on us, and no one knew what was going on. We got the wrong orders twice and the waiters didn't speak more than broken English at best. At every restaurant I've ever been to, when you buy a bottle of wine, the wait staff pours your glasses, but not here, the staff is too busy screwing up orders. The best part of the meal was being asked for dessert twice, again representing the inefficient service. If people in the suburbs think this place is good, then take some time and go to down town and you will be blown away by better food and definitely better service. The fillet was over cooked and covered in a slimey mushroom sauce. There are better options out there, even in the suburbs.
(2)Sri C.
Definitely a special occasion restaurant. We went with another couple. All of the items on the menu sounded amazing. The dishes that we ended up ordering stacked up to the server's descriptions. There were definitely some traditional fare, but some of the items were also very creative. The sauces were great (I agree with a previous post about the lobster ravioli being delicious), and the portions were good. I would go back for sure. The service was great as well. People were genuinely attentive and offered sincere suggestions. The host was the son of the owner and told us that the restaurant had been there for as long as he had been alive (15 years!). He looked like he was 20 or so, but very humble and nice. My only nit-picky complaint would be the perceived (and maybe it was just us projecting) pressure to order wine/alcohol. Neither of us are big drinkers, and I was actually on call, so we wanted to wait for our friends to arrive before ordering a bottle. Then, when we finished that bottle, they wanted to know right away if we wanted another one. I'm sure they were just doing their job, but anyway...
(5)E L.
Wow. The service was great. The food was amazing. The dinning experience was truly incredible. Best $100 I have ever spent!
(5)Sara C.
Despite the fact that the food is pretty tasty at Ristorante San Marco, the other aspects of the restaurant seriously degrade the ratings. The negatives started from the moment we first walked in - the hostess and a "gentleman" whom I can only assume is the owner of the joint were having an exchange about her having seated a party in a place they had requested and apparently did not consult him first. He then proceeded to give her a "lesson" on counting. His attitude towards her and the utter indifference for the fact that four hapless customers were standing right there waiting to be seated led me to believe his need to assert some kind of authority over his staff trumped customer service. We were seated in an EXTREMELY loud corner of the restaurant between two large groups of 10 or more. Of course the wait staff chose to concentrate on those groups, giving us the slowest service I have ever experienced in a restaurant. When our waiter finally decided to deem us worthy of some attention, he rattled off their list of specials - which seemed to outnumber the actual regular items on the menu - almost as quickly as that guy from the Micro Machines commercials in the 80s (remember those?). Between the speed at which he told us the specials and the thickness of his accent, he might as well have just been speaking Italian because we didn't understand a damn thing he said. After all of that and about a half an hour wait, we did get our food, which was delicious. However, considering that half of our party ordered two of the same dish and the other half ordered two of another dish, the portion sizes were very different among the similar dishes. For example, two of us go the lobster ravioli, but my dish contained two scallops, while the other person's dish contained only one. It may not seem like that big of a deal, but when you're paying as much as we did for our meals, consistency is key (and the portions were already extremely small - otherwise we might not have even noticed in the first place!) Overall, between the owner being a complete tool to his staff, the painfully slow service, the empty water glasses, and the prices not being commensurate with the portion sizes or consistency, I doubt the Partner In Cuisine and I will ever return to Ristorante San Marco.
(2)Matt C.
[Note: this is a review from a few months ago which somehow got saved instead of posted, so the date isn't particularly relevant.] The food here was very good, but the entire experience was riddled with problems and inconveniences mostly created by an unprofessionally run establishment. From the moment we walked in, things got awkward. A man I assume was the owner (given his more lax attire) was berating the hostess for not knowing how to count while some customers stood around waiting for her attention (and more importantly, for him to just drop his point about what appeared to be a simple misunderstanding). The enormous specials menu was nowhere to be seen in writing, but a thickly accented man was nice enough to come over to our very loud corner and rattle off a bunch of Italian words with such dismissive and incredible speed that he left me wondering if he was just bitter about being stuck in his second-choice vocation behind auctioneer. So, resigning ourselves to ordering off the written menu, we asked our waiter about an appetizer we all wanted to try. We explained we weren't that hungry, but this one thing looked great, so could we split it four ways. He said it was small, so we should probably get two. We followed his advice, and wound up with surprisingly large appetizer portions. I felt a little ripped off, as he just sold us another 17 dollar dish by essentially lying about its size. The main course had the opposite problem, portions so small I felt ripped off. What a roller coaster! But it was actually pretty tasty stuff. Upon leaving I discovered we had been there for a VERY long time; looking back on the evening, I realized every single part of the experience had taken longer than it should, from getting seated to getting our orders taken to getting our food to the spacing between the appetizer and the entree. Look, someone in the kitchen clearly knows how to cook, which is the only reason for that second star in this rating. But whoever is running the place (I'm guessing the angry gentlemen I encountered upon arrival) needs to seriously rethink quite a few of the finer points of business and human resources.
(2)RB B.
Ate here a couple of months ago and looking forward to going back next week for my birthday. Great food and attentive service. Crusty bread was fresh with a warm, chewy center. I started with the salad special which was a caprese with avocado. Generous portion and quite delicious. I then had orechiette with shrimp and asparagus. It was delicate and rich and flavorful. Portion was not huge, but definitely satisfying. I also tasted the ravioli and pappardelle with mushrooms. Both tasty. I didn't have a chance to take a peek at the back room, but the front room was warm and cozy. Live piano is a nice touch!
(4)John G.
The food is very good here, and it keeps you coming back. The service is a slow, but friendly. The bar itself is very nice, but the patrons are mostly on the older side, which is a downside for me (50+).
(4)Tom D.
Have been to Ristorante San Marco a couple of times now to work our way through the menu hunting for a new go to Italian Restaurant near our house. The food has been very good every time we have gone and the waitstaff has always been very attentive. My main complaint has to do with the portioning of the meals. A couple of times I have finished my meal and still been a little hungry. Now it needs to be factored in that I'm a big guy and a big eater, however Italian restaurants shouldn't leave me that way. I think it's too easy and inexpensive for them to boost the amount of pasta in a dish to leave you wanting more. The prices were a little higher than comparable restaurants in the area, but you can grab a Restaurant.com certificate to bring the cost down. They have a lot of conditions on them though so make sure you review it before making a reservation. In conclusion Ristorante San Marco is a good Italian Restaurant and we will continue to go back occasionally in the future.
(3)Art A.
We went last night. It was an Open Table spotlight. It was a bit of a disappointment. The food was very good. Not the best, but very, very good. The room was nice, but nothing special. The tables were a bit close together for my liking. The service was ... strange. First, the specials. The waiter's recitation of the list of specials verged on a comedy routine. It just went on and on and on. It took longer for him to recite the specials than it took for us to get and eat our meal, but more on that follows. My wife couldn't contain her laughter. The irony was that we actually had to get him to repeat the appetizers and meats, which made it even more comical. The pace of the service was fast and furious. We had barely started our drinks before the appetizers came. I hardly had a chance to breathe between any of the courses. As we were having a glass of port after the meal, the hostess stopped over and asked if we were having any dessert. I joked that the port WAS our dessert, and before I knew it, she presented our check. We still had a half a glass before the waiter appeared, obviously, and impatiently waiting for us to pay. The price was way too high and the food way too good for such fast paced service.
(3)Karen S.
Had a surprise birthday party here with 25 people. Food excellent - appetizers plentiful, bread was crusty and very good (butter bought out for little ones upon request), pasta dish prior to dinner very good (bought pasta with butter for little ones upon request) and dinner choices seemed to please all. I had the chicken Marsala and did not leave anything! Chicken was cooked perfectly and cut with the fork. Drinks were kept full. The cake was to die for - tri-layered rum filled! Waiters were very nice and accommodating. Would definitely recommend and go back.
(5)Kathy B.
Had gift certificate, wasn't sure what to expect. Greeted with do you have a reservation not exactly inviting but overall good experience. Specials which are plentiful need to be in writing as accents are difficult to understand or remember! Had to have server repeat several times, ended up ordering off the specials without being informed of the cost, which was high. Not disappointed with quality of food, delicious entrees for myself and my husband. Great service, great food, pricey but would definitely recommend
(4)Brian C.
Asked for a quiet area on Opentable reservation due to noise concerns for a diner, but were seated in the main room without even being asked if we had a reservation. Boisterous place for a Tuesday night, but the food is very good, and the service is otherwise attentive. I had the Duck Ragu Pasta which was very good, and plentiful. Bruschetta appetizer was fair, and my companions pasta dishes were reviewed as fairly good. Older crowd here, with a bit of a well-healed vibe, but the prices were fair for the experience. Forgot about the specials they recite, which were fast and furious, and mostly unintelligible, except thankfully for the Duck Ragu one which I caught and ordered. Recommend pairing that list down, or printing it up.
(3)Annie A.
I've heard such good things about San Marco, so I finally made a reservation for my family. DELICIOUS! Beautiful atmosphere, but not stuffy. The service was wonderful. The olive oil they serve with the bread was very fruity and we asked for more and more because it was so good! They have a few specials with lobster ( a salad with asparagus and avocado), a black raviloi in a blush sauce, langostino tails... all sweet, tender, and amazing. I had the homemade (all their pastas are homemade!) gnocci with tomato sauce, and it was the best tomato sauce I've ever had in a restaurant. My very picky Italian dad and uncle agreed! They have a pastry chef on the premises and you can tell. The desserts were divine - creme brulee and tiramisu! YUM! This is one of my new favorites.
(5)Charles R.
From the reviews on here you would think this was a Mobil 4 star or something. We too were looking forward to eating here, but wouldn't go back. Was the food bad? No. Was it really good , NO. If La Virtu is a 10 for pasta then this is a 5, at best. Shrimp cocktail was fresh and decent size, and my Caesar was ok. Would have been better if the Romaine was chilled and not luke warm, but overall not bad. Bologonese was decent, although the entrees came out about 2 minutes after they took away the starters. My Osso Bucco, which was touted by the waiter was tough. To me , a great Italian restaurant serves Osso Bucco that falls off the bone, not a dish that you need to use a knife to cut the meat. Rice and veggies that came with the dish were ok. Dessert tray appeared as soon as the entrees were cleared. Didn't see anything we liked so we passed. Now, heres the worst part of the meal. Waiter was around all the time before we ordered. Once we started the meal there were people constantly checking to see when our plates were clear to whisk them away. I really hate to be rushed when out to dinner, after all this isnt supposed to be Olive Garden. Ok, so they like to move people in and out. Once I said we didn't care for coffee or dessert we sat, and sat, and sat until finally got a busboy to try and find the waiter. Never saw the waiter after the entrees arrived, very odd. In fact the guy that briings the dessert tray around brought the check back. Wines by the glass are really limited. When I asked for a list the waiter said...what do you want? He said they had Merlot, Chianti and 2 others. When I asked again if they had a list he said no, but I would like what they had. At that point I knew this wasn't going to be what I had hoped for, so I ordered the Merlot. When i asked what kind it was he said he would check, but he never did come back with an answer. Another thing, every glass had wine spilled around the bottom AND it was served that way. We had to constantly wipe off excess wine that was dripping from the base of the glass. I think that will tell you something about how much care if taken in their presentation. This is not my idea of a really good Italian restaurant. Too bad, because I was looking for options other than going downtown.
(2)