Sansonina Ristorante Italiano

Lovely little place in Renton. Little difficult to get to since the city is constructing but worth the effort. We asked the server and he said that all the construction had impacted their business. We made a reservation but during the week it wasn't necessary. They have a full bar and an extensive wine menu, and the prices are not awful. They have five or six appetizers to choose from and we went with the old favorite bruschetta. It was more than enough for four people and could easily have been a meal for two. The slices of bread were not the tiny ones you're used to but full size slices covered with fresh tomatoes and lots of basil. Don't know if this is more authentic but the bread was lightly toasted so it was easy to eat without it crumbling.Lots of pasta entrees and some chicken, fish and beef that came with pasta. I had a pasta dish that had shrimp, fish, scallops in a wonderful lemon caper sauce. It was more than enough for me to be satisfied and brought enough home for lunch. The special of the day was spaghetti and meatballs which was my husband's choice. It was a nice helping of pasta with two huge meatballs. Even he couldn't eat all of it.For dessert they have a dessert tray, so many choices. We shared one and I didn't get the name but it looked like cheesecake topped with berries and sitting on a sauce. It actually wasn't cheesecake, far better. Didn't look like you could go wrong with any of them.It was a warm and cozy atmosphere and we'll for sure go back again.

Pretty solid wine list, cozy and warm inside and diverse menu options. Sat at the bar, it's small but did the job. Bartender was on top of it and even asked questions before making suggestions. It was late in the night and the staff didn't seem to mind which means they're happy. Ordered the rigatoni and sausage plate with is a staple for me and it was a solid 7.5. Blended well with the wine and bI could have eaten 4 loaves of bread! Cannoli at the end was good, but I don't think it was made there from scratch. I'll be back...

It was my first time visit on valentines day. I normally don't expect much on special occasions like valentines day because it's usually busy and you get poor service and quality of food than usual. But it was way better than I thought. Even with lots of customers, all staffs were calm and delivered the service really good; friendly and welcoming. This place is a bit loud but still good for dinner date. Their foods are great. I really enjoyed the mozzarella fritto and steamer as appetizers. It was best steamer I ever had. I liked carbonara pasta than the seafood linguine with saffron tomato sauce. That doesn't mean it wasn't delicious but I enjoyed the creaminess of carbonara more on that day. Pistachio cannoli was successful choice for dessert as well. I would definitely go back to try out different pasta and tiramisu next time. :p

Fernando and his team created another stellar dining experience for a birthday dinner. The home made tortellini is wonderful, home made bread excellent, prawn appetizer (new for us) delightful and the chicken parm and other dishes as filling and tasty as ever. We brought home plenty for lunch. The best kept secret is the house wine. A delightful addition to another perfect meal.

Service was awesome. Food was delish. Ambiance was 10 out of 10, Dark and romantically beautiful on the inside.

We had made a reservation and showed up 30mins early. The host sat us down within seconds and gave us seating options.We got our food ordered and delivered within 15 to 20mins of ordering it. Both the Piccata di Pollo and the Penne Arrabiata dish were well seasoned. Penne Arrabiata made without any of the protein sources since I am vegetarian. The Penne's mushroom's were slightly cooked and chewy. The green peppers were grilled. The gravy was the right amount of sauce and spicy.The parking was easy to find within the location and was onsite. The atmosphere of this location was very family like. We stayed till close to closing the waitress were gathering at a table to chat with 1 another.Reasons for Rating:+1 Excellent location and parking+1 Food taste really good+1 Customer service+1 Interior/atmosphere+1 Would return/recommend others

The interior of Sansonina is very upscale, with wine bottles lined up on one wall & dim lighting that cultivates intimate vibes. The unchanging menu features a selection of pretty typical American Italian dishes. The majority of primi were angel hair and linguine while most secondi featured chicken breast.The formaggio fritto was tasty but I was confused about why there was only tomato sauce on half of it & a sad line of sprinkled cheese - was it just for the presentation? I definitely did not get the memo on that one. The bruschetta looked rough - I don't know how to describe it except that it didn't look Italian, more like an Olive Garden rendition of it, where portion mattered more than taste & the intricacies of the dish didn't matter as long as the main idea was there. We also got complementary garlic bread, which wasn't very garlicky (or maybe it was meant to be normal bread but somehow got mixed in with a hint of garlic flavor, I honestly wasn't sure). Some parts weren't toasted, while other parts were burned. I ordered the ravioli con salsiccia as my main entree. I wonder if they make their pasta or tomato sauce in house, because it certainly didn't taste freshly handmade. The ravioli was drowning in sauce, & the presentation honestly just didn't look appetizing at all. The taste was mediocre & lacked dimensions. At this price point, I expected better-made pasta.After we finished our main course, the waiter brought out a display of desserts. We picked tiramisu, lava cake, and a cheesecake(?). The lava cake was way overcooked as the filling had completely hardened. The flavor of the cake itself felt a little flat & didn't taste like dark chocolate. Honestly, I think I can make a better lava cake at home using the Godiva box mix. The cheesecake was way too sweet & didn't have the right flavor or texture. Service was good & the waiters were very nice, but the quality of food was disappointing. Not exactly a place for unique and innovative Italian food, or even artisanal, for that matter.

My boyfriend and I stumble across this hidden gem when we both were craving some Italian food for dinner. This place is small yet intimate. This place was very crowded when we arrive but others were starting to leave so we got seated very quickly without a reservation which we were absolutely thankful for. The food here was SO DELICIOUS that my partner and I could not stopping eating! Even after we both were so stuffed. Portions were a perfect size. For our appetizer we started off with some bruschetta and it was the best I've ever had. Tomatoes were perfectly ripped with some olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette drizzled. Yum! For dinner I got the ravioli which was recommended to me since I have spicy food. It had such a nice kick toIt but not overwhelming. My partner had the Linguini de Mare. He does not eat mussels so he was able to substitute it for shrimp and it was delicious! The cream sauce was not too much. For dessert we got the tiramisu and man did we enjoy it! We cannot wait to come back and try other things on the menu. Service was also splendid! Our waiter was so nice and knowledgeable with all the wines. Each recommendation he gave us was magnificent. It paired very well with our appetizer and dinner. This place will definitely be a regular for us now!

It's not my first time at Sansonina and it was great visiting post-COVID-19. It's as if they never skipped a beat.Located on Rainier Avenue in Renton, it was a former Pizza Hut transformed into specialty-Italian restaurant. Plus or minus some seasonal changes and a wine selection that is constantly being used, Sansonina has quickly captured the hearts of Renton diners as one of the city's premier dinner locations. Low lighting makes the restaurant inside, and the staff makes the experience on the inside. Along with the delicious smells and intriguing sounds from the kitchen you can tell that your pennies will be well spent at this location.Appetizers start with their signature Bruchetta on stylish wooden board with diced tomatoes and basil, and a side of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. An additional aperitivi was ordered to include the Gamberioni Fiorentini - Large prawns sauted in garlic, Florentine liquor, spinach and tomatoes. Don't forget to pair your appetizer with an appropriate glass of wine. In this case, I chose a glass of Gaucho Malbec Mendoza (while supplies last of course). For the main courses, I know you can always get spaghetti and meatballs at home. In my friends case, she pushed my limits and ordered the Seafood Cioppino, with prawns, seasonal fish, mussels and calamari in a simmered saffron marinara. Liking a different variety on my plate I ordered the Polla alla Marasala with was served with seared seasonal vegetables and their pasta of the day, which was a linguine with cream sauce. An excellent trio.We can never forget dessert where you choose from a tray of available offerings which can change weekly. I was fortunate to select the ever popular tiramisu. I wish we had the room to try the others.In short, would you return? Absolutely.Would I return? Definitely.Should you try out Sansonia? Yes. Immediately!!

Diner beware! I am taking off one star because of the price of the special pasta of the night. Every other pasta on the menu is about $33. When we received the check, they had charged $55....for one serving of pasta!! Perhaps I should have asked the price before ordering, but I think the server should have disclosed it because it was so way out of line with the other prices. Even the prime filet was less, at $50. What a rip! Having said that, the food was delicious, and the service was excellent (although there was only one other party when we were there).