Sans-Souci Restaurant and Lounge

I’ve always like Sans-​Souci. They have great italian comfort food. Everyone must have the penne alla vodka, its absolutely amazing.

Consistency year after year, never a bad meal, outstanding service and reasonable prices are the first things that come to mind when I think of San Souci. Not living as close as I used to limits the amount of times I get to go there. In the past week I had the opportunity to visit twice. Once for lunch and then dinner. It is so refreshing to experience the level they maintain. A true family business run the way it should be. Thank you.

I forewarned my four associates from my quick Unilocal scan that service here had a chance of being horrendous, and it may be best to stick to the certified Angus steak items; and of course it became a night to remember for the wrong reasons. 1.5 stars would have been a request for the zero stars rating to be made available if I cared about good service.
The main deficiency in service was time. 2.5 hours, no apps, no desert! There was a bread basket, a salad, and there was a replacement item, but it was prime rib and that was easily the fastest part of the night. The eater didn’t end up slowing us down at all. There was a group of 25 women in a back room, but our server wasn’t attached to them and otherwise the place was very lightly occupied. 10 minute wait for water, over 10 more minutes until drink order, I lost track as the long waits continued, until it ended with another 15 minutes to get the check when we said we were done, as «it took a lot of adding.» 5 people, 5 items and a small bar tab, only a handful of other people in the place, a lot of adding…
So while sass can be awesome, continued incredulous comments when things are moving at a snails pace can wear on you. 35 years experience and never hearing the words (from the menu) «what are your premium beers?», not knowing of Pabst’s existence (for a years long run recently, PBR was incredibly popular just across Long Island Sound), and «not ever knowing there was ever a difference between male and female lobsters» until that night! Also a manager who misidentified which sex said lobster was… Ugg…
Having stuck to a fillet minion and choosing the downright good zinfandel vinaigrette for my salad, I was happy with my food, so was the other steak eater, and the fellow with the lobster roll said his was OK. Lobster roll, stuffed lobster, and steamed lobster where all on the daily menu and sucked three people in with the promise of cheap fresh seafood despite my earlier warning. Stuffed lobster either had a baked to long, or just too old look; the diner found it edible, but not much else. The steamed female lobster was to me, and our Wisconsin crew, a gross item with an underbelly of easily flung around black eggs invading the rest of the meat. Mistake of the person ordering, but he should have been given some kind of warning. It truly was a whole untouched lobster. At least he had a bib to save most of his sweater. Got one bite from the tail…
I would say a supper club (this is not a particularly large place) should likely not have a special menu that long on top of it’s typically sorta big Italian/​Steakhouse menu. Gordon Ramsey would have a field day. How can the kitchen cook so many items well, and in a timely manner? It can’t. The server isn’t going to bother remembering all that may be helpful. Heck the server didn’t even remember to give us a cocktail menu. We didn’t know that «most people enjoyed their extensive cocktail menu» until half-​way through; «oh we just saw the one drink on the specials menu»; and we still didn’t get a list. At least they left us pitchers of water after we ran dry before our simple drinks arrived.
Hint: Five guys with a different accent than you are likely visiting the area, and have an expense account to buy many expensive drinks. You also might want to warn such landlubbers about what their order entails. Ugg…
Thus the gross (though I’m sure it would be well appreciated by those looking for it) steamed lobster was taken away, no replacement males were available (fine as we didn’t want to waste another hour), and a prime rib from the «best prime rib oven possible» was sent as quick replacement. Knowing this meant Alto-​Shaam steamed meat and he’s not a fan of fatty things, I just felt sorry for the guy. At least the fellow wasn’t that hungry thanks to a large lunch, as he didn’t bother to finish the bloody thing.
So… expect to wait, ask for the cocktail menu ASAP and order from it ASAP (supposedly it’s quite good), and order the steak.

I came one night with my boyfriends family and we were a rather large party but luckily this place takes reservations. we started with penne ala vodka and it was amazing. The sauce is so creamy and delicious. I wanted to eat the whole family style bowl but I refrained. I ordered 4 baked stuff shrimp and they were good, but not the best I have ever had. The flavored were kind of bland, I was hoping for a little more flavor. But they were big, I could only eat 2. This place is fine for old people and families but not for date night!

The food always good here the staff works hard at pleasing the clients. The drink pours as good and stuff and the amount of food for the money you can’t go wrong.

After reading reviews on Unilocal and other locations, I was extremely skeptical about going to Sans-​Souci. The only thing anyone seems to really like is prime rib, and I hate prime rib! Especially the raw, bloody, fatty prime rib shown in most of the pictures. So this will be the non-​prime rib lover’s guide to Sans-​Souci!
The majority of reviews are correct about the dated interior and the age of the clientele. We went on a Saturday night and had a reservation for 4. We did not have to wait long for our table, and they were nice enough to seat me and my husband, before the other 2 in our party arrived. Not every restaurant will do that. While we were waiting we did get to observe some pretty funny stuff. One was the pillaging of the basket of mints that was near the door. The senior clientele really likes stealing mints. One guy took two handfuls and stuffed both his pockets. That was good for a laugh! The other funny scene was when a guy lit up a cigarette in the foyer area and proceeded to start smoking until his daughter saw me staring at him and dragged him out. Luckily we got seated at that point and I didn’t have to witness anymore antics!
Our waitress was super friendly and everything came out at appropriate times. Drinks came quickly and when my friend’s drink wasn’t right, she quickly rectified it. I got a carafe of house burgundy which was a great value at $ 10.95. Other than the carafe being sticky and dirty on the outside, the wine was actually decent.
The salads are huge and very filling. I knew it would be that way from the previous reviews, so I did not order an additional appetizer. But my husband and one of our friends ordered the french onion soup. I had a taste and it was quite good. Our other friend ordered a special jalapeño clam chowder. He said it was good but not very spicy. I thought the salad was fabulous, a good mix of stuff and very large. I ordered the creamy parmesan dressing and it was good.
For dinner, one of my concerns was the number of dishes shown in pictures with rice pilaf. I hate rice pilaf and it sort of makes me feel like I’m eating at the early bird special or in the dining room at my grandmother’s assisted living facility. I was happy to find out that I was able to switch out the rice for mashed potatoes, baked potato or pasta. I ordered the veal saltimboca and it was excellent. The veal was cooked perfectly, thin and tender, not chewy at all. The sauce was a little off as it sort of tasted like turkey gravy, more than a sage wine butter sauce, but it was still good nonetheless. I got 3 pieces of veal, a small pile of mashed potatoes and 4 brussel sprouts. I took half of the veal and mashed potatoes home. One of our friends got the same dish I did and she ate the whole thing! Our other friend got chicken marsala, which looked excellent. He ate the whole thing, so he obviously liked it. My husband got chicken gorgonzola and was really pleased. It wasn’t overly pungent, sauce was very creamy and good. My only complaint (not his) is that it was all very white, pasta, sauce and chicken, would have been nice to add some veggies in for a little color. But I’m sure he was quite content without the veggies! He brought half of his home as well and said it re-​heated very well too.
We were really pleased with the service and we had gift certificates to cover the cost of our dinner, so we left a little extra tip, roughly 25%. That is not unusual for us, if we get good service, we tend to tip more. So I thought it funny when the hostess came over all concerned and asked if we meant to leave such a large tip. She said our waitress was worried we made a mistake and wanted to check with us. So I guess the mint-​stealers are also low tippers. If you do go to Sans-​Souci and get good service, be sure to tip your waitress well! She will be surprised and very appreciative.
Overall, I was really pleasantly surprised with my experience at Sans-​Souci. I’m not sure if it’s because I had rock bottom expectations, or if it’s because I drank ¾ of that carafe of house burgundy myself, but I would definitely go back.

Fantastic food and staff. Very dedicated to making sure your dinning experience is fantastic.
Bring a bag for the food you can’t eat. Large salad, portions, and positive attitude.

There are several reasons why the parking lot at Sans-​Souci is always packed…
Both the food and experience are incredible. They do not skimp and shortchange the customer on anything. The portions are epic! The ‘side’ salad that came with my beef medallions was more like a dinner portion. I highly recommend the house-​made tomato basil dressing! My husband’s prime rib was so big that we had it for dinner the next day! Even our carafe of wine was HUGE and yielded several glasses of wine!
FYI: Their machines do not read those credit card gift cards. Before the building was Sans-​Souci, it was a Howard Johnson restaurant.
My hubby and I will be there more often!

Always a great meal. The salad that comes with the dinner is large, refreshing and delicious, I love the Tomato Badi with Gorgonzola cheese dressing. The meals are a nice proportion. The staff is always polite and makes you feel like you are their only customer when they come to the table. Did I mention the garlic mashed potatos… awesome! A place you definitely need to visit.

What a wonderful place. Don’t come here in shorts and a t-​shirt! Bring your wife or girlfriend for a romantic special occasion. The food is amazing, the service terrific, and atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere!

Fabulous restaurant! Excellent Lobster Bisque. We had my daughters graduation dinner there and could not have asked for better food or service. Thank you Marna and family for having such a great restaurant! We’ll be back !

Too busy to do a take out order. Called 1:15 minutes prior to needing the order. I have never had their food and wanted to give it a try while I was in the area but they will never get my business on future trips.

I don’t have much to say, other than this was not very good. I ordered the crab cakes, and was disappointed. The décor is dark and dingy, and the place needs updating. There doesn’t appear to be much effort put into plating the dishes either. I guess I’m not surprised at the «good» reviews for this place since Meriden has almost no other non-​chain restaurants in town.

After reading other reviews about the décor I did not have very high expectations. Although I noticed that they were outdated I didn’t really care. The bathrooms were clean enough, although they don’t have a baby changing station, so when my daughter pooped I had to go outside to the car in the cold and rain to change her which was annoying. I understand not updating your furnishings but could you at least get with the modern times and put in some sort of a baby changing station for parents?
This post is primarily about the food because it was not very good at all. Service was good, our server was very polite and attentive. When the host seated us unfortunately he did not provide any menus and she did not realize that until we had been sitting for almost 20 minutes. The food in general was not impressive to say the least. We ordered two different kinds of soup, French onion and some tomato sausage soup. Both were watery and were not very good and the French onion soup left an aftertaste. I ordered the fried mozzarella, which was delivered already cut open meaning that the cheese had run basically all over the plate. It was served over way too much sauce meaning that it was also soggy.
The portions are very large which is a good thing however if the food is not very good it really doesn’t matter what the portion size is. For the price, I think if you like this kind of food, you will definitely get your money.‘s worth. However I believe there are better options for good Italian food in the area.

Sans Souci is a very solid dining experience. It takes me back to the days of the 1970s and 80s, when you could go to a restaurant, pay a fair price and come home more than satisfied with both your meal and the service. And it’s also kind of a fun place, in a twisted sort of way.
Sans Souci has everything covered. Its menu features all the basics: steak, seafood, poultry, pasta and even some odd dishes like calf liver. Beef is the feature, however. They use certified angus and it is very good as I had an excellent ribeye in a previous visit. (And prime rib is available!)
This time my wife and I ordered the baked scrod and baked stuffed shrimp respectively. Both were outstanding and plentiful.
The scrod was a large piece almost enough for two. It had a nice seafood stuffing on top and was not at all dry.
I was extremely impressed with the shrimp. You can choose three shrimp for $ 21 or four for $ 24. Of course I went for the four.
The seafood based stuffing was excellent and you could see the baby shrimp and scallops in it. These were definitely jumbo size and the shell was left on to keep them moist. Add some drawn butter and you are good to go. Very nice job on these.
All meals are served with a starch and vegetable and include a huge chilled garden salad with several dressing options. (The baked potatoes are served old school style– wrapped in aluminum foil!). I love it.
What makes this place fun is that the décor is still something out of the 70s or 80s. I noticed it the first time I visited a couple of years ago and I think it’s hilarious. Add that to the fact that most of the diners here tend toward senior citizen age and you feel like you should be bringing your parents with you. But like I said, it’s old school and you will get a kick out of the clientele if you appreciate early bird diners.
Since we did not have a reservation, the host sat us on the lounge side of the house but that was OK because Polly took excellent care of us. Very friendly and attentive, she definitely has a list of regulars that know her well. They also offer a pianist in the lounge on weekends.
Sans Souci reminds me very much of a restaurant that used to be in Plainville called the Mo-​No-​Pole (now Confetti). I used to go there a lot as a kid for special family dinners and I remember the food there being very much like it is at Sans Souci, meaning very well done with generous portions and good prices.
The location on the Berlin Turnpike is not ideal and the restaurant doesn’t look like much on the outside but they are doing good things here. I consider it a hidden gem you should check out as soon as you can.

This is our third visit and it topped the charts. Polly was an extraordinary server who read our minds for the necessities. She was welcoming, attentive and knew the menu well. The food was delicious. Meats were done perfectly. The stuffed mushrooms were buttery and filling. The salads were large and fresh. The calamari was tender and not at all greasy with a sauce that rivals mine. Go there! We went on Thursday night and found there were plenty of tables at 7:15. I recommend the roast beef, filet mignon, Denver or flat iron steaks. Our friends were very impressed with the fare and fine service.

I can’t believe I have never eaten at this gem of a restaurant before! Now I can’t wait to return. I’ve passed it so many times and it doesn’t look like much from the outside. Inside is a cozy dining room with tables and booths and a room overlooking the garden in the rear. I think there was also a bar/​lounge that I didn’t investigate. At 1pm on a weekday, the dining room was busy with the lunch crowd. There were tablecloths and cloth napkins, even for lunch. Service was perfectly delightful: well-​timed, pleasant, helpful; everything you would like it to be.
The waitress brought a plate with crispy bread slices and a jicama slaw to nibble on while we waited for our orders. My lobster roll was Connecticut-​style and filled with hot buttered chunks of excellent lobster. It came with fries and coleslaw and I had trouble finishing the portion. My companion enjoyed her steak, cooked medium-​rare as ordered, with vegetables and mashed potatoes.
My only disappointment was the key lime pie, which we both ordered. It was sweet and creamy but the only lime flavor was in a thin layer on top of the filling. I prefer a key lime pie to taste as though it were made from real limes; this was a pale imitation of the real thing. My companion was equally disappointed.
I will definitely go back and would like to try out the dinner menu. The ambiance was lovely, the service excellent, and the items on the menu all looked inviting. Portions were large and the prices were moderate. With the exception of the pie, I have nothing but good things to say about this restaurant!

My date for Valentine’s Day last year (2013) isn’t from the area and googled nice restaurants meriden and this was the first result. We were the last people to be seated so I knew they were going to try and rush us out because they wanted to go home, but surprisingly, the service and food was good. My date and I had already looked online to decide what we wanted so we could get in and out but they had a completely different menu. I believe I had the jumbo shrimp stuffed with crab. Our food came out relatively quick, probably because they wanted to go home. The décor was ok, it definitely had an older vibe like other commenters have mentioned. Valentine’s day this year, we did try a different place though.

Please take this review with a lethal dose of context.
Sans-​Souci is likely not worth your time if you live more than ten minutes away. Since my fiancée and I are close by, we couldn’t help but indulge our curiosity. «It’s always packed here!» Lesley Q noted as we drove in… I guess we had to find out why.
Step inside Sans-​Souci, and be instantly transported to the year 1987. Floral carpets, textured styrofoam drop ceilings, stucco on the walls, furniture older than you. Age of the average patron: I’m gonna guess about 67. Bar entertainment: an old fart playing electric piano. The prevailing smell reminded me of the nursing home my grandmother once lived in. I can see the sparks coming out of Gordon Ramsay’s ears… for the inside of this restaurant is an altogether catastrophe of unimaginable misery.
How the hell does this thing stay alive?
It has to be the food and the people. We only had drinks and dessert tonight, but maybe someday we need to have dinner. Because we had two big glasses of red wine served at cellar temperature, a seriously good Oreo Cookie Pie, and service with a smile… even from the piano player. While sitting at the bar, we saw a crown rack of lamb served to a fellow patron, and it looked absolutely spectacular.
I’ve never been so overwhelmed with cognitive dissonance upon leaving a restaurant. I’m still confused even as I write this… At the very least, Sans-​Souci has held my curiosity, and earned at least one shot at a full meal.

Chicken Marcella was very nice chicken was a bit tough though other than that food was really good the house salad was really good with the house dressing