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✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in
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Sugo Italian Steakhouse was created from the love of a New York upbringing and Italian Cuisine. We have always had a tradition with a group of friends to get together monthly for what we call family dinner, you can guess that our most treasured nights would include chicken parmigiana, Vodka Rigatoni, or Mushroom Risotto. Our dear friend perfected many Italian dishes, but the perfect Sugo, aka sauce was the nucleus! We convinced him to share his recipe and we knew when we imagined Sugo, his sauce would be the foundation for our creation. We are excited to share the cuisine that has warmed our bellies and souls for years. Our family is yours, come join us!
Address and Contact Information
Address: within the Hotel Ballast, 301 N Water St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Phone: (910) 834-5960
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Reviews
Simone Hinzo
We visited on a busy Saturday night (2/07.) We had a reservation for 8:15, arrived around 8pm, and the host let us know our table would be ready closer to our reserved time and we could go to the bar if we wanted. Although it was crowded and busy, everyone was kind and courteous. I checked my coat and we made our way to the bar. The bar and waiting area were full, and the manager noticed us and said we could order through a QR code if we wanted to. My husband is disabled, on a cane, and needed a place to sit. The small waiting area was packed, so we made our way out to the hotel lobby until our reservation time. The Carolina Jazz Fest was going on at the Hotel Ballast that same weekend and there were lots of other visitors. Our server was Ben and his service was immaculate! He made personal recommendations, made sure our requests were handled, and answered all of our questions with the utmost professionalism and grace. Thank you Ben and staff of Sugo for making our 16th Anniversary dinner a truly memorable one! I highly recommend the calamari as a starter and definitely request Ben as your server.
… moreBrittany T
We celebrated my father’s birthday here, and everything was wonderful. The food was amazing, and the service was truly phenomenal. It’s definitely better to visit during the week. They offer free valet parking, and the restaurant is just a short walk from the drop-off point. Plus, the hotel lobby smelled incredible.
Overall, one of the best fine-dining restaurants in North Carolina.
My only critique is that I prefer to pack my own leftovers rather than having the waitstaff do it.
… moreOverall, one of the best fine-dining restaurants in North Carolina.
My only critique is that I prefer to pack my own leftovers rather than having the waitstaff do it.
Lauren Repmann
My husband and I had an amazing dinner at Sugo! The service is great, the atmosphere is cozy and inviting. The food was wonderful. We were especially impressed by the foccacia bread appetizer and the butternut squash casserole side. Highly recommend!
… morejacob lannon
**** in depth review****
All in all we decided to give this restaurant a 6/10
I want to start out by saying the service here was phenomenal, the hostess’s were really welcoming and took us to an awesome balcony while we were waiting to be sat. Our Server was attentive and really helpful. 10/10 on the service and atmosphere.
Where this place fell a little short in our eyes was the food, everything tasted good, but the meal itself just didn’t taste that fresh… here’s what we ordered:
Starters:
Caesar salad
Focaccia
Risotto balls
Mains:
Petite Fillet (Medium well
Dry aged Boneless ribeye (medium)
Brussel sprouts
Dessert:
Tiramisu
Donuts
Caesar: the dressing on the Caesar was great – this was a good salad but it has so much dressing on it the thing was basically swimming, I would recommend light dressing but for this reason I give it a 7.5/10
The risotto balls: they were really good, no notes there 10/10. But fried.
The focaccia: this tasted really good but we were expecting fresh bread this was pan seared in a ton of butter. So it tasted great because what doesn’t when it seared in butter but it was really heavy. 7/10 it was like eating a piece of Texas toast, this was not focaccia…
And here’s where it gets hard to rate the restaurant. Because all the dishes above were really good but the risotto is obviously fried, the focaccia was seared in butter, and the salad was drenched in dressing. So the appetizers were really heavy and filling but tasted good.
The steaks were solid, both cooked well and the quality was good. Just coated heavily in butter.
The Brussels sprouts were good but coated in so much honey vinaigrette that it was really really sweet and also heavy, you couldn’t taste the Brussel sprout and it was just heavy. 6/10
The donut dessert was delicious, but guess what? Also fried.
The tiramisu, was good but not enough espresso flavor, tasted like it was made with coffee liquor instead of espresso. It was still good but 7/10.
So all in all, the food was good but we felt like everything was fried, or soaked in butter. So it all tasted good but we left the meal feeling like nothing we had at all was fresh tasting because of the insane amount of butter and oils that were consumed. For that the restaurant is getting a 6
For what you’re paying I just expected a a better culinary experience, opposed to just soaking everything in butter… the dishes were not balanced just heavy. This was disappointing from what would be considered a higher end restaurant for the area.
… moreAll in all we decided to give this restaurant a 6/10
I want to start out by saying the service here was phenomenal, the hostess’s were really welcoming and took us to an awesome balcony while we were waiting to be sat. Our Server was attentive and really helpful. 10/10 on the service and atmosphere.
Where this place fell a little short in our eyes was the food, everything tasted good, but the meal itself just didn’t taste that fresh… here’s what we ordered:
Starters:
Caesar salad
Focaccia
Risotto balls
Mains:
Petite Fillet (Medium well
Dry aged Boneless ribeye (medium)
Brussel sprouts
Dessert:
Tiramisu
Donuts
Caesar: the dressing on the Caesar was great – this was a good salad but it has so much dressing on it the thing was basically swimming, I would recommend light dressing but for this reason I give it a 7.5/10
The risotto balls: they were really good, no notes there 10/10. But fried.
The focaccia: this tasted really good but we were expecting fresh bread this was pan seared in a ton of butter. So it tasted great because what doesn’t when it seared in butter but it was really heavy. 7/10 it was like eating a piece of Texas toast, this was not focaccia…
And here’s where it gets hard to rate the restaurant. Because all the dishes above were really good but the risotto is obviously fried, the focaccia was seared in butter, and the salad was drenched in dressing. So the appetizers were really heavy and filling but tasted good.
The steaks were solid, both cooked well and the quality was good. Just coated heavily in butter.
The Brussels sprouts were good but coated in so much honey vinaigrette that it was really really sweet and also heavy, you couldn’t taste the Brussel sprout and it was just heavy. 6/10
The donut dessert was delicious, but guess what? Also fried.
The tiramisu, was good but not enough espresso flavor, tasted like it was made with coffee liquor instead of espresso. It was still good but 7/10.
So all in all, the food was good but we felt like everything was fried, or soaked in butter. So it all tasted good but we left the meal feeling like nothing we had at all was fresh tasting because of the insane amount of butter and oils that were consumed. For that the restaurant is getting a 6
For what you’re paying I just expected a a better culinary experience, opposed to just soaking everything in butter… the dishes were not balanced just heavy. This was disappointing from what would be considered a higher end restaurant for the area.
Brooke Graz
Had a lovely dinner on Friday night celebrating a friend’s birthday! The biggest highlight was the service, Olivia was so sweet and attentive! Best service I’ve had in a long time. We enjoyed our food very much and the portions were surprisingly huge. We never felt rushed or like we were waiting long! The stand out dishes to us were the short rib, ala vodka sugo style, and arancini! I can’t say it’s the best Italians food I’ve had but that could just be because I’m Italian and am spoiled when it comes to Italian food. This was some of the better Italian food I’ve had in Wilmington though! We will be back!
… moreNicole Sanders
Sugo is such a wonderful dining spot and always a great experience. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with a cozy, comfortable vibe that makes it perfect for anything from a casual dinner to a special night out.
The food is consistently delicious and full of authentic flavor. You can tell everything is made with care, and the menu offers a great variety of classic Italian dishes. From the pastas to the sauces to the desserts, everything feels fresh, homemade, and high quality.
The service is friendly and attentive, and the staff always makes you feel welcome and well taken care of. It’s the kind of restaurant where you can relax, enjoy a great meal, and never feel rushed.
Sugo has become one of our favorite places to eat, and we look forward to going back again and again. Highly recommend for anyone who loves great Italian food in a lovely setting!
… moreThe food is consistently delicious and full of authentic flavor. You can tell everything is made with care, and the menu offers a great variety of classic Italian dishes. From the pastas to the sauces to the desserts, everything feels fresh, homemade, and high quality.
The service is friendly and attentive, and the staff always makes you feel welcome and well taken care of. It’s the kind of restaurant where you can relax, enjoy a great meal, and never feel rushed.
Sugo has become one of our favorite places to eat, and we look forward to going back again and again. Highly recommend for anyone who loves great Italian food in a lovely setting!
Crystal Powell
My husband and I went to Sugo for the very 1st time in December 2025 to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary. I can not say enough great things about the entire experience! From the time of arrival until we departed. The staff and service was impeccable, the food was great and the establishment was absolutely wonderful, cozy, romantic and inviting! It was such a great experience!
… moreMJ Worldwide
I had really high hopes for this restaurant, but unfortunately, I was let down. Once we arrived, we were promptly seated, which was great. We brought our great Uncle, who is a bit older, and as the waiter started going over the specials, he felt the need to yell. We had actually already made our decisions on what we wanted and did not need the extremely disruptive tone. It was actually unnecessary. Later in the meal, the waiter bumped my brother in the head with a tray. And as we were having dessert, a waiter at the table to our side, dropped a glass at my brother and my feet. Despite the hiccups, the food was good, but no actions were taken to try and make up for the major disruptions to the meal. We spent over $450. I would have appreciated some sort of corrective actions, but none were taken. I will not recommend.
… moreRob Longo
Located in the Hotel Ballast, Sugo is a fine Italian Restaurant. There are several dining areas. I sat in the dining area facing the Cape Fear River and caught a beautiful sunset. The servings are generous. I had the Ceasar Sald and Calamari with Marinara Sauce and Italian Chimichurri. It was a meal! My server, Joseph W. was attentive and informative. Will be back to enjoy their delicious food.
… moreSean Roe
This restaurant exceeded our expectations! We reserved the private room downstairs at Sugo for our company Christmas party of 20 people. From the start Lauren was absolutely amazing. She helped plan the menu and made special requests. The staff was on top of everything and the room was amazing! We didn’t get many pictures, but we tried pretty much everything on the menu. The highlights were the veal milanese and ALL the desserts! Fair warning the veal is served pretty spicy, but 100% worth it. We 100% will be back.
… more