Well the girls and I decided to go to Senti to have a little "Dames who Dine" situation going on. First: They checked out coats (in the dead of winter) which was nice, the owner took us to our seats and pulled the chairs out for us. Our waitress comes over and says "oh my god! I love your glasses". So we were off to a pretty great start. We asked what her favorite cocktail was and she said "Towering Inferno" (i think that was the name). So two of us got that, the other two ordered elderflower/rosemary/prosecco drink. She brought us a nice sized plate of bread and butter which we wolfed down in a hurry. We discussed and decided to start off with a cheese plate (if there is one thing I love it's a good cheese plate) and a meat plate that came with some pickled veggies. So we put that order in. Perused the menu a bit more and threw in our entree orders. We also decided on splitting a bottle of wine (we opted for the $40 bottle instead of the $115). Our cheese and meat plates came. No one let us know what the cheese were, but that was alright. The meat plate wasn't described too well on the menu so we were left guessing as to what things were. (Meat #1: Fancy bologna, #2: proscuitto, #3 what looked and tasted like capicola, #4 shaved beef jerky, there were some quick pickled carrot squars and some pickled onion and cauliflower (i think).) The cheese was a blue cheese, a brie, and a harder white cheese served with strawberries, some raisin/fig jam thing, grapes, and a two triangles of toasted bread. I'm not going to lie. I was really disappointed in the cheese plate (which the listed price was just market price) and the meat plate (though plentiful) was a bit disappointing too (especially for $30!). The waitress brought us some more bread, what I can i say i love a good bread and butter situation. Those that ordered side salads (Rucola: Arugula, Fennel, Dried Cranberries, Shaved Parmiggiano, and Lime & Fennel Dressing) received them and the salad was alright, it needed a PINCH more dressing and maybe some extra lime to cut the oil. It was decent though. Our table ordered the following: Filet - Served with a Horseradish Sauce, Roasted Potatoes, Fried Brussels Sprouts, and String Beans Gnocchi (with red sauce) Salmon - Honey Mustard Glazed Grilled Salmon with Haricots Verts & Buttered Red Potatoes Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragù Broccolini Sautéed with Garlic Filet (which is what I ate) - I ordered it medium rare. It came and about 1/2 of it was medium well and 1/2 was medium rare. I was a little disappointed but the crust and seasoning on the filet was spot on so it made up for it. My companions at dinner said "did you get that medium rare? It looks over cooked four you." I was okay with it. The potatoes were lacking a bit in seasoning but very crispy and delicious. The fried brussel sprouts were great (to be fair though I LOVE brussel sprouts), my dinner dates all had to try them too. The beans needed a pinch of salt and maybe a little cracked pepper but over all they were decent as well. I did not like the sauce that they THANKFULLY put on the side. It was too... something. I couldn't quite place it, but it was on the side so i didn't have to eat it. Gnocchi - My sister LOVES gnocchi, specifically Casbah's gnocchi. She said well this is an italian joint, I should get pasta. it came and it looked pretty standard. Her review is as follows: It was alright, it was your typical gnocchi, the shape of the pasta was more little tubular things than typical gnocchi. The sauce wasn't very good. It needed some more seasoning or something. It was just really bland and I was a bit disappointed. Salmon - My friend got the salmon, she didn't say too much about it. She said it was good. She cleaned her plate and seemed pretty jazzed about it. Pappardelle - My other friend didn't finish her food or the broccolini she ordered. She said it was "pretty good" and she took the leftovers for later. She had never had wild boar and decided it tasted like "regular type meat". Two of our four top ordered tiramisu. I tasted a bite of it. It looked house made, like it was cut from a big giant pan. They gave you a pretty hefty slice of it too. The tiramisu was the star of the entire dinner. They raved about how delicious it was, and to be real, it was super good. Some of the best tiramisu I've ever had. We got our bill, split it four ways, I'll take care of the meat plate I said. The wine can be split between the three checks if that's possible (it was). I got my bill, with tip... $115. (Cocktail, 1/3 wine, meat plate, salad, filet) So definitely not an everyday spot for me. I definitely do not make enough money or would want to try to justify spending that much on dinner weekly. I think when we do this again we'll pick a different restaurant that's a little more budget friendly. read more

Restaurant was woefully unprepared for the Mother's Day crowd. First, the positive. Nice decor and the food was well prepared. Squash blossoms and scallop appetizer were excellent. Pasta ragu and salmon were well done. The porchetta benedict, though flavorful, was more like shredded pork and it was dry. Desserts were ok, but a bit sweet. Unfortunately, the service was painfully slow. It was a prix fixe menu, but they did not have their act together. What I found inexcusable was when they subbed out salmon for branzino without asking. Sure, the dish was prepared well, but at this price point, once expects the courtesy of being asked. Cannot recommend this restaurant. read more

Disappointed. Food was average at best Service was sub standard. Salads never came. When we told waitress we didn't get salads she was indifferent and unapologetic. The linguine and clams was served with FIVE unopened clams (tiny) and it took a long time for the replacement (glad I didn't let her take my entire plate) again no apology. Best meal was special short ribs. Also very loud. Difficult to hear server. read more

Great, classy spot! The owner is wonderful and really makes every table feel special! We started out with salad and split an appetizer. And had pasta for the main course. The pasta was just a bit dry, so we asked olive oil on the side and ravioli was in a broth, which added an interesting flavor profile to the sweet squash filling - maybe a more hearty filing would be better in the future, as the filling was coming out into the broth, leaving just ravioli pasta. Some of the other tables had protein courses that came out, which looked really good. Looking forward to trying this spot again and seeing how they incorporate other seasonal food into classical Italian food. read more

Steak was over cooked. Food is not good and the restaurant is hard to find. The tiramisu was not properly made, and it is way too sweet. read more

Senti Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Nice atmosphere and friendly service. Outdoor seating was pleasant. Good presentation but lacking in flavor. Small portions, left still hungry. read more

The gnocchi is divine. It had a braised pork red sauce that was bursting with flavor. The drinks are expensive but creative and strong. Our server was spectacular, even with dealing with our large, loud party of 13. read more

Saturday evening and they ran out of 2 menu items. Our seats were bumped as each server passed by during the entire meal. Meals were served across our plates while we were eating. Salad lacking anything which would make it worth the price, steak the same. Trying hard to be an "upmarket" restaurant but lacking a lot of the finish and style that would make it so. Forgot, they had no sugar. Bit of a worry when a restaurant is out of sugar. Very presumptive to have your 20% already on the check .Will never return. read more

I am long overdue in submitting a review. I have lived in the neighborhood for the past 14 months (ok-they are a block from my home...) and have loved being so close by to Senti. I have lived in other cities with a great foodie scene, and I travel a fair amount for work, so I am fortunate to try different excellent restaurants. Senti is an absolute gem. They provide upscale Italian cuisine in a simple , light filled modern space. However, there is not a stuffy feel to the place. The owners set a positive tone for the restaurant: they are warm, professional, and are actively involved in the daily operations of the restaurant. The food is excellent in both quality of ingredients and presentation. The staff are knowledgeable and efficient but down to earth. I admit that I am at Senti at least once weekly and it has become one of my "go to" restaurants (along with Morcilla) for a wonderful meal (dine in, at the bar, or to go) in Lawrenceville! read more

At first I wasn't sure I was cool enough to eat at this restaurant. It's fresh modern take on food is as enticing as it is delicious. I'm so glad I decided to stick around and enjoy a wonderful meal that I will not soon forget. Well done Senti, well done! read more

Huge disappointment. We went to celebrate two birthdays and I was really looking forward to it. What a let down. The nicest thing I can say is that the food was edible. The Branzino with greens and beans was incredibly bland, as was the Osso Bucco. The lasagna was the best of the three meals that we had. The meatballs were just OK, nothing to write home about. Even the burrata, which I love, was just fair. Our waiter was about as bland as the food. The only highlight was the Hemingway drink-quite delicious and different. We won't be back. read more

A dinner date location for this past Saturday, my girlfriend and I checked out Senti on Butler Street. An okay overall experience but things just seemed to be lacking experience-wise. Location: Positioned on the main artery in Lawrenceville, Butler Street sees a fair amount of traffic but Senti does have some parking spots directly across the street in a small lot. Signage could be larger and clearer here as one could mistake this lot for a restricted area. Atmosphere: Upon entering, you will pass through grocery store style automatic stores which my date and I found odd. They are horizontal sliding doors but have the "caution" signage on the center and just set the wrong vibe upon entering. A normal glass door would've sufficed. Entering the restaurant itself there is a fairly large bar in front and to the right with modern décor. For some reason it just reminded me too much of an airport bar. The restaurant was just too small in my opinion which didn't allow you to really become enveloped in the experience, it felt like we were eating in a medium sized meeting room. Note there is seating outside. The modern décor theme continued throughout which was nice, but I noticed a button missing from the white leather bench and Command Brand-style hooks hanging from the ceiling seemingly for added décor or events. Something just struck me as off for a date-night ambiance dinner. Service: The service didn't miss however. Our hostess, runner and waitress were all very professional and well timed. Food: Pork Belly: Slightly dry for being a fattier selection of protein. I would have liked to see more rendered fat and moisture. Paired fig was too soft/overcooked Duck: I have enjoyed better duck as the fat cap here also could've been rendered a touch more which left some chewy segments. Dish also seemed somewhat cool when served. Fried kale was pleasant although could've served less on the plate. Blueberry Torta: Predictable unfortunately, the crust was a bit too dry for my liking. My date's off-menu buttercake was more satisfying. Drink: Tequila, aperol, grapefruit, sage: Packed the right punch and was nicely balanced read more

Yet another perfect experience at this lovely establishment!!! If you haven't been you simply MUST go. It's restaurant week in the burgh and though they were packed, the food was perfection and service was fantastic! The place is perfection for the nights you just need to be able to trust the chef. Clean yet inventive. I highly recommend the scallops. The wine list never disappoints. I especially love the wine bottles on tap. It's an upscale tasting room in front and restaurant in the back. The decor is clean and modern. I can't think of a better place to grab some appetizers and a glass of wine, maybe it will turn into to dinner. read more

Fantastic dining experience Great food, Halibut and Osso Bucco Great service Parking across street read more

Dined here on a Saturday afternoon with a group of 8 friends during the Pittsburgh Restaurant week. I would give the place a 3.5 Firstly, the ambience was really impressive. Large windows, clean modern interiors, white wall and modern art. The waitress was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions and took our dietary considerations into mind. When we had called, we did mention the restaurant week menu, which was a pretty simple menu: salads, entree and dessert. There were no options between them except that we could replace the kind of meat in the entree. What was not impressive was that they took forever to get our dishes to come out. Almost 30 minutes for the salad !?! Then another 20 for the entree. And the dessert took some time to come out too. Most of us were not pleased that the service was this slow, considering there were hardly any other customers in the restaurant. That being said, the food was on the impressive scale. Our salad consisted of carrots, oranges and candied pecans, and was delightful. The Farro con Scelta was good too , nothing to call out. I was looking forward to the tiramisu, but was disappointed. The restaurant week tiramisu was a much smaller version of the regular one, with much more cream, and less cake. A friend got the regular sized version and I could see the difference between the 2. Overall, this place has really good potential to up their game, and make the experience better. read more

I wanted to like this place, but I didn't. From the dry sausage, bean, and pear dressing accompanying my ok pork to the pleasant but inattentive service to the, IMHO, tacky white leather decor, I just did not enjoy it. some of the food is ok, but nothing memorable. The wine selection is nice. I left feeling annoyed, and when I finally got the waittress' s attention to get the check, was glad to close the door behind me on a totally forgettable dining experience. I will not return. read more

Short Version: this place mess up pork belly. If you are a true foodie, you know what that means. Long Version: We had to much high hope for Senti. From the online articles, reviews to friends' recommendations, we thought this would be another hit spot for us foodies in PIttsburgh. Unfortunately, it was not. While the ambience was nice and I can see the owner's visions in the settings, the food was very disappointing. First, it was not well plated: no art on the plate here :/. Second and most importantly, the food was very underwhelming. My first dish was pork belly with grilled polenta. The pork belly was clearly reheated multiple times and completed dried out and over cooked. It was chewy and hard to eat. I was impressed how much they can mess up a pork belly dish. The grill polenta was along the same scale, very dry due to multiple reheating cycles. For entree, I got their salmon dish. The salmon was good, but nothing special. They re-use the same grill polenta from the appetizer in this dish. It did not go well with the salmon, and again the polenta was very dry and clearly reheated and not made fresh. Lastly, the presentation might be one of the worse I have seen. It reminded me plates from a local diner at 11pm. Overall, for the price of the food, I definitely would not recommend this restaurant. Try Cure down the street or Spoon in east liberty. There are so many good restaurants in the city at this or a lower price level. read more

We found Senti through the Burgh Bits and Bites food tour. It was our second stop on the tour and my friends and I were so impressed, we made reservations for dinner on our way out the door from the tasting. During the tour, we sampled a small tasting of their gnocchi. Though it was the smallest of all the tastings we had during the tour, it was one of the best. Handmade gnocchi really stands out. I've had it many places and this was one of the best I have tasted. During the tour, the owner also came out to talk to us and tell us about the restaurant and the food. (He explained the secret behind good gnocchi, too!). I found this to be a very nice touch. He noted their automated wine dispenser, which we were all impressed by and wanted to give a try. Our dinner was lovely. The owner remembered us from the tour and took very good care of us. I tried their lemon burrata ravioli which was incredibly delicious. I also had the salmon which was not only a generous portion but also one the best salmon dishes I have tasted at a restaurant in a long time. We did try the automated wine dispenser and found it to be an added bit of fun to our night there. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for authentic Italian food, handmade pasta, and/or good wine. read more

Senti Senti Senti. Never have I been dissappointed here. A great operation with fresh amazing food. Great wine great drinks and a great owner. Celebrated a birthday with friends last night. This place is one of my favorites. Lasagna, Pork Osso Bucco. Tiramisu cocktails great bottle of sparkling Lambrusco. And a complimentary champagne for us. Great evening read more

WOW!!! Want to get screwed? Go to Senti in Lawrenceville. Yup, food was ok, but do you really want to pay $28.00 for a 5 oz. glass of wine? Really, a mixed drink for $12, and without any warning, the bill comes to the table. $28.00 for a 5 oz. glass of wine. A bottle that we can buy at the PA state store. Guys, there are tons of great Italian restaurants in Pittsburgh. You don't have to go to Senti. read more

Food was just ok, but the service was really terrible. Wouldn't go back for that reason. The waiter seemed totally overwhelmed but we had to ask for things like water and pepper repeatedly. The table beside us was there definitely before us and we were done eating our dinner and they were literally having to ask where their food was. No drink refills, no alcohol refill offers and we were not offered desert. Food was fine but too bland to put up with the bad service again. read more

Our first experience at Senti was excellent. Both our dishes were well prepared, service was attentive but not intrusive. Atmosphere is sophisticated but price is reasonable for the quality. This is a very good modern Italian restaurant. read more

I can't say enough good things about Senti, the staff and the owners. We recently hosted a luncheon for 10 and everyone was so accommodating, patient and kind. The food was fabulous from the delicious focaccia to the arugula salad to the pasta. Senti is a special place and one where we will surely be back to enjoy many more meals. My very greatest thanks and highest recommendations! read more

What a wonderful restaurant! We had lunch there on Saturday, December 14th to celebrate a graduation. It could not have been more perfect! Learned about this restaurant while on a "Burgh Bits and Bites" tour of Lawrenceville in November. Decided to dine at the restaurant to celebrate a college graduation. The food was delicious, the service great and the owner so kind and attentive. Delicious bread, salad, soups, cocktails, wines and pastas! We look forward to enjoying dinner there soon! Cannot recommend this lovely restaurant more highly. Love the décor and the interesting art work as well! read more

Went here for dinner last night with a friend. I loved the atmosphere. It's decorated chic and modern but, had a more casual vibe to it which I liked. You could wear a dress or nice jeans if you wanted. The prices are reasonable for the area it's located in and for how nice it is on the inside. Entrees ranged from $18-$25. The only thing negative I would say is it seemed like a smaller menu with maybe 6 entrees to pick from. Although sometimes I find it nice to not have so many choices. Overall I would definitely go back. For $43 plus tip I got a salad, entree, glass of wine, and dessert. read more

Second time around... So I love the decor. So nice, clean and modern. The owner was walking around and helping out and was really nice and professional. Kudos to him. The server was young and nice but didn't explain the specials well. Every time he came over it was just awkward. Pricing is weird. Salads are almost the same price as the pasta. And the meals are double the pasta. Lasagna was way way overlooked and mushie. But had a nice béchamel. Skipped deserts for the night. read more

Had been wanting to try Senti for a while after reading an article in the Trib. We went on a Saturday night with four other couples and had a great meal. The decor was nice - clean and modern. My wife and I both had the scallops special which was awesome. A good portion and very filling. Others in the group had the roast pork, linguine, and probably something else that I am forgetting. Everyone was very happy with the food - both quantity and quality. We skipped dessert but regretted it after seeing what others in the group ordered. Luckily they offered us a bite... Amazing. We were a little concerned about service because most of the servers we saw looked pretty young but service turned out to be excellent. I would give Senti a very high rating all around and would definitely recommend it. We'll be back for sure. read more

Dinner was fine, but as another reviewer wrote, a forgettable meal. I don't see any reason to have a return visit. We ordered all the specials: beef carpaccio and goat cheese tart for apps, and the lamb and scallops for mains. The beef carpaccio was on the tasteless side and the goat cheese tart was unremarkable. The lamb and the scallops were cooked perfectly, but again the dish was just fine, nothing memorable about it. The descriptions for all of the dishes sounded much more impressive than the actual meal. The one thing I did like quite a lot was the dessert. We got the tiramisu and the nutella mousse. Both were delicious! So if you go, definitely leave room for dessert. We ate inside, but the outdoor patio looks quite nice. And they seem to have a happy hour deal during the week that a drink comes with a free antipasta. The space is large, and actually felt very un-pittsburgh to me, but I couldn't place why. read more

This is a interesting restaurant with a modern flair that is well worth a visit. Service staff was competent, pleasant, and a little offbeat, which was fine with me. I liked that they had interesting cocktail specials (all involving blood orange flavor the night we visited). The pasta was definitely good, but not great, which some 5-star reviews have suggested. It's not like eating in Italy, but the recipes have interesting twists. Recommend the tagliatelli puttanesca which was soft, rich, and delivered the right level of puttanesca spiciness. Desserts were similarly good. What I liked most about this restaurant was the value of a gourmet experience and the laid back atmosphere. It's classy, but not stuffy. One feels welcome to linger and enjoy the whole meal. read more

Had a nice dinner. Excellent food with attentive waitstaff. Would defiantly recommend it and would go again. Highlights were the fish special, lasagna and lemon dessert. read more

We had the most wonderful time at Senti!! It's a beautiful place - bright and modern but also warm and homey. Creative and delicious drinks at the bar. The owner was so kind and greeted us, walked us to our table. The customers were mostly regulars, which is a great sign. Quality of the food was exceptional!!! Atmosphere and people/staff just as great! We will be back! read more

I very rarely have time for lunch. So I was excited to meet my wife out for a rare mid day date. Senti was the place, contemporary, bright and cheerful. My server was delightful and attentive. It was a Friday during lent so I was pleased to find fish on the menu. My wife had the salmon salad and I had the salmon entree. The fish was cooked perfectly and seasoned in a way that astonished me. Probably the best piece of salmon I ever had. Bravo, and Keep up the great work. I cant wait to see what the chef will come up with in the future. read more

We had excellent service and the food was really great! The bread was awesome. Who doesn't love complimentary bread? It's made in shop and you can order some for take home as well. Ordered the veggie lasagna and the salmon. Both excellent. The tiramisu is literally best I've ever eaten. Apple tart was the only thing that was blah. Otherwise we will be back. read more

Ate here last night for the first time. The food presentation was nice, but was a bit bland. Tiramisu was very good.

I'll start with the good: the server was friendly and accommodating, my cocktail was phenomenal, and the polenta that came with the pork shoulder was delicious. Perhaps this was an off-night but it left me disappointed and wanting to never return; the brussel sprouts had no seasoning (no salt at all), the "valentine's day" appetizer was pathetic, and worst of all were the meatballs. I assume the brussel sprouts were par-boiled and tossed in lardons until lightly charred. $9 for these sprouts is offensive to say, the least. The appetizer was meant to be a modern take on an Italian charcuterie board with 3 dippings sauce: one was tasty, one was lazy, and one was convoluted. The sauce that stumped me was a mixture of dark chocolate and grain mustard -- my taste buds never knew what to make of it. Finally, the meatballs and accompanying sauce were akin to a can of Chef Boyardee. The meatballs were overcooked golf balls that couldn't have been more than ground beef and a teaspoon of pepper. The sauce was a punch sweetness that lacked any component of traditional Italian cooking: oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, etc. I made a reservation here because I read and heard phenomenal reviews. This experience wasn't all-for-not, I, at the least, can check this restaurant off my checklist and never return to it. read more

I went tonight, and a wonderful time. The decor is one that is very modern, comfortable and very inviting. Being a very selective eater the waitress really made the meal a great experience. From the wine selection to the food everything I tried was a delightful especially the coffee pudding. You truly get the experience of higher class dining from the ambiance to the quality of food but at a fraction of the price. This restaurant is just a wonderful addition to Pittsburgh. read more

In summary: The food was delicious, but not sure that it warranted the price tag. My boyfriend and I each ordered a glass of wine and an entree and we shared a cheese plate as an appetizer. The cheese plate was extremely delicious. The wine and entrees were good, but nothing too memorable. Surprisingly, the complimentary bread they served was phenomenal. The atmosphere and service were really good, although we were definitely the youngest people in the restaurant by a decade or two. We probably won't go back solely based on the price. For $55 a person, you can get a much more memorable Italian meal elsewhere in Pittsburgh. read more

Very good selection of cocktails and wine. Accommodating vegetarians needs. The gnocchi, cheese plate and Tiramisu are excellent

Just had a fabulous meal! With lovely service! They were very accommodating to our party of 8 for a last min change of plans to go. We enjoyed the lovely weather as we sat on their patio and each had such great appetizers, dinners, drinks, and desserts! read more

Senti ownership deserves only 1 star, but the extra star is for the chef because the food is truly delicious. I have been twice, once with my wife and another couple and a second time with a group of 5 other friends. The first time, it took over 45 minutes for us to be seated against a reservation for which we were on time. The manager did buy as an appetizer and round of drinks but when we sat down the service remained extremely slow. However, the quality of food and manager's response to our long wait time drove me to giving Senti a second chance. When dining with a group of 5 friends, we were sat on time (it was a Tuesday). The process from the time we sat down until departing the restaurant was 2.5 grueling long hours. We enjoyed ourselves and filled the long periods of time where we were waiting to order, waiting for our food or waiting for a drink with fun and entertaining conversation. However, by the time we found ourselves waiting again for the bill, we all looked at each other thinking "let's get the heck out of this place and never come back." I am a pay for performance tipper with a range from 10% if you are a complete disaster to 35% for an amazing experience with a standard average of 20%. I was even more annoyed when an 18% gratuity was added because there were 6 of us and I did not get my opportunity to express my discontent via what would have likely been a 10-12% tip, so thanks to Yelp for helping me to express myself. read more