Today was the first time my family and I visited Salvatores. The manager, the waitress and the staff in general were great overall. The food was a different story. I had the stuffed chicken parmesan it was ok - the rigatoni with this entree was more than al-dente. My husband had the haddock which was bland but the real turn off was what happened to my adult son's meal. He had the chicken risotto which had two pieces of plastic in his meal. The dinner was a bust after that and none of us could complete our meal let alone take it home. Ellen W.
(2)
Angela F.
My daughter and I went to Salvatore's last night before seeing Phantom of the Opera at the Opera House, which is located right next door. Also, when I made the dinner reservation, I placed in the comments that we were celebrating my daughter's birthday. When we arrived 10 minutes after our reservation time, the table was not set up and we had to stand and wait until they set it up. After finally sitting down, it took almost 15 minutes for anyone to come over and acknowledge us. When the waiter did, he was barely audible, didn't introduce himself and then had to find silverware for us to use, since they had forgotten to do that when they set the table. It took another 10 minutes for the waiter to come back to us, take our drink and food order. No one ever acknowledged or mentioned my daughter's special occasion. Our food was less than underwhelming. The ladies room had no paper towels and the hand dryer was broken. This place needs better management and much better wait staff. We won't be going there again any time soon before a theatre or for any other reason, although we do like the Salvatore's in Medford Square.
(2)
Kristin L.
Went in after the Nutcracker Matinee with four people, two adults, two children ages 8 and 9. Said there where four people in our party and asked if we could have a booth the place was totally empty. The hostess looked over her reservation book and told us we could have a booth but we would have to be out by 4:45 because they where all reserved for dinner... it was 4:00! I said your telling us we can sit but we have to be out by a certain time, there's no one here! She replied yes! I said NO THANKS we'll take out business else where. We ended up going to The Artisan Bistro in the Ritz which was fabulous and walked by Salvatores on our way back to our car at 6:00 and it was still completely empty!! I guess there booth reservations for 4:45 didn't show up - this place is AWFUL!!
(1)
Peter K.
Went in for a few drinks with a couple of friends. We went in on an off peak time so our service was impeccable. The food was so-so, but the waiter was hilarious and very engaging. I dont remember his name but he was bald and had a very monotonous tone. He basically made our evening as he kept the comedy going. He felt out our mood and went along with it. He didnt overserve us, nor underserve us. As he kept it professional, he kept it casual as well. We had time to kill so we ended up having 2 entrees over the course of 3 hours...I had the sicilian sandwich was fantastic, but my friends just had chicken alfredo. I tried theirs and it was pretty good but the menu was very basic and nothing special. However, our service was excellent. Good job! I think the guys name was steven. He adapted to the situation and I assume he adapts to each and every guest's needs.
(4)
Steve W.
Service is inattentive and food is average. Two of us were there for dinner on Saturday January 21. We walked in and there was a short wait. Host staff were very polite and friendly. Server came by quite quickly and we weren't ready for drinks and asked him to come back in a minute. A minute turned into 5 before we saw him again. Drinks and app came out. The calamari was ok - not enough marinara sauce but we didn't see our server to ask for more. The burger came, the bun and burger were really dry. I used all my ketchup to add some moisture to it. Our server never checked on us to see how our meal was - I had to flag him down for more ketchup and it took 5 minutes to bring it. Overall, nice location but I won't be back.
(2)
Lisa P.
Just went for drinks a couple of times while visiting Boston. The bar is beautiful and the service was very good. A very convenient choice if you're in the theatre district or Downtown Crossing. Would recommend it.
(4)
Kristin B.
Good food, reasonably priced and a nice addition to the neighborhood. If you like buffalo style chicken wings, my husband highly recommends the buffalo pizza.
(4)
Jillian T.
Extremely affordable, great atmosphere, and the service has never disappointed. Jacqueline (behind the bar) is lovely! Eat the pizza!! If you're going to the theater, come here first!
(5)
Chupacabra X.
Overall, mostly good experiences. I go here for primarily price/convenience/not wanting to walk very far: if I have time, I usually go to nearby options instead, like Rock Bottom or Vapiano's that have better food for similar prices. The burger and steak tips are good lunch deals. Really enjoyed the combination of flavors on the burger and the steak tips have a great marinade. The haddock is also good, although portion size varies quite a bit visit-to-visit. Scallops limoncello and gnocchi appetizers were excellent, and the calamari was good, although it could have used more calamari and fewer pepper rings. One issue I had is with the lunch soup- $8 dollars for a bowl of average minestrone seems excessive given that steak tips are only $10 on their lunch menu, and I can get a bowl of world-class chowder at Legal's for $6.95! The fact that the soup is the only item on the menu for which the price isn't listed made me feel a little swindled (it's my fault for ordering soup without confirming the price, but I wasn't expecting more than $4-5 given the low prices on the rest of the menu!)
(4)
A K.
Really like this place. The service was wonderful. The ambience is pretty nice, but not too stuffy since they have a couple of TVs showing sports. Classy Bostonesque. Everything we had here was quite unique and excellent. We had the mussels appetizers which were really great. My husband had the gorgonzola steak with port wine sauce, which was astounding, and I had the sirloin steak with fig sauce which was also excellent. Both came with well grilled asparagus and finely herbed potatoes. I would definitely recommend this place. And it's in a great location, so you can go elsewhere, such as Max and Dylan's, afterwards =)
(5)
Bubba B.
I have eaten there about four times now, both take-out and dine-in. Food is excellent and the servers are very attentive and pleasant. The chicken parmigiana is "to die for". Restaurant itself is fairly small with a large bar area with numerous flat screens...
(5)
Janak S.
Dropped in for some drinks one night. The place closes early (11pm) so it's more of a restaurant then a bar where you can go for drinks. The decor is beautiful and chairs were nice and comfy.
It happens rarely that a restaurant/bar motivates me enough to write a review very soon after visiting it. This place, mind you, has two most important things wrong - quality of food and quality of service. It has one thing right - location. After being seated, no waiter seemed to notice my company and I, even though it was a slow Thursday evening. After about ten minutes of waiting and looking at casually strolling around wait staff, we sat at the bar and ordered a couple of beers. The bartender spilled a part of one on the counter, and rather than wiping the now wet glass, simply topped it off. It then took forever before we were able to order food. This is not an Italian restaurant - I should have known when the bartender wasn't able to pronounce Gnocchi correctly. The gnocchi was dry; the sauce was rancid, thin and sour. There was no seasoning to be detected. My friend's burger bun was semi-dry, the fries lukewarm. Will not be going back.
(2)
kris n.
I have been three times for lunch as we work nearby. I have liked the food each time. Service was ok the first two times but this most recent we had an excellent waiter. I'm a fan.
(4)
Ilana H.
Went to Salvatore's last Friday night with a friend. We have both worked in the industry for years so we are normally very forgiving when it comes to service. When we got there there was about a 1/2 hour wait, the host staff was very nice and took our number so they could text us when we had a table which was very helpful. Wait time was accurate, and about a half hour later we got sat in the bar area. The server came over right away for drink orders, which were then brought out in cute little mini shakers. This would all have been fine if the bar hadn't messed up and made one of their own cocktails with the wrong base liquor. I had ordered a drink that was supposed to be made with Hendrick's and it was made with vodka. Quite a difference. We ordered a couple of apps which were quite good, but our apps came out before the bread. The server checked on us when the apps were dropped and said she would bring bread by in just a moment. We then watched her talk to someone for almost 10 minutes right next to our table. When we asked her about the bread after she was done talking she flippantly replied that she was on her way to get it. For the rest of the meal she was barely around and everything she said was said with attitude. She didn't clear our empty app plates when she dropped our entrees and we noticed a table near by sit with dirty dessert dishes for over 20 minutes. That all being said, the food was amazing! Unfortunately due to the service we won't be recommending Salvatore's to friends any time soon.
(2)
Bob D.
I ordered takeout and sat at the bar. While I was waiting I ordered a grappa. The bartender succeeded in lowering my expectations drastically when he told me that they did not have any grappa in the house. When I got back to the hotel there was no dressing for the salad. This was extremely frustrating. We called the restaurant and they sent someone over with some dressing. The food was acceptable but mediocre at best.
(2)
S O.
Great gluten free menu and food. Luscious pastas including fra diavlo and bolognese gluten free!!!! Plus gluten free fried calamari that looks, smells and tastes like it's supposed to!!! Plus right next to opera house - perfect for pre or post theater dining. Loved it!!!
(5)
N. Z.
First time there, over the top prosciutto and Barrette cheese, great presentation, pairing and portion, affordable drinks. pre-Theater
(4)
Ame k.
The service is quite disappointing for some reason I thought where they located, they should know how to treat a guest. The pasta was under cooked, and they fried the calamari with the jalapeno all together which made it tasted blend.
(3)
Elisa C.
Came by on a Saturday night with my boyfriend and father around 8:30 and we were quickly seated by the hostess. Our waiter, John, was friendly, polite, and attentive. He started us with water and complimentary bread with olive oil and vinegar. I absolutely loved it! Bread was soft, even though I thought it was going to be dry and stale. The vinegar is a nice touch. For appetizers, we had the Calamari Fritti and the Baked Meatballs. The calamari was a good mix of rings and tentacles, very light and the tartar sauce had a good tang from the banana peppers. There were three meatballs, which meant one for each of us and the tomato sauce was standard, but the meatballs itself was a little salty. My main course was the shrimp and scallop fa diavolo, and it didn't disappoint. Portions matched up to those at the Cheesecake Factory and it tasted fantastic. Not to mention the scallops were huge! The boyfriend got the steak tips and pops got the linguine & clams. All three dishes were filling and tasty. To wrap up the meal, we ordered dessert! One slice of the chocolate cake and one alive of the tiramisu. Let's just say both were decadent and I was hitting the food coma stage immediately afterward. I'm coming back for sure, maybe for a date night next time! Service: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Food: 4/5 Overall: 4.5/5
(4)
Ben S.
The food was the saving grace of this restaurant. Perhaps this was just an out of ordinary night for the restaurant but we were met with mistake after mistake through our meal. My girlfriends soda was flat, and it took about 30 mins to get a new one. They didn't give us the complimentary bread until we asked when our meals arrived. They forgot to put feta on our feta and watermelon salad (seems like an important ingredient for something that's only 2 ingredients..) HOWEVER, the staff was friendly and the food was really amazing. If the consistent mess ups hadn't happened I would give this experience 4 stars.
(3)
Jessica O.
Ate lunch here because this restaurant is next to the opera house. It was not crowed so our service was fast and friendly. I ordered the scallops limoncello as an appetizer and they were cooked to perfection only negative was that it was only 4 scallops. I also had the bbq chicken pizza . Overall I was pleased with the service , food and the drinks.
(4)
Dave B.
Salvatore's was really good. My wife had the Gnocchi which was fantastic. I had the Pappardelle Bolognese which was also good (Gnocchi was better). The Burrata & Prosciutto appy was also good, not too bland. Staff were friendly and prompt. Atmosphere was good. An enjoyable evening!
(4)
David T.
Renaming Salvatore's Slowvatore's. Took ten minutes for water. Ten minutes for a menu. I'm alone at the bar just having lunch... Over an hour for my food. Ridiculous. Oh ordered sparkling water and the server brought me a one liter bottle of Pellegrino--yeahhhhh not going to be able to drink that much water.
(2)
Leah M.
If I had a reviewed Salvatore's the first time I came in with my fiance, I would've given them five stars - the macaroni and cheese (cheese tortellini, pancetta, alfredo, fresh mozzarella, ritz cracker crumbs) was to die for, the garlic bread was amazing, and my fiance loved his chicken parm, and finally, my shrimp and scallop fra diavolo came out delicious and as described on the menu and was very tasty). If I had reviewed them when I came the second time I would've given them four stars. We waited over an hour for our food to come out on a slow night - my fiance got a steak and I ordered the same pasta dish but this time, they'd run out of the pasta it was meant to go with and made a replacement that didn't match the dish quite as well without telling me first... but pasta is pasta, and I could deal. Our server was wonderful. Last night was our third time going and while our server was great, the food was a huge disappointment. We came specifically for the mac and cheese we've grown to love - the menu had been altered slightly to include lobster in place of pancetta which we asked be taken out, as my fiance is allergic - and ordered garlic bread, linguine and meatballs (My usual shrimp and scallop dish had been taken off the menu), and arancini. The mac and cheese was NOT what was remotely described on the menu. It was gemelli pasta with alfredo sauce. Thats it. The sauce was soupy and didn't stick to the pasta at all. The garlic bread seems to have changed as well into a plain piece of italian bread with an overly sweet, not actual cheese thing on top. The bread was burnt and the cheese was thick, sweet, and congealed. The arancini was alright but certainly not the best I've ever had. My linguine and meatballs... was the kicker. It came out fine - the pasta looked fine. The meatballs were huge and I had high hopes. And then I cut into one and gave it a shot - it was dry and tasted like cardboard. I gave one to my fiance to try, as he'll eat almost any kind of meat, but he couldn't even eat it. A few minutes after I got over my disappointment and figured I would just eat the linguine, I noticed someone come up from the basement with a huge plastic bag of frozen meatballs labelled "ITALIAN MEATBALLS" .... great. After that, I ate a little bit more of my pasta, but I was so over the experience I just wanted to leave. I am ONLY giving them two stars because my servers have only been delightful people... but if you want decent Italian food, stay away. Salvatores used to be great, but it seems like they're cutting corners buy getting cheap, not fresh ingredients, and failing to stick to their own menu, but still charging ridiculous prices. At the rate they're going, they may as well convert into an Italian fast food joint instead of trying to be a higher end restaurant in the theatre district. We won't be back.
(2)
Becca P.
Came here for lunch yesterday since I got a really good deal on Gilt City ($15 for $50). My sister got the steak tips which were good though it tasted like the Chinese Beef Teriyaki on the skewers. Then I got the Steak Frites and cabernet. The steak was decent but not worth $26. The mushroom sauce was good. Both steak dishes were well seasoned. Both dishes came with fries and cole slaw. The Cole slaw was really good. Not watery. The fries were skinny like McDonald's fries with potato skin on. They were good but I wish it was a bit more crunchy. For dessert, we got the tiramisu. It had the right mix of espresso, cream and chocolate. I wish it was a little lighter. My sister liked it though. All their desserts are $8. Overall, not bad. Would I come back? Yes, if I had a deal otherwise no.
(3)
Vivian C.
Their Off the Grid Monday promotion has morphed somewhat to cover a few days stretch. I think it is now Monday through Wednesday, but don't quote me on that. My takeaway from this most recent interaction with Salvatore's is to check your take-out order before you go. First I realized that the bread I had asked for was MIA. Then as I waited, I shook my entree container (BRAISED LAMB $32 - 2 pound american lamb shank, local butternut squash puree, red wine thyme pan sauce), and asked, where's the butternut squash? They shook it as well, but then a fella from the kitchen said it should be in a second box and went to get it. I did, however, get my scallop appetizer (SCALLOPS LIMONCELLO* $14 - pan seared, limoncello cream sauce), which was a count of four pieces looking rather forlorn in the sizeable container, swimming in a luscious creamy lemon sauce. As well as the extra order of green beans $4, which surprised me by arriving accompanied by some thick sliced potatoes. The potatoes were great! But the beans were undercooked by a long shot. The lamb came nearly boneless and drenched in a sauce, flavorful and tender. The cubed butternut squash was quite nice - perhaps my favorite part of the meal after the delicious lemon sauce of the scallop.
(3)
Lindsey M.
This Salvatore's location was not great and we were disappointed in our meals. We came on a Saturday night around 7:00pm and wanted to grab a few seats at the bar. Since all seats were full we waited behind the bar stools to grab a glass of wine while we waited for a few bar stools to open up. The bartenders never acknowledged us and we never got a drink even after 10 minutes of waiting. I've never seen bartenders not reach out to people staring at them. Maybe I should of yelled?! Finally two seats open up at the bar so we jump in on them. We were promptly greeted by our bartender and given menus. Another 10 minutes goes by and no one comes back to take a drink order. At this point I am just feeling like they do not want to serve us or get us a drink, I felt like I was an annoyance....it was just odd. Finally the bartender comes back over, is very cheerful and asks if we wanted to put in a drink order. Yes!!! We also gave him our full order to avoid another wait. We started with the Arancini's. I bit into the first one and started chewing, the rice was crunchy. I thought maybe that I got a bad one, so I split the second arancini in half...again crunchy rice...how do you not cook the rice all the way? Everything else about them was very good, but cook your rice! Also for the size of these and quantity (3), these are not worth the $10 price tag attached to them, $3.33 for 1 uncooked rice ball that is smaller than a golf ball? For our main meal we got the pizza, which was great. The crust was great and super crispy. They have a fabulous pizza oven here! Tip: If you are coming here on the weekend, arrive just at 7:30pm. This is the time when the bar/restaurant patrons clear out to attend the shows next door.
(2)
Dana S.
Was so disappointed in this place. we made a reservation for 7:30, and didn't need one as the restaurant was dead (should have been the first sign). It was weirdly bright inside...the ambiance felt strange. We got calamari for an appetizer. It was completely overbreaded and could have been any variety of fried food as I could not taste the fish at all. the tartar dipping sauce was mayo-y and not anything special. It kind of turned me off for the rest of the meal. Dinner was the worst. I originally ordered brussels sprouts ravioli with broccoli Rabe. It was so bitter and tasted like dirt; I had to send it back. I never send food back but i literally could not swallow it. I went with the plain old parpadelle which was fine but really boring despite the spicy marinara. My husband got chicken piccata which needed a ton of salt and his potatoes were hard (also...why doesn't the picatta come with pasta??) Service was fine but something about the whole thing felt unprofessional and not what I expected to find in the theatre district. My husband said, "well, the bread was good." That doesn't cut it. We won't be back.
(1)
Jo M.
A great place to grab a beer and a bite before a movie or a show. They were also super sweet and let us keep our leftover pizza in their cool room while we saw the movie, rather than having to carry it around. The meatballs were spectacular as well. Definitely worth trying!
(3)
Cali M.
Our bellman at the Ritz recommended this place as a local, kid friendly restaurant. His recommendation was amazing. Great food, kid friendly, fast and tasty. I ordered the butternut squash ravioli, kids ate from a reasonably priced kids menu, great wine and my husband had steak. Overall fabulous meal!
(5)
V M.
Wonderful quick service before a show. The home-made pasta with bolognese sauce was perfect.
(4)
Dan O.
We ate here before heading to the show. The Aranacini which really did not deliver. For the main meal, I had the gnocchi and sausage. It was good, but the sauce needed something more. My wife had the saratelli (?veal with sage sauce) which had very little flavor at all. For dessert we had the cannoli and tiramisu. The tiramisu was still frozen. The cannoli were probably the highlight of the whole meal. For the price of this meal, I want to eat in a dining room, not in a bar.
(3)
Kaiulani A.
Entered and hostess or waitstaff where no where to be found. It was a sign we should've left then. So we sat ourselves and grabbed our own menu. Although our waiter was very nice when he noticed we were there...hostess was still no where to be found. The food was bad...my coleslaw was sour...it was bad - rotten bad but it was served on my plate, my fries were cold, the steak was OK. I informed staff that the coleslaw was sour and that they shouldn't serve it to other patrons. They apologized but didn't offer any kind of compensation. Needless to say I will not be returning and if you're reading this you should pick another restaurant where they don't feed you spoiled left overs from the previous night.
(1)
Doreen B.
Stopped in before a show just for a drink and was planning on going somewhere else for dinner. However, after a nice glass of wine and a friendly bartender, we decided to stay for dinner. The bruschetta flat bread pizza was delicious, as was the Romano salad. There were only 2 of us, so we shared the pizza and each ordered our own salad. It was enough for the 2 of us. However, someone with a bigger appetite would definitely need more. I will definitely go back when I am in the theater district next.
(4)
Tammie N.
The BURRATA & PROSCIUTTO appetizer is out of this world! It is a nice combination of tomato, mozzarella, evoo, sea salt & prosciutto. My friend and I stopped here for a glass of wine and decided on the burrata at the last minute. I can't wait to go back. I was impressed that the bartenders were pleasant and the main tender remembered which wine she ordered the last time (maybe she is a barfly, who knows?). Anyhoo, I am rating it 4 stars only because we had a glass of wine (or two) and one app. I would like to check it out and give it a more solid review on the night of a show or for a meal.. I am a fan and I will be back.
(4)
Kelly B.
Easily accessible from the Downtown Crossing T stop and right next to the Opera House make this a perfect pre or post theater dining choice. I went prior to a matinee ballet for lunch. Service was great, and it wasn't crowded like we had anticipated it may be. I thoroughly enjoyed the Sam Adams Lager Braised Beef. It was plenty large, as they serve dinner all day. It's odd that there wasn't a lunch option, I'm not sure if that's a weekend thing, but we inquired when handed the menus and were told they serve dinner all day. We were there on a Saturday. I see now that there is in fact a lunch menu, leaving me confused, but no matter. The food was good, and was again for dinner as leftovers. My friend had the brussel sprout ravioli which she enjoyed and finished there. We shared the cookie sandwich dessert, which comes with 2 sandwiches, and generous dollop of fresh whipped cream. They were messy, but yummy, and clearly made for splitting. I can't imagine ordering that for one person. Overall enjoyable and more than convenient.
(3)
Zayn F.
I've been here a few times now and the food was fantastic. Great wine selection. We had the bolognese and a bottle of super tuscan. The bartender who's name I unfortunately forgot was amazing, we were there wendsday night. The atmosphere is pretty good, upscale but not to a point that you feel you need to dress up. Highly reccomended.
(5)
Jenna K.
Small restaurant in the middle of down town crossing. Ambiance is kind of cool. The restaurant maybe has 15 tables though so everyone is kind of packed in. The food was very bleh. Mediocre at best. Ordered the arincini to start and the butternut squash ravioli. Boyfriend got meatballs. Arincini and meatballs were very bland. Absolutely no flavor. The butternut squash on the other hand was fabulous. I would go back just got that. The prices are also just ridiculous. $20 for 5 ravioli? $15 for three arincini the size of a gold ball? Not for me.
(3)
Mike B.
Stopped in for a quick app and a drink food and drinks were great ended up staying for hours due to the awesome bartenders quick fast service and awesome knowledge of drinks
(5)
Rachel R.
Don't let the Maggiano's-reminiscent typeface scare you off! Salvatore's has much more to offer than chicken Parmesan and lukewarm fettuccine alfredo. Salvatore's menu is interesting enough to appeal to the curious palate, but safe enough for even your 23-year old Lunchables-loving friend to find something they can enjoy. My three friends and I approached our dining experience tapas-style (disclaimer: this is in no way a tapas restaurant. That being said, it worked). We began with a breadbasket and mysterious orb of spread swimming in olive oil. Hummus. Bonus points to Sal for making the bread basket(s) worth the stomach space. After two rounds of bread, we moved on to the antipasto plate and polenta fries. The antipasto was nothing special, but the polenta fries were everything special: fat, fried, cheesy, and oh-so-classy (they're stuffed with provolone and served with house made fig ketchup!) Our fig kick continued with the Calabria pizza, which came topped with Gorgonzola, prosciutto, and figs. I could've used more fig, but I have a particular affinity for sweet-savory combinations, especially where strong cheese is involved. It was definitely satisfactory, but no sound effects were made during consumption. On to bigger and better figs, we ordered the butternut squash ravioli with crème sauce, butternut, diced apple, and... dried figs (twist!) This dish perfectly tied together every crave-worthy fall flavor atop eight large, expertly crafted ravioli. I would order this again in a heartbeat. (This is the part where sharing becomes problematic.) Heed my words: the meal should end here. We mistakenly finished our dinner with dessert (radical, eh?) and were met with the most unworthy, traditional desserts of our lives. The tiramisu and chocolate torte were both heaps of mediocrity served with sugary whipped cream. Compared the unique, creative, detail-oriented dinner menu, these sweets were unanimously agreed upon as a total flop. I have to dock a star because all's well that ends well, and this experience ended on a rather low note. Overall, Sal has still got my vote for the fries and the ravioli. If you're seeing a movie in by the Common or looking for an eatery that will appeal to your mom, friends and little brother, give it a shot. Whatever you do, just make sure your dinner has figs it, and your dessert is had elsewhere.
(3)
Maria A.
We ate lunch here a couple of months ago with a group of 8. It was pretty much empty(I think there was one other couple eating in the restaurant) and it took them about 10 minutes to push 2 tables together for us to sit at. We noticed right away that they were very lightly staffed, but we figured that would not matter much since it was so empty. We should have taken a hint when the first two drinks we tried to order off of the menu involved alcohol that they were "out of." When I tried to order a mule I was told that they were out of all vodka. A full bar out of all vodka? Definitely a first for me, but I decided to settle for another sweet tea drink. About 10 minutes after I ordered it the waiter returned to inform us that they were out of that as well. Why did you bother to give us drink menus if you are out of everything that we try to order? The pizzas were absolutely disgusting. We ordered some sort of pesto chicken pizza and I am almost positive that the chicken was either out of a can or bad, it smelled weird and tasted even weirder. The service was in fact so slow that we were there for more than 2 hours, and all we wanted was some drinks a pizzas! On top of that there was absolutely no apology for the bad food, service and the fact that they "ran out" of so many drinks. Lots of restaurant options in this area, take your business elsewhere!
(1)
Jason S.
Not sure why this place has 3 stars... With a lack of affordable restaurants in downtown (especially Italian) this place is great. Always solid food, pizzas are very good (and I've eaten a lot of pizza). Crust isn't too thin or thick and very tasty). I'd recommend the salads, sharing a pizza, and especially getting the Gnocci with sausage. Bolognese is good (not the best I've ever had) but the Gnocci is delicious! Fun long granite bar as well with good service. I'm somewhat picky when it comes to italian food, give this place a try! From my experience it's fairly easy to get a table during the week, and pretty crowded on the weekend.
(5)
Emes A.
So my wife and I went to Salvatore's today prior to seeing Lion King. I wish I could have that hour back. The wait staff could not serve a pizza in the hour we were there. I'm serious. My food never came out in the time we were there. It was so close to show time that we had to leave and go to Subway to scarf down a subway sandwich. We had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant.
(1)
Karen P.
Had a little birthday lunch here with some girlfriends. It's the typical trendy dimly lit fully stocked bar kind of place. All of us ordered a pasta dish. Mine was some sort of mushroom ravioli. After eating a few bites we all came to the consensus that the food was bland! Sad thing was that the table didn't have any salt or pepper shaker and we didn't want to insult the chef by verbally asking for more salt. At the end, none of us finished out meals. The service was great however, and the price wasn't bad. $10+ meals, which I would say is the norm for Boston.
(3)
Catherine K.
We walked in on a Saturday night with no reservations and no idea about this Restaurant. They sat us at the bar in the back where we could watch the chefs make fresh pizzas in the brick oven. The service was fast and friendly and our dinners were awesome. The chicken piccata was flavorful and was requested to be served over a bed of linguini instead of with potatoes. Very nice, lots of capers, and lemon flavor. My husband had the butternut squash ravioli in a rich cream sauce with pears and figs . What a nice fall meal. The wines were great. Salvatore's was a delight. We will definitely go back!
(4)
David C.
I have been a fan of Salvatores for a long time, but this was my first visit to their new location on Washington Street right next door to the Boston Opera House. The hostess was amazingly friendly and we had a great chat with her while they got our table ready. The new location is beautiful and if you can grab one of the tables by the window it makes for great people watching. For dinner I got my absolute favorite, the margarita pizza. They use the best ingredients and everything tastes amazingly fresh. My partner got the veal picatta (sp?) which was equally good. If you're going to the theater or just want a great dinner, definitely check out Salvatores.
(5)
Dani L.
By far the worst dining experience I have ever had. Will never go back here. Short version: The service is not only slow, but rude and incompetent. The food is bland (overcooked rigatoni at an Italian place? No thanks). Long version: I came here on a Sunday evening around 7pm with my parents. We were excited because we just moved across the street and were hoping this would be our new go-to place. The restaurant was dead (only 3 other tables when we arrived), but it took five minutes for them to "set a table" for us. Once we sat down, we kept noticing how strange the waitstaff was behaving. There were more servers than tables, yet everyone was walking around, staring blankly, not doing anything. When we got our salad, we still didn't have any silverware and had to ask TWO different servers. The first server said "Oh, of course" and then just walked away and started clearing another table. After an absurdly long wait for our entrees, my mom's pizza was missing. We asked the server to check on it, who again, just walked away and started doing something else. After twenty minutes of trying to get someone's attention, I asked the hostess McKayla to check on the pizza - at this point, my Dad and I had finished our meals, and my mom still hadn't eaten anything. McKayla walked back toward the kitchen, then went and sat down at the bar and started talking to another server. I walked over and asked her if she knew anything about the pizza and she rolled her eyes and said "Uh, it's coming." I asked her why she didn't come tell me and she just laughed and rolled her eyes again. At this point, we were so over it we told our waiter (who kept disappearing for long periods of time) to just forget the pizza and bring us the bill. When he did, the pizza that we never received was still on it and had to wait another ten minutes to get him to take it off. The table next to us overheard our situation and commented that they had a similar experience. If the food had been good, I would try to over look the service, but the pasta was overcooked and my Dad and I both agreed everything tasted bland. DO NOT go here.
(1)
D. B.
We had a strange experience at Salvatore's today. We sat down to a pretty empty restaurant and the waiter told us that the pizza would be a good thing to order so we ordered a pizza and salad to share. The waiter came back to tell us several times that our order wasn't ready. 45 minutes later, he brought the salad which was brown and soggy. Still no pizza. I took one bite and spit it out. The taste of brown lettuce is vile. The waiter came back about 5 minutes later, still with no pizza in hand, and my husband told him the salad was inedible. He said something like, It's been sitting there so of course it's not fresh. My husband then asked if the pizza was done and the waiter said no. We told him we were in a hurry and had to leave. Everyone else was getting their food so it appeared as though he forgot to submit our order. However, he said that the pizza oven can't accommodate so many pizzas so there were several orders ahead of ours. I thought that was strange to say that the pizza oven is small when they have a pizza menu. If you're in a hurry to get to the theater, skip this place.
(1)
Kevin R.
Ehh........had better. The arincini blew......risotto was crunchy
(2)
Phil O.
Based on 75% of my experiences, I would have rated this place a 3.5 or a 4. Unfortunately, it's the couple other times that have spoiled it for me. -On 11/26, this place seriously botched my reservation of 3 (somehow they had no table for me, and afterwards they were still accidentally sitting other parties ahead of me) -During a previous visit, I ordered the short rib appetizer, which had ice crystals in it. Staff was no where to be found, so I internalized my complaint. Neither the restaurant nor the bar area were busy. Try to stick with the flat bread pizzas if you can. I go with the banana pepper and sausage pizza, which never disappoints. The Shrimp and Scallops Fra Diavolo is an average dish with an ultra-thin tomato sauce, unconventionally grilled cherry tomatoes, and semi decent-tasting pasta.
(2)
Lisa S.
My husband and I ate here before a show at the Boston Opera House. We had made a reservation online. When I arrived (early), I told the host I had a reservation. He saw it, told me to wait a few minutes, and then apparently cancelled the reservation (I saw the cancellation email from the reservation service later). Then he forgot about me. I waited 15 minutes and discovered the other hostess gave our table away to someone else who didn't have a reservation. They need some training. We shared the polenta fries appetizer. It was served with a bowl of ketchup. I was hoping for something a little more original? The polenta was nothing special. We both had the salmon entree, it was delicious. We shared the cannoli dessert (likely not made in house). 3 mini cannoli and a scoop of ice cream. They were fresh and delicious. Our server was excellent. The kitchen put the food out quickly. The restaurant is right next door to the Opera House, and the staff does a great job getting guests served and out in time. It's a decent place to eat before a show.
(3)
John K.
Good food, good service - convenient to Paramount and Opera House theaters. Chicken Pesto risotto was awesome. Was there on 4/17 for dinner - Eugene was our server and was a really nice guy - always there, but never hovering.
(4)
Mindy L.
Pretty yummy mid-afternoon lunch snack. I ate with a group of five colleagues. We split the antipasti plates x2 as well as three pizzas (technically four but one was halfsies). Antipasti plate: pretty good. heavy on the greens (would have liked more meats & cheese). Sal's Special Pizza: typical pizza fare. Pepperoni, mushrooms, onions and olives. Good crust, stayed crispy until the center. BBQ Chicken Pizza: good sauce to cheese ratio. not too much. tangy and sweet. Buffalo Chicken Pizza: great buffalo sauce, but too much of it. pizza was a soupy mess and required a knife and fork. the taste is there, the application needs refinement. Proscuitto Pizza: this was the best looking pizza of the bunch. it got all the looks in the family. crust bubbled up perfectly, big pieces of proscuitto topped with crisp arugula and shaved parmesan. *moi* that was me doing the Italian kissy fingers to the sky thingie. All in all - very good lunch. We sat at the pizza bar where we could watch the pizzas being made. I also got to watch one of the cooks eating pizza while weighing gnocchi. Might want to take your breaks out of the public eye, my friend!
(4)
Jenn S.
This place was definitely only OK. It's really pretty inside but the food was lacking. I'm not trying to accuse, but the eggplant parm I had tasted really frozen. And if it wasn't frozen than something was wrong because it had a really odd taste - like freezer burn. I always expect pasta at Italian restaurants to taste really fresh and that just wasn't there. On the other end the brushetta and the signature salad was good. The salad was a bit too salty, which was the consensus throughout our whole table. I would give it a second try but wouldn't consider it as a first choice to eat.
(3)
Sandi M.
This is about the Window Demo Series, which launched its first class in October 2013. For $45, you get four courses, plus they threw in pizza, and several glasses of wine matched to each round. Chef Weinstock and Chuck Barbuto were an informative team. I highly recommend this series. I wrote about it here: examiner.com/article/a-c…
(5)
K K.
This place is really stylish and has a good feel. Menu is great because you can request EVERY Italian dish to be gluten free. Complimentary breads. However, very expensive. Most meals are around $20, appetizers around $7.
(3)
Chris L.
My first visit to Salvatores and I was impressed. I went to check out there " off the grid monday offer " lunch from noon -3pm is 50 % off if you turn in your cell phone while you dine. They return your phone with your check. Fair Enough !! I tried the steak tips and the we're cooked perfectly ! Fries appeared to be hand cut and flavorful. Also came with fresh Cole slaw and some fresh bread with oil and balsamic vinegar to start. My friend enjoyed the same and was very impressed with the flavor of the steak tips. Marinated perfectly ! Staff was friendly and efficient, looks to be a regular monday lunch spot from now on.
(5)
Ross T.
It's a nice clean joint that convenient after the show at the opera house. Not to expensive and with good quality, so I was quite happy with that. It was also a close quick ride from north station. All in all, good place.
So I just swung in here for a drink prior to hitting a movie with my date. I was overall impressed by how nice it was inside. Decent drink menu, nothing spectacular about it. Service and the bar keep was attentive, got us out and going in reasonable time. The real interesting part of my experience was that one of the Phantom Gourmet dudes, Dave Andelman, came in and sat down next to my date and I with his blonde wife/girlfriend. I randomly caught his eye as he came into the place since my date was facing the door, and I could swear he was trying to figure out who I was the remainder of the time we were there. For some reason, he kept scoping a look over at me, possibly to make sure I wasn't somebody he knew and didnt want to seem rude by not saying hello. I swear I could have seen his mind going a thousand miles and hour, trying to figure out who I was... . ... I guess I just do that to people... The wife/gf he was with was super hot, but I wasn't envious as I had a little piece of eye candy on my arm as well... :) Anyways, only came here for a drink, no food. No problems had by us, maybe a little expense for a glass of wine and an Alagash White, but overall a real nice interior. I can see this place to be a real spot for out-of -town folks on business or whatever. Nice, but not too nice just right as Goldie-Locks would say. Now, just what was Dave Andelman concerned about? Kind of creepy dude.
I met a friend here for lunch on Thursday. The place seems like a grown-up sports bar. Even at 1 pm on Thursday, people were gathered at the bar while the restaurant seemed a little more modern and wanna-be sophisticated. I ordered a delicious healthy-sized club wrap and washed it down with a $4 Sam Adams. Total cost: $12. Other foods seemed reasonable as well, including the appetizers, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, and entrees. The menu was pretty extensive for lunch and everything looked very scrumptious. The restaurant was fairly quiet, which was great since I wanted to catch up with an old friend. Service was a bit slow, especially considering so few people were sitting in the dining area. All in all, though, the food was delicious and very reasonable.
(4)
Michelle M.
If I could give this place a negative, I would. They have to understand first impressions. My friend and I walked in there before a show and sat at the bar. Never having been there before mind you. It was not at all busy, very quiet, and lots of seats open at the bar. The bar tender waited at least 10 minutes before saying anything to us and was cold and borderline rude, like we were wasting his time. I was planning on getting food and a drink, but he took so long to take our drink order, we didn't have time to eat before our show. So we finally ordered drinks and noticed him making drinks for other people who ordered after us, clearly ignoring us. He never intended on getting anything for us. We were friendly, quiet and there was no reason to be treated so rudely. So by the time the a-hole looked our way (we ordered sangria I think-which shouldn't that be homemade??), we got up and left. I would never EVER go back there.
(1)
Cody C.
Good for a cheese plate and a glass of wine pre theater if you go early enough. Went one night when it was empty and the service was excellent. They ran out of scallops when we wanted to order the Scallops in limoncello sauce - and we asked to replace the scallops with shrimp so we could try the sauce... and they didn't lower the price for the cheaper seafood that they used... wasn't impressed by that. Went another night more recently to try to grab a drink before a 6:50 movie... showed up around 5:30 and "couldn't seat us" because we didn't have a reservation.... obnoxious when you're looking at plenty of empty tables.. even when we told them we were just grabbing a quick drink.
(2)
Julie C.
Salvatore's is a great place for lunch. Its never crowded with all the downtown/FiDipoeple who always migrate to the same places day in and day out. Its a breath of fresh air. Their pizzas here are excellent and big enough to share. If you are feeling up to it, try their sangria. So what, if its only lunch time? Don't worry, this will hardly get you drunk, and you can go back to the office and do your best work! :-) The last time I was here, there was a lunch crowd pounding Bud Lights and having so much fun ( I kind of wish I was with them!) Service is friendly and mildly attentive. They don't around too often especially when you need refills on your waters. The decor is quite elegant too, not sure what kind vibe this place is trying to since its not fancy but its not fast food. But who cares, its a nice place to sit down and have a nice lunch time meal.
(4)
Jessica L.
Perfect for an evening at the theatre!!! I really love this place and it's the quintessential theatre-district, pre-show dinner venue. Very nice (and understanding) waitstaff, and excellent menu choices. I give it four stars because some menu items are hit or miss. Many of the pastas are delicious, but certain dishes (ie, the steak dish I ordered and the dessert) are forgettable. However, some of the pizza and pasta dishes are really fantastic, so just check out what your neighbors order or ask the waiter. Excellent for an evening out on the town for the ballet or theatre. Nice wine selection as well.
(4)
Marissa A.
I don't know about the previous reviews, but I actually enjoyed my experience. I recently went for dinner with a group of friends. While waiting for out friends to arrive, my bf and I sat at the bar. The bartender was very nice, giving me suggestions for mixed drinks. My bf wanted a Peroni but they were out, which was a tad strange since they just opened... Anyway, when everyone had arrived, we were seated in a nice booth. Service was great - our server was very attentive, always refilling our waters and making sure we had everything we needed. I ordered the Signature Salad which was a great portion and very good. Nothing special, but good nonetheless. My bf got the Panzanella salad and he said it was pretty good, but 'nothing to write home about. We split the Sausage and Ricotta pizza. Good amount of toppings, savory taste with a nice tart bite from the banana peppers. I'll admit when I went to the one in the Seaport District, every bite of my meal was delicious. I'm not saying my meal here wasn't delicious, it was just good. But yes, it was good and a new option to go to when in the Theater District.
(3)
Katia M.
This place has great lunch deals and good food. I've had kind of mixed service -- it's not like anyone is rude, but it can be a little tough to flag down a waiter. But yeah, for lunch? Great deals, nice ambiance, nice bar. I had better service luck at the bar though, FYI.
(4)
Donna K.
Sunday, October 6th, 2013 we went in because we arrived early for a performance at the Paramount next door. It took 30 minutes for my daughter to get a ginger ale. The liquor for the cocktail I initially wanted was out of stock. The cocktail I ended up getting was so vile I had to return it. The two appetizers that we ordered took almost an hour to get there, so I went to cancel the order as we were running out of time before the show and magically they appeared! Didn't enjoy them for two reasons. One, we felt super rushed and two. . .they tasted GROSS or. . .no taste. We ordered the Arrancini $14 bucks (more than Salvatore's in suburbs) Balls, which were supposed to be lightly fried risotto balls stuffed with basil, cherry tomato and fresh mozzarella served with Marinara sauce. Sounds nice right? What we got was three burnt balls on a plate on top of a quarter teaspoon of straight tomato paste - NO LIE - and when you bit into them there was this glutenous, slimy textured filling - GROSS - NO FLAVOR - WASTE of MONEY. They Calamari Fritti was described as lightly fried Calamari and Banana Peppers with pesto tarter sauce. Both the Calamari AND the banana peppers were fried so you didn't know which one you were biting into. . .AM I going to taste tart vinegary banana peppers or mild calamari? The "pesto tartar sauce" was laughable. And of course. . .there were like 4 calamari rings on the plate and the rest were fried banana peppers. NOT GOOD, NOT GOOD AT ALL. Waiter said that Sundays were usually slow, so they only had two cooks and two waiters on for the whole dining room! BAD, BAD planning when you have the last night of a hit show right next door!!!!!
(1)
Robin C.
I work in the Seaport district, and have been to that Salvatore's many times and its always been great. So when I was in charge of finding a restaurant to go to after a show at the Opera House, I recommeded trying the theater district location, assuming we would have a simliar experience. I made a reservation for 8 people a week in advance. When I found out that the big Patriots/Broncos game was going to be on at the same time as the reservation, I called the restaurant to confirm that they had tvs, and they told me they had 4 monitors, and if the game wasn't on, I could ask the manager to put it on. We arrived to the restaurant 20 mins early, and we were told that they just sat a table of 14 people, so they didn't have a table for us. However, they were able to push together a few high top tables, so we didn't have to wait long to sit. The Patriots game was on the tvs, however, the sounds wasn't on. When I asked about putting the sound on, they told me that they had a music contract, and due to liabliity reasons, they could not shut the music off to turn the volume up on the tvs. This is not the first place I've been in Boston that has told me this. I don't understand how it works, but Ithey could have told me that when I called the day before to ask if the game would be on. Instead, we were stuck listening to a horrible 90s mix which included songs by Hootie and the Blowfish. We had to wait awhile to order our drinks. Everyone ordered something different, and then the waitor came back to tell us they didn't have 4 of the drinks (no Kahlua, no Jack Daniels, no Malbec, and no Sauvignon Blanc), so those people had to choose something different. I had wanted the Sauvignon Blanc, so I asked for a glass of Pinot Grigio instead. I was told that they were bringing up the Pinot Grigio from the cellar and therefore it would not be chilled. At this point, we still didn't have any water, or bread, on the table. The restaurant was not busy when we arrived, and there were two hostesses at the front who could have picked up a water picther to help out. When the food came out, they only brought 2 dishes to the table at a time. So by the time everyone had their food, it was getting cold. I had ordered the gnocchi with sausage and goat cheese. The pasta was hot, but the sausage was cold and appeared to be burnt on one side. Overall, we had a very bad expereince. I felt bad for the waitor, because I don't think that any of these things were his fault. But it was embarassing to be the one who recommeded the restaurant, and then have things turn out so poorly. I still love the Seaport Salvatore's and will be going back again, but too many things went wrong at the theater district location to make me try it again. Too bad, because it is very convenient to the theater.
(1)
Maryan P.
Had lunch and ordered chicken picatta ( check out picture). It was delicious! The original dish comes with potato and veggies but I'm a pasta girl so they substituted. They make their own pasta and when I hear that - it is music to my ears. Very affordable too. Two entrees and the bill was only $18 and change. Looking forward to going back.
(5)
Trish A.
ordered a salad and an app- the arugula in my salad was rancid- unfortunately; I ate some before I realized it was bad. Was sick for the next 24 hours. This place is going downhill at epic speed. too many other choices in the hood to go back..
(1)
Mara S.
Came in for dinner before the show which was to start at 7:30 pm. Placed order at 6:15pm and left at 7:05 when it had NOT YET ARRIVED! We got bread and water and the waiters apology that so many people arrived at the same time that they were swamped in the kitchen. Huh? You are next door to the theatre and you don't expect a rush 90 minutes before showtime? Avoid disaster and do not go to this restaurant unless you have three hours to kill.
(1)
Jen W.
Went for dinner with my boyfriend & his mother after The Nutcracker. They both said this place was great & so close to the theater. After ordering a hot cup of tea twice his mom FINALLY got one. The calamari app was great & hot. It seemed to take a long time to get our entrees & when we did they were not hot. Food was ok. Service was terrible. My boyfriend's beer sat at the bar for 15 minutes before we had to ask for it. Our waitress didn't ask how our food was until we were just about finished eating. She was more interested in clearing empty tables than getting us our check or taking our money. Half way through dinner the restaurant decided to substitute the music for the VERY loud tv. All of a sudden we were in a sports bar. Not appropriate for a restaurant that is located next door to the Boston Opera House. Really tacky. Hopefully they get their act together before next December when we are looking for a dinner place after the show.
(2)
Amy D.
I felt compelled to write a review when reading some of the negative feedback for this place. I consider this place totally unappreciated in a part of town that is really hit or miss. So it is often near-empty, which I really like, haha, though is generally concerning. Its pretty quiet and low key and great for a date. They very nicely asked when I ordered if I had to see a show at 8 pm (I didnt), but thought that was particularly considerate. The butternut squash ravioli is GREAT, i crave it constantly. I haven't actually eaten anything else here because I have to get that every time I go. Wine selection is also great, friendly staff, great service. One of my favorite places in Boston, don't know why more people don't know about it.
(4)
Glen D.
I have gone for lunch twice. I have ordered the burger both times and have been happy with it. We received bread at lunch too, which I liked. The service both times was friendly and helpful. The food was good and the prices were decent for downtown Boston.
(4)
Frances B.
Rude bartender (the bald one). Among other things he and the other bartender ignored my friends and I at the bar even after making eye contact. Then, as he dropped the check, he made a comment along the lines of "Thanks for the 18%" in reference to the diner prior to me. My thoughts are that you probably deserved even less than that. I would have tipped him less than the 20% I gave him, if I didn't fear that he would say something about it to the people next to me.
(1)
Tory H.
Came in for a drink and app. Drink list was fine, but expensive. The app was not good, had the fig, prosciutto, arugula, and Parmesan crostini... it was wayyy to sweet. Overall this place was meh and expensive, won't be back.
(2)
Rose D.
The lobster ravioli was un-effing-believable. I can't stop thinking about it. Went here before a Nutcracker show and I'm so glad I didn't look any further!
(5)
Maya G.
We recently had a quick, light dinner before the theatre. Walking in we were told that they were "all booked up with reservations"-- understandable at 6:00 before "Wicked" but we managed to scoop up 2 seats at the bar. Food was good, service from Mat was great and price was right. It is noisy here, but sitting next to each other, we were able to carry on conversation. Ladies' room was squeeky clean!!!
(4)
Charmy G.
The restaurant seemed fancy by its appearance. However, the food here is quite a disappointment . I still cannot believe how can a place offer an improperly cooked dinner. We ordered calamari for appetizer and a pizza . We were quite taken back by the uncooked calamari and even the pizza was weird. The dessert was okay. The service was above par but still I wouldn't recommend this place.
(1)
Mahilet O.
great experience! Great Food! I especially admired the services ! Ask for John M. !!! He is so polite and bubbly!
(5)
Yvonne Y.
I've been here a couple times now for drinks, and I definitely like the atmosphere here. They have a full bar and a great cocktail list. They don't get too busy at the bar, so it's great to have a low key night where you just want to have a conversation with your friends. I've seen people ordering food here whenever we came, and it always smells and looks really good, so I would definitely like to come back to try their menu. And the fact that they're next to the Boston Opera House just makes it an easy central location for me and my friends.
(4)
Alee G.
I love the energy and decor of this place. Very calming and relaxing vibe, and the lighting was low, which I love. I can't stand when a restaurant is poorly lit. There were quite a few people there when I went, yet the noise level wasn't unbearable, it was perfect actually. I came here after an event for some bar food and a few drinks, and I really enjoyed it. The pizza that I had was good. The wait staff was very attentive, helpful and polite, which I very much appreciated. Good service is hard to come by these days! This is a great place to drop by after seeing a play or something of that sort seeing as how it's right in the heart of Boston's theater district. I will definitely return here,to try more things on the menu. 4 stars!
(4)
Anna F.
So, I'm a Salvatore's regular. Partly out of convenience (They are next door to the cinema I program) but mostly out of love. The pizza is fantastic and the cocktails are stellar. Have sampled many of the apps and found them all to be tasty as well. In my 15+ visits to Salvatore's I have never encountered an unpleasant staff person or a mediocre dish. Great for after work drinks. Starts to get busy with the pre and post theater crowd.
(4)
Kelly C.
Waited at the front door for awhile before anyone addressed my group of 5...but that was the only bad part of the experience. The food was delicious, came quickly, and was so reasonably priced for lunch. I am looking forward to going back again for sure.
(4)
Thomas N.
well i was a little nervous going here as the absolutely worst pizza i have ever had came from a salvatores in chelmsford, but this place was really different.....very attractive inside withan odd elevator tride to the rest rooms downstairs....we sat at the bar at the end of which you can sort of watch the cooks and the pizza oven....drinks were good and not to boston priced, burger was great and cooked as orders, cod piccata was beautifully presented and very good although portion was not too big, bar tentress pleasant and attentive.....nice place!!
(4)
Branden K.
Salvatore's is a great addition to Boston's Theater District, located smack dab in between the Boston Opera House and the newly renovated Emerson Paramount Theatre. The food is solid, and the prices are much easier on the wallet than Bina Osteria a few doors down. We shared a stuffed Anaheim pepper to start, which was decent, but the standout dish was the Calabria Pizza with tigs, Gorgonzola, and prosciutto. The 12" pizza was great to share. The beer list is pretty pedestrian, so I went with a Purple Haze Martini (Hendrick's gin, Chambord, pineapple juice), which was mixed nice and strong. The bill for our light dinner and my drink ran $30. Nice! This is a destination to remember if you've just sold your old car to get orchestra seats to Les Miz. Stylistically, the place is a little bit of a mishmash: there are images of opera singers over the bar next to TVs tuned to sports. The walls are a sexy black and red, but the crowd wasn't particularly hip--many patrons were theatergoers from the 'burbs, and there were several kids squeezed in at the bar with their parents. No matter. The food's delish and the prices are reasonable; we'll definitely be back.
(4)
Risa X.
New Years' Eve 2011. Got out of The Nutcracker ballet. Wanted a swanky but not too expensive place. Found it right next door! I mean, granted.. They were doing a special $50/person (if I remember correctly) for an appetizer, entree, and a dessert. 2 rounds of drinks and the meal later... $130 bill. What!? And the food was amazing! And our waiter, Troy, was FAB! We're thinking about coming back here for Valentine's day :)
(5)
Colleen H.
It's too bad that they jacked the prices up over here compared to it's sister location on the waterfront. The options are different on the menu, which I think is great -- I hate franchise copy-cat menus. We ordered arancino, mussels, and scallop/shrimp fra diavlo all of which were pretty good. The arancino was a little dry without the sauce, so you definitely needed to eat it with the sauce. It's on the pricey side, but definitely good! I wouldn't say hurry up and come here, but if you're in the area for a show or something it's one of your best bets for sure.
(4)
John S.
Great place ... Food was good great atmosphere loved it
(4)
Shel D.
I've been here a few times for lunch, but before I go on, I know you are waiting for it......... .............wait for it........ THE QUEER-O-METER! yes folks this place passed with flying rainbow colours. Granted I was with my mom and not some hot date, but still, I'm hard to miss and everyone there was great. Service is definitely a priority here, and I like that. Ok then, the atmosphere: the first couple of times there I went during peak lunch hours. Its on the noisy side, since it's an open floor plan. The full front windows offer nice daylight against the dark wood interior. The food: I've gotten a few different things here. I really enjoy their pizza menu/options. They make it easy to build your own with a lot of various fresh toppers. We all like a fresh topper, no? I ordered linguine with pesto cream sauce (made without nuts) when I was with my mom and she got the steak tip plate. The pasta was cooked right and the sauce was creamy and comforting. Nice on a fall day! All in all, if you mess up pesto pasta you have majour issues. So good, so far. I partook in mom's steak tip plate. o m g. I wanted to push her over and take it. It was a nice lunch size, not a manly size meal, but lunch adequate. 3 good sized marinated steak tips served atop a mound of french fries and a side of coleslaw. All of it was yummy. The steak (ordered medium) was perfectly cooked to order, and the marinade is AWESOME. I have no idea what it was but dayum I'll be back. The fries were good and even the slaw was tasty. In general I'm not a slaw fan, nice work Salvatore's! And finally, the Service: The servers here are, across the board, nice. I like that. They are polite and up beat without being annoying. A fine line most wait staff fail miserably at. However let's sum up the awesomeness of the waitstaff in one word, shall we? HANNAH! She was thorough, friendly, accommodating (because I'm a pain in the ass) and cute to boot. She's a bundle of great that was the bow on top of a nice lunch out with my mom. I'm hoping to get here after work someway, sans mom, for a drink and see what they have to offer the after work crowd.... another review, another time! Cheers!
(4)
Nancy F.
I have to change this review as the first time I gave them 4 stars. After coming here more frequently now, I realized the food is terrible and service was slow. Come here for a drink only and only if you have time.
(2)
Jon K.
Standard Italian fare. Moderately decent service but friendly staff. Moderately priced. I would say a very convenient après theater location for a cocktail and a snack but not really a dinner venue. It is located in between the Paramont and the Boston Opera House so very easy and convenient for a glass of wine, draft or cocktail.
(3)
Erin S.
Great gluten free menu. The food isn't going to change the world but it was very tasty and I was amazed at how large the gluten free menu was. Ravioli, pasta, pizza, and lasagna - so many options us gluten free folks aren't usually able to eat in restaurants. I will definitely be frequenting this restaurant. Oh and the drink "I Heart Ginger" is delicious!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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.
E W.
Today was the first time my family and I visited Salvatores. The manager, the waitress and the staff in general were great overall. The food was a different story. I had the stuffed chicken parmesan it was ok - the rigatoni with this entree was more than al-dente. My husband had the haddock which was bland but the real turn off was what happened to my adult son's meal. He had the chicken risotto which had two pieces of plastic in his meal. The dinner was a bust after that and none of us could complete our meal let alone take it home. Ellen W.
(2)Angela F.
My daughter and I went to Salvatore's last night before seeing Phantom of the Opera at the Opera House, which is located right next door. Also, when I made the dinner reservation, I placed in the comments that we were celebrating my daughter's birthday. When we arrived 10 minutes after our reservation time, the table was not set up and we had to stand and wait until they set it up. After finally sitting down, it took almost 15 minutes for anyone to come over and acknowledge us. When the waiter did, he was barely audible, didn't introduce himself and then had to find silverware for us to use, since they had forgotten to do that when they set the table. It took another 10 minutes for the waiter to come back to us, take our drink and food order. No one ever acknowledged or mentioned my daughter's special occasion. Our food was less than underwhelming. The ladies room had no paper towels and the hand dryer was broken. This place needs better management and much better wait staff. We won't be going there again any time soon before a theatre or for any other reason, although we do like the Salvatore's in Medford Square.
(2)Kristin L.
Went in after the Nutcracker Matinee with four people, two adults, two children ages 8 and 9. Said there where four people in our party and asked if we could have a booth the place was totally empty. The hostess looked over her reservation book and told us we could have a booth but we would have to be out by 4:45 because they where all reserved for dinner... it was 4:00! I said your telling us we can sit but we have to be out by a certain time, there's no one here! She replied yes! I said NO THANKS we'll take out business else where. We ended up going to The Artisan Bistro in the Ritz which was fabulous and walked by Salvatores on our way back to our car at 6:00 and it was still completely empty!! I guess there booth reservations for 4:45 didn't show up - this place is AWFUL!!
(1)Peter K.
Went in for a few drinks with a couple of friends. We went in on an off peak time so our service was impeccable. The food was so-so, but the waiter was hilarious and very engaging. I dont remember his name but he was bald and had a very monotonous tone. He basically made our evening as he kept the comedy going. He felt out our mood and went along with it. He didnt overserve us, nor underserve us. As he kept it professional, he kept it casual as well. We had time to kill so we ended up having 2 entrees over the course of 3 hours...I had the sicilian sandwich was fantastic, but my friends just had chicken alfredo. I tried theirs and it was pretty good but the menu was very basic and nothing special. However, our service was excellent. Good job! I think the guys name was steven. He adapted to the situation and I assume he adapts to each and every guest's needs.
(4)Steve W.
Service is inattentive and food is average. Two of us were there for dinner on Saturday January 21. We walked in and there was a short wait. Host staff were very polite and friendly. Server came by quite quickly and we weren't ready for drinks and asked him to come back in a minute. A minute turned into 5 before we saw him again. Drinks and app came out. The calamari was ok - not enough marinara sauce but we didn't see our server to ask for more. The burger came, the bun and burger were really dry. I used all my ketchup to add some moisture to it. Our server never checked on us to see how our meal was - I had to flag him down for more ketchup and it took 5 minutes to bring it. Overall, nice location but I won't be back.
(2)Lisa P.
Just went for drinks a couple of times while visiting Boston. The bar is beautiful and the service was very good. A very convenient choice if you're in the theatre district or Downtown Crossing. Would recommend it.
(4)Kristin B.
Good food, reasonably priced and a nice addition to the neighborhood. If you like buffalo style chicken wings, my husband highly recommends the buffalo pizza.
(4)Jillian T.
Extremely affordable, great atmosphere, and the service has never disappointed. Jacqueline (behind the bar) is lovely! Eat the pizza!! If you're going to the theater, come here first!
(5)Chupacabra X.
Overall, mostly good experiences. I go here for primarily price/convenience/not wanting to walk very far: if I have time, I usually go to nearby options instead, like Rock Bottom or Vapiano's that have better food for similar prices. The burger and steak tips are good lunch deals. Really enjoyed the combination of flavors on the burger and the steak tips have a great marinade. The haddock is also good, although portion size varies quite a bit visit-to-visit. Scallops limoncello and gnocchi appetizers were excellent, and the calamari was good, although it could have used more calamari and fewer pepper rings. One issue I had is with the lunch soup- $8 dollars for a bowl of average minestrone seems excessive given that steak tips are only $10 on their lunch menu, and I can get a bowl of world-class chowder at Legal's for $6.95! The fact that the soup is the only item on the menu for which the price isn't listed made me feel a little swindled (it's my fault for ordering soup without confirming the price, but I wasn't expecting more than $4-5 given the low prices on the rest of the menu!)
(4)A K.
Really like this place. The service was wonderful. The ambience is pretty nice, but not too stuffy since they have a couple of TVs showing sports. Classy Bostonesque. Everything we had here was quite unique and excellent. We had the mussels appetizers which were really great. My husband had the gorgonzola steak with port wine sauce, which was astounding, and I had the sirloin steak with fig sauce which was also excellent. Both came with well grilled asparagus and finely herbed potatoes. I would definitely recommend this place. And it's in a great location, so you can go elsewhere, such as Max and Dylan's, afterwards =)
(5)Bubba B.
I have eaten there about four times now, both take-out and dine-in. Food is excellent and the servers are very attentive and pleasant. The chicken parmigiana is "to die for". Restaurant itself is fairly small with a large bar area with numerous flat screens...
(5)Janak S.
Dropped in for some drinks one night. The place closes early (11pm) so it's more of a restaurant then a bar where you can go for drinks. The decor is beautiful and chairs were nice and comfy.
(4)Wendy L.
We went there for the first night we arrived in Boston. We were tired coming from the West Coast and it was half a block from our hotel. For the convenience factor and saw that it has at least 3.5 stars, we went for it, certainly beats room service! With pizza on the menu, we were sold, at least our kids were sold! I ordered clam linguine for myself, my husband had a great salad and a huge order of cheese garlic bread and a four cheese pizza. The four cheese pizza was a little much for us as we are not soft cheese fan. But the garlic cheese bread was definitely great! The linguine was okay as it was on the salty side, and if I say it's salty, it was salty. Another night, we again were just trying to find somewhere close to eat and since it served as well the first time, we went back. this time I had chicken marsala, awesome dish! I LOVED it! Kids ordered the same and hubby had a salad and shared the pizza with the kids. We ordered the creme brûlée and specialty pizza for dessert (it was nutella and chocolate pizza) and they were both awesome dessert! Then, as pathetic as it sounds, instead of trying to get to North End (We did end up going to North End one of those days we were in Boston), we went to this restaurant for the third time. This time, I had the best of best lobster rivioli with shrimp sauce and it was just excellent! This time, we had chocolate torte and encore the creme brûlée and they were both GREAT! I just can't believe that we went three times out of 7 days we were in Boston, just pathetic. But it turned out to be serving us well!!!! BY THE WAY, Don was great! He was our waiter two times! And the bread and garlic oil to dip were GREAT too!!!
(4)Randall M.
It happens rarely that a restaurant/bar motivates me enough to write a review very soon after visiting it. This place, mind you, has two most important things wrong - quality of food and quality of service. It has one thing right - location. After being seated, no waiter seemed to notice my company and I, even though it was a slow Thursday evening. After about ten minutes of waiting and looking at casually strolling around wait staff, we sat at the bar and ordered a couple of beers. The bartender spilled a part of one on the counter, and rather than wiping the now wet glass, simply topped it off. It then took forever before we were able to order food. This is not an Italian restaurant - I should have known when the bartender wasn't able to pronounce Gnocchi correctly. The gnocchi was dry; the sauce was rancid, thin and sour. There was no seasoning to be detected. My friend's burger bun was semi-dry, the fries lukewarm. Will not be going back.
(2)kris n.
I have been three times for lunch as we work nearby. I have liked the food each time. Service was ok the first two times but this most recent we had an excellent waiter. I'm a fan.
(4)Ilana H.
Went to Salvatore's last Friday night with a friend. We have both worked in the industry for years so we are normally very forgiving when it comes to service. When we got there there was about a 1/2 hour wait, the host staff was very nice and took our number so they could text us when we had a table which was very helpful. Wait time was accurate, and about a half hour later we got sat in the bar area. The server came over right away for drink orders, which were then brought out in cute little mini shakers. This would all have been fine if the bar hadn't messed up and made one of their own cocktails with the wrong base liquor. I had ordered a drink that was supposed to be made with Hendrick's and it was made with vodka. Quite a difference. We ordered a couple of apps which were quite good, but our apps came out before the bread. The server checked on us when the apps were dropped and said she would bring bread by in just a moment. We then watched her talk to someone for almost 10 minutes right next to our table. When we asked her about the bread after she was done talking she flippantly replied that she was on her way to get it. For the rest of the meal she was barely around and everything she said was said with attitude. She didn't clear our empty app plates when she dropped our entrees and we noticed a table near by sit with dirty dessert dishes for over 20 minutes. That all being said, the food was amazing! Unfortunately due to the service we won't be recommending Salvatore's to friends any time soon.
(2)Bob D.
I ordered takeout and sat at the bar. While I was waiting I ordered a grappa. The bartender succeeded in lowering my expectations drastically when he told me that they did not have any grappa in the house. When I got back to the hotel there was no dressing for the salad. This was extremely frustrating. We called the restaurant and they sent someone over with some dressing. The food was acceptable but mediocre at best.
(2)S O.
Great gluten free menu and food. Luscious pastas including fra diavlo and bolognese gluten free!!!! Plus gluten free fried calamari that looks, smells and tastes like it's supposed to!!! Plus right next to opera house - perfect for pre or post theater dining. Loved it!!!
(5)N. Z.
First time there, over the top prosciutto and Barrette cheese, great presentation, pairing and portion, affordable drinks. pre-Theater
(4)Ame k.
The service is quite disappointing for some reason I thought where they located, they should know how to treat a guest. The pasta was under cooked, and they fried the calamari with the jalapeno all together which made it tasted blend.
(3)Elisa C.
Came by on a Saturday night with my boyfriend and father around 8:30 and we were quickly seated by the hostess. Our waiter, John, was friendly, polite, and attentive. He started us with water and complimentary bread with olive oil and vinegar. I absolutely loved it! Bread was soft, even though I thought it was going to be dry and stale. The vinegar is a nice touch. For appetizers, we had the Calamari Fritti and the Baked Meatballs. The calamari was a good mix of rings and tentacles, very light and the tartar sauce had a good tang from the banana peppers. There were three meatballs, which meant one for each of us and the tomato sauce was standard, but the meatballs itself was a little salty. My main course was the shrimp and scallop fa diavolo, and it didn't disappoint. Portions matched up to those at the Cheesecake Factory and it tasted fantastic. Not to mention the scallops were huge! The boyfriend got the steak tips and pops got the linguine & clams. All three dishes were filling and tasty. To wrap up the meal, we ordered dessert! One slice of the chocolate cake and one alive of the tiramisu. Let's just say both were decadent and I was hitting the food coma stage immediately afterward. I'm coming back for sure, maybe for a date night next time! Service: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Food: 4/5 Overall: 4.5/5
(4)Ben S.
The food was the saving grace of this restaurant. Perhaps this was just an out of ordinary night for the restaurant but we were met with mistake after mistake through our meal. My girlfriends soda was flat, and it took about 30 mins to get a new one. They didn't give us the complimentary bread until we asked when our meals arrived. They forgot to put feta on our feta and watermelon salad (seems like an important ingredient for something that's only 2 ingredients..) HOWEVER, the staff was friendly and the food was really amazing. If the consistent mess ups hadn't happened I would give this experience 4 stars.
(3)Jessica O.
Ate lunch here because this restaurant is next to the opera house. It was not crowed so our service was fast and friendly. I ordered the scallops limoncello as an appetizer and they were cooked to perfection only negative was that it was only 4 scallops. I also had the bbq chicken pizza . Overall I was pleased with the service , food and the drinks.
(4)Dave B.
Salvatore's was really good. My wife had the Gnocchi which was fantastic. I had the Pappardelle Bolognese which was also good (Gnocchi was better). The Burrata & Prosciutto appy was also good, not too bland. Staff were friendly and prompt. Atmosphere was good. An enjoyable evening!
(4)David T.
Renaming Salvatore's Slowvatore's. Took ten minutes for water. Ten minutes for a menu. I'm alone at the bar just having lunch... Over an hour for my food. Ridiculous. Oh ordered sparkling water and the server brought me a one liter bottle of Pellegrino--yeahhhhh not going to be able to drink that much water.
(2)Leah M.
If I had a reviewed Salvatore's the first time I came in with my fiance, I would've given them five stars - the macaroni and cheese (cheese tortellini, pancetta, alfredo, fresh mozzarella, ritz cracker crumbs) was to die for, the garlic bread was amazing, and my fiance loved his chicken parm, and finally, my shrimp and scallop fra diavolo came out delicious and as described on the menu and was very tasty). If I had reviewed them when I came the second time I would've given them four stars. We waited over an hour for our food to come out on a slow night - my fiance got a steak and I ordered the same pasta dish but this time, they'd run out of the pasta it was meant to go with and made a replacement that didn't match the dish quite as well without telling me first... but pasta is pasta, and I could deal. Our server was wonderful. Last night was our third time going and while our server was great, the food was a huge disappointment. We came specifically for the mac and cheese we've grown to love - the menu had been altered slightly to include lobster in place of pancetta which we asked be taken out, as my fiance is allergic - and ordered garlic bread, linguine and meatballs (My usual shrimp and scallop dish had been taken off the menu), and arancini. The mac and cheese was NOT what was remotely described on the menu. It was gemelli pasta with alfredo sauce. Thats it. The sauce was soupy and didn't stick to the pasta at all. The garlic bread seems to have changed as well into a plain piece of italian bread with an overly sweet, not actual cheese thing on top. The bread was burnt and the cheese was thick, sweet, and congealed. The arancini was alright but certainly not the best I've ever had. My linguine and meatballs... was the kicker. It came out fine - the pasta looked fine. The meatballs were huge and I had high hopes. And then I cut into one and gave it a shot - it was dry and tasted like cardboard. I gave one to my fiance to try, as he'll eat almost any kind of meat, but he couldn't even eat it. A few minutes after I got over my disappointment and figured I would just eat the linguine, I noticed someone come up from the basement with a huge plastic bag of frozen meatballs labelled "ITALIAN MEATBALLS" .... great. After that, I ate a little bit more of my pasta, but I was so over the experience I just wanted to leave. I am ONLY giving them two stars because my servers have only been delightful people... but if you want decent Italian food, stay away. Salvatores used to be great, but it seems like they're cutting corners buy getting cheap, not fresh ingredients, and failing to stick to their own menu, but still charging ridiculous prices. At the rate they're going, they may as well convert into an Italian fast food joint instead of trying to be a higher end restaurant in the theatre district. We won't be back.
(2)Becca P.
Came here for lunch yesterday since I got a really good deal on Gilt City ($15 for $50). My sister got the steak tips which were good though it tasted like the Chinese Beef Teriyaki on the skewers. Then I got the Steak Frites and cabernet. The steak was decent but not worth $26. The mushroom sauce was good. Both steak dishes were well seasoned. Both dishes came with fries and cole slaw. The Cole slaw was really good. Not watery. The fries were skinny like McDonald's fries with potato skin on. They were good but I wish it was a bit more crunchy. For dessert, we got the tiramisu. It had the right mix of espresso, cream and chocolate. I wish it was a little lighter. My sister liked it though. All their desserts are $8. Overall, not bad. Would I come back? Yes, if I had a deal otherwise no.
(3)Vivian C.
Their Off the Grid Monday promotion has morphed somewhat to cover a few days stretch. I think it is now Monday through Wednesday, but don't quote me on that. My takeaway from this most recent interaction with Salvatore's is to check your take-out order before you go. First I realized that the bread I had asked for was MIA. Then as I waited, I shook my entree container (BRAISED LAMB $32 - 2 pound american lamb shank, local butternut squash puree, red wine thyme pan sauce), and asked, where's the butternut squash? They shook it as well, but then a fella from the kitchen said it should be in a second box and went to get it. I did, however, get my scallop appetizer (SCALLOPS LIMONCELLO* $14 - pan seared, limoncello cream sauce), which was a count of four pieces looking rather forlorn in the sizeable container, swimming in a luscious creamy lemon sauce. As well as the extra order of green beans $4, which surprised me by arriving accompanied by some thick sliced potatoes. The potatoes were great! But the beans were undercooked by a long shot. The lamb came nearly boneless and drenched in a sauce, flavorful and tender. The cubed butternut squash was quite nice - perhaps my favorite part of the meal after the delicious lemon sauce of the scallop.
(3)Lindsey M.
This Salvatore's location was not great and we were disappointed in our meals. We came on a Saturday night around 7:00pm and wanted to grab a few seats at the bar. Since all seats were full we waited behind the bar stools to grab a glass of wine while we waited for a few bar stools to open up. The bartenders never acknowledged us and we never got a drink even after 10 minutes of waiting. I've never seen bartenders not reach out to people staring at them. Maybe I should of yelled?! Finally two seats open up at the bar so we jump in on them. We were promptly greeted by our bartender and given menus. Another 10 minutes goes by and no one comes back to take a drink order. At this point I am just feeling like they do not want to serve us or get us a drink, I felt like I was an annoyance....it was just odd. Finally the bartender comes back over, is very cheerful and asks if we wanted to put in a drink order. Yes!!! We also gave him our full order to avoid another wait. We started with the Arancini's. I bit into the first one and started chewing, the rice was crunchy. I thought maybe that I got a bad one, so I split the second arancini in half...again crunchy rice...how do you not cook the rice all the way? Everything else about them was very good, but cook your rice! Also for the size of these and quantity (3), these are not worth the $10 price tag attached to them, $3.33 for 1 uncooked rice ball that is smaller than a golf ball? For our main meal we got the pizza, which was great. The crust was great and super crispy. They have a fabulous pizza oven here! Tip: If you are coming here on the weekend, arrive just at 7:30pm. This is the time when the bar/restaurant patrons clear out to attend the shows next door.
(2)Dana S.
Was so disappointed in this place. we made a reservation for 7:30, and didn't need one as the restaurant was dead (should have been the first sign). It was weirdly bright inside...the ambiance felt strange. We got calamari for an appetizer. It was completely overbreaded and could have been any variety of fried food as I could not taste the fish at all. the tartar dipping sauce was mayo-y and not anything special. It kind of turned me off for the rest of the meal. Dinner was the worst. I originally ordered brussels sprouts ravioli with broccoli Rabe. It was so bitter and tasted like dirt; I had to send it back. I never send food back but i literally could not swallow it. I went with the plain old parpadelle which was fine but really boring despite the spicy marinara. My husband got chicken piccata which needed a ton of salt and his potatoes were hard (also...why doesn't the picatta come with pasta??) Service was fine but something about the whole thing felt unprofessional and not what I expected to find in the theatre district. My husband said, "well, the bread was good." That doesn't cut it. We won't be back.
(1)Jo M.
A great place to grab a beer and a bite before a movie or a show. They were also super sweet and let us keep our leftover pizza in their cool room while we saw the movie, rather than having to carry it around. The meatballs were spectacular as well. Definitely worth trying!
(3)Cali M.
Our bellman at the Ritz recommended this place as a local, kid friendly restaurant. His recommendation was amazing. Great food, kid friendly, fast and tasty. I ordered the butternut squash ravioli, kids ate from a reasonably priced kids menu, great wine and my husband had steak. Overall fabulous meal!
(5)V M.
Wonderful quick service before a show. The home-made pasta with bolognese sauce was perfect.
(4)Dan O.
We ate here before heading to the show. The Aranacini which really did not deliver. For the main meal, I had the gnocchi and sausage. It was good, but the sauce needed something more. My wife had the saratelli (?veal with sage sauce) which had very little flavor at all. For dessert we had the cannoli and tiramisu. The tiramisu was still frozen. The cannoli were probably the highlight of the whole meal. For the price of this meal, I want to eat in a dining room, not in a bar.
(3)Kaiulani A.
Entered and hostess or waitstaff where no where to be found. It was a sign we should've left then. So we sat ourselves and grabbed our own menu. Although our waiter was very nice when he noticed we were there...hostess was still no where to be found. The food was bad...my coleslaw was sour...it was bad - rotten bad but it was served on my plate, my fries were cold, the steak was OK. I informed staff that the coleslaw was sour and that they shouldn't serve it to other patrons. They apologized but didn't offer any kind of compensation. Needless to say I will not be returning and if you're reading this you should pick another restaurant where they don't feed you spoiled left overs from the previous night.
(1)Doreen B.
Stopped in before a show just for a drink and was planning on going somewhere else for dinner. However, after a nice glass of wine and a friendly bartender, we decided to stay for dinner. The bruschetta flat bread pizza was delicious, as was the Romano salad. There were only 2 of us, so we shared the pizza and each ordered our own salad. It was enough for the 2 of us. However, someone with a bigger appetite would definitely need more. I will definitely go back when I am in the theater district next.
(4)Tammie N.
The BURRATA & PROSCIUTTO appetizer is out of this world! It is a nice combination of tomato, mozzarella, evoo, sea salt & prosciutto. My friend and I stopped here for a glass of wine and decided on the burrata at the last minute. I can't wait to go back. I was impressed that the bartenders were pleasant and the main tender remembered which wine she ordered the last time (maybe she is a barfly, who knows?). Anyhoo, I am rating it 4 stars only because we had a glass of wine (or two) and one app. I would like to check it out and give it a more solid review on the night of a show or for a meal.. I am a fan and I will be back.
(4)Kelly B.
Easily accessible from the Downtown Crossing T stop and right next to the Opera House make this a perfect pre or post theater dining choice. I went prior to a matinee ballet for lunch. Service was great, and it wasn't crowded like we had anticipated it may be. I thoroughly enjoyed the Sam Adams Lager Braised Beef. It was plenty large, as they serve dinner all day. It's odd that there wasn't a lunch option, I'm not sure if that's a weekend thing, but we inquired when handed the menus and were told they serve dinner all day. We were there on a Saturday. I see now that there is in fact a lunch menu, leaving me confused, but no matter. The food was good, and was again for dinner as leftovers. My friend had the brussel sprout ravioli which she enjoyed and finished there. We shared the cookie sandwich dessert, which comes with 2 sandwiches, and generous dollop of fresh whipped cream. They were messy, but yummy, and clearly made for splitting. I can't imagine ordering that for one person. Overall enjoyable and more than convenient.
(3)Zayn F.
I've been here a few times now and the food was fantastic. Great wine selection. We had the bolognese and a bottle of super tuscan. The bartender who's name I unfortunately forgot was amazing, we were there wendsday night. The atmosphere is pretty good, upscale but not to a point that you feel you need to dress up. Highly reccomended.
(5)Jenna K.
Small restaurant in the middle of down town crossing. Ambiance is kind of cool. The restaurant maybe has 15 tables though so everyone is kind of packed in. The food was very bleh. Mediocre at best. Ordered the arincini to start and the butternut squash ravioli. Boyfriend got meatballs. Arincini and meatballs were very bland. Absolutely no flavor. The butternut squash on the other hand was fabulous. I would go back just got that. The prices are also just ridiculous. $20 for 5 ravioli? $15 for three arincini the size of a gold ball? Not for me.
(3)Mike B.
Stopped in for a quick app and a drink food and drinks were great ended up staying for hours due to the awesome bartenders quick fast service and awesome knowledge of drinks
(5)Rachel R.
Don't let the Maggiano's-reminiscent typeface scare you off! Salvatore's has much more to offer than chicken Parmesan and lukewarm fettuccine alfredo. Salvatore's menu is interesting enough to appeal to the curious palate, but safe enough for even your 23-year old Lunchables-loving friend to find something they can enjoy. My three friends and I approached our dining experience tapas-style (disclaimer: this is in no way a tapas restaurant. That being said, it worked). We began with a breadbasket and mysterious orb of spread swimming in olive oil. Hummus. Bonus points to Sal for making the bread basket(s) worth the stomach space. After two rounds of bread, we moved on to the antipasto plate and polenta fries. The antipasto was nothing special, but the polenta fries were everything special: fat, fried, cheesy, and oh-so-classy (they're stuffed with provolone and served with house made fig ketchup!) Our fig kick continued with the Calabria pizza, which came topped with Gorgonzola, prosciutto, and figs. I could've used more fig, but I have a particular affinity for sweet-savory combinations, especially where strong cheese is involved. It was definitely satisfactory, but no sound effects were made during consumption. On to bigger and better figs, we ordered the butternut squash ravioli with crème sauce, butternut, diced apple, and... dried figs (twist!) This dish perfectly tied together every crave-worthy fall flavor atop eight large, expertly crafted ravioli. I would order this again in a heartbeat. (This is the part where sharing becomes problematic.) Heed my words: the meal should end here. We mistakenly finished our dinner with dessert (radical, eh?) and were met with the most unworthy, traditional desserts of our lives. The tiramisu and chocolate torte were both heaps of mediocrity served with sugary whipped cream. Compared the unique, creative, detail-oriented dinner menu, these sweets were unanimously agreed upon as a total flop. I have to dock a star because all's well that ends well, and this experience ended on a rather low note. Overall, Sal has still got my vote for the fries and the ravioli. If you're seeing a movie in by the Common or looking for an eatery that will appeal to your mom, friends and little brother, give it a shot. Whatever you do, just make sure your dinner has figs it, and your dessert is had elsewhere.
(3)Maria A.
We ate lunch here a couple of months ago with a group of 8. It was pretty much empty(I think there was one other couple eating in the restaurant) and it took them about 10 minutes to push 2 tables together for us to sit at. We noticed right away that they were very lightly staffed, but we figured that would not matter much since it was so empty. We should have taken a hint when the first two drinks we tried to order off of the menu involved alcohol that they were "out of." When I tried to order a mule I was told that they were out of all vodka. A full bar out of all vodka? Definitely a first for me, but I decided to settle for another sweet tea drink. About 10 minutes after I ordered it the waiter returned to inform us that they were out of that as well. Why did you bother to give us drink menus if you are out of everything that we try to order? The pizzas were absolutely disgusting. We ordered some sort of pesto chicken pizza and I am almost positive that the chicken was either out of a can or bad, it smelled weird and tasted even weirder. The service was in fact so slow that we were there for more than 2 hours, and all we wanted was some drinks a pizzas! On top of that there was absolutely no apology for the bad food, service and the fact that they "ran out" of so many drinks. Lots of restaurant options in this area, take your business elsewhere!
(1)Jason S.
Not sure why this place has 3 stars... With a lack of affordable restaurants in downtown (especially Italian) this place is great. Always solid food, pizzas are very good (and I've eaten a lot of pizza). Crust isn't too thin or thick and very tasty). I'd recommend the salads, sharing a pizza, and especially getting the Gnocci with sausage. Bolognese is good (not the best I've ever had) but the Gnocci is delicious! Fun long granite bar as well with good service. I'm somewhat picky when it comes to italian food, give this place a try! From my experience it's fairly easy to get a table during the week, and pretty crowded on the weekend.
(5)Emes A.
So my wife and I went to Salvatore's today prior to seeing Lion King. I wish I could have that hour back. The wait staff could not serve a pizza in the hour we were there. I'm serious. My food never came out in the time we were there. It was so close to show time that we had to leave and go to Subway to scarf down a subway sandwich. We had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant.
(1)Karen P.
Had a little birthday lunch here with some girlfriends. It's the typical trendy dimly lit fully stocked bar kind of place. All of us ordered a pasta dish. Mine was some sort of mushroom ravioli. After eating a few bites we all came to the consensus that the food was bland! Sad thing was that the table didn't have any salt or pepper shaker and we didn't want to insult the chef by verbally asking for more salt. At the end, none of us finished out meals. The service was great however, and the price wasn't bad. $10+ meals, which I would say is the norm for Boston.
(3)Catherine K.
We walked in on a Saturday night with no reservations and no idea about this Restaurant. They sat us at the bar in the back where we could watch the chefs make fresh pizzas in the brick oven. The service was fast and friendly and our dinners were awesome. The chicken piccata was flavorful and was requested to be served over a bed of linguini instead of with potatoes. Very nice, lots of capers, and lemon flavor. My husband had the butternut squash ravioli in a rich cream sauce with pears and figs . What a nice fall meal. The wines were great. Salvatore's was a delight. We will definitely go back!
(4)David C.
I have been a fan of Salvatores for a long time, but this was my first visit to their new location on Washington Street right next door to the Boston Opera House. The hostess was amazingly friendly and we had a great chat with her while they got our table ready. The new location is beautiful and if you can grab one of the tables by the window it makes for great people watching. For dinner I got my absolute favorite, the margarita pizza. They use the best ingredients and everything tastes amazingly fresh. My partner got the veal picatta (sp?) which was equally good. If you're going to the theater or just want a great dinner, definitely check out Salvatores.
(5)Dani L.
By far the worst dining experience I have ever had. Will never go back here. Short version: The service is not only slow, but rude and incompetent. The food is bland (overcooked rigatoni at an Italian place? No thanks). Long version: I came here on a Sunday evening around 7pm with my parents. We were excited because we just moved across the street and were hoping this would be our new go-to place. The restaurant was dead (only 3 other tables when we arrived), but it took five minutes for them to "set a table" for us. Once we sat down, we kept noticing how strange the waitstaff was behaving. There were more servers than tables, yet everyone was walking around, staring blankly, not doing anything. When we got our salad, we still didn't have any silverware and had to ask TWO different servers. The first server said "Oh, of course" and then just walked away and started clearing another table. After an absurdly long wait for our entrees, my mom's pizza was missing. We asked the server to check on it, who again, just walked away and started doing something else. After twenty minutes of trying to get someone's attention, I asked the hostess McKayla to check on the pizza - at this point, my Dad and I had finished our meals, and my mom still hadn't eaten anything. McKayla walked back toward the kitchen, then went and sat down at the bar and started talking to another server. I walked over and asked her if she knew anything about the pizza and she rolled her eyes and said "Uh, it's coming." I asked her why she didn't come tell me and she just laughed and rolled her eyes again. At this point, we were so over it we told our waiter (who kept disappearing for long periods of time) to just forget the pizza and bring us the bill. When he did, the pizza that we never received was still on it and had to wait another ten minutes to get him to take it off. The table next to us overheard our situation and commented that they had a similar experience. If the food had been good, I would try to over look the service, but the pasta was overcooked and my Dad and I both agreed everything tasted bland. DO NOT go here.
(1)D. B.
We had a strange experience at Salvatore's today. We sat down to a pretty empty restaurant and the waiter told us that the pizza would be a good thing to order so we ordered a pizza and salad to share. The waiter came back to tell us several times that our order wasn't ready. 45 minutes later, he brought the salad which was brown and soggy. Still no pizza. I took one bite and spit it out. The taste of brown lettuce is vile. The waiter came back about 5 minutes later, still with no pizza in hand, and my husband told him the salad was inedible. He said something like, It's been sitting there so of course it's not fresh. My husband then asked if the pizza was done and the waiter said no. We told him we were in a hurry and had to leave. Everyone else was getting their food so it appeared as though he forgot to submit our order. However, he said that the pizza oven can't accommodate so many pizzas so there were several orders ahead of ours. I thought that was strange to say that the pizza oven is small when they have a pizza menu. If you're in a hurry to get to the theater, skip this place.
(1)Kevin R.
Ehh........had better. The arincini blew......risotto was crunchy
(2)Phil O.
Based on 75% of my experiences, I would have rated this place a 3.5 or a 4. Unfortunately, it's the couple other times that have spoiled it for me. -On 11/26, this place seriously botched my reservation of 3 (somehow they had no table for me, and afterwards they were still accidentally sitting other parties ahead of me) -During a previous visit, I ordered the short rib appetizer, which had ice crystals in it. Staff was no where to be found, so I internalized my complaint. Neither the restaurant nor the bar area were busy. Try to stick with the flat bread pizzas if you can. I go with the banana pepper and sausage pizza, which never disappoints. The Shrimp and Scallops Fra Diavolo is an average dish with an ultra-thin tomato sauce, unconventionally grilled cherry tomatoes, and semi decent-tasting pasta.
(2)Lisa S.
My husband and I ate here before a show at the Boston Opera House. We had made a reservation online. When I arrived (early), I told the host I had a reservation. He saw it, told me to wait a few minutes, and then apparently cancelled the reservation (I saw the cancellation email from the reservation service later). Then he forgot about me. I waited 15 minutes and discovered the other hostess gave our table away to someone else who didn't have a reservation. They need some training. We shared the polenta fries appetizer. It was served with a bowl of ketchup. I was hoping for something a little more original? The polenta was nothing special. We both had the salmon entree, it was delicious. We shared the cannoli dessert (likely not made in house). 3 mini cannoli and a scoop of ice cream. They were fresh and delicious. Our server was excellent. The kitchen put the food out quickly. The restaurant is right next door to the Opera House, and the staff does a great job getting guests served and out in time. It's a decent place to eat before a show.
(3)John K.
Good food, good service - convenient to Paramount and Opera House theaters. Chicken Pesto risotto was awesome. Was there on 4/17 for dinner - Eugene was our server and was a really nice guy - always there, but never hovering.
(4)Mindy L.
Pretty yummy mid-afternoon lunch snack. I ate with a group of five colleagues. We split the antipasti plates x2 as well as three pizzas (technically four but one was halfsies). Antipasti plate: pretty good. heavy on the greens (would have liked more meats & cheese). Sal's Special Pizza: typical pizza fare. Pepperoni, mushrooms, onions and olives. Good crust, stayed crispy until the center. BBQ Chicken Pizza: good sauce to cheese ratio. not too much. tangy and sweet. Buffalo Chicken Pizza: great buffalo sauce, but too much of it. pizza was a soupy mess and required a knife and fork. the taste is there, the application needs refinement. Proscuitto Pizza: this was the best looking pizza of the bunch. it got all the looks in the family. crust bubbled up perfectly, big pieces of proscuitto topped with crisp arugula and shaved parmesan. *moi* that was me doing the Italian kissy fingers to the sky thingie. All in all - very good lunch. We sat at the pizza bar where we could watch the pizzas being made. I also got to watch one of the cooks eating pizza while weighing gnocchi. Might want to take your breaks out of the public eye, my friend!
(4)Jenn S.
This place was definitely only OK. It's really pretty inside but the food was lacking. I'm not trying to accuse, but the eggplant parm I had tasted really frozen. And if it wasn't frozen than something was wrong because it had a really odd taste - like freezer burn. I always expect pasta at Italian restaurants to taste really fresh and that just wasn't there. On the other end the brushetta and the signature salad was good. The salad was a bit too salty, which was the consensus throughout our whole table. I would give it a second try but wouldn't consider it as a first choice to eat.
(3)Sandi M.
This is about the Window Demo Series, which launched its first class in October 2013. For $45, you get four courses, plus they threw in pizza, and several glasses of wine matched to each round. Chef Weinstock and Chuck Barbuto were an informative team. I highly recommend this series. I wrote about it here: examiner.com/article/a-c…
(5)K K.
This place is really stylish and has a good feel. Menu is great because you can request EVERY Italian dish to be gluten free. Complimentary breads. However, very expensive. Most meals are around $20, appetizers around $7.
(3)Chris L.
My first visit to Salvatores and I was impressed. I went to check out there " off the grid monday offer " lunch from noon -3pm is 50 % off if you turn in your cell phone while you dine. They return your phone with your check. Fair Enough !! I tried the steak tips and the we're cooked perfectly ! Fries appeared to be hand cut and flavorful. Also came with fresh Cole slaw and some fresh bread with oil and balsamic vinegar to start. My friend enjoyed the same and was very impressed with the flavor of the steak tips. Marinated perfectly ! Staff was friendly and efficient, looks to be a regular monday lunch spot from now on.
(5)Ross T.
It's a nice clean joint that convenient after the show at the opera house. Not to expensive and with good quality, so I was quite happy with that. It was also a close quick ride from north station. All in all, good place.
(4)Dave L.
One of 5 Salvatore's around Boston, it's a good place for casual or business lunch. They have pizza, sandwiches and pastas and prices are pretty reasonable considering the quality of food and décor. My veal marsala on a bed of pasta was delicious, not too heavy or gooey (which veal marsala can be) and it was only $12. At a restaurant with cloth napkins, no less! The 3 of us shared one of their large Caesar's salad along with our main courses. Service was excellent. I would definitely go back.
(5)Brian D.
So I just swung in here for a drink prior to hitting a movie with my date. I was overall impressed by how nice it was inside. Decent drink menu, nothing spectacular about it. Service and the bar keep was attentive, got us out and going in reasonable time. The real interesting part of my experience was that one of the Phantom Gourmet dudes, Dave Andelman, came in and sat down next to my date and I with his blonde wife/girlfriend. I randomly caught his eye as he came into the place since my date was facing the door, and I could swear he was trying to figure out who I was the remainder of the time we were there. For some reason, he kept scoping a look over at me, possibly to make sure I wasn't somebody he knew and didnt want to seem rude by not saying hello. I swear I could have seen his mind going a thousand miles and hour, trying to figure out who I was... . ... I guess I just do that to people... The wife/gf he was with was super hot, but I wasn't envious as I had a little piece of eye candy on my arm as well... :) Anyways, only came here for a drink, no food. No problems had by us, maybe a little expense for a glass of wine and an Alagash White, but overall a real nice interior. I can see this place to be a real spot for out-of -town folks on business or whatever. Nice, but not too nice just right as Goldie-Locks would say. Now, just what was Dave Andelman concerned about? Kind of creepy dude.
(4)Ashley H.
I only give this place two stars because the food is good. The service on the other hand is terrible. I went there last night with my fiancé and the place was empty, most likely because a show was about to begin next door. We sat at the dirty bar and got a drink. We had to get the attention o the bartenders to get Menus because they seemed to be too busy cleaning behind the bar, mind you it was only 8pm. The bar area smelled terribly of sanitizer, which is a good thing because you know it's clean back there, but not great smell to go along with your Italian food. We ordered our food and received it but then had no more contact with the bartenders who seemed to be more interested in waiting on the wait staff that just say down next to us at the bar for a drink. We have been here a few times and really like the food but the SERVICE needs some work before I ever go back.
(2)Lauren M.
I met a friend here for lunch on Thursday. The place seems like a grown-up sports bar. Even at 1 pm on Thursday, people were gathered at the bar while the restaurant seemed a little more modern and wanna-be sophisticated. I ordered a delicious healthy-sized club wrap and washed it down with a $4 Sam Adams. Total cost: $12. Other foods seemed reasonable as well, including the appetizers, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, and entrees. The menu was pretty extensive for lunch and everything looked very scrumptious. The restaurant was fairly quiet, which was great since I wanted to catch up with an old friend. Service was a bit slow, especially considering so few people were sitting in the dining area. All in all, though, the food was delicious and very reasonable.
(4)Michelle M.
If I could give this place a negative, I would. They have to understand first impressions. My friend and I walked in there before a show and sat at the bar. Never having been there before mind you. It was not at all busy, very quiet, and lots of seats open at the bar. The bar tender waited at least 10 minutes before saying anything to us and was cold and borderline rude, like we were wasting his time. I was planning on getting food and a drink, but he took so long to take our drink order, we didn't have time to eat before our show. So we finally ordered drinks and noticed him making drinks for other people who ordered after us, clearly ignoring us. He never intended on getting anything for us. We were friendly, quiet and there was no reason to be treated so rudely. So by the time the a-hole looked our way (we ordered sangria I think-which shouldn't that be homemade??), we got up and left. I would never EVER go back there.
(1)Cody C.
Good for a cheese plate and a glass of wine pre theater if you go early enough. Went one night when it was empty and the service was excellent. They ran out of scallops when we wanted to order the Scallops in limoncello sauce - and we asked to replace the scallops with shrimp so we could try the sauce... and they didn't lower the price for the cheaper seafood that they used... wasn't impressed by that. Went another night more recently to try to grab a drink before a 6:50 movie... showed up around 5:30 and "couldn't seat us" because we didn't have a reservation.... obnoxious when you're looking at plenty of empty tables.. even when we told them we were just grabbing a quick drink.
(2)Julie C.
Salvatore's is a great place for lunch. Its never crowded with all the downtown/FiDipoeple who always migrate to the same places day in and day out. Its a breath of fresh air. Their pizzas here are excellent and big enough to share. If you are feeling up to it, try their sangria. So what, if its only lunch time? Don't worry, this will hardly get you drunk, and you can go back to the office and do your best work! :-) The last time I was here, there was a lunch crowd pounding Bud Lights and having so much fun ( I kind of wish I was with them!) Service is friendly and mildly attentive. They don't around too often especially when you need refills on your waters. The decor is quite elegant too, not sure what kind vibe this place is trying to since its not fancy but its not fast food. But who cares, its a nice place to sit down and have a nice lunch time meal.
(4)Jessica L.
Perfect for an evening at the theatre!!! I really love this place and it's the quintessential theatre-district, pre-show dinner venue. Very nice (and understanding) waitstaff, and excellent menu choices. I give it four stars because some menu items are hit or miss. Many of the pastas are delicious, but certain dishes (ie, the steak dish I ordered and the dessert) are forgettable. However, some of the pizza and pasta dishes are really fantastic, so just check out what your neighbors order or ask the waiter. Excellent for an evening out on the town for the ballet or theatre. Nice wine selection as well.
(4)Marissa A.
I don't know about the previous reviews, but I actually enjoyed my experience. I recently went for dinner with a group of friends. While waiting for out friends to arrive, my bf and I sat at the bar. The bartender was very nice, giving me suggestions for mixed drinks. My bf wanted a Peroni but they were out, which was a tad strange since they just opened... Anyway, when everyone had arrived, we were seated in a nice booth. Service was great - our server was very attentive, always refilling our waters and making sure we had everything we needed. I ordered the Signature Salad which was a great portion and very good. Nothing special, but good nonetheless. My bf got the Panzanella salad and he said it was pretty good, but 'nothing to write home about. We split the Sausage and Ricotta pizza. Good amount of toppings, savory taste with a nice tart bite from the banana peppers. I'll admit when I went to the one in the Seaport District, every bite of my meal was delicious. I'm not saying my meal here wasn't delicious, it was just good. But yes, it was good and a new option to go to when in the Theater District.
(3)Katia M.
This place has great lunch deals and good food. I've had kind of mixed service -- it's not like anyone is rude, but it can be a little tough to flag down a waiter. But yeah, for lunch? Great deals, nice ambiance, nice bar. I had better service luck at the bar though, FYI.
(4)Donna K.
Sunday, October 6th, 2013 we went in because we arrived early for a performance at the Paramount next door. It took 30 minutes for my daughter to get a ginger ale. The liquor for the cocktail I initially wanted was out of stock. The cocktail I ended up getting was so vile I had to return it. The two appetizers that we ordered took almost an hour to get there, so I went to cancel the order as we were running out of time before the show and magically they appeared! Didn't enjoy them for two reasons. One, we felt super rushed and two. . .they tasted GROSS or. . .no taste. We ordered the Arrancini $14 bucks (more than Salvatore's in suburbs) Balls, which were supposed to be lightly fried risotto balls stuffed with basil, cherry tomato and fresh mozzarella served with Marinara sauce. Sounds nice right? What we got was three burnt balls on a plate on top of a quarter teaspoon of straight tomato paste - NO LIE - and when you bit into them there was this glutenous, slimy textured filling - GROSS - NO FLAVOR - WASTE of MONEY. They Calamari Fritti was described as lightly fried Calamari and Banana Peppers with pesto tarter sauce. Both the Calamari AND the banana peppers were fried so you didn't know which one you were biting into. . .AM I going to taste tart vinegary banana peppers or mild calamari? The "pesto tartar sauce" was laughable. And of course. . .there were like 4 calamari rings on the plate and the rest were fried banana peppers. NOT GOOD, NOT GOOD AT ALL. Waiter said that Sundays were usually slow, so they only had two cooks and two waiters on for the whole dining room! BAD, BAD planning when you have the last night of a hit show right next door!!!!!
(1)Robin C.
I work in the Seaport district, and have been to that Salvatore's many times and its always been great. So when I was in charge of finding a restaurant to go to after a show at the Opera House, I recommeded trying the theater district location, assuming we would have a simliar experience. I made a reservation for 8 people a week in advance. When I found out that the big Patriots/Broncos game was going to be on at the same time as the reservation, I called the restaurant to confirm that they had tvs, and they told me they had 4 monitors, and if the game wasn't on, I could ask the manager to put it on. We arrived to the restaurant 20 mins early, and we were told that they just sat a table of 14 people, so they didn't have a table for us. However, they were able to push together a few high top tables, so we didn't have to wait long to sit. The Patriots game was on the tvs, however, the sounds wasn't on. When I asked about putting the sound on, they told me that they had a music contract, and due to liabliity reasons, they could not shut the music off to turn the volume up on the tvs. This is not the first place I've been in Boston that has told me this. I don't understand how it works, but Ithey could have told me that when I called the day before to ask if the game would be on. Instead, we were stuck listening to a horrible 90s mix which included songs by Hootie and the Blowfish. We had to wait awhile to order our drinks. Everyone ordered something different, and then the waitor came back to tell us they didn't have 4 of the drinks (no Kahlua, no Jack Daniels, no Malbec, and no Sauvignon Blanc), so those people had to choose something different. I had wanted the Sauvignon Blanc, so I asked for a glass of Pinot Grigio instead. I was told that they were bringing up the Pinot Grigio from the cellar and therefore it would not be chilled. At this point, we still didn't have any water, or bread, on the table. The restaurant was not busy when we arrived, and there were two hostesses at the front who could have picked up a water picther to help out. When the food came out, they only brought 2 dishes to the table at a time. So by the time everyone had their food, it was getting cold. I had ordered the gnocchi with sausage and goat cheese. The pasta was hot, but the sausage was cold and appeared to be burnt on one side. Overall, we had a very bad expereince. I felt bad for the waitor, because I don't think that any of these things were his fault. But it was embarassing to be the one who recommeded the restaurant, and then have things turn out so poorly. I still love the Seaport Salvatore's and will be going back again, but too many things went wrong at the theater district location to make me try it again. Too bad, because it is very convenient to the theater.
(1)Maryan P.
Had lunch and ordered chicken picatta ( check out picture). It was delicious! The original dish comes with potato and veggies but I'm a pasta girl so they substituted. They make their own pasta and when I hear that - it is music to my ears. Very affordable too. Two entrees and the bill was only $18 and change. Looking forward to going back.
(5)Trish A.
ordered a salad and an app- the arugula in my salad was rancid- unfortunately; I ate some before I realized it was bad. Was sick for the next 24 hours. This place is going downhill at epic speed. too many other choices in the hood to go back..
(1)Mara S.
Came in for dinner before the show which was to start at 7:30 pm. Placed order at 6:15pm and left at 7:05 when it had NOT YET ARRIVED! We got bread and water and the waiters apology that so many people arrived at the same time that they were swamped in the kitchen. Huh? You are next door to the theatre and you don't expect a rush 90 minutes before showtime? Avoid disaster and do not go to this restaurant unless you have three hours to kill.
(1)Jen W.
Went for dinner with my boyfriend & his mother after The Nutcracker. They both said this place was great & so close to the theater. After ordering a hot cup of tea twice his mom FINALLY got one. The calamari app was great & hot. It seemed to take a long time to get our entrees & when we did they were not hot. Food was ok. Service was terrible. My boyfriend's beer sat at the bar for 15 minutes before we had to ask for it. Our waitress didn't ask how our food was until we were just about finished eating. She was more interested in clearing empty tables than getting us our check or taking our money. Half way through dinner the restaurant decided to substitute the music for the VERY loud tv. All of a sudden we were in a sports bar. Not appropriate for a restaurant that is located next door to the Boston Opera House. Really tacky. Hopefully they get their act together before next December when we are looking for a dinner place after the show.
(2)Amy D.
I felt compelled to write a review when reading some of the negative feedback for this place. I consider this place totally unappreciated in a part of town that is really hit or miss. So it is often near-empty, which I really like, haha, though is generally concerning. Its pretty quiet and low key and great for a date. They very nicely asked when I ordered if I had to see a show at 8 pm (I didnt), but thought that was particularly considerate. The butternut squash ravioli is GREAT, i crave it constantly. I haven't actually eaten anything else here because I have to get that every time I go. Wine selection is also great, friendly staff, great service. One of my favorite places in Boston, don't know why more people don't know about it.
(4)Glen D.
I have gone for lunch twice. I have ordered the burger both times and have been happy with it. We received bread at lunch too, which I liked. The service both times was friendly and helpful. The food was good and the prices were decent for downtown Boston.
(4)Frances B.
Rude bartender (the bald one). Among other things he and the other bartender ignored my friends and I at the bar even after making eye contact. Then, as he dropped the check, he made a comment along the lines of "Thanks for the 18%" in reference to the diner prior to me. My thoughts are that you probably deserved even less than that. I would have tipped him less than the 20% I gave him, if I didn't fear that he would say something about it to the people next to me.
(1)Tory H.
Came in for a drink and app. Drink list was fine, but expensive. The app was not good, had the fig, prosciutto, arugula, and Parmesan crostini... it was wayyy to sweet. Overall this place was meh and expensive, won't be back.
(2)Rose D.
The lobster ravioli was un-effing-believable. I can't stop thinking about it. Went here before a Nutcracker show and I'm so glad I didn't look any further!
(5)Maya G.
We recently had a quick, light dinner before the theatre. Walking in we were told that they were "all booked up with reservations"-- understandable at 6:00 before "Wicked" but we managed to scoop up 2 seats at the bar. Food was good, service from Mat was great and price was right. It is noisy here, but sitting next to each other, we were able to carry on conversation. Ladies' room was squeeky clean!!!
(4)Charmy G.
The restaurant seemed fancy by its appearance. However, the food here is quite a disappointment . I still cannot believe how can a place offer an improperly cooked dinner. We ordered calamari for appetizer and a pizza . We were quite taken back by the uncooked calamari and even the pizza was weird. The dessert was okay. The service was above par but still I wouldn't recommend this place.
(1)Mahilet O.
great experience! Great Food! I especially admired the services ! Ask for John M. !!! He is so polite and bubbly!
(5)Yvonne Y.
I've been here a couple times now for drinks, and I definitely like the atmosphere here. They have a full bar and a great cocktail list. They don't get too busy at the bar, so it's great to have a low key night where you just want to have a conversation with your friends. I've seen people ordering food here whenever we came, and it always smells and looks really good, so I would definitely like to come back to try their menu. And the fact that they're next to the Boston Opera House just makes it an easy central location for me and my friends.
(4)Alee G.
I love the energy and decor of this place. Very calming and relaxing vibe, and the lighting was low, which I love. I can't stand when a restaurant is poorly lit. There were quite a few people there when I went, yet the noise level wasn't unbearable, it was perfect actually. I came here after an event for some bar food and a few drinks, and I really enjoyed it. The pizza that I had was good. The wait staff was very attentive, helpful and polite, which I very much appreciated. Good service is hard to come by these days! This is a great place to drop by after seeing a play or something of that sort seeing as how it's right in the heart of Boston's theater district. I will definitely return here,to try more things on the menu. 4 stars!
(4)Anna F.
So, I'm a Salvatore's regular. Partly out of convenience (They are next door to the cinema I program) but mostly out of love. The pizza is fantastic and the cocktails are stellar. Have sampled many of the apps and found them all to be tasty as well. In my 15+ visits to Salvatore's I have never encountered an unpleasant staff person or a mediocre dish. Great for after work drinks. Starts to get busy with the pre and post theater crowd.
(4)Kelly C.
Waited at the front door for awhile before anyone addressed my group of 5...but that was the only bad part of the experience. The food was delicious, came quickly, and was so reasonably priced for lunch. I am looking forward to going back again for sure.
(4)Thomas N.
well i was a little nervous going here as the absolutely worst pizza i have ever had came from a salvatores in chelmsford, but this place was really different.....very attractive inside withan odd elevator tride to the rest rooms downstairs....we sat at the bar at the end of which you can sort of watch the cooks and the pizza oven....drinks were good and not to boston priced, burger was great and cooked as orders, cod piccata was beautifully presented and very good although portion was not too big, bar tentress pleasant and attentive.....nice place!!
(4)Branden K.
Salvatore's is a great addition to Boston's Theater District, located smack dab in between the Boston Opera House and the newly renovated Emerson Paramount Theatre. The food is solid, and the prices are much easier on the wallet than Bina Osteria a few doors down. We shared a stuffed Anaheim pepper to start, which was decent, but the standout dish was the Calabria Pizza with tigs, Gorgonzola, and prosciutto. The 12" pizza was great to share. The beer list is pretty pedestrian, so I went with a Purple Haze Martini (Hendrick's gin, Chambord, pineapple juice), which was mixed nice and strong. The bill for our light dinner and my drink ran $30. Nice! This is a destination to remember if you've just sold your old car to get orchestra seats to Les Miz. Stylistically, the place is a little bit of a mishmash: there are images of opera singers over the bar next to TVs tuned to sports. The walls are a sexy black and red, but the crowd wasn't particularly hip--many patrons were theatergoers from the 'burbs, and there were several kids squeezed in at the bar with their parents. No matter. The food's delish and the prices are reasonable; we'll definitely be back.
(4)Risa X.
New Years' Eve 2011. Got out of The Nutcracker ballet. Wanted a swanky but not too expensive place. Found it right next door! I mean, granted.. They were doing a special $50/person (if I remember correctly) for an appetizer, entree, and a dessert. 2 rounds of drinks and the meal later... $130 bill. What!? And the food was amazing! And our waiter, Troy, was FAB! We're thinking about coming back here for Valentine's day :)
(5)Colleen H.
It's too bad that they jacked the prices up over here compared to it's sister location on the waterfront. The options are different on the menu, which I think is great -- I hate franchise copy-cat menus. We ordered arancino, mussels, and scallop/shrimp fra diavlo all of which were pretty good. The arancino was a little dry without the sauce, so you definitely needed to eat it with the sauce. It's on the pricey side, but definitely good! I wouldn't say hurry up and come here, but if you're in the area for a show or something it's one of your best bets for sure.
(4)John S.
Great place ... Food was good great atmosphere loved it
(4)Shel D.
I've been here a few times for lunch, but before I go on, I know you are waiting for it......... .............wait for it........ THE QUEER-O-METER! yes folks this place passed with flying rainbow colours. Granted I was with my mom and not some hot date, but still, I'm hard to miss and everyone there was great. Service is definitely a priority here, and I like that. Ok then, the atmosphere: the first couple of times there I went during peak lunch hours. Its on the noisy side, since it's an open floor plan. The full front windows offer nice daylight against the dark wood interior. The food: I've gotten a few different things here. I really enjoy their pizza menu/options. They make it easy to build your own with a lot of various fresh toppers. We all like a fresh topper, no? I ordered linguine with pesto cream sauce (made without nuts) when I was with my mom and she got the steak tip plate. The pasta was cooked right and the sauce was creamy and comforting. Nice on a fall day! All in all, if you mess up pesto pasta you have majour issues. So good, so far. I partook in mom's steak tip plate. o m g. I wanted to push her over and take it. It was a nice lunch size, not a manly size meal, but lunch adequate. 3 good sized marinated steak tips served atop a mound of french fries and a side of coleslaw. All of it was yummy. The steak (ordered medium) was perfectly cooked to order, and the marinade is AWESOME. I have no idea what it was but dayum I'll be back. The fries were good and even the slaw was tasty. In general I'm not a slaw fan, nice work Salvatore's! And finally, the Service: The servers here are, across the board, nice. I like that. They are polite and up beat without being annoying. A fine line most wait staff fail miserably at. However let's sum up the awesomeness of the waitstaff in one word, shall we? HANNAH! She was thorough, friendly, accommodating (because I'm a pain in the ass) and cute to boot. She's a bundle of great that was the bow on top of a nice lunch out with my mom. I'm hoping to get here after work someway, sans mom, for a drink and see what they have to offer the after work crowd.... another review, another time! Cheers!
(4)Nancy F.
I have to change this review as the first time I gave them 4 stars. After coming here more frequently now, I realized the food is terrible and service was slow. Come here for a drink only and only if you have time.
(2)Jon K.
Standard Italian fare. Moderately decent service but friendly staff. Moderately priced. I would say a very convenient après theater location for a cocktail and a snack but not really a dinner venue. It is located in between the Paramont and the Boston Opera House so very easy and convenient for a glass of wine, draft or cocktail.
(3)Erin S.
Great gluten free menu. The food isn't going to change the world but it was very tasty and I was amazed at how large the gluten free menu was. Ravioli, pasta, pizza, and lasagna - so many options us gluten free folks aren't usually able to eat in restaurants. I will definitely be frequenting this restaurant. Oh and the drink "I Heart Ginger" is delicious!
(4)