Salvatore’s Restaurant
354 Merrimack St, Lawrence, MA, 01843
Salvatore’s Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Lawrence for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lawrence for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lawrence for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
354 Merrimack St
Lawrence, MA, 01843 - Phone (978) 291-0220
- Website https://www.salvatoresrestaurants.com/lawrence/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
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.
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Christina S.
Sal's really hits the mark for ambiance, good food, and customer service. In fact, I can't think of anyone in the area that I'd say the same about, especially in this price range. First off, take everyone's advice and eat out on the deck and take advantage of a beautiful sunset overlooking the Merrimack. If you split a Margherita pizza at $12 and get an $8 cocktail, that's a sweet night on the cheap! The menu is fairly extensive; I've had the bruschetta: above average, the gnocchi was good and was large enough for lunch the next day. But my all-time fav is the simplest: the margherita pizza is made with the freshest tasting basil and mozzerella balls, and i swear it beats ones i had in Italy (yup, i said it). The latest cocktail I had (something involving champagne, raspberry stoli and pureed raspberries) met my former-bartender snob standards and was something that you could expect to pay $12 for in Boston. In addition to the outdoor seating being lovely, the inside is tastefully done when it could've been so easy to go the way of so many other Italian restaurants and end up with wall murals of the Old Country and cheesy background music. Speaking of music, on Fridays an old crooner comes and sings classic Frank and Deano, which I have seen and it was pleasant, and they also advertise jazz on Saturday nights, which I have yet to see. On the 5+ occaisons I've been to Sal's, the customer service has been great. For example, one night we ordered the Margherita pizza based on a on tv ad that said it was $10.99, but were later informed by the manager that this was for takeout only (boo!)--but our server came over and told us that to make it up to us, he took our drinks off the tab (yay!). The same server noticed our table was a little off-kilter and instantly swooped down and fixed it. Now *that's* customer service and attention to detail!
(4)Debbie B.
This place triggers mixed emotions for me. Since its opening I think they may have had some high turnover in the chef department. I've been about 8 times or so over the years and had very different experiences food -wise. The pizza is fantastic (if you like authentic thin crust). The meat is also usually good but I would avoid the baked pasta dishes (manicotti, lasagna) because they tend to be "smooshy" and overcooked. They do however make a mean martini, and you have the bonus of eating in a wide open old Lawrence Mill over the Merrimack river. It really has a unique look and feel. And lets face it- sometimes even "smooshy" Italian food is still good.
(3)Chloe S.
We always get the pizza. We always go when the weather is nice and sit on the patio. We always love it.
(4)Marko M.
3 of us ate there on a busy Saturday night-2/5/11-no reservation-and were shown the bar area where we could order from the full menu. I was impressed by the busy and friendly atmosphere. There's entertainment in the bar section. Appetizers were very good: Scallops app and then a calamari. Very fresh and served hot. Main entrees were veal and a zuppa di pesce which was cooked perfect. No complaints at all and a funny bartender staff.
(4)Kate M.
We have dined here on several occasions, and keep hoping our experience will get better...but it does not. Right from the hostesses,( there were three of them), trying to figure out where to seat us, to waiting for the correct check, it was a very forgettable evening. The restaurant was practically empty with only two other tables seated, yet as usual, it was a real brain buster trying to decide where to put us. Our waitress deserted us after we placed our order, only to return at the end with a check from a table with fourteen meals on it total ling over $380! The signature and panzanella salads were served in a timely fashion and were very good. The meals however took a while and were only luke warm, as if they were sitting for period of time, as they were served to us by another waiter. We would really have liked water for the table, especially because the meals were all on the salty side, but we never had the opportunity to ask our waitress! Don't think we will be going back..ever, and certainly cannot reccommend it to anyone. Same old story, you would think with enough negative reviews, things would improve..... Maybe the one opening up in Andover will be better! NOT!
(2)Chris P.
An unexpected gem in a rehabilitated mill town...food was all that was to be expected...atmosphere was MORE...outdoor dining on the expansive deck is well worth braving a slight chill even on a mild late winter/early spring afternoon...service was prompt, knowledgeable and friendly...food/drink cost was VERY reasonable and in an industry wrought with over-inflated price and promise, Salvatore's delivers a heaping dose of "refreshing" to an expansive, diverse crowd...
(5)Melissa R.
Sal's is one of our favorite restaurants; it's our standard go-to. The menu is delicious, fresh and very affordable. My husbandand I can come here, have drinks, appetizers and desserts for ~$100. It's great! I love sitting out on their back deck in the summer and the inside atmosphere is very unique as well. I love bringing out of town guests here for some yummy Italian.
(5)Dan L.
We were here a couple years ago and not impressed. We gave Salvatore's another try today, unfortunately again we were not impressed. We ordered a pepperoni pizza, a chicken parmasian sandwich and a couple beers. The pizza lacked flavor, very little sauce, bland cheese, bland crust. Likewise, the sandwich was bland. One would think the "flagship" restaurant of the Sal's Pizza empire would make an effort to deliver tasty food. Service was blah as well. The highlight of lunch were the two Peroni draft beers at $4 each. Pizza, sandwich, and 2 beers - $30.
(2)Travis D.
We enjoy Salvatores as a great family restaurant and have dined here since it opened in Lawrence. You could say we're regulars. For the last year, we have been asking them to bring in or develop a gluten free pizza crust since my wife is gluten intolerant. They smile at us and say they are working it. We have yet to see any product. My wife comes with me and the kids to eat here just for our benefit because every time we come she sees one of us eating pizza and is so disappointed by the let down as one of the managers told her that they were working on a gluten free crust. My wife went as far as giving recommendations of gluten free crusts that she has had in fine dinning establishments but it seems that Sals has no desire to cater to the gluten free pizza request. How can an establishment with so many locations not offer a gluten free pizza crust when there is such a huge demand? I think we're going to start boycotting them entirely in our show of solidarity for her.
(1)Joj o.
We came here on a Friday night last week, about 9pm. Got seated pretty quickly, and the waitress got our drink orders done. She gave us a mix of lunch and dinner menus, so we ended up sharing them while trying to decide what to order. The place was decorated nicely inside. There were six of us, so we decided to get pizzas to share, as well as a salad and some mozzarella wedges for appetizers. Drinks came out pretty quickly, and so did the mozzarella wedges and some bread. The oil served with it was good, and had some garlic, hot pepper, and balsamic in it. Our waitress was pretty slow coming back to us after we got our appetizers. We ended up getting a cheese pizza, and the Spinach & Garlic. We figured the cheese would be a pretty good baseline for how good their pizza is. After about 15-20minutes, they brought the pizzas out. The cheese was really good. Crust was perfect. Just enough cheese and sauce. The Spinach & Garlic was alright. It was a white pizza, and to my tastes, could have used a lot more garlic. Our salad ended up coming with the pizza, instead of before. We ate the pizza before even starting on the salad, and then when we went for it, realized it hadn't come with any dressing. Waitress looked surprised by this when we told her, and offered to pack it up for us with some dressing. I don't know what was up with the service. Maybe it was the time of night (place wasn't that crowded), or that the waitress didn't feel she had to work to earn the 18% gratuity that she was already getting for our party of 6 or more, but it was really lacking. She hardly ever stopped by (we were near the kitchens), and we had to ask repeatedly to get drink refills. Overall, pretty slow, and not impressive. I'm hoping it was just our waitress, because the food was good. Otherwise, the pizza was very good (at least the cheese was). The menu had a huge variety of pastas and other dinners, more than 20 different kinds of pizzas to order. Things were pretty reasonably priced, for what we got. For 6 people (5 + 1kid who got chicken fingers) the bill came out to ~$60. If you got individual meals, it would definitely climb higher. I think I'll definitely come back to try some of their other stuff, I'm just gonna make sure we get a different server.
(4)Angel D.
sorry for the meager two stars but my last name may start with a D but it ends in an -ucci! So I need to be hard on Italian restaurants since I've had my fair share of amazing meals esp my mom's homemade gnocchi! I venture up to Lawrence, MA because it is close to where my rents reside, and they aren't all about fancy-dancy restaurants (very old school)...they want some Veal Parm - with big portions....at a reasonable price. Our reservation is a party of 10 for 1:30pm last Sunday. Two crazy nieces and a nephew in toe, at least this place is casual enough for them. Seems to be a popular location for pies as a big party of kids sat at a nearby table ordering pizza after pizza....looked like a softball/baseball team. So as you can tell, I'm a people-watcher as much as I'm a self proclaimed food critic.. ok, onto the serve and food. Serve was just ok, he wasn't very "with-it" but did a good job accommodating my sister's meticulous ordering habits. The bread basket and dipping oil was enjoyable. It was a party of 10 - so I can't say what was going on at the other end of the table where my parents, oldest sister, brother-in-law...were sitting...but I sat near my boyfriend, other sister and her daughter, and my other niece and nephew. I ordered linguine and meatballs which was pretty good. The marinara sauce was average. My sister ordered the Shrimp and Scallops Fra Diavolo - minus the scallops with extra shrimp (see what I mean). My boyfriend ordered the Chicken Parm. Of course I tested their food, the shrimp were a little fishy in taste :( The Chicken Parm was average AND they served it with a side of pasta with some mushroom cream sauce - ick! What happened to Chicken Parm with Marinina sauce? Make sure you substitute that if you prefer red sauce. The kids....ohhh the poor kids....two of them ordered the Chicken Fingers - which were EXTREMELY well done, maybe because it was actual Italian bread crumbs and not fake chicken, but still....the food can't look burnt to kids, then they never eat it! The other one ordered the ravioli...for the three seconds it was on his plate it looked good, but they were gone in seconds...should have ordered him the adult-portion even if he is only 10 years old and a twig. and then there's dessert, I need to order tiramisu at any/every Italian Restaurant because I love it and need to find the best! Salvatore's is NOT. There was barely any espresso taste and all cream and lady fingers...surpringly out of all the Italian restaurants I've been to - the one place that keeps sticking in my mind is Maggiano's (a chain) - great, great tiramisu!
(2)Jennifer D.
I've never been to the restaurant side, but I must say the lunch sandwich/pizza bar that they have going is AWESOME! Not only are they quick and easy but all the sandwiches are made to order and although they heat the pizza up for you before you take it it's freshly made that day and it usually goes quickly enough that it was probably made within the last hour or so! They stop the sandwich and pizza bar farely early but you can't go wrong! Its yummy food and I recommend it to anyone in the area looking for a good lunch!
(4)John B.
Very nice atmosphere and bar tenders and servers are nice, but the food is terrible and over priced.
(2)Alexandra M.
we flew into the little andover airport and were starving, and we wanted pizza. tried iphone yelping (jeeze, what did i do before i had this application?) we ended up asking the airport workers where to go and they suggested "sals." and i'm glad they did. i called ahead and asked if we needed a reservation, they said yes. oddly enough the place was very quiet, not dead, but it wasnt super crowded and necessary to make a reservation but for future, definitely call ahead to just ask. there was 5 of us, so we split 2 huge gourmet pizzas (my sister ended up with a personal size pizza because she doesnt eat veggies, her loss). we ordered one margherita and one loaded veggie. i kept trying to finagle my way into the spinach and goat cheese pizza but they vetoed my decision. although hurt, dont think they didnt hear me cavech the rest of the dinner about how the spinach would have been better than the margherita. the veggie was delicious. make sure you order the pizza a little well done because my sisters was a little underdone (she likes it that way anyway). but this undercooking trend really needs to stop among pizzerias. the crust is huge and really doughy i like a thinner crust but i still enjoyed this one. so we're all sitting there and listening to frank sinatra, when i look up and see a man, 60+ singing frank. he was incredible. live music, you just dont get that anymore. we were sitting close to him and kept "bravo-ing" him on. he ended up coming up to talk to us, he was just lovely. then. then. he announced, "thanks to this family from virginia! lets welcome them!" gee, thanks man. hah. he was super sweet. we were trying to get my grandmother to hook up with him because man, if i was 50 years older... FAIL. one final note. they do not have draft beer. that really irked me. their selection was very small as well and my dad (the pilot) needed a good beer but settled on a sam adams because they were out of everything else. i had a blue moon which is one of my favorites, so i was happy. they were out of stella. everyone elses wine was good, i had a sip, but i'm just a beer & pizza kind of gal. cannolis were good, too. they made them fresh for me because i didnt want a chocolate covered shell.
(5)Aimee G.
I love this place. I have been here twice now. First time I had pizza...which was excellent. I think it was the Margarhetta and also the steak bomb type one. Both were great. 2nd time around I had a pasta dinner with vegetables, (can't remember the name) but it was excellent. Prices are not bad considering the portion sizes. Have always had good service here. The food comes out fast. The outdoor covered deck is really nice in the summer. They've recently covered it over to allow for some shade. Nice view of the Merrimack. Definitely reccomend this place for a date night!
(4)Weezy F. B.
Best place around for food, service and entertainment...Every yelps only when they have a bad experience which is the issue with the site in general. I'm a regular there for a reason. The staff/food being the main reason. Thursdays feature phenomenal live entertainment from a local celeb Dan Sky and 2 outrageously awesome bartenders Reg and Kath who sling drinks and smiles like it's there job, oh wait it is...ok well they are top shelf. Servers like Luteh, Erin, Ann and Kimmie will make your dining experience one to remember and if you happen to catch Steve on the bar you will not soon forget his personality or good looks. The head Chef cooks some of the best Italian creations that will rival your grandmothers best. Not to mention you may be lucky enough to encounter a manger such as Denise or Kate checking in on your evening to make sure you were completely satisfied and leave happy...So come see what all the buzz is about any time of day to fully understand what all the buzz is about!
(5)Judi V.
Once again the boy had a gig and I tagged along. This time he was playing at Salvatores. It's a new venue for his band so I was looking forward to checking it out... now I'm looking forward to going back! The place is tastefully decorated, it's spacious so you don't feel like you're sitting on top of your fellow diners! When we first got there the smells from the kitchen hit me like a brick wall! I was a little hungry so those tempting scents nearly had me drooling. I sat at the bar so I could stare at the boy as his fingers worked their magic on the guitar and waited for my friends to arrive. We ordered from the Specials menu, which had plenty to choose from. For 'pickies' we got the peppercorn chicken tenders, fried calamari and these little fried cheese nuggets. Shame on us for ordering so much fried food but who cares sometimes you just have to go for it, in any case it was worth it! It was all lightly fried, not greasy and tasted wonderful! Two of us had the filet special (at 18.00 it was a steal!), the others had chicken parm, sausage with broccoli rabe over orechietti and the classic, macaroni and meatballs. Everyone totally enjoyed their meal. Our steaks were heavenly, tender, perectly seasoned and came with oven roast potatos and fresh asparagus sauteed with leeks and butter YUM! The macaroni dishes were cooked al dente and the meat balls smelled like someones nonna made them, the boy had the sausage and broccoli rabe and is still raving about it today! We finished it off with tirimisu, coffee and Sambucas.... a perfect compliment to the meal. The tirimisu was delish and the bartender was not shy about what she called a shot of Sambuca.. in retrospect we could have shared one! The boys band is back there on the 21st of February and I'm already starving myself in anticipation!!!
(5)David S.
I've been here many many times in the past and overall I really like it. The portions are great and the prices are good. For my most recent visit, there were about 30 of us who went for a mercy meal after a funeral a few weeks ago. From what I understand, it was a last minute thing so I can't really complain that we had only one waiter for the entire room and that it took us about three hours for lunch - not their fault. This lone waiter was 100% accurate with everything as far as I can tell (everything for everyone around my end of the table was flawless and I heard no one complain) which I consider an extra good feat considering how many of us there were. The Honey Mustard Chicken Wrap I had was outstanding - a HUGE portion of which I had to take half home.
(4)Joyce K.
We came here in late July with some visitors from Florida who love simple neighborhood Italian restaurants. This was our first time here. We came because our daughter said they had live entertainment on a Sunday . This is going to be a difficult review because the opinions on our experience and food were either "very good" or "not good at all". First the experience: We sat on the deck overlooking the Merrimac right after a heavy downpour. Very nice. Service was good. Waitress told us that there was live entertainment at the other end of the deck. Drinks came promptly. Good selection of Italian wines. Sun came out. It all seemed perfect. Then dinner came and the band arrived and started playing the loudest music I've ever heard in a restaurant where people are supposed to eat. We couldn't talk to each other. It was terrible. I know I probably sound like an "old bitty" who listens to Lawrence Welk, but the band would have been better suited to a club. Basically, the band changed the experience from very good to horrible. Strange the restaurant would book them. Second the food: The table shared starters of fried calamari. Well prepared and very good. For dinner, the oldest visitor had a shrimp crostini that was HUGE! I believe it had five large shrimp. The other visitors shared a large pizza which they said was better than what they get in Florida (not too difficult an accomplishment). Husband really liked his individual pizza which was very different from the larger one. I also had an individual pizza which was middle of the road. Will we go back? Don't know. Husband would like to. Maybe if the band isn't there.
(2)Faith C.
Salvatore's is always my go-to restaurant, especially for outdoor wining & dining. They have a great selection of appetizers which is perfect picking food in between sipping one of their delicious cocktails. Their signature sangria is extremely yummy & satisfies the palate nicely. It's nice to know that you don't have to travel far if you're looking for good ambiance. My only complaint, hence the 4 not 5 stars, is that they're not open later.
(4)Rich L.
First off the only good thing I can say about this place was the service. If you go, do not, I repeat do not sit outside. We got a table outside and it is completely infested with big ass spiders. I counted literally 50 within four feet of our table and that was prior to the waitress even coming over. Not only do they have a huge spider problem, there are light all down the deck that are magnets for moths and flying bugs (spider food). I spent the whole time covering my plate and drink trying to make sure bugs didn't get in them, and flicking off moths and other bugs that kept landing on our table. On top of it all, one app, two entrees, 4 drink and $120 bucks later I was completely unimpressed with the food. I got the chicken piccata, it was like a boiled chicken breast with undercooked spaghetti (I asked for linguini) with a spoonful of capers in a tasteless sauce. Even the cannoli for desert, were just three mini cannolis which are made from pre made frozen cannoli shells, they are the exact same ones that they sell at the sals pizza restaurants for 79 cents a piece, toss in a scoop of the worst gelato I've ever had and somehow that makes it 9 bucks. Bottom line, go somewhere else.
(1)Max F.
I ate here a while ago (maybe Feb or early March, I no longer recall) and I've been intending to come back and write a review ever since. I don't often write reviews, but this place was so bad that I felt the need to warn others. It cost around $100 for my wife and I to eat there. That's one appetizer, two entrées, and two glasses of wine. That would be fine, since we were led to believe that this was a romantic/nice restaurant. Unfortunately, the food was on par with what I can make at home using something like Newman's Own sauce and some Barilla noodles. The bread on the table was basically untoasted white bread with a platter of olive oil (no seasoning in the oil, not even salt). There weren't even any tablecloths on the tables. I'm not a snob, but if you've got the nerve to charge $100+ for two people to have dinner, there better be some goddamn tablecloths on your tables.
(1)Ann K.
I do a lot of catering orders and while the food is good, the service leaves a lot to be desired. I don't remember ever having an order delivered correctly or on time, they charge 10% for delivery and only have to come across the parking lot and also charge for plates and napkins!! I will definitely be taking my business elsewhere for my future catering needs.
(2)William G.
Took a date. The deck over the water is nice. The service was good. But the food was bland and poorly cooked. I got the Shrimp and Scallop Fra Diavolo; the shrimp and pasta were both overcooked. The scallops were undercooked. The sauce had no discernable spice, which is the opposite of what a fra diavolo sauce is supposed to be. My date got the haddock. It was cooked well, but the sauce was also bland. No flavor other than salt. The total, including two glasses of wine and one cocktail, came to $85 before the tip. For these prices, I expect a great deal more. Awful food, great people.
(1)Debbie R.
Hi, I went to Sals last night meal was good our waitress Lisa was the best and Dan Skye voice was better than ever. Thanks for a great night out. Debbie R.
(4)Mrs Justdoit J.
Birthday lunch disappointment I went to Sals for a birthday meal June 20th 2015. I had been to Sals years before and had take out pizza in the past. I was optemistic about going. I should of known things were not going to be good. The view and restaurant beautiful. The dead bugs on the windowsill right at eye level. Should have said it all.. The service was great. The food I recieved was horrible. I had a flatbread pizza for one it was supposed to be grilled chicken with romaine hearts. It was horrible. The pizza tasted like mush. The shredded romaine lettuce was old tasting bitter. I only had a few bites yuk. Thank god for the rice balls with sauce for appetizer. Now that was very good.I ask myself why didn't I Complain about my meal it was nasty ?There will not be a next time and I'll tell my friends don't bothet.
(2)Jenn P.
Loved this place! The chicken piccata was the best I've had and they serve it with veggies that are covered in the sauce from the chicken which is great. I ate every last bite. The bread they serve is great too, very soft and fresh with great dipping oil. I will come back often! Also I recommend sitting outside by the river. Great views.
(5)Darby S.
We came here after hitting up Imajine That for my daughter's 2nd birthday. We just got a large pizza, half cheese/half pepperoni. I thought it was good. Hubby said he "wasn't impressed" but it didn't stop him from eating leftovers the next day :) For dessert, we got a chocolate ganache cake, which our waitress put a candle in. It was delicious, very rich. I noticed that they had a huge outdoor deck that will be fun to sit out on when the warm weather comes. We noticed that they partnered with Imajine That to provide a parents' night out where parents can send their kids upstairs to I.T. and have a few hours alone to have dinner at the same rate we would pay to hire a babysitter. Definitely something we will be considering when the deck opens! Huge plus - they take Opentable checks!
(4)Marie S.
Came here for lunch with my sister and was very impressed. The server was fine but the manager made the rounds which was nice. The food was very fresh and flavorful. Had gelato for dessert and it was delicious--a must try! Will be back
(4)Marisele C.
Had the watermelon and feta salad...and the risotto special with mushrooms, squash and prosciutto...both magnificent!
(4)Ashleigh H.
Went in Friday night and got a table without a problem. The host staff was very nice, two young men dressed well greeted us and wished us to have a good meal. Our server was young and sweet and had a good personality. My friend ordered the chicken & broccoli Alfredo which was an ample size and delicious. I ordered the linguine with clams. This was our cheat night and it was well spent. Was a little disappointed with the price of the linguine with clams ($21) because it was not what I expected. It did fill me up and I was full, but I have seen better linguine with clams. Overall, awesome staff, nice environment, I will come back soon.
(4)mario m.
Great bar area with live music. Our bartenders Laina & Ashley were friendly, fun, and attentive. Consistently mixing up tasty Moscow Mules served in copper mugs. I ordered the Sweet Orchard flatbread which was excellent. Sausage, spinach, & caramelized apples. Delicious! We will be back soon.
(5)Gina D.
We have been here many many times in the past and the food is always consistent. We started with the signature salad and said we were going to share it and when they brought it out they had split it already in 2 bowls which was nice. For dinner I ordered the Gorgonzola and spinach small pizza that was out of this world. It was loaded with cheese and bacon. My fiancé ordered the gnocchi with sausage that he thought was great. The reason I give sals 3 stars is because of their service. We sat there for 10 minutes before even being seen and hardly saw our waitress the rest of the night. Our drink glasses were empty most of the time and after we received our salad we waited another 10 minutes to place our dinner order. If we knew that was going to happen we would have placed the dinner order with the salad.
(3)Stephanie S.
Slow service. Got a drink order wrong and the drinks that were correct were incredibly weak. Food was okay but unless it was your standard red sauce chicken parm they were small portions. Waitress had absolutely no personality, the food runner was however very nice. Probably won't be back.
(3)Window W.
We go there quite often and love the butternut squash pizza
(4)Doug P.
Monday nights Regina takes great care of Masters investment club. Good drinks and eats.
(4)Cynthia E.
Amazing pizza and appetizers. I absolutely love the food and the drinks here. I come often with coworkers. There is a long wide balcony that overlooks the Merrimack river. I've also rented out a small room to host a retirement party with covertly. The service and location was great. Plenty of parking in the secure lot.
(5)Erika O.
Really good food!! I had some kind of appetizer with cheese inside a rice ball soooo good!! The lunch special are good portions and reasonably priced
(4)janice m.
13 dollars for a martini?? Crazy. Paid 14 dollars at the Top of The Hub recently and enjoyed a panoramic view of Boston. The food is too expensive for what you get. I'm all done with Salvatores.
(1)Mike w.
This place is an absolute joke. The food was terrible, the service was polite however. Now when I say the food was terrible I mean it. I've had better Italian food out of a can. I ordered the chicken and broccoli alfredo and was brought linguine and clams. When I finally was brought what I ordered I was appalled. Mismatched pasta and boiled chunks of chicken with under cooked broccoli florets with a few broccoli stems thrown in. The mismatched pasta gave me the vision of containers of precooked pasta sitting in the kitchen waiting to be dropped in a pot of boiling water to be heated up before service. The alfredo sauce tasted like it was from one of the finest jars at market basket. What a joke! Food is awful here and expensive. Never going back, and you should never go.
(1)Lynette A.
We've enjoyed eating at Salvatore's in Lawrence for close to 10 years now and taking friends and family near and from far away to experience great service and delicious food. For the past few years it has been hit or miss. We are not ones to usually write or comment on food quality as there are many elements that come into play. We, as we have numerous times, brought friends who had never had the pleasure of experiencing Salvatore's superior service and wonderfully prepared, tasting food as well as the beautiful ambiance. The service provided by your staff such as Peter are superb but when we frequent your establishment we always ask for Marcie (she has been promoted and rightfully and deservingly so). Her customer service excels well beyond her years and no one could ask for any better. She is teaching her staff to do the same and its quite noticeable. The food continues to get better and better and almost back to how it use to be. The chicken tenders with signature herb Parmesan butter sauce and antipasto Italiano was delicious in appearance and taste. The antipasto is back to being served with the finest of imported prosciutto and salami and olives. The chicken tenders with signature herb Parmesan butter sauce were cooked just right and perfect. It also used to be served with Gorgonzola cheese but that is still missing from the menu choices. The pizza that we ordered was consistent with the quality that we usually receive, and was even better than the last time. We were very pleased as your restaurant and its food was one of our favorite places and is getting back to the restaurant it once was. The excellent service of Peter went above our expectations and Marcie,the general manager, is beyond exceptional. Keep improving on the menu, the quality gets better and better and the portions have increased, and the management has caused noticeable differences. Thank you Peter and Marcie!
(4)Linda P.
The outside deck is the very best part of this venue, although it is nice anytime of year. The food is excellent, the drinks are very well made, and the desserts are to die for. On a nice summer night, the deck at Salvatore's is the place to be!
(5)Jonathan K.
What a fantastic find! It's a beautiful building in a superbly redeveloped area. The menu offers a great variety of delicious Italian dishes and some other nice choices if you're looking for something else. But the best part was the live music... A guitarist was playing in the bar area, but even better was the golden voice of 85-year-old Tony Cibotti, strolling through the dining room while performing the hits of Sinatra, Martin and Bennett to name a few. He's there every Friday, and I would highly recommend getting there before he leaves at 9. The whole experience is a treat and you'll leave with a huge smile.
(5)Max D.
The Haddock Livornese was amazing! The Tiramisu as usual, amazing! And Christine.... Well, absolutely superb!
(5)Heather B.
I've been a huge Salvatores supporter for years -- I've been there for fun date nights, bridal showers, even a memorial dinner remembering loved ones who have passed away... but this time was the worst experience I've ever had. My husband and I were seated outside and it took honestly 15 minutes for someone to come to our table. It was so bad we were wondering if the staff was switching shifts. We finally ordered an appetizer.. only to wait another 20 minutes (keep in mind it wasn't very crowded) and during that time, the waitress didn't even come over once to see if we wanted another drink or if we were ready to order our entrees. The worst part -- we had to ask her for bread TWO times before she sent it over. She assumed because we wanted an appetizer that we didn't want anything, even though we asked repeatedly. Really? When our meals did come out they were decent but not the awesome food we remembered. My seafood pasta was swimming in "sauce" (i wouldnt even call it that) that looked and tasted like flavorless water, while my husband's butternut squash ravioli was delicious but had NO sauce. It looked like they had run out... very dry. We each ordered 3 drinks throughout the night --- the same drink for every round --- and each time they came out COMPLETELY different. The first one was awesome.. the others were horrible. One was even made w/ the wrong mix but we sucked it up. We assume diff bartenders were making them, which was fine, but for $10 each it was pretty bad. I've heard the service and food has declined in recent years, but I was shocked at how bad it was. I never complain... it's just not my nature. I tried to justify it.. thinking the waitress was just so busy and overwhelmed or new. But honestly, it wasn't that busy and she wasn't friendly AT ALL. We were just stumped. We paid close to $150 and the service and quality was as if you went to the 99 or something similar. We truly regret spending that... it was a poor evening. The only thing that saved it was the outside deck, which was very nice. Don't think we'll be going back. Guess we need to move on after being loyal customers for many years. We will be telling our friends to AVOID at all costs.
(2)Lisa P.
Had a late lunch here yesterday. I was reading the reviews as I waited for our food, I was thinking uh oh this isn't going to be good. And it wasn't good it was great! We ordered linguine with meatballs, a romana salad and chicken tenders with a teriyaki glaze. It was all very good, especially the tenders. They mentioned it was the first day with the new menu, maybe they have turned things around. You should def try them out. I'll be back for sure.
(5)Linda B.
Have never had a bad meal here!! Good portions and reasonable prices. Family friendly atmosphere as well. Love the outside deck set up during the summer seasons. Definitely a returning customer!!
(4)Kimberly M.
I don't mind paying for quality, but this $150 lunch (no alcohol and only 1 appetizer) for my family was not up to par. The service was slow, and the food was gross. We won't be back.
(1)Ann S.
Crappy service for third and last time visiting this place. Party of 10, spent over $500. 9 of ten meals served with the 10th being served 15 minutes later. Hostess acted like we were putting her out when she attempted her heartfelt apology. Took meal off bill, how nice of them. Don't waste your time or money on this place. Food is overpriced and of mediocre quality and the service absolutely sucks. Shame on me for going there a third time!
(1)B M.
Had a great experience. The server was fantastic! She had a great personality! The food was delicious! The butternut ravioli was a hit! The overall experience was great and we will be back!
(5)Melanie K.
If you are looking for great service, along with great food, look no further than than the bar at Sal's in Lawrence. The bartender, Regina, is absolutely phenomenal. She loves her job and it shows! We went in there on a Saturday night. The place was packed. There was a private party in the next room over. Regina and Erin were the only 2 tending bar for the entire bar, as well as the huge private party and we thought it would take forever for us to get served just given the amount of people these 2 ladies had to tend to. Not only did we get prompt service, the service was excellent! We never had to wait and we were well attended to with such an upbeat, positive attitude by both of these lovely ladies! What a pleasant surprise! We live much closer to another Sal's but will definitely make the trek over to the Sal's in Lawrence as the service is so well worth the drive!
(4)Rand H.
The menu and ambiance are generate a lot of hope. Unfortunately Salvatore's can't deliver. We tried Sal's right after they opened several years ago. We recently decided to try again to see if the results were different. Nope. Burrata and arrancini were tasteless. The bolognese was a very creamy vodka sauce with meat. The cecci and rabe was great...but that's hard to mess up. With so many good Italian places around...go somewhere else. :-( Love Sal's pizza, though!
(3)Caroline C.
I had my rehearsal dinner at Salvatore's and the overall experience was great. They had a private room for the roughly 30 people in our party. The room also had access to the outside deck which was a plus. On to the best part, the food! We had a preset menu which offered the choice of 3 appetizers, entrees, and dessert. All choices looked amazing! The chicken parm stole the show though. It was huge! Everyone complimented on how delicious it was. It was also served with homemade pasta, delicious. The only complaint that I did have was that they did not assign more servers to our party. We only had one server for most of the night that provided us drinks and our food. Don't get me wrong, the gentleman that was our server did a great job but it would have been nice to have a couple extra people helping him out. I would recommend this establishment for anyone having a private function.
(4)Cristina C.
I came here for a graduation party this past weekend, good time overall. The lot/building is ginormous over where Riverwalk properties is and there's two separate entrances; A and B. B is the function area and we didn't go in that entrance but we were also in the function area located on another level in the actual restaurant entrance. So we go in and they had nice signs telling us where to go, elevator, follow sinage, then there were staff members to greet us and bam huge function room for the party. Buon lavoro mi familia to pick this spot out, although I wouldn't have chosen this spot it had a nice appearance overall. There was dumpy view of the river though, eh but it was an overcast day, so in the summer I bet nicer maybe and you could see that they had an outdoor patio but I wouldn't want to sit out there after seeing all the nasty bugs flying and dead on the glass window, in the summer it may look nice from the inside but no thanks, I don't want to catch malaria or whatever there is out there. The bathrooms were small only two stalls in the women's room, it didn't pose an issue but I could see it becoming an issue at some point during a reception. There was a huuuuge mirror out in the hallway, that was cool. Lots of windows too. The bar area was small, as was the hor'dourves area was also small, a small round table. I'm sure the meals were per-person and so they chose the small round table; however I feel that maybe it could have been set up differently. Also, the cheese was ew but good pineapple! The meal was buffet style, decent food and I liked the spread they had going on. We wished for better bread though, the whole restaurant downstairs smelled like fresh bread and the elevator did too.. butter at the tables waiting for the bread and then there are these dinky snowball rolls that tasted like a hamburger bun. Meh! Service was alright, when I asked if I could have a pint glass instead of the tiny, measly water glass they had so I could actually have more than one sip when I drank the water; he said he could just fill up my glass again for me. Wouldn't that make it more work for you.. odd and also the water tasted like poison so then I didn't even want it and we goofed off and added coffee creamer to it to make it look like how it tasted.
(2)SARAH P.
My husband and I came here for dinner with another couple tonight. We arrived at about 6pm on a Sunday night, and it was very quiet. We were greeted right away by a friendly hostess who gave us the option to sit out on the balcony, which overlooks the Merrimack River, and gives you some nostalgic views of all the old mill buildings. Since it was such a beautiful evening, we chose to do just that. Ok, the food: For apps, we ordered the Tomato Bruschetta and the Caprese Salad. They were both delicious, but overpriced in my opinion. For entrees, we ordered the Butternut Squash Ravioli (very tasty), Stuffed Chicken Parmigiana (SO good), Steak Tips, and Veal Medallion Parmesan. The Steak Tips came with fries, and they put a bunch of burnt crumbs/chunks of potato from the fryer on the plate. Also, my friend's boyfriend, who ordered the Veal Medallion Parmesan, barely touched his food. The word "medallion" is very misleading, as his veal was 2 HUGE, thick, over-breaded pieces of meat. He wasn't happy with it at all. Ok, here's the bright side: The service was awesome. Our waitress noticed that my friend's boyfriend wasn't a fan of his meal, and immediately offered to replace it with something else on the menu, which he declined. She came back again a little later and very politely asked him again if he would like something else at no charge. He declined again...Finally, when we were getting ready to leave, the manager came and gave him his money back for his meal. The staff is definitely eager to please, which I admire and appreciate. All in all, it was a pleasant experience. I definitely think the food is overpriced, but the atmosphere out on the balcony, along with the great service, allows me to forgive that.
(4)Donna M.
Very pleased with our food, although the dining space needs some design help. The table placement is awkward. Some tables seem to be out in left field yet others are practically on top of one another. For such a large space, to me it seems that there could be a better table configuration. Having said that, we were pleased with our meals. Food is reasonably priced with portions on the large side without being gigantic. My swordfish over linguine was delicious and my husband raved about his shrimp and scallop with spaghetti. Our server was pleasant and attentive. Not sure about going back honestly.... The table thing is problematic for me.
(4)Lin M.
Did not realize I had never reviewed Salvatore's. The major plus is their location...right on the river. The décor is very nice, very upscale. The food is good. The service can be slow which is forgiven because the atmosphere makes me want to stay awhile anyway. The do have quick in and out takeout for lunch if that is what you need. Sal is doing a nice job of revitalizing this area.
(3)Adam K.
I have never written a review before, and certainly not a negative one, however enough is enough! Salvatore's in Lawrence is by far the most poorly run joint around and I'm not ashamed to say it! I have been there at least 25 times and each time it has gotten worse. This sub shop/fancy restaurant thing just isn't working. Today was the straw that broke the camel's back. The atmosphere is just not fun, the service is mediocre, the food is fake Italian fare. This place is huge waste of $$$$. NOW, I RANT- I stood in front of the pizza counter waiting to order a slice of plain cheese pizza (blah I know but they have a terrible track record of making any dish to order). After ten long minutes, as the sole customer waiting in line, watching 12 people (YES I said 12) chit chat and stand around I thought to myself, "Why is it so hard to spend money at this place?" Now I'm sure people go to the counter and stand around all the time, because no one has anything better to do than watch the sandwich makers at Sal's carry-on about Mob Wives- right? No! I could understand if this was a rare occasion but it was not. 4/5 times that I have gone there they got the order wrong, provided rather poor service or went on ignoring special requests. Below is what transpired in late December. Me-"Does this have nuts in it?" Sal's- "Umm nuts? No, it's pesto" Me- "So you're telling me that there are no nuts used to prepare the dish?" Sal's- "No, the cook is perfectly trained." Me- "So there are no pine nuts in this?" Sal's- "I don't know Im not the cook." Me- "So should I risk dying or are you going to check?" Sal's- " Can I recommend the vegetarian flatbread pizza?" Me- "WTF" This place warrants a boycott! It's about them making a buck and not about you enjoying yourself enough to come back!
(1)Ruby H.
Wow! I've been here a couple times, but mostly for the take out pizza which is great. Unfortunately the same can't be said about their steaks or service. We had the worst experience here from the moody hostess to the irritated waitress and the mediocre, overpriced food. it was ALL bad as can be. First of all they need a friendlier or overall happier hostess. She is the first person you encounter when you walk in and if she appears annoyed, it sets you up for a bad experience. We were a party of 4 and were seated outside I opted for the river view which is awesome. Unfortunately we were seated at a table that had a balance problem and it wobbled. We waited 15 minutes and no one came to great us, so I went back inside and spoke to the moody hostess about switching to a booth inside instead. So we were eventually moved inside to a booth next to the bathrooms, now there were plenary of other booths available but we were seated there. Un satisfied I decided to not complain and sat. 20 min later a server not our server fills our goblets with water doesn't say a word to is just fills and leaves. 15 minutes later our server shows up and asks about drinks I order a Long Island ice tea and my husband orders beer and the kids apple juice. She takes the order and leaves no welcome no mention of the specials nothing. After looking at the menus which were just plain pieces of paper I decided on the Mother's Day steak special and my husband had the steak tips and the kids pizza. Eventually she came around to take our order. With a dry and irritated demeanor she came to take our order. 20 minutes passed and we got our drinks. My drink was super sour and really had little to no alcohol but it was drinkable. Eventually a man brought our meals my husbands steak tips were ok not good just ok. His fries were horrible they were burnt and tasted old. My steak was bland no salt no nothing it was gross. I decided I was not going to eat it so I waited 30 min until my server came a so could send it back. I told her it was bland and tasted bad and that my husbands fries were burnt. She didn't even apologize she just took it and said a manager will be right over. Eventually she brought me a menu to order something else I ordered a more expensive steak I thought would be a filet mignon cut. Since it was called filet. The Manager showed up about 15 minutes later un apologetic she just told us she was going to send my husband some new fries and that my filet would be out in a few. 20 minutes passed and my husband received a side of fried which were burnt and tasted of dirty oil and I got my plate which looks awesome although overpriced for the portion, but looks can be deceiving. It tasted horrible! The filet was a cheap cut, NOT FILET MIGNON ! The ravioli was mediocre and so were the veggies. Out server showed up 2 minutes oater we got our food to see how everything was. I just told her I needed a steak knife, since mine was taken with my first crappy meal. She returned with the knife after a few. The steak, filet, whatever was horrendous. It was bland and dry and and I could taste was blood. I like my steak rare but tasty. My husband left the 2nd set of burnt crappy fries and I ate as much as a I could of my disgusting steak. I server showed up to see how everything was, to which I responded fine since I just could return a second plate. She eventually came to an about dessert to which we declined since I really didn't want to risk another horrible plate. We got our check which was not cheap, given that we weren't given any discounts and the only thing we weren't charged for was the first steak I returned. We paid and left a minimal tip. Although I would have opted for no tip but I felt sorry for the bus boy or who ever cleans and keeps that place looking nice. Overall the server sucked , the hostess sucked, the manager sucked and the food sucked. The view is beautiful and the place is nice and looks very regal unfortunately service and food are not up to par. If you want great take out pizza come here. It's the best. But if you want a good meal and service with a smile don't. I recommend Burton's Grill in N Andover about 5 min form here. I regret not going there for moms day. This place is in need of new management, new cooks and new server. Just FYI.
(1)Kathleen H.
Everything was fine. I had nice glass of Malbec and the Signature salad with chicken and gorgonzola. DD had Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo. It was tasty - but not very alfredoey - or at least not as we were expecting. Not much creaminess to it. The deck outside was nice, and the view was great. We watched ducks and geese toodling along, and enjoyed the sunset light. And then the piéce de Resistance. . . .the Alpine Cake. It was shaped like a swiss chalet. Pointy. It was dipped in chocolate, which left a thin, crispy coating. It had a white fluffy filling. It was a fluffed up, high-class, triangular, continental hoho. ( hostesscakes.com/hohos.a… ) A hoho that had spent some time abroad, and perhaps sipped gewurtstraminer while overlooking the Matterhorn. In a good way. It was big enough for four, holy smokes. I recommend sharing with at least one friend. My cappuccino was just ok - but came with little itty bitty biscotti. ITTY BITTY. squeeeee. Service seemed harried, but we got all we needed in a timely manner. The menu is what's to be expected at an italian place, food seemed competently done, decent wine list. I'm not up that way much, but I'd not turn my nose up at giving it another shot.
(3)David B.
With all of the communities and cities in Massachusetts along the Merrimack River, few have restaurants that connect you to the body of water that defines this corner of Massachusetts. As with waterfronts across America, they supported industry, not recreation. So, in a city of converted mills, its nice to finally find a restaurant that visually connects diners to the Merrimack. The outdoor deck is lovely! Unfortunately, when the deck is the best thing about a restaurant, there is a problem. Service was lousy. Although our waitress was chatty and pleasant, we were slow to get everything: menus, drinks, and water. We ordered a large pizza, for three of us. When we finally got the pizza, it was the wrong one. No apologies or reduction in the bill. We waited quite awhile, again, and finally received the correct pizza, 45 minutes to an hour later. I'm not a big fan of Salvatore's pizza. The dough is, well, doughy. I like me pizza thin and crispy. Although the river views are lovely, it must come with food to match. I hope other dining establishments follow suit, but with better service and food.
(2)Kody B.
Just had the worst pizza ever! Pizza was dried out; almost no toppings despite the extra charge for toppings and the crust tasted doughy. The biggest insult was the charge of $23 for this waste of food. I've had better from the supermarket! We stopped dining here because of awful service; food is mediocre in both Lawrence and Andover. I will never spend money at Salvatore's again. Even a letter to management sharing my dining experience went unanswered. Perhaps Sal should focus on improving his restaurants rather than real estate development or get out of the food business.
(1)Matthew J.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! So I work in the Riverwalk complex and let me say, these guys always amaze. They have a fantastic lunch menu. It is reasonably priced, high quality restaurant food to go. I have never had anything bad on the lunch menu, and service is always lightning fast. They even sell Sal's Pizza! Their dinner menu is great. I heard about a gluten free menu, so I will have to bring my grandparents who can't have it sometime. The prices are what you would expect for a nice restaurant, I'd say $30 including tip is normal per person without drinks. I have only stayed for dinner once, but I loved it! Summary of Dinner: The tapas are fantastic. I got the tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, and couldn't be more thrilled. For dinner I had the special (similar to a regular menu item, but with a twist) chicken pesto (nut free) Alfredo. A little extra sauce at the bottom, but I could drink that sauce it was so good! Portions are what you could expect for Italian, large. No room for dessert, even though it looked great. Large selection of draught and bottled beer. Huge wine list. View from the deck is fantastic! Overlooking river and renovated mill (but it just adds to character) Trees block the rest of Lawrence from view. Service was funny, polite, and prompt even during a pretty busy hour. Overall great experience.
(5)Matthew M.
Went to Salvatore's today for lunch and the pizza was too small slices not the big ones you use to get and they warned them up but still cold and what with all different staff every time you come
(1)Io S.
Well, the service hasn't improved. On a busy Friday night (they had a "dance party" set up in a small, perfunctory lounge off the main bar), the bar seemed appropriately staffed up. Unfortunately, the extra staff just resulted in extra-slow service. Only one waitress (and, sadly, she wasn't working our table, but the next one over) really seemed to be anything resembling a pro: The rest were inattentive and appeared anxious to get the hell out for the night -- and it was only 9 o'clock! Food was OK -- the chicken tenders and scallops "small plates" were delicious though they were a little too faithful to the "small" adjective that described them. However, the 12" chicken pesto pizza was sumptuous and delectable and, unlike the large pizzas (which some complain are too doughy), featured a thin, crisp crust that was cooked to perfection. It might be worth it to get that as a takeout item in the future. Sadly, despite the bar's exquisite decor and surfeit of TVs, too many experiences with lackluster service will keep me from becoming a return customer. I live just a mile away but, in my opinion, Salvatore's simply isn't worth the trip.
(2)Robin O.
Excellent customer service here! I went here recently to celebrate a friends graduation for lunch with their family and the wait staff was over the top amazing as far as accommodating us. They went out of their way to set up the table special- which was asked for in advance- and they went above and beyond in every way. Our waiter Jerome was just awesome awesome awesome! 20 out of 10 as far as service goes. The food was also delicious, I had the eggplant parm and it was very good and I enjoyed their home made pasta. Just an overall great experience, would recommend to anyone!
(5)Peter A.
My wife and I ate dinner here (yes, at the flagship Lawrence location) last Saturday night and experienced the worst service we've had in any restaurant in a very long time. First, the hostess promised us a drink menu when she realized she had forgotten it as she brought us to our table, but we never saw her or the promised drink menu the rest of the night. Our waitress noticed my dinner menu was missing the appetizer page when she asked if we wanted any appetizers, but did nothing to get me a full menu. She didn't bring any bread to the table until we asked her for it (when our dinners were already on their way out) which was upsetting as we saw her bring bread to every other table as they were seated. She made things even worse by pulling unfinished salad plates and soda glasses off the table, practically out of our hands, without asking if we were done. Since the food was mediocre at best, we will never, ever return and can't recommend this restaurant to anybody.
(1)Ellen O.
The Class of 1968, Lawrence High School held our 43rd reunion at Sal's on September 24, 2011. From the initial communication through the departure of the last guest and unplugging of the last electrical outlet, the experience was amazing. Colleen McManus guided us through the process of securing the correct room and an attractive menu for a group of 61 year old reunion participants from all around the U.S. Colleen's advice was accurate and most helpful throughout the planning stages. We were met by Ally and Wes, evening coordinators and by Joe, Bartender, who responded to our requests for advice regarding the process of feeding the crowd, announcing a last call with our Deejay, and regarding the facility in general. Having managed facilities in the past, I know that the coordination is a big job. The servers and Wes remained smooth and available in the background and provided everything we needed with grace and professionalism. Dinner was delicious and presented in a very appealing manner. I can highly recommend Sal's as a venue for any kind of event. The patio on the Merrimack was a great added benefit. Lovely. Will be heading back there on my next trip to the Boston area from California. See you there!!
(4)Joel S.
Nice building Great pizza No different from a million other Italian restaurants
(2)Chris R.
It's getting 2 stars because of the location. We arrive around 6pm the restaurant was very quite and we were sat on the deck outside near the river. After about 10 minutes I stopped a waitress and asked if we could order drinks. Drinks came quickly. (No water offered). We ordered food and the waiter left the appetizer on the table and left. I assumed to get us side plates, flatware, napkins etc, eh no! after 5 mins when our food was getting cold I had to get up from the table find a waitress and ask for the table settings. Our main course came which was salads, both plates we far too over dresses and the Arugula lettuce looked like it was marinated in the dressing. Sorry my last time here.
(2)JJ P.
Went to the restaurant with friends for a late lunch, and on Sundays it is only a dinner menu. The staff was attentive and pleasant, and we sat on the deck overlooking the Merrimack River. We were surprised with the pricing and even more so when the meals were delivered and we saw the portions - small with the exception of the pizza. Compared to other restaurants in the Merrinack Valley it is very overpriced for the quality of the food as well. The sauces lacked creaminess, the pizza overly salty, the meat not cooked as requested. To make it a meal, one would have to add a salad, at an additional charge. It was rather disappointing and not on the list for a return visit.
(2)Allyson W.
Overall just an a average experience. The food is ok, the space is ok, the service is ok. Definitely not my first choice for Italian in the area, but I would go if it was convenient or with a group.
(3)Barbara W.
Never great but I keep being drawn back here whenever I'm in the area. One reason is the spectacular location. Big old mill buildings sit all along the much under- appreciated Merrimack river. Stop by Salvatore's, sit on the patio/deck, and you'll be drawn back again and again, too.
(3)Myha N.
Sal's is a great place to have large meetings or events. I've had pizza here a few times and it wasn't bad. For my lunch visits, I usually order the eggplant parm with linguini and it is always very yummy.. When you walk in for lunch, there's the option to eat in their restaurant or go through their express line and order for there or take out. Menu is much larger when you eat through the restaurant. It wasn't too long of a wait to grab take out. They had about 8 different types of pizza made ready to reheat if you're in a rush and want good pizza. I'd come back for lunch if I was craving Italian.
(4)Frannie Z.
I have mixed feelings about this place. It was really a toss-up trying to decide between a 3 & a 4 star rating. Liked: Good warm bread made with same dough as pizza crusts. Love bread! Garlic bread was good just don't use the marinara. Caesar salad was large enough to split. Veal saltimboca was tasty. I've had better. I've had worse. BF's Scampi had nice large shrimp. No skimping there. Food came out in a timely manner. Disliked: Service was a bit slow. We were seated at 8:30 so it wasn't busy. Not a lot of sauce in BF's shrimp scampi, actually it was pretty dry looking. Coffee was just so-so. Cake was dry/stale. I expect better from an $8 slice of cake. Price was a bit high for the locale. Overall it wasn't horrible but for the pricetag of $71, which included a draft beer and a mojito, I expect better. The downers weren't anything truly horrific, just a series of small disappointments. I think my expectations were higher. So would I go back? Short answer yes. But Salvatore's won't be one of the places I dream about. ('Cept maybe for that bread)
(4)Janina T.
I came here a few nights ago after work to get dinner/drinks with co-workers. I've heard a few horror stories about Lawrence so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Let me tell you, the town sort of lives up to its reputation (at least from what I saw of it) but this restaurant was a diamond in the rough. It was BEAUTIFUL. It was HUGE. It's nested right beside a river. Aka serene perfection. We ended up sitting on the outdoor porch which was perfect because it was warm and sunny. The service was pretty fast too. Our waitress came by only a few minutes after we were seated and I believe the entire turnover time for us getting our food was no more than 15 minutes. On top of that, our waitress was kind enough to refill our bread bowl. Serious brownie points (gotta love the carbs). Fun fact, they must use some kind of bug repellant/zapper because we could see all the bugs trying to break through whatever invisible barrier but to no avail. I think one or two may have claimed victory but I'll take one or two pesks anyday over the swarm that was buzzing around on the other side. Btdubs, the prosciutto pizza dinner special = bomb diggity. I highly recommend.
(5)Anya L.
The best thing about Salvatores is it's versatility. I can bring kids in for pizza night, order a nice bottle of Italian Rosso with my husband or bring the girls for live entertainment at the bar. The deck hosts the best out of very few outside seating options- most places leave you with a parking lot to stare at but Sals sits on the Merrimack. Its def an easy choice for us no matter what mood were in. Service and food is great
(4)Tony C.
They have the best chicken masala I've ever tasted
(5)Jessica R.
Salvatore's has a way of making you forget where you are. Inside you may mistake it for a Boston hot spot and then when you step outside on the terrace you feel as if you're in Maine - by Sacco. Granted nothing compares to Maine's fresh air, I can appreciate Sal's for what it is. Recommend Salvatore's for lunch, if you want good pizza and beautiful, quiet atmosphere - or night time if you're okay with rowdy patrons.
(4)Dan R.
This place is a good place to get a good plate of italian food. The dining room is large. The best feature is the bar area. The bar staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The bar atmosphere is fun and inviting some nights there is good music being played. Great for a guys or ladies night out. Great for apps and drinks.
(4)Jazmine C.
I've gone a few times, and am never disappointed. From the Bruschetta to the Cannoli. The food is always tastey. I recently dined with a couple of girlfriends, and of course chatted so long we lost track of time. By the time we realized we were the only ones left, it was almost 11:00pm, and I believe they closed at 10:00pm; the waitress was so patient and nice about it!!! I'm totally a fan now.
(4)Stacey M.
I have been to Sal's "on the riverwalk" numerous times and usually my main complaint is the service - or lack of service is a better definition. My latest trip was last week for take out. It was myself and my friend and we were both craving Italian. I should've known when i called to place our order - and when I asked if i could add scallops to the shrimp scampi she replied they didn't have scampi on the menu. Seems a little strange for an ITALIAN restaraunt not to have scampi...but ok fine...then she proceeded to tell me the closest thing they had on the menu to scampi was the fruitti di mare - um ok you are comparing an oil and garlic sauce to a spicy red sauce...ok - again i should've hung up then and decided to go elsewhere! But I continued to order - eggplant parm - over angel hair - and chicken piccata over angel hair (it comes with potatoes and vegetables - again a little odd for an Italian joint). I asked her to repeat the order as I changed it from what was on the menu and she read it back to me wrong. I corrected her and said i would like the chicken piccata over angel hair instead of the potatoes and vegetables. ok 2nd time she got it right. So we go to pick up our food - and when we open it up I see chicken piccata with potatoes and vegetables - not even a side of pasta! So i call and speak to the same girl i placed the order with - and she said oh - i didn't think you wanted it over pasta...if you want to come back i can give you a side of pasta. No apology no nothing - like i was this was a huge inconvenience for her. And the food was ice cold. Then my friend bites into her eggplant and immediatly spits it out b/c its almost rancid. Again i pick up the phone - this time i just ask to speak to a manager. After some sputtering, she blurts out "why do you want to talk to the manager?" - to which I reply - I would like to speak to someone who can help me. And she said they were too busy and she would take my name and number and someone would get back to me. Three days later - still no call from the manager. In this economy I would think customer service would be more important then ever...apparently they haven't filled in the staff at Sal's.
(1)Charlene B.
Hubby and I had dinner there last night, a Saturday. It was a beautiful evening, we sat on the deck. Was wonderful. We ordered the Arancini Fiorentina, which was very good, although I would have liked more marinara sauce for dipping. I had the stuffed chicken parm with homemade riggies..very, very good. Hubby got the clams and linguine. Also good, in a white sauce with lots of flavor, garlic, butter, and a nice kick. The prices are extremely reasonable. We highly recommend it.
(5)Alan L.
6 of us came here for dinner last night and it was really good. We made a reservation for 7 and it took a few extra minutes for them to set up a table for us. The server was nice and we got our food within a reasonable time. The portion is great we were managed to finish our plates. One of my friends ordered dessert, it came out quick and it was good. For what we ordered, the bill was very reasonable. We will definitely come back again.
(4)Laura L.
My husband had to go somewhere when I was in an interview, so I suggested Salvatore's Restaurant. We had been there once before and liked it. I am glad I did! We came out stuffed and I have been craving the Signature salad ever since. To start off with, the drinks were good and strong and the wine selection was good. I ate the whole basket of warm bread, which had a hint of sweetness I loved. No oil or butter needed. Next was the salad which had mixed greens, gorgonzola cheese, apples, tossed with a light dressing. For my main course, or should I say stuffing, I ordered the Gnocchi. This was perfect. So rich and creamy. So wonderful. So good, my husband kept eating off of my plate. He had about seven gnocchi Yes, I was counting. His dinner was just as good. He had the chicken parmesan. It was enough to feed the right side of the bar. I would give this 4.5 stars if I could. And I will be back soon for the salad!
(4)Mrs. R.
This was my 5th visit to Salvatore's in Lawrence (also ate twice once at the one in Boston-good food but the tables were too close together for me so it's not a particularly great place to go if it is busy and you want to talk). The Lawrence, MA restaurant is located in one of the old mill buildings off Merrimack Street in Lawrence. It can be seen from Route 495, and Pentucket Medical and many other businesses are in the same office park. Very easy to get to from Route 95/128 or Route 93 in the Andover area. Each visit to Salvatore's gets better. Today I sat out on the deck overlooking the Merrimack with my kid who is home from college. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was even better. We both chose simple food, ravioli and meatballs which in actuality we could have split. We ate off our bread plates and brought the rest home (not bad for $12 each). The plate was full of high quality ravioli and 3 meatballs the size of baseballs. Sauce was excellent, as was the bread served with butter and oil. He had a Makers Mark Manhattan which he said was exceedingly good (I could smell the booze, so apparently they are not skimpy on the alcohol which was joy for a Frat Boy). I sipped half a glass of Sauvignon Blanc which was also excellent. My only disappointment was that I wanted a glass of Winterhaven, but they only sell it by the bottle (around $35). We split a Cesar Salad which was outstanding and more than enough for two. At $6 it was a bargain-crisp lettuce, light tangy dressing, homemade croutons, and shaved high quality cheese-just perfect. It was a gorgeous day to be out on the deck and because we arrived between lunch and dinner we were the only ones out there (others were eating inside as it was a bit windy for families with children). They haven't got the flower boxes planted yet, but I look forward to visiting again after Memorial Day because I love sitting right at the rail watching the river with the vines and flowers in the foreground. The perfect setting for an afternoon lunch. We stopped at the bakery/take out on the way out and grabbed a 6 pack of their own baked whoopee pies. 6 medium pies in a pack for less than $4 is also a great deal. I just finished one and dread getting on the scale tomorrow after a great spring weekend of fun, sun and dining out. You should treat yourself and a family member, or get out with your girlfriends. Oh, and for the guys I guess they have Blue Moon Beer on tap which impressed my kid Great place to take a date as well. You won't find any other local restaurant with such a variety of Italian food at decent prices with a wonderful atmosphere whether you eat in or out. Split a salad, order a great pizza and a couple of brews and you won't break the bank. PS Wayne Newton performed there last year, Woohoo!
(4)Dan N.
Early lunch here today with clients while in lovely Lawrence on business. My immediate question when they suggested the place was whether or not it was affiliated with Sal's Pizza, whose locations seem to be sprouting up everywhere. It is indeed. The main entrance is bifurcated between an area to pick up subs and pizzas and the restaurant/terrace area for dining. After a bit of a wait for a hostess, we were seated in a corner of the restaurant. Service was prompt and drink orders were taken almost immediately. Bread and oil was brought for the table and it seemed like seconds later that our meals arrived- vegetarian wrap for me, soup/salad combo and eggplant parmesan plate for my guests. The portions were large and the prices reasonable- everything altogether was less than $30. The wrap had the usual lettuce and summer squash that you find in a vegetable wrap, but also included some cooked carrots and green beans that provided some texture and variety. MVP: The location. This is in the heart of a refurbished mill complex and abuts the Merrimack. If it weren't drizzling and overcast, dining al fresco would have been a no-brainer. LVP: As pizza is a main feature of the menu, Sal's seems to attract young mothers during the day. Young mothers with infants and toddlers. Our meal was accented with the background noise of a child shrieking for 45 minutes with flourishes of half-hearted "sssh" as accompaniment. For pizza, Sal's is slightly above average. For lunch, the restaurant is the same- nothing you'll go out of your way for, but a solid option when the road takes you there.
(3)Kate G.
The food is good, portions are giant, the view is great. The downfall---the customer service is awful! They all just stand around and mingle among themselves, ignore everyone in the restaurant and if something goes wrong, which it will, it takes them forever to correct it. I don't know if they do take out here but that's the only way I'd ever eat there again.
(1)Alicia L.
So I was really excited to try this place after ive heard rave reviews. However, I have to say I was extremely disappointed! Our margherita pizza was almost tasteless. I had to drown it in red pepper flakes and Parmesan to give it any flavor at all, and our salvatores dessert pizza was literally a mini pizza smeared with nutella. I mean, you can put nutella on anything and it would be delicious but it was hardly special. The service was terrible!! We went on a wednesday around 2 and the resturaunt was completely dead but for some reason our waitress was no where to be found ever and the service was sooo slow! She could have been new because whenever she wad around her tableside manner was very awkward. On the upside, the ambiance is great. I can only imagine what it's like in the summer and the bread and oil with red wine vinegar is delicious. Altogether I was very disappointed and most likely won't be returning.
(2)V O.
What can I say, I've been trying to get here since it opened and I finally got my chance and this place didn't come close to meeting my expectations. When I go into any Italian restaurant one of , if not the first thing I try is their meatballs and sauce. This trip was no different, I went for lunch and thought I would start with a side order, kind of ease me in to my meal, well not only did it ease me in, it stopped me from getting anything else. The meatballs had very little flavor and the sauce was bland. My suggestion to anyone coming here, save your money and go Orzo, Buono Bistro or even Bertuccis, but don't spend the money here unless you like their pizza. Sal has clearly stepped out of his comfort zone and failed in my opinion. My only plus, they had Kentucky Bourbon Ale on draft!
(2)H P.
Haven't been back since....hmmm? When did they open? I had ordered the "mixed grill" The meat tasted rancid. The waitron said they were trying a new marinade. Couldn't eat it! When I told the manager about my mixed grill....hold on to your hat....he said and I quote " if you want good steak tips go to the 99 !" Well, that's why I haven't been back to try it again. Not worth my hard earned $$$ to find out I went to the wrong place & they didn't want my business. I hope they took the mixed grill off the menu and replaced it with their managers recommendation!
(1)Steve K.
Erin the bartender is the best. Now see this one is hard because I love the pizza. If you have had their pizza before its either you love it or hate it, period. They just renovated the bar, which really opens it up. Now on to the important things: Food Pizza I have had the pizza here seems fresher than other Sal's Just Pizza places, which I thought was a great thing since it is about the same price as other Sals. But I was not to much a fan of the dinner plates. I felt as though my Chicken & Shrimp in a creamy pesto sauce was lacking a taste that a dish loaded with butter and cream should have. All of those calories consumed and not much of the the flavor. As for my other half she had a Shrimp & Scallop Fradiavolo. Nice dish with a hint of a fishy smell, but nothing that made me want to jump out of my seat and say, wow. The Restaurant The atmosphere is amazing, beautiful view of the river which you can see from the helpful photos. Plenty of space and great for all occasions.
(5)Jim T.
I read quite a few negative reviews before we left the house, but my wife and I went to Salvatore's anyway, we haven't been in a long time and thought we'd give it another shot. We were seated in a nice table on the balcony and got to watch the sunset over the picturesque Lawrence skyline :-), but, really, it was nice. Our waiter, Washington, took good care of us; his service was excellent, and the other diners around seemed to be getting good service as well from both Washington and Marcie and the other waitstaff. The food was good; my wife decided to mix the chicken and eggplant parmesan; they accommodated her request nicely. It looked delicious, I hope I get to try some of the leftovers! A couple across the way from us also ordered something not on the menu; the chef stopped by the table and made sure he got their order right. I got the scallops and shrimp fra diavolo, it was delicious. The sauce was light, made with cherry tomatoes, and could have been spicier, but everything was fresh, tender, and delicious. Don't let the mediocre reviews sway you, if you're thinking about going to Salvatore's, go ahead! We enjoyed it and will definitely come back again!
(4)Peter L.
Located in an old mill, Salvatore's is a cool space that overlooks the river. Came here with a group of 20 and was seated promptly, but would probably stay in the bar area with the view of the river. Food wise, there are a ton of choices from standard pasta dishes to veal and chicken dishes. Started off with some tomato caprese and calamari, which were ok but nothing special. I tried the chicken saltimbocca, which was enormous, but overcooked and a bit on the tough side. The lobster ravioli could use more lobster meat and was served with a marinara sauce, instead of a usual cream. Eggplant parmigiana was decent, but it was huge and eating the whole thing would definitely leave you feeling pretty greased out. Seems like from the other reviews that pizzas are the way to go here, so I'll give that a try the next time I'm in town.
(3)Risa E.
Food's pretty darn good - fresh, decent prices, good portions, at least for lunch, which is when we go. As pretty much everyone's said, the restaurant is really nice -- airy, huge windows overlooking the Merrimack, has a full bar (never been) and a deck. They did a great job turning an old mill into a restaurant. Love the wraps and the roast beef focaccia sandwich is great -- and both are about $6. They're known for their pizza, which you can get by the slice (at least for lunch) and a slice is 1/4 of the large pie. Huge fan of the buffalo chicken - no sauce, blue cheese, the chicken, maybe some onions. Yum. And every time I go in for lunch, things have been great. However, beware of takeout or delivery. In the months that we've been ordering from here, no takeout order has ever come out of the kitchen correctly...double check everything before you walk out or let the delivery guy go. I really thought this would get better as time went on and they got into a routine, but it hasn't.
(3)John B.
This place is outstanding! Food is excellent! Wicked good time on the back deck overlooking the river.
(5)Matthew A.
Out of all the Sal's, this main full service sit down Italian restaurant is TOPS over the rest. The other "Just Pizza" locations can just disappear as far as I am concerned. This was my second time here at this new large restaurant, built in an old Lawrence shoe or textile mill. The place is HUGE inside with nice colors, art, and lighting. The bar is in the back with noisy flat screens blaring. Later they had LIVE music (which I think must happen regularly since this is the second time I been here w/ live music.) which was much more pleasant. At the bar, I ordered a cape codder and a lemonade. The Cape Codder was fine, but they opened up a CAN of lemonade right in front of me, added ice and charged me $3.50 for it. She didn't even put a fresh lemon wedge in it. What I really enjoyed was that this place has a very large outside deck that over looks the mighty Merrimac River. This place is right on the river and the deck can seat probably over 100!!! The menu was quite diverse with pizza, pasta and specials. The wait to get bread was like 20 minutes!! After we asked the knowledgeable waitress said it was baking and brought over some old cold mushroom pizza which I munched on till the appetizer arrived. We ordered an eggplant appetizer special (fried filled w/ cheese, marinara, bread crumbs and deep fried) which was excellent. I ordered a delicious chicken dish that came w/ 3 breasts, mashed potato's, and grilled vegetables. Generous portions here. My suggestion is to try to eat outside. A nice addition to the local area. 7-7-07 More to add: What I enjoyed about this visit was more then the warm summer night out on the riverdeck was the appitizers: We had both teh mussels in wine and garlic butter and the grilled brussetta. Both were amzaing good. What we did not care for our entrees this time very much. I had the chicken piccata. It comes with potato and vegetable but I aske dfo rit on angel hair. FYI: NO ANGEL HAIR HERE!!!!????? WTF? OK so I had it on a bed of fettachinni which came very el dante. The dish aso had some grainly grit (sand?) which I thought was weird. Service sucked tonight and the bitch didnt come back to the end too ask how everything was. I needed a big spoon and parm cheese but too late.
(4)Lynne S.
Located right off Rte. 495, this is easy to get to. The restaurant is located in an old Lawrence mill, which is pretty cool. The ambiance is terrific - very modern, high ceilings, dark wood and orange curtains, large framed black and while photos on the walls. The lunch menu was rather small with choices of appetizers and salads, sandwiches and wraps, pizza or a few main entrees but the prices were unbelievably low. Almost every lunch dish was between $5 and $7. Alcoholic drinks were more than the meal at $8 each and desserts were $6 each. Although portions were on the small side (and they didn't give you any bread), the food was pretty good and the prices can't be beat. My gnocchi was delicious and the Salvatore's tea (their version of long island iced tea with limoncello) was fantastic! All in all I was pleasantly surprised.
(3)adam d.
Mediocre food. Terrible service! Great setting on the river. Our waiter was repeatedly MIA. We had a group of 10 people and he was remarkable unhelpful. I had to track him down several times. When he and another waiter brought the food out they virtually threw it onto the table. The food itself wasn't terrible but nothing special either. The view of the river and the outdoor seating is very nice. Despite the pleasant setting I would not go there again.
(2)Jon C.
have had a number of experiences here. love having a drink and appetizer on the large deck overlooking the river. it's a beautiful spot to watch a sunset. but have sat there several times waiting so long for a server that we just went in to the bar and bought drinks and brought them out. Servers each and every time we've been here seem a bit inexperienced and unaware that they're supposed to be friendly and helpful. food is pretty good, but i find we always comment to each other about how mediocre the service is.
(3)Mark M.
While visiting family near Boston, had lunch with my friend and old police partner at Sal's in Lawrence. The atmosphere is great, and would have been even better if we were allowed to eat on the patio overlooking the Merrimac river, but the patio was closed due to cold weather. My buddy knows Sal (according to my buddy Steve, Sal's "a real meatball"), and wasn't expecting much in the way of food quality. To our surprise, the food was good. Both of us had the chicken parmesan sandwhich. Would I return to Sal's next time I'm in Lawrence? No. I only go to Lawrence for the New Balance factory shoes. There is no other reason in the world to go to Lawrence. But if you find your unfortunate self in Lawrence, Sal's isn't a bad place for lunch or dinner.
(3)Minda H.
Gem of a place overlooking the Merrimack River. Fairly standard menu with a few standout items that keep us coming back - notably the squash ravioli and the really gorgeous margherita pizza that will be the best you've tried. Thin crispy crust with lots of fresh basil, fresh mozz, olive oil, and some simple tomato drizzlings. The setting is great - a converted mill building complete with timbers and bricks. I don't know when I'm going to get tired of the mill building look, but this place really is classy.
(4)Dave B.
I was not overly impressed with Salvatore's restaurant. Let me start by saying I've had the pizza from a few of his other locations & while it's priced right, its very bland with overly thick & rubbery crust. As for this Lawrence restaurant. The location can't be beat. Easy to get too & right off Rt 495, it has a huge parking lot. Perfect views of the Merrimack river & I suspect room to expand. The restaurant is nicely decorated & laid out well. I have not had the pleasure of eating out on the huge covered deck, I do plan on it at some point & time. This place does have some issues it could overcome. Its very loud, they had restaurant music & bar music, both too loud & sitting in the restaurant I could here both. Service was just plane awful. Slow, slow, slow & the server did not seem very experienced & was not very friendly. Seems like there's a lot of people getting paid to work here that are just standing around doing nothing. Their prices while fair are far from cheap & the food was good but not worth putting up with poor service. The food portions were a good size, however the food ordered was very spicy & not labeled as such. (by spicy I mean hot). I love spicy hot food & can keep with up the best of them. I had no problem finishing my dinner, but I'm sure some would. There is a small baked goods area that you can stop at on your way out for some sweat snacks to take home. On the night I went there it look like it had been picked over by some looters. Not a bad place, but not as good as it thinks it is. I'll give them one more chance to impress me.
(2)Ronald W.
The night we stopped in, there was a jazz trio playing that had a lead female singer (I never learned the band's name but the woman's name was Maureen). While we were eating, we heard the music. It sounded so good to us we decided to go to the bar area to hear more. (I wont comment about the food, only to say that what all the good reviews say is true). I definitely will return especially to see if that trio is playing. I also want to enjoy a meal outside when the weather becomes warmer. It seems that on a nice summer evening, it would be the place to be !
(4)Lindsay M.
My girlfriends and I had dinner here Saturday night. We sat outside on the deck overlooking the Merrimack River. It was a great view. Our waitress was kind and attentive. We ordered a round of drinks and a couple of apps, the combo platter and fried calamari. The combo platter was very good, loved the fried mozzarella. The calamari was ok, kind of bland. I ordered the chicken parm, which was very good. They had a couple of choices for pasta, I chose linguine. The portions were very big. The side salad is definitely big enough for two to share. My girlfriend ordered the butternut squash raviolis and they were very good, a little sweet! I thought the prices were good, the menu was great and the drinks were good as well, strong! I loved the atmosphere and being outside. They brought over a slice of chocolate cake for the birthday girl, which was delicious! One thing I will say is that at one point in the night there were a ton of bugs, but they were all at the top of the building attracted to the lights and didn't bother us personally. But to look up at the sky and see about a gazillion bugs was a little frightening. I plan on going to Sal's again for dinner. I won't let the bugs scare me that easily.
(4)Amy M.
When it first opened, it was great. The food is still good, but the service is incredibly lacking. Often have to wait 45 minutes for a seat even when the restaurant is half full because they've sent most of the wait staff home. Last two times there for dinner, I've had to wait over an hour for my food. I'm done going there. I can get better food and better service just up the road.
(2)Ted G.
Took family to Salvatore's for first time in over a year and won't be back. Waitress was rude, (had to stand up to get her to look over), order got all fouled up, and food was fair at best. Brought one wrong meal and totally forgot another. No apologies. Insult to injury, they automatically add 20% gratuity to parties of 6 or more. They have little incentive left to get it right!
(2)Danja M.
We went last night to have dinner out without the kids. We had a 30 minute wait, which was just fine with the comfortable lounge near the bar and a chance to relax with a glass of wine. The pizza (appetizer) was excellent and the wine selection was decent. The zuppa di pesce was tasty, although some of the seafood was overcooked. The big problem was my husband's filet mignon. He ordered it rare and it came (late) nearly well done. When the waitress encouraged us to send it back, it took nearly 30 minutes for the replacement to come back and it too was overdone (this time medium well). The waitress was apologetic, but ultimately the meal wasn't that great. Other than the waitress's apologies, there was no other recognition of our dissatisfaction with the meal, though it seemed that the manager was walking around the restaurant and checking in with other patrons. We decided to leave rather than stick around for dessert.
(2)Renee H.
I have dined at this restaurant many times and i am done. The service sucks, the food is slow and the manager was awful. The service had gotten much worse over the years. They have 4 people at the bar but your server is too busy to bring you a second drink or ask you if your food is okay. They should just stay with the little pizza joints. Atleast those people appreciate you coming.
(1)Brooke L.
Ok so the interior is beautiful! They also have some sort of outside deck area that will be really fun in the summer b/c it over looks the Merrimack River. We got mozzarella wedges for an app (fancy name for mozzarella sticks...triangle shaped of course) that were pretty good but a little pricey for the size of them and that fact that they are again just mozzarella sticks. I got chicken parm, that was okay but I tried some of my friends chicken broccoli alfredo and that was great! Martini list was a little outdated (they still have eggnog martini's and it is the end of March after all) but the wine list was crazy! I feel bad for the servers who have to memorize those and remember which are "full bodied" and considered "spicy". In the end I will be going back in the summer to experience the outside deck area and sip on some martini's and try something other than the chicken parm on the menu.
(4)Joe A.
You basic low-end italian in a nice setting. I've been there about 4 times since it opened and it remains relatively unchanged. Bread quality is low (not dense or crusty, just supermarket quality in a nice basket. Is it just pizza dough Sal?), no salad with a $15 and up entree (shame on you Sal!) and my father recently went with me and ordered linguini with meatballs and out came spaghetti. Kitchen was kind enough to give it to him for free but hey, if spaghetti is the same as linguini, then why did italians invent linguini? Service was strained as we had to wait and ask for cheese. Waiters should show up with cheese for pasta. Also, we could use a slightly better grade of cheese Sal. That stuff is only one small step above the Kraft shake on stuff in Demoulas. The kitchen staff rushes the food out and then the waiter is nowhere to be found. Also, it is a crime in by book to have specials on the menu with no prices. You should not have to ask the waiter all the prices of the specials...put them on the damn menu! Finally, we went early (5:30 pm on a Saturday) to be able to make a movie. It was clear the staff was not up and running and the music guy was nowhere to be found as of around 6:45 when we left. If you pay a musician to play for an evening, it should be ALL EVENING. Oh, and one more thing, turn those damn TV's down. We know you like to show off the flat screen plasmas, but most of us have those at home now and they don't impress us anymore. If we want a blasting TV during dinner we can stay at home and eat takeout!
(2)