Salvatore Scallopini Italian Ristorante
505 N Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI, 48009
Salvatore Scallopini Italian Ristorante Menu
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Address :
505 N Old Woodward Ave
Birmingham, MI, 48009 - Phone (248) 644-8977
- Website https://www.salvatorescallopini.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
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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B J.
Very nice little Italian place a few blocks from downtown Birmingham. It's very nice inside with an open kitchen and a clean dining area. They also have some limited outdoor seating. It's not like some super creative Italian place in Soho -- just classic Italian fare done well at a solid price. The service is excellent and you can usually get a table here pretty quickly, even on Friday or Saturday evening. They do have some nice seafood, chicken, and steak entrees, but it's tough to pass on their traditional dishes like lasagna or stuffed shells. It's kid-friendly but not obnoxiously so. It's definitely not Chuck-e-Cheese. One of their more underrated aspects: carry-out. The food is just as good as eating in-house, and it's served fast and hassle-free. You definitely won't leave this place hungry. Also, the tiramisu is the best I've had. So try to save room for dessert. And if you don't have room, get the tiramisu to go.
(4)Amy P.
What a gem this place is! After moving to Birmingham this past summer, the bf and I finally made the 5 minute walk up to Salvatore Scallopini's. What a cute little place. I had no idea what to expect and this place exceeded expectations. We walked in to a small little restaurant, and only had to wait a few minutes while they cleaned a table off for us. We visited on a Thursday evening around 7pm and every table was taken. Our server greeted us promptly and she was excellent throughout the meal. Our waitress brought us some bread to start off with and also a little plate of marinara to dip in. We started with calamari and they were well cooked, not at all chewy, with a nice crispy and not heavy coating. My boyfriend and I both got the house salad with the creamy Romano. The dressing was awesome. It came pre-dressed and was perfect, not too wet and not too dry. Our waitress offered us fresh cracked black pepper which was perfect with the dressing and salad. For our meals I got the chicken tosca. It was awesome. The portion was large with 3 thinly sliced breaded chicken breast served with an herbed sauce that was perfectly seasoned and topped with sautéed fresh mushrooms and garlic. The whole thing was delicious. The boyfriend got the pasta Mezzogiorno which had sausage, hot peppers, garlic, olive oil, and he also added chicken. The pasta was amazing. The pasta with the sauce was spicy but the sausage was nice and sweet, a great balance. Our only pitfall of the evening was the cannolis that we took for home later. We ate them later that evening and to be honest they had a really weird taste and smell to them. I'm pretty sure they keep them in the same cooler as some of their other dinner items and they took on that flavor. It was somewhat off putting and made them inedible. Overall though, I had dismal expectations of this place. The fact that it is a chain and has reasonable prices I was afraid of what we would experience, but it was a great meal. I look forward to returning!
(4)Joe B.
I really enjoyed this spot....the food isn't over embellished or remarkable but it is well executed and tasty. They order their bread from Cantoro's, they have a great creamy Romano salad dressing that's craveworthy and the cannelloni is ridiculous with their marinara and alfredo sauce duo. But what I really loved was the Eggplant Parmesan...it was my first time ever having this dish and it was pretty amazing. I'm not sure who makes this dish better but if someone is making it tastier than Scallopini's then I'd love to try it. Forward suggestions to me please. Service was friendly and warm and with all the trendy spots around the city you'll likely be greeted and seated as soon as you walk in.
(4)Cyndi J.
Came here on a Friday night and it was super busy. We waited about 45 minutes -which was fine and to be expected. The place is considerably on the smaller side but the food was really good and our service was quick & friendly. I got the Chicken Tosca with a salad and a side of pasta. It was really good and I was super full. Definitley will be back. Maybe for lunch. They do have a lot of patio space for the nicer days.
(4)Jeff P.
Great service and descent food .. Highly recommend their salmon
(4)Miriam I.
We've been living in the area for many years, and have come here many, many times . Salvatore Scallopini is one of those rare restaurants that one can patronize with children - even the very young ones - and continue to come to even (as with us) after the kids are grown and out on their own. Food is always reliably good quality and good value, service is friendly and efficient. It occupies that increasingly rare niche between fast food and fine dining. We like the eggplant Parmesan, and you can't go wrong with the pasta combo platters. A neighborhood institution to cherish.
(5)Karina K.
They have a great menu and are all friendly. They get pretty busy, so go early or make a reservation. To start we had the bruschetta which is tomatoes on top of mozzarella on top of bread with a balsamic drizzle, excellent balance of garlic and basil. For dinner I ordered the veal picatta, which was excellent but not as lemony as I thought it would be and usually like. But all the fresh garlic was awesome. My husband Got the chicken francese with garlic and lemon, which was good, he loved it, but I thought the sauce could have used a bit more lemon too. My son had the lemon chicken, which he ate and liked. Our friend had the eggplant parmigiana which was huge and she said was really good. All of our entrees came with pasta, and a choice of soup or salad. I love that the salad comes with chick peas, but the minestrone is great as well. For dessert, the cannoli was great, as was the amazing peach cobbler and fudge sundae. $85 for four of us with an appetizer. The restaurant is in need of updating and I wish the bathroom had more than one stall. We will be back!
(4)Cathy O.
I really enjoy this place. You'd think prices were higher, but they are pretty much on-par with chain italian restaurants... except the food is better, the wait staff is more friendly, and the environment is light years beyond anything you'll find at the Olive Garden or Papa Vino's. The wine list has budget-friendly glasses in a few varietals. The creamy romano salad dressing is tasty (and similar to the one found at Andiamo's) and the bread is very fresh with a crispy crust. I stick with the chicken entrees, usually the Chicken Tosca or whatever special they have that day, and always get at least one meal out of leftovers. Parking is usually not a hassle, although this place is pretty popular and can have a smidge of a wait on the weekends. Ultimately, this is a great little Birmingham spot.
(4)Jane K.
This review is based on our visit on June 7 at approx 9:30 pm. The food gets four stars: fresh, tasty, nicely large portions. I love the chicken parmigiana. The creamy romano salad dressing is great, as is the minestrone. The bread could be better - the crust needs to be crispier - but it's not bad. Three to four stars for the waitress. She was friendly and funny but the meal felt rushed - she clearly wanted to get our order as soon as possible. Once the food was served, she disappeared. We needed water and beverage refills but no one came over for that. ONE STAR (or less) for the hostess. She looked irritated when we walked in to the restaurant, to the point where I thought she was about to roll her eyes. (The person I was with thought so too.) There was no 'hello' or any other greeting, and certainly no smile or even a nod. She walked over to a table, dropped the menus and started to walk away. We asked for a different table, one farther from the noisy food prep area. This led to her grabbing the menus in an irritable-seeming way, STOMPING her feet over to another table, dropping the menus, turning and walking away. If we weren't so hungry, we would have walked out of the restaurant. MANAGEMENT: this is not the kind of greeting that makes me want to return or refer!
(2)Donna P.
We stopped by recently looking for outside dining. The hostess said we were next in line for an outside table but there might be a 20 minute wait. It was a beautiful night and we decided to wait. 30 minutes later a table vacated and while they they were cleaning the table, another party arrived and were seated at that table because they appeared to be friends of the waitress and the manager. We spoke with the manager who was trying to sweep it under the rug. So we left and went on to another restaurant that turned out to be much more enjoyable.
(1)Olga A.
I ordered the pasta fresca with shrimp and was pretty disappointed. There was no taste to it besides the veggies and shrimp. Literally no seasoning or even butter. Just dry noodles topped with veggies and shrimp. Also the bread with marinara sauce tasted like tomato paste out of a can. It would've been nice to have the bread and the sauce heated up. Very mediocre meal, would not come back for it.
(2)C S.
Service is nice and ambiance as well. Food for me not too special. I would not make a detour to eat here.
(3)Chuck S.
I love Salvatore's dearly. All locations are solid, but this one is for sure a stand out. The waitstaff is too notch, the food is exquisite and the location is ideal. Also, on the topic of location, I really like that they don't charge a lot more for good just because it's in Birmingham and they can get away with it. Really a fantastic experience, check it out!
(5)Michael L.
All I have to say is chicken tosca! If you haven't had it try it and you will be coming back for more. The minestrone soup is a fav too. The bread is good and the prices are right. Great neighbor joint and good for kids.
(5)Pete D.
Now this is more like Italian food. Great stuff priced fairly and a great value. I don't know why their are more. It's true to the real peasant food that was full of taste that you can afford. Every dish is good and better then most place claiming to be Italian food. But that's not all the dessert all very good profiteroles worth the trip all by them self. Mangia Mangia.
(4)Thomas B.
Visited here on 6/2/12. We had a party of 7, but only had about a 15 minute wait for a table. Separate checks were no problem. The place is small, but neat and clean. Single occupancy restroom kind of a bummer. Outside deck looked really cool, but it was raining off and on so we chose inside seating. No reservations here! Skipped appetizers. I ordered the Pasta Del Estate upon the recommend of our server with a shrimp add-on. Beautiful dish, delicious angel-hair pasta. Super garlic-y. Tossed in oil, roasted peppers, asparagus, it was definitely a winner. I loved it. Everyone in my party seemed to enjoy their food as well. No complaints. All in all a good Italian dining experience. Reasonable prices. I'll go back for sure.
(4)Jon G.
A locally-owned Italian eatery with better prices and better food than national chains that are all over the place. I've eaten here twice, and enjoyed my experiences both times - especially most recently when I ordered the penne fresca. It was a bit different - mostocolli with cheese, onions, sweet peas and some other vegetbles on top. It came with a salad and some bread, standard fare, but by the time the check came, my girlfriend and I had two meals with salads for $26 plus tip. If we go to a place like Macaroni Grill it's usually closer to 40. Because of the location, the wait can be long. We waited about 30 minutes for a table for two but it was on a Saturday night and the line moved quickly. The place is small and can feel a bit cramped and noisy but it is a cool atmosphere on Old Woodward - which has a nice Pleasantville look to it. Go here and buy local before hitting up the Olive Garden.
(5)Michael K.
Nice atmosphere. Decent food. Not special. I had the highlighted menu item, the spaghetti and meatballs, creamy romana salad, and during the whole meal I kept waiting for something to taste great. The spaghetti was cooked well. I ordered the red sauce with meatballs and mozzarella and it felt and tasted dry. It wasn't really enjoyable, I didn't finish it or take it home. It was okay.
(3)John K.
On a recent rare night out, the wife and I were craving booze, pasta, and a patio......We hadn't been here in at least a decade and didn't remember how it was. (The wife remembered that last time, it did not have a liquor license.) The food is frozen Sysco entrees after a cheese bath in the salamander. Not to say that is always a bad thing....look at Olive Garden, they make a fortune with that business model. At any rate, everything we had (especially the chewy/exceedingly breaded calamari) was not fresh and it really showed. Salads were ok. The service was good....The host was gracious (even though he was putting up with a ton of Birm a-holes bitching about the 45min wait on a Friday night.) Our server was very nice, better than average. I am just a jaded "Old Dad-Guy" now so when we get a chance to get out, sans rugrats, I have expectations that are too high. The food really was just ok and I am pissed for throwing almost $100 for dinner for two at a mediocre Italian place......BUT (BIG BUT!) THE PEOPLE WATCHING WAS AWESOME!! I know it is unfair to waver from reviewing anything but the food but, WOW! You really have to spend some time in some seriously pretentious environments to truly appreciate the idiots who troll about this joint. The fashion choices were any where from ridiculous to unbelievable. (Really guys, NOBODY, especially middle aged men should wear red/orange tight chinos. Even Dwayne Wade can't pull these off. Esquire magazine should not be where you get your wardrobe ideas.) I could go on and on....but I sound like I'm on E! So, I will let it go. However, one of the funniest new games we came up with is: Pushy Obnoxious Lady Oblivious to the Wait. We were on the patio and the bussers were nowhere to be found... so some of the tables would lag with dishes/glassware before the next turn. Inevitably some pushy loud woman with sunglasses the size of a Prius (it was dark by this time, mind you.) would be dragging some middle aged retarded fashion victim to the table and sit down while barking aloud to no one in general: "Why can't we just have this table?" Only to be told, very nicely by the aforementioned Host, "Please, Miss....there is a 45 min wait for a table on the patio." This was usually met with the predictable annoyed sigh and a considerably pronounced eye roll. This happened at least 3 times while we were there.....super funny!! So, in closing....the food didn't SUCK but it wasn't good...It coulda been worse, service and the outdoor seating were terrific...but if you come here, be sure to bring a camera and your sense of humor for the Helen Keller fashion show these ridiculous cats are putting on. I can't really talk considering that I am a middle aged man who has never stepped up my clothing since I was 14 (think camo shorts, vans, and black t shirts). So you can believe me when I say, nothing says "trying too hard" more than a grown man in capri pants, orange pumas, yellow sunglasses or a trucker hat. Nuff said.
(2)Yasir K.
A waaaaww place.... Feels like sicily !! Great pastas... Meat balls sandwiches !!! Amazing songs,views and decorations... Friendly staff .... Will go many times in the future definitely
(5)Eric W.
If you are tired of bland chain restaurants and have been looking for a good old fashioned Italian meal, this is your place. Warm ambience, great food, excellent service--the whole package. Home made pasta was excellent as was the Tiramisu at the end. Will definitely be back.
(4)Kristopher S.
I was torn between 3 and 4 stars, but I settled for 4 as 3 wouldn't have done Savatore Scallopini justice. Salvatore is a smaller but very clean Italian restaurant. I found the booths and the chairs to be very uncomfortable, so I settled for a table on the patio which I found to be much more comfortable. The bread is about average and you have marinara sauce as a dipping option, and also butter. The side salad was a bit less than average. The lettuce was mainly Iceberg, and the dressing (in my opinion) was rather tasteless. The side of pasta was excellent! I got Mostacholli for my noodle, and I got both Marinara and Alfredo on the side. I am very picky when it comes to my pasta sauces, and both the Marinara and the Alfredo were great. The Chicken Francese was very good. Not quite as good as Bacco (in Southfield, which costs quite a bit more), but much better than what you would get at Maggiano's or Olive Garden (both of which cost about the same). All in all it was a great little Italian restaurant, with solid food, at an unbeatable price. I definitely will be returning sometime in the near future.
(4)Sulakshana S.
I really enjoyed this place...I have driven past it a couple of times and always thought it was an expensive Birmingham joint, but I was so wrong. The bread and marinara at the table were fresh and we decided to skip appetizers as went directly for the entree's. I ordered the Chicken Gorgonzolla (sp?) and thought it was great. The portions were large and I had enough to take for lunch the next day. I was served with a salad even though I ordered a soup with my entree, but frankly the salad was so good that I did not bother complaining. Great location , easy parking, nice decor and very reasonable prices for Birmingham, MI.
(4)Seoung L.
Salvatore is a Great place for delicious Italian food. only been there for lunches and I highly recommend it since most of their lunch menu is at or under $10. The service is always very good and friendly as well. I recommend Pasta gambari Simone if you like shrimp. Each lunch comes with complimentary bread and butter.
(4)Anita W.
This is a fantastic date spot.... Went here on a date on a Friday evening and ended up in a nice little corner spot overlooking Booth park across the street. At Twilight this is an amazing spot and I highly recommend it over a nice bottle of wine... Our server was excellent, efficient and funny... Food was fantastic, ordered the calamari as an app, house salad, and minestrone for my date. I ordered a seasonal special which was a chicken dish over angel hair pasta in an amazing lemon/basil/garlic gravy which was amazing. I ate as much as I could but still took some home.... NO dessert on this visit but will return for the tiramisu and a cappuccino!!
(4)Fern G.
Very nice! We ate outside on the patio with the little ones after playing in Booth Park. The bread with marinara dipping sauce was tasty. The sauce had a little kick too which I like. The kids had spaghetti with marinara, their dad had chicken with garlic and broccoli and a cup of minestrone soup. I had home made fettuccine pasta with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella on top. All of these were fresh and delicious. Per Yelp recommendations, I got the creamy Romano salad dressing on my salad. It was great! Good service, large portions, blue collar prices. Oh and the kids dinners came with ice cream!
(4)Mark B.
Was driving through downtown Birmingham looking for a place to eat. Circled the neighborhood considering the possibilities and the first opportunity to make a u-turn was in front of this place. Parked right on the corner of the residential area on the outskirts of downtown. It looked warm and inviting. Packed on a Sunday at 730, I still was able to be seated in the last available 2-top. Bread, marinara sauce & butter were brought to my table immediately. My server, Greg, greated me warmly & sincerely, commenting approvingly on my choices: minestrone soup, veal, and a side of home made pasta with garlic & olive oil. Service remained attentive and I enjoyed my meal. If I find myself in Birmingham again & in the mood for Italian, I will definitely make a return trip.
(4)Clare G.
Love love, lovely dinner this past weekend. Had not been here since my middle/high school days. The quality has way improved from what I remember. This is the only place in Birmingham/Bloomfield you will find really great Italian pasta, eggplant, chicken, veal, dishes for under 20$ with a scenic table view of downtown Birmingham and the park. I loved my eggplant parmesan and the canneloni was great too. Planning to make this place a family (birthday) tradition.
(4)Dina B.
A long time fave. I used to come in the 80s when they cranked the pasta at the doorway. It's consistently good. It's on a different level from an Olive Garden, and I am appalled at that reference on behalf of this establishment.
(4)Patricia M.
Pastas are great, good portions. All vegetables in them along with the pasta were very fresh. Wish I had ordered it, i had the salmon salad and it was terrible. I think they give you like 2 oz of salmon and 20 pounds of lettuce to go along with it. Next time, i will definitely order the pasta like the rest of my party did.
(3)David S.
Classic neighborhood Italian bistro located in central Birmingham next to Booth Park. Patio is perfect for a summer meal looking over the park or people watching on Woodward. Cuisine is Italian with a mix of traditional and more innovative dishes. Good fresh ingredients and home made pastas. Wait staff was friendly and helpful.
(5)Lauren P.
My family's go-to spot. Consistently fresh, delicious food. Plesant service. I think we've tried everything from the chicken piccata to the shrimp scallopini and they've all been great. Our favorite is the minestrone soup though! It's a local chain, but the Birmingham location is always reliable. Can get crowded on weekend nights, but is worth the wait.
(5)Stephanie W.
Tried this place out b/c of great Yelp reviews & it lived up to it's potential. Located in a manicured neighborhood, surrounded by quaint outdoor scenery & contained a snazzy indoor ambiance. French bread & house salad served with every entree, which is a rarity. All staff maintained upbeat attitudes & professionalism. A must try!
(5)Julie R.
Yummy salad. Food was good, and service was great!!
(4)Bob M.
I don't really have anything bad too say about this place. The service was adequate and the food was decent. The reason that i can't rate it any higher is that i also didn't feel that there was anything special about it. Sure, the ambiance was nice but it was not so nice that I would rate it a full star higher.
(3)A H.
Grew up near here, and kind of moved away from Salvatore as I got older, mostly because they didn't have a liquor license and I love a good glass of red wine. Luckily they got a beer and wine license a little while back. Last night I gained a better appreciation for the place. We went late and grabbed a table outside, it does have a great view with Booth Park right across the street. We got the minestrone soup, which is still my favorite and which I compare all other minestrone soups. The Caesar salad is very good, garlicy with house made croutons and the pasta mezzogiorno, angel hair, hot peppers, garlic and olive oil with chicken which was very good but I would suggest asking for grilled chicken instead, because it was pretty breaded. The people waiting for a table near us said they wanted to grab it off our table, so I can confirm it is amazing! Our waiter seemed kind of grumpy, but the hostess was very nice. Best Italian I've ever had? No, but it's a nice neighborhood bistro that offers decent food.
(4)Maureen F.
Salvatore's opened when I was a kid and lived up the street. I did not think much of it then, but now I have seen the light. It is the perfect little neighborhood bistro, with great food and a delightful atmosphere. The corner location perfectly takes advantage of great views of neighborhing Booth Park and the local shopping area. Tonight is Mother's day and the place was packed when we arrived. I gave the hostess my cell number and we went to take our daughter over to Booth Park, which has to be the area's premier parks for the 12 and under crowd. Unfortunately, the outdoor dining was not opened yet, because it would have been a nice day to sit out in the sun and enjoy dinner. Salvatore's got a beer and wine bistro license a few years ago, so now you can have glass with your dinner. I highly recommend the eggplant parmesan, which comes as either an appetiser or an entree. It is light, flavorful and delicious. Another of their signature dishes is the Chicken Tosca, which is pounded breaded chicken breasts in a white wine and lemon sauce with sauteed mushrooms. The dinner portion is enormous and you will have leftovers. Dinners are served with a side of pasta and a salad. For dessert, I tried the tiramisu at our waitress's suggestion as I was torn between cannoli and tiramisu. I thank her! The tiramisu was moist, light and so darn yummy. Again, a huge portion, but I managed... My mother had the spumoni and it tasted home made. I am sorry I did not come around to appreciating Salvatore Scallopini earlier.
(5)R L.
All the good stuff and local places this tired chain has a great feel but so average for what you get in other places. Great location and soup.
(2)Nina C.
Always great! Love it!! Always consistent!!!!
(5)Kristin G.
I went here last night with a good friend, wow, what a great casual little dinner spot! We split a bottle of delicious Malbec and the Caprese Salad Appetizer. The Caprese was really the highlight for me! The sauce/dressing used over the Caprese was different than any other Caprese I'd had before. It was, I believe, their version of an herbed white wine vinaigrette...whatever it was- it really made the mozzarella, basil and tomato slices sing. And what a song! The dressing was so good that I used the bread to sop up the leftovers. It was a nice flavorful and fresh way to start out a meal! My friend got the Lasagne and was raving about it, I got the Insalata Scallopini topped with grilled shrimp and it followed suit with more fresh and delicious flavors. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and really had great flavor. It gave a savory kick to the tangy salad. The atmosphere is wonderful and service was so personable and friendly, there's nothing better than being greeted with a smile as you walk in the door. I'll definitely be back...I'm sad that I have just discovered this laid back little gem.
(4)kelly w.
Just thinking about this place is making me want to order it.. wait, you know what? I think I am going to.. wait for it.. wait for it.. I am going to post this review just so everyone knows they too should be thinking Salvatore Scallopini.. I'll yelp after I eat.
(4)Natalie R.
So good! I get the cheese ravioli with "pink sauce" which is a mix of cream and marinara. Each entree comes with salad, both house dressings are good, though most people love their creamy romano dressing, which is practically famous now. It's nice to go their in the summer and sit on the patio, and if you have kids, there is a park right next to Salvatore so they can play and you can watch them. If I were still a kid, I would love this place.
(5)Renee W.
Salvatore Scallopini's is a great casual dining spot. We were excited to FINALLY not get seated next to a family with kids after 7:00 pm on a Saturday night, so we had a nice little corner table to ourselves. Definitely get the bruschetta to start; Delicious! I also had their special pollo con asparagi - which was chicken sauteed in olive oil with asparagus, tomato and peas. It was pretty amazing....especially with a chilled glass of pinot grigio. My husband enjoyed his dinner as well but felt it was 2 dimensional. Otherwise, good service and great food once again.
(4)Matthew P.
SA-LVATORE SCAL-LOPINI! Not only is the name fun to say (it really is...try it), but you cannot beat the quality of Italian food here for the price (I dare ya to try!). Been going here with the 'rents since I was a kid and I still love it to this day. Best deal in the B'ham area. The veal parm here is as good as many places I've been that charge triple the price. No matter what you order, you can't go wrong. Preeetttyyyyyy-good, as Larry David would say.
(4)Erik M.
Great place for casual Italian dining in Birmingham. This place is a great deal for downtown Birmingham. They have great food at very reasonable prices. The atmosphere is like an Italian kitchen, so it can sometimes get a little noisy. My date ordered the pesto chicken, which was pretty amazing and I had the gnocchi, which was very nice. Good portions.
(5)Danielle R.
Met a few of my girlfriends for lunch here, which was a new place. I must say I was impressed. The food was prepared with fresh ingredients and just very tasty and filling. I ordered the homemade ravioli with spinach ricotta filling - yum! The salad served prior to the ravioli was a good size and left just the right amount of room for the main lunch entree. The sauce on the ravioli was very good as well. We also shared the tiramisu - also very good. I plan on coming back to show the place to my husband - I know he will also enjoy the food. There are a few outdoor tables, however, the weather was not conducive enough to site outside on our visit. Maybe next time. The location of the restaurant, was very nice - on the corner and across the street from Booth Park. Great atmosphere. As far as parking was concerned, I parked at the parking garage and walked down. Why pay the meter when the first two hours are free? :)
(4)Eileen H.
We were here in Dec 11 with our three kids and it was much better. We were seated in the main dining area and it was bustling but pleasant and the service was good. The food was good basic family style Americanized Italian fare. Tonight we were seated in the smaller dining area next to the somewhat open kitchen area. IMO they should get rid of this table or ask if you would like to sit IN the kitchen it was so loud. To boot the staff was standing almost on top of us chit chatting with one flirty guy who was particularly boisterous. Unpleasant . Well that would have been forgiven had the food been better. The calamari, clearly from a bag of prepared frozen calamari. They really should change the grease in their fryer. The salad.. Ingredients were fresh but the dressing, meh. Also the lone tomatoe slice was mealy and the chickpeas, just leave them out. There is nothing for them to cling to and they just roll around and fall off your fork. Entree.. Mixed bag. They special salmon del estate (grilled salmon atop angel hair with diced Roma tomatoes and asparagus was good. The most recommended dish, Mezzogiorno looked great but seemed to be buried in too much oil or perhaps butter? And both entrees seemed to have far more salt than necessary. To be fair, that seems to be standard in restaurants these days. We didn't bother with desert. Another not on service.. Perhaps we would have ordered a bottle of wine but since she was too busy fending off her loudmouthed flirty colleague she never check back on that let alone refilled our water. Decent potential but a miss on most counts. I think they rely on ppl who just return over and over out of habit. I know we won't trouble ourselves to drive over and pay for parking again.
(2)Jenny B.
Went here because they had good marks on yelp. I did enjoy what I had, but I would say that it just wasn't anything amazing. We had chicken catetori and a pasta dish with tomatoes and basil on top. I would say the best part of the meal was the fettuccine alfredo. I do like that all of their pastas are home made. The prices were good and it is always nice to see when salad is included.
(3)Elizabeth T.
I am amazed at all the good reviews. The food makes Chef Boyardee seem gourmet and the staff leaves much to be desired. Terrible service.
(1)Lorenzo B.
Salvatore Scallopini had no complaints from me. I had the cheese ravioli with a great sauce. Along with the ravioli I had the pleasure of getting the creamy Romano salad, which may have had the most delicious dressings on any salad I have had. Finally, the highlight of my meal, the minestrone soup. This was without a doubt the best soup in Birmingham. If you go to Salvatore, the minestrone is a must.
(5)Jacob K.
I could go on and on about this place but the best is the chicken Caesar salad I have only had one that almost compared and it was in little Italy in Boston
(5)Adrienne M.
Great food, nice price!
(5)Anne H.
I'm stunned there are 4 or 5 stars given for this restaurant. I order pasta with sausage & marinara sauce and it tasted like licorice. No seasoning and just weird. The salad or the lettuce in a bowl was ok, but so boring. Service is adequate. The only reason I could see going here is because it would be a place to take kids? Once again, Yelp fails me.
(2)Kenny K.
I always think this is the best deal for lunch in Birmingham. I've been coming here for 15 years and it is always good. They now have some beer and wine which has added to the crowd but also improved the dinner experience.
(4)MIKE O.
Very good spaghetti. Better than Pasquales on Woodward, in Royal Oak..
(4)Eric T.
Always great! Love this place!
(5)Matt B.
So good. Reasonable prices - geat service - great food. Just your traditional Italian food but they are so good at it. Try the spumoni - best we can find.
(4)Lara B.
Average meal and menu. Nothing really stands out on menu, flavors seem bland and typical. Lots of kids and families.
(2)Matt G.
Excellent Italian, fantastic service, and the tiramisu (which I am not normally a fan of) which was recommended by our waitress was beyond excellent. I wish I lived closer.
(5)Wm W.
This is one of my favorite places - friendly, comfortable, nice outdoor seating, good solid food. Minestrone soup has never been the same twice, but is always good. Pasta is always a good choice. My favorite is the antipasto salad and my wife's fave is the stuffed shells. This is where we go when in B'ham to get a good meal at a reasonable price.
(4)A. M.
I've gone here since I was a kid. Service is great and the food is fantastic. I've never been disappointed when ordering any of the specials. The ambiance is nice, you can hear your entire party's conversation.
(5)Otis M.
We've enjoyed Salvatore's for many years. The pasta is home made and very delicious. Sure you can make pasta at home (which I do often) but its a lot of work to make meatballs, sausage or ricotta filled lasagna or ravioli. Dinners come with salad and bread. It's a great carry out option.
(4)Kaj M.
Went to this restaurant for dinner on a Friday night around 8 pm. Only experienced about a 5 minute wait, which I didn't mind. Our waiter was extremely friendly, though he did disappear completely after giving us our dinner. We ordered the lunch portions of fettuccine alfredo, which was decent. To be quite honest, I like Olive Garden's better. The noodles were really soft, but the sauce didn't really taste like much. It was lacking some garlic I think. The pasta came with a salad, and dressing option of creamy garlic or italian. At the advice of the waiter we ordered the creamy garlic because according to him "its amazing and you can only get it here". It was good, but by no means amazing. Again, seemed to lack some sort of strong flavor. Okay, so the food wasn't amazing, but the atmosphere is family friendly. Its doubtful that I'll go back, but was worth a shot. Perhaps if I do go back again I'll order something else.
(3)Patrice D.
This is our favorite restaurant and we go here regularly. The italian food is great, bread is great, their salads are great (especially with their special blend salad dressing). A few of my favorite dishes are the fish bolognese and steak siciliano. It is absolutely fantastic. My daughter loves the ravioli, stuffed shells with a side of meatballs. Their spaghetti sauce is top notch. One year I purchased a quart of the meat and marinara sauce to make lasagna at home for Christmas eve. Boy did I get compliments on that dinner. All their desserts are home made and usually just baked that day. The service is great. The prices are reasonable. It does tend to get busy on the weekend and we usually have to wait to get in but it is well worth it. I often order carry outs here during the week. It is located in a quaint area of Birmingham and in the summer it is fun to sit outside and enjoy the view.
(5)Amy B.
Way more than your ordinary itialian restaurant. In the waiting area I watched the chefs in the totally open kitchen and the staff carried out huge bowls of pasta.The chef was adequately tattooed (which I've come to respect as a sign of a great chef after much viewing of the food channel) The atmosphere is great and actually reminds me of a larger Marias Front Room. Having seen the size of the portions we split the canaloni and a salad. It filled us up and it came already split for us with two kinds of sauce on each. Best italian around and reasonable prices too. The bread was good too. If only I could have been sipping a frangelica while we waited for a table it would have been perfect, but alas no liquor license - wine only.
(4)Laura R.
Best italian food in downtown Birmingham with affordable prices. The atmosphere is wonderful and it is great to meet up with friends to enjoy some wine or to come with family and kids. The food has always been very fresh as well.
(5)Meagan G.
Came here with friends for dinner on a Friday night. Very family-friendly call ahead seating very convenient. Nice wine list. The waiter was perspiring a lot and it was a little awkward.I ordered the shells with beef and my friend ordered the shells with cheese. Pretty basic. The special pasta with pine-nuts and pesto was good from the feedback my friend gave me. Entrées were a little more expensive than needed to be. Also The kids mac & cheese was a good portion of very tasty.
(4)Sarah H.
A solid Italian restaurant located just off the beaten path in Birmingham. My friend and I came here for dinner one evening and the food and service was excellent. The bread was very good, we mowed through two baskets at a fairly good clip. I had the build your own pasta with angel hair and olive oil which was very good. Nothing fancy, just simple and delicious. My friend had the chicken marsala, which he said was excellent. We skipped dessert but it sounded very good. I liked the atmosphere and the service was friendly.
(4)D S.
Far exceeded our expectations. Great wine recommendations, solid quality entrees, super fast service and reasonable prices. Haven't been to a Salvatore in quite a while, but we will definitely be back! Outdoor seating was very nice. PS Matthew (the waiter) was awesome!
(4)Linda C.
We have dined here often great food however the staff is not good the last two visits. The waitress got our meal wrong and it took almost an hour to get our food. You can't done here if you're in a hurry! They need new management.
(2)Anthony K.
Birmingham is always slammed especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Good luck getting into any restaurant without a 30-45 minute wait at a minimum! There was no wait here and the menu looked pretty good. This place is a very tradition Italian restaurant without a twist which is why I gave it four stars. There are a lot of trendy restaurants in the area which is what brings people to Birmingham everyday. Not looking for trendy or have a family, well then this restaurant is perfect for you! Food is awesome and portions are huge!! You will not be disappointed eating here! Enjoy!
(4)Stephen M.
The part I love about this restaurant is the atmosphere. It's a neighborhood type place where you can dine with family or as in my recent visit with your son. The menu is 'classic'--what you'd expect from an old style Italian place. I chose shells. They were alright, not special. My son had a seafood pasta--fine, but forgettable. Our lack of enthusiasm was reflected in our decision not to have dessert. Our waiter was efficient and happy to make recommendations. I'd say this place is more style with substance lagging behind, resting at the ordinary.
(3)Stephanie B.
My family and I went here last night for my birthday dinner. My family always tries to go to a restaurant that we have never been to for birthdays. We were greeted and seated immediately. We got there around 6pm and it was just getting busy. The restaurant isn't very big so it fills up pretty quickly! My best advice to get there right before dinner time (and enjoy free garlic bread during happy hour! between 2:30-5pm) What I thought was unique about Salvatore Scallopini Italian was they had pepsi fountain drinks BUT you can order a Coca Cola in a glass bottle. Nifty! We were given bread with butter and marinara sauce that my family of five devoured rather quickly. Sauce was served cold but bread was piping hot. Fresh out of the oven. I ordered the stuffed shells with spinach and ricotta cheese. Served with salad. I picked creamy Romano dressing over the house dressing. Love that you only have two options for salad dressing! Best part of the salad were garbonzo beans. Not many restaurants include them in salads! Salad was pretty good size and dressing didn't make the lettuce wilted or soggy. Dressing had a sharp kick to it. Stuffed shells were awesome! Huge portion and you could taste every ingredient! Self serve Parmesan cheese at the table. I'm glad they include a lot of classic dishes on their menu. Cannoli's are awesome! They were on special 2/$4, regularly $3.50 each. I could come here everyday just for the cannoli's. Service was excellent and prices are typical for an Italian restaurant. Only downfall of this place was the restaurant was on the smaller side, no reservations, and the chairs/benches are wood and it's hard sitting thru a whole meal without your butt hurting. Perhaps seat cushions are in the near future?
(4)Pam R.
Food was very good. I had the veal piccata. We were in the mood for some good Italian and this place wasn't that far away.
(4)Dan L.
Found this place using Yelp since I'm not familiar with Detroit but wanted to find a good place to eat. I found the recommendations to be pretty on target. I'm not sure if this restaurant serves authentic Italian food but I enjoyed the meal. The calamari appetizer was prepared well. The main course was Tutti Di Mare and that was also very good. The overall restaurant experience was great. It decor is very traditional and the restaurant was very lively and totally packed. My server was quite attentive and did a great job overall so I gave him a good tip. I'd definitely come back here again if I'm ever in the neighborhood.
(4)Vicki C.
I just went home to Michigan..... I couldn't wait to have Chicken Tosca....I have been getting the same thing for over 20yrs... Love chicken tosca......but I ned the receipe\
(5)Susan A.
Food is always good here - sometimes even great. The meat sauce is excellent and so was the chicken piccata last night. Calamari was below average. Just be warned: this place does not take reservations, and even if you phone ahead for your special group, like we did last night, you can still be beaten for the table by a group that just shows up. The hostess could have told us upon arrival that it was going to be a longer wait than we had been told, and we'd have found another restaurant. We sat on the hard wood bench for over an hour, watching the group that beat us to the sole large table demand separate checks, debate the checks, and generally futz around for another 20 minutes after they'd finished eating. Diners in a smaller party came in, ate, and left in the hour we were sitting on the bench with no place to enjoy a glass of wine or appetizer while we waited. After I asked to speak with the manager, he comped us apps and a bottle of wine. That helped, but we still won't be bringing a party larger than 4 back to this restaurant.
(3)Rola S.
Very authentic food. Our waitress was very kind and fast. Started off with some Pinot Grigio, and calamari. My bestie and I never went through a plate of calamari so fast before. Was absolutely delicious. We also had the bread and sauce and butter that they bring out to the table...my guilty pleasure, the bread was soo good. After the first glass of wine, we had our house salad that I ordered with the creamy Romano dressing, yummy. My friend didn't like her vinaigrette dressing. She told me in Arabic, "I feel like I'm eating lettuce only with no flavor." Haha, you didn't listen to mee!!! Then the entrees came, tutto di mare she didn't care for. She only liked the pasta lol! She said it was to fishy for her, always a complainer. As for me, I very much enjoyed my cannelloni. So rich, so surprising, so flavorful. Four fully stuffed pasta manacotti like, with ricotta and spinach. Baked in Alfredo sauce and marinara. It was very rich and very well stuffed. And I was only able to force two into my system. On to the dessert, we had the bread pudding that was amazing!!! The ice cream was unlike any other I've had. Our waitress was MIA after she gave us the dessert, so I couldn't ask her. It had the bread with caramel and raisins...so yummy. I could go back just for that, and to try the cannoli. Great restaurant, great people, lots of love.
(4)Christopher K.
Love this place. From the atmosphere to the amazing food. Nightly specials that are a must try. Fresh soups flavorful salads. Of course the pasta is killer, but so are their other dishes. Not a bad thing on the menu.
(4)Danielle S.
Went here with my parents-who love Italian food! This place was very nice, food and tasted great, and the place was clean. Not the all time Best Italian, but Fairly close to authentic! I would definitely come back. All of the ingredients were fresh and service was excellent
(4)Ashraf E.
Food was excellent, large portions, and reasonably priced. Very friendly wait staff. There may be a little bit of a wait if you come during peak hours, but you won't be disappointed! I came on a Saturday as part of a large group since I had family in town, and we had to wait about 25 min when we got there, even though we had a reservation. Luckily there's a park right across the street, so we were able to take the kids there while we were waiting. Our waitress was very friendly and accommodating. Will definitely be back!
(4)Evie B.
I had such high hopes for this place ... But it didn't live up to reviews or my expectations based on reviews. Shrimp scampi-- 7 delicious shrimp served on a massively huge bed of dried, clumpy, linguine .two bites of pasta and didn't even bother with trying to eat the rest. Unfortunately, this wasn't my first or second choice for entree but some of the items pictured/ mentioned in reviews weren't on the men .. Pasta with olive oil/ garlic... Served dry and clumpy... Minimal olive oil sauce at bottom of pasta Chicken tosca hubs enjoyed - Green beans - yummy crunchy and flavorful Caesar salad very yummy Service fast, prompt... Hostess friendly
(3)Tea C.
This place is back to being one of my favorites again. Went here recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've always liked the way the place looked on the inside - small, quaint, intimate. My favorite dish is the Pasta Fresca. Love love their garlicky salad with the creamy romano dressing. The bread and dipping sauce is simple but a tasty way to start. Really like their Moscato wine, or their Red Zinfandel. Their tiramisu is pretty darn good, also. Bravo!
(4)David W.
Great service. Better food. Fast service. Wonderful atmosphere for groups, couples, kids, families ... ... Bring the clan, you won't be sorry if they perform like they did tonight. Parking is street parking, so plan to walk a bit, but it is worth it.
(5)Liz P.
Went here for Birmingham Restaurant Week today with coworkers, and we were all fans. First time here so I decided to try it. I had a salad with a delicious Italian vinaigrette dressing, the pasta fresca, and cannoli for dessert. I think the highlight was the cannoli - apparently they bake them there daily, says a few of the other reviews on here, and they were delicious ... I would come back here just for cannoli. The salad and the pasta were both decent, and I really liked the salad dressing. I would definitely come back here again. Cute ambiance as well.
(4)Dan B.
In town on business and found this place. Our server gave us menus and fresh baked bread with a tasty olive oil/arrabiata sauce (sp?) to enjoy while we decided on entrees. I ordered the marinated grilled chicken with pasta. The pasta was delicious and the chicken came out a little on the crispy side, but was still good. On to the real story. My reserved friend pipes up with.... "I can honestly say this is the BEST lasagna I have ever had!" Enuff said! So now I am suffering from buyers remorse....I will return with my taste buds calibrated for the worlds best lasagna!!
(4)Jesse S.
Its fine, Olive Garden by another name. Nothing to write home about but not bad either. Clean, pleasant, fresh enough, service was decent. I can't praise much but certainly nothing to complain about at all.
(3)Amanda M.
For a long time this was my favorite Italian restaurant. Italian food is generally pretty basic, so in order to stand out you have to do the little things right. Salvatore's used to be that type of place- fresh, quality ingredients in all their dishes. I went back for the first time in a year or two today and it is evident that they've intentionally started cutting corners. I should have known as soon as we got our bread- something as simple as the olive oil at this place used to be something people raved about. Today, it seemed as though it was either mixed with a cheaper oil or they've switched brands altogether. For years I've always ordered a creamy pesto (not on the menu, but regular pesto is and they always alter it on request) and I always get the creamy Romano dressing on my side salad. The creamy Romano dressing also used to be a Salvatore's favorite, but today it tasted like they've started putting less on your salad and started using less fresh garlic-and this is what makes the dressing so good. My creamy pesto was also not only different, but much poorer quality than it always has been in the past. I almost wondered if they now use a pre-made batch of pesto or perhaps some sort of frozen pesto base because it was greatly lacking in flavor-the opposite of why the pesto used to be so good. The pesto used to be full of fresh garlic and fresh Parmesan flavor, both were lacking in this sauce. They also no longer offer fresh shaved Parmesan with your meal. I was so disappointed with this meal that I later mentioned it to a friend of mine that I know also loved this place and she agreed that Salvatore's has gone downhill. It's not a bad restaurant, it's just average. It used to be delicious though, and the prices don't reflect the decreased quality. This in combination with mediocre service left me incredibly disappointed with a meal I was really looking forward to. I don't know if they've switched chefs or owners or have had to adjust to harder economic times, but I know I certainly won't be coming back.
(2)Erica C.
Very authentic Italian food. Great drinks and its a good place to go after your child has just played their lil heart out at Booth Park across the street. Service was friendsly and the food came out pretty fast for a weekend - we go here often and love it.
(3)Katie R.
It's a nice Italian restaurant with a decently wide selection that should satisfy everyone in your family. We've eaten in and ordered carry-out. Sometimes the pasta is slightly overcooked so I just ask for it to be al dente and then it's fine. Staff is usually quite good.
(4)Linda C.
This place is amazing ... My family and I love going here for dinner and I can't complain about the price
(5)