Arancini was sooo good and cauliflower was good also. Clam linguine was very well cooked, perfect al dente. The house special, ratatouille was too spicy for me but the fish was very well seasoned. The service was a bit lacking and the sidewalk seating wasn't the best experience but overall a good place for a weeknight dinner. read more

Had dinner here last night: Burrata, Cauliflower appetizer, Chicken Marsala and Cioppino. All were outstanding and the size of the entree's were huge. Some of the best Italian I've had in a long time. Pleasant atmosphere. Generous wine pourings. A read more

Our first time here and we were HUNGRY after a 6 mile hike at Great Falls Park, MD. Pros: -Our server was pleasant, attentive and considerate. She was new, but was very willing and kind to find the answers to our diet considerations. -Atmosphere was pleasant. We dined alfresco and never felt rushed. -Lunch and kids portions were very generous. Cons: The food. Period. -First we started with the 'award winning' cauliflower app. It was soggy with oil, not the chili oil but the frying oil. Worse it had a distinct fishy taste to it. My guess is the oil was either old, not hot enough, or they're cross frying fish/seafood with other foods. Or maybe all of these things. -Secondly I had the lunch Chicken Piccata. I had asked for extra sauce as I love a wet pasta. While it was saucy the entire dish lacked ANY flavor. I couldn't taste any lemon, salt, seasoning, capers,...nothing. I asked for extra lemons, salt and parmigiana cheese to add some level of flavor. Piccata should have a bright, lemony, briny flavor. This dish tasted like a lot of unsalted water with some butter. I did eat the chicken as I was starving but left the pasta. So disappointed! -My husband had the Burrata appetizer. He, like me, felt the dish lacked flavor and seasoning. Although it seemed he liked his better than I liked mine. Also he had to ask for the crostini that came with the dish. I must add that I did share with the server how tasteless my food was and they did discount the Piccata dish 50%, I appreciated that gesture. Unfortunately it was not enough to convince me to return and spend my money there again. It's unfortunate as we bought a season pass to the park and anticipate many lunches in the area. read more

Looking on Yelp for a new restaurant a few month ago, we found one we'd never heard of, Sal's Italian Kitchen. It sounded good, and was well rated. Sal's doesn't take reservations, but we decided to take a chance. Are we glad we did. We've been back about a half a dozen times, and it's always great. The food is fantastic, and it's comfortable either sitting at the bar or at a table. If you are looking for a great neighborhood style Italian, this is the place. The décor is simple, and be aware there is not a lot of sound absorbing material. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. read more

Ordered carry out tonight,I ordered Clams in white wine sauce and it was very good .When I ordered mine I have the pepper flakes deleted just not a fan.The misses had bolllaniase and she had enough for 2 meals.All in it was quite tasty only draw back ordered too main dishes and salad came out $50.00 . Little pricey..Would recommend read more

Great bar service! The (new?) bartender is so sweet and was so helpful the first time I went there a few weeks ago. He really did a great job of helping me pick a drink I liked (Moscow Mule) and he also made the drink really well! The food looks okay, I'm not so sure because I didn't order any food but it looks like average Italian fare, and they seem to give pretty big portion sizes which is great! I will definitely be back! read more

I really want to support Sal's since I am a neighbor to the restaurant and have been a devoted fan of Wild Tomato and Persimmon for years. However, our beautiful dinners at Sal's are consistently ruined by the manager shutting us down before restaurant hours!!! We came tonight at 7:00, and had a lovely dinner. At 8:50 when we ordered desserts and glasses of wine, we were told by the waiter that the manager said they were closed. This is the THIRD time this has happened to us!!! The restaurant is open until 9:00, but this same manager/bar tender stops taking any orders since he wants to get home. Needless to say, this puts a very negative light over an otherwise enjoyable evening. I feel for our waiter since he was very embarrassed, and lost an additional $50 in sales from our table this evening. We have talked to our neighbors and know this "early shut down" does not only happen to us. Are the owners aware the manager is doing this? He is hurting the reputation of your restaurant and actively discouraging sales! Very disappointing. read more

Let me say right from the beginning that I have never had a bad meal at Sal's. The food is consistently delicious, well portioned, and beautifully presented. My kudos to the chef! The service, however, leaves a lot to be desired. Our server said maybe three words to us the entire evening and never checked on us once. When he finally came back to our table (after not returning since our order was taken since someone else delivered our food) it was to hand us the check. When we requested coffee and dessert, he was clearly put out. Obviously, he did not want to be there and his attitude really put a damper on our evening. Disappointing. read more

Great service and really delicious food. The fried risotto balls are insanely good! My family tried this restaurant for the first time recently and can't wait to go back! read more

Probably the worst meal I've eaten this year, including on an airplane! The lasagna was an overcooked glob of flour, the eggplant parm and the chicken parm were hard disks of unidentifiable material. The marinara was definitely just canned tomato sauce. Not sure how this place stays open. It shouldn't! read more

Exactly what I'd heard (and hoped for!) prompt informed servers. Good local draft beers, cocktails to order, or wines by the glass. We shared a calimari, crispy with two fabulous dipping sauces. Shrimp Scampi for my wife and I had the touted lasagna with extra meat sauce. We were both pleased - and have leftovers for dinner tomorrow. On a friend's recommendation we shared a bread pudding for dessert. Really special warm pudding topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel. Yummy end to a yummy meal. read more

Absolutely delicious! I had the bolognese #yummy This was my first time to this restaurant and I'll surely return.

Perfectly done calamari fritti followed by a delicious cioppino accompanied by a really good glass of chianti. Does life get any better? Sal's Italian Kitchen is a delightful neighborhood bar and restaurant that hosts a happy hour (4 to 6 p m Mon thru Fri) and delicious food served at casual dark wood tables, all accompanied by upbeat, helpful servers. The next time you're in the bethesda-Chevy Chase-Cabin John area looking for a convenient , casual and delicious Italian eatery, try Sal's. Based on my experience, you will be looking forward to your next visit. read more

Best Italian I've had in a while. Casual, relaxed atmosphere and fresh, scrumptious food.

Pasta dishes we ordered were very good. Warm and attentive to customers. Love and will be back at this place

Although I used the yelp filter for reservations (we were a party of 9 for a Monday night) when I telephoned, they quickly told me that they just simply do not take reservations.So, we just moved on to a different restaurant. read more

Stopped by here for lunch two days ago. I had linguine and clams (my favorite test for an Italian restaurant, my wife had chicken Milanese. I had kale and sausage soup. The soup came out first as it should and had a very good flavor. It's only problem was that it was lukewarm I have had many linguini and clam dishes over time and this one had to be one of my favorites. It was presented beautifully, had plenty of clams in a a sauce (white wine bases) that was more complex than most white wine sauces. My wife is a chicken parm, chicken Milanese fan. She had two beautifully deep fried pieces of chicken, with a slightly spicy tomato sauce. She was real happy. I'd love to go for dinner but we live about 3 hours away. We are in the area twice a year, so we will return in six months; read more

When you're in the neighborhood, well worth eating here. Good service, filling and well-prepared food, in a casual atmosphere.

This is a great place for Sunday lunch. We love the Brussels Sprounts, the Cauliflower, and the Calimari. Staff is great. We are becomming regulars. read more

This is our first time at Sal's and the food was excellent and earned four stars. However, the service was a 2 star so we split the difference. The chairs in the outside area are very uncomfortable and we noticed Fish Taco next door had more comfortable furniture. The waiter was slow to get to us. The Caesar salad was great. However, the waiter did not come to bring us water until our entree was served after we asked twice. He was not accommodating. The meal was fresh and very good. We will return but not sit outside and will request a different waiter. read more

Family friendly Italian comfort food w a spacious bar w a solid list of wines beers and craft cocktails. Inviting space for locals from the neighborhood and out of towners alike. read more

Had a wonderful time, and the food was fantastic!! Atmosphere is very family oriented. Enjoyed the night cap, and the molten lava. Italian food. Will take my Italian relatives here. read more

The meatballs are great. I am from MA and can be a little picky because I grew up with great italian food. That said, I think their gravies (bolognese, marinara, etc) are great, but I can't get over they use boxed pasta. The boxed tagliatelle was so distracting, I just wanted to scrape the gravy off the noodles and enjoy. If they read these reviews, I hope they consider at least a nightly homemade pasta special, and for God's sake, make your own spaghetti. read more

Roasted cauliflower was delicious and the salmon was nicely done at medium rare - not over cooked at all.

Have tried this 2x now, and both times was very underwhelmed. I work in the 'hood, so was super excited to have another choice, after the last shop here closed in just a few months. And I don't have super snotty Bethesda taste buds, FWIW. First, tried the spinach & fried goat cheese salad with chicken. Overdressed with a super oily and totally bland dressing. Chicken was so dry it was Saharan. Goat cheese was a grease ball outside, so fried in too low temp is my guess. Next visit, went old school and tried a staple lasagne. Easy enough, right? Wrong. Bland sauce, mushy & overcooked. Was there at a very deserted lunch hour both times, so can't blame a rushed kitchen. read more

We come here often and order takeout as well as sit down. Very very good. Portions are large. The spaghetti is consistently 2-3 meals. Highly recommend. The salads are large and fresh as well. read more

I love this place. The food is amazing and the bartenders/staff are the best. They do everything perfect. Francis is such a great guy and such a professional. This is our new favorite spot! Can't wait to go back again!! Nothing is bad on their menu...nothing!! read more

Love this place. The food is consistently good! Great bar excellent salads and appetizers and all the main dishes are wonderful.

This was a pleasant surprise, especially given the sorry state of Italian restaurants in general in Bethesda. We had the Brussels sprouts, the penne with sausage, and the chicken parmigiana. All were good, especially for the price. Service was both friendly and efficient. I didn't use the restroom, but I'm informed that it was both clean and adequate for the size of the restaurant. read more

We can't tell you how delicious the food is here. It's probably the best Italian restaurant in the area. The Chicken Marsala is the best I have ever had..Reading the reviews I can tell you that Nothing is sub par here nor was it pricey. As a matter of fact the prices are very reasonable for the area. The portions are very generous which is great because we always have delicious left overs. My husband had the Pappardelle Bolognese which is made with a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon which is fabulous. Our daughter loved the Ravioli. On a previous visit I tried the Chicken Cacciatore Style. I ordered it with pasta instead of rice and loved this also. The house marinated olives are presented in a mason jar. They are very good to munch on with a drink. We shared a large house salad.The balsamic vinaigrette very tasty They pour a generous glass of wine here and the martinis are perfect. Never tried dessert because we were too full. Maybe next time.! read more

My fiancee and I were looking around the Glen Echo area for a place to hold our rehearsal dinner, and we luckily stepped into Sal's. The manager Tony was terrific and accommodating in helping us plan our menu to stay within budget, and making us feel at home in his restaurant. The food and service were amazing. Be sure to try the lasagna with bolognese, or the veggie lasagna! Thanks Tony and Sal's for making our wedding weekend extra special! read more

Great little neighborhood joint! Great lasagna, linguini with clams are excellent. Papardella was very good also.

Had a really good lunch there today, and we were first-timers. My husband ordered the soup of the day and the chopped salad, and I had the panzanella salad topped with chicken Milanese. Everything was fresh and delicious. read more

UNBELIEVABLE and I am not kidding .It is 7:17 pm on Sunday 8/20 /17 as I was at Sal's Kitchen 10 minutes ago to order a shrimp scampi to go . I have been there 5 times (3 times dining and the rest carry out ) . I ask the manager / bartender for 3 Jalapeno pepper with my food . He either was confused or was trying to be a penny pincher as he looked to be . I was told that I have to purchase the Jalapeno as he reached to a container full of to show it to me . Same story 3 nights ago when I placed the same order but chicken picante and I asked for 3 jalapeno . The female bartender balked and asked me to pay up front which I did but left no tip for the carry out .Upon arriving home inspecting my food , I was found that she did my order right by me . I drove back to the restaurant with a $5 bill for her tip ( the owner whom I didn't know previously was the witness ) . I did her right as $5 is nothing to me driving a CS4 Porsche , living in the most modern euro design home that the owner or the manager could dream living there , but always wearing raggedy clothing as they judged me on the last two occasion by what I was wearing but not knowing that I can buy them with my eyes closed in Cash . This comes from a guy who owned restaurants for 25 years as I was a lot younger ! To be transparent and truthful ,I live at 6432 83rd Pl Cabin John , less than a mile away which makes the owner's house look like a garage ( go to Realtors.com ) and his bartender/ manager home like a dog house ! The food is good in all fairness but 3 Jalapeno costs just less than 5 cents . I guess 5 cents is a lot for penny pinchers ! Got my dinner at Fish Taco with unlimited Jalapeno and great service . No wonder they had a line all the way outside . read more

The owners closed Indigo House (which I really liked) and replaced it with this concept - Indigo House was just getting into a much better menu and food quality groove, I really miss it! I tried Sal's with my daughter and it was ok. The service was friendly and fine, and perhaps our menu selections were just too starchy but I was a bit underwhelmed by our entrees. I'm not looking for lots of different variations of soft bread and soft white pasta and tomato sauce and fried stuff. How about more lighter, fresher, interesting fare with lots of Mediterranean flavors? Next time, I'll try the fish. My daughter got chicken parmesan - huge portion. I got a chicken pesto panini - it was ok, too much bread. My side salad greens were kind of wilted and the cherry tomatoes were kind of soft. We had some really good appetizers, the arancini & burrata. read more

I was so excited to try this restaurant and it didn't disappoint. I love Wild Tomato (same owners) and my expectations were high. My family ordered Shrimp Scampi, Butternut Squash Ravioli, and Pappardelle Bolognese...and all were delicious! So happy to have a good Italian restaurant close to my house. Great atmosphere and the service was wonderful. Our waiter, Richard, was also terrific - personal service and charming. I will definitely be coming back..often! read more

Went there for Mothers Day meal just because we were tired and had been there before liking the vibe and food.Total change of attitude as there was an employee/manager with long,greasy hair NOT pulled back as it should be if around food.Kept scratching her scalp and then touching plates and cutting bread for take out without washing her hands.Makes you wonder about sanitary practices everywhere else....Also,she was chewing gum big time.UGH.May have to call health department. read more

This is a nice quaint establishment that my friends and I frequent. The appetizers, especially the cauliflower, are extremely good. To be honest, the entrees haven't blown me away quite yet. However, the staff is incredibly helpful, kind and conscientious. Specifically, there is a host by the name of Trevor who consistently provides unmatched service. He always greets guests with a warm smile and a gracious attitude. All in all, the food is good, the staff is excellent, and I'd recommend a visit. read more

Great neighborhood Italian restaurant. Very reasonable prices and love the casual menu. The roasted cauliflower is a must-have. Had the meatball sandwich twice and it couldn't be any better. Haven't tried the branzino or shrimp scampi - but next time! Half- priced wines in Monday night. read more

Sorry to say that I was disappointed. After reading many good reviews on line I invited an Italian fiend for lunch. She found that the butternut squash ravioli was missing a key authentic ingredient, and I found the portion paltry and ate second lunch when I returned home. The entree was served without so much as a crust of bread, and I had to stand up to help myself to salt, pepper, hot pepper flakes, etc, which were not available on the table. The service was borderline unpleasant - no offers to refill water, tea, etc. Too bad, as I am a local in this restaurant desert and visit the Wild Tomato regularly, but frankly, don't see myself returning to Sal's. read more