I love the food and the atmosphere!! The garlic shrimp is a fantastic appetizer. Make sure to ask for fresh, warm bread! Pasta is always delicious read more

Never disappoints! One of my favorite places to take out of town guests. Best example of a Chicago neighborhood restaurant. read more

I can't rave enough about this cozy and classy little neighborhood establishment. Mussels with Italian sausage, grilled calamari, trout with sun dried tomatoes and the pastas!? Oh my! They grated fresh Parmesan at the table to go with the olive oil and delicious Italian bread. Lastly, the best tiramisu was the best I have ever tasted. Great service and reasonable prices. They were booked solid on the weekends for a few weeks. I can see why! read more

The food was very good, my pasta had amazing flavor. The desert was also very good. The restaurant itself is fine, a good neighborhood feel while still being fancy. read more

DO NOT expect them to honor your reservation time. EVEN IF ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY. They over book their crowded tables inside when they do not have the patio open and you will most likely wait 30+ mins after your CONFIRMED reservation time. After waiting for about 25 min we finally asked for an update on when we would be seated and was told "At least 20 more minutes, you should probably order some drinks." We left promtly after that statement and found a wonderful place down the street. read more

A fabulous neighborhood gem! Perfect for the summer with outdoor dining. You can't go wrong w italian but your really can't go wrong with Sal's!!! 11/10 read more

Sal's Trattoria - Roasted Salmon - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I mean....incredible. The burrata was probably top 3 appetizers that I've had in my entire life, you will not regret ordering it. Pasta was also unbelievable, I myself got the vodka pasta and kudos to the chef on that one. You need to try this place, I can't stress it enough. Great date spot. Gratze. read more

Sal's Trattoria - Vodka Pasta - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a great find. The food was insanely delicious. I LOVED the trout piccata. The service was outstanding. Kristen was the best! We really thought she was a terrific waiter. This is a beautiful neighborhood restaurant with amazing food. Can't wait to return. read more

The food and service were outstanding. Had a Caesar salad and the Bolognese. Big portion and tasty. Server was super attentive - water glass was never empty. Highly recommend Sal's! read more

Great atmosphere, outstanding service, and good people running the place. Really felt the energy of a quality neighborhood spot on a Saturday night. Would go back again without a doubt. Ordered the lamb Ragu as well as the carbonara. Both were delicious! read more

Great food and great service! Chase and Max are the best bartenders in the city! Can't forget about the warm welcome from Connie at the front of the house either! read more

See all

This is the ultimate neighborhood spot that I wish I had discovered years ago! Living within walking distance of this cozy corner restaurant is wonderful. You can make a reservation (through Yelp it seems, or I've called the restaurant and left a message before like in the olden days). It's also pretty easy to walk in. Indoor seating is clean and has a touch of "special occasion" with white table cloths and a marble-top bar, but nothing pretentious or austentacious. It's both a neighborhood dinner spot and a spot for a special occasion. I've celebrated friends' engagements and last minute weekday dinners with friends, both wonderful experiences. Now to the *food*! Apps I love the mussels, served in a bit of an unusual cream sauce! I've also had the shrimp, which are simple and full of garlicy flavor. Entree you can't go wrong with any of the pastas, my husband loves the chicken parmesan (served with pasta!) and I enjoyed the mushroom and tarragon salmon a few weeks back. The bar doesn't disappoint, either! They make a mean (and strong!) dirty gin martini and they have nice wine options. Sometimes the servers are a little curt, but I've said before that I am trying to give waitstaff grace because working at restaurants during this pandemic cannot be easy! read more

I came here to celebrate my 30th birthday with 6 of my girlfriends and we had such a good time. We all had different dishes and each one of use enjoyed EVERYTHING! Our waiter was great, the atmosphere was great and I cannot wait to come back again! This is definitely a place to treat yourself, it can be a bit pricey but then again, we were buying bottles of wine but 100 percent worth it! read more

Sal's Trattoria - Bucatini Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Excellent neighborhood Italian. My only tip, get some sound absorbing ceiling, it's loud in here.

Our favorite place! We love sitting at the bar. The burrata with the jams and pesto is the best, but everything on the menu is amazing.

Amazing ambiance between the lighting, windows, and seating arrangement. Everything was delicious from the burrata to the gnocchi special. Excellent service too. Would highly recommend. I would go back even for the cucumber/basil gin cocktail! read more

Excellent food in a lovely spot to have a great dinner with family and friends! Will dine there again for sure.

We went about a month ago and had a great time! My wife and I had a reservation, seated quickly, and had attentive and amazing service. Food was impeccable! read more

Really glad I FINALLY got around to checking Sal's out. Been eyeing this spot for months now and finally decided to swing by on a Friday without a reservation. We were able to sit at the bar with no problem. Tables on a Friday or Saturday book out at least a week in advance, so keep that in mind. If you're picky about Italian restaurants and only want to dine at ones that are guaranteed GOOD - this is your spot. Look no further, ESPECIALLY if you are in the area. Food is flavorful and simple, not overdone like some "trendy" Italian spots are. The kind of place where you could order anything on the menu and be happy. We got the octopus as an app and holy smokes it was fantastic. Pickled grapes/onions paired so nicely with the octopus, and it was plenty for two, so definitely could feed 3-4. The Caesar was also great. The fresh bread croutons were an amazing touch. My boyfriend got the pork chop which was perfectly cooked (crispy enough yet tender/juicy enough) with great flavor in the sauce that wasn't overpowering. I got the *secret menu* caccio e pepe. It wasn't too heavy like some caccio e pepes are but I loved it even more for that. I studied abroad in Rome and ate caccio e pepe 4x/week for 4 months and was so pleased with Sal's's (¿) version. The noodles are a thin spaghetti which was maybe a bit of a placebo effect for me to say it wasn't too heavy. But the sauce itself was perfect. And the fresh parsley (I believe) on top was a great touch. Moscow mules were generous servings and were delicious - had us slurping our last sips at the end! Now most importantly - the service. Every member of the Sal's team was SO kind. This restaurant made me really appreciate locally owned joints who take the time to hire and retain professional, caring staff members. Will absolutely be coming back and truly can't wait. read more

Feels like home in Sal's. The wait staff are super nice and helpful, the foot was so good and the atmosphere is so cozy and homey. We loved the grilled calamari and all of the pasta dishes we have gotten. read more

The takeout is amazing - including three packs of bread which tastes fantastic. Order came in fast. Burrata is amazing!

I enjoyed my food. The ambiance was nice and the service was outstanding. I thought it was a bit on the pricey side though. We had a bottle of a Super Tuscan that was difficult to drink and it was not cheap. Portion sizes were on the smaller side so we were glad we ordered an appetizer to share. Our bill for 2 people was $160.00. I will probably return as it was overall a positive experience, but I am in no rush to return. read more

Great atmosphere for a neighborhood restaurant. Service was friendly and efficient too. So why the three-star review? The food. I had the $39 flounder special. Yes, $39 at a neighborhood restaurant! I would have given it three stars at half that price. Just an average, thin, lightly breaded piece of fish atop maybe eight gnocchi and five or six undercooked, flavorless mushrooms. My girlfriend had the gnocchi dish (I think with sausage). She said it was ok. The beet salad was fresh, flavorful and very good. Go to Sal's for the ambiance, service and salad, but know there are many far better options for Italian food in the neighborhood. read more

Sal's was recommended by my friends son who use to live in the neighborhood. We went prior to seeing a performance the Greenhouse Theatre. We parked a block from Sal's which was a surprise and treat. From the Appetizer Calamari and Minestrone to the Trout entrée, all were superbly prepared and plated with outstanding flavors. Service was prompt and just the right amount of attention. Great Job Sal's. read more

Fabulous restaurant! The food is always scrumptious. My favorite place on the north side.

A lovely restaurant serving excellent Italian cuisine and romantic ambiance. We loved their grilled calamari which was tender and flavorful. My Rigatoni Bolognese was delicious and just the right portion size. Their Trout Piccata with artichokes was fabulous. I disliked the Portofino cocktail which was horrible, but maybe since I do not enjoy grapefruit bitters. Lesson learned not to order drinks with bitters! Otherwise, it was a wonderful dining experience and our female server was attentive. Free street parking is plentiful. read more

See all

Incredible neighborhood Italian spot. Great service, delicious food, even gave us a free Sal's Italian Seasoning! The carbonara was to die for. Also highly recommend the burrata as an app! read more

We popped in for dinner last night -- everything was fantastic! The two of us started with the grilled calamari, which was prepared with a piccata sauce; buttery with lemon and salt from the capers to cut the richness! I highly recommend it. My boyfriend got the duck cacciatore and I had a bite. Delicious -- the duck leg meat was falling off the bone and the mascarpone polenta was pillowy and flavorful. It was the perfect late fall/winter comforting meal and I was thinking about how I could recreate it at home. I got the fettuccine carbonara. The pasta was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of bite to it, and the pancetta! Salty and smoky as it should be. Plenty of good Parmesan flavor, and lots of pepper as well. Also a great choice. read more

See all

We absolutely love love Sal's. We eat here at least once a week. Sofia is the best. When we were in Italy over the summer, everywhere that we ate, our daughter kept saying "Sal's is still better"! Highly recommend this restaurant read more

exceptional service... for the vegetarian - sweet potato gnocchi is fantastic - perfectly cooked with some great texture; rapini has just the right amount of heat and the white beans is a great added touch of protein. husband loved the lobster pasta (special). one star off because i want my wine served in a "proper" wine glass :( this is not a cafe. an italian restaurant should be proud of their wine ;) read more

Sal's is the perfect neighborhood spot. The food and service are excellent and it's always buzzing with people. The grilled calamari is outstanding!! read more

The eggplant parm was really one slice of eggplant cooked like a steak. It was undercooked and not flavorful. It had minimum sauce and cheese. Go to any other Italian restaurant and get good eggplant parm. Not here. Also the Caesar salad was small and not very good. Try Mia Francesca's. Much better. read more

Attended an engagement party here on November 6th. What a charming place! Outstanding food... bolognase, chicken piccata & salmon. Service impeccable. Highly recommend. Great wine selection. read more

Working full-time in the area forced me to look for new restaurants. Sal's became my #1 choice until my last dinner there this week. First, we had our wine served the "Italian way", as the waiter said, when we asked for stem ware instead of small water glasses, (like every other guest had on their tables). My guest ordered the Carbonara pasta, and instead received a different plate. I let the waiter know of the mistake and he replied that the kitchen made an error. We finished the dinner without making a big ado in order not to make our guests feel uncomfortable. Would love to know why we were treated so poorly. read more

The decor, the food, the service PHENOMENAL! Loved everything about it! Went for my birthday and definitely can't wait to go back!

For a 2 week old restaurant Sal's is off to a great start; the food has great flavor, prices are perfect and the food is just like your Italian grandmother made for you on Sunday night. Can't wait to go back and try even more of Sal's grandmothers dishes. read more

Sal's Trattoria - 2834 North Southport great family joint! With very flavorful Italian food. Can't wait to go back. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

THIS is the restaurant for pasta. THE PLACE. I'm writing this tonight because I just went to another Italian restaurant and I wished I was at Sal's. That's it. IF you want the best pasta - you go here. read more

Considering the prices at this place, the food is mediocre at best. Even the bread they served as soon as we sat down was cold and stale. The service was uneven. Servers at our table were great. The seating hostess / manager (?) was grumpy to put it mildly. She was in the middle of talking to another skinny older white woman who looked like her sister and we were getting in the way of their important meeting it seemed. Overall, very disappointing experience. read more

It's my first time at Sal's Trattoria! If to be honest reminds me about perfect day in Portofino or Vernazza, where I have experienced Italian authentic food! This place is so PERFECT! Food delicious and fresh. I will come back definitely! People, who helped us with order, and service are friendly, knowledgeable and not pushy! So important. Thank you for an amazing evening! We had an amazing, delicious and relaxing time . Btw outside seating is recommended! read more

See all

The food was delicious and the ambiance was great! Our table was in a great location that allowed for the service to be timely and effective. I would definitely recommend dining here! read more