Overall: We are repeat offenders here because we can always count on fresh seafood and Chef David creating some lovely vegetarian dishes for my husband's bestie and my sister. Food: Everything is delicious! We have tried everything from the carbonara, specials for 6 of us for NYE AND just a random Friday. We always get champagne and we always enjoy the menu. The specials are always great and those who have food allergies can rejoice in knowing that Chef David and his staff actually CARE and will ask questions about accommodating you! Ambiance: On any given night it can be quiet to low noise levels. Even on NYE, the place was packed and noise was mild at best. Great place to take a date or anyone you actually like speaking to Service: Everyone here has been fantastic thus far! Don't change! read more

Scalo - Champagne - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I came here with my best friend to celebrate her birthday and it was great! The server was friendly and helped us make decisions as we had never been there before. Definitely a fancier restaurant and it would be perfect for a date night! read more

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Everything was delicious from start to finish. We dined on an unusually slow Friday night - the hostess was able to sit us right away without a reservation. (But she did mention next weekend will be much busier for Valentine's week.) We were one of maybe 4-5 tables that evening in the main dining area. They sat us next to window looking out to Central Ave. For drinks, we ordered the Anise and Pear Martini and a Manhattan cocktail. For an appetizer we chose the Spanish charcuterie, with an assortment of meats, bread, cheese, figs, honey, etc. Very good quality and also plenty to share with two or more people. Next course we chose the arctic char, which was perfectly cooked, and their spicy red chile crema orecchiette pasta with pork belly. Dessert was delightful, the tiramisu with espresso. We had a lovely server, too. I highly recommend enjoying a nice meal here. read more

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Scalos is back I think better than ever!! It was closed for a long while; but, we tried the reopened one and even liked it better. We got to park safely in the parking lot next to it and got seated on the outdoor patio per our request. The weather was perfect for this. There's a protective clear panel around the patio for wind or "whomever" as we dined and people watched. Our waiter, Gordon, was great. We had cocktails to start then an appetizer of fresh melon and prosciutto. I ordered the Chicken Marsala over fresh spinach which was wonderful. I'm avoiding carbs. My partner had a homemade pasta dish with Italian sausage in it. Both were excellent choices. It was my birthday so our waiter Gordon recommended his fave which was a lemony desert. It was awesome. Forgot to take a pic of it. Sorry. The atmosphere was perfect and so was the food and service. We'll definitely be back!!! ;) read more

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I chose Scalo for my 70th birthday dinner. It was Thanksgiving eve, so not at all busy. After a branzino and extremely fishy crab risotto I was waiting for my birthday treat. There wasn't one and the waiter informed me that there wasn't going to be one. I went to the restroom and shed a few tears.I was disappointed to say the least. The manager was sitting at my table (?) when I returned and said that the waiter didn't know that they ALWAYS give a birthday dessert. dessert, they sang happy birthday, anmy husband and son were embarrassed because I was upset! I will NEVER set foot in that place again in my LIFE!! read more

Scalo - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

A very beautiful and romantic location for date night. Service was very nice; the food was delicious and very rich. The only down side was the price, but the dishes are unique and well-made. My husband and I will be coming back. read more

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Thanksgiving and decided to find a place to eat away from the house. But Italian? Today they had a buffet going with the usual and not so usual Thanksgiving fare. Yep there was some Italian. They seated on the hour, but when we got there it was disorganized. Hood thing we arrived early, the line behind us lengthened exponentially. Got shown to our seat and quickly greeted by our server - ordered drinks & hit the food. Managed to taste a little of everything. When the food was good they hit it out of the park - other meh, not to much. Prime Rib was excellent, rare to medium depending on the cut. Creamy horseradish was lacking flavor. Turkey, light & dark was moist, not overdone. Cold shrimp - huge pieces. Desserts pecan, apple & pumpkins pies were delicious. Then again I've never met a dessert I didn't like. Homemade whipped cream though lacked flavor. It didn't really enhance the flavor. The salmon was tasty, flaky & moist. Dressing needed gravy - it dry & was salty. Nothing really stood out. Overall there were a lot of possibilities but they missed the mark. I understand mass produced food can be hard to do. Even more so when it's only done a few times per year. Can't really say how the Italian food is. read more

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Being from Los Angeles restaurants are real fancy as far as decor goes but by all means don't let this place fool you. Our waiter young lad in school with a name beginning with the Letter C was so sweet kind and attentive. His ideas and recommendations were spot on. The food , now I eat in a lot of fancy places...this place matches! Recommend pasta fish or The short rib. Wanted to show my kids a great meal and by far I succeeded! read more

Scalo - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

On my 70th birthday the waiter refused to acknowledge that I usually get a free dessert on special occasions in expensive restaurants. He was rude, made me feel like I was begging, and drove me to tears. Not to mention that the food wasn't good. The Buratta salad was made by someone who has never had any Buratta, and the plating looked like it was done by a first grader. Here's a pre food service pic read more

Scalo - Pre meal happiness - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Our evening at Scalo's I'll Bar is sometimes an adventure; finding a table can be a challenge. On this night, Jazz was being played and we had our choice of tables. We've visited Scalo's many times and the service has been and was exceptional. Wait staff are really wonderful and I've gotta give a shout out to Sergio. Appropriately attentive. We ordered a couple of dishes and the Branzino in parchment stood out. It was as close to perfect as could be. The one issue we had was with the bartender who was not present when we wanted a refill. I'd like to see the bar staff offer service on par with everyone else. Overall, great experience. read more

Scalo - Branzino in parchment - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Beautiful presentation and Silas provided great service! I enjoyed the lavender fields & Tony Soprano drinks, burrata, and limoncello tarte. I tried the Cavatelli and didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The live music, in the bar area, made the experience so much more enjoyable. I'll have to go back and try some of the other dishes! read more

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The Bloody Mary bar is top notch. It's so fun to see how you can engineer the skewers just right to fit as many snacks as you can. They also have a great brunch. read more

Scalo - Bloody Mary - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Excellent food! Leaning toward vegan options, I had the eggplant and it was delightful. Tiramisu is probably not appear vegan dessert, but I couldn't resist and it was worth it. The atmosphere of this restaurant and bar is tremendous. Wait staff is very accommodating, friendly, and helpful. They have live music frequently, and tonight's performance by the Aldi Marco trio was absolutely outstanding. Did you taste for renovations of jazz standards, and play at a volume that allows enjoyment of the music, but is not overwhelming. I am and will remain, a regular. read more

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First time visiting Scalo and the only regret we have is not going sooner! It was myself and 3 teenagers celebrating my nieces bday who loves pasta. We got spaghetti & meatballs, NY strip steak & fries, margherita pizza and fried calamari. All were delicious and perfectly seasoned! Our server Gibson was super kind & attentive. It was a Friday night so they had a live jazz band outside the bar which was perfect to sit in the covered patio and still hear the music but not be too loud! No pretentious vibes, every staff member that we encountered was very nice and treated us with respect. Nowadays finding good customers service along with great product is basically non existent so this was an overall 5/5 stars and we cannot wait to go back! read more

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The water was good the food not so much. The food was very tasteless, bland. Will not be back. read more

Scalo - Scalo's bread - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

It was a comedy of errors. From the disappearing waiter who seemed shocked that I would order soda water instead of tap and he proceeded to completely disappear. He then opened my menu and read to me the menu. He didn't know the menu. Not at all. I ordered some red wine and asked for it chilled. He seemed completely shocked. After losing or forgetting the water and offering no bread or anything for that matter I learned that he forgot to put in the order. The meat and cheese plate was nothing outstanding but the apricot jam was spot on. What was that bread? Pre proofed? Weird. The ravioli was cold inside. The pasta itself listless and crude doused in too much cold tangerine oil. The pizza was generally awful. I had a piece of the sausage. It was cut into tiny coins. The crust was rubber and cold. Was the oven off? The pizza was served gummy and ice cold. Back to the waiter. It's time to look very seriously at your career choice This might not be a good fit for you. And when you double charge someone make sure you know why you double charged me in the first place. Or did you forget that too? It's ok. I'm sure you meant well. It's Albuquerque not Manhattan. Oh. The wine was amazing. What a great list! read more

My husband and I had reservations for a Friday night which is often just crazy in Albuquerque because every restaurant is so packed. When we arrived it was busy in the bar and a live rock / blues band was playing. We were seated right away though in a nice quiet corner of the restaurant overlooking the street. After that our dining experience was nothing short of phenomenal. The service was top notch, from our drinks arriving just a couple minutes after we ordered as well as our appetizers coming minutes later. The kitchen staff, bar staff, and front of house staff was on it! For starters we had the meatballs and the burrata caprese. Meatballs were so savory saucey and cheesy. We loved them. The burrata...it was a perfect contrast to the hearty meatballs. The burrata was cold light airy fluffy cheese and crisp ripe tomatoes and tender baby basil. Almost like eating clouds. Very dreamy and beautiful. For dinner we had the duck and the beef filet. I'm not usually one to order duck, but it was just perfect and the celery purée was a nice complement to it, absolutely delicious and almost like mashed potatoes. The mushrooms were an unexpected zing of flavor, tiny but powerful. And my husbands beef filet was supremely good as well. Our server was so nice and attentive, her timing was perfect and she even brought a birthday tiramisu for me since we were out for a birthday dinner. I loved every moment and we will definitely be back again soon. Thanks for the wonderful night! read more

Scalo - BISTECCA - beef filet with broccolini - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Perfect place for a meal after the flight! Honestly wish I was hungrier, everything looked great, I had the salmon risotto and it was so good! Nice service l, great ambience, very calming after all the airport nonsense. read more

Scalo - Salmon risotto - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I have not been to Scalo in years. First because it was closed for a little bit and then the pandemic. Well, I've definitely been gone too long and missed out on some delicious food. My husband and I came for a special date night and boy did our server make it special. She was attentive and gave us top quality service and care. I remember this place being so pretty and was more impressed seeing it again. My husband enjoyed the salmon and I the chicken. As a treat we had the tiramisu which was light, fluffy, and a delight. Scalo, I promise I won't stay away for long this time. read more

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If you are looking for a fancy place to get some drinks, then this is your place. The atmosphere is amazing! You can dress fancy or not and either way, it feels right. The food isn't terrible, but it certainly doesn't justify the ridiculously high prices. If I spend $40 for a crab cake appetizer, I expect it to be the best darn crab cakes that I've ever eaten. They weren't terrible, but they weren't amazing. The dining room feels super fancy. When we were there everyone was very dressed up. Don't expect to get in without reservations. If you don't have reservations, you can sit in the bar area and get the same menu in there, but don't expect decent service. The poor bartender is overworked trying to serve the whole bar area by herself. So, you probably won't get drink refills unless you actually sit AT the bar. read more

This was our second try with this restaurant...and we just won't be back. Our first time, the cocktails were great, but the food and service were "meh" at best. We chalked it up to them maybe just having an off day. We ended up across the street at a different restaurant and had an exponentially better experience that "salvaged" the evening. We tried again today for the Sunday brunch/Bloody Mary bar. Another colossal disappointment. Only highlight was our server/bartender, Juan. He was very kind and went out of his way to accommodate a personal preference request. The food wasn't bad, wasn't great. The staff, other than Juan, was inattentive at best, and the Chef was just a full out jerk!! In front of us, he chewed out the bartender for accommodating my request and said he was wasting the Chef's money/budget and all changes to anything food or beverage related must be routed through him. (If you're curious, I asked for grapefruit juice instead of Bloody Mary mix. The brand they use I truly do not care for and all other places I've been with a Bloody Mary bars offers juices in addition to the Bloody Mary mix...so my request was not at all outlandish). Juan was respectful and professional in the situation, the chef was not. Screaming at staff in front of guests is entirely uncalled for regardless of the reason. Additionally, they had a DJ outside. Very loud, very inappropriate for the ambiance/style of the restaurant. It would make sense as part of a fun/innovative/themed dinner service...a very weird choice for Sunday brunch. Half way through our experience, the same rude chef went out to the DJ and told him to play louder and used quite a bit of crass language in the process. Shortly before we left, a gentleman who appeared to be management or the owner arrived. The staff was in appropriate attire, he was in jeans and a hoodie. He was very unprofessional. We tried twice, were disappointed twice, and won't go back. Save yourself some disappointment and check out the much better establishments across the street. read more

Wowsa! Every bite was amazing! Truffle fries, the baguette with red pepper honey butter, Scalo salad. Delicious. The red chili orachete, butternut squash ravioli (with candied piñon) & braised short ribs! The espresso pana cota. Not a bad bite! Zach was a fabulous, knowledgeable, attentive server & Lola took great care of us. Scalo does not disappoint! read more

This is new location from years previous. Pretty sure. Maybe not though. Been several years!! Arrived opening time 4p. Only small menu until 5p dinner menu. Generously however, they offered to do special services prior. Wow cool!! Moscato bottle to start, and club soda. Octopus charred will be first, and my first!! I like but have only prepared at home one time. Plan a special build pasta also. Will see! Oh my, charred octopus is REALLY good. Pasta build wow great also. I sure enjoy dining here. read more

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Please take the time to visit Scalo!!! We showed up right as they opened for brunch on Sunday, and the service was excellent throughout the meal. When I say "meal" I'm referring to the build-your-own Bloody Mary bar. Anything you can stack on top of your glass in one pass is only $25, and you can STACK it up! Thank you Danielle for your kind service, we will be back read more

Scalo - Bloody Mary - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Was so obsessed when I learn about this place and ate almost every other day for two straight weeks. Food is delicious and great size. The drinks are also amazing. Service was always on point. It's great that they offer inside and outside seating (outside seating has a tent and none tent options) All of the food I have ordered was phenomenal and have been recommending and bringing my tourist friends. The location is also romantic for special occasions and outside is very chill. read more

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We've heard so much about the "new" Scalo, much of it conflicting so we gave it a try. Anyone can have a bad day but our waiter was about the worst I've ever encountered, couldn't answer questions about the dishes, forgot the salads, never came to our table after taking the order. If not for a compensating bus boy we'd still be waiting for the check. Pasta was over cooked and the meat sauce (absent the meat) would have Mamma spinning in her grave. The best thing about it is it is a pleasant space but frankly, I couldn't get out of there fast enough read more

While this was a fancy Italian restaurant with cloth napkins, the food was quite rich. I did not research it, but seems like more northern Italian style with butter and cream. The portions were huge both my husband and I could not finish our plates and we did not take doggie bags home while staying in a hotel. The customers were mostly older sophisticated folks. We walked by the bar which looked very impressive with the lighting, something you'd see on the Las Vegas Strip. Too bad the dinner was so rich or we'd get dessert but I felt kinda bleh after from the richness of the food. Perhaps if they lightened it up, cut portions down, it would lead to more dessert and alcohol sales. We had free parking next door as the meters said free after 6pm. I was disappointed in this area called Nob Hill, it was supposed to be fun to walk or drive through but to us it looked dead and uninteresting. read more

Scalo - Last dinner in Albuquerque - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This review is a warning for those who enjoy "their" cocktail with special family and friends in a special place with beautiful ambiance and supposed excellent service. I (and my sister in law) was from out of state visiting my niece and her family. It was my birthday and it was the Balloon festival. The service was exceptional until the drinks that I and my niece ordered arrived at our table. I ordered a Jack and a splash of coke. Which means, Jack Daniels. And a quick "Splash" out of the gun. Just a 2 quick second count of coke. What I got was YUCK! I got glass full of Coke. It was like the bartender was paying for it out of his own pocket. I told/complained to the server. she said that she would fix it - at the same time I requested a "Big Cube". She came back with the same glass full of coke, melted cubes (no Big Cube) and an extra 2 ounces on the side and said that she had to charge me for the double. $$$ NOTE to the unskilled bartender: No need to fill the glass to the top to pour a FAKE drink. Just pour what is asked. Some Jack and a splash. Simple Simon. As far as my niece, she clearly ordered a DIRTY Martini. She had to send her drink back too. There was a problem with the olives. They charged her for extra olives? Nightmare, unskilled bartenders. Foodwise - my sister in law ordered soup. You could barely see the soup in the bowl. Unless you had a microscope. read more

Stay away from this establishment. I live in southern California and I called today to ask what is the total seating capacity of the restaurant, the guy then asked "WHY???" I said because I would like to buy out the restaurant for a corporate event of 250 guests, and the guy hung up on me!!!! I called again 2 times and got a recording. SCALO lost out on a $ 50K-$60K buyout!!! If you want to be treated with DISRESPECT, this is the place to go!!!!! read more

It was a great meal from start to finish. Started with excellent handcrafted cocktails and appetizers. The veal and tagliatelle entrees were the best we can remember. Service was excellent. More than lived up to our expectations. read more

Scalo - Veal Piscataway and tagliatelle with tenderloin tips. - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This review is really all about the amazing gnocchi I had and the service. The broccolini was good too. The gnocchi cream sauce was like heaven entering your mouth and the gnocchi was so soft and gushed full of cheese and flavor. There's literally no way this dish could be better. I also recommend people to try the tangletti I think that's the name if the other pasta dish? Anyway my advice is don't modify it, it's good as-is IMO, I tried it with modifications recommended by the server but really should have kept it as-is. I asked for the broccolini to have garlic and chili oil and it was super yummy that way too. The octopus was a bit tough and Chevy which means it wasn't slow cooked for a long time beforehand. If you like tough and Chevy texture on your octopus than this is the dish for you. However, I will say this, the flavors were really good, very subtle but well done. I would get it again if they worked on their cooking techniques on the octopus. This meat has a very high skill level to cook correctly so I give them a free pass on it and I won't dock any stars off. read more

EXCELLENT FOOD & WONDERFUL SERVICE. Today was my birthday and my wife took me out to a nice beautiful Italian restaurant when I found out that it was scalo, I was very appreciative by her jester because this type of restaurant is a place that we would not normally go to for daily dinner. But since it was my birthday and She knows that I love my steak and a nice glass of cognac with my tiramisu, THIS WAS THE PLACE FOR ME. Our waiter Kelly was very nice and helpful on his menu recommendations. Having dinner at this place was very special and memorable for me. I love and appreciate my wife very much. read more

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I tried a Mediterranean Salad, with chicken and dressing on the side,buttered bread and drink. My friends also had salads. We had the best tailored service, including the manager who looked in at the end. I was so impressed. They made my girlfriend's birthday a lot of fun. This was a treat for me, as it was my first time. Although I could not find a bland dressing, since the two I tried were Spicy I have to say the salad was absolutely great! I look forward to some pasta next time! And I will definitely try this place again. I have "take-home" or " left-overs" as well for dinner! Atmosphere was folksy and east to find a private table! read more

This is one of the first restaurants I have found that have actually stepped up their game post Covid. We had the octopus appetizer and I will definitely be returning for more. I never knew how much I liked it before eating it at Scalo. For dinner I enjoyed the Sole and cheesy polenta and my friend enjoyed the Ahi Tuna. Our server, Sergio, was very attentive and had several great suggestions. read more

Scalo - Dover Sole - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

The food was very good, but because of the very poor service and bright, bland atmosphere, certainly not worth the price at all.

We haven't been to Scalo since the new owners took over..and since all of the COVID-19 restrictions Restaurant is very COVID-19 conscious... The restaurant has been renovated during the break, it looks great! Brighter and more inviting Leah was our server, excellent! We both had rigatoni...delish! You can ask for changes so I had mine without sausage Shrimp cocktail, butternut squash soup Cocktails! All delicious! I love a good dirty martini! Will definitely return! read more

Finally made it out the infamous Scalo Bloody Mary bar. The idea is great and set up is cool. The Bloody Mary was good and looked cool. Unfortunately I felt like the food in the bar wasn't the highest quality. The crab legs meat stuck to the shells and came out mushy. The wings and meatballs tasted like frozen food that was heated up. Our server was nice but the process was kinda slow. I am glad i tried it but won't be rushing back. read more

Scalo - Bloody Mary - Italian Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Lovely dinner in a lovely environment located in Albuquerque? Is it possible? Why, yes it is at Scalo. Couple of small hiccups with service and food delivery but overall really nice dinning experience. We plan on returning, so I'll update. read more

Service was excellent - but it kinda ends there. This restaurant use to serve Italian portions, instead they opted for lower quality and smaller portions. The salad i ordered is a distortion of the full salad the restaurant used to serve - it was tiny. Added chicken for way too much money and the chicken was grey in color, it was poorly flavored, almost like they cooked it and then left it in hot water. The ingredients in the salad were fine but the portion was sad. The tables on the patio were not cleaned, neither the one we used nor the others around us. Scalo used to be an excellent, quality restaurant. Again, excellent service but i feel badly for the quality the staff is now forced to serve because of corner cuts... read more

I had been to Scalos years ago. They recently reopened under new management. The place looks nice not much difference. The service was average things took a while to come out from the drinks to the food. The server was somewhat attentive. As for the food was okay but nothing amazing. The bread served prior to the meal was so hard it was difficult to eat. The price point makes this one of the more expensive places in town. I'm not sure if I will return. read more