They need more Vegan options. More than just pasta and marinara sauce. If that's even Vegan. read more

Great food great people fun atmosphere and always a pleasure eating at Sal's! We love the calamari, the salmon, spaghetti and meatballs! You really can't go wrong read more

I live in the neighborhood and Sal's is absolutely a godsend. We probably either eat in or carry out 3 to 4 times a month. The food is consistently first rate. Dining in, the atmosphere is casual and convivial. Any neighborhood would be lucky to have a place that is of such consistent high-quality and as welcoming. read more

Generally speaking, I like Sal's. It's a congenial, neighborhood place. The thing is, there is only one really good thing on the menu: the chicken piccata, which includes three thin sliced chicken cutlets on a bed of linguini. Tasty, generous, and well-priced. My partner and the friends we usually go with absolutely love it and order it every time. Me, I like it fine, but would prefer some variety. So every now and then I try something different from the menu. Never with any success. Oh well, I guess one good thing is better than no good thing. read more

I've really wanted to like this place & I've given it so many chances... but it just isn't good. They use way too many spices & sauces. The portions are good & the staff is nice but the food just isn't it. The gluten free pasta disintegrated at first bite & the plate was drowned in sauce. read more

Reliably delicious and a good value It is always on our favorites list. Salmon is excellent, olives, cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts appetizers are delicious and well priced during happy hour. read more

Wonderful surroundings , great owner, great staff, and outstanding food..... Nice relaxing bar scene !!

I really wanted to love this spot. I've been three times now, and I'm just super disappointed so far. The pastas have all been very bland. The Alfredo for example has a very odd flavor to it I can't pin point. My fiance gets the chicken parm, and says it's not very good or flavorful. The mozzarella sticks, and Caesar salad were decent but not good enough to return for. We go and spend $70 each time to be so upset we tried it again. We really wanted to live it!! read more

Service kinda sucks, very slow & not super friendly (didn't smile). We ordered arancini as an appetizer & one of the centers was cold, the cheese on the inside wasn't melted either. Funny thing is they took at least 15 minutes to come out after ordering & then wasn't even cooked through. Entrees were ok, at least they were heated through. Wild Tomato a few doors down had never disappointed so I'll stick to eating there or Fish Taco. read more

Sal's Italian Kitchen - Can't see temperature, but you can tell the cheese isn't melted on the right one, it was also cold on the inside. - Italian Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

I've been here two nights in a row now and I cannot emphasize that while the food is good, the service is really terrible. Yesterday the restaurant was very crowded. The bartender was covering not only the bar, but also bringing drinks to tables, and taking care of the take-out register. But the issue wasn't that he was overwhelmed, but that he wasn't doing a good job with it. With a full bar, he never looks down to see if anyone needs to be served. It is nearly impossible to get his attention. My wife and I place our food and drink order, which he proceeded to forget to enter and which we had to get his attention again for. The people next to us had been waiting over an hour for their entree, and when it arrived it was wrong. In the intervening time, they had asked for more bread, which he forgot to bring. When he served a table their wine, he stayed and chatted with them for a significant period of time while everyone else is waiting. There is a waitress who seems to bring out food to the tables, but there are also three other guys who seem to do little to nothing. But today, the place was not full at all, and it was the same. It was impossible to get his attention, he never came by to clean plates or offer another drink, and he is too busy chatting with friends or regulars or whatever. I'm sure he was blissfully unaware of the guy who sat next to me and while for ten minutes we both tried to get his attention, he eventually muttered "what is this, self service" and eventually gave up and left. It seems like the regulars will keep this place going, but it's really shameful how bad this service is. read more

Food was great. Easy to call in an order for pick up (and wine store next door) Could do a better job with a spot for pick up orders because they send you all the way to the back where you're contending with food coming out of the kitchen & those waiting for the restroom... read more

We have eaten at Sal's several times and have made special trips from Alexandria to dine there. Every time the food and service have been 5-stat! read more

After a hike my friend and I decided to go to Sal's for a bite to eat. We had the roasted cauliflower and calamari for an appetizer which was pretty decent. The roasted cauliflower was a little on the soggy side but still flavorful. For my main course I had the spaghetti and meatball entree and it was good. It was a very large portion and hit the mark to satisfy my pasta craving. If I could rate the staff separately I would give them 5 stars. They were super attentive and gave great suggestions for wine. I will definitely be going back to Sal's after my next hike. read more

Sal's Italian Kitchen - Spaghetti and Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

The food at Sal's is delicious and the value for what you get is terrific. We are lucky to have a restaurant like Sal's in a location where you don't have to deal with congested downtown Bethesda. read more

My friend and I stopped by this hidden gem after hiking. Such a cute lil place. The waiter was attentive and humorous. I had: Sicilian cauliflower which will make you want to smack your mama!!! This will blow you away!!! Spinach and goat cheese salad with salmon which I loved. Took a slice of HOMEMADE tiramisu home. It was delicious and the coffee wasn't overpowering like some can be. Great food after a hike!! read more

Sal's Italian Kitchen - Sicilian cauliflower - Italian Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

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This was a really nice surprise in the neighborhood. Quiet, cozy, romantic, little Italian joint with good food, nice wine, a good local beer list and friendly service. As others say, this is a surprise because the same people who own the wild tomato (which is very hit and miss), fish taco, and the ill-fated indigo house opened this place, but whatever they did differently this time it really worked. When you walk in, the place is all decorated in rustic modern chic with lightly stained wood, exposed metal support beams, and hanging industrial chic lighting. That gives it a warm, but cool feel that's inviting and not pretentious. Nice first start. The waitstaff were helpful, prompt and friendly giving suggestions about what they actually liked and why. They also managed food sensitivities well walking through what had how much dairy for my wife. The roasted cauliflower was amazing. It was spicy, tangy, a bit crunchy on the outside, but creamy in the middle. I've never had anything like it at an Italian place before. It seems like it would belong more in an Asian restaurant, but I guess Italians make spicy things too and I'm not going to complain about it. Too yummy. We wound up getting the crabcake over mushroom linguine (a special) and the pappardelle bolognese, which were both fantastic in my view. The bolognese seems to be their signature dish and is really different with a cinnamon and spiced meat sauce. It ended up reminding both my wife and I of Cincinnati-style chili, which is made without meat, with cinnamon and sometimes served over spaghetti. That wasn't a bad thing in my mind, but it really didn't do it for her. We ended up trading and I ate the whole thing happily. It was different, and delicious. The pappardelle in particular isn't super common, but is really good. It reminds me more of the wide, sticky noodles in a Thai dish than the usual pasta options you get. My wife wound up eating the crabcake over linguine, which was also yummy and cooked well, if not as different or hearty as the bolognese. Still, she really enjoyed it and it would have been a good order in any Italian restaurant. We had the tiramisu for dessert and while huge and sweet, it wasn't particularly amazing. It was missing any of the strong or complex flavors you really want from a top-tier tiramisu. We'll have to try some of the other desserts next time. The wine was also good. We got a montepulciano d'abruzzo and a cab. They were both good, but also both really needed to open up more than I would have expected from a glass of wine poured in a restaurant. In particular, the cab was almost undrinkable at the beginning, but delicious after swirling it around in the glass for 10-15 minutes. read more

The food was fantastic - I could eat the roasted cauliflower appetizer every day! Service was perfect. Atmosphere was lively. We had to lean forward across our table for two to hear, but that added to the intimacy. read more

I hardly write reviews. But I had to voice my opinion of how Sal's Italian Kitchen has gone WAY downhill over the past few months. Ironically, not long ago, I thought of Sal's as not only my favorite Italian restaurant, but one of my favorite restaurants overall, regardless of ethnicity. The past few times we've ordered (take out), we've found the food quality to be deteriorating. For example, my favorite dish, chicken parmigiana, has been dry for the last ~ 3 orders. Then, recently, when I was having friends over and had catering from Sal's, they forgot to include the dipping sauces for the fried calamari. When I called, they said I had to come pick it up, despite that I had a house full of people and the error was on their part (which they did not dispute). But last night was literally the final straw. We ordered food for three - two chicken parms and an order of Pappardelle Bolognese. I personally picked up the food, got home, and found that I had an order of Branzino. Not only was this not ordered, but the person who took my order by phone confirmed what I had actually ordered (and heard by the two other people in my home, as I was on speakerphone). I give up. I'm done with Sal's, and I'm actually sad (and yes, frustrated) about it. Assuming someone from Sal's reads this, I hope you guys get your act together. It used to be great. Now it is mediocre at best. read more

Sal's Italian Kitchen - Does this look like Pappardelle Bolognese?!? - Italian Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

It's been over a year since I last reviewed Sal's, so I thought I'd provide an update. This is still one of my favorite restaurants and all the more so because it's super convenient geographically. Mostly I order and take out/pick up but eating in is great, too, as the restaurant is intimate and has a great "neighborhood" vibe. Hands down my favorite dish of all time here is the fried brussel sprouts appetizer (the fact that it's brussel sprouts helps me ignore the "fried" part). Always perfectly done, crisp, not over cooked, flavorful - perfectly happy having this dish alone for lunch or dinner any time. read more

We love Sal's as a great, local, family restaurant with a pretty adequate menu and reasonable prices for food and drink. Usually the food is very good.....appetizers, sandwiches, and dinner plates. Salads are also typically very fresh and good. I particularly have loved the pasta bolognese with sausage. Two menu items recently disappointed. Fettucine Alfredo came with pasta that was great cooked, and the Alfredo sauce had yet to be one a smooth sauce, so it just didn't taste as expected. Further, this evening the pan-seared salmon, while tasty enough and cooked nicely, was made unappetizing due to an overload is salt. We 'll return to our favorite local stop but choose our eats very carefully. read more

Ordered our go to take out tonight, chicken piccata, arancini, and cannolis. The chicken and arancini were delicious, but the cannolis were off tonight and we did not eat them. Called Sal's to let them know that something was off with the cannolis and to my surprise they graciously offered to remove them from our bill. read more

Sandwiches are an A+! Toasted enough, spicy enough and perfect amount of marinara. The ravioli with tomato cream sauce could've been spicier, but the cheese had a nice nutty flavor. Homie tavern atmosphere and from what I saw could accommodate groups and families. Drawbacks: they don't answer the phone if you want to call ahead to gauge the wait time and parking is an absolute nightmare. read more

Sal's Italian Kitchen - Ravioli in tomato cream sauce (arrived cold and could use more spice.) Grilled sausage baguette - fantastic! - Italian Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

Damian is a hometown chef that loves to deliver great food to the people in the area! Sals is great food and always filled with a neighbourhood feel. You gotta go and feel like you are part of the neighborhood! read more

Great good in a friendly, neighborhood gem. Sat at the bar and enjoyed fresh bread and excellent entrees with superb service. Comfortable spot with a great vibe. read more

Been here twice with friends for lunch. Really solid Italian restaurant with amazing pasta. I highly recommend anything with their bolognese sauce. Definitely get the award winning cauliflower! It's in a cozy little neighborhood plaza and hasn't been busy at all the two times we were there. Great place for a long relaxing lunch with friends and probably for a date night too. read more

I'll be totally honest: I'm not a Wild Tomato fan, so when I heard the owners were opening up an Italian restaurant in the same shopping center, I rolled my eyes. Now that that intro is out of the way, I will say that we've been to Sal's about 5 times now, and every time, it has been excellent, and such a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The service is routinely great, the ambiance is warm and relaxing, the food is excellent, and it's a nice counterpoint to Fish Taco next door, which I also love. I'll be honest about one other thing: my husband and I order there same thing every.single.time. He gets the pappardelle bolognese, and I get the panzanella salad. I'm obsessed with the panzanella salad. It's very simple, but well done - fresh veggies, mozzarella cheese, delicious Italian bread croutons, vinaigrette dressing, and a nice balsamic glaze. I've ordered the salad with breaded chicken on top, as well as grilled steak (grilled steak was my favorite). I might do salmon next time. My husband loves the bolognese so much that it has kept him from exploring the menu more. Great kids menu, large portions, and all around great experience. I'll update the review as I explore the menu more. read more

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The above-average food doesn't compensate for the terrible service you will get. This isn't based on a one-time visit, but more than a dozen over the course of a year. The Good: love the cauliflower app, risotto balls, chicken parm, and spaghetti and meat balls. My 2yr old also loves the shrimp and meatballs! The Bad: service, service, service. Even when we come to dine at 5pm and there are only two other tables occupied, the service is worse than slow. For long periods of time the wait staff seems to disappear into an abyss. It's not a large restaurant so I'm at a loss for where they could possibly go. Maybe there is a back room with Mario Cart on the tv or an intense game of battle ship happening. 'Shrugging' Needless to say the waitstaff seems aloof and gives off a "be grateful to be eating here" vibe. No thanks! read more

Yummy restaurant. Small neighborhood restaurant that doesn't take reservations. Must be good as it was packed on a Wednesday night. Good service and good Italian food. Can't go wrong here. Prices are reasonable. read more

I want to say that this is the best takeout we've gotten during Covid. Delicious, delicious food, large portions, wonderful cheerful service. We're going to keep ordering to support a wonderful local business. Way to go Sal's. read more

Pretty good if you don't come with fuc%@ up Bethesda expectations. It's a little casual Italian joint. The food is on the edge of pricey for what it is, but not a ripoff.We has bruschetta, cauliflower with peppers, chicken pesto panini, chicken parmesan meatball and Italian subs, and ravioli. They were all at least a B if not B plus. The service was slow but that's understandable. Be grateful you aren't eating out of the refrigerator at Captns Market. We have high speed Internet and cooked food in walking distance, so shut up. read more

Sal's Italian Kitchen - Meatball sub. - Italian Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

We are new to the area - 3 weeks. We have ordered take out from Sals 5-6 times and love the food there.....it is not an upscale atmosphere. The hero's, the Cesar salad and the pasta is excellent and the cannoli is perfection. We are restaurant mavens and have rejected many in the area but we keep coming back to Sals as our go to place. I would have no problem recommending them to friends read more

NW D.C. restaurants are disappointingly all rolling over / going along with Third Reich/South African apartheid barring of the Big Pharma experimental cell-gene engineering technology biologics injections-free from entering their establishments. Welcome to 1933 Berlin!, but in Washington D.C. in 2022 this time!! Every NW DC restaurant has gone along with placing a sticker on their front doors: "ONLY FRANKENINJECTED ALLOWED!, UNTERMENSCH STAY OUT!" IN AMERIKA'S CAPITAL CITY! DC's loss, my gain! I got to explore a new and great italian mom+pop Sal's Italian Kitchen in Cabin John MD. Delicious food and good libations! A hard two thumbs up! Looking forward to discovering another new-to-me Maryland establishment next week, now that D.C. dining establishments are DEAD TO ME! So glad I went to check you out, Sal's Italian Kitchen. You did NOT disappoint! read more

Went back yesterday and my dish was excellent (caesar salad with salmon) and my dining partners also liked their dishes. Service was excellent too so I'm raising my review from 3 to 4 stars. I will definitely come back and if good experiences continue, I'll raise my ratings more. --- original review: We were there around 5pm and the restaurant was almost full but still reasonably quiet (despite the recorded background music which was unnecessary). Servers were quick and competent. Prices were appropriate. All orders arrived together and looked good. I ordered the veggie panini and a caesar salad. Would have preferred more inside the panini and the bread was unusually light and tasteless. Needed more body, seasoning and more oil. Salad was far from a real caesar salad, alas. My dining partners had mixed opinions but from appearances, what they had looked very good. So I'm giving this a middle-of-the-road rating. I'm willing to go back and give it another try. read more

Sal's Italian Kitchen - Menu page 1 of 2 as of June 2016 - Italian Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

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Good quick tasty food with nice server. The background music was nice Motown mix. I ordered the goat cheese spinach and half cup soup. The soup was onion soop. The two paired aired well. Soup was a lil salty for me but the meal had nice flavor. This restaurant is nice choice compared to quick options nearby. read more

OMG! Absolutely amazing. Not at all what i expected from the outside, but based on the Yelp reviews, it seemed like a good place to try. I had the lasagna with extra bolognese sauce, and can honestly say it's probably the best I've ever had. I've seen a few other reviewers rave about the bolognese, and they didn't lie. We sat at the bar, and bartender was very attentive and made some great recommendations. Portions are huge. Parking was a little bit of a challenge, the lot isn't very big so we had to park on the street up the hill. But it's worth walking a few extra steps. You won't be disappointed. read more

Sal's has helped me through the pandemic with delicious take out. Linguine and clams is my favorite but honestly you can't go wrong here. The salmon, the steak or any pasta dish are all great. read more

This is a cute little place with an excellent lunch special. Everything on the menu came out looking nice and tasting wonderful. It's very clean and the server was very prompt with everything he did . Although it wasn't busy as the other places on the same complex, this place did not disappoint. The portions really big so you will have hard time finishing your order. read more

Sal's Italian Kitchen - Chicken park sandwich - Italian Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

I have been coming to restaurant since the pandemic at least once every three weeks and tonight I am extremely disappointed. #1 I asked them three times to add a little mozzarella to the marinara with pasta and they did not add it at all. I like the mozzarella cheese because it cuts down the spice of the sauce. #2 You also gave me less pasta then normal it looked like a kids meal. I paid for an adult meal got a baby meal. #3 When I got to the the restaurant the owner/manager seems like he was annoyed I asked for oil and parmesan like they have always done and now all of the sudden they are going to charge for it give me a break it cost them nothing and now being a penny pincher because of the pandemic. If you can't treat customers correctly then shut down the restaurant. Ps I drive 20-30 minutes because I enjoyed your food. Thanks read more

Butternut squash ravioli was delicious and service was great. Nice atmosphere. Great neighborhood eatery.

My husband and I arrived at restaurant at 9:00p.m. ,and they close the business at 8:30. The waitress is very nice and patient. We had dinner outside, meatball spregetti, Chicken Marsala and tomato & Cheese. Very authentic and tasty! A homy restaurant in a nice neighborhood ! read more