Food was great and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Highly recommend if your are in the area

At the Chef's Table they pull out all the stops at this little gem near downtown McAllen. The staff and kitchen really have bought into the restaurant's theme of high quality, locally sourced fresh ingredients. A "Salt" of the earth place with just enough fancy to make the ambience interesting without being intimidating. Everything in the place looks like a lot of thought went into it and tying it back to their ethos. I will put in a plug early for the Chef's Table if you are interested in a dining experience. You'll get to see the kitchen in action, and get lots of interactivity with the people making the magic happen. Also, you'll get to sample lots of tastes off the menu, and no doubt a few of them will bring a big smile to your face. I started off with a cocktail called The Lavender. It's a gin-based cocktail with Bombay Sapphire Gin, St. Germain, lavender syrup, orange, lemon and some sugar and salt. It was simply delicious, and the alcohol didn't overpower. A very refreshing cocktail with a burst of flavor that teases you between the sweet and salty - both there but neither too assertive. Looking to the menu I was surprised to see that the kitchen has really challenged itself. I guess I was surprised because this is McAllen, and I like McAllen, but I wasn't necessarily expecting this kind of sophistication. Take the Poke for example, a starter that the chefs just dropped off for me to try. It's ahi tuna, watermelon, beets, jalapeño ponzu with an avocado/wasabi mousse on a house made friend wonton. Oh, and there's something else yummy drizzled on top that I didn't identify. And it all pulled together into the kind of flavor that is both familiar and wonderfully new. I wanted to eat seven of them. Along with the Poke, they also brought me by some tasty house made chips with a gorgonzola sauce, a chicken ravioli with a tomato curry cream sauce, and a sample of the jalapeño infused mashed potatoes. All of these tastes were original and delicious. They weren't all flavors you would necessarily expect to encounter in the same bite, but the kitchen here has done the hard work to make sure the balance is right. For my meal I had an appetizer of quail. It's fried quail on a creamy asiago polenta and with a pomegranate gastrique. The appetizer held its own and the creamy polenta was a nice compliment to the fried quail. I followed the quail with a grilled pear salad. The salad features the grilled pear on a bed of spinach and frisee, with candied kalamata olives, almond slices and goat cheese with a mint vinaigrette. I like the fact that the salad didn't run away from the slightly bitter/peppery quality of the frisee, but instead accented it nicely with the tangy goat cheese. It's a personal peeve of mine when salads with mildly bitter greens drown them with sweetness, and this salad respected my sensitivity on the subject. The grilled pear was just the right sweetness without overpowering the palate. For my entree I enjoyed the Magret de Canard, which is a honey spice infused breast over roasted vegetables and bacon, with a grapefruit balsamic. The dish also pulled a lot of flavor together in a way that complemented the duck without drowning it. The fat was nicely rendered, the meat was moist and cooked perfectly. I really enjoyed this, but honestly wish I'd had the room to try the pork shank with habanero salsa and mole verde. Next time! Overall, until someone proves me wrong, this place has my vote for the best dining experience in the Rio Grande Valley. It's always impressive to visit a place where they are not only trying hard to cook good food, but where they are also challenging themselves to delight you with new and creative offerings. Salt hits the target here, and honestly McAllen, Texas was the last place I expected to enjoy a dining experience like this. Don't miss it. Special thanks to the chefs that made the evening more enjoyable! Greg, the grill supervisor, Auggie, kitchen supervisor, Danny on salads and Javie on fry were gregarious, knowledgeable, and are doing a great job in that kitchen! Well done, gents. read more

See all

Good food, great music and awesome ambiance. Great live music that just makes the meal more enjoyable. The food selection is great, and the chef just outdoes himself in the preparation, taste and presentation. Great place, please do come visit and enjoy all the aforementioned highlights of our visit. I'm sure you will find it just as enjoyable! read more

Food is excellent! Service is really good for the RGV. We love to go there but it can be expensive.

This is one of my all time favorite restaurants. I will go there anytime I am in McAllen. I have been twice and had the same thing twice but I think anything on the menu is fantastic. I had the cucumber cocktail, chips appetizer, tuna entrée, brussel sprouts and a pumpkin funnel cake the first time since it was my birthday. The service is fantastic and the servers are very knowledgeable. My coworkers loved their food as well. The only negative thing is there isn't a Salt in Houston because I would probably eat there every day! read more

See all

Oh my goodness. 3rd visit to this incredible place. 1st time I had fried chicken (amazing) 2nd time had the pork shank (holy cow) & tonight the pork chop (OMG!) Pre-dinner cocktails were superb. Spinach salad & pear salad were perfect. Wine choices were limited but excellent. The Tempranillo we drank knocked us over! Finally,do not miss the baked Alaska dessert. The meringue alone will make you swoon. If you are staying at the lovely Renaissance Casa de Palmas just walk across the street and enjoy. If you are staying anywhere in the RGV for that matter, do NOT miss this place. This is a cant miss! 5/5 every time. Make reservations though because this place is always hopping! 2/8/19 4th visit and these folks are still doing it all right. Tried the soup & a different salad and both were excellent. Wine & beer pairings recommended by staff were great. Entrees (filet done perfectly & the fried chicken with jalapeño mash) are on target. Just a friendly, slightly upscale but comfortable place. I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful our experiences have been. One of the very best options in the RGV. Keep it up SALT!! read more

I was pleasantly surprised with this resteraunt. They serve American style food and the steak was cooked perfect. From any table you can see into the kitchen and enjoy good conversation as the vibe is good for conversation and enjoying food and drinks. It is directly across from a luxury resort and a block away from food trucks read more

I had one of those evenings that could not have been created by design, it had to come together organically.. Sat at the chefs table on a quiet Monday evening. The menu had vegetarian options but I was not in a decision making mood so I asked Chef Steven to surprise me. The bar was dotted with diverse outgoing personalities. The food experience looked like this: 1st: Lettuce wraps with dragonfruit, asparagus, ponzu sauce & other yum flavours. 2nd: or 1.5th: side Mac n Cheese.. Rich, creamy and tangy. 2nd: Pasta a la Steven, a large bowl of well seasoned and sautéed veggies, olive oil, slivers of garlic. Really a perfect summer pasta. 3rd: Panna Cotta. The Cardamon flavour was sublime, the sphere of Panna cotta was creamy and lush, a little dense for my taste (I would cut 1/3 of the gelatine amount) nonetheless brilliant. All that rounded off with a wonderful cocktail 'lavender', a Sauvignon Blanc and a taste of tawny port. Also have to give a massive shout out to Mike and Selena.. The people who work at Salt are 100% responsible for the extraordinary experience! read more

See all

Started with the chef's soup and it was incredible. Smooth and creamy excellent! Had the rabbit for dinner. It was savory and well made. Would certainly have it again. Had an old fashion with the house bourbon and it was really well made. Great food and great service. read more

Great food and drinks. Best Mac n cheese in town! Drinks are all made with agave instead of cane sugar, which I love.

This place was outstanding! Wine selection great try the Selby sav blanc or zin. Speciality cocktails lavender and salty dog! Apps. Pork belly lettuce wrap out of this world. Meal. Scallops!! Also the friend chicken and filet looked excellent. SALT board was good the salami was ghost pepper amazing!!! Dessert blueberry goat cheese ice cream!! Service was the best I've had in a long time. Every staff member greeted me. Sit at the chefs table it is very fun and interactive. They will give you samples of items on the menu. Everything made here is farm to table!! read more

See all

This place is perfect. I usually only review restaurants I really enjoy. This one was good enough that the food vanished too fast for me to photograph. My filet was cooked to perfection and more impressively, the potatoes were seasoned well enough and prepared well enough to be exciting and not just a boring side. The atmosphere was trendy but still relaxed. The service was top notch. I will come back. read more

Salt - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

See all

It is ok bbq. Definitely not worth the price. They have limited sides that are not that great either. The brisket was dry and so was the chicken. I do however recommend the cobbler. read more

I LOVE this place. I can't seem to get enough of the food, customer service and atmosphere. 5 stars all around. Tonight our server was especially knowledgeable and welcoming. THANK YOU! read more

Salt - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Enjoyed a little celebration dinner that could not have been better. The coco carrot juice a Rita was delicious. For the wine course(s) we enjoyed the Peju Merlot, Peju Pinot & Peju Cab. All were good but the Merlot was the standout at $16 per. After all that the food, as I recall was delicious. We had the ceviche and shrimp apps, both very nice. For main course I had the flank steak $28; was flavorful and tender. Salt is a hip place with great staff. Sonja (I think) was a very welcoming hostes and knowledgable. Great when restaurants have good people up front. read more

Great restaurant! Fantastic food, amazing atmosphere, friendly service! Highly recommend.

Great experience!! Wonderful service from Rob with the wine, Jerry at the Chef's bar and rest of staff. This was my first trip to McAllen and Salt, I highly recommend. Trip to Rio Grande Valley would not be complete without a visit to Salt. Quail knots were very tasty, great shareable, I eat them all myself. read more

Salt - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

We went here to celebrate a friend's anniversary and we were over the moon. I had the pork chop. Let me tell you, I never had a one like this. It was super thick and juicy and the chef cooked it in such a way that the belly was crispy on the outside but juicy when I bit into it. read more

Loved eating here, sat outside. Beautiful ambiance. Ordered the charcuterie board to start and omg it hits the spot. And ordered the ribeye steak it's so big and the sides complimented very well. Excellent service and manager even did a round to confirm customers were good, which I appreciated. Definitely recommend read more

I ended up here because it was across the street from my hotel. I was actually a little hesitant because it looked so isolated. Don't hesitate. Monday's are happy hour all day, so we're off to a good start. They have an extensive wine list although they were out of the Syrah I asked for the waiter was quick to recommend a red blend to go with my main dish. So, the main dish... pork shank. I'm always cautious with this dish because it hard to get thoroughly cooked without drying out. They sear it, then lightly bread it and the flash fry it. What? Perfectly crunchy outside while perfectly cooked inside and still juicy. On the side were three sauces including a habanero tomato base sauce. Loved it. I also decided to try the sharing dish of ziti and cheese. Here's the only problem... no way will you share it. They did give me a half order and I'm embarrassed to say I devoured the whole thing. A great gem in McAllen! read more

Elegant. Possibly the best restaurant in the valley, this place is an awesome choice a special occasion

Excellent gem in McAllen. Service and knowledgeable staff explaining about the menu and their farm to table ingredients. Food was incredibly good! Can't go wrong here! read more

Salt - Pork Ribs & Brussel Sprouts! - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

See all

This place is amazing! Great service, food and atmosphere. It can sometimes be hard to find a great place in the Valley because Yelp does not get a lot of usage. But when you find a 4-5 star place with only 30-50 reviews, you better get your butt in there. And that's exactly what I did when I found Salt. I visit this market at least 6 - 8 times a year and I will be back to this wonderful establishment. read more

See all

Salt is a favorite haunt of mine in McAllen which has a number of unique and excellent restaurants. Wide selection of wines, only bottled craft beers and unique bar drinks. Limited menu but exceptional entrees. Fish tacos, fried chicken, market fish and spare rib ravioli are good as are the salads. A few sharing veggie plates available. I strongly recommend you save room for at least one scoop of homemade ice cream. The contents may sound strange but they're always good. If you're alone sit at the chefs bar where they sample foods while you're getting started on your meal plan. The food never requires adding one of three salts available at each table, the flavor is already perfect. Moderately expensive. read more

Salt - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

I flew in from Dallas for a business meeting and this was my first time in McAllen. I expected a smaller town, but what I didn't expect was an incredible dining experience. First off, I didn't feel like I was in a small border town. I felt like I was in a cosmopolitan city with striking design and very attentive service. I had the spinach salad that rivaled anything I've had in larger cities. Walnuts, bacon, shaved red onion and just enough dressing to keep it simple but tasty. My entree was the tuna and I was FLOORED that I had sushi grade tuna, perfectly seared and seasoned - it melted in my mouth. The accompanying slaw was a little too citrusy for me, but still good nonetheless. Thank you Salt for a wonderful dinner. I didn't sample the cocktails or wines but the list looked like anything you would find in NY. I was thoroughly impressed. And all of this on a Tuesday. Kudos Salt! read more

Great service great food. One of the best restaurants in the Rio Grande Valley. Will definitely be back when in the area. read more

See all

As much attention as this restaurant generates I was underwhelmed by the whole experience. I should of taken photo of the dish I ordered (Duck). The portion was minuscule at best. Photos I had seen prior to my visit made me believe it would be filling, it was not. Taste and presentation were great, I mean for the price it should be delicious and look appetizing. The side order of rosemary potatoes were basically seasoned French fries. This is more of a restaurant to be seen at was my impression. The server was great and she provided a great dessert option. I will still go back to try the steak next time and see if it is worth a second post. read more

Amazing experience! From the moment we walked in until we walked out the door. Those who create at salt are all gems. Victor and chef Danny constantly turned out dishes that made us anticipate each bite. They did not disappoint! The Brussels, the chicken, the rib-eye, the desert and the wine were all perfect! Chris was ever attentive and Ian made us feel special. Great night we will soon repeat. read more

See all

Delicious. I had the fried chicken and it was amazing. Nice ambiance and good service.

I had been wanting to try Salt for awhile, and when my friend came to town we decided to splurge. The food was excellent! I had a cut of Japanese beef with chimichurri sauce and my friend had Japanese Sea Bass with coconut sauce. Both were worthy of 5 stars. We had started with the Salt Board, charcuterie that was also excellent. My friend had a glass of Malbec and I had a mojito. The service was also very good. So why only 3 stars? The NOISE! It was so loud in there that even seated next to each other we had to raise our voices to be heard. Because of that, I won't be going back. Really a shame. read more

Salt - We tried out some place new....Salt! - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Excellent food. Server was very knowledgeable and helpful with selections. There were several tables of 8-10 folks celebrating birthdays making it fairly loud which was complaints I heard from folks before we went to Sslt. read more

Still on a high from dining at SALT for the first time. I highly recommend the Prickly Pear cocktail and the Baked Alaska. What changed my life, though, is the macaroni and cheese. Rich and creamy, smooth, velvety - the cheese adheres just so to the tender pasta. The breadcrumbs and bacon are no joke either. SALT is a unique dining experience, especially in the RGV. My husband and I are already making plans to go back! read more

See all

I love this restaurant. My husband and I have been to Salt several times and we have never been disappointed. This most recent time was for my birthday. We had the quail to start and the rib eye with mac and cheese and brussel sprouts as our main entree. Sooooo delicious. Everything is always cooked to perfection and spot on with the flavor. We also had several cocktails but my favorite was the black and blue. Thank you to the staff at Salt for making my birthday dinner a special one. read more

See all

Eating at Salt has been the best dinning experience we've had in the Valley, and one of the best ever! This restaurant is up there with many restaurants we've tried in Austin, NYC, LA, and other cities. Same owners as House Wine, which is also a great restaurant. Not only was the food delicious, we greatly enjoyed the staff, especially Carlos and Angie in the kitchen area, and Priscilla, our server. They were attentive and took time to explain different dishes, given we sat at the chefs table. We got to sample several dishes, including the ravioli and rabbit. Great service without being snobbish. I had the pork chop and my wife had the fried chicken with jalapeño mashed potatoes. And we ordered a side of their decadent Mac and cheese. Everything was rich and flavorful, without being overdone. The pork chop was out of this world!!! The drinks were also very tasty, especially the Paloma. The wine list is designed for all budgets. Highly recommend seating at the chefs table. It is a unique experience and you get to sample a variety of dishes as they are prepared in front of you. We enjoyed this experience better than many of fancy and overpriced restaurants in Las Vegas. Thank you Salt for a great dinning experience. Can't wait to do it all over again. read more

See all

Was in McAllen for work and loved this place. Expensive but you get what you pay for. I sat at little bar and the kitchen staff were very interactive and knew how to cook the various cuts of meat well (I was looking). Servers were bomb too. Eclectic menu executed very well. read more

We celebrated our 30th Anniversary at Salt. Delicious food, great service from start to finish. Very attentive to detail. Definitely recommend Salt for any occasion. read more

Salt - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

I eat at Salt every time I'm in the RGV and there are a lot of reasons: outstanding service, a fantastic bar, relaxed vibe, proximity to my usual hotel...and OMG THE FOOD. I've been working Emmy way down the menu each trip and every dish I have ordered has been deliciously flavored and beautifully presented, all in a friendly unpretentious atmosphere. This recent trip I was seated at the chef's bar for the first time and now I want to speed up my next business trip so I can order more of the amazing plates I saw coming across the counter and wafting past my nose. On my menu for the evening was a salad with sweet, salty, and savory notes and the quail knots, which are the wing substitute you didn't know you wanted. read more

Salt - Spinach salad with sweet, savory, and salty ingredients - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

See all

What a great spot near downtown the downtown arts district area! As a group we got to try a good variety of the menu items and overall this place is worth you stopping by! Some favorites were the shrimp appetizer, the port dumplings that were the most flavorful dumplings I have every had, and the scallops were like butter and cooked to perfection! Some other recommendations would be the Mac and cheese, and the ribeye! The service staff was very knowledgable and friendly. The open kitchen concept is always something I am a fan of, and we noticed the head chef/owner was really on point at the pass. Great place, recommended. read more

We had drinks and apps. Tried to sit at the kitchen bar for dinner. I don't think that took away from the experience. It was super noisy. I was trying to catch up with a colleague I hadn't seen in 7 years. The cheese plate was good. The quail was very good. Nice selection of local craft beers. None of the beers are very highly rated was my only concern. read more

See all

Oh my gosh, our experience here was out of this world. The servers Milton and JR were attentive. The drinks were perfect, the food was thoughtfully plated and over the top delicious. Gil, the manager made sure we were treated like VIP's. read more