Oh boy! We came in here on a Monday. It got pretty busy once we were sat down. This restaurant is probably by far the best restaurant I've been to here in the valley. I was getting disappointed by the culinary scene here, but Salt changed my mind! It was also a plus that on Monday's they have happy hour going on ALL DAY. So I ordered two drinks. I ordered the prickly pear and lavender cocktail. Both were fantastic!! Probably the best cocktails I ever had! On to the food. For the app we ordered the Sriracha shrimp. It was light and very flavorful. And the portion size was decent. Apparently the chef won a competition with this dish. For the entree we decided to share the akausushi ribeye (I think it was akausushi). We also ordered the mashed potato and Mac n cheese for the side. The ribeye was cooked to a perfect medium rare and it was full of flavor. The meat was tender and I didn't need my A1 sauce ( I eat all my steaks with A1). The mac n cheese was good, but it wasn't the best I ever had, although my hubby really loved it. I forgot what we ordered for dessert, but it wasn't good to me. We should've just ordered whatever that was chocolate on the menu :p. I can't wait to come back here! read more

Everything was delicious I had a steak and wine... the place has a romanticism... I loved it

Thee BEST restaurant in McAllen. It was truly an amazing culinary experience. We sat at the Chef's Bar and Greg (Chef) was delightful. He gave us delicious samples and was very informative regarding spices, ingredients, preparation. Milton, our server, was amazing as well. His wine recommendations were on point. If you are near McAllen, take the drive-its soo worth it!!! read more

Salt - Short Rib and cornbread dish. Delectable. For dessert, Baked Alaska with apricot and pistachio ice cream filling. Wonderful! - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

See all

Best restaurant in the Valley! If possible, a seat at the Chef's table is fabulous! Can't go wrong with any of the appetizers, but we are particularly fond of the burrata or the sweetbreads! Yum. read more

My peers and went there last Thursday for the HH special, and we think we may have found a new place for our gatherings. All 10 of us were impressed with the food, the drinks were affordable, and the ambience was just great. We. Will. Be. Back :) read more

Exceptional service and food. The ambiance was stellar. I would suggest this to everyone for business meets or private parties.

I cannot speak highly enough of this place! My top two recommendations: #1 sit at the chef bar and #2 order the duck. The chef table offers a unique experience to watch the kitchen in action and preview dishes as they head out to the tables. I love hearing the kitchen staff explain items they're putting together and they're very knowledgeable about all of it! The entire staff clearly works together which makes for such a great experience. After some hesitation, I tried duck for the first time and it was incredible! I cannot recommend it enough! Never expected to find something like this in McAllen, but will be back every chance I get! read more

Phenomenal. My fiancé' & I's favorite place to eat in the valley. Go often. Try everything. Totally worth it.

This is my fav restaurant in McAllen. The food is delicious, the staff is attentive, the ambiance is everything you want for a date night. We've been many times and will continue to go back. read more

Very impressed. Loved sitting at the chef's bar. Both of the seafood dishes we ordered were amazing. Great craft cocktails (especially during happy hour). Looking forward to trying out their other establishments and revisiting this one. read more

OMG. I think this is my new favorite place in McAllen! I came here for dinner by myself and wow, is This place is amazing!!! Super nice host sat me at the chefs bar, which is the perfect set of reality cooking show which I have front row seats for. Everyone was very nice and I got to see all the yummy foods on its way out.... which caused me to order the squid ink pasta with rabbit sausage. Since I had a pet rabbit, I opted to sub out the sausage for scallops instead. They also have a great wine list and their Zinfandel is super yummy. I ordered a side of Brussels sprouts, which usually comes Friday, but I asked them to sauté it for me instead. Even though I was stuffed to the brim, I ordered their chocolate dessert and it was delicious with chocolate ice cream. Definitely not to be missed. I will be coming here next time. read more

See all

I travel each week to somewhere in the US for work and one of my favorite aspects of this is trying local places, no matter the size of the town. My coworkers and I decided to try it out. Pros: -great atmosphere on the patio -the meat/cheese board appetizer was fabulous -the pork belly appetizer was also delicious...the sauce was fabulous -the shrimp siracha was my favorite...not too spicy, great flavor -dessert (usually a safe bet anywhere you go) try the tobacco chocolate and the baked Alaskan Cons: -we tried 3 of the salads, none of them were anything impressive...in fact, underwhelming would be a great way to describe these...not only were they super small, they lacked any decent flavor -service was friendly, but not knowledgable -coming from our hotel, we went through a sketchy neighborhood -sketchy men hanging out at the park across the street from us yelling things at us Overall, not impressed and rather disappointed. 3 stars for the atmosphere and the appetizers. read more

The drinks here are pretty close to perfect, my favorite of their salt tips is the Paloma made with fresh grapefruit. Seeing as how the RGV is known for the best grapefruits it only makes sense that this would be phenomenal and it is. But I love grapefruit so I'm biased. Menu is great! Salt Chips, sriracha shrimp, cheese plate, the fish tacos...can't complain about a single item. Side dishes are made for sharing mac and cheese, mashed potatoes...simple dishes elevated and delicious! read more

Salt - Fish tacos - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

See all

The only reason 4 out of 5 is the portion size. The food is excellent. Service is top notch. It was my first time here and a must is to sit at the chef bar. The chef Donny was awesome! Watching them make the food is so interesting. The dragonfruit margarita was amazing. Monday is happy hour all day. read more

See all

This place has a modern, chic look & feel to it!!! Superb service from the moment you walk in! Salt serves up some elaborate cocktails that'll be worth a try while you wait for your order. We had the Pork Shank (was recommended for being the heartier meal to order), Honey glazed Duck that was simply phenomenal (came in highly recommended), and the Sun Fish dish (the Sun Fish was a fun novelty dish considering how exotic the fish is and the flavor was as good as any well executed fish platter. Nevertheless, the entire experience was a fantastic time with friends, my wife, and a beautiful ambiance, and food that took on and made the dinner a whole experience on a new level! Would love to go back to Salt any given day! read more

Salt - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Great food, had the new skirt steak, was definitely a great piece of meat, but a little over cooked. It was also a little spicy, but not strongly, just undertones. Great farm to table place. The server mention other restaurants under the same owner and I look forward to trying them as well. When I get back to McAllen I will absolutely come here again. read more

Wow! This place is fantastic! Came into town for a wedding and was looking for a good place for dinner. Saw the great reviews & pictures and figured I'm only in town once so I'll splurge. I made reservations though they tell you they aren't needed and there was no formal dress code but most people tend to dress up. This place is very easy to find but the parking is scarce so you'll most likely need to park on the street which we did. First impressions was this place is super cute. Nice mood lighting although being a fairly small place it gets rather loud and can make it hard to hear your companions without shouting. We were seated promptly and our waiter Ian appeared. He was very charming, attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. He took our drink order two margaritas and a lemonade and left us to peruse over the menu. Margaritas were freshly squeezed and just the right mix of alcohol. My sister tried my nephew's lemonade and she said it wasn't too tart or too sweet but had a nice balance. We started off with the pork belly lettuce wraps. They just melted in your mouth. My nephew who is only 8 really enjoyed it. I'm not much of sauce person bit the sauce definitely served to enhance the flavor and not over power. Main course I chose the Double Cut Compart Duroc Chop, Huitlacoche Tamale, Corn Relish. Essentially this is a huge pork chop that comes with a tamale and some sort of sauce. This was so freaking good! I'm not sure what was in the sauce but I was dunking all evening. The tamale isn't like a typical tamale that you see a noticeable filling, not sure what was mixed in it. I could taste the masa but wasn't able to discern what the other flavor was except it was delish. My sister had the Teres Major steak with green hatch risoto. Her steak came out perfectly medium rare. The risotto was nice a creamy. It's got a bit of a kick so if you don't like spicy you may want to pass. My nephew had the short ribs with some sort of corn cake. The meat was incredibly tender. My nephew said there was a bit of a chocolate taste to it as he preceded to gobble it up. We finished the evening with dessert. We went with the beet cake, panna cotta and baked Alaskan. The beet cake came with two of the creamiest scoops of white chocolate ice cream I've ever tasted. The cake was nice although it had layers of some type of fruit gelatin that I wasn't crazy for. It also came with a white chocolate truffle. My sister enjoyed her pana cota that came with two pieces of dragon fruit and roasted coconut. When Ian set down the baked Alaska in front of my nephew, it was the first genuine happy smile I got out of him the whole night. It had coffee and white chocolate ice cream in some sort of cracker crust. It was soo good! For three of us it ran about $200 including tip. I say it's a very good value considering everything we ate and the quality of food and service. Overall I would love to take this place (and Ian) back to Houston with me. Must try well worth it! read more

I cannot believe McAllen has graduated to having its own real restaurant. This place is legitimate, very legitimate--at the risk of losing my credibility, a top five meal for me (WD-50, a little lady's homemade soft shell crabs in Mexico City, another Mexico City place with pork in amazing salsa, Gautreau's sweetbreads, Nobu on an exceptional night...same league). We made a reservation for the chef's bar by telephone. Were told when we arrived that you could not make a reservation for the chef's bar and that it was only a "notation." This needs to be fixed. We waited a short time and took our seat at the bar and ordered a bottle of wine. We asked to have the tasting menu. The waiter said it was not an option. This needs to be fixed. After that, the evening was perfect. The owner/chef was behind the bar. We talked about the menu, what we liked, and Chef Delgado agreed to order for us. Best move of the night! We had ten courses counting dessert. Excellent! The sweetbreads wrapped in bacon, genius. Truffle salt on heirloom tomatoes with fig and pistachios, bright! Scallops with some kind of caviar citrus, delicate. Pork chop with the chicharron left on, like no other. Pan de campo in a restaurant, this has to be the only place in the entire world you can get that. Making an off-the-menu chocolate dessert for my BabyDoll because that is what she likes, the kind of polish that makes Salt a bright shining star. This guy can cook. Chef Delgado and his wife were a delight. This place is a definite repeat. If you find yourself in McAllen for only one dinner, this is the place to eat. read more

Full disclosure: I only ate here once. I am justifying my review with the fact that I don't live in McAllen but if I did I'd eat here a lot ;) This type of place is increasingly becoming more common in McAllen. This was not the case, say, 5-7 years ago. When I was an undergrad in the Valley, I would go to Onyx with my boyfriend-now-fiancee and fall in love with everything we ate, hoping Onyx would last forever. It didn't-I think it was too ahead of its time for McAllen. That's why I'm so thankful for Salt popping up and bringing some upscale dining in McAllen. First of all, the place is really great. Good looking interiors, moody lighting, and attentive service. However, the food is what stands out the most. Our meats were perrrrfectly done. My pork shank was delicious and the mole was very interesting. Not my favorite but my fiancee loved it. He also loved his meat dish. Unfortunately, I don't remember what it was but he said it was among the best meat dishes he has had in a while. Drinks here are really good; I had the paloma which I highly recommend. My only gripe is that although I loved el pan de campo, as it tastes almost exactly how my mom used to make it, I don't think it paired well with the pork. It's simply not a good combination in my opinion. I know it's kind of predictable, but I'd like to see the pan de campo as part of a dessert dish. I am really looking forward to visiting this place again. read more

Deserves its rating. Knowledgable and attentive staff and management that both do the little things (pour a sample taste of wine to encourage a purchase) to not taking themselves to seriously. The atmosphere is fun, distinctive, and combines the utility of concrete floors with the warmth of wood and brick. The open kitchen is an added visual bonus experience. But a diner pays the big bucks for quality, precision-executed culinary delights. Salt hits and delivers. Any negative comments I make are meant to knick-pick on a high quality restaurant delivering a high quality experience. Please judge on a curve. Remember I gave 5 stars. I was a singleton so this is a limited sample size. I also was the first visitor, storming in at opening. I first had to call and make sure jeans and a t-shirt did not offend their stated dress code. The polite employee relieved fears by stating they have no dress code- come as you are. I like that. And I did not come before because my I judged myself to lazy to dress up after getting off the plane. The drink menu is very creative. But I am a wine guy. Good but not great wine list. Great recommendations by management in a professional and non-judgmental tone. The waitress recommended the half side of Mac and cheese. Appreciate info the sides could be ordered in half sizes or I would not have ordered. Upsale. My Mac and Cheese was very good but not as great as advertised. I can't say what needed to be added: more bacon, pepper, breadcrumbs, or spice. It would be the best Mac & Cheese your neighbor made but I am grading on a curve. Could be better. And Salt busted the curve with the duck. First, I gave four choices to the waitress and sought her advice. I purposefully choose options that excluded your run of the mill choices. I wanted to stress the restaurant. She quickly suggested the honey-infused duck breast. (Later the manager volunteered that was his favorite). Nice bark/char on the outside for texture and pull, but ever so moist on the onside. PERFECT. Really. The chard, carrots, onions and other assorted accoutrements to the presentation were PERFECT. No fault of Salt, but a honey-infused duck did not complement either a Paso Robles Syrah or a manager-recommended and very good Argentinian Merlot (no Sideways jokes). I skipped desert for port. They were out of the 20 year but brought me a 1 once pour from the bottom of the bottle which certainly required me to get the 10 year for comparison. Great customer service that also got the sale. Since I sat at the bar, all the entrees' beautiful presentations and smells passed to my right from the engaging staff to the wait staff. I did so ever want to take samples. Great evening with great food and great staff. I choose to interact with this restaurant on all levels: a phone call to staff before opening; being seated by the bar staff before opening; wait staff, cook staff, management. All excelled. Only complaint and perhaps I pushed it a bit: asked for some bread to cleanse my palate before tasting the port. I believe I was charged for the five minutes it took to toast three pieces of bread when I simply wanted a palate cleanser. But I can't say would not necessarily have done the same. Excellent execution from owners, Managment, and staff. What did take me so long? Perhaps it was the advertised dress code?? Or my laziness. read more

Salt, a beautifully decorated, chef run restaurant in McAllen, Texas is worth the visit and worth a special trip to the Rio Grande Valley. I spent $75.00 on a "giant enormous" perfectly cooked pork chop with a truffle infused tamale on the side. When you order the pork chop you get to choose your own knife out of a wooden box. The pork chop was succulent and well cooked. It was crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. The pork chop had a unique cut that included the short rib plus a layer of fat and the crispy rind of the pig (aka: chicharron) on the outer edge. The pork chop was wonderful and something that I would definitely recommend others try when visiting Salt. There was nothing particularly special about the tamale. I think the tamale was a little bland and needed something more . . . i.e. salt and some other flavor enhancement. I could not even taste anything that resembled a truffle in the tamale: however, I think this is some special kind of truffle that grows on the husk of the corn-on-the-cob. Not sure here, but, I just was not enamored of the tamale. Now let's discuss the appetizers. The portions were generous. Before the food came out, the waitress brought out a trio of exotic salts. My dining companion and I sampled three appetizers--crispy pork belly lettuce cups with a fruit/jicama based pico de gallo and an Asian dipping sauce; green colored, Sriracha shrimp; and some wickedly good steamed clams in a broth made with some liquor, bacon and leeks. Most of the appetizers were too salty; however, I adored those claims and I would put that on the must have list at Salt. Next time, I will pass on the other two appetizers, order some clams and sample some of their other tempting options. I also highly recommend sitting at the "chef's dining table" where the guests can watch the chef and his assistants cook, ask questions and sample a variety of items being brought out of the kitchen. Next time I go to Salt, I want that experience!!! We also tried some of their special drinks. The drinks were described as being made from fresh juice. I ordered the prickly pear drink. The drink did not wow me; however, I make my own juices at home so my standards are pretty high. We ended our meal with a Baked Alaska. The dessert was good to look at, but nothing special. What was special and so very welcoming was the,"hi ya'll we got upon entering the restaurant" and the well-thought out theme of the restaurant. The hostess and servers were phenomenal!!! Our waitress was extremely nice, accommodating, and very knowledgeable about the restaurant. The servers were dressed in a nice denim button-down shirt that is embroidered with "salt" over the left shoulder--do you get it??? I though that was a nice touch. As I started out this review, the décor at Salt is perfect. The food is tasty, salty, creative and interesting. Well done chef! read more

I always get exceptional food and service. I loved sitting next to the chefs station. Their drinks are always fresh. It's well worth the tab that me and my friend got. read more

From the decor, I was pleasantly surprised at how modern this establishment was compared to most restaurants in the RGV. We waited for a table by the bar and downed a few I ordered the paloma which was amazing!. Fresh grapefruit juice, and rimmed with homemade salts. We ordered some other cocktails, which werent very memorable.. the paloma is the way to go... Pork belly lettuce wraps 1/5 okay.. forreal? this is their number one selling appetizer? Hard bits of dried up pork belly in baby lettuce and doused in a lightly sweet/sour soy sauce? I was pretty upset by the poor quality cuts of meat and the price... burrata salad 3/5 burrata was good, nothing mind blowing on the plate. maybe if they put some prosciutto it would have livened up the plate. OH, and those huge black chunks scattered over the plate? those are salt crystals.. so dont do what i did and eat a huge chunk of it. scallops 3/5 seabass 3/5 both entrees were just meh to me. for the price, the portions were reallly small.. even if this is considered find dining. We also got a side of grilled veggies which were overly salted, especially the roasted kale that was on the top of the dish. panna cotta and sundae dessert 2/5 not impressed with either. maybe we should have gone a different direction with the desserts. Anyhow, the food and drinks are good.. but at over 200 dollars for one couple, your dollar could stretch much further elsewhere. read more

A quick business trip to the valley and we were looking for a place for a nice meal. As we walked in the hostess asked if we would want to sit at the chef's table. There are 8 chairs across the prep area and my co worker and I were the only two at the "L" shaped bar that fronted the kitchen. The wait staff was polite and made some recommendations from the farm to table menu. chef offered a sample of then chicken ravioli with a red curry tomato sauce. I opted for a salad while coworker opted for the jalapeño mashed potatoes as side we would share. Coworker decided on the ahi tuna and I did the duck breast. The staff were friendly and the service prompt. The food was presented well and the taste was exceptional. With the variety on the menu and the opportunity to see other meals going out, this one definitely a do again. read more

The food is amazing and the service on point. This restaurant is a hidden gem in McAllen, Texas I had the duck and it melted in my mouth. My only comment is that I would have like the duck fat rendered a bit more on a higher temp so the skin got crispy but the meat was a bit more rare. With that said, I am splitting hairs. This is the best meal I have had all year. And the cocktails were beyond amazing. If I venture back to that region, Salt is on the top of the list to visit. (Call ahead for a reservation because 4 of us went on a weeknight and it was packed.) read more

Terrible service. Lucky our waiter remembered we were there. Food was okay - ahi tuna was cold.

There are other places to eat south of Austin, but why would you? It is literally good enough to warrant a trip anywhere in a 2-3hr radius, EASILY. My wife and I have eaten at Beard, Michelin and Pelligrino top 50 restaurants and if any of those folks came to the frontera Larry and Jessica would get some acknowledgement of what they are doing in South McAllen. There will be much more to come, but Salt is an auspicious second act for this talented pair. read more

See all

While on business in McAllen/Reynosa my coworkers and I tried this place and were pleasantly surprised by our entire experience. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and ready to answer any of our questions. They are a farm to table type restaurant which peaked our interest and created high expectations for our food. We were not disappointed. All of our snacks, appetizers and entrees were cooked well, seasoned properly and very tasty. I would definitely come back here the next time I'm in the area. read more

Atmosphere is VERY HOT. A/c thermostat read 83 which is very nerve wreaking. My family was sweating and despite the restaurant being very hot it was very loud! Music is now some background cooking show music when it used to be decent upscale instrumentals. Aside from that I asked my server to speak loudly and still couldn't hear anything... I used to be able to read their lips and have decent conversations with some but you cant even see their mouths or hear what they're saying. They now lack the emotion and energy we used to get all the time from them. And can you please not give dirty looks to those who choose not to wear a mask when walking in as it makes everyone very uncomfortable .Aside from all this. Great food, Atmosphere needs some serous attention, Ceilings look EXTREMELY DUSTY, and the service was okay. The emotional connection and intimacy just isn't there like it used to be from the servers at salt. we cant see their smiles, we cant hear them talk (BARELY), and we cant feel any emotional connection with them. And the line cooks I have to feel bad for as they look like they are about to over heat seriously! I will be back in august with some clients and I hope maybe things are better by then. read more

ambiance was alright. maybe because i'm young but it doesn't matter i'm still a a customer. it was fine the food was really good and the service was alright read more

I live in Dallas and there are many restaurants that would love to be on the same footing as SALT. The food, service, and knowledge of the bartenders makes this place stand out in McAllen. They would even stand out in Dallas. This is my new "go to" place when in McAllen. read more

My colleagues have been talking about this place. I finally get to taste it up close and personal. All can say is WONDERFUL. You need to come here and dine. I can not explain it you need to come and experience it for your self. read more

See all

The staff was very nice and extra attentive to the customers. We ordered pork belly as appetizer and they were really good fresh taste with the fruit combination. Main dish was the pork chop with asparagus with sides mac n cheese and jalapeño mash highly recommend those 2 sides. My wife had the filet which was really juicy. Overall had a great experience would say it's one of our favorite places in town now. read more

Salt - Pork chop, filet, ny strip, mac n cheese, jalapeño mac and baked fries. - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Food really good quality. Fast in and out from ordering to table. Portion size on scallops and Tomato salad in the small side. Service personnel changes during device which was weird. Sever a little OCD about moving plates out. Also seemed distracted. Asked for dessert menu. Collected take home food and then asked me if I wanted dessert. read more

See all

If you want good food in the valley (which is hard to find), plus an upscale ambiance-- check this place out. Great cocktails. If you want to try something different, I recommend the carrot colada. Rabbit salad is great. Pork is to die for. Fried chicken is also really good. I'd pick Salt over The Patio on Guerra, La Pampa or Santa Fe. read more

Salt - Carrot Colada - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

This food is so satisfying to the pallet its hard to go wrong with anything. Yes, it is expensive, but well worth it. My favorite is the fried chicken with a sod of cheese. read more

We've eaten at SALT two nights in a row and are returning tonight. The food is imaginative, artfully presented, and delicious. We had to set aside some ideas about what goes together because we lack their imagination, rosemary and black pepper ice cream, for example, goes wonderfully with apple cake. Who knew? The staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. The prices seem very reasonable for the quality of the food. Salad, entree, and dessert were about $45 per person. Salt was a high point of our time in McAllen. read more

A. M. A. Z. I. N. G. That's just being nice. From the time I walked into the door as they first opened I felt as if I were important and not just a dollar bill to the establishment. Smiles were freely given. Explanations of dishes were handed out like Oprah giving out Christmas gifts: "You get an explanation! YOU get an explanation!" This place was a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. I got to sit at the much heralded chef's dining bar where I got to talk with the kitchen staff and chefs. I had the fried chicken and jalapeno mashed potatoes. Great choice on my behalf. The mashed potatoes only have a jalapeno flavor and none of the bite, so no need to freak out. The dish comes with a grilled jalapeno in case you require more. The chicken was very tender and fried to perfection. I've already text several friends to tell them about this location. Me thinks me'll pay them another visit next week...thank you, Ian for introducing yourself and for such a wonderful staff! read more

Salt - Chef ready to do damage to my waistline! Sitting at the chef's table for dinner... - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Top notch service !! Great wine selection ! Food was melt in your mouth good ! The only reason for not giving 5 stars is the noise level inside . Small restaurant but when busy the volume inside is a bit loud . We were able to order 5 menu items and enjoy them served "family style" . They brought out additional plates in order to make this happen the jalepeno mashed potatoes and Mac & cheese are two sides that are an absolute must !! Better yet, try everything ! read more

Salt - Family style eating - New American Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Well I am not sure what to say. The premise of the restaurant is being able to add different types of salt to your food which come out on a tray. Because of this concept the food is left deliberately under seasoned and bland when served. The ravioli was really good, but the portions are very small and the location is in a shady part of town. For some reason they choose to serve canned beer without providing a glass. I'm not a college student so did not understand the canned beer being dropped on my table. If you want much better food go to House Wine about a mile away that has the same owners and much much better food. read more