Can not recommend this restaurant. Food was sub-par and simply not good. Very overpriced. Specifically, the spaghetti bolognese was dry and had virtually no sauce. Portions were quite small. The chicken with pesto was just ok. Nothing to justify the price. The grilled vegetables were undercooked and lukewarm. Service was mediocre. We've had worse, but it was definitely needing work. All told, our bill was $70 not including tip for two very sub-par meals, no drinks, just tap water, no appetizers, and no dessert. We will not be returning and we'd recommend you stay away from this. And honestly, I'd even rate Olive Garden a few notches above this place, and that's saying something. At least the food there is consistently decent, they give you free bread, free soup, and free salad. And the prices are significantly cheaper and service is better. read more

I regretfully inform that I cannot recommend this restaurant further and it is likely I will never return. The one star is for the service otherwise I would have made a note saying it deserved none. The waiter was polite, efficient, eager. He was great. I enjoyed his confidence and I appreciated his transparency. His recommendations? Not so much. I have regrets. We should have ordered the drinks and then left. We should have spoken up. My friend should not have eaten everything, but whether it was simply high hunger that drove my friend to clear both our plates or his upbringing that would not allow any food to go to waste or complaint heard I do not know. I ordered the spaghetti carbonara which had no flavor, pasty sauce, and the most basic grocery-store bought noodles I have ever eaten. I tried adding salt and Parmesan cheese - anything for flavor - and like a black hole that captured light the dish refused flavor. I ate a quarter of it and tapped out. My friend ordered another dish and plowed through mine and his, drank his wine, and said nothing. As he paid and we left he simmered with anger and when I inquired why he said that the wine tasted like a bottle that sat in too hot of conditions and had a most acidic taste of an spoiled wine. He noted his displeasure of the dishes they were out of stock on (no lasagna, no calamari available) and the fact that it was the worst Italian food he had ever eaten. He said my noodles tasted like glue. I don't know why he drank the horrible wine or ate mine and his food, except that he was hungry, but he was cranky for the rest of the day. I just realize how unlikely I will return. read more

One of the most enjoyable parts of dining at a local artisanal restaurant is the opportunity to interact with the owner when possible. Salvatore is one of those larger than life personalities who makes you feel like a long lost friend, dining in his home. It really does elevate the experience when someone goes that far to make sure you truly enjoyed every part of your meal. For New Year's Eve Dinner we split a Caesar, I had the pasta special (red), she had the seafood linguine. We also each had a glass of wine. Finished up with tiramisu. Each dish was well executed, great sauce, lots of fresh seafood in the fettuccine. Just an all around solid experience, you wouldn't be surprised if Nona herself walked out of the kitchen. Do yourself a favor, get to Zio Sal. If Il Capo happens to be in the house be sure and say hello. read more

Zio Sal - Il Capo (on the right). - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

Stopped by for dinner, my first time. After being seated, took over 8 minutes for someone to come fill out glass with water, and still no one came to ask if we wanted to order drinks or food. Finally someone told the same person who filled our water glass to come ask us if we were ready. Menu didn't wow me, ordered the focaccia bread as starter and our main meal was Ravioli and eggplant parmesan. Took some time before our food arrived, place was not busy. Ravioli was lukewarm and very basic, My eggplant was also lukewarm , cheese was melted and harden already. Desert we ordered Tiramisu, nothing spectacular. Tiramisu is my favorite dessert and was disappointed. Gave this place a try. read more

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Food was pristine and the service absolutely exceptional. The chef was very precautious regarding celiac/allergy. Absolutely no bloating after meal. I felt better walking out than I did going in! With 4 drinks, two main dishes, dessert and coffee- our bill was a little over 100 dollars. Excellent price for such great quality of food and service. The patio is charming and has romantic vibes. Definitely will return. read more

I was there. I love the food. We ordered Bolognese pasta, clamaría in tomato salsa and pesto raviolis.

Had a table of 10 last night. Service was on point and the pasta was delicious. The owner came by the table and introduced himself and was extra kind to the 5 kids we had at dining with us. Nice place. read more

First thing you notice is the people experience! Its like wandering in to an institution where the italian owner has been there forever and knows everyone...even you...where have you been!?! Welcome! Service is so engaging. All of our food was exquisitely delicious, without exception. It was our first time here and didnt realize it was next to the light rail station. As an urbanist, this is a great combo...jump off the train at this spot for a beautiful dinner, or just lovely appetizers, glass of chianti and fun interaction. Not what you would assume to find in a mall-like location. Also had a big meaty rose for me on valentines evening dinner. Fun and delicious all the way around! read more

Zio Sal - Valentines date night - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

Great service and the pasta was great as well. Nice spot to have a business dinner or just a casual meal.

Owner is incredibly fun and welcoming. Not too busy on a Thursday night and good food

I had friends visit from BC and they wanted Italian. We came in and waited 3 min to be seated when the place only had one table occupied. You would think one would get good services when it is not busy! Wrong! They had only one server that was also servicing the bar. After what it seemed like forever she brought the salad - wrong kind. The wine we wanted - not available. The white seafood dish had tomatoes in it!... I almost walked out but I didn't wanted to make a scene in front of my friends. Do yourself a favor and pick one of the other restaurants in the complex. Your experience will be better. read more

4 of us met for happy hour menu fare. Pizzas were wonderful. A glass of white or red wine was affordable and decent. Service was excellent and ambiance nice. Will be back soon. read more

Got someone else's order delivered and restaurant didn't leave a receipt. Doordash refused a refund because there was no receipt. Order here if you want someone to mess your order up read more

Not only was the service amazing! The food was absolutely delicious! We had the buratta and the penne alla vodka! Probably the best I had ever had! The restaurant was warm and inviting. We sat at the bar. The bartender was funny, and not too intrusive. I was visiting from Vegas! This was a slice of heaven! Thank you for such a great experience! read more

Zio Sal - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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The spaghetti bolognese was absolutely terrible. How do you mess up pasta? It was lukewarm and it genuinely tasted like convenience store pasta that was heated up. The appetizers bread and calamari were okay. The customer service is not bad I went with a big group and our waitress was nice and let us overstay our visit. The ambiance was dingy restaurant. Parking is extensive as it is located at Redmond Town Center. Would never recommend this place to anyone. Stay away. read more

Zio Sal - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

Came here for happy hour and will be back. Good prices for drinks. We got the Calamari and Caprese it was delicious mozzarella was good quality. Also ordered the Caprino e Salsiccia pizza, the flavor was amazing. Will definitely be back. read more

Zio Sal - Caprino e Salsiccia - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

What a surprise! My husband and I stopped by for a quick bite and had the most amazing experience! Kevin, who provided excellent service and recommendations made us want to come back again for date night. Highly recommend! read more

The family went in for lunch on a weekday. The restaurant was relatively empty, which was good as we could be seated quickly. All the stars here are for the service staff since they were very nice and kept checking in with us. Where this restaurant was a bit disappointing was in the food department. We tried the carbonara, pesto spaghetti, lasagna, spumone ice cream and a bunch of wines. Everything tasted subpar or not fresh. They did not have any sangrias or mimosas as well. The ambiance was pretty but the food was below our expectations. read more

Best pesto (ask with pappardelle) in town. The pizza dough is exceptional - my margherita pizza was simple and balanced in flavours, as it should be. read more

Zio Sal - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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2.5 overall. We two came for dinner. Though it didn't affect my rating, in examining the receipt afterwards I learned that "All Credit Card Are Subject to a 3% Processing Fee". FOOD: 3.0. (see photos I posted). OK, but if there is a next time I'll try the pizza. - Gnocchi al Sorrentina - Risotto with prawns. OK taste that did not live up to the $34 price. - Sautéed bell peppers HOUSE WINE: 2.0 @ $15 a glass. - 1.5: House Red was a mix of sangiovese and syrah. A huge disappointment. - 2.5: House White was less mediocre. SERVICE: 5.0. She was stretched as the sole server, but did a fantastic job while maintaining a cheerful mood. AMBIANCE: 2.5. It was Dec so only the inside seating was available. It was half-full and yet so noisy that it was difficult to carry on a conversation without repeating each sentence at a very high volume -- which only added to the cacophony. I think this was due to the high and hard-surfaced industrial ceiling. Pop music at too-high volume contributed to the aural punishment. A bit cold inside; we kept our winter jackets on during the meal. Definitely not a spot for a romantic dinner, at least not indoors. read more

Zio Sal - gnocchi alla sorrentina @ $19.50. OK. - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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We love Sal, and have enjoyed eating at his restaurants for many years. In fact, our first date was at his other restaurant, Firenze, 12 years ago! Tonight was a special night for Sal, and we were so happy he chose to celebrate his secret joy with us! Sal's seen us in from time to time over the years, but whenever he is there, he treats us like family. From the fabulous wine selection to the wonderful specials, eating with Sal is a true "La Famiglia" Italian experience - warm, gregarious, welcoming. He's a delight and we're always pleasantly surprised when he's at the restaurant. He is quite the character! We will always come back, mangia! Sì, è Italiano! read more

Zio Sal - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

I love Zio Sal! I have been here few times and my favorites are Linguine Pesto and Bolognese. Their Caramari is very crunchy and great for appetizer. linguine pesto sauce is very creamy and little bit heavy side, but it's my go to pasta when I'm starving. Although, Bolognese is my go to spaghetti at Italian restaurants because it is classic Italian sauce and I live it when they cooked with a soffritto of onions, carrots, and celery, tomatoes, and milk to give it a creamy texture! Zio Sal's bolognese is very tasty and sauce is yummy! read more

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I came here for a work dinner and had a wonderful meal. Our server was awesome and although I didn't grab her name I want to give her props for the wonderful suggestions. The night began with drink orders and I got myself an old fashioned with Makers. I wasn't a big fan of the drink but decided to get a Manhattan next. The Manhattan here is a great drink. I was definitely a fan. Our table ordered some appetizers to begin. The rice meatball dish was splendid. There was so much flavor this dish made me smile. The calamari and fried squid were also really nice. For an entree I ordered the ribeye with veggies and roasted potatoes. This was a splendid dish. The sauce on the ribeye was delicious! To finish our night I ordered the Limoncello cheesecake. I am sometimes disappointed with deserts at restaurants but not this time. That cheesecake rocks! I was feeling slightly full after this meal so I asked the server for a digestiv suggestion. I have no idea what I ultimately got but hot dang!!!! it was a tasty little night cap. My meal was probably really expensive but if you have some cash this place is great. read more

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Overall this is a 3.5 restaurant. Pesto luingini: 2 stars, the pasta was cooked to perfection however the pesto sauce was just raw on top and there was no flavor except for a lot of salt. 4 section pizza: this was pretty decent nothing special, the marinara sauce didn't have enough flavor to it and the pizza overall had a lot of salt on it Chicken Marsala: this was by far one of the best chicken marsala I have ever had! The sauce was slightly on the sweet side but the flavor was still the amazing and the vegetables were also amazing. Tiramisu: Very amazing tiramisu I must say. There is slight not enough coffee flavor as if the ladyfingers were soaked in vanilla instead of coffee. However it was still amazing! Took a long time for the food to come. read more

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Wow, this was really bad Italian food. And I have some low standards. I came here with some friends for Seattle Restaurant Week last year. The place was pretty empty, especially for a Friday night. We ordered the arancini, tortellini alla panna, ravioli aurora, tiramisu, and limoncello cheesecake. When the tortellini alla panna arrived, it looked so unappetizing. I'm not one to judge a book by it's cover, but the taste wasn't much better. The sauce was bland and the ham was slimy. My friend who ordered the ravioli aurora said something similar about his dish, and how it tasted bland and unsalted. The desserts were okay, but I've had much better tiramisu. The only saving grace of this meal was the arancini, which was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Overall, I was expecting more, especially during Restaurant Week. Maybe we ordered the wrong things or their Restaurant Week menu was simply a miss. Regardless, I won't be returning this year. read more

Zio Sal - Tortellini Alla Panna and Ravioli Aurora - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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Pretty good. Parry said it is the best pesto or at least pretty near to the one they cook. Ooooooh. We tried various dishes. I had the canneloni and they were on point! Sauce didn't taste as grocery store one. Kid had spaguetti a la bolognese and it was a hit. For dessert we had tiramisu and limoncello. Both great options!! Family atmosphere. We found a table easily. I would come backnon summer and sit outside. Highly recommend them! read more

Zio Sal - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

Wife loves this place. I love their selections of red wines. The food is really good. I prefer the steak but my wife has tried a quite a few items and loves them all. The service is really good and the staff is very attentive to their clients. We love the ambiance that this establishment has. read more

First time dining here. Friendly server. A couple big parties present so a little loud. My wife ordered eggplant parmesan (server said it was his favorite), I ordered their risotto of the day, zucchini with grilled shrimp for $32. We both ordered minestrone. I ordered a glass of house white wine. Drinks arrived quickly. Wine was sweet, not expected. Soup soon followed. There's a lot of variability in minestrone. This one was only vegetables, no pasta, no beans. Veggies were firm, and filled the bowl so there was little broth. Tasted fine but not outstanding. Our entrees were brought out while we were still eating our soup, and we aren't slow eaters. Server made no apologies and just set them down. So soup was pushed aside. My wife really liked her eggplant parmesan. I tried it and agreed. My risotto on the other hand was not good. Six big shrimp nicely grilled topped it but underneath was a gummy pile of rice. It would be nice to have freshly made risotto but that's a lot to ask. But if you are just reheating previously made, make sure it's hot and add some broth so it's not gummy. We had tiramisu for dessert and it tasted mainly of marscapone, the "least sweet" tiramisu I've ever had. Might go back to try something else but in no hurry. read more

My friends and I visited Zio Sal for happy hour, which we were happy to learn that they offer on a Saturday at 2:30pm. We were hanging out at Redmond Town Center, so decided to check out this Italian restaurant for some bites. And it was an A-OK happy hour. Since we had our dogs with us, we sat outside on the patio where they have an outdoor fire pit. The employee who helped us was very nice and felt bad when it started to rain, so she helped us move chairs under the overhang of the building. The happy hour menu offered a handful of drinks and eats for less than $10. It was a decent offering. I ended up ordering the tortellini all panna and a beer, which didn't take too long to get. I liked that they had local taps, so enjoyed my Manny's. But the tortellini alla panna wasn't something I'd order again. It wasn't bad, but thought it was A-OK. It was cheesy enough, especially with the cream sauce, but barely tasted any of the ham. With many other restaurants around Redmond Town Center and in the area, Zio Sal wouldn't be top of the list to check out unless of course, you're craving Italian food. Again, the food wasn't bad, but it's not something I'd go out of my way to eat again unless someone else wanted to eat here. read more

Zio Sal - Tortellini Alla Panna - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

I have been here twice. The first time I was unimpressed for the price. The second time convinced me it will be my last. Zio Sal was busy - there was one waitress for the entire restaurant. She was incredibly kind and tried to do her best - but it was way too busy for just one server. And at most entrees being at the $20-30 price point, there needs to be more service. We waited about 45 minutes for our food but had to eventually give up and take it to go because we were running late for our next appointment. The waitress comped our meal - so any stars given are really are for her. The food was frankly not great. The Arancini - you only get one rice ball. It was fried well, but the risotto was over cooked to the point that it was like rice pilaf. It lacked salt making it not tasty. After adding salt it was a bit better. They don't give you enough sauce, and the entire dish tasted like the soap that was used to clean it making it rather unappetizing. My son got the veal - it presented well but again was completely unsalted. My daughters lasagna was OK. The pizza was fine - nothing special. It is not neopolitan style despite being listed as such. The crust it too thick and chewy. I will say it is advertised as tuna and onions but it's really sardines and onions - which is not what I expected but at that point it didn't really matter anymore. I feel bad giving a trash review - but I don't get this place. I don't get the 4 stars. Two times I've been here and this review really described both times. I have a feeling they have different people that cook here when sal is not around. It's the only explanation I can come up with for the wildly disparate reviews. There were two young men in the kitchen this evening - maybe neither of them were sal. read more

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Great delicious food, fun atmosphere, fair prices, and nice staff! Never disappointed eating at this restaurant.

We were in the area and decided to try their outdoor seating. We didn't have a reservation, but were given a table quickly. They have an outdoor fireplace and heater making outdoor dining possible in this weather. Our waitress was very friendly and made sure we were comfortable throughout the meal. We started off with the Calamari Fritti, loved the calamari, it was light and crispy. We then got Tortellini alla Panna, and Pollo A Tuo Placere with Marsala sauce. We loved both our entrees, simple, made right with fresh ingredients. I can't wait to be back and try other items on the menu. read more

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A lot of things going on here. We came during happy hour and they had one waitress working the entire floor, inside and out. It wasn't that busy, but service was still super slow because of this. Not her fault, but they definitely need to hire more staff. Even more though, was the owner of the restaurant was around (I only know because he was being very loud about it) and seemed to be drinking wine for most of our time there and barely helped the poor waitress? Just seemed odd to me. My boyfriend ordered two apps and an entree. The waitress totally forgot about his entree but we didn't bother saying anything. My pasta came out and it tasted good but the food temp was all over the place. Pasta around the edges were cold, towards the middle was warmer, but the shrimp was piping hot. Never had such inconsistency in temperature in one dish. Boyfriend said his food was just okay. I'm assuming this place always has customers since there's not a lot of options in Redmond, but we won't be coming back. I think we were there for about an hour and half just because of how long it took to get service. After we left, my boyfriend described the experience as painful read more

What a wonderful discovery. Yelp clued me into Zio Sal while I was stuck in the Bel-Red area on an errand. I was in a hurry and it was way past lunch hour, so many Italian Restaurants were closing until dinner. Not Zio Sal! There weren't many in the restaurant at the time. Just one person at the bar watching the Houston & Seattle MLB Playoff. The charming lady who sat me down was very courteous and attentive. I was offered a table outside but I chose to stay indoors since the construction outside was very loud. Plus I had a great view of the baseball game. It had been a long morning and I was famished, but I also wasn't craving anything heavy, so I settled on a cup of my favorite zuppa, the Pasta e Fagioli, and my favorite pasta, the Gnocchi (alla Sorrentina, on their menu). Both zuppa and pasta were excellent! I am a fan of light red sauces on pasta (unless it's in a lasagne, then I like it more hearty) so their Gnocchi alla Sorrentina was delizioso!! And their presentation (as you can see by my photos) was bellissimo! Neither I nor my wife visit the Redmond area often but if we ever are again I am taking her to Zio Sal. I definitely want to try more on their menu! GRAZIE! read more

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Want a ribeye? At an Italian restaurant? Only steak on the menu. YES! It ain't cheap, but oh my. I don't think I've had a better steak in my life. Cooked medium. Perfection! Had it twice. Definitely going back! read more

Ten stars. Hands down. My favorite place to eat if I ever go back to Seattle. This was by far my favorite eats while on vacation. The staff here was super nice. I had to personally thank the chef for such amazing food! I literally cannot wait to go back here. We got the focaccia, pesto pasta, spinach and cheese ravioli, eggplant parm and tiramisu. The EGGPLANT PARM was out of this world! It was soooo good that we had to get a second dish. Love love love this place!!!!! read more

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We came here tonight to enjoy dinner before seeing a movie. My husband ordered a glass of their special red wine which was $15 a glass. Seems to be overpriced for a special item. We shared an Arancini which was very good and had no complaints there. For dinner I had the ravioli aurora and added grilled chicken. The ravioli was ok, nothing special. The chicken was charred and didn't have any flavor and was very dry. My husband ordered the steak with mushroom sauce. The mushroom sauce had zero flavor. Not even salted. It tasted like they cooked the mushrooms and then just threw cream in the pan. The steak was cooked to proper temperature but again had no flavor. No salt or pepper or anything on it. Wildly disappointing for paying $45 for that dish. My husband is not picky and he didn't want to finish it. The service was good and the ladies were very nice. We usually get tiramisu at Italian joints but didn't bother here. Also, there is a service charge for credit cards...all types. A bit ridiculous. Also it was freezing inside the restaurant Maybe the chef was having an off day but we won't be back to try the food again unfortunately read more

Zio Sal - Ravioli Aurora Dinner with grilled chicken - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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The restaurant was so empty and cold at 4:30pm, but it got packed by 6pm. They had a nice ambiance with Christmas decorations but the temperature was way too low! We had to keep our coats and jackets on to stay warm. Food was just ok. Nothing was terrible, but that's what you expect if someone's mom was cooking for you. I would not order their pizza though. You might as well just bake a frozen pizza. That might even taste better. Focaccia was warm and nice. Tiramisu, cheese cake, and limoncello cakes were all mediocre. Tortellini, spaghetti, and ravioli were also ok. I would not go back there for food, but I don't mind going there during their happy hours to hang out with friends. read more

Zio Sal - Italian Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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It is over priced, but then everything is. I ordered a Caesar salad off the lunch menu and the lettuce was brown at the leaf ends. Not a good look for a "fresh salad". read more

Walked in with high hopes. I had just had dinner at one of my favorite Italian places in Seattle so was hoping to recreate that experience on the eastside. The menu looked legit, so we ordered salads and starters, plus I ordered a glass of Chianti. First complaint: Where is the bread with oil and balsamic?! The Caesar salads were large for half orders, and weren't anything special. I'm pretty sure my $15.00 glass of Chianti was some sort of low-end cab, but whatever. We had a hard time finding meat or cheese in the Arancini we ordered, and I've had better jarred marinara from the grocery store (was too sweet and flavorless). It seemed as though there was not a lot of care when breading the calamari as the bits were clumped together in huge masses of breading. I feel like the tarter and cocktail sauce was of the caliber of a fast food fish and chips place. Main course: Spaghetti Bolognese w/GF spaghetti - mediocre GF pasta, especially a let down since the GF pasta at last week's restaurant was awesome. Lasagne Bolognese - Not terrible and the Bolognese sauce was not bad, def very different from the marinara. Tortellini alla Panna - The sauce was fairly good and the torellini was OK, but the ham was like cheap grocery store lunch meat and didn't bring much flavor to the affair. Also missing: Where is the server with the grinder for fresh pepper?! All there is are diner style salt and pepper shakers. At this point I was going to go with 3 stars BUT....the next killed it all for me. The only thing I knew I wanted on the way there was Sambuca with coffee beans for dessert. NOPE!! Waiter comes back and says "Sorry, we're out" (down to 2 stars). OK, I'll have the Amaretto. Waiter comes back NOPE!!! "Sorry, we're out of that too, can I offer the Montenegro?" (down to 1 star). "No thanks, I'll go to the grocery store for some Sambuca on the way home". The kids wanted dessert, but there was no way I was ordering the Tiramisu or the Canolli, cuz by now I know it will suck, esp by the standards of last week's dessert. So I settled on them getting the Limoncello cake which you guessed it; was mediocre. The crusher came in the end when I saw the message on the bill "4% discount for cash payments" which who travels with that kind of cash and thanks for telling me NOW? Then I read in some of these reviews that it's actually a 4% surcharge on credit card purchases! THANKS for pissing in my ear and trying to tell me it's raining!! Finally, the atmosphere is sterile and has no real old country Italian feel, and the serving is generic at best. I will not be coming back to Zio Sal and will spread word of mouth that this place is really an imposter for Italian. Anyone who knows the true Italian restaurant experience will know the difference, especially for their price for the real Italian experience. Give your money to the people who are doing it correctly, this place certainly is not. read more