Always great from the food through the cocktails (who doesn't luv Franky), atmosphere and attentive service! Even the parking lot shines! Shout out to Nicky for being very responsive, and enjoyable to talk too. Perfect for a special occasion or just to have great food. By far one of the top Italian restaurants in Philly!
Amazing food, excellent vibes, very classy. Would recommend the salmon dish with the clams, mussels, crab meat and giant shrimp. The sauce blew me away! The blackberry Chipotle margarita was delicious, just be prepared for it to pack a spicy punch.
This is the best and classiest restaurant in Philadelphia. There are no close seconds. Everything is as you would want it for quality and experience. You will never leave there disappointed.
AstridG
Saloon was great from top to bottom ,the easy and friendly parking staff was great , the hostess was very accommodating, the service was great and the food was delicious, I highly recommend
Frank L.
This legendary establishment always lives up to its reputation. great food ambiance & service. So much so I included the Saloon in my novel, THE PHENOM, set in Philly! Frank Lazarus
Phylicia H.
10/10 this place exceeded my expectations! If I could, I'd dine here every single week. Old school Italian restaurant situated in a neighborhood. Nice bar with plenty of seating upstairs and downstairs. Old antiques and upscale attire. Came here to celebrate my birthday and I would come back for any special occasion. Our waitress was so knowledgeable, attentive, friendly and amazing at her job. All of her recommendations were on point. For drinks, we ordered the manhattan and dirty martini (stuffed and non stuffed olives). Made to perfection! The pesto that came with our basket of bread was out of this world. It was so good, they packed extra pesto for us to take home. It was seriously good with just about anything. Secret is pistachio rather than pine nuts! For food, we ordered the calamari and peas, filet truffle (special), veal Parmesan (special) and the carrot cake. The only thing we would not order again would be the calamari and peas. Wasn't terrible but it was drenched in marinara, which made me want fried calamari. If I'm eating sautéed calamari, I'd prefer more of a lighter sauce. Personal preference. Our entrees were both out of this world. Highly recommend!!
The hot baked seafood appetizer wasn't that good it was fair ,the entree I had was the lobster franchisee that was outstanding and the ambience was ok ,overall it was good I just think the app was pricey. I would definitely go back and try something else.
Annie P.
Visited here with my partner for date night. Felt bad for the waitress who had to recite an entire booklet of specials it felt like. Like, bro so many specials. The oysters were good and I also had the shrimp over fettuccine instead of potatoes and he had a Caesar with a chicken dish (sorry I don’t remember the name). The food was nothing to go nuts over and the drinks were decent minus the lychee martini which was sour when I’m used to it being sweet, I did exchange it for me Manhattan which was better. My partner also had dessert. Parking was a disaster but when is it not in Philly?Parking: Disasterrrrr
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
DarleneB
Upon entering the Saloon we were told that we needed to wait until a table opened up. We had an 8:45 reservation and got there at that time, however we didn't get seated until 9:00. The bar had no seats and there isn't a waiting area so we just stood there. Once seated we ordered cocktails which were great ! After we shared a Caesar salad which was okay, nothing to rave about. The waitress took our order ... I ordered the Lobster Francaise and my husband ordered the Veal Chop Parmesan. When I placed the order I was told that I can order the pasta and was given a variety of choices. My husband was told the same. The waitress never mentioned that it was ala cart . The side of pasta was an additional $23.00 for each. My lobster franchise was just okay for the $53.00. My husband's veal was also mediocre for $55 . The portions on both our dinners were small, and did not reflect the price. After reading all the reviews we expected the food to be amazing and it just didn't reach the bar for us. The bill was $225 for the two of us and for that price the food should have been amazing. Needless to say we won't be returning to the Saloon. Very disappointed as this restaurant is a staple in South Philly
Anthony C.
The saloon has maintained a standard of excellence for many years and there's not much to say other than the service is tremendous. The food is classic Italian at its best, and although not known to be a steakhouse, they have an excellent filet mignon when you're at the saloon, you know you're somewhere special.
The Saloon never disappoints! Absolutely delicious! From the owner, Richie to our waitress, Julia and even our parking attendant, Greg….everyone was amazing. Such a great vibe! Can’t wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
V. Ring
Genuinely phenomenal! Every dish exceeded my expectations from the ceasar salad to the homemade pasta to the tiramisu. It was all excellent! The ambiance is just as wonderful too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu
David Richards
Classic place for a special dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Alice L.
stunning restaurant that is beautifully decorated, giving old money aesthetic! to preface this review, my family visited in december 2023, so the seasonal items are likely different now. i ordered a martini to start and my mom had what i believe is the fireside. the drinks were strong if that's what you're looking for. the whole meal was just ok, nothing stood out to me as something i would order again. for our starters, we had the beet salad, the tuna carpaccio, and the langostino. the tuna carpaccio and langostino did not taste as fresh as we would have liked. for our entrees, we had the veal chop, the veal parmigiano, and the shrimp scampi. the entrees were good, cooked well. i enjoyed my veal parmigiano, but it was nothing to write home about. i boxed most of it up and ate it the next day. we ended our meal with two desserts, the tiramisu and the lemon layer cake. the waitress explained to me that the desserts were "homemade" but not housemade -- they outsourced them from somewhere else. the desserts were rich and satisfying, but too sweet and heavy for my family's taste. for such a nice restaurant, the service was surprisingly poor. our waitress was nice and friendly, but we had a lot of trouble flagging her down to order and for the bill. for most of the night, she was just a few feet from our table, chatting away with her coworkers. it felt unprofessional, and she was too preoccupied with chatting to look our way. i was very excited to try this restaurant and was a little disappointed that it did not live up to my expectations. perhaps my family didn't order the correct items, but i will most likely not be returning given that it is quite pricey and out of the way for me.
LisaVM
I have dined at the Saloon for intimate special occasions and with a group for work over the years. I have recommended to many visitors at my place of business, mostly foreign and out-of-towners, to the Saloon, knowing that they will be very impressed and also dine at a Philadelphia mainstay. You don't stay in the restaurant business for over 50 years unless you're doing something very right. I had a 9 PM reservation for my sister's birthday (it's her favorite restaurant) on a Saturday and we arrived a bit early and were seated immediately. The place was full, as is no surprise. Service, from start to finish was impeccable, as always, and drinks/wine were perfect. We started with a tomato & burrata stack for an app that was flavorful and melted in your mouth! Next, the entrees. They were not. I had Linguine Pescatore in a marinara sauce and I was quite disappointed at how bland it was. It was marinara sauce? No way. Pasta is my go-to when at an Italian restaurant. I wished that I had tried the Branzino Grenoblast instead. My sister had the Braciole and said the same thing. The tomato sauce lacked flavor. Both of us were surprised and me even more so, as this was a special occasion. Maybe, being it was the end of the night, is that the reason? But, the Saloon has been in this game far too long for that to be the case. Are they getting lax? I will note, that we did not tell the server this and asked to have our dinners boxed up. We did have dessert and coffee. Coffee was the last 2 cups in the pot (apparently) and not fresh and the "cream" for the coffee was not 1/2 & 1/2, but milk. Waa-waaa-waaa. I would expect more based on the prices, reputation, and what I have experienced before at the Saloon. It's a little pet peeve of mine when you order coffee. But the dessert (banana cream tart, I think) and my sister's carrot cake were delicious! I will be back, but will give it time. But not at the end of the night.
Always great from the food through the cocktails (who doesn't luv Franky), atmosphere and attentive service! Even the parking lot shines! Shout out to Nicky for being very responsive, and enjoyable to talk too. Perfect for a special occasion or just to have great food. By far one of the top Italian restaurants in Philly!
Amazing food, excellent vibes, very classy. Would recommend the salmon dish with the clams, mussels, crab meat and giant shrimp. The sauce blew me away! The blackberry Chipotle margarita was delicious, just be prepared for it to pack a spicy punch.
This is the best and classiest restaurant in Philadelphia. There are no close seconds. Everything is as you would want it for quality and experience. You will never leave there disappointed.
Saloon was great from top to bottom ,the easy and friendly parking staff was great , the hostess was very accommodating, the service was great and the food was delicious, I highly recommend
This legendary establishment always lives up to its reputation. great food ambiance & service. So much so I included the Saloon in my novel, THE PHENOM, set in Philly! Frank Lazarus
10/10 this place exceeded my expectations! If I could, I'd dine here every single week. Old school Italian restaurant situated in a neighborhood. Nice bar with plenty of seating upstairs and downstairs. Old antiques and upscale attire. Came here to celebrate my birthday and I would come back for any special occasion. Our waitress was so knowledgeable, attentive, friendly and amazing at her job. All of her recommendations were on point. For drinks, we ordered the manhattan and dirty martini (stuffed and non stuffed olives). Made to perfection! The pesto that came with our basket of bread was out of this world. It was so good, they packed extra pesto for us to take home. It was seriously good with just about anything. Secret is pistachio rather than pine nuts! For food, we ordered the calamari and peas, filet truffle (special), veal Parmesan (special) and the carrot cake. The only thing we would not order again would be the calamari and peas. Wasn't terrible but it was drenched in marinara, which made me want fried calamari. If I'm eating sautéed calamari, I'd prefer more of a lighter sauce. Personal preference. Our entrees were both out of this world. Highly recommend!!
The hot baked seafood appetizer wasn't that good it was fair ,the entree I had was the lobster franchisee that was outstanding and the ambience was ok ,overall it was good I just think the app was pricey. I would definitely go back and try something else.
Visited here with my partner for date night. Felt bad for the waitress who had to recite an entire booklet of specials it felt like. Like, bro so many specials. The oysters were good and I also had the shrimp over fettuccine instead of potatoes and he had a Caesar with a chicken dish (sorry I don’t remember the name). The food was nothing to go nuts over and the drinks were decent minus the lychee martini which was sour when I’m used to it being sweet, I did exchange it for me Manhattan which was better. My partner also had dessert. Parking was a disaster but when is it not in Philly?Parking: Disasterrrrr
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Upon entering the Saloon we were told that we needed to wait until a table opened up. We had an 8:45 reservation and got there at that time, however we didn't get seated until 9:00. The bar had no seats and there isn't a waiting area so we just stood there. Once seated we ordered cocktails which were great ! After we shared a Caesar salad which was okay, nothing to rave about. The waitress took our order ... I ordered the Lobster Francaise and my husband ordered the Veal Chop Parmesan. When I placed the order I was told that I can order the pasta and was given a variety of choices. My husband was told the same. The waitress never mentioned that it was ala cart . The side of pasta was an additional $23.00 for each. My lobster franchise was just okay for the $53.00. My husband's veal was also mediocre for $55 . The portions on both our dinners were small, and did not reflect the price. After reading all the reviews we expected the food to be amazing and it just didn't reach the bar for us. The bill was $225 for the two of us and for that price the food should have been amazing. Needless to say we won't be returning to the Saloon. Very disappointed as this restaurant is a staple in South Philly
The saloon has maintained a standard of excellence for many years and there's not much to say other than the service is tremendous. The food is classic Italian at its best, and although not known to be a steakhouse, they have an excellent filet mignon when you're at the saloon, you know you're somewhere special.
Restaurantji Recommends
The Saloon never disappoints! Absolutely delicious! From the owner, Richie to our waitress, Julia and even our parking attendant, Greg….everyone was amazing. Such a great vibe! Can’t wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Genuinely phenomenal! Every dish exceeded my expectations from the ceasar salad to the homemade pasta to the tiramisu. It was all excellent! The ambiance is just as wonderful too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu
Classic place for a special dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
stunning restaurant that is beautifully decorated, giving old money aesthetic! to preface this review, my family visited in december 2023, so the seasonal items are likely different now. i ordered a martini to start and my mom had what i believe is the fireside. the drinks were strong if that's what you're looking for. the whole meal was just ok, nothing stood out to me as something i would order again. for our starters, we had the beet salad, the tuna carpaccio, and the langostino. the tuna carpaccio and langostino did not taste as fresh as we would have liked. for our entrees, we had the veal chop, the veal parmigiano, and the shrimp scampi. the entrees were good, cooked well. i enjoyed my veal parmigiano, but it was nothing to write home about. i boxed most of it up and ate it the next day. we ended our meal with two desserts, the tiramisu and the lemon layer cake. the waitress explained to me that the desserts were "homemade" but not housemade -- they outsourced them from somewhere else. the desserts were rich and satisfying, but too sweet and heavy for my family's taste. for such a nice restaurant, the service was surprisingly poor. our waitress was nice and friendly, but we had a lot of trouble flagging her down to order and for the bill. for most of the night, she was just a few feet from our table, chatting away with her coworkers. it felt unprofessional, and she was too preoccupied with chatting to look our way. i was very excited to try this restaurant and was a little disappointed that it did not live up to my expectations. perhaps my family didn't order the correct items, but i will most likely not be returning given that it is quite pricey and out of the way for me.
I have dined at the Saloon for intimate special occasions and with a group for work over the years. I have recommended to many visitors at my place of business, mostly foreign and out-of-towners, to the Saloon, knowing that they will be very impressed and also dine at a Philadelphia mainstay. You don't stay in the restaurant business for over 50 years unless you're doing something very right. I had a 9 PM reservation for my sister's birthday (it's her favorite restaurant) on a Saturday and we arrived a bit early and were seated immediately. The place was full, as is no surprise. Service, from start to finish was impeccable, as always, and drinks/wine were perfect. We started with a tomato & burrata stack for an app that was flavorful and melted in your mouth! Next, the entrees. They were not. I had Linguine Pescatore in a marinara sauce and I was quite disappointed at how bland it was. It was marinara sauce? No way. Pasta is my go-to when at an Italian restaurant. I wished that I had tried the Branzino Grenoblast instead. My sister had the Braciole and said the same thing. The tomato sauce lacked flavor. Both of us were surprised and me even more so, as this was a special occasion. Maybe, being it was the end of the night, is that the reason? But, the Saloon has been in this game far too long for that to be the case. Are they getting lax? I will note, that we did not tell the server this and asked to have our dinners boxed up. We did have dessert and coffee. Coffee was the last 2 cups in the pot (apparently) and not fresh and the "cream" for the coffee was not 1/2 & 1/2, but milk. Waa-waaa-waaa. I would expect more based on the prices, reputation, and what I have experienced before at the Saloon. It's a little pet peeve of mine when you order coffee. But the dessert (banana cream tart, I think) and my sister's carrot cake were delicious! I will be back, but will give it time. But not at the end of the night.