Salvatore G's — Restaurant in City Centre

Overhyped overrated overpriced. THIS NOT AUTHENTIC ITALIAN 👎👎👎👎👎.

I came here out of a recommendation from a couple I chanced upon at another restaurant. This place is a large establishment, with a pleasant atmosphere.

The menu lists dismal versions of the great cuisine. There’s not a semblance on the main menu that would even ring Italian from my many travels/long stays in Italy.

**CHICKEN WITH PASTA DOES NOT EXIST IN ITALIAN CUISINE. Chicken is chicken, pasta is pasta. No Italian chef will ever try to cook them together.

**Many of their entrees have Alfredo sauce. Though allegedly invented by an Italian, Alfredo sauce is American and cannot be found (not served) in Italy.

The Italians have many many sauces, creations reflecting the different regions of the country. Marinara is but one of many. Alfredo is not among them.

**Why is every dish served/mixed with pasta? and served in boat-load?

Italian cuisine is so much more than pasta.

Pasta is a mere Primo in Italian dining.

**Caprese is a revered national symbol: Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil are colors of the Italian flag. Any deviation is an affront not only to the gustatory culture but to Italians.

Goat cheese and avocado is a different salad. It’s not caprese, some “twist” or otherwise.

**They store their red wines chilled and tried to serve it cold. …. What a faux pas!🤬🤬🤬

Do they have a sommelier to guide them???

Without success, the poor waiter went back forth to someone (manager? Maitre’d?) to get a properly stored bottle for the vintage I chose and even another he recommended.

so forget the vino.

With their food, the Italians know their wine!

*Despite the already dismal encounter, For the night, I tried one of their “House Specials”, the Ossobucco.

— the beef was tender and flavorful BUT the top surface is somewhat hard to tap, which tells me it’s been under a heat lamp. The rest is okay.

And then again, that drizzle of white sauce KILLED the flavor of the meat. I had to wipe off that white sauce with the table bread to eat it.

BRAISED MEAT DOES NOT NEED AN EXTRANEOUS SAUCE other than the au jus.

— then next to the meat boat-load of pasta with the very thick white sauce. There’s an OVERPOWERING LEMON TASTE that I cannot taste anything else. It was UNEATABLE. 🤬🤬🤬

The waiter noticed my reaction and called another wait staff whom I presume was his supervisor. She asked graciously if she can replace it.

— I asked her to haul away that monstrosity of a pasta. She did .

— I asked her to ask the cook to prepare a simple pasta dish.

“Al dente pasta stirred in with mushroom, sliver of pancetta, and garlic. Season. Finish with virgin oil”

Simple and with a dash of the table pepperoncini and Parmesan, it’s perfect.

The gigantic servings of food DOES NOT compensate for the lack of authenticity, flavor and refinement of real Italian cooking.👎👎👎👎👎👎

Service however is very good.

FOR AN ENJOYABLE AUTHENTIC ITALIAN IN CABO, GO INSTEAD to Invita Bistro, it’s just...

Cabo is our happy place- we visit several times a year for 3-4 weeks at a time and we ALWAYS visit Salvatore G's at least 2-3 times each visit. I would love to give 5 stars because I absolutely LOVE their food. Fabulous menu, everything looks, smells and tastes delicious - very large portions - exceptional food. I only have one complaint but I'd like you to fix this issue so I can just adore the food to the very, very max every time. I understand you're very busy in the kitchen but I hope you will consider this. The pasta you use needs to be 100% hot when served AND I want it as close to "just made pasta" as possible. You must make it in large quantities and then serve it out and sometimes I've received fettuccine with a lot of little pieces (that were left??) and/or not as hot as it should be. The rest of the preparation is sensational - but I get disappointed if the pasta is all broken up. The past number of times we've visited I specifically told the server that I wanted it "hot" and then it came hot - but it had a lot of "pieces". I should not have to specify that I don't want "pieces" when ordering fettuccine. We are coming back for 3 weeks in Feb - March and we will - for sure, be back. I hope you can remedy this because I am a terrific advertising source for you. I like to tell all the friends we meet to go to Salvatore's and I am very convincing. But please fix the pasta issue because I don't want want to dock the 5 star rating that I think is in your reach.

I wrote the above review when we were in Cabo last October. Here we are back again and we went to Salvatore G's as I said would. The pasta aglio olio that I ordered with fettuccine was served very HOT and no little pieces - thank you for correcting that issue. Despite not being big sweet eaters, we decided to order the tiramisu to go. We took a few bites each and knew, without doubt that it was the best tiramisu we had ever eaten. Not only was it gorgeous to look at but it was light and full of flavor - and huge - enough for 6 to share. So we took home half our dinners each and had the tiramisu for dessert the next night and by the 3rd night - it was as delicious as the first night. Then I remembered that when we had come last time we met a gentlemen who had come to the restaurant just for the tiramisu and we both understood why!! So I suggest if you're so inclined to save room for dessert (with the size of their portions - the only way that will happen is if you save some of your dinner to take home). Enoy - will be back - even though we're staying in San Jose del Cabo - we made the trip to Cabo San Lucas to go to Salvatore's!!! And P.S. I changed the 4 star rating to 5 star because it...

Tucked away in the sun-soaked streets of Cabo San Lucas, Salvatore G’s is the kind of Italian joint that makes you forget you’re in Mexico, until you realize you’re eating lasagna with a side of ocean breeze. This place is a culinary heavyweight, a perennial favorite on our Cabo adventures, where the food delivers a knockout punch every single time. Ambiance? Eh, it’s about as exciting as a blank napkin. Dim lighting, basic decor, think “Italian restaurant starter kit.” But when the plates hit the table, you won’t care if you’re dining in a broom closet. The food here is that good. Let’s talk portions. These aren’t plates; they’re platters designed to feed a small village. Or at least a very hungry family of four. We dove into the lasagna, a towering stack of pasta, sauce, and enough cheese to make a dairy farmer blush. It was rich, hearty, and delicious, though I’ll admit, the cheese was so enthusiastic it nearly stole the show. For my taste, it was a touch too gooey, like diving into a mozzarella swimming pool. The bruschetta, however, was a revelation. Perfectly toasted bread, vibrant tomatoes, a kiss of basil, and just the right drizzle of balsamic. I could’ve eaten a dozen and called it dinner. Now, the heartbreak. We came for the Chicken Parmesan, which, no exaggeration, is the best we’ve ever had. Crispy, juicy, saucy perfection that deserves its own zip code. But, plot twist, it’s low season, and the Wednesday night Chicken Parm special was off the menu. Cue the violins. We settled for the lasagna, but my heart still pines for that parm. A humble plea to Salvatore G’s: make the Chicken Parm a year-round MVP. Don’t make us chase it like a seasonal taco truck. Shoutout to our server, Juan, who was on top of everything like a culinary ninja. Refills? Done. Extra napkins for the inevitable sauce splatter? Already there. He made the night feel effortless, which is no small feat when you’re wrangling plates the size of hubcaps. Service like that turns a good meal into a great one. So, here’s the deal: Salvatore G’s isn’t about fancy chandeliers or Instagram-worthy decor. It’s about food that slaps you in the face with flavor and portions that laugh in the face of restraint. If you’re in Cabo, go. Order the bruschetta, pray for the Chicken Parm, and maybe bring a friend to help tackle the leftovers. We’re already counting down to our next visit, fingers crossed for that...