Salvatores of Soho — Restaurant in New York

I'm writing to share an important update to my earlier review of Salvatore's of Soho. Mario, one of the owners, has completely changed my perception through his commitment to customer satisfaction.

Less than 24 hours after my review, Mario personally reached out to me on Yelp and Google, demonstrating genuine concern without seeking public acknowledgment. This immediately impressed me. Mario's private approach showcased his focus on resolving issues instead of seeking validation. Unlike many business owners who publicly respond to reviews, Mario chose a more private approach. This showed true character; he wasn't interested in a public display, but rather in genuinely resolving the issue. It indicated that he prioritizes getting things done correctly and caring for his customers over seeking public validation.

Given that Salvatore's of Soho boasts almost a thousand positive reviews and a five-star rating, my negative review could have easily been overlooked. Yet, Mario still reached out, demonstrating his active involvement and daily attention to customer feedback. This truly highlighted his dedication to his family-run business and ensuring every customer has a positive experience.

When Mario and I connected the next day, he introduced himself as one of the owners, emphasizing Salvatore's of Soho as a family-run business. He explained that a manager wasn’t on-site the day of my visit because he and the other managers, all of whom own the restaurant as well, were celebrating his daughter’s birthday. However, he quickly clarified that his staff knows he and the other managers are on call 24/7. He beautifully articulated that this family restaurant isn't just an establishment; it's their home, and he wants customers to feel the same sense of being "at home"—acknowledged, cared for, appreciated, and well-fed.

Mario was incredibly personable and spoke with my mother and me for over half an hour, taking full accountability for the issue we encountered. For an owner of a popular restaurant to dedicate such a significant amount of time out of his busy life and schedule to speak with customers he'd never met speaks volumes!

Mario listened to our concerns and reassured us about the strong fraud prevention policies for his business and customer safety, though he would make exceptions if circumstances like mine arose. He mentioned that had the staff called him about the situation, he would have made an exception for us.

Additionally, Mario ensured that sensitive information was always shredded before disposal, as customer confidentiality and safety are top priorities. He also discussed rising prices due to inflation, which is why it was so important to him and his family to have his customers experience an enhanced dining experience.

He beautifully articulated that this family restaurant isn't just an establishment; it's their home, and he wants customers to feel the same sense of being "at home," acknowledged, cared for, appreciated, and well-fed.

During our discussion, Mario emphasized the significance of valuing his staff’s hard work. He expressed that he doesn’t want his employees’ energy, efforts, or food to go to waste because of any misunderstandings. Mario’s dedication to supporting his employees and fostering a positive customer experience is truly admirable.

After our call, Mario sent a follow-up text, thanking us for our time and the review. He explained that our feedback helped him and his family improve customer support and staff. He reiterated that he would speak with the employee with whom I had an unfortunate interaction, emphasizing his desire for his employees to treat customers like family and the importance of maintaining high morale. Mario shared his understanding of how negativity can spark a ripple effect, expressing his genuine wish to shield his staff, employees, and customers from any negative influence.

Hearing Mario's importance in his business and his genuine desire for the best for his staff and customers...

Reviewing restaurants isn’t my thing but I got really horrible service here today May 31, 2025 between 6:45pm and 7:30pm. I came in for a walk-in order of a large pizza pie and four beef patties that I was going to take out. It was also my first time here and got a bad impression. First, I had to walk down to an atm to withdraw cash because they said they don’t accept Apple Pay or Zelle transfers.

When we finally got cash and placed an order, we had to wait for our order so me and my 9-year old sat at a vacant table where there was no indication that it was reserved. A female waiter with dark brown hair came to ask me and my son to leave the table for another set of dine-in customers. We would have gone out to wait but it was really windy so we had to wait indoors. I felt humiliated and devalued by this waiter. She simply told us to go stand at their already crowded counter where we had to keep moving to permit waiters and other takeout customers to get through. You shouldn’t make your customers feel that way or prioritize dine-in customers over takeout customers. Or you make appropriate arrangements for takeout customers that walk in to have appropriate...

This place is best described as either a totally amazing hit or a total miss with both service and quality. I’ve ordered in, picked up and ordered delivery at-least 10-15 times. With the service, there’s a huge discrepancy between the older gentleman working the counter and the younger man. The older man- has this old Italian charm, he is warm very welcoming, sweet and seems happy to be there, will hand you the food directly with a smile. The younger guy seems unhappy, is borderline rude, doesn’t make eye contact and is super short and just kind of slaps the food on the counter. As for the quality, the pizza is either the most delicious thin crust pizza I’ve ever had in my entire life or…it’s extremely burnt to point it taste like ash. Like black burnt, like surprising that they could allow that to go into the box and out to a customer. These experiences are genuinely 50/50 which is why I described it as a...