Rizzo's Malabar Inn — Restaurant in Salem Township

Updated cause we went back Duh!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Polka, pasta, and pure joy!

We came to Rizzo’s Malabar Inn for Polka Night, and let me tell you—it wasn’t just dinner, it was a memory. The music was so beautiful it brought actual tears to my eyes, and my 84-year-old mother was absolutely glowing. Watching her smile, tap her foot, and soak in every note was something I’ll never forget.

🎶 The polka? Incredible. 🍝 The food? Out of this world. Every bite was rich, comforting, and full of old-school Italian flavor. 👩‍🍳 The service? Flawless.

And then—Chef Bill Shockley appeared like a culinary angel. Not only is his food amazing (seriously, this man is a magician with a sauce), but he came to our table, made a fuss over my mother, and treated her like royalty. She was absolutely over the moon. THAT is customer service. Thank you for employing Bill—he is truly a gem, and his personal touch made our night unforgettable.

Special shoutout as well to our fantastic server and to the two young ladies who helped me make a reservation for our party of 11. They treated me like family from the very first call—kind, accommodating, and full of that signature Rizzo’s hospitality.

This wasn’t just a meal—it was an experience that fed our hearts as much as our bellies. We’ll absolutely be back. And next time? I’m bringing dancing shoes and an even bigger appetite. 💃🪗🍷⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rizzo’s Malabar Inn – Where Your Taste Buds Go to Confess Their Sins

Listen. I don’t know what kind of holy magic is going on in that kitchen, but I’m 99% sure someone’s Nonna made a deal with the pasta gods.

From the moment I walked in, I felt like I had accidentally wandered into a Martin Scorsese film—but in the best way possible. Cozy, classic, and smelling like garlic, red sauce, and generations of tradition. If you’re not immediately 5 lbs heavier from the aroma alone, are you even in Western Pennsylvania?

Let’s talk food. I ordered the gnocchi and I swear it was like biting into a tiny, delicious cloud that whispered, “Welcome home.” The sauce? Forget about it. I would drink it through a straw and not even feel bad. My date had the veal parm and let’s just say—I lost him. He’s now emotionally committed to the veal. I’ve been replaced and I’m okay with that.

The staff? Absolute saints. Our server moved with the grace of someone who’s been dodging sauce splatters and unreasonable customers since 1987. She knew the menu inside out and had opinions. Real ones. I respect that kind of energy.

Also, shout out to the bar. One Negroni and I was ready to tell my deepest secrets to the maître d’. Thankfully, the dessert tray came out just in time to distract me. Tiramisu so good I wanted to write it into my will.

And let’s not ignore the vibe. This isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a time machine to when Sunday dinners meant something. You don’t leave Rizzo’s. You roll out in a food coma, whispering, “I’ll be back.”

Pro tip: Wear stretchy pants. Trust me. The waistband isn’t strong enough for what’s about to happen.

10/10. Would marry this restaurant...

On the night I was there, I was part of a large group. As I arrived, I noted that their very large parking lot was totally filled, with more cars spilling over to their banquet hall parking lot, across the street. A restaurant that is capable of generating a full parking lot of patrons is usually a good sign.

Most of the group had already arrived, so I was escorted to the table almost immediately. I noted that every other table in the dining room was filled.

The waitress had seen me coming, and I was given a menu almost instantly as I was seated. She attended to the rest of our group and her other tables as I looked things over. A lot of it looked good, but also expensive. She returned to take my order just as I was ready, so I ordered the fried zucchini and the beef ravioli.

The zucchini was excellent! It had been cut lengthwise, into planks. Each plank was just thick enough that it did not become overly mealy when fried. They were huge! I didn’t use any condiments with them, so I can’t review them. In my mind, the zucchini alone was worth 5 stars.

The ravioli was served in a bowl that was absolutely huge and contained 6 to 8 absolutely massive individual ravioli. They were amply covered with sauce, without being fully submerged in it.

Each ravioli appeared to have been homemade, with uneven dough pinches that would be hard for a machine to replicate. I cut into the ravioli, finding the dough thicker than most, cooked with a fresh, but slightly chewy consistency. I wondered if it was just slightly undercooked. Going good, with 4 stars, so far.

The beef filling had been ground to a super fine grind, so the filling had more of a paste consistency. There weren't any of the normal crumbles of ground beef, like most ravioli. Just this thick paste ooze, that was cooked very well done. This made the ravioli take a sharp nosedive, in my opinion. Down to 2 stars now.

The sauce was seasoned mildly enough that it would appeal to most people. I personally like it hotter, and would have added more garlic and hot pepper flakes. It was also rather watery and I prefer a thicker sauce. I don’t know if this sauce was homemade, but I think there was definitely some ingredient that had come in a can. I say this because I think the sauce left a very slight metallic aftertaste in my mouth. I’d rate the sauce at 2 or a very generous 3 stars.

I wish that I could recall the waitress’ name. The service that she gave to our large group, as well as other tables, was absolutely top-notch. I have eaten in some of the finest restaurants around the world, and the level of service that she provided would have been right in line with any of them.

Overall, I’d give this restaurant 3½ stars. The disappointment I felt in their ravioli was saved by the zucchini and stellar service. I am aware that my scores are lowered based on my personal preferences, and that other people might grade the same foods higher. I am curious to find out if their other dishes are better and would be willing to give this restaurant another try,...

I hate leaving bad reviews, and I usually don't leave them, but I seriously don't understand the overwhelming amount of good reviews this place has. We went for the first time tonight and were underwhelmed. The restaurant itself is very nice and our server was pleasant and attentive, but that's pretty much where the positives stop. The host, who I think was possibly a manager, was less than friendly. He barely offered a hello when we came in and immediately asked if we had a reservation. We did not & he seemed super annoyed by that. We got there before the dinner rush and were able to get seated immediately. Even when we were leaving, the dining room was still only a quarter of the way filled so I don't get the attitude. On to the food. My husband got the chicken parm. It was not breaded and was thick, tough, and dry. You could barely cut it. I got the Italian sampler & half of it was spaghetti, the gnocchi tasted like the chewy tasteless packaged stuff, and the piece of lasagna was super small. It was maybe only 4-5 bites. The ravioli was just ok. The overall portion size of the meals were decent but the quality was mediocre at best. The sauce was the best part but still not good enough to make us go back. The price did NOT match the quality. I'd rather have smaller portions of good food than larger portions of bad food. From the time we were sat at our table to when we finished eating was maybe 20-30 minutes total. Our waitress brought our meals out literally 5 min after she took our order. The fact that our food came out immediately tells me that everything is pre-cooked & just run thru the oven or microwave to melt any cheese before they bring it out. Even she agreed it came out super fast when we commented about it. We were hoping for a new go to Italian place but this will be our one...