Imagine if Olive Garden had never became the staple of American suburban Italian restaurants, and you'd have something akin to Saluto's. Owned by the same people as my other favorite locally owned steakhouse, Backyard Steak Pit, this place has some great options for you if you love Olive Garden, but don't want chain food. Start out first with the amazing house salad, which is superior to the garden with a sweet, tangy homemade herb dressing. We enjoyed mostaccioli with pesto and the pasta seemed to have been made fresh on premises. It was fresh tasting, but it was heavy. The portions are huge.
I had some good ribs with a tangy barbecue sauce. Not too smoked, Â very moist and the meat fell off the bone as if they had been boiled a while and then quickly finished in an oven.
They have a decent draft beer list which includes a couple of options from the local Warrenville, Illinois Two Brothers brewery. The Cane and Ebel Rye beer is excellent.
The best part about the place was our very friendly server, who was attentive, Â professional and left us wanting for nothing.
So we returned to this dump again because a friend wanted to give it a try, and I thought maybe I missed something the first time around... I didn't.
Folks - bottom line this place needs to be avoided. They don't even merit my usual breakdown. The service was so poor at several points I thought about walking out. WHY does it take 5 minutes to come and greet the table, and another 7 minutes to bring back drinks? I'm stumped! The server was an order taker, barely spoke, simply looked at the next person like "are you gonna order, or what?" and waited.
The food is a nightmare - even Gordon Ramsey couldn't save it. The pasta tasted like it was 10 years old, the sauce like it belonged in a nursing home, and forget the greasy, watered down, old-vegetables pizza....
Skip this place - I don't think in all my years reviewing that I've ever called a restaurant a dump - THIS place is a dump, and it's owners, even though multiple helpful reviews have cried out for change, don't care. AVOID.
We went to Salutos last night about 7:30 pm, not so great experience:
1. When we entered, no hostess. one of the servers walking by and said "I'll go get the hostess".
2. When the hostess arrived she carried a cup of coffee and complained about how busy it was, put her coffee down to show us the reservations she had that evening. (Strike 1)
3. We were seated in a booth near a large 60th birthday party--VERY LOUD, hard to hear each other over. The room was very dim, the candle wasn't lit at the table. The decor fake Tuscan outdoor cafe.
4. The menu print was VERY small and hard to read in the dim light (Strike 2).
5. The waitress was friendly, nice, and met all of my special requests accurately--she even checked to see if they had decaf tea (which they did!). Â She lit the candle at the table (didn't help with the lighting). She did everything right, nothing out of the ordinary but efficient AND she left us alone. We put a high price on being left alone while dining.
6. Food--average:
 -The minestrone was average, if a little overcooked noodles. My salad was good, chicken cooked perfectly, salad EXACTLY as I ordered. The dressing was AMAZING! I REALLY enjoyed the complexity of flavor.
 -My husband had chicken parmesean sandwich, an average sandwich could be picked up at any pizza joint, but the sauce was weak, flavor lacking flavor, there was  a large portion.
7. When we left, the hostess was at the front huddled with others never acknowledging us on exit. (Strike 3).
8. Parking lot is small so if it's busy, you will have a hard time parking.
Salutos: We will never going to dine in there again--will order carry out and MAKE sure to get the salad dressing, it's a little slice of heaven.
I bid farewell to Salutos...last couple of times I have been here, the food quality has diminished and seems processed. Everything comes out with a lot of sauce, seeming to cover up other stuff. The portion size and prices are getting bigger and higher. They need a decor update and reduced portions with a price drop or a light side menu.
Review Source:I really like this restaurant. The staff are always friendly and the service is good. It has a cozy feel to it. One caution, though - it is a bit dim and the print on the menu is small, so be prepared with reading glasses unless you're less than 20 or have 20/20 vision in dim light.
I love their salad and dressing. It's a great intro to a great meal. The bread is always warm and tasty. I could pig out on just the salad and bread and be happy, I think.
...but then I'd miss out on the great entrees. The pastas are great and perfectly cooked. The alfredo sauce is creamy and incredibly tasty.
I highly recommend the Pollo Saluto and Rotolo combination. It's excellent. The Pollo Saluto is a chicken breast stuffed with cheese and prosciutto, and covered with a red sauce that's got a great smoky, peppery taste to it. If you're not sure about it, they'll bring you a sample of it. The Rotolo is like a wonderful Italian Ho-Ho, with multiple cheeses, spinach and ham rolled into a pasta and smothered in alfredo sauce. Heaven!
The Pollo ala Alex is very good, too, if you're looking for a pasta entree that's not as heavy (less sauce, lighter sauce).
I've been to Saluto's a number of times and never gotten a bad meal.
I have mixed feelings about Saluto's. I like the food for the most part. The Portabella Parmesan is tasty. The cheesecake is creamy and homemade (I think). The salad is delightful. Â But they fail at a few things; their pizza is not good, and their take out is rude. They charge the same price for take out as dine in, but there is no salad included. That is the best part of the meal! So, when deciding on dinner, Saluto's is an alright option, but not our first choice.
Review Source:3.5 stars
Eggplant Parm with added chicken and calamari, which is not breaded, was delicious! I love their tomato sauce and their salad dressing! The bread was fresh and very good too...The only qualm I had was the side pasta (fettucine alfredo) was not so good. The pasta seemed freshly made, but it lacked deliciousness. So basically, everything but the side pasta was yummy and you should go get your grub on!
Decent place! The food is good, yet the prices are high. The atmosphere is good, yet the prices are high. If you have the money, and the patience for slow staff, than go for some great Italian food! But if not, I suggest you pass for the day... There are still better Italian places within the area
Review Source:This is quick. Â Salad and rolls= 5 stars. Â Â All Entrees= 1 star. Â Pasta is just awful and their sauces are just disgusting with maybe the exception of their spicy Ameritricana. Â The Rotolo used to be good.... I don't know what happened as it now has shriveled on my plate to puny portions and tastes tough and rubbery. Â Getting back to the salad and rolls. Â Wow! Â Unique house dressing is awesome and the rolls are very addictive as well. Â Too bad they can not replicate the salad success with the other parts of their business.
Review Source:The service at this restaurant was terrible. When my family and I arrived at the
front desk, we were just stared at by 4 different servers. Our existence was not acknowledged until the fifth server who then alerted the hostess. Once we were seated our waitress was average.  The food was surprisingly good though. I had the pollo salutos with red wine sauce and was pleasantly surprised.  First impressions are big with me. The great food does not make up for the bad service. I will  not be back to this restaurant.
One of the best meals I've had in a long time.
Stopped here with a couple other families after a trip to great america based on the reccomendation of someone who grew up in the area. Â Moderately crowded by they did a great job of seating 13 of us with about 1/2 notice.
Great service. Â I asked our server what she'd suggest between the lasagna and the steak saluto and she said the steak, you can get lasagna anywhere. Â I like someone with an opinion who doesn't suggest everything is equally good.
Went with the steak and it was absolutely out of this world. I live about an hour away from here but would consider the drive just to come back for this fantastic dish.
I would have gone with 5 stars but a few people in our party weren't thrilled with the more traditional italian dishes they ordered, but i loved the steak saluto!
Place is overpriced and the service I received on a take out for pizza was not a great experience. Â When we got home the pizza was not cut and toppings were all over. Â When you say the order will be ready in 25 minutes and I wait 40 minutes without an apology that ain't cool! Â The place was so much better 5 plus years ago.
Review Source:When going to Salutos with the family stay in the front dining room and enjoy the great pizza and pasta dishes, for lunch or dinner. Big plates, good prices and super friendly service, you can't go wrong. To have a bit more fun go to the back there is a large bar, very nicely decorated and a terrific bartender. They have a great on tab beer selection and many Martinis. Same dinners and pizzas are served in the bar, just a bit more fun. Chicken Parmesan as a plate or sandwich is never wrong, most dishes come with a salad and the home dressing - very good!
Review Source:OK, so I need to write two reviews, one for the regular dining experience and one for our rehearsal dinner we had here.
So, this is for the regular dining experience...
The staff is very friendly and attentive and you are well taken care of here
The ambiance is a little outdated, like other posters have said. It's dark, there is vinyl tablecloths and plastic cups for the drinks
The food is ok. I don't see what the big fuss is about. It's kinda pricey too. I ordered the fettuccine alfredo and he sauce was very bland and watery and the pasta was mushy.
All in all, it's an ok place, but not someplace I want to go to all the time.
Now, we had our rehearsal dinner here and we had the 3 pasta package. We chose penne with vodka sauce, mostacholi with marinara sauce and fettuccine alfredo.
The vodka sauce was really good, but the penne pasta was way too thick and had no flavor to it. I didn't try the other pastas, but they got mixed reviews from our guests.
The service was great and the staff was attentive. We had the back room all to ourselves and had a very nice time.
The cost was a bit pricey though, where if we wanted a meat dish (like chicken marsala for example, it would have been like $15 per person, as opposed to the $10 we paid for the 3 pasta options).
The sauce was bland and their prices are a little on the higher side for what you're getting. I didn't care for the calamari as it didn't have enough breading. Also when I Â ordered a pound of it to go they only gave me a small teeny cup of marinara sauce. I don't think I'll come back. Â The food was decent but not worth the price tag.
Review Source:I try to keep my reviews in a positive tone, but this has to be said. Look, to the poster that said to other Yelpers, Â "don't bitch about the pasta", I say, "Whaaat???" It's an ITALIAN restaurant, period. The Yelpers that are commenting on the beyond lackluster pasta, are spot on.
In my case, though this is my first review for Saluto's, I specifically asked the waitress prior to ordering, if the pasta was fresh and homemade on the premises, as claimed on the menu, to which she assured me it was. People, if this pasta is homemade there, they do it so poorly I found it unpalatable. Don't claim it's fresh and homemade if it's not gonna deliver in technique or flavor. I've got no problem with using dried pasta. So either use that, or, don't print it on the menu that it's fresh and homemade as some sort of claim to fame. It was awful. Just look at the picture I posted of the so-called fettuccine. Maybe it was fresh at some point, albeit still poorly made and seasoned, but it died a horrible icebox death long ago. The rest of the menu that I've experienced (half a dozen visits) is average with above average pricing-- as in expensive for what you get.
But yeah, their salad is good, so, you know, there's that...
Rant over. :-P Wow, how many times did I use the word, "homemade"?
I went here right after i left THAT PASTA PLACE(read my other review) and it didn't get much better. The food was very expensive and i got a steak dish with this read sauce that was so over barring that i couldn't taste any of the food. The waitresses could be a little nicer, it almost seemed forced. The pasta is to thick and bland. I've had better. Is the only place to get good food is the city?
Review Source:Holy crap! I can't believe this place does not have 5 stars.
This place is really fantastic. The servers are ALWAYS nice. The salad dressing is what legends are made of. The garlic rolls are always fresh and hot and good. Steak Saluto? Don't mind if I do!
I see a lot of the reviewers here are basing this on pasta? What? I mean seriously, why even get pasta if you're just gonna bitch about how much cheaper it would be to cook it at home? Everybody knows it's cheaper to cook it at home. Whatever dude. You know the definition of insanity is doing something over and over again that doesn't work, right?
Ah well. Haters be hating, I guess. Try this place if you are up in the area and are craving a good Italian sit-down dinner. You won't be disappointed.
In my view, not worth the time and just assume cook my own spaghetti and make my own salad.
We have been here several times and tried the various items on the menu and it's safe to say that each time we left with, "I've had better and not sure we'll come back." Â
I suppose everyone has their taste, and in several other reviews I see that people like the house special salad dressing. Â In fact, I think it's the only dressing you can get here. Â When we first came the waitress raved over the dressing, so we got the family sized salad and I must say, upon the first bite I felt as if I was duped for the dressing was odd tasting and not something I cared to have again.
We did wait for some time for the pizza to come, which to be honest, I'm okay in doing providing that the pizza is good. Â By atmosphere alone it is clear that this is a neighborhood establishment thus I was thinking they have great pizza. Â Which turned out to be an incorrect assumption and I've had better at a pizza hut. Â Â
On another visit, we learned from our mistakes and this time didn't order the salad or the pizza. Â Instead went with pasta dishes. Â It turns out that the home made spaghetti is not that great and I found it a bit chewy. Â For me, the sauce was runny and bland. Â
If I go back to this place, it would be to try out the bar for that did look like a fun place.
Like most other reviewers, the rolls and salad dressing are worth the stop. I'm not a huge fan of tomato based sauces (except my own), but I love alfredo.
There is a dish I've only found here at Salutos that is the best pasta I've ever had. I've been to this restaurant about 12 times, and I always order the Rotolo.... handmade pasta sheets layered with prosciutto and spinach, and cheeses, rolled, baked and topped with alfredo sauce.
Never had a bad plate of rotolo!
I'm all about skipping the restaurant chains to support local businesses. So when we have a craving for Italian food, Saluto's is the place to go for us.
Honestly, I don't know why there are so many negative reviews. The pasta is made fresh, the food is really good overall, and the staff has treated us well, My wife and I have eaten lunches and dinners there, often stop by for pick-up orders, and we've even held a baptism reception there.
Okay, so the ambiance isn't the best... it's really dark and the whole inside needs a makeover. However the food is what keeps us coming back. Try their fresh pasta with the vodka sauce or any over their sandwiches.
Good but average. Their concept would really be well served to revamp their sauce (red)- it is bland and below average.
I LOVE their house salad dressing- yummy! Â One can buy some to go if he desires. Â
Service is average and prices reasonable.
This is not my favorite, but ok... The salad dressing brings me back for the occasional lunch.
Everyone has their "staple" restaurants, those dining spots that have been consistent year after year. Â You know the menu, the staff and what to expect. Â Salutos used to be one of those trusted restaurants. Â
Now, cue sled and large hill. Â And so began Salutos fast and steady trip down, down, down.
First it started with service issues. Â Wait staff that just didn't seem to care coupled with managers that seemed to care even less. Â Then came the changes to the menu. Â Not only were some of my favorite entrees removed, but the quality of the food changed as well.
I kept going back thinking things would improve. Â Sadly, they have not. Â Insert unhappy emoticon here.
Salutos used to be great, but recently the prices have gone up and the quality of food and service has gone down. Â The fresh pasta is WAY too thick and bland for me, the bread rolls are not homemade anymore, the pizza is sloppy and tastes just okay. Â The restaurant was remodeled a while back and each room gives you a different feel. Â The side room is really informal and old-looking, the main room is very dark and drab, the newer bar is bright and fun ... very weird layout!
Review Source:Went to Salutos for the first time last night. Liked the atmosphere, but the food was average at best, and below average in a most cases.
Had their sampler 1 for appetizers with toasted ravioli which was pretty good. The Spedeni wasn't as good, too much moisture in it, and not enough seasoning. The stuffed mushroom tasted like one you'd get in the freeze aisle at your local grocery.
You had a choice of soup or salad, but if you get a salad your only dressing choice is their house Italian. The Minestrone was almost as good as the Progresso stuff from a can, which isn't saying much.
For entrees we tried the Portabella Parmigiana which was over cooked and kind of greasy, indicating a less than great cheese choice on their part.
The Steak Saluto was okay, the mushroom stuffing was pretty good. The heavy (waitress' description) wine sauce wasn't heavy tasting, it tasted burnt which pretty much wrecked the dish.
Both entrees came with a side of pasta. The tomato pesto sauce lacked much flavor, and the garlic vodka was a little better, but still lacking punch.
Overall not a great food experience, though the waitstaff was nice, and at 5:30 Friday we were surprised to get seated fairly quickly.
It was the worst dining experience I have ever had...
We did a girl's night out here, and it started out ok...but everything went down hill from there.
The food itself was not bad, but the night we went they claimed they were having "kitchen"issues.
Unfortunately, all I could smell was racial insecurity. The treatment we received was less than favorable.
They did a great job of making sure that we never step a foot back into their establishment.
Bathroom - Needs to be updated sub-par at best
Servers - Need better training on how to handle confilct
Atmosphere - Not a place you want to go to if you are a minority
Food - This is the the thing...the food was not bad
So sad that instead of seeing the color of our money, it was the color of our skin that led to the inequality of service, and ultimately led to a lousy dining experience.
Avoid this place, there are other fantastic eateries that are better in service and quality of food.
Never going back....Period.
So I decided to try this place out after reading the mixed reviews. Â Basically this place is great in some areas and not so great in others. Â So here is the breakdown of my visit.
My wife and I arrived and went to the hostess podium to see about getting a table. Â The hostess was a complete space cadet. Â She was rambling on about some lady who was there and then left and she was finding her a table. Â She was confused about who to seat first. Â We had a nice laugh about it with the other couple waiting for a seat. Â So the hostess takes us to a booth that is right next to the doorway to the kitchen. Â Which means there is a ton of employee foot traffic and we can see right into the kitchen. Â The hostess says "Oh you two are young we can stick you here and you won't mind!" Â Which we really didn't mind, but was pretty ignorant for her to say that to us. Â So the tables have vinyl table cloths that look terrible and the silverware is wrapped in paper towels. Â We order our drinks and the waitress was great! Â My wifes ice tea and water come to the table in disposable looking plastic cups. Â My rum and coke was served in a glass and was mixed well, but a little watered down. Â We order our food and the salad and bread arrive. Â They give us nice plastic plates for our salad. Â As others have stated the dressing is to die for! Â The bread was so so. Â The food is great! Â The pasta is all homemade and everything was made wonderfully. Â The server was great and very tentative. Â My first impression when we walked in was not so good and had I walked out before eating the food I would have never gone back. Â This place is loud and the table setup is cheap, but the food is outstanding. Â I will be back, but will be better prepared. Â This isn't a good place for a date nor is it any sort of fine dining, but if you want great food this place is great.
One of my top 10 favorite restaurants in the world. Â I don't know why, because everyone I know only finds this place so-so. Â But for some reason, I just love it.
From start to finish the food is delicious. Â They have amazing rolls (I'll eat like 4 during the meal) and a fantastic salad dressing. Â They bring the salad out in a big bowl for everyone at the table, and the dressing is so good it makes me actually go back for seconds on salad (which never happens).
For my entree, I always order something with alfredo sauce. Â I'm kind of a freak, and I don't like tomato sauce, so I can't comment on that. Â However their alfredo sauce is delcious! Â It's super creamy and rich, just the way I like it. Â Their plain spaghetti covered in alfredo sauce is my favorite dish, but sometimes I'll get other things, like white pizza or stuffed ravioli. Â They used to have an amazing seafood lasagna (with alfredo sauce, shrimp, and crab) but last time I was there it was no longer on the menu.
So, yes, I admit it, I love Saluto's, even if none of my friends do.
The pasta selection is excellent and very diverse. Â All the string pasta and filled pasta's are top-notch and very authentic. Â
All the meat and seafood dishes are good.
The rolls are some of the best I have had.
Not a fan of their pizza, especially anything with sausage.
Among the best authentic Italian food in the area.
This restaurant has been around since I was a kid (~18 years) and has always served up great food for a moderate price. (Check for coupons in those weekly envelopes or in the Clipper magazines to make it really worth your while!)
The cuisine is predominantly Italian. They have some of the best pizza in Lake County (my second favorite only to Giordano's stuffed crust)!!! It's a perfectly spiced pizza with a buttery crisp crust. The pepperoni is thick nad really makes a statement on the thin crust pizza! And, their salad and rolls beat out even Olive Garden! The dressing is homemade (and resembles the color of grass) and is spectacular. Rolls always come out hot, buttery, garlicky, and soft soon after putting in your drink order.
There is also a great selection of noodle/sauce dishes, including some with chicken and shrimp. The best appetizer, if you'll think you'll have room, is the Spinach & Artichoke dip with bread. Again, a perfect blend in the dip of cheese, spinach, artichoke, oils, and spices to make your mouth water! Nom nom!!!
If you live in the area and haven't tried it out yet, give it a go and you're sure to go back!
I was surprised by the low reviews of Saluto's! I have been coming here for years. I just came here on Saturday night with the fam and my soon to be hubs. We have been searching high and low for a place to have our rehearsal dinner in a couple of weeks. We finally decided on Saluto's. The staff was very friendly and they went over all the options for the rehearsal dinner. We have a private room off the the side of the restaurant.
They truly do have awesome salad dressing. It's a pesto mix and it can't be too healthy for you! You can buy it there by the pint. Their pasta sauce is amaZING! It has great flavor and it has bits of black olives in it. I just can't get enough of it! I had the tortellini with marinara sauce. I was so full from the salad and appetizers I had 4 bites and had the rest wrapped.
I will do an update after the rehearsal dinner. I can't believe some people compare this to the Olive Garden! Saluto's isn't a crappy chain, it's a small town family owned restaurant.
I was impressed only with the cheesecake. They claimed on the menu that it was home made and it definitely tasted as such which is not what the rest of the food was like. It was not home made, it had to be frozen or canned or made by the kid down the street. Â I ordered their minestrone soup and "famous"rolls and a grilled chicken salad. Campbells could have done a better job making this soup. The noodles were mushy and it didn't taste fresh. Where exactly are these rolls famous? Prison? they were hard cardboard balls of dough, ick. Chicken on my salad was not grilled, it was browned in a pan. I was so hyped up because my friend recommended Salutos....
Review Source:Probably better than the Olive Garden. If you don't want to brave the wait at the Olive garden by Great America, consider driving a bit further down the street to Salutos.
Several great dishes were had, with interesting flavor combinations that you don't see in the average Italian fare. Plus the salad dressing is like nothing I have ever had before, very good indeed. Roloto had a super thick Alfredo sauce. Mostacholi had a somewhat spicy marinara sauce.
Service was a bit spotty at times, but not too bad. I would definitely come back instead of waiting for Olive Garden.
Doing the Six Flags thing and staying overnight so we could be at the park early, we looked and searched for a non-franchise place to have dinner. Â Stevens Restaurant was too formal and from the looks of things and the reviews here we decided this was worth a try.
Things began really well and the Cheese/Artichoke Fondue appetizer was outstanding. Â Really, really good.
The salad dressing is okay, but not something I would rave about. Â They have lots of it made and in containers for take home, but no one at our table felt it was good enough to warrant taking it home.
We had a wide variety of dishes at the table and none of it was very good. Â The Veal Piccata was very mushy and floating in a very congealed sauce that looked like it came from a can seconds earlier. Â Flavor wise, it tasted like it came from a can. Â
The thin crust pizza (just cheese and sausage--nothing exotic) was pretty bad. Â I could not recommend it at all, and would not eat it if it was free.
The pan pizza did not fare much better. Â Not much flavor, cheese not melted all the way through and just blah.
Waitress was a real pro and a pleasure to meet, and very attentive. Â She made an otherwise poor dining experience at least bearable. Â
Doggy bag went right in the trash, and that made us feel even worse. Â Just couldn't think of reheating and re-eating it.
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