Located in the heart of Downtown San Diego near the marina district, Salvatore’s inspired by the elegant minimalist details of nature. Salvatore’s is walking distance from the San Diego convention center and downtown hotel/resort district. The kitchen draws influence from the shores of the Mediterranean and Italy, while creating a visionary express of flavorful and modern California Mediterranean cuisine. Salvatore’s San Diego embodies a multi-sensory culinary sanctuary for our guests to escape, disconnect and have a great time. EUDAIMONIA’ the contended, happy state you feel when you travel.
Veteran eatery serves refined, carefully sourced Italian fare in a romantic, white-tablecloth space.
Ligia.
This restaurant is so cool and service is really good. We’re a large party and our server took very good care of us. The dishes are really good. The group’s fave was the meatballs. We had their burrata salad, bolognese, the sea bass, and great drinks! The music is loungy EDM, the lights are colorful and the place is more upscale. It’s a beautiful place to come on a date, with a large group after work, or solo at the bar. Again, the atmosphere is simply gorgeous! We’ll be back!
… moreMisty Lopez
First off I’d like to personally thank everyone who made my “Galentine” dinner a hit! I was able to celebrate with 30 amazing women & enjoy this delicious restaurant. The service was phenomenal- Stefan went out of his way to hand deliver 30 long stem roses to the ladies, & put rose petals on the tables. Sal was so kind to make sure the private room was set up perfectly & Mya gave excellent customer service & waited on 39 ladies from drinks, appetizers & dinner with no complaints! Thank you so much! I will definitely recommend & book a party here again-
… moreD & S
Had an early dinner at Salvatore’s on NYE.
The food was so good! Elegantly served, drool worthy aromas, taste buds blown away, and appetites were filled. No complaints on the meals.
With the evening complimented with some burlesque dancing, the family was greatly entertained and enjoyed a NYE’s dinner to remember in San Diego.
… moreAlessandra Andrade
Service was amazing. Ambiance was energetic and the food was amazing! I recommend the spicy rigatoni and the lamb chops thank you for this special evening I will recommend to all my family and friends! ❤️
… moreZakiah Baudisch
Salvatore’s Cucina and Lounge exceeded all expectations! The appetizers were absolutely amazing—each dish was bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. My dinner was delicious, even though I had filled up on appetizers alone. The service was equally impressive; the staff was attentive, friendly, and efficient, even on a packed Friday night. Despite the bustling atmosphere, everything ran smoothly, and I never felt rushed. This place is a gem, and I can’t wait to return!
… moreCeci
My friend and I actually ate here a couple years ago, and remembered we had a great meal, and figured we’d come by again.
Safe to say, the food is still as good as we remembered! I got the spicy vodka rigatoni, and it was just the right amount of cheesy, saucy, and spicy. My friend got the pepperoni pizza, and the cheese was so gooey she got some amazing cheese pulls. It was a well needed meal after a whole day of walking!
As for the drinks, they were great too. I got the purple refresher which was nice and sweet, and my friend got the passionfruit cooler, which was equally bright and refreshing.
The space itself is nice and modern, they have a dining area in the front for people who want to just eat, and then in the back they have a darker bar area for those who want to just drink.
If you’re in downtown San Diego, give this place a try!
… moreMatt Smith
This was one of the worst dining experiences. I’ve had in a long time. We went here to celebrate my daughter graduating from college. Our server Lexi was awful. Had to continually flag her down for assistance. Had to ask multiple times for my beverage. She never checked on us unless we flagged her. Upon speaking to the manager, we were told she has received numerous complaints in the past as well as our complaint on December 20, 2025. The food was pretty decent, which is the only thing that was good about this experience. There was only two other people in the restaurant when we arrived so it’s not like they were busy.The service we received ruined this experience for us and I will never go to this establishment again.
… moreJulie Garcia
I am SUPER excited that Salvatore’s is open again. We used to go before they closed and now that there are new owners, the place is even better.
Such a nice vibe and welcoming staff. We were pleased to see many of the same items on the menu but also new dishes such as the Baja pasta. The drinks were unique and delicious as well. I highly recommend you giving this place a shot. You won’t be disappointed.
… moreMary Brown
The fried olives with ricotta and honey were amazing. Swordfish was well prepared with sweet beets and bright tomatoes. The mushroom pasta with peas was rich and creamy. Wine list was mediocre. Dessert was nothing to write home about. After dinner drink menu was non-existent. Bizarre, loud music hammering over the loudspeaker was extremely annoying. Service was lacking, considering the prices. This place doesn’t know what it wants to be. While parts of it were definitely fine dining (appetizers and entrees alone were 5 stars), other parts were trying too hard to be a night club/pick-up joint. Recommend dining on the patio or getting appetizers and entrees to go. Had to lower my rating due to ambience, service, dessert and lack of digestifs, given the price.
… moreBhavini Kapadia
Food and service was good. We were told happy hour is only available if you sit at the bar or outside which was not clear prior to us going. With kids we could not do that so we did not get happy hour prices.
… more