Sal’s Famous Italian Kitchen on N Killingsworth Closes for Good
It seems like a new restaurant is closing every couple of days. This one surprises me because they always were packed, or they have been every time I’ve driven past. According to the Portland Sentinel, the NW location will remain. This isn’t a great loss, as, in my opinion, the food has steadily declined over the last few years. On the other hand, I am sure locals have many good memories from dinners over the years.
Sal’s is known for East Coast Italian, lots of heavy red sauce pasta dishes. It always reminded me of the “Joe’s” restaurants in San Francisco… Little Joe’s, Big Joe’s, etc. They were all hangouts for me in my college days.
The owners of Sal’s also own the Pizzicato Restaurant chain.
truth says
Sorry dude, but you are a little late on this one. Sal’s closed months ago. I believe the owners were contemplating turning it into another pizzicato.
Food Dude says
Well you never told me!! (just hit the papers today).
Truth, I’m disappointed in you.
Aaron says
As a resident in the neighborhood, it was sadder to see the rapid decline in both food and service over the past year. While we used to take our families there as a close-by, family-friendly place where everyone could find multiple choices, the last several times we went were absolutely AWFUL. Seemed the owners/management simply turned away to let things run their course until the lease was out or something better came along. In a way, glad to see the neighborhood recognize and not continue to support the freefall.
Signs on the windows indicate a(nother) Thai restaurant moving in. Too bad – my girls were hoping for a Pho joint!
Food Dude says
I heard a few months ago that the remaining branch in Uptown shopping center has also gone way downhill. The last time I had dinner there (maybe 8 months ago), the food was pretty disappointing
Catherine Cole says
Man; it seems like just a few weeks ago the openings were what garnered headlines. That place was good for a meatball sandwich on occasion. Can’t really say I’ll miss it that much, but the heart still hurts over a restaurant closing.
brewmaster says
Is there one restaurant that’s closed recently that was actually a surprise? Seems to me the good ones are doing just fine.
Food Dude says
Brewmaster, I know quite a few restaurants that are good, but not “doing fine.” There are a few that stand out: Pok Pok, Toro Bravo, Ten 01, but other than those, the ones that are filling the house are few and far between.
Susan says
As an Overlook neighbor who really, really looked forward to Sal’s arrival, it was disappointment from day one. Surly, arrogant waitpeople, mediocre food, failure to prepare a pizza to go (!)…smells like failure.
Andy says
Hmm… Maybe a spike in the price of garlic created some financial hardship.
Tad says
Not to nitpick, but Sal’s did not close “months ago”. I visit(ed) Sals and the Neighboring Mio frequently, not to mention driving by several times a week, and (while the Thai signs just went up in the last week or so) I can’t imagine Sal’s has been closed for more than a month or so.
Anybody have any hard data?
truth says
Tad, I know for a fact that they were closed by the beginning of August.
Yetta says
Yes, It did close at the end of september. It is to bad they didn’t try to serve there public better.