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4 reviews for Davinci's
So far, Davinci's is my favorite restaurant in Salem. I've been twice, and have had delightful meals each time.
The atmosphere is really nice, with a bar, wood fired oven, and lounge area downstairs, and a dining room upstairs. When I went last thursday, they had a live jazz trio over by the door, which sounded fantastic, and made the atmosphere all the better.
The menu has some really tasty offerings. The list of entrees is small, and there's a section of "small plate pastas," which I was curious about. Upon asking the waiter, he said that the portions are about half a normal entree, but it's common for them to double the size of the pasta to make it a full serving.
With that knowledge about the pastas, my friend and I each ordered a salad, shared an appetizer, and each ordered a small pasta. It was a really nice amount of food, yet we didn't feel overly stuffed.
Their entree offerings are great, the rack of lamb is generous, and the steak is some of the most flavorful meat I've tasted in a long time. The wine list is quite large, with some nice selections.
I had stayed away from Davinci's for a long time, since I had heard terrible things about the service. I was quite surprised, then, when I found great service there each time I've been.
I have nothing but good things to say about Davinci's. It's a wonderful restaurant, with creative, tasty food, a great atmosphere, and helpful, pleasant service.
Let it be known that I can NEVER finish a meal at a restaurant. I generally eat a third of it or less, then take the rest home and feast on it for days. So when I say the portions were small, I really mean it.
Things didn't start off well at DaVinci's. We called ahead for a reservation and were told that they couldn't accommodate us for about 2 hours. When we got there, the place was nearly empty. My dad asked, and they'd been empty all day. We didn't even need reservations, let alone wait two hours for them.
The service wasn't good. It took a really long time to get our water, our bread and our orders in. My mom and I decided to split a salad and a "small plate" of pasta. The waiter took our orders and left. Some time later, he brought us the salad. It was SO SMALL. I mean, seriously. MAYBE it was a cup of lettuce, but I think it was less. It looked like half of a small salad, and we were surprised that we were supposed to share it--especially because it cost $9. Then the entree came, and we were shocked to see that it was JUST as small. As I said, I can't eat very much. But that pasta dish was enough for me to finish, and I don't even have a regular appetite. When we talked to the waiter about the portion size, he got defensive and told me that "people split these orders all the time!!!" I got my own order of the pasta (for an extra $10) and finished the whole thing.
If you plan to go to Davinci's, know that their definition of "small plate" is REALLY, REALLY small. Even if you share two things, it will not be enough food. For what you get, my family and I thought the food was overpriced, and the service was really bad.
The moment you walk in, you feel as though you're not in Salem but in a hip urban center. The atmosphere is chic without being pretentious. This is an Italian restaurant with a great selection of food and wine---and the back corner of the first floor feels much like a cozy wine bar. The food is more expensive, but if you are there during "Happy Hour" the appetizers are half off or more and are delicious. The menu also featured a Thursday night Wine Tasting where for a fixed price ($15-$25) you can taste a flight of wines and the accompany meats, cheeses and olives. The service was also excellent: extremely friendly and attentive. I can't wait to go back.
Located next to the Elsinore Theatre, this Italian restaurant is a popular place for intimate or romantic dinners among the locals. Tastefully decorated, Davinc's is divided into two sections with a nice bar/louge downstairs and the restaurant located upstairs. They encourage reservations and try to accomodate any special needs. Though their prices are a bit on the expensive side and the portions small by American standards, they offer a wonderful selection of wine and their food is excellent. I wouldn't eat here every night (because it would put a big dent in my bank account and definitely expand my waistline!), but it's great for a special occasion. Definitely worth checking out!
