Salle Pianos & Events

Save yourself the stress and book elsewhere.
I booked Salle Piano for my October 18 wedding reception. I live in Wyoming so I was dealing with Tibor Szabo (the owner) from afar. He asked us to make our deposit to his personal account. We got a vague contract in writing, but any time we emailed or texted him, he would call… no paper trail. We had a nervous feeling from the beginning. We planned everything to perfection. We booked our own rentals, shipped out linens, hired a DJ for dancing, drove in décor from Wyoming, purchased the liquor, and hired an incredible florist. We created a floor plan that would fit our 90 guests. We had multiple meetings and printed out the details for Tibor to reference… the contract, floor plan, menu, and the timeline to be CLEAR with Tibor what we agreed upon and what needed to happen on October 18.
In our written contract Tibor (Salle Pianos) agreed to provide a professionally cleaned venue, gourmet food (4 passed apps, colorful salad, mixed veggies, salmon, beef tenderloin on a carving station, etc) served in chaffing dishes, staff of 5 ppl for setup/​breakdown and serving/​bartending, and a musician for dinner hour.
Our contract was not fulfilled… We got 1 «server» who washed dishes, 1 bar tender who was hired the day of the wedding, food that was purchased from various places (including safeway sushi rolls, white rice, sausage, iceberg lettuce with ranch dressing, steamed brussel sprouts, and mystery meat chunks) served in disposable metal trays, served cold, and not enough for everyone. Some guests ate dinner across the street at Zuni’s. The musicians didn’t show. My own parents, aunt/​uncles, and best friends were at Salle Pianos on Friday night until 1:00am cleaning toilets, setting up tables, mopping the floors, etc. This was my worst nightmare. My family and bridesmaids who traveled from all over the nation had to WORK at the venue to get it presentable. My guests were asked to help bus tables because he didn’t have the 5 staff members that we paid for and was in our CONTRACT. It was embarrassing!
Now let me talk about the real stress… When I booked Salle Pianos it was a 3000 square foot beautiful, open space. Two weeks before the wedding I flew in to San Francisco. There was a large wall built right down the middle of the venue. One side was completely remodeled and painted white. While the other side was still the same old shabby chic venue except with fabric covering the exposed 2x4s, and was a disorganized wreck. What we didn’t realize was that Tibor did not rent the second half of the venue anymore. He was constantly telling me not to worry; the wall was only temporary and would definitely be coming down well before our wedding date. Well, the day before my wedding, the wall was still up. He needed $ 5000 to take only ½ the wall down!!! It was our only option. My family had arrived and we had to spend the entire day dealing with the stress of not knowing if we would have a wedding reception the very next day. Let me reiterate… we did not know if we would have a wedding reception for the 90 people who traveled from across the country!
I am not the type of person to write negative reviews. I was taught to see the good in people and always write thank you notes. All other events we planned for the wedding weekend were a perfect success… including a yacht trip, garden ceremony, picnic in Alamo Square, and a healsburg wine tour. I am thankful that
exist so that people can view both positive and negative experiences. I simply hope this Unilocal review may save someone the distress that my family went through in October. My parents’ experience of their only daughter’s wedding was tainted by Tibor Szabo. Go elsewhere. Please save yourself the mental and financial anguish.

Do not rent here. After a bad experience — and Unilocaling the truth — the owner is harassing us now to take down the review. Here is the communication I just received from him. Be careful with this man: none of what is written below is true, honest or factual. I received this communication via my personal Facebook account. Completely unacceptable, aggressive and violating. (And it’s in writing)
«Tibor — Are you aware of the fact that _​_​_​_​_​_​_​handwrote a declaration that the party was a success and that nobody will post despicable vomit smelling reviews like yours. My opinion of you is similar to yous of us. Extremely low. We have done fantastic things for this city and now we will on a much larger scale. Nobody with your culture lacking miserable energy will be allowed near. If you could please fix the lies you and your miserable brains posted I will reach out to _​_​_​_​_​to resolve this. Please do not answer it won’t be read. The alternative Is to sue you and the other party. With his declaration you will loose. Let’s just got on with life? thank you
Me — please do not contact me again. Any other communication is deemed as harassment.
«Tibor — I can only sent you what you wrote (unintelligible). As I said I am not reading. The choice is yours. You fix it or the process server will visit you at work.

My club had a holiday party here and I was shocked at the poor service and treatment we received. There were over 60 of us and we were confined to a small space with chairs for only 20 people and NO tables to eat a meal. Apparently, the owner did not inform our group that the agreed space would be under construction. In fact, there was a wooden construction wall blocking that space. There was not enough food. In addition, there were only a couple of people serving the food and taking back the plates (in fact, folks just left the plates on the floor since there was no place to set them down). The floors had ruts in them and I was worried that folks in high heel shoes might get their shoes caught and fall over. A couple of times during our club’s award presentation, a staff member’s phone went off. felt that we were scammed.

This place is a scam and buyer beware — pay attention to the bad reviews and not the good ones. We had our running group’s holiday party here last Friday. They had a contract for a cocktail hour and sit down dinner in the open room but instead, there was this uncovered construction wall blocking the open room, which left us about 500 square foot of space for over 75 people, which is a fire hazard. Also, the floor is dips in the middle and there is a HOLE in the middle of the floor, which is a liability as well. There were no warning signs or signs of attempted repair. This place is really piss poor and unless you want to be embarrassed, don’t have your holiday party here (or any event).
We did not have the sit down dinner we expected. Instead, we all STOOD and there were about 12 chairs for everyone. The food came out on one table and there was not enough food for everyone. The plates came out WET. The sea bass was undercooked and one person got sick. The appetizer portions and quality were also dismal. They had cups of hummus and one pâté with a package of crackers. The bread for the bruschetta was not toasted and cold. There were not enough lamb shanks.
There was no dancing as expected since everyone went home early, tired from standing around all night and not having enough food.
TERRIBLE VENUE. DO NOT RECOMMEND AT ALL. SAVE YOURSELF THE HEADACHE. I felt like we were having a party at someone’s studio.

Beautiful venue! I attended a wedding reception and a small concert at Salle Piano. The space is beautifully decorated with Classical-​style antiques, plants, and has nice high ceilings for wonderful acoustics. The owner is very personable and accommodating.

My engagement party was held here and it was such a wonderful evening! My friends kept telling me it was the best engagement party they had ever been to. We had great service and food along with an intimate classical concert that left my guests speechless. Tibor organized the musicians. They were young adult musicians that were so talented and gave us such a good performance. Afterwards we had a sit down dinner catered by Tibor and his staff with a pianist playing in the background. The meal was fantastic! Afterwards was more drinking and dancing. Overall this venue is perfect for intimate and classy parties. The classical concert added such a nice touch to the whole evening. The vintage pianos added a great backdrop to the rustic feel of the place. We had an absolute blast and I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a unique place for a celebration. Tibor and his staff are great to work with!

My husband and I were married here just a month ago. It was an unforgettable day that i will cherish for the rest of my life.
We came here a year ago for someone’s birthday and immediately fell in love with the space. I was instantly intrigued with Salle Piano’s owner who my good friend described as an eccentric and a bohemian. That he is. We had a great time working with Tibor. He did offer his catering services among other things when we decided to work with him, but we ended up choosing to hire our own vendors which worked out great. We created sort of an informal contract and got everything into an email so we could make sure that everything was followed through on. Tibor allowed us to run our own show, which was a unique opportunity and from my experience, a rare one. He is an artist and needs to collaborate with people who accept this. If you are uptight and looking for someone to manage everything for you you will be best off having your event at a more corporate venue. I was actually quite selective about what i wanted and he was very respectful to our requests.
We had a great time with Tibor. The big day was perfect, the space we had cleaned out and it really paid off. We negotiated to stay until midnight for a slightly higher fee and it was totally worth it. It is a stunning space– romantic, elegant and slightly run down. We will definitely be renting it out again for anniversaries and other special occasions. Thanks Tibor for being so easy going and accommodating to us!

This is an excellent wedding venue. This was my first time visiting this unique location and it ended up being their first wedding reception. The old pianos and décor make for an excellent dinner event. It was decorated great and has some great pieces of art. The acoustics were also good. Definitely check it out if you are in the neighborhood.

My wife recently hosted her opera grad recital here — it was fantastic. Tibor was incredibly helpful throughout the entire event, even helping serve and fixing a delicious goulash for all the guests at the end. I’d definitely recommend Salle to anyone looking to host a performance event.

I had the privilege of purchasing a 1921 Bechstein 234 from Tibor. It is magnificent — ask any professional pianist — and far in a way exceeds my wildest expectations for anything I would ever afford to own. As I told Tibor, I pray that I and my music may be worthy of this instrument.
To whom it may concern at Unilocal: Please do not filter this review along with the numerous other 5-​start reviews of this establishment. It contains the simple truth: there is such a thing as a superior instrument. Tibor knows what they are, and that is what he sells. Thank you.

Whilst strolling down Market by the Zuni late one evening a couple of years ago I noticed a fantastical scene of a place filled with exotic pianos. Upon entering the establishment we came upon some gentlemen working on the keyboard mechanism of an instrument from the 19^th century by the name of an Erard. After a short education on classical European pianos I had a go at it once the keyboard was popped back in.
I ate the goulash.
Recently I had a chance to work with an 1849 Pleyel currently residing in house. Crafted the same year Chopin died and the type and model of piano he would have played. I ripped off a full maestoso rendition of Op. 53 a la Liszt. And it was mega tres bon rockin. Truly magically fulfilling.
So — ah — where else in the world can you find a space that has a constant rotation of amazing and very rare instruments which you may examine, get educated about, let your imagination fly and sit down and play the thing to one’s self utter amazement.
You can purchase the one you love at sometimes a great deal.
The instruments are also highlighted at the recitals and performances occurring on a regular basis.
Tibor has created a great cultural concept and space. If you get it (the concept, that is) — you’ll be truly inspired.
With a little reverence and appreciation you’ll get the goulash.
Thanks Tibor for doing this.

I had my 30^th birthday dinner party at Salle Piano Szalon and it was the most unique and memorable party I’ve ever had. It exceeded my expectations by far. It is an incredibly special venue to have an event — anything from intimate to grand.
Tibor made a delicious Hungarian Goulash that we served family style 50 people seated at tables. Much more unique than any other catering you could find. I also had appetizers from Hayes & Kebab that were wonderful. Tibor’s character and charm is evident in every detail of the place. The ambiance is unrivaled. He helped me schedule a pianist to play during dinner and we brought in a dj to play music afterwards as well. The whole evening was rustic, elegant, comfortable, and extraordinary.
If you’re looking for a one-​of-​a-​kind venue to throw a special event, this place is it. You’ll never find another like it. I’d book it before it gets too well-​known!

I love the events here, Tibor really has lent his old world style to a relaxed atmosphere and the combination can be magical, try his Wednesday salons with Art, Music, and a glass of good wine.

This is part of an email correspondence which the owner of this establishment initiated with me after we didn’t want to purchase the two pianos he was anxious to sell to us for at least a couple of months:
So that you can make sense of his email, note that by «old lady» he is referring to my mother (who is, in fact, old):
«
both pianos are sold. i think the old lady and your husband are yamaha, young chang
problem see you around…:)
cheers
«
To which I responded without much restraint (I’m sparing you of my email only because I used the word which begins in «I» and continues with a «D» to tell the guy what I thought of him. I know I shouldn’t have, but I was unduly annoyed).
Also, I have to mention that I specifically requested not to get an email from him ever again.
To this email he replied with the following:
«
old lady is disgusting:)
AN idiot? not A idiot.
«
and again to clarify: by «disgusting» he is referring to my mother (old, but not disgusting. believe me.)
Now, you, of course, maintain your civic liberty to deal with this guy.

A truly unique experience! I had the pleasure of attending the Chaplin Short Films and Bach Partitia #6. Having live music played alongside the Chaplin short films made for a memorable night. Also, the pianist improvised as well which showed a breadth of talent and creativity. The space is intimate, warm, and in a great location. I will definitely go back for concerts in the future!

Yesterday was Ludwig Van Beethoven’s birthday and to commemorate this special occasion Salle Piano honored the musical legend with a beautiful performance of Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Sonata, performed by pianists John Boyajy and Peter Grunberg.
The two pianists were astounding, the spirits were imbibing, and the atmosphere was incredibly sublime. Thank you again Tibor for hosting this wonderful event, I couldn’t be more pleased.

This is by far one of the most magical spaces for art, music and creativity. I have staged three amazing photoshoots for artists and dancer’s within the Baroque/​Renaissance inspired space, and both were a success. The owner Tibor, was so wonderful to work with and really allowed us to use all aspects of the space to capture our vision.
I also have been fortunate to be a part of three amazing musical and art events. Each event was such a success, and everyone loved the wine atmosphere and performances. Salle is such a diamond in the rough, and an amazing place to hold your next event.

We first noticed the Salle by accident through the window from the Zuni Café bar. We walked across the street to see what was happening and were welcomed into a lovely candle-​lit atmosphere of Brahms. Listening to well performed music in this intimate space is magical.
Some months later we decided to hold our wedding and reception at the Salle Pianos and were able to accomplish the same transformation of a piano store into magical ceremony space and dinner for our close friends and family. Most of the pianos were moved out or stacked on their sides at one end of the room, save one lovely green art case grand that was beautifully played for background throughout the evening. Grace Street catering was able to use the kitchen area to pull off appetizers and an extraordinary dinner for 32. The dinner seating left us just enough space to have standing area for the ceremony which also served as dance floor later in the evening.
We had a wonderful evening and provided exactly the experience we wanted for us and our guests, an unusual romantic setting for a memorable experience.
The Salle is busy with events of varying types and also doubles as an actual piano store during the day. Consequently, it requires some attention to logistics to make sure things are in the order you require. It’s best to keep a list of agreements with Tibor to make sure it all stays straight.
Choose the Salle if you are looking for something off the beaten path for an intimate event in a space filled with artistic energy.

My performing group did a show here a couple of weeks ago. The space is beautiful and unique, the audience loved it. Tibor is amazing! The Bay Area is lucky to have such a wonderful supporter of the arts!
I’ve also attended other shows at Salle and they are all a great time. This is a fabulous place to have an event, put on a show or just go and have a good time.

There is no other venue like this in the Bay Area and the space inspires joy and creativity for all who come through it. I promise.
I recently hosted a party here for Anthrob, my Community of Conscientious Hedonists. Several friends performed and people drank wine, nibbled local foods, played the keys and mingled deep into the night. I can’t tell you how many people said that it felt like we were in an old world society artist’s salon.
Anytime I can, I will have my company’s events here. The owner, Tibor, is an absolute pleasure to work with, He is very well connected with talented artisans around the city, and when you need incredible on a budget-​that is invaluable.
The cost for the space is beyond fair (he has a non-​profit rate of $ 800) and he and his arsenal of talented friends can help you pull off anything you can imagine.
You can also check out the website for music events and fundraisers that are open to the public.
Support Salle Pianos it is a gem in the community.