Abstract Objective Concomitant chemoradiation therapy is a standard treatment for head and neck cancer. Thus, salvage surgery has become a necessary treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of salvage surgery by each site of the head and neck, especially the oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx. Methods This was a retrospective, single-institute study. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Secondary endpoints were disease-free survival, the locoregional control rate after salvage surgery, the indication rate for salvage surgery, the reasons for contraindications to salvage surgery, the post-operative complication rate and the predictors of survival. Results Three-year overall survival after salvage surgery was 58.8% in the salvage surgery group and 8.59% in the other treatment group (P < 0.0001). Regarding overall survival and disease-free survival after salvage surgery, there was no difference among sites. Regarding locoregional control rate among sites, there was no significant difference. The oropharyngeal cancer group had the lowest rate of salvage primary resection. Surgical margin and local and regional recurrence or residual disease were predictors on univariate and multivariate analyses. Conclusions Salvage surgery is effective for recurrent or residual cases after concomitant chemoradiation therapy. For oropharyngeal cancer, local control is important, and for oropharyngeal cancer and hypopharyngeal cancer, distant metastasis is important. Salvage surgery for head and neck cancer has become a necessary treatment. This article evaluates the results of salvage surgery by each site of the head and neck.