If you're navigating the beautiful chaos of "tourist trap central" while in Salem, MA, do yourself…read morea favor and skip the overhyped, crowded "Ugly Mug Diner" down the street. Fountain Place Restaurant is just a few blocks away and had zero line. It's definitely got the "tourist trap price" as we walked away spending a little over $100 for a breakfast for three after tax and tip--but honestly, for the quality, the location and speed of service, it felt worth the splurge. The food was well-seasoned and not super greasy (which is usually the typical "diner food" struggle). We went all in on a spread: the Big Breakfast with a pancake, a savory crepe, the hash grilled cheese, a blueberry muffin, and a side slice of French toast. Everything was so good that our group of three actually finished it all! Skip the french toast and go for the pancake. This spot has that classic, cozy vibe without the "greasy spoon" after-feel. If you want a delicious, reliable meal away from the massive lines, this is your spot!

I really wanted to like this place. It has a cute atmosphere, and the waitstaff were nice enough…read more We went during a very busy time, so we only saw our server a couple of times, but I can give them some grace on that. When a restaurant is slammed, I understand that service can be stretched thin. Unfortunately, the food was another story. I ordered a scramble with feta, tomato, black olives, and shrimp, and it was incredibly disappointing. I honestly didn't think you could go wrong with that combination, but something about the feta tasted really strange and made the whole dish unpleasant. Then came the raisin toast. Again, something that seems pretty hard to mess up. It arrived cold and unbuttered. Finally, I ordered a fruit cup, which consisted of a few pieces of honeydew and cantaloupe. That was it, very sad in my opinion. If you're looking for a good breakfast, I'd go somewhere else unless you're really out of options. They did seat us quickly but then had to wait 35 minutes for a rather simple breakfast.

I stopped at the West Street Cafe earlier today just after 7am looking for breakfast and coffee…read more Spur of the moment when I was chilled from my ride in the fog and mist, and needed a break. What I found was an oasis of superb coffee, remarkable food, great service, and a fine dining experience (even for someone just off a motorcycle.) My large Cappuccino was hot, tasty, and seemingly bottomless. Expertly crafted and delivered. My Egg White Green Omelet was unlike any other omelet I have consumed. Loaded with vegetables and just enough cheese, it was warm throughout and (like my coffee) expertly crafted. I noticed a steady stream of customers coming in for drinks and breakfast items. I can see why. My meal was very modestly priced given the quality, quantity, preparation, and service. There was enjoyable music playing, and the dining space (and restroom) is very tastefully decorated and spotless. I ride this route a few times a year and now have a GoTo place for breakfast (or lunch!)

i've wanted to try west street cafe for a long time, and finally decided to after a hike nearby…read more they have a great amount of menu options, and i was pleasantly welcomed for sit down service at the counter. it is a cute cafe with about 8 tables. i started with a small salted caramel latte which was made perfectly, and included biscoff! for the meal, i went for their green melt benedict, which included spinach, avocado, mushrooms, mozzarella. i absolutely loved it, and ate it all. i'd like to add, i usually don't love homefries because most places don't cook them thoroughly enough, but the home fries here were made perfect with the right amount of crispiness. salted caramel latte 10/10 green melt benedict 9.8/10 i truly enjoyed west street cafe, and will be returning on a more regular basis. highly recommended! ambiance: 4.6/5 food: 5/5 drinks: 4.8/5 service: 5/5 west street cafe: 5/5

This is a great little shop to stop in and get coffee and a bite to eat. Nestled in historic…read moredowntown, it's also a favorite of the locals. I stopped by on a warm afternoon to get and iced vanilla latte. The barista was super friendly and my drink was yummy. Make sure and stop in if you're in Marblehead.

What a great little coffee shop! I went with the Chai Latte and as promised it was superb. Nice…read morefoamy top and good flavor. I also had an Apricot Ginger Scone. Oh boy! Everything I hoped for. I make my own scones, so I'm kind of picky. It was nicely textured, not too dry but definitely Scone consistency. A member of my party had the sticky bun and proclaimed it best they had ever had! Making plans to return early another day and have again On top of this the staff at the counter was engaging and pleasant to deal with.

loved! this was my first stop in Salem & it did not disappoint! My waitress was incredible - I wish…read moreI remembered her name to give a shout out but she was wearing a black bandana, had 2 braids & tattoos! The food was great - I had a GF egg & mushroom breakfast sandwich. the mushrooms were marinated and to die for! I also had a nutty professor latte which was 10/10! Overall, cute, cozy place & great experience!

Gulu-Gulu is a solid, casual stop if you're in Salem and need something quick and affordable…read more Gulu-Gulu Cafe has a laid-back, artsy vibe, but overall the atmosphere and food both fall pretty average, nothing bad, just nothing that really stands out. One plus is that they do have some gluten-free options, which is always appreciated, so it's definitely doable if you have a gluten allergy. Overall, it's a convenient lunch spot if you're nearby, affordable, easy but not necessarily a must-visit.

Ledger exceeded my expectations. The space is absolutely beautiful, with a great atmosphere, and…read moreeverything felt very fairly priced for the quality. I sat at the bar, and Sammy was fantastic. She was friendly, attentive, and gave excellent recommendations. Based on her suggestions, I ordered the Saturn cocktail, the gazpacho soup, and the asparagus--and all three were outstanding and easily the highlights of the meal. I also had the tuna tartare and an oyster, which were both good, but Sammy's recommendations were definitely the stars. Excellent food, wonderful service, and a gorgeous setting. I'll absolutely be back and highly recommend trusting Sammy's recommendations if you get the chance!

Currently sitting at the Ledger, and have waiting about 1 hour and 30 minutes for our food and…read moredrinks. Spoke to manager and let her know but here we are still waiting. Multiple tables sat way after us have gotten their plates and drinks.

Good service, immediately greeted with a smile and good energy by the cashier. I ordered a iced…read morecaramel macchiato. It was perfect! as well as an bacon egg and cheese on a toasted croissant which were very fresh. As a complementary, they gave me some cheese bread that tasted very fresh and delicious. The ambience is very clean, relaxing, cozy, and I love their orange couch as a bold statement piece to the coffee shop!

In Salem for a film and found this lovely spot before heading to set. Nice cappuccino and love…read moretheir orange couch!

I got the iced matcha latte with simple syrup and sweet cream cold foam. The matcha latte had the…read moreright about of sweetness so the simple syrup. In the future, I will ask for extra cold foam because it was a bit light for my liking. Overall, I enjoyed it. The cafe itself is a New England vibe. It had indoor and outdoor seating. Their sandwiches look delicious. I tried my friend's grilled zucchini sandwich and I never imagined that zucchini could be the star of a sandwich (5 out of 5). It paired very well with the goat cheese, which I typically don't gravitate to - but that speaks for itself! The staff are very friendly and they even let me sample their chai concentrate. Everything is clean and aesthetic. If you're in Manchester, I would definitively give this a try!

I was told that the laughing gull was the best spot for coffee in Manchester by the sea. It was…read morepretty disappointing all around. The interior was nice and the bakery case looked amazing, however the woman who took my order looked at me as if I had sprouted a second head when I asked if anything were dairy free or vegan. She also seemed confused when I asked for oat milk in my iced coffee. The other employees seemed sort of grumpy. The coffee was passable but not amazing. There was a great selection of water and juices in the cooler which was a bonus.

The Muffin Shop is located in the heart of old town Marblehead and popular. Don't be fooled by…read moretheir name because muffins are just half of what they do. They offer a full scale menu of French toast, pancakes, omelets, bagels, croissants, etc. Sadly, they seem to sell out of muffins quickly but they slowly replenish their stock. There is no table service and you must wait on line to order from their menu which is on their wall. My wife and I visited on a busy Saturday morning at about 0915 hours and they were already out of muffins. Disappointed. I ordered the #5 which consisted of three slices of French toast, sausage and bacon, potatoes, and a coffee. My wife ordered the veggie omelet with sourdough toast, and coffee. It came with potatoes but she declined them. As a coffee snob, the coffee was ok. We were very satisfied with our breakfast. Everything was cooked fresh and served hot. The prices were more than reasonable considering what we pay here in NJ. The staff was friendly. I went back on Sunday morning at 0800 hours, and bought 6 muffins to go. My wife ate a apple cinnamon muffin on Monday morning and approved. Worth the visit if you are in town.

This is a must try! Was very impressed with the amount of crab and quality of crab. This was pure…read morecrab meat no fillers and not overpowered. After having nothing but lobster rolls for a couple days this was top of my list. PS wife also brought home a peanut butter cookie and muffins. Peanut butter cookie rocked