Very small breakfast/brunch place but the food is to die for! My husband and I stopped while visiting Salem and wish we could bring this gem back home with us. The pancakes are huge! The eggs were perfect and so was the French toast. The server and the chef were very nice and hospitable. Would absolutely recommend! read more

Cutest cafe. Amazing coffee and food, lobster rolls when in season. Definitely a breakfast spot , when in Salem looking for a bite I highly recommend. . read more

Driving home after a busy afternoon, I had a hankering for a lobster roll so my son and I stopped here knowing the place's reputation for good food at low prices. It was around 4 PM so the place wasn't too busy with just a group of seniors sitting at a table. Got two lobster rolls to go for $12.95 each. They came with fries and when we asked if we could substitute the fries on one of the lobster rolls for something else, the lady behind the counter was very accommodating. We settled on onion rings for an extra 95 cents. About ten minutes later, we were back on the road. Once home, we were amazed by the generous portions. Lots of lobster meat (not drowning in mayo) on a basic hot dog bun with plenty of yummy fries and onion rings. We were pleasantly surprised and realized Dotty & Ray's reputation is well deserved. UPDATE: They have raised the prices on some items for the summer. The lobster roll is now $15.95. read more

Dotty & Ray's - This is what my lobster roll takeout looked like! Comes with fries. - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I took the commuter rail to Salem for my friend's wedding, and needed to get some tasty morsels before anything else. Also coffee. We walked into Dotty & Rays around 12:30 and were almost giggly joy at the awesome diner atmosphere. The waitress came from behind the counter and flopped down menus, letting us know that both breakfast were available. She brought us some coffee, and took our orders. I listened to a guy complain about an absent guy who refers to that corner of the counter as "My Seat." What a jerk! The omelettes ($4-6) were big and cheesy, and cooked with the ingredients right in the egg, instead of having been placed inside the already cooked egg. I found this made the whole stay together better, and there were no scorched outer-egg shenanigans. She didn't seem to mind that I asked for hot sauce, and the toast came pre-buttered with approximately 1 stick per half-slice. It was covered past saturation, and more dripped down the side. I used the toast as a platform to hold slices of cheesy, meaty omelette and guide them into my greedy mouth-hole. It was beautiful. The home fries were the potato kind, not the fried 'whatisthis' kind, and they were tastily spiced. They were a lil crispy on the outside and I liked it. No faults as far as I can tell, except that our bill was about $5 too high. We didn't care. We were fat and happy. I want to eat some of their lunch next time I'm up there! read more

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We found this place by searching yelp when we were in town and we were not disappointed. A small mom and pop diner that is cute and the food was delicious. We both had burgers that we enjoyed the fries are crispy and hot and I had a delicious fresh fruit salad The people that work there are very nice Highly recommend read more

Trying to do breaky in the center of turn is crazy. Dot snd Rays is just a few minutes out of the busy area snd is AMAZING. Deb was our waitress and she was exactly what we needed. The food was perfect and home cookin!! An absolute must! read more

Delicious food and awesome staff. Very professional.They cater our new year party for 70 people "buffet " and everyone loved the quality and the quantity of the food .. and I've personally had breakfast there a couple of times and the whole family enjoyed.. highly recommend this place .I wish I had a better picture read more

Dotty & Ray's - Salad , pasta salad. Risotto. Mac and cheese, breast chicken with mushrooms.. breast turkey,stuffing. Fries - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

We saw this place by chance and loved their fish sandwich and lobster roll. We couldn't believe the size of the fish and how much lobster meat they gave me. read more

Dotty & Ray's - Lobster Roll - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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This place is amazing! It was very busy in Salem for breakfast almost an hour wait for places and I happened to find Dotty & Rays on the map and I was SO HAPPY! There was no wait! It was the perfect diner with PERFECT food. We also had amazing mimosas! Debbie was our sever and she was the most delightful human being! I highly recommend this place for the best food and amazing service! read more

Not expecting much, but it was the only thing in the area that didn't have a 45 minute wait. In my opinion, the people waiting for the upscale trendy spots got it all wrong. This place was a great choice. Obviously loved by the locals, there were kids and families, young folks and a couple of elderly neighborhood people. We had a GREAT breakfast! read more

Today was our first visit... Hearty breakfast portions - lots of meat in our "Meat Lover's" Omelettes!! Our waitress was wonderful, great with my son!! We'll be back for sure!! read more

Dotty & Ray's have super friendly staff. They let people know about their specials and were knowledgeable about them. The clam dinner (16.95) was delicious and the fried fish sandwich with fries was delicious as well. I like that they gave me the option of having just onion rings without an upcharge. I highly recommend the onion rings as the french fries were a bit overdone. Service was decent and the unisex bathroom was sufficient. read more

Pancakes were delicious!! One of the best pancakes we have ever had. Be ready for the big portions! My wife and I ordered 2 pancakes (total 4) and could only eat 2 amongst us! read more

Great little dinner - small on the inside but the portions a huge! Friendly staff, good service!

Since my last review the two idiot brothers who almost drove this business into the ground are gone. It's gone through a couple of new owners since then. Went there for breakfast this morning and it was good to see locals back in the restaurant (the brothers chased the regulars away with their terrible food and service). The new owners still have some rough edges to work out such as they seem overwhelmed by the number of people in the restaurant and they need to simplify the menu (it's a neighborhood diner not a tourist place). But they're doing a lot better than when I was there over two years ago. read more

I typically order through GrubHub and have never been disappointed. I love their captains platter as well as all their breakfasts.

Went there with my mom gif lunch. Mom ordered a simple cheese omelet with toast and fries and I had a side of spinach and home fries as there were no vegetarian options. There were only two tables in there and one got their food when we say down. We waited for 30 minutes for our food and the waitress said there was only chef on but they were not busy there were no deliveries either so it was a very lame excuse and there were no offers to comp anything. Also the waitress was apologetic after it had already been 30 minutes not during when we could have had an option to leave. I'll never go there again. I used to do gig work too and anytime I had a pickup there I always had to wait at least 10 minutes every time. read more

Cute little mom and pop diner! Very friendly staff. Very attentive. We had the fish and chips and cheeseburger. Was pretty good. The skin was on the fish which is not my personal preference. I also had the chicken noodle soup which had a strange flavor...kinda fishy, but could have been a seasoning I'm not familiar with. The onion rings are awesome! I'd definitely come back. read more

SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!! Never fails to serve up good food, good drinks, and good service! The staff is super friendly and the chefs care if the food is really good. Super friendly place and I will always recommend. The mimosas are good too!! If you ever come make sure to try the cinnamon swirl French toast and their classic mimosa! read more

food was nothing crazy, but was still good. staff was super nice & friendly. i've never had issues with wait/ignorant staff.

Solid diner fare with friendly staff and nice, HOT dishes well prepared. I want to come back to try the lobster roll and haddock roll some evening. Not so much fancy foods as much as well-prepared selections...which is much to my liking when I'm buying a meal somewhere. Not a bunch of desserts but just a few that I'm anxious to try later. A great first impression. I'm looking at other orders: a stack of huge pancakes and a really fresh fish and chips that are enticing me into future visits! read more

Dotty & Ray's - Looking out at North Street - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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The team at Dotty and Rays are doing great things day in and day out! They do everything the way it should be. I asked them to cater a party for me and at the last minute and they knocked out a tremendous spread. Chicken Broccoli and Ziti, Salad, Bread, Chicken Fingers, Grilled Sausage, Chicken, and Kabobs. You can depend on them for anything - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. The portions were huge - I thought for sure I was going to have leftovers but we ate it ALL! And it was great! I took my nephew for breakfast and they whipped up special Mickey Mouse pancake that was almost too beautiful to eat. . . but that didn't stop us! Hurry up and become a regular before the hipsters discover this hidden gem. It is an authentic classic that does things RIGHT - these folks could write the book on hospitality, service, and great home cookin'. read more

Dotty & Ray's - Dotty and Rays catered my house party and baked up huge tray of Chicken Broc Ziti. I plated it up for my guests and looked like a big hero. - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

This past weekend, my 9 friends and I took a trip to Salem on one of the busiest weekends of the month. Being such a large group, it was often difficult for us to be accommodated. When we got to Dotty & Ray's, we were pleasantly surprised. We were seated rather quickly and the staff was WONDERFUL. They were welcoming, personable, and friendly. Debbie was our waitress and she went above and beyond for us! Gennaro, the cook, worked so hard to get all 10 of our meals out to us and our food was absolutely amazing. This restaurant is a MUST when visiting Salem! read more

The bad review is not because of the food, just want to be clear on that. Food is great, which is why me and my bf keep attempting to order from them. They always get my boyfriends order spot on. A sausage ,broccoli and cheese omelette. But then mine must be too complicated or something because they ALWAYS screw it up! A bacon and egg on a grilled everything bagel NO CHEESE! And every single time .... every single time they put cheese. It's really annoying to walk all the way home just to have to walk all the way back and wait for another sandwich. The cook is speedy and friendly but that young girl who answers the phone cannot take an order. It's very frustrating that she won't stop interrupting you long enough to hear what you want. read more

I tried the turkey sandwhich with cranberry sauce and stuffing...the turkey was dry and a lower quality super salty cold cut. The buffalo chicken sandwhich was OK. We had asked for cheese and did not get it in the sandwhich. For the price the food is not worth it. read more

We are first time customers and we are definitely coming back! We all ordered burgers and they were some of the best tasting burgers we've had! The delivery was quick & easy and the food came hot. I got the BBQ burger and it was SO good. Our side of onion rings were nice and crispy. Great restaurant! read more

Dotty & Ray's - BBQ Burger - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

So I've never actually eaten at Dotty and Rays so this review is based on the older man that owns this place. If you park on the Side street (I believe it's Foster st) and you aren't going to his restaurant, he comes out the back door and screams at you! He has told me several times that I can not park there. I have also seen him yell at other people parking there. He thinks it's parking for his restaurant but It's actually public parking at the end of the street. I was told by the police it is public parking and he is not in charge of who parks there. Reading the other reviews it seems like the food isn't bad but I will never go in there and I always tell anyone who mentions this place that the owner is terrible! read more

Dotty & Rays is walking distance from my house and they make a mean breakfast- i would give it five stars but the waitress thats usually there is kind of a spaz- running around like there is a line out the door and is often hurried and"forgetful" about bringing things-more coffee, water, splenda etc. -one star I oftern find her smoking right outside the door, and then coming right back in and handling plates, orders etc. without washing her hands. I smoke, and that creeps me out. Very affordable, cute and yummy otherwise. CASH ONLY. read more

Dotty and Ray's is a gift to Salem residents. It's a small-town diner in a city. The wait staff knows me by name and knows what I'll order even before I sit down. :-). I have yet to find a better breakfast place! It's cheap and tasty! The omelettes are great! The American Breakfast is super filling. The breakfast sandwiches are good, too! If you are into a lunch or dinner then burgers are totally the way to go. They are so juicy and delicious! You won't pay much for them either! Whether I'm eating breakfast or dinner, I can expect to walk out paying less than $15 for 2 meals!!! I love Dotty and Ray's!!!!! read more

Great greasy spoon for Sunday morning breakfasts. Nice local feel, good service, friendly folks. Standard greasy spoon breakfast options and reasonable prices. No cards here--cash only! read more

Dotty & Ray's - Dottie Ouellette poses with George and Pauline Markos inside Dotty & Ray's restaurant in Salem. - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Dotty and Rays...an institution...a true hole in the wall that is a gem. The cheeseburgers are simple , but man I don't think you can buy a better tasting one. What with all the toppings you can put on at the "Burger Emporium" joints ...heck D&R has it going on in the keep it simple category ..true blue perfectly proportioned Burger and fries...and of course their breakfast is legendary I've been eating there going back 30 years now and Dotty was still the owner . The new owners are keeping it a great restaurant and there just aren't too many like D&R anymore. Good stuff , reasonably priced and excellent service! It's all good. I just found out the new owners have had it for 28 years ...lol keep up the great job!! read more

Delicious and great menu! I got S'mores french toast and i'll definitely visit again.

Good food nice people! Very friendly staff! It's just a little bit hot during the summer time! read more

Dotty & Ray's - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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This is a really great place for lunch. I'm partial to it for convenience, but the food here really beats the other nearby places (Leslie's and Euro - bleh) hands down. And so cheap! Two meals and two drinks for $12 is a steal. One of my favorite meals here is the simple turkey club. I can't say exactly why, but it's absolutely delicious. And huge. I do wish the fries here were a little more special. They're steak fries, which I usually like, but are a little too thick and sometimes taste more like potato instead of fries. The fried haddock is excellent, as are the fish cakes, chicken kebob salad, macaroni, and hamburgers. We get the same gruff but friendly waitress every time. read more

I am totally smitten with this kitchen outside my own. Gennaro (owner) takes pride in his preparation of his menu selection. The quality shows because everything served is delicious an executed with his precision worthy of a top chef award. He has a staff member who also shows pride in his prep also keep going Ron. This team rocks. read more

Exceptionally delicious! Got breakfast take out and everything was perfect!! So fresh tasting, piping hot, generous portions. Love Dotty & Ray's!!! read more

I'm from New Jersey and this is the best diner fair I have ever tasted. Elena and Debbie as well as the rest of the staff made me feel right at home. Can't recommend this place enough. read more

Such a great diner ! We traveled from Pennsylvania and we discovered this place down the street from where we stayed. Friendly staff and awesome food we went two days in a row ! Definitely recommend and if we ever come back to Salem i'd be sure to revisit!!! read more

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Breakfast, Lunch & or just a hot or cold drink. I like it here for the reasons of many years in service & cleanliness. Centrally located to the train & downtown it's a reliable eating place read more

Stopped here for breakfast as we were leaving. Food was great and service was better. Three breakfast specials and blue berry pancakes. Eggs were cooked perfectly. Neighborhood dinner at its best. read more