Love the green mint popcorn also love the popcorn. They have here, so nice and warm in flavorous and buttery. The service is amazing such kind people who work here the areas nicely organized to read more

Best popcorn ever. I don't know what it is about it, so addicting!! Wish it was open year round read more

I have been going here for years. Friendly and reasonably priced snacks by the sea. Different kinds of popcorn and home made ice cream. They are still using their century old equipment. It is fun that the antique buildings are cared for and still stand. Grab some ice cream and watch the sailboats! It is perfect on a hot summer day. Plenty of paid parking near the arcades and EW Hobbs. If you want free parking, you can do it a few blocks away. read more

Come on you guys, get it together. The food stand could be a gem if you get your act together, get someone in to clean the place up, work with the decor...seriously, a fridge in the middle of the floor? You could use that taffy maker as a fantastic prop. Get regular hours, do better with the hot dogs, grill, not boil. You are wasting a goldmine. read more

They have both soft serve and homemade traditional ice cream here. We usually stop by here when in Salem Willows. Attentive and quick service. Can't go wrong with ice cream! My daughter got the chocolate marshmallow along with pistachio Ice cream and really liked both. read more

E W Hobbs - Soft serve with rainbow sprinkles - Candy Stores Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I wish yelp let you swear cause holy s**t the popcorn at Hobbes is just incredible. I literally have never tasted better popcorn. They literally have imported popcorn making machines that produce a flavor you can't get anywhere else. In the summertime I love to kayak across Beverly harbor just to go to Hobbes and get their ice cream and popcorn. It's at "the Willows" so it is right next to a great park and a little beach too. It never takes long to get anything their either which is nice. So, if you go to the willows, for sure check out Hobbes I promise you won't regret it read more

Best popcorn ice cream taffy and the service is excellent prices aren't bad either plenty of parking been a customer all my life

Best popcorn you'll ever have. A must stop when at willows for Icecream and popcorn bars.

E W Hobbs is a landmark. Not only for the fact that they have been located in Salem Willows for just about ever, but for the fact that every kid and adult alike in the area that ever went to Salem Willows will always have fond memories of their wares. Let me start with the Salt Water Taffy, I have been eating it since I could chew. They still make it the old fashion way and if you are lucky you can watch thru the window while the old tyme machine stretch's that fabulous taffy until it is perfect enough to cut and wrap. They offer many many flavors so make sure if you have never been to get the variety box so you can try them all. Hobbs also has the very best popcorn around. They actually have flavored popcorn and have had it for over 40 years. My favorite is the Peppermint flavor, you can recognize this by the color, it's pink :) they sell popcorn by the box, in sticks and small prepackaged bags. They also offer a few other select fair type products which are all just as great. A trip to Salem Willows is not complete with out a bag of goodies to take home from E W Hobbs. This is a solid 5 Star establishment. Make it a priority to go here if you visit the Willows. read more

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The popcorn far exceeds its closest competitor. Can't be Beat. as of 5/18/21 Their hours are: Thurs-Sun 11:00-5:00. Website needs updating. I know many folks have driven to The Willows only to be disappointed that Hobbs was closed. PLEASE OPEN UP read more

Literally the most amazing popcorn ever! I have been getting popcorn here since I was probably 5 years old, along with my father and my grandfather before him. I have since introduced my daughter to this popcorn and I feel confident that she will be sharing it with her children. If you haven't yet tried it, please do so! read more

Love the ice cream and molasses popcorn both made on the premises. frozen pudding flavor and maple walnut.

A-OK is pretty accurate... Somehow, I was expecting them to have half a billion flavors/types of popcorn & ice cream. Nope. They have a rather limited selection. Maybe I got them on a day when they only had one or maybe two types of popcorn? Anyways, the prices are reasonable, and the popcorn was good. It was fresh and kettle popped, much better than movie theater or microwave stuff. Corn was lightly buttered, and they had a shaker of delightful spicy salt. I would have liked to have different seasonings, and an option to add butter yourself (or add some more). Alas, no. I had grasshopper ice cream. It was good ice cream, but nothing super special. It was similar to a mint chocolate chip you could get from a decent brand in a supermarket. Don't get me wrong, if you want good popcorn or ice cream this is a good place to go to, maybe an okay place to travel across town to, but not much further. Basically, it is if you are in the neighborhood, and want some popcorn. Staff was nice, but I got the feeling they wanted you to choose, order, and step aside. While I was deciding, or walking nearby (not interfering with other customers) I kept getting asked: "Can I help you?" Once or twice is okay, but if it happens too much I begin to feel just a bit like they want me gone. read more

My gosh, where do I even start. The popcorn is the best I've ever had. The ice cream, which is made in their cellar is the best ice cream you'll ever have. The history surrounding this place is amazing. My uncle lives walking distance from here and when I visit, we always make a trip to Hobbs to see Charlie. If you can, make a trip out here and stop at E.W. Hobbs. You will not be disappointed. Service is fast and excellent. Five Stars, Guys! You've earned it! read more

E W Hobbs- The world famous popcorn bars that people travel from everywhere yearly to buy these coveted delicious treats from yesteryear. As a grandchild raised on the yearly Salem Willows treats, please don't ever go out of business. Stay tried and true to your American roots of providing the uplifting summer traditions as you have since the depression era. From the bottom of my heart and stomach, thank you read more

so many fun various flavors of delicious popcorn. def recommend trying some if you are a fan & in the area.

What sweet? What's melty? What do you eat when it's hot out? Ice cream from EW Hobbs! We had chocolate and sea turtle flavors and both were delicious, came in sizable scoops, and with friendly service. read more

I am 81 years old and have had Hobbs or as my kids call it "Salem Willows Popcorn" since I was little. Was very disappointed two weeks ago when I went to the Willows with friends on a Wednesday and they were closed. I spoke to a friend this morning and she told me to go on line I could order it well I will be doing that after I post this. By the way my three kids have been eating this popcorn since they were little too, they are now in their 50's and still talk about the Willows popcorn every time popcorn is mentioned, or I mention going to Salem. The question is always asked "are you going to the Willows for a Chop Suey sandwich and popcorn, well got the sandwich but no popcorn darn. read more

I think it's a pretty well known legend that Jack Welch - former CEO of General Electric and Salem native - insisted this place served the best popcorn in the world. I think anyone who's tasted it would have a hard time disagreeing with this. You wouldn't think popcorn is the type of food that would really stand out from one place to the next but the stuff here tastes to good you'd think it was pooped out by the Baby Jesus. Or Angels. Or something equally holy and miraculous. read more

The reviews are clear. But don't take our word for it. If you go to Hobbs and get their legendary popcorn you will be stalked by several morbidly obese pigeons. They have already picked the ground clean. They need a fix. NOW Just look at them. They can barely walk; their beaks are disappearing into their face, but they can't stop. The rich buttery goodness, the zing of the salt, the crunch. Whether or not to feed their insatiable appetite is beyond the scope of this review. The choice must be made by you alone. read more

For locals, this is one of the only reasons to go to Salem Willows - the popcorn! Amazing, really excellent, freshly-made popcorn. Go if you're in the area; you won't be disappointed. read more

Oh Hobbs- How we love you. Hands down the best ice cream in all of Salem & quite possibly the North Shore. I'm a frozen pudding junkie & theirs is to die for. Their popcorn bars are so incredibly good. Even my 3 year old gives them his seal of approval. read more

Five star popcorn?!? is there really such a thing?? Yes! I, like many others have been eating this addictive treat since I was little girl. Everyone in my family loves this stuff. I honestly don't even love popcorn normally. I never get it at the movies, maybe once in a blue moon I'll buy a bag of 'smart food'. But something about the way they do it at E W Hobbs makes you have to have it!! Its never greasy, and that salty buttery flavor will have you eating the whole box before you know it. (My best friends Mom used to buy it by the trash bag for the family. True story!) Maybe the memories of family fun days at the Willows makes a person fall in love with this snack a little more. I don't know. But I hope this place stays open for many more generations to enjoy!! read more

I grew up going to the willows and always getting pink popcorn from Hobbs. I got married on 8/8/18 and of course my favorite popcorn had to be there. The staff made this process so easy and they did a great job!! Thank you again!! read more

E W Hobbs - a bride and groom posing for a picture - Candy Stores Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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I like this place in the arcade for the romantic feel of it - like jersey shore or something, but in Salem. The ice cream (tried the grasshoppah) is pretty good. Decent selection. Also tried the popcorn after reading about it in a Boston Globe article. I tried the variety bag - with chocolate, vanilla, and peppermint popcorn. It was TERRIBLE!! The popcorn was basically thick, stale sugary crap. It honestly tasted like stale sugar. No hint of popcorn. And I've had good flavored popcorn and also quite enjoy sweets. This was just bad. read more

Generations and generations of North Shore kids grew up with this popcorn. I've flown to Colorado with a knapsack filled with it because I have relatives out there who grew up here and needed a fix. My mom used to take us to the Willows when we were kids, dump us in the arcade and go get pepper steak at the Willow House then hit Hobbs for popcorn..the stuff is like heroin. I could use a taste now. read more

The best ice cream, taffy, popcorn, and popcorn bars. You cannot go wrong with any of the popcorn, but I am partial to the colored popcorn. The ice cream is my favorite though - homemade, rich, and creamy. The M&M flavor is my favorite, but again, you cannot go wrong with any of the ice cream here too. Prices are reasonable, and this shop is seasonal, so get your fix while you can. read more

where else can you get a bag of hot roasted peanuts for 75c? I dunno... this is the only place I've ever seen it. Tons of popcorn in random flavors except for one major missing one: kettle corn. I just want some regular ass kettle corn... no vanilla, no chocolate... JUST KETTLE CORN The grille side certainly smelled appetizing, but we didn't get anything that day. We did however get a frappe (excellent and made CORRECTLY) and a Raspberry Lime Ricky (which initially we thought was over priced until we saw that they make it in the traditional fashion). Another staple of Salem Willows read more

Love this place! However they need to change their open hours!! They are not open on MON AND TUES...drove all the way to Salem from Cambridge to visit and get some of their great popcorn...but they were NOT open!!! read more

I've been going to Hobb's for about 50 years since I was a kid and they always have the best popcorn I've ever had anywhere, prices are reasonable and quick service even when they are busy. Every spring I can't wait for Hobb's to open so I can get my batch of delicious popcorn. If you haven't been there you should go. read more

This is just for the salt water taffy. It is very fresh and delicious. The price might look a little steep at first - $5.00 for a small box, $9.00 for a large. But, they stuff the box to overflowing. You get at least 1 1/2 times the amount you think you'll get. The woman who helped us was very friendly and gave us a sample of one were weren't sure we would like (clove). I haven't tried anything else. Sweetened popcorn isn't my thing. I might try the ice cream or roasted nuts next time. The store is located among funky, old-timey, seaside arcades. A walk down memory lane, if you're old enough. read more

We've been here twice when visiting Salem. Got the ice cream both times. The small is fairly priced and you get two heaping scoops of ice cream. They offer a variety of flavors and everything we have tried so far has been delicious. I would recommend. read more

Huge selection in salt water taffy, good prices on all kinds of sweets. Popcorn of all sorts to ice cream. Great place to come when your at Salem willows read more

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I dont know what it is, but their popcorn is just great!! We got a small buttery pocpcorn and a Vanilla flavored popcorn log (similar to a popcorn ball just different shape). I would have loved to try the salt water taffy, but was full on popcorn. Ha ha The place is the traidtional oceanside stand, but much bigger. The prices are so fair that i was suprised by what we got for only three bucks. I wouldn't see myself sitting at home and craving the popcorn, and getting in the car to go. But, being in the area, and wanting to take a stroll along the park/water i would certainly make sure to stop and get some for the ride home. read more

I've been going here since I was a kid and I will be going there when I'm 70. Fresh salt water taffy, popcorn bars, roasted nuts and let's no forget the ice cream. When it's summer, I can always be found at Hobbs. It's so fresh and just a medium cone is $3.00 There are about 3 other ice cream places at the willows, but this one is the best and the one that mostly everyone goes to. read more

I love the pop corn from this place. It's been around as long as I can remember. Delish !!!!!!!!! read more

Love this place! The popcorn is amazing! The best buttered popcorn you can buy. They also do ice cream, burgers and hotdogs, salt water taffy, popcorn bars and roasted peanuts. I have been coming here since I was a kid and have always loved their ice cream. I had it 2 times this summer and was dissapointed every time. I beleive that the owner, who I believe was getting up there in age, has passed away. I know he used to make a lot of the ice cream himself. He used to come into the store I worked at and buy like 10 packages of Oreos for the Oreo ice cream. The recipe is clearly not the same as it was before. Just doesnt taste the same anymore, but the popcorn is still great. If I go to the Willows for ice cream, I go to the soft serve place instead. read more

We always go to Hobbs as our summer ritual. Often after eating spare ribs at Dave Yee's Salem Lowe place next door. The prices are about the cheapest for ice cream stands in Essex County, only $2.00 for a kiddie portion that is a generous scoop big enough for a grownup who wants a decent ice cream cone or cup but doesn't want to be a pig about it! The popcorn is EXCELLENT. Who knew that you could compare popcorn? But their hot, buttered (REAL butter, not that "I-Can't-Believe-It's-Edible" fake-butter liquid crap they glop on at movie theaters), lightly salted popcorn is light, fluffy, fresh and fabulous. It's the best of the best. The bars of candied popcorn are an old-fashioned treat, crumbly and sticky and great if you need something to divide among a passel of small children. My one complaint is that the ice cream flavoring is not very strong, at least in some of the flavors. For instance, the chocolate ice cream is not chocolatey. It is sweet and creamy, but that's the problem: it tastes like cream, not chocolate. The mint chocolate chip is also sweet and creamy, but not very minty. The chocolate chips do give it a boost at least. But on a warm night, nothing beats a cold, creamy cone. It's a North Shore tradition, and Hobbs is one of the treasured landmarks of the area, a jewel in the urban-park crown that is our beloved Salem Willows. read more

I got a bag of molasses popcorn. There were chips of molasses candy in the popcorn. Very tasty. They also sell ice cream and taffy. They had some very interesting ice cream flavors, like coconut chocolate-chip. This place is seasonal. read more

Best popcorn in the world, hands down. Their popcorn poppers were installed over a hundred years ago so maybe it's a case of "they don't make 'em like they used to", and the result is seriously epic, addictive goodness. As others have pointed out, just check out the obese seagulls and squirrels hanging around nearby, eagerly waiting to swoop in and claim any spilled popcorn in the vicinity. XD read more