I've been here a total of three times now. I don't know what keeps compelling me here. First off, this is a stuffed shirt joint. I can't help feel like people are looking down their noses at you when you eat here. I have the money to pay, just treat me normally. I say this place deserves the "emperor has no clothes" award. Just because it has a big price tag, DOES NOT make it good food. The chicken was bland and dry. The steak, was weak compared to the price tag. Really this place lacks flavor. If you want to dress up, pay a lot money and be snob, but have no interest in flavor, This is your place. But for my money, cross the street, Bella Vornoa. Seriously save your money, go to the other places in town. No need to drop over a hundred bucks on a two person meal, that leaves you saying "where's the beef?" read more

Nathaniel's - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Great food, Great variety of menu selections, AMAZING service and the prices are more than fair. Nathanial is that unique restaurant that manages to have an upscale environment without coming of stuffy. Nathaniel's has an exciting modern menu, with plenty of traditional favorites. You feel comfortable and at home while the live piano music softly plays in the background. They service is by far the best. You have a head server, water boy, and I think even he has an assistant. They are all very down to earth, nice approachable people. They eloquently describe the food in word that they and you understand, and make honest recommendations. Ton of fun appetizers, large selection of dinners including the "local favorites" which is a throw back to days of yore. And the desert menu is spot on. They have several delicious deserts to chose from, but the chefs have recognized that some times you just need a hot fudge brownie Sunday. I will not eat anywhere else in Salem. read more

This was my second time going to the jazz brunch at the Hawthorne. The atmosphere with the live music is nice. It's a little formal for my taste but not too stuffy. The Good: Warm cranberry loaf that is complimentary with breakfast was warm and delicious. Coffee - their regular coffee is just right. Not too light and not too dark (for those that don't enjoy strong coffee). Bloody Mary's - just right. The Not-So-Great: Frittata was just ok. They put a lot of goat cheese on top, and I love goat cheese, but it was a little much. Also the potatoes served as a sad weren't anything special. Other dishes also seemed overly fussy - pasta has so many ingredients/herbs/etc, the waffles have fruit/syrup/compotes - so sweet! The food would be better if it was simply prepared and not over dressed. Service was good. This is a great place to go for a birthday. They bring out a cake with a candle and the jazz group plays Happy Birthday. It's fun and it's not as obnoxious as singing waiters. I recommend just ordering a la carte - 3 courses seems crazy to me for brunch (but what do I know?)... read more

I was at Nathaniel's earlier this week for dinner with a friend. It was Restaurant Week in Salem and Nathaniel's is one of the best places to go to because they allow you to select from the whole menu. The chef sent over an amuse bouche upon arrival which was a lovely surprise. While simple, it was a wonderful start as it was a slice of tomato and a slice of mozzarella topped some fresh basil. We began our dinner with an appetizer. My friend had the scallops and I had the risotto and both were phenomenal. Bread was also brought and I have a very strict rule with bread - if it isn't warm it isn't worth eating. This bread basket was warm and filled with great artisanal breads. Infused olive oil was served instead of butter which is always a good thing. My friend and I both had the short ribs for dinner along with garlic mashed potatoes. While the plates are called demi portions, they are more than enough food. The short rib was cooked perfectly - no knife needed. The meat simply tears apart with the fork and is so flavorful. The potatoes had just a hint of garlic and were perfect with the meat and sauce. For dessert it was chocolate roulade and this was simply decadent. We each paired it with a glass of Cava and it made the meal absolutely perfect. Our waitress was lovely. She was friendly and attentive and yet at the same time provided my friend and I enough time to chat. We never felt like the waitress was hovering or trying to move us along. Nathaniel's is fine dining and the setting is rich with color and designed in a style that reflects the history of Salem. This is not a meal to be rushed. Having the opportunity to sit and relax and enjoy good food, good drink and good conversation is wonderful. I have long been a fan of the Hawthorne Hotel. I have also dined in the Tavern and it is equally as good and yet a bit less formal. I have always found it a great place to sit at the bar, have a drink and chat with whoever is there - often a mix of locals and visitors. While never having stayed at the hotel I have attended several of their special events and the service at the hotel is of the highest quality. Staff is helpful and accommodating and making sure their guests enjoy their time at the hotel is their highest priority. I often judge service based on the "Disney experience" and I can safely say that the Hawthorne Hotel and specifically Nathaniel's meets my expectations of exceptional service and quality. read more

My husband and I decided to try this spot out during restaurant week in Salem. I have never eaten here before, and I wanted to see how the Hotel decorated for the holidays. The decor was beautiful and really helped us get into the holiday spirit! I love the historic feel of the Hotel and stunning woodwork throughout all the rooms, I am a sucker for it. The room was quaint and cozy, a wonderful spot for a date night. For an appetizer my husband got the mushroom soup, it had great flavor! The scallops wrapped in bacon did not disappoint either. I had a nice piece of fish, and my husband had a steak that was cooked perfectly. The best part about our evening (other than the food) was the entertainment. We were able to listen to some very talented musicians on the piano, flute, and acoustic guitar. The singer had such a wonderful voice, and her bubbly personality brought a sense of humor and relaxed feel to the band. We will certainly be going back to Nathaniel's soon for our next date night! read more

This establishment is always a fine dining experience. I'm long overdue to write a review, so here goes: We've had many breakfasts here, many romantic dinners, and have also hosted a couple of family get-togethers here. The fantastic food, historic and charming atmosphere, and attentive service bring us back again & again! I generally get demi-portion meals, which are quite enough for me, and really enjoy the Shrimp & Scallop Sophia (cooked perfectly and subtly seasoned with lots of color and flavor) and the sirloin. My husband often gets the pan-seared salmon. We also sometimes order side dishes, like the risotto (not on the dinner menu, but they'll make it for you) or the seared sea scallops. I'm pleased that they have vegetarian offerings and an extensive gluten-free menu as well, and they also happily accomodate dietary requests. These considerations were very important when I was planning a special family dinner, and members of our party included a vegetarian, a diabetic, a low-carb eater, and a person with celiac disease. No problem, your needs will be gracefully accomodated here. For breakfast, we have not tried the Sunday Jazz brunch, as we are more often here during the weekday. It is a quiet, relaxed, and comfortable place to meet for a business breakfast. It's upscale, worth dressing for, and worth your money. Note that it is old-world, old-school, quiet, and elegant. I can't believe people actually complain about "dated" decor when this place is an historic hotel, and it's ambience is in keeping with that. Those folks should stick to chain restuarants. We will also recommend the hotel's casual pub, Tavern on the Green, for a relaxing and cozy meal, when we're not quite dressed-up. *If you're looking for a young, hip, lively place, the Hawthorne's two restaurants (Tavern on the Green and Nathaniel's) are not for you. read more

I was tempted to take one star off for the outdated decor, but since I'm still craving another bite of my steak, I decided that the food outweighed the lack of style. They start you off with a little bowl of garlic-infused olive oil with chili flake and parmesan, with fresh-baked rolls crusted with sesame and poppy seeds. It's hard not to fill up on bread, but you shouldn't, because the food is so good. My date and I both got salads to start. I got the special salad of the month: baby spinach with slivered red onions, goat cheese, and grape tomatoes in a tomato vinaigrette. The vinaigrette was subtle, but had a hint of garlic that complimented the rest of the dish perfectly. My date had the caesar, which was tastey, although the dressing was a little thick for my taste. For my entree I got the butt steak, which despite its unfortunate name, was absolutely delicious. It was tender, cooked to a perfect medium, and seasoned well on the outside with salt and pepper. The sauteed mushrooms on the side completely soaked up the red wine demi-glace like little sponges, and were the most flavorful thing on the plate. My rosemary fingerling potatoes were nice, although would have been improved with a little bit of caramelization. My sauteed arugula was too salty (although I have a heavy hand with the salt myself, so I still ate it), but it wasn't overcooked as wilted greens can sometimes be. My date ordered from the "classic" menu. The NY sirloin had a nice grill flavor, the mashed potatoes were creamy and smooth, and the green beans were still fresh, crunchy, and brightly colored. Simple, but well-executed. For dessert I had the white chocolate macadamia nut bread pudding a la mode. The bread pudding was moist and decadent, and came with a healthy drizzle of both caramel and fudge sauce. My date had the apple tart, which was sweet and flaky. The apples were nice and soft (I can't stand hard apples in my dessert). Our server was efficient but unobtrusive. The piano player in the background matched the old-fashioned atmosphere of the place, which could really use some updating. I hate to say it, but I felt like I was eating in a posh nursing home with really, really good food. read more

The writer of this review Highly Recommends that your next trip to Salem, you visit the above mentioned Restaurant. One will appreciate the allure of this dining room during your sitting. A large portrait of Nathaniel Hawthorne welcomes Guests. The decor is magnificent from the multi - coloured drapes to the tables immaculately set. Staff greet & meet you as they treat ya just like family. Delectable menu ranging from eggs benedict to the overnight package selection is second to none. As a regular Guest, all amenties offered r grandly Appreciated. read more

We had breakfast here during our stay at the Hawthorne Hotel. This was by far one of the BEST breakfasts I've ever had. The Eggs Benedict were absolutely bewitching. This was my first time having true restaurant quality Eggs Benedict. The sauce was perfect, the Eggs fluffy, and the accompanying home fries were to die for. Our friend's Seafood Benedict was just as delicious. I highly recommend eating there, whether or not you are staying at the Hawthorne. read more

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Beautiful hotel and lovely atmosphere but the Jazz Brunch food was a huge disappointment. 3 out of our 4 meals came out prepared incorrectly. After 2 more attempts at getting the orders correct they came out ice cold. Management did the right thing and took 2 of the meals off the bill. Won't be returning there but on a positive note - good Bloody Mary and at least the coffee was hot. read more

It's really, really hard to get a dinner reservation in Salem in the month of October. In fact, I tried at several other restaurants and was denied. (One filled while I was in the process of making the reservation.) However, Nat's had no problem taking my reservation for 9. The restaurant is situated on the historic Hawthorne hotel. As expected, the dining room looks like the dining room in a hotel. (Padded chairs, white table cloths, etc.) We noticed while we were there, most of the other diners were couples, so I think this might be a date night place. Anyway, the food was a mix of American/Seafood cuisine. Prices range from $10 for a sandwich to $30 for an entree. I ordered a shrimp and scallop dish with risotto and Bearnaise sauce that was amazing. My husband had the Portabello sandwich that he devoured, and my sister had the salmon, which she said was kind of bland. They didn't have a kids menu, but when my son asked, "You got chicken nuggets?" The server said, yes. They also have wifi there which kept him content on his iPad. During our meal, a man played piano, which can sometime annoy me if it's too loud or intruding, but it was really subtle and beautifully played. There was also a private event going on in the back room that we barely heard through closed doors. They have a great set-up. If you're staying in the hotel or just visiting for the day and looking for a place that isn't swamped, I think it's worth trying. read more

Went for a prix fixe, three course Sunday brunch with a party of 14. Food was good. Only complaint was that it was a bit slow to get each person their meals so that we could start eating each course. Wait staff was nice but the service wasn't worth raving over. Located in the historic Hawthorne hotel. Live jazz music was a great touch! Overall had a good time, would return again! read more

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Came here for a visit from Boston and found this little treasure. They have a live jazz band playing and serve a 3 course prix fixe meal. I started with the smoked salmon salad, my wife had the mandarin orange raspberry vinagrette salad, and her brother had the fresh fruit plate. For our second course the tenderloin medallions were delicious and cooked perfectly and my wife enjoyed the corned beef hash and her brother had the eggs benedict. Both were very tasty. The hash was crispy as we had ordered it that way and the benedict was classic and delicious. For our third course we all shared the churro, coconut ice cream truffle, and the warm apple blossom. Excellent desserts. The coconut ice cream truffle was essentially a scoop of coconut ice cream with a hard chocolate shell all around it. The apple blossom was like a little apple cobbler with whipped cream, and the churro is essentially a churro stick with whipped cream. I never would have guessed such a small town had such good eats. The place is small and tends to fill up quickly, so if you are serious about coming out here, make a reservation and have no worries. read more

Let me start out by explaining this is the Hawthorne Hotel's dining room .I had a discount coupon and the restaurant was quite good.We had two entrees.I I had duck served with asparagus .My wife had salmon .This is an upscale somewhat expensive place but it delivers.The waiter was nice and did a good job.He even poured wine correctly.( I hate it when you go to a place and they fill the glass to the top- unless you're getting wine by the glass in which case--).Also had dessert which was a creme brulee trio- surprsingly good.If your in the hotel don't hesitate to go.In fact if you're not you might enjoy it. read more

Nathaniel's - Here it is - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Had breakfast here while staying at the Hawthorne. Was a 5 star breakfast for sure. The multi grain toast was delicious, and they gave way more than enough to fill you up. They even offered coffee to go. read more

Very nice dining room, great piano player - you could not ask for a better presentation. Food was good but not what you would expect from a luxury hotel. Caesar salad tasted like it was out of a bag (have you not heard of Parmigiano Reggiano), soup was good and main dishes where good, but I wanted them to be great. Please delivery on the full experience by giving us some exceptional food in accordance with the dinning ambiance. read more

Great food and great service a little on the pricey side but well worth it if you are looking for a gourmet meal. It's a very cozy and Salemesque old school establishment. It is definitely a restaurant that I want to visit again! read more

Nathaniel's - Yum! - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

this brunch at the hawthorne hotel was absolutely lovely. the food was delicious, the atmosphere exactly as i had hoped for my family get together . the music a perfect accompaniment, read more

Amazing food!! I had the crab cake, yum! And the flourless chocolate cake was amazing! We did not realize they closed at 9, and the staff never said a word, just let us enjoy ourselves. I only knew the next day when I saw the hours listed. We had a few drinks here, they were tasty too! And we walked right upstairs to our room! How great is that!! Highly recommend the hotel and Nat's if you are going to Salem, MA. Thanks again! read more

The food and service of Nat's is excellent, though I would have preferred to have had a choice of a regular lunch menu as well as the brunch one. We'll be back! read more

Our visit was just okay. For the price I expected the food to be much better. My husband and I went for brunch to experience the history of the hotel and ambiance as a Jazz brunch. Definitely paying for the experience and not the food. Glad we went for the experience but would not recommend the food. It's just too expensive. read more

Worst dining experience I've ever had! We checked in to the Hawthorne Friday night 3/06/20. Noticed the restaurant was fairly busy so I thought we would make reservations for Saturday night. When we went there I was surprised to see only two other couples dining. So the hostess decided to put us all at three tables in a row instead of giving all of us a little privacy. Then our waitress came over and seemed to be on the ball but that illusion faded away very quickly to make a long story short service was terrible and food was even worse this is my first review I've ever written. I'm not that guy that complains about everything most of the time when I have a bad experience I usually give them a break and realize everyone has a bad day now and the. But this was absolutely terrible I had one bite of my meal and asked for a to go box and just threw it away I might as well threw a $100 bucks away I will never go there again read more

We took my mom to Sunday brunch, and it was fantastic. My mom is suffering from cancer, and she wanted to go out to Sunday brunch for her birthday. So, we decided to take her to Nathaniel's. We were served by Rosa, a great waitress. The food was delicious. The chairs were comfortable (which is important for someone experiencing extreme pain because of cancer in their back bone). The jazz musicians were also great fun. If you want to have a nice experience ,go here. Get there around 11:30 and have a great time eating and hanging out with your loved ones. read more

I dined at Nathaniel's last weekend, with my husband, my parents (visiting from Texas), my husband's parents, sister and brother-in-law. It was a quite a crowd! Beforehand, I was stressing about finding a place that would work for this full group, somewhere with good service, not too much ambient noise (a problem for both my mother and father-in-law) and a menu that would work for everyone (among the group we've got some picky eaters and some dietary needs). So after some research, I thought that maybe the Tavern on the Green would work, also at the Hawthorne Hotel. I called to make a reservation, and the very nice person I spoke with explained that the Tavern didn't take reservations, but offered to make me a reservation at Nathaniel's, saying that if any of our party wished, they would allow them to order off the Tavern menu rather than Nathaniel's. I was so impressed with this kind accommodation! And that extra-generous gesture set the tone for the whole experience; at every point of the evening, from our seating (at a nice round table for 8), to the nice (but not too loud) live music by a pianist in the room, to the kind waitress who handled orders from both Nathaniel's and the Tavern's menus, the whole group was treated with courtesy and respect. And the food was excellent! I had the fried haddock and seafood chowder, and other entrees at the table included the meatloaf, the stuffed shrimp, the scallops, etc. Everyone was genuinely happy with their food, and the whole experience was really solid. Basically, if you're looking for generous accommodations, a solid but not fussy menu, and kind service, this is your place! read more

This place has the best breakfast in Salem hands down. The staff are attentive and nice and the pancakes are well griddled, the home fries have the right crunch, and the eggs in all forms are delicious. The vegetable frittata and blueberry pancakes are a must. At $30 for two people it's amazingly affordable for the quality of the food. It may even become a weekly habit! read more

The atmosphere here is terrible. No staff remains in the room while you are eating. They pop in to deliver your food and thats about it. This restaurant does not feel welcoming, and is quite odd. I prefer not to be left to fend for myself with the rest of the guests. The service we had was not great. Does anyone have a personality here?! Our water was never refilled, we were never asked if we wanted another beverage, and she rarely came to the table, and when she did come to our table she had absolutely nothing to say. The decor is boring, and doesn't feel historic or even very nice. It reminded me of a nursing or assisted living home. They do have a piano in the dining room which is probably great when someone is playing it. The guests (the only other couple that was eating there on a Thursday night at 6pm), were very old and very snooty. I heard them making rude remarks about hotel guests. Your in Salem buddy, eating in a hotel that goes for well under $200 a night, eating at a shitty restaurant...go home, change your Depends, and realize you are not better than anyone else. (Although I feel mean for those comments, they could not have been any more ignorant) OK, I feel better now! Onto the food! The food could have been worse. My haddock was dry, flavorless and had a very fishy smell to it (I ended up getting sick that night, but can't confirm this is what caused it). Their steak looked tasty and prepared well. The sides were bland, and appeared frozen or from boxed mixes. The real highlight of their offerings is the breakfast. The breakfast is very good, and even though we ordered room service from Nathaniel's, I still think it is worth mentioning. Their orange juice is fresh squeezed and was amazing. Everything was cooked to perfection and completely delicious. I don't have one bad thing to say about their breakfast. Some may prefer a larger menu, but they offer all of the breakfast basics, so there is something for everyone. Nathaniel's will be added to my restaurant blacklist. BUH BYE! **Update** Juli from Nathaniel's had contacted me through email about a week ago, and had asked me to contact her regarding my dining experience. I was unable to call her last week due to the fact that I was on spring break. This week she is slamming my review and questioning my yelp credibility. Her terrible attitude is a prime example of the environment at Nathaniel's. I also never spoke negatively about anyone's medical diagnosis of "dementia", nor should this guest be excused for saying cruel/hurtful things about guest, loudly, in a public restaurant which made for an embarrassing and unenjoyable experience for anyone that had to listen. Listen Juli, I do not intend on coming back to Nathaniel's, and no matter how many free meals you offer me, I do not intend on changing my review. This is a true experience and a genuine testament to what others may encounter, and as a proud "Yelper", I refuse to let you bully me or anyone else that wants to read my review and use the information to make a decision about their next dining experience. read more

Best resaurant in salem! Has resonable prices and hotel wide variety of of items on menu. Best atmosphere and open late. Constant pleasant staff Great intimate bar. Best Halloween parties any where read more

My husband and I had our New Year's eve dinner here. The atmosphere was wonderful it was a piano player. The menu was a special menu for the evening with a choice of appetizers, entrees, desserts. I started with the raw wasters and I was pleasantly surprised to receive four delicious oysters and my husband had the French onion soup and was very pleased. For our entrées I had the haddock with a lemon beurre blanc sauce and fingerling potatoes my husband had the beef short ribs with truffle risotto. I Haddock was cooked perfectly and the beurre blanc sauce delicious my husband loved the short ribs his only complaint would be a little too heavy on the truffle oil. Dessert was a piece of a delicious banana caramel bourbon cake and a cheese tray which was enormous and we took both home. Being a holiday our expectations were low but we were very pleasantly surprised the meal options are solid with lots of variety nothing extraordinarily out of the box but everything was executed perfectly and the portions were plentiful. The best part of our evening was Judy our server with 28 years of experience here at the Hawthorne she was perfect she exhibited so many signs of classic fine dining skills that we don't often see anymore. Had a terrific evening to ring in the new year. read more

recently had dinner here, as we had a gift certificate. i have to say, it was solidly underwhelming, even for a hotel restaurant. even with the gift cert, it felt like we paid way too much for mediocre food. the staff was lovely, and the setting is nice. but they were out of a surprising number of items, given how small their menu is. my husband's fries were far too salty. the "bearnaise" sauce, while tasty, was chalk white - which is odd for a sauce that should be made with egg yolks and butter. the menu claims to offer cappuccino, but the server said that they don't have the machine to make that. and the "mousse" i got for dessert was fine, if you wanted cheesecake. outside of the fries, all of the food was serviceable, but i've had far better food for much less money. read more

Great fresh food and service! I went just so I could say that I had been inside the building (for paranormal reasons) but actually enjoyed being the dining area and the waitress was very talkative. There was even a elderly man playing the piano. Not overly expensive either! read more

I came for Sunday brunch as advertised until 2 pm. I arrived at 1 o'clock and after standing at the desk waiting to be seated for a few minutes and being ignored by the wait staff, I was informed that they stopped seating. Not sure why they advertise brunch until 2 if they really mean 1. I very put off by the bad customer service and extremely rude way I was treated. There were several tables open, and several tables full of people who hadn't been served yet. I would not recommend going to a place that doesn't value business and makes a customer feel disrespected. read more

Great food (crab-cakes and lobster cacciatore), great wait staff Excellent fine-dining experience Loved dining with the large portrait of Nathaniel Hawthorne read more

Stayed at Hawthorne so was in the restaurant for breakfast..not dinner. The breakfast was good..the service was slow. Very slow. I hate waiting for my coffee. read more

We had a lovely brunch at Nat's. The food was great, the service was amazing and the live jazz music just was the cherry on top!

Had a nice dinner there. Great American fare focusing on seafood and steaks. Had a classic chicken meal. Super tender and delicious. Mashed potatoes done perfect. Vegetables cooked just right too. Wifes meal was just as good. Would definitely come back whenever I am there. Staff was very attentive too. read more

Food was great! Highly recommend the vegetable fritata. Definitely make reservations for breakfast or they will not seat you. The service was above average but not spectacular. They were setting up brunch service as we were finishing breakfast & it was very loud & disruptive. read more

We hadn't been to Nathaniel's for dinner for a few years although we have been to the Hawthorne for several functions. The dining room has been recently re-done and is beautiful. Very elegant. The new menu was also wonderful. We shared a cheese selection for an appetizer. Very nice. For dinner, we both had the short ribs. Sooo good. The creme brulee for dessert. Yum. The piano player was also a nice classy touch. We will definitely go back! read more

Superb cuisine, well served. We were here for a special occasion and it did not disappoint.

I love Nathaniel's. The atmosphere is always so pleasant and relaxing. My husband and I return frequently since it is where the two of us were married several years ago. I enjoy the personal attention my husband and I get whenever we are there. The wait staff is always courteous and tend to know if we would like privacy or if we would like something. It is nice to know that we do not have to feel rushed. We can enjoy each other. And occasionally the pianist is playing which makes the night that much better. I highly recommend you try it out. If you had a bad experience try it again because they are fantastic! read more

The corned beef hash is the best I've ever had. The eggs florentine is excellent too. The bartender had a great personality, and she made a fantastic spicy grey goose Bloody Mary. This is my favorite place to go for breakfast on the north shore. I also prefer sitting in the tavern. It's very relaxing. Can't wait to go back! read more