Mercy Tavern is such a vibe. It's a tiny and cramped bar/restaurant with a TV that was playing 90s…read moremovies while we ate. Local characters mixed with tourists throughout. Great local art lining the walls. Excellent service and beyond excellent food rounding out the near perfection. Their waiting for a table system leaves something to be desired, but the reward is worth it in the end. The steak frites was some of the best I've had.

My family decided to spend the afternoon in Salem and wanted a late lunch. In looking at different…read moreplaces, Mercy Tavern had a good menu so we decided to stop. We arrived around 3:00 on a Thursday. We were able to get an inside seat. Two people were working and both appeared to be fairly attentive. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. My wife and I both had PBR drafts. My youngest son and I both had Steak Tips and garlic fries. My wife had grilled cheese and my oldest son had fish tacos. Everything was good, fries were extremely garlicky. I wish they would have given more steak. Service was good, food was good, and prices were fair. I would recommend and return.

The Babe is an adorable and unique little restaurant and bar in the outskirts of downtown Salem and…read moreit's a little gem! We easily found street parking and were seated quickly. I loved that they have various music nights and on this night, a few people brought in vinyls since it was BYO vinyl night. We had the mozz pockets (yum) and the Carolina gold wings (also yum). For the main meals, I had the Mr. Falafel wrap which was freaking delicious. It was the best thing I had tasted there and I'd return for that wrap alone! My gf had the Culture Fit burger and enjoyed it too. The drinks were top notch and the service was good as well. I'll definitely be back!

Great Gastro Pub. Super wings and cheese steak sandwich! Cool atmosphere and great service.read more

One of my very favourite spots in town. Sean, Sara, and Ryan are a dream - they make incredible…read moredrinks and, provided it's not too busy, are always willing to share about the thought process that goes into them and the new, unusual ingredients they feature. Creative, talented, and can handle the hell out of a rush. I am torn about writing this because I always want to be able to find a seat at that bar, but credit where credit is due.

The photos of this "speakeasy" spot and its beautifully lit up bar made me absolutely have to try…read moreit! It's not a true hidden speakeasy since the sister restaurant upstairs, the Dire Wolf Tavern, has signage on the street for it, but I didn't care - the drinks just looked beautiful, and the moody decor was so on trend for Salem without hitting you over the head in a touristy way. We walked down some pretty steep steps after having dinner at the DWT - not sure if there's another entrance or not, but seems a little accessibility challenged. We sat in some of the low down, trendy looking, cushy chairs, and had to order drinks at the bar. Table service would have been nicer, especially for what they're charging for a cocktail. I asked for a pretty drink I'd seen online in a coupe glass with foam and purple and yellow almost flower shapes in the foam, but was told it was from an old menu. No big deal, I figured as such since it was an older photo online. I ordered the Midsommar cocktail without egg white (was very excited to see Creme de Violette on a menu, but the flavor was more mild than I hoped). It was pretty good, and quite strong. I wasn't over the moon in love with it - I actually liked the drink options upstairs better lol - but it was quite good and made quickly. This spot would be great for a photoshoot, I'm dying to get a spot at the unique lit up circular bar they have. It started getting busier and louder later into the night, but when we first arrived it was nice and calm and relatively quiet. I'd go back to try more specialty cocktails, but for $20 including tip for 1 drink that was honestly quite small, it feels a bit like an overpriced tourist spot. Very fun to visit but not great if you want to be having multiple drinks. I'm glad we went and would try it out again for sure.

Really enjoyed! Started with their crimson 75 gin cocktail. Delicious and not too sweet. French…read moreonion dip was also delicious and a bit lighter than other places, which was nice. Vegetarian tagliatelle bolognese with eggplant and mushrooms was outstanding. Pasta was cooked a perfect al dente, better than most Italian restaurants. And there are several other vegetarian options available too. Service was helpful, friendly, and fast. Sat outdoors which had some nice shade on a hot day from table umbrellas and a nearby large tree. This was our first time going and we can't wait to try it again!

Came here for lunch today. The staff is amazing and def know what they're doing! We started with…read morethe pork belly special appetizer. Melt in your mouth goodness and great flavors. With the staffs help and managers coin flip I settled on the vegetable korma as my main. Intense and complex flavors melded in my mouth. Too much for one lunch so yay me lunch for tomorrow. Hubs had the steak frites. Med rare. Perfectly seared The au ju was delicious! What was supposed to be quick lunched ended up being few hours of meeting new peeps and having a blast. Can't wait to return!

My wonderful son and daughter-in-law(this was their third time) invited us to go on a harbor cruise…read moreon Tiki Hut Boats. We were joined by my daughter and son-in-law. Tiki Hut can take groups of up to six on their boats (they have two). As mentioned in previous reviews they open their calendar in January and they book up for the entire season very quickly(days). Captain Scott and his wife Karen are great business people and excellent hosts. They work together as a well oiled team. They offer light snacks and amazing drinks. The drinks are well thought out with tons of personality!! I'll leave the rest to visitors to experience so as to not cheapen their first experience. Our early afternoon cruise was a lightly choppy day in the harbor but they as great hosts made it the best possible experience we could have. Cruises are 90 minutes in duration.

My friends and I had such a fun time on this Tiki Hut boat ride. I think our captain was Judd and…read morethe bartender, Ashley who made very yummy drinks.

The Taco Lady was the star of this "distillery". The waitress was more interested in flirting with…read moretwo guys at the bar rather than serving us drinks. Looking for a good time? You won't find it here. But shout out to the Taco Lady's ramen

A Gin Lover's Spot Worth Visiting…read more This distillery has such a cool charm to it--small, intimate, and packed with character. It's got that perfect balance of laid-back and thoughtfully crafted, the kind of spot you want to linger in for a while. I tried the Ursula cocktail and it was phenomenal. Guava and grapefruit brought this refreshing tropical brightness that layered perfectly with their dry gin, making each sip smooth but still tasty. If you're into craft spirits, especially gin, this is the place to explore. Great drinks, cozy atmosphere, and a backstory that makes the whole experience even better.

I went to Sea Level on the 4th of July with two friends. I shared a fried seafood plate and it was…read moredelightful. But moreover, one of my friends had stomach issues and the chef went above and beyond to make sure her food was exactly how she needed it. Our server was attentive, kind and understanding. The manager even came out to make sure we were all doing okay. He gave my friend a few tea bags to calm her stomach and was also very kind. The staff did wonderfully on a busy holiday. All in all, a great experience!

Have been here 4 times now and have yet and I have nothing but nice things to say. The service is…read moregood, the oysters are always delicious and shucked cleanly. The cold lobster roll is in my top 3 favorite lobster rolls and I eat a lot of them! The toasted brioche is really nice and the lobster portion is generous and filled with fresh, large, & tender claw meat. Very light on the mayo which I love. Tried the steamers for the first time today and they were some of the best steamers I've had. The broth is quite lovely. The view of course is very picturesque with the Friendship of Salem ship right across the way. Also adding a photo of the truffle parm salad & clam pizza from a previous trip. The clam pizza was fantastic as was the salad. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants right now!!

Really liked the ambiance of this place. It's a fun rooftop overlooking Salem. Prices are expensive…read morebut you're in the middle of everything in town. Drinks and food were nothing spectacular but not bad either. I would still recommend if you're looking to hang out with friends on a nice day/evening.

This review is specifically for the rooftop bar at The Hotel Salem. It's a cool spot that gave us…read moresomething fun to do while we waited for our EV to charge down the street, but it definitely feels a bit like a tourist trap. The food is nothing spectacular, though it's not bad either--just kinda mid. We had the ceviche, which was decent for $16. The drink menu itself is really cool, but it is very overpriced. Because we had already had a couple of drinks elsewhere and were mostly just buying time, we opted to stick with water. The ambiance is easily the best part of the experience. It's a fun, lively rooftop bar that sits right in the middle of everything in town. It offers some nice views directly over the main pedestrian street in Salem, though honestly, beyond that, you can't see much else. The staff was friendly and welcoming. We didn't have a reservation and weren't thrilled with the seats we were given, but that's fair game for walking in. It's a neat place to stop in for a quick view if you're passing through, but be prepared for typical tourist-heavy prices for drinks.