A local pub really needs to step up their game to earn a 5 star rank in my book and these guys deliver! The restaurant itself is nothing special. A front door that is difficult to open and close, a narrow seating area and a beat up bar. They have two TV's in the bar and only one works. So how in the world do they get 5 stars you ask? The food. Plain and simple. The menu has a nice variety of choices. Justine, the bar keep tonight recommends several choices on the menu and then says the one thing I ALWAYS get. The Grilled Reuben. I order it with onion rings. The sandwich looks formidable. A half pound of chopped corned beef smoked in house between two beautiful slices of rye with melted Swiss, grilled sauerkraut and plenty of 1000 island dressing. The onion rings are not hand made... disappointing... but still very nice. This sandwich though... wow! Superb, juicy, flavorful, perfect... simply perfect! For my taste I would toss the corned beef with a little sour cream and a touch of horseradish but, that's me. It really doesn't need it, this stands on it own very nicely. But really the piece de resistance is the Macadamia Key Lime Pie. Hand made by the mother of the owner, this is a one of a kind dessert. The crust, flaky and wonderful, the filling, perfectly tart, the whipped cream is fresh and it is finished with chopped macadamia nuts and toasted coconut. Now, I hate coconut on pies. I feel this would be literally the greatest pie ever if the coconut were simply removed and used as a garnish on the plate. If Ma Mike were to do that and then toast the macadamia nuts it would easily be in my top 2 desserts of all time. But, even with that said, even with the coconut on there, I look forward to eating it again. It was simply amazing. So, if you find yourself near Salem. Drop into Mike's. It is worth the time and the prices are very fair. Say hi to Justin for me. read more

Want to wait awhile for your food then this is the place to be. And when the food came the chicken parmisian my friend ordered was as cold as if it had came out of the fridge. Sent it back and it wasn't much warmer when it came back. We will never go back. read more

We had a severely handicapped lady with us and they did everything they could to accommodate us. We had great food, great service at a reasonable price. My wife and I liked it so much, we went back two days later to celebrate our 53 anniversary. read more

Good local place to eat, owned by locals food was good. Fun environment, good staff. Menu was large.

Server was god awful. She seemed like she never wanted to be working and would give us a big sigh if we asked for extra sauce or a refill for drinks read more

great food & service. reasonable prices and great flavor too. place was packed but moved us in quickly.

I love this place! I got prime rib sandwich, wife got beer batteries fish basket. Great great great! Now, time to eat! Return trip. Odd thing is, when I REALLY love a place, I just eat. And figure I will update review at some future date. And I never do. Today had the prime rib. It was absolutely fantastic. Great au jus. Crusty on the outside and Rare in the middle. Wife got the grouper sandwich. She loved it. Mike's PENN Ave Grill has a great menu. And the chefs in back hit every dish perfectly. Some places are hidden little gems that you stumble across and are better for having found them. Mikes Penn Ave Grill is such a place. Great menu. Great execution. Great location. I have loved this place for years. And adding more...(yet again) Get a great bunch of customers here. And the staff is fantastic. I now believe in Santa Claus. Because this is the best present I have ever been given. Get it? "Present", as in the currency of the event, meaning right now, when I'm at Mikes Penn Grill, it is like getting a great present every single time. Whacky McCracky! And... 5 October. Another great dinner at the Penn Grill. I got prime rib, as per usual. Wife got beer battered grouper. Don't get the. Oven baked crab stuffed grouper. Just deep fry it. Me'n'de wife all up in that! And the bartender that waited on us deserves a raise. Not cuz working the bar at night brings in the cash. But just because she was great read more

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Good food and fast service. Friendly staff and real cool looking bar on the inside. Would recommend

We ate there Saturday and all was so delicious. I had Summer salad (hugh), another had burger done exactly right, the last had fish and was so full he wanted to sit for awhile. We shared a Brownie, ice cream with pecans. We almost didn't finish it, it was so large. This is def. is a go to place in Salem. Oh, by the way: Our waitress was def. the best we've had in a long time read more

Their food is very good however, keep in mind that this is a small establishment so there might be a wait.

Food is excellent. They did 3 party's this last time and the waitress was excellent. Love your banquet rooms please give the cook and waitresses a big bonus for Christmas please they deserve it read more

Great food with friendly staff. What a pleasure getting a large beer and 50 cent wings on wing night!!

After reading the reviews, we decided to give this place a try. We were both happy with our choices for lunch. I had the pulled pork sliders with French fries and my husband had a bowl of stuffed pepper soup. Both are worth repeating. The sliders were so full of bbq pork, I couldn't even finish one of the two that comes in the order. Even though I was over full, I still couldn't leave without getting a slice of the coconut macadamia key lime pie, which we will eat tonight at home. Overall, we are looking forward to trying other things here when we return to Salem next month. read more

Now known as Mike's Penn Ave Grill. This place is a standard bar, with above average food, most of the time. But let's start with ambiance. The place has an odor that can best be described as old basement. The smell as you walk through the door is strong. Otherwise, the decor is that of an old bar or tavern. Front door entry finds the bar on the right, often times with some interesting locals filling the stools, and tables to the left. There is a dining room area to the right beyond the bar (you have to walk through the opening in the bar to get there). Service is almost always a little above average. Although my beer last night was 3/4 full. The food is interesting. They have a $26 all you can eat crab leg "deal" on Tuesdays from 5-8. There are fish and chips (which are good) and sauteed scallops on the menu. The swordfish special last night sounded especially good. Turns out it was dry and lacking in any flavor at all. The opening salad was decent, with real bacon bits, hard boiled egg slices and a homemade Italian dressing that was light, sweet and tasty. I've had the salmon when it was done very nicely. Overall this place is a decent option with the potential to get a really nice meal, or a very average meal. The atmosphere is a little rough for a nice night out, though. If you're across the street at Salem Eyecare on their late night (Tuesday), it's a convenience thing. read more

Yum! My dad introduced me to this place. They really do have gourmet-grade food for a good price. Their sweet potato fries are incredible. They also have sweet potato tots, but I haven't tried those yet. They have a wide array of food to choose from so your whole family will leave satisfied. They have a bar-type area in the front and a very nice dining room in the back, so it's perfect if you are with friends or family. There are different dining-feel options! I work in Salem, so this is a great place to grab a bite for a business lunch or dinner after work! read more

Penn Grill Restaurant & Lounge - American Near Me - Salem, Ohio

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I have been going there for the past four years. Food and selection was alway good but pricey. The atmosphere in the bar is normal but with outdated decor. The restaurant area is awful and the new addition is just as bad with the exception of being "new". It has a cafeteria theme. I have seriously seen a serious decline in the service. I won't be back and will definitely tell others the same. Looks like Boardman will be getting all my business when it comes to dining out. read more

After reading the reviews I came to Mike's expecting great food and lousy service. I was pleasantly surprised to get both great food and great service. The atmosphere doesn't lend itself to quiet intimate conversation, but we weren't looking for that either. It was loud, and the games were on. I didn't get any of the "funky" smells that were mentioned. And I didn't really see the unappealing decor that everyone mentioned. We had call ahead reservations and were seated immediately. We ordered three appetizers for our group. Fried cheese, beer battered onion rings and peppers &!oil on bread. All were very delicious. I had the chicken fettuccine with peppers and it was excellent. The portion was more than satisfying. I brought a good bit of it home with me. I was a little disappointed with the house Italian dressing for my side salad. I thought it lacked flavor but that was a minimal problem. My dinner companions all enjoyed their meals. Also pictured is the beer battered perch with French fries. The verdict was mixed on the fries. We all agreed they were fresh, but it was split 2:2 for the "too greasy," vs "just right" camps. Also pictured was the drink special a passion fruit martini which was pretty strong but really good. We will definitely be dining here again. read more

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First time visit and we will be back again. They have a $5 lunch special which was two sliders and fries. Even more food than I needed for lunch and very good, fresh and hot. My husband had the New England clam chowder which he loved and a Dagwood which he said was tasty and fresh The location is good, with ample parking. The inside is an old time bar, but felt Clean. All food at other tables looked great How did I not know they were here? read more

This place is a hometown favorite! Great food, good service amazing price! Love if here it feels like home! Couldn't have found a cozier spot to enjoy dinner!! read more

Great place with great high end food this place is so good worth driving for as a destination!

The odor and ambience is quite unique - really old town, Midwest America. The food here is decent although, there are so many more places right outside of Salem that are probably better. The colleague that I work with always orders a ceaser salad with blackened salmon and swears by it. Its not always on the menu but if they have the ingredients they'll make it. I've had some of their various sandwiches and I must admit the burger has been the best. It's a nice option to the McDonalds down the road, but I wouldn't go out if my way to come to Salem for Mikes. read more

My son and I had lunch on Friday 3/8. We started with the fried cheese which was delicious. I had the battered fish basket. There was a large serving of fish and fries. The fish and tartar sauce were absolutely delicious. My son had a chicken sandwich. I'm not sure which one but he said it was really good. I will definitely go back when I'm in the Salem area. read more

I'll give them 3 stars only because they have good chicken strips. The first time I ate thier i ordered a chicken salad. I pour over a cup of water out of my salad bowl. When we complained and sent it back. I was given a regular salad, i had taken one bite from the other. The waitress argued with us for 10 mins that all the chicken had been eaten from the first salad. Which was false. And even if it had been true, given that i was served a salad with so much water in it they shouldn't of argued. I only get the chicken strips if I'm working within walking distance. read more

Great burgers as wells as a chef inspired dinner menu. Great seating in the newly acquired a remolded building next door. Family friendly.

I use to come here 30 years ago, primarily for the deep fried fish and the deep fried fries/onion rings/mushroom platter. Good stuff, but a heart attack on a plate in the typical dive environment. That was several owners ago. The place more or less looks the same today, and I sank into the booth like the cushions were probably the same ones I sat on 30 years ago ... but I'll have to say, the menu was a definite upgrade from the olden days. There were half dozen broiled fish or shellfish specials on the menu. I had a cajun spiced broiled Virginia Spot (the waitress explained it was like perch) that was really pretty good. My sister had a penne dish with chicken, broccoli, hot and sweet peppers that was really good. We started with a hot-peppers-in-oil appetizers. Even my cheapo Pinot Noir was tasty. We saw them carting out some onion rings and they looked as greasy and good as the olden days - but I'm impressed with the healthier options in the latest incarnation of this local pub. As a previous reviewer wrote, don't expect ambiance. But expect to find a much better meal than you'd expect from first impression. read more

Walked in and I instantly regretted my decision to come here. I was not in the mood for bar food. To call the Philly Cheese Steak I ordered bar food is an insult to the food god's. I'm a picky person and that sandwich was most definitely the best tasting sandwich I have ever eaten in my life. The fries were a bit lacking in flavor but I'm more than willing to forgive it. The alligator was also very tasty as well. read more

Penn Grill Restaurant & Lounge - Friendly staff. - American Near Me - Salem, Ohio

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Having not been to this grill for a couple of years I wanted to try them again after reading about their remodeling and expansion. I had an ok Ruben with fries. The fries were unlike any I've had before. They were dry and hard. Either dried up potatoes or old fries. My wife paid extra for onion rings and they tasted like fish. I asked the server if hey were fried in the same oil as the fish. She sad YES. Unbelievable. They gave her credit for the rings but we realized that then she was cheated out of the side that was supposed to be included with the meal. Her grilled chicken sandwich was dry. We will not go back any time soon. read more

Give me a break....how could I NOT KNOW about this awesome Grill and bar? I go to Salem a lot for my husband likes the city a lot. It is such a nice place to walk. THE MENU #1 is fantastic and so inexpesnsive....the PLACE #2 is reallllllly NICE inside - LIKED IT A LOT. and Last but NOT LEAST the STAFF #3 was cordial, fast, efficient and very knowledgeable!!!!!! THE FOOD....NOW HERE WE GO... I had the FRIED FISH SANDWICH with thier GREAT FRIES and could not come anywhere close to finishing it!!! AwESOME...My friend had the PRIME RIB Sandwich with fries and she too could no way finish it. Great prices too. Food was served immediatly and HOT the way it SHOULD BE. Going back with our husbands very soon!!!!!!! read more

Penn Grill Restaurant & Lounge - PRIME RIB SANDWICH AND FRIES - American Near Me - Salem, Ohio

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Bit into this piece of glass eating my leftovers Called the restaurant, told the owner would call me-he did not. The meal was mediocre at best, service-awful and glass in their meals. Never will I step foot into this place again. If you do, examine your meal before eating, because clearly they don't keep a clean kitchen read more

Penn Grill Restaurant & Lounge - Glass at bottom right in my meal - American Near Me - Salem, Ohio

Awesome menu and service! Their seafood is amazing, almost as good as being on the beach. Steaks are always cooked correctly and I suggest the house white zin. read more

Ok so went here after being told about it by a freind, the food is wonderful as you can see from my pic that I posted read more

Penn Grill Restaurant & Lounge - Uncrok and scallops - American Near Me - Salem, Ohio

Nestled in the quaint little town of Salem is an equally welcoming Mike's Penn Gill. Beautiful menu selection with mouth watering flavors and specials that are...well let's just say SPECIAL, very special ! A real hidden gem and always a delicious meal ! Best homemade pie and desserts ever, I will never share a dessert @ Mike's Penn ! The Macadamia Nut Coconut Key Lime Pie is to die for !! Dessert very depending on day of the week. Great lunch specials too! "Owner, chef Mike Cranmer opened Mike's Penn Avenue Grille in 2004, a Wolfgang Puck certified chef, Cranmer has a passion for food and it emulates in every dish he serves." read more

I came in here on just a whim of needing a drink and lunch from having a bad morning. I would have never guessed that I was going to eat the best rueben of my life. The French onion along with it was fantastic as well. To top it all off I had key lime pie and it is the best pie I have ever eaten. If you live around here and haven't tried this place you are missing out! read more

Salem's Hidden gem! We always drive by and so glad we finally stopped! Not at all what we expected. Service was great and the food was even better! Will definitely be back! read more

Stopped here on a whim while driving through town, very impressed! I think it is a very cool place with a pretty big menu with standard bar and grill items. They have a pretty good, small beer selection on draft more in bottles. They seemed to have great local (Lake Erie) fish selection and local (Cleveland) beers. They also had a lot of very good daily specials. There is a kids menu with more items then a chain restaurant. I feel like it was fine for my child (4.5 y/o). It is a bar, but I dont think a child would be in there during "peak bar hours" I ordered the Mikes Gyro. Very tasty! :) read more

Penn Grill Restaurant & Lounge - a woman standing at the bar - American Near Me - Salem, Ohio

Great food always. Nice home town bar and grille. Highly recommended. If it's on the menu, the meatloaf is excellent!!! read more

Penn Grill Restaurant & Lounge - Great place! - American Near Me - Salem, Ohio

Not happy with service, waited 15 min after we finished eating for bill. Food of course was great.

The service was good and the waitress was nice but my chicken was so rubbery I could barely cut it and my friends vegetarian pasta was hard. The haluski was good tho. read more

Haven't been back here in ten years. They have expanded the the dining room into several other rooms in the building. There are four of us in the party and we are all equally impressed with the quality and quantity of the food. Steaks were excellent, pasta with greens outstanding. Will be sure to make it back here soon! read more

The Hollywood wings were smashing! The burger was fantastic too. I can't wait to come back again.