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.

What an unknown gem in Salem! It's not on a beaten path, but the food has got to be one of the…read morebest in town. We've been in before for their superior steak tips and burgers. We just went in and dropped a worthy $80 on lunch - 2 tequila mules, a special of buffalo bites (if u are lucky and these are on special again - order them!). Chicken kabob sandwich - juicy, perfectly grilled chicken and my husband got the mouth-watering pastrami sandwich. We packed half of it up for dinner tonight. I only gave 4 stars due to the lousy, noisy, raunchy bar flies. They couldn't care less about other customers as they were shouting and cussing away. Having a conversation with my husband was impossible. The bartender, who was 5 stars in her service to us, attempted to remind these people to stop yelling. I understand being a local, as I am one, and it makes me want to keep my favorite places in business. However, disruptive and rude bar flies should be shut out ff earlier and asked to leave or at the very least pipe down. Ultimately, I highly recommend anyone local or out of town to try The Tin Whistle for the food and service. Maybe try one of the tall comfy wooden booths would make for a better atmosphere.

I would give 5 stars but they don't answer the phone for take- out…read more My new favorite dish is their Cajun chicken pasta. OUTSTANDING.. and a special shout out to Lydia who is on lunch shift. BRAVO

Some friends and I stopped in here because I wanted a unique grilled cheese. We were the first ones…read morein here on the weekend and the two guys working were really nice. I had the grilled cheese with brie and strawberry that was pretty good both of my friends got various hot dogs and I wish I would've done one of those. They were very happy with her meal. I liked mine too, but I've never ever seen a hotdog with so many different types of toppings either. This place is located near a bunch of local attractions.

Came to Salem for a fun weekend getaway and ended finding myself at this awesome bar every night…read more While Salem does lack a "gay bar" in the traditional sense, All Souls Lounge is definitely a welcoming, fun, and LGBTQ-friendly spot! The bartenders were very pleasant, the crowd was eclectic and fun, and the drinks and food were wonderful! I had a crab rangoon grilled cheese that was ooey-gooey melty perfection. My cocktails were also well balanced and tasty! Overall, the vibes here are totally what I look for when I'm out and about in an unfamiliar town. Will definitely be my go-to spot whenever I'm back in Salem!

I'm not sure you would find this without knowing where to look. It's a favorite among locals for…read moregood reason. Downstairs is a "lively" bar, upstairs is the restaurant portion. Use the outside stairs to joueny up stairs. They don't take reservations and on a Thursday night it was full so plan accordingly. They have a full offering of drinks and I went draft beer, Alagash, a wheat beer from Maine. A good choice to go with a heavy meal. At the recommendation of our local host, I went for the Pan Seared Haddock. This comes with lobster meat in a white sauce served over potatoes and cooked spinach. So tasty, the seafood was tender and delicious, the sauce not overwhelming the flavors. Our server, Casey, was top notch and gave the right amount of earnest attention. When he wished us a good evening, I think he truly meant it. Husband had the seafood platter mixed and I tried one of the shrimp which was excellent. Great spot, though it is dimly lit and noisy(just know before you go type thing). Didn't hamper our enjoyment of a fun evening at all!

The food was fresh & flavorful - short rib dinner (bartender recommended) & fried seafood platter…read more The bartender was great - can't remember her name - but she was attentive & quick to take care of us...the bar/restaurant down stairs is small, but so Marblehead - a locals hang out it seems. Main restaurant wasn't open when we got there, but downstairs was great.

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

This could be the best bar staff in the area. Absolutely personable, friendly, and cranks out…read moredrinks like no one's business. It's the drinker's bar. If you're looking for some classy shit, go to, um, anywhere else. Not to say this place isn't clean. A dive bar doesn't mean dirty. It means local, comfortable and a place to get together over some stiff drinks. But I would disagree (previous review) that it isn't for outsiders. I would say outsiders are welcome, as long as you know what you're getting into. No food (aside from popcorn!), but a serious alcohol selection, Keno, a jukebox, and good atmosphere. Don't be a bar snob coming here. As far as the year ago negative review by Robyn: Let's point out some things to anyone that goes anywhere on the North Shore: there are three large colleges within a 15 or less mile radius, with a serious fake ID epidemic and out-of-states are much more of a liability than they are profitable. Bars implement strict policies to avoid this. Good job to the bartender for doing his job. It sucks that it killed your night, but hopefully this will shed some light.

The drinks were fine. But we went around 7:30pm. I got 2 beers. My tab when I left was $10.50. I…read moretipped and my total was $13. The following day found my boyfriend's bill was the same exact price for one jack on the rocks and he tipped the same so it came to $13. We both realized the next morning they charged us $25 each!!!! WTF!!!!

I stopped in on a Thursday night with a friend from the area. Was shocked by how busy the place…read morewas, bar was packed when we got there around 8 PM. Ordered a bowl of clam chowder, large portion and very tasty. Service was great and overall feel of the place was about as coastal New England as you can get. Best part was the $2 PBR Drafts, saw that on the menu and thought it was a typo. Highly recommend!

sensational seafood pie- only $20.00 loaded with fish,…read morescallops,lobster, shrimp. the only downside crappy canned green beans & corn. Very good service. At 12:30 the place was packed. I had to eat inside the outside patio was packed. it appears dogs are allowed. On Tuesday they off twin lobsters for $20.00 They told me they sell 500-600 every Tuesday Averaged out that's $11,000 dollars just for lobsters Go There Eat and enjoy

"Here lie the roses in the ashes Deep as the barnacles that…read morecling Just like a lace that runs through everyone and everything" (Elvis Costello) This is a tough one to write up. The food was very good, and I thought my Steamed Mussels might have been the very best version of a favorite dish I ever had. The view of the harbor from the back counter was beautiful. But..........there were a lot of buts. First of all, The Barnacle is not a large restaurant, and the dining room was so crowded, with tables and chairs so densely packed into every square inch it's really quite difficult to navigate your way around the room. In fact, after we were seated at that back counter, a server asked us if we could slide over because another patron couldn't maneuver herself into an open seat. We placed our order - a cup of clam chowder ($8), fish tacos ($14.95), and those fabulous Steamed Mussels ($18.95). And then we waited. And then we waited some more. And then the couple who sat next to us hadn't seen a server yet, so the gent walked over to the bar to get his own beer. And then we waited some more. And then our server sheepishly walked over and said she never got around to placing our order with the kitchen, so would we mind reminding her what we ordered? Now look, we had no appointment to keep and didn't mind the view of the scenery. But truthfully, the wait and delay did slice into a big chunk of our metered parking fee. And it sure would have been nice to see their service lapse translate into some tangible consideration. How about a complimentary appetizer, drink, dessert, or a cost reduction or anything. But no, there was no consideration given at all. No attempt to make things right. I'd say forgetting to place an order and not realizing the mistake for half an hour is a fairly serious issue. A waterside restaurant on a hot day really should have done a better job with the crowd, and they clearly weren't up to the task. But... those plump heavenly mussels in a sweet, herb and garlic broth were divine, and influenced my rating decision for a four-star experience.

One of our go to Local spots in Marblehead. Great location with a fabulous view of the Harbor and…read morethe lighthouse. Very friendly staff but the star of the show is the seafood. We ordered an order of steamers to share. Very good! For the main course, Fish and chops for me. As I had remembered from prior visits, the fish are outstanding. Very good cold water white fish /Haddock, cooked with a light breading so it doesn't overwhelm the fish. Fries were fine but again the star is the fish and definitely worth the visit!