Cozy is the right adjective, with a bar with dining counter on one side, the kitchen with dining counter on the other and tables in between. All tables were full on a rainy Monday. I always appreciate a spot that features kitchen view dining, and a few seats were open there. I was happy to see a nice Tempranillo by the glass ($18) to let me wind down after an all day drive. I ordered the clams Catalán and the radicchio Caesar ($19). It would be nice if they offered a single serving salad, since theirs are designed for sharing and are mammoth, as in could easily feed four as a starter. The server gave me a heads up that they used anchovy in the dressing and some found it strong, but I enjoyed the combo of the lightly dressed, slightly bitter greens and yummy homemade croutons . I'm glad I saved room for the clams since they were delicious, and I wanted to soak up every drop of the sauce with the crusty, toasted bread that accompanied the dish. And kudos for easily and promptly resolving my error with a tip--I'd like to think I'm generous but not 118%. I would happily return here on another trip through Salem. read more

The food is incredible; my favorite date night. I love the ambience which makes me feel I'm having a special night out on the town. Thank you Cozy staff for your attentive service and graciousness! See you soon! read more

I am so glad I finally got a chance to eat here! The food was absolutely delicious and the drinks were just as good. It really gave the vibe of authentic Spanish tapas. I only wish I could have eaten more!! The only downside was our server. He was largely absent (though I saw him chitchatting at one table for extended lengths several times), only checked in once shortly after our food started getting dropped off, and later our drinks sitting empty at the edge of the table for upwards of 15 minutes, even after he took our dessert order (never asked about drinks and he rushed off before we could ask). Finally another server asked us about drinks and put in the order. If it weren't for the absentee server, I would have given this place five stars. I would definitely recommend this place to any foodie!! read more

The Cozy Taberna - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Salem, Oregon

I have been here several times since moving to Oregon in summer 2022. They never disappoint. I recommend the salmon and brussel sprouts! Great cocktails as well! Make a reservation because it's almost always quite busy. Even with the busy, there is always good service. read more

Been here a handful of times since our initial visit and I must say, they have not missed yet. Everything has been delish thus far. Service has been great as well. Keep it up! read more

We recently enjoyed a wonderful tapas dinner on a week night at this restaurant. We arrived about 4, did not have reservations but they found a table for us. I would recommend reservations because the table seating area is not large. We enjoyed our tapas and the charcuterie tray was the best we have ever had. The tapas dishes were delicious and generous but we ordered too much food for the two of us! The restaurant has a casual but upscale vibe that was very pleasant. It's location on an alleyway makes it a bit difficult to find, but there is parking in a large public lot about a block away. We have since tried to visit the restaurant again but we were unable to get reservations - seems to be very popular! read more

We walked in for a party of two. There were many open tables and spots for two at both bar sides. The host was very unclear about whether we could sit at a table or at the kitchen bar, stating that they are typically for reservations, but did not say that the tables were actually reserved. He kind of looked us up and down and then suggested the very worst spot at the bar where we had to squeeze in and ask someone at a table to move so we could even get to our seats. The host claimed his was a good spot with a view of the bar, which was absolutely untrue. There was no view but that of a refrigerator. The bartender couldn't even see us there. Both the bartender and the server made comments about our seat, such as "Wow, you really squeezed in here". I got the impression from the host that they did not want us there. Which makes no sense. It's not like we were dressed poorly. Now to the food. It wasn't bad, wasn't great. We loved the old tapas restaurant in downtown Salem, Andaluz, which closed down some years ago. Everything on Cozy Taberna's menu appeared to be based off of what Andaluz used to offer. Upon tasting, each dish was a pale imitation of what Andaluz had. The papas bravas were served with sauce slathered on, rather than on the side for dipping. This left the distribution of sauce inconsistent and the texture of the potatoes soggy where the sauce was. Would have been much better if they had served the sauce on the side for dipping. Other dishes were decent, but a bit overpriced IMO. Nice cocktail and beer selection. All in all, I don't think I'll be looking to go back. If the host had been more welcoming, I might be willing to try again. read more

Pleasantly surprised with this restaurant. We met friends there, and everyone of us had a good meal. The service was great. Food was great and the drinks were great. A nice atmosphere and very helpful waitress and waitress -would definitely recommend. read more

Amazing food and amazing service. From drinks to apps to main plates didn't miss a beat

Probably the most unique and delicious food in Salem right now! I've lived here for over 40 years and we have several good restaurants in town, but this place is different in the most amazing way. The ambiance is amazing and fun and lovely. But the tapas are so great! I celebrated my birthday here last weekend and it was the most memorable I've had in a long time. Our server was perfection and she guided us through the whole menu and made our experience fantastic! Our group of 8 ordered at least a dozen things to share and they were all delicious! We can't wait to go back and try the few things that we didn't order! Hats off to the owner that took a chance to do something unique in Salem. Whether it's date night or a celebratory dinner, this place is must. read more

Great food. Great service. Great drinks and fabulous ambiance! The lamb chops are absolutely delicious and cooked perfectly. The craft cocktails are fun and well balanced. My husband and I love getting the charcuterie and cheese boards, and the chicken liver mousse is addictive. There are so many things to still try. We've been several times and with friends, and we had a fantastic time and weren't rushed or left unattended. Definitely recommend and will continue to come back. read more

Meh. The servers were sub par and the food was just okay.

My friend and I dined at Cozy Taberna on Sunday at 5. Our server was delightful, her name was Keegan. She did an excellent job of describing a few of the menu items, which we tried and really enjoyed. The prawns, garlic bread, flat iron steak, snap pea salad, were all great, and the service was excellent. read more

Love love love Taberna! The atmosphere, the food and the gin cocktails are amazing! One of my fav places in Salem, if you're curious take a chance and dine here! You'll be happy you did read more

Overnight Cozy became my favorite dining experience in Salem! Perfect for a date night, the atmosphere is great and we tried lots of different items from the menu and not one was anything but exceptional! read more

Wow!! Highly recommend The Cozy Taberna. The atmosphere was beautiful (and cozy but a little cold) , the location easy to access, the prices were reasonable, the quality is top-notch, the portions are huge, the service was impeccable, the cocktails were amazing, the beer and wine selections were also excellent. It was so nice to go to a place (we live in Portland), with all of these quality characteristics. Highly recommend these items: Goat cheese drop dumplings, cedar-plank salmon, scallops, bacon-wrapped dates, clams, grilled bread, the frites... all outstanding! Thank you all for making it a great experience. We can't wait to go back to Salem and visit again. read more

Fantastic food. We're big fans of tapas this is very good food. The drinks are excellent as well.

In a word: Amazing! Everything on the menu here was incredible. I especially loved the option of zero- proof cocktails. Recommend ordering lots of small plates to try a bunch of different things - but entrees are good also. Service was very responsive read more

This restaurant is fun, tasty, and it has an attractive and hip ambience. We love tapas! The servers do their best to please, and the food is consistently excellent. read more

We had amazing food, great service, and yummy wine. We arrived a little early, about 10 minutes better opening time. We were welcomed right in and seated with smiles. From start to finish our experience was great. The octopus is delicious. We also loved the Brittini's salad and goat cheese dumplings. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

Wonderful flavors, great service, and beautiful location. This was our first time eating here, and Wes was really helpful explaining the dishes. We would definitely go back and order the Goat Cheese Drop Dumplings again! read more

We have been here for lunch and dinner. Both times the food and drinks were amazing. We really enjoyed the kitchen seating. Couldn't ask for a better atmosphere. Everything we ordered was delicious all the way up to dessert. Service was outstanding. Overall, this was a really good experience. read more

Service was great, food was amazing & perfect place for my hubby's BDay. It is spendy but worth it.

The small plates were the best part about the restaurant. The flavor of the olives, bread and dumplings were amazing! Some areas we were unimpressed with were the steak and pork which were lacking the correct seasoning and needed more salt. We enjoyed the salmon and cocktails though, and the service was great and they couldn't have been more awesome! They did try to sell us fish head, belly and tails which our server said were leftovers from last night. When we asked for clarification about the fish it legitimately was just the head, belly and tail which we opted against. read more

Such a great , happy place to be. From the mi urea we arrived at the bar The bartenders were ready and so helpful in explanations and suggestions. It's a treat to sit at the bar and watch them mix the drinks. Professional and magical. The Basque Kiss was perfect and full of sweet/tart flavors. No one - no place makes a Sazarac like the Cozy bartenders. We eventually moved to a booth with our friends and began our adventure with this amazing menu. The cheese board had everything you would want for early dinner flavors , almonds , cheese, amazing crackers goats cheese etc were perfect for a light beginning. The Salt Cod fritters were crispy, flavorful and just the right size for a beginning. The Clams Cataplana where absolutely delicious. So full of flavor, nice size and the sauce was amazing. Also our party had the Grilled El Greco Lamp Chops and the Honey Brined Pork Chop. Both entree's were incredible and perfectly prepared; crispy, full of flavor and just the right proportions. Along with them was Sautéed spinach which was so tasty and bright and colorful w pine nuts. Our small dessert was perfect - as we were all full ~ the Banana Cake is my personal favorite; moist, full of banana flavor and just the right size. - of course some coffee to top off the evening. We can't wait to return to try the Squid Ink Pasta and the Roast Coppa Steak Frites. All the staff were so friendly, helpful, and easy serving and quietly clearing. Perfect. They were all delightful. We can't wait to go back and sit at the chef's counter and watch the chef's in action. read more

Our family loves this place! There hasn't been a thing I've tried that wasn't tasty, but if I had to pick favorites do yourself a favor and order the following -pop up bread -goat cheese dumplings -Brittany's salad (changes seasonally) -cod fritters -flat iron steak -scallops -shoestring fries -cran rosemary gin & tonic It's such a fun atmosphere and exactly what Salem needed! read more

Delicious food, share the small plates with your dining companions to taste and try new and cool dishes! The bacon wrapped dates and goat cheese dumplings were amazing. Delicious cocktails, good service and trendy but welcoming atmosphere. It's a bit dark inside though, which I liked, but one friend commented that he didn't like that. read more

The food here is overpriced for what you get, and seems a bit dated for a place that claims to deliver a "culinary excellence". The overly sweet and burnt brussel sprouts for instance were a thing about 5 years ago but are just heavy handed now. Speaking of heavy handed, a burger with bacon, cheese and two types of heavy sauces, that is fried within an inch of it's life, is something you can get for much less money at a fast food restaurant. The cocktails, a telling spot on the menu for creativity (or lack there-of), includes four types of N/A cocktails that involve no imagination. Unless you have a large group or are looking to lobby someone (which should be done at the steak place down the block), STAY AWAY! read more

One of Salem's best. It's clear the staff and ownership are invested in a great experience for their diners. Love the open view of the bar and kitchen. Must try (not all at once) the Salmon, Squid Ink Pasta, Cozy Salad, Caesar, Chrorizo Sandwhich, Brioche, and the roasted carrots. read more

We recently had the opportunity to try happy hour at Cozy Taberna. Happy hour is from 3-5pm and features discounts on beer, well liquor and select food. Sitting outside on the patio was great. Well curated drink selection and great vibe. We really enjoyed our food, warm olives, Caesar salad, Brussels sprouts and scallops cooked to perfection. The bar manager, James, is very cool and knowledgeable. Highly recommend! read more

Excellent dinner at the chef's counter. Very good food, great atmosphere. Highly recommended.

I came here with a couple girl friends we were able to sit downstairs without a wait, we ordered many items off the menu. Everything was absolutely delicious. The timing of all items coming out was perfect, we were never waiting for anything and never had too many dishes on the table at once. Some favorites were house made Brioche and Radicchio Salad. Scallops were perfectly cooked as well as the brick chicken. I definitely recommend. read more

A great solid meal. Great drinks menu. Lots of small plates that were like big plates. It may not be THE BEST food I've ever had, but a solid, enjoyable tapas meal In a great, beautiful space. read more

Great fabulous new restaurant in Salem. The food is so delicious. Way to go Chef! Service is a little slow but could be the Spanish way. They have an extensive cocktail list. Try the Aviation one. I had salmon, & fried artichokes. read more

I understand why the people of Salem like it; as it is a fancy restaurant mimicking the ones in a larger city like Portland. This was just ok, not very good, and not bad, just ok. read more

We celebrated our anniversary with a fantastic dinner here. Great selection of food with friendly staff. Nice alternative in downtown Salem.

I'm so excited to see this kind of restaurant in Salem. The food is so insanely good and the service is out of this world. I agree with another reviewer that the Salem food bar has been raised! Thank goodness! read more

Excellent food, loved the basement dining area. Great find off an alley in Salem. Friendly service.

The food was delicious. We enjoyed the feel and atmosphere created by the restaurant's layout. Most importantly the service was excellent. We plan to visit CT during happy hour since it looks fun. read more

I've been excited to check this place out. Went tonight with friends and it definitely didn't disappoint! The service was incredible. Maddie our waitress was so sweet and very attentive with as busy as they were. I wasn't sure on if I was feeling the wine selection and she allowed me to sample before ordering a glass. I'm so happy she did because it wasn't for me. The bone marrow board was my absolute favorite! Delicious! All the food was amazing and we got to meet Lois which I absolutely loved! She cleaned off our table and then came back to let me know that the lemon bunt cake is similar to the one a Little Lois (my favorite lunch delivery)! It was AMAZING! We had someone clearing plates for us every time we had an empty one. This place has such a cool vibe and we will definitely be back! Would recommend the bone marrow board and the salt cod fritters! The goat cheese dumplings and brussel sprouts we good too! Such a great experience! Salem was in need of a place like this! read more

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