The Easy Otter is always a fun spot for drinks and bites! My husband and I recently stopped in and shared the chicken finger plate with garlic fries, and it was more than enough for both of us. The chicken fingers are huge and seriously delicious! I honestly think they're some of the best chicken fingers I've had in Salem! The garlic fries were really good too, tons to garlic. And, as always, the staff were super nice, friendly, and welcoming. Definitely a spot we'll keep coming back to! read more

The Easy Otter - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

See all

Cozy spot with really great food. Honestly the best fried chicken I have had in years. Cooked and seasoned perfectly. The local beer options were excellent , and Corbyn (who waited on us) was so great with information on pairings and recommendations with orders. The beignets are sinful. There should be no way on this big blue, green, white, brown marble we call Earth, that the only place in the world that makes the most incredible beignets is located 700 miles from where I reside. It's not fair. Do yourself a favor if you're visiting. Go in. Bask in the music curated by the staff, enjoy local beers. Savor the most incredible fried chicken since before Harland Sanders sold out. And most of all, indulge in all of the glory that is the multiple varieties of beignets that will make you hope there is an afterlife. And that if you've been a solid person, and karma smiles on you, the view you see from your resting space is whatever beach, lake, mountain, stream, river or desert that brought you peace, and a massive plate of said beignets. read more

This is a super cute lil spot! We split a Monte Cristo sandwich and the Biscuits and Gravy. The monte Cristo is basically a big beignet with meat and cheese in the middle, could have more meat but overall was very satisfying and the dipping mixed berry coulis (jam) paired wonderfully. The Cajun biscuits and gravy had a lil spice to it but was reasonable for a white girl. The biscuit itself was house and exceptional. The gravy was very rich and a little on the thick side. The sausage bits were a little overdone but wonderful flavor, I personally like them A little charred. Coffee was a 10/10, it's just a hot black coffee but they provide a cute little serving of half and half. Plus, it's free refills so yay, love that! The staff were nice, helpful, attentive, and I dare say fashionable I think my two favorite things about this place are: 1. Small menu. Are you just a girl in the world suffering from decision fatigue? Come here. Menu seems to be seasonal as well. 2. The vibe is so cute, otter portraits and decor, elegant colors, and excellent music for everyone. Biggest draw back: food is a little heavy ‍ but makes the soul light I would come here again! read more

The Easy Otter - The Monte Cristo & the Cajun Biscuit's & Gravy - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Wow just wow. I so so impressed with the hush puppies and the sauce! I loved the chili sauce. I ordered the Cajun Mac and cheese. The sauce is creamy not too sticky. My mother is from the south and makes homemade Mac and cheese. So I am very picky with my Mac and cheese and this didn't disappoint. The chicken was juicy and crispy. Good flavor. Hubby got the chicken sandwich, ate every bite. We order the seasonal beignets to go. Still yummy, but I think they would be better if we ate them there. Service was sweet and efficient. Ambiance was quaint, we ate outside. The sun was nice. read more

See all

My favorite fried chicken place in Salem! Went last night and ordered the chicken and waffles. Hadn't ordered this since back when the Easy Otter was still a food truck. The chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and the heat from the chili oil was perfect! Always a wonderful food experience! read more

The Easy Otter - Chicken and Waffles - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

So, such a fun foodie place. Everything was delicious. They have great drinks that complement the food.

We arrived around dinner time and were seated immediately. The service was nice and answered any questions we had. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time. I love the decor of the restaurant. It's very quaint and cute with all of the otter photos. We had a good time looking around at the photos while our food was getting prepared. Oo-De-Lally Sandwich 5/5 I wish I took a better photo of the sandwich itself but just trust me that it was good! It was perfectly crispy and I loved the sauce on it. I usually prefer my chicken sandwich a bit tangy with pickles but this was good too. I absolutely loved the bread on it-- crunchy exterior and soft interior. The fries were perfectly cooked and my partner couldn't stop taking them off my plate Mac & Cheese 5/5 Well-seasoned and good texture. The fried chicken stayed crunchy despite the creamy cheese. I was worried that it'd be too salty but the flavors balanced out well! Strawberry Beignets 5/5 This was my first time having beignets so I wasn't too sure what to expect. With that being said, I loved the crunch they had on them and the strawberry powder was very fragrant and delicious. read more

See all

The interior is very eclectic & FULL of framed otter art & upside-down parasols grace the ceiling. The staff are very friendly! We ordered: The Pickle Gambit, Country Mac's Cajun Mac & Cheese, Mac's Famous Mac & Cheese, & the Cinnamon Roll Beignets. The pickle spears were lightly, yet crunchily breaded & piled high on a plate with yummy, dilly ranch & a second slightly smoky dipping sauce. Both Mac's featured perfectly-cooked shell noodles & decadent cheese sauce! The "reg" Mac had hearty chunks of bacon & fresh basil ribbons. The Cajun Mac was SUPER flavorful & had andouille sausage bites & VERY moist chicken tenders. The beignets were pillowy-soft & served with an amazing cinnamon sugar cream cheese drizzle. read more

See all

Great restaurant food is good. Service is amazing. Love the vibe. I had the mac & cheese. It was very good. It had bacon on it and it came with some baguette that had been toasted. My lunch buddy. Had chicken and waffles and said it was amazing. We both had beignets afterwards. The lemon ones looked wonderful. I had the traditional everything was great service was fast and very kind. Please try it. read more

See all

We stopped here for a quick breakfast-lunch. We were looking for a spot with outdoor seating since we had our golden retriever with us, and this place was perfect! There were plenty of tables outside, and it was super dog-friendly. The interior decor matches the name and theme--it's quirky, fun, and really cute. The menu is just as charming, with the most adorable names for their food items. We ordered the chicken and waffle along with the original beignets to share. My husband also got a black coffee with cream. The waffle was a little soft for my personal preference, but the chicken was perfectly crispy with just the right amount of kick. The beignets were delicious--fresh, hot, and a fun treat to split. They were also kind enough to bring out the chicken and waffles already divided on two separate plates for us, which we appreciated! You order at the counter, and they bring the food out to your table. Super easy and relaxed. read more

See all

I like the decor with the floating umbrellas and pictures of otters in Victorian clothing. There's lots of television show references that I dunno it all, but when I did, I laughed my head off. Food was amazing, with its brunch on par with Word of Mouth. Staff was friendly and quick. read more

See all

Finally visited this place on a Sunday afternoon. It's decorated in a cool, hip vibe with umbrellas hanging over the seating area and cute otter-themed art on the walls. You order at the counter, and they bring your food out to your table. Service was friendly, but it was a bit hard to hear over the music. We went with the Oo-De-Lally chicken sandwich and the 5-alarm chicken and waffles. The food came out quickly. The chicken and waffles (I selected thighs, but you can also do tenders) was a huge portion and truly delicious. The chicken was lightly spicy but not too hot. It was a tiny bit stringy, but moist and so flavorful! The waffle was malty, lightly sweet and thick. The two components melded beautifully together, and with the addition of butter and maple syrup? -heavenly! Easily in the top five best chicken and waffles I've ever had. My dining companion enjoyed their chicken sandwich, and the bite I had was delicious! The slaw was especially a great addition. The Cajun fries were very tasty as well. The portions were so generous, we both took half of our meals home, and my chicken and waffles was amazing the next day. Highly recommended, very flavorful, well-executed comfort food with a twist. I will be back! read more

The Easy Otter - The Oo-De-Lally chicken sandwich with ranch and cajun fries. - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

See all

While visiting friends we decided to give this cute place a visit. Lots of street parking and we were greeted warmly by Ryan. There is a limited menu but don't let that fool you. We decided to try the Nashville chicken breast with hot chili oil on the side. I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to spicy. I also ordered the lemon poppy seed slaw. Our friends got the salmon Chowdah and also some spicy chicken with Cajun fries. They remarked that the salmon chowder pronounced Chowdah looked to be quite thick and was very flavorful. I gotta say it was some of the best fried chicken I ever sampled. The slaw was very tasty as well. Great combination of savory and sweet. My daughter and I split an order of chicken as we wanted to sample the beignets. We ordered the Killa bees and they came out fluffy and hot with a very nice honey drizzle. Ryan also gifted us with a second order of beignets of our own choosing, and we asked for the Good God Lemon ones, and they were very sweet and tangy. For the five of us the bill came to right around a hundred dollars which being from California I found very reasonable. It's a small place, and you order first at the counter and then go and find a table. If you are looking for some very tasty chicken this side of Nashville you should stop by and order some at this unique place in Salem Oregon. read more

See all

After a long day of traveling my husband and I were looking for comfort food. This place was perfect, so cute and cozy. The customer service was amazing and the food was delicious! The chicken was the best part, it was so juicy and flavorful with the perfect amount of spice. Would definitely come back. read more

The Easy Otter - The shrimp incident - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

See all

Located in downtown Salem near the Elsinore Theater. Small place, limited seating, and a little bit of an earthy vibe. Take a menu, find a seat, decide on what to order, then go to the counter and order your food. We ordered the chicken and waffles for my wife and I and Mac and cheese for the daughter. It came out pretty quickly. Hot and fresh. The chicken was tender and the waffles were perfectly cooked and Mac and Cheese delivered with steam rolling up from the plate. Nice. All of it was absolutely delicious. Good portions and my wife an I commented, we could have just shared a plate. Finally, the beignets, raspberry and cream. Okay, let me just say, I could have eaten two plates of these beignets. These were amazing and I highly recommend you get some when dining. Don't miss it. They were terrific. Service was great and check ins on our food, drink needs, etc. were timed perfectly. Great time and experience. read more

Small interior, has outdoor street seating. Friendly service. Went there for beignets only. They are out of this world good! We did to go order so their presentation may have been ruined in the hot drive home. read more

See all

First time here and it really didn't disappoint. It's a small little restaurant and it's constantly packed! Came here at a sweet spot. We ordered so much food. I had the chicken and waffles (I would say spice level is a 4.5-5 out of 10), we also had the biscuits and gravy, the spicy chicken sandwich on ciabatta, stuffed waffles and the deep fried pickles. Everything was so good! This is where you go when it's a cold day and you need some comfort food. It was so good. Love how there's more diverse restaurants in Salem now. This one I hope stays! read more

The Easy Otter - Chicken and waffles - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

See all

The menu is based around fried chicken with not many other options, so know that going in. Being allergic to hazelnuts, even the Mac and cheese was not an option for me. Luckily the fried pickles were excellent even if my chicken was a bit over done and dry (get a dipping sauce). Service was good. For a counter service restaurant the staff spent enough time on the floor that it felt like a table service establishment. The dining area is small, like 8 tables, but even on a Friday evening we had no problem getting a table. Was it my favorite, no. Would it be my first choice for dinner out, no. Would I go back, yes. read more

See all

The Easy Otter is a cute little spot in downtown Salem, with cool otter artwork on the walls. You order your food at the counter, and they bring it out to you. My wife got the Mac & Cheese, and I got the Canyonero BBQ chicken sandwich. My wife's food came out first, and then the table next to us -- but no Canyonero for me. Luckily, the servers pointed out the error to the cook, who made my order up as fast as he could, and personally brought it out to me. I very much appreciated that gesture. And speaking of the chicken sandwich, it was very good -- thick & juicy crispy chicken, served on spicy cole slaw & BBQ sauce, served on a ciabatta bun. Messy, but delicious. The fries were excellent as well -- thick cut, with a golden brown crunchy exterior, and a fluffy interior. While I waited for my sandwich, I got to try my wife's mac & cheese, which was also amazing. Perfectly cooked shell pasta, in a creamy gruyere & mascarpone sauce, and topped with bacon & shiffonade of basil. Seriously some of the best mac & cheese I've ever had. Their beignets looked really good, too; but we were stuffed, so we'll have to try them next time. There were a ton of orders coming out, so obviously very popular. We definitely need to visit The Easy Otter again. read more

Easy Otter was very welcoming. Great indoor seating. It's an order at the counter kind of place. We sat on the patio because we had our dog. Everyone was super friendly. Lots of seating options and no wait. Food came out fast. Plan extra time for the incredible fluffy beignet. I ordered a variety pack for an extra dollar. Total worth it so you can explore multiple flavors. The seasonal honeybee was my favorite. My canyonero sandwich was the freaking best chicken sandwich of my life! Juicy inside, crispy outside, bacon cooked to perfection and smothered in BBQ. Yum yum yum. read more

See all

My mom and I meet in Salem for lunch and we wanted to try someplace new but neither wanted to do the research. My partner found this and I took a look at the menu and it was simple, but looked delicious. When I mentioned beignets to my mom she was all in (apparently she never had them before). There is lots of parking in the area. This isn't a huge space, but it's clean and cute. You order at the counter but they still provide a lot of service throughout your meal. Everyone was really pleasant. We both opted for the mac and it was so creamy and yummy. Very large portion and it comes with crostini on the side. Plenty of bacon and panko for extra flavor and texture. You lose some of the creaminess reheating, but the flavor is still there. Of course we had to get beignets but who wants to decide between lemon and raspberry? Not us so I got us each an order to go. They definitely knocked it out of the park for my mom. She loved them. Of course we did too and I heated ours up for just a few seconds. The don't skimp on the toppings so you get all the flavor. I always bring back food for my partner (he'd never forgive me if I didn't) so I chose a few items he'd been looking at. Now hushpuppies aren't usually our thing but these were a little different. Not spicy at all but you do get plenty of that jalapeno flavor and the texture was so crisp. Plus they serve it with their red pepper pesto which is a nice compliment. The slaw didn't really give off lemon poppyseed flavor so much, but it was creamier than I'm used to. We were like, not so much flavor, but this creamy texture is very satisfying. Fresh and crisp and plenty of it. And of course I had to get something chicken so went for chicken and waffles. It would have been hard not to get a waffle since the place smells so deliciously of them while you're eating. Big fluffy waffle and nice crispy chicken. Since it was to go I had them put the Nashville hot on the side and he opted to dunk his piece of chicken instead. He said it wasn't too spice and had a good flavor (I don't do too spicy). We were so super happy with our meal that I know we'll come back. My take out order even came in a cute reusable tote. This place is just terrific. read more

See all

First time visit today (7-6-26) led in by a friend. Incredible flavors, service and vibe. I will be back!

Amazing!! The decor is unique, but cohesive. Service is nice, a touch slow. The food is phenomenal!! If you go, the fried chicken is a must have. Be warned: almost everything is deep fried (and unhealthy). Worth it! read more

This is a great place. The food was delicious, fresh and good serving sizes. The staff were very nice and the open kitchen area was clean!! read more

Went here to try something new . My boyfriend got the Neds-5 try not to confuse it with the neds 5 chicken and waffle which is what we thought we ordered but cashier kinda cut me off at neds 5 and we were just served chicken. Were waiting for the waffle till at asked and was charged 5$. For the had to go and ask for the butter and syrups we didn't get it. I got the Shrimp Incident! I was expecting it saucier the sauce on top was kinda clumpy and super thick. While ordering and asking for drinks they had decaf ready on the spot and told us it would take 8mins to get regular coffee. Thats fine tho. I will give it to them the flavor in the chicken is what made this at 3! If not we would have said 2. read more

See all

Needed a late lunch while the crew was getting hungry. This more than did the job. Small space, so we had to wait a few minutes for a table to open up. Ordered: - Kid #1: Mac and cheese. Happy. Didn't come close to finishing. - Kid #2: Chicken+waffles. Happy (and finished it all!) - Adult #1: Fried chicken. Took some home. - Adult #2: Shrimp/sausage appetizer + hush puppy appetizer. Took some of the hush puppies home. And of course you have to have the beignets. We ordered one of the current specials -- cherry -- so good.... Definitely added to our list of places to re-visit whenever in Salem. read more

Nice ambience, delicious food, and friendly servers. You pay upfront and then they bring the food to you. The mac & cheese was delicious, but the beignets were next level. Taste just like the ones I had in New Orleans. Marion Berry hard cider super tasty. Definitely worth checking out. read more

Omg the food was off the hook! Otters all over the walls, pretty lights and umbrellas were awesome to look at. And the folks behind the counter really cared. I was not able to eat much of my tenders and I was asked if there was something wrong with the food. Nothing at all! I just could not eat much. It was awesome they cared so much They also had not seen the Otter review on here. That's what convinced us to try them out! When we visit Salem again, we will for sure stop by!! read more

The Easy Otter - 3 chicken tenders. They are huge!!! - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

The atmosphere here is cute, small & quiet with awesome otter art along the walls the service was fast and friendly; I ordered the chicken and waffles, beignets & fried pickles and everything was so tasty and fresh the staff is friendly and awesome. I recommend coming here for a hearty breakfast or lunch im so happy I came! read more

See all

This was a great little chicken tender lunch place. They did a good job on the tenders and they were full of chicken. Go ahead and get the Cajun seasoning on the fries. The ambience is cool and we enjoyed all the pictures on the walls. I think the fresh beignets are the best part. The one with chocolate and raspberry was off the hook......mmmmmm read more

The food was ok. The customer service was terrible! The waiter forgot our coffee order and when he delivered, he gave my friend no cream or sugar for which was asked. It might have been because of the lunch rush. Idk. But I didn't feel "it". What "it" may or may not be. Again, the food was great and portions were good. It took a long time to get our beignets. But if those were made fresh as I suspect, then that's understandable. And they served us tap water at a restaurant. So postives: good food, cozy atmosphere, if a little cramped. Negatives: not so good customer service, and weird tasting tap water. Prices are so-so. Take it or leave it read more

Oh Mah Gawd! This place is wonderful! Chef is from Vegas but this place will be on our short list now. Had the Shrimp Incident and an order of beignets and are thoroughly impressed! Service is friendly and the theme of the place is cute! read more

The Easy Otter - The Shrimp Incident and beignets - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Well hey there, Ollie Otter here, providing a totally unbiased review of this groovy place called Easy Otter. Worry not, no otters are on the menu. Hope that doesn't come across as a disappointment (you sicko!). What you will find are the most perfectly made fried chicken you'll ever taste. And not only are they tasty AF (as fish), these guys dish out a ton of food for your hard earned dollar. They don't skimp. This place started as a food truck and grew into its current incarnation. Yeah - they might be a bit of a one-trick pony on the main entree (no ponies on the menu either, though!), but it's a helluva trick. Well - their beignets (aka donut pillows) are pretty rockin' too. They seem to like otters here. The 24 pictures of 44 otters pretty much are on-theme, so I adore it. There's also a Simpsons vibe here too, which they apparently love. They happily served me my yummy food. Consider this place otter approved! 5 out of 5 herrings! read more

Incredible place, super friendly staff, easy atmosphere to take your friends and/or family. I loved the hot food, and the beignets were warm, moist, and melted right in your mouth. Loved the lighting, not too overwhelming and just about right. The mac n' cheese wasn't too dry; it had the right consistency! Highly recommend! Will definitely go again! read more

Adorable restaurant, friendly staff. The food was delicious. We would definitely stop back in! read more

The Easy Otter - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Nashville Fried Chicken was amazing, and the portion was huge! Beignets...OMG! Great spot for lunch in Salem.

We came for lunch on a weekday. The service was great. The restaurant was clean and full. Unfortunately, the food was lacking in flavor. While very hot, there was almost no seasoning on the chicken tenders and chicken sandwich. We could tell that the oil needed to be changed as there was a burnt aftertaste. read more

I really wanted to like this place when I came in. The vibe is interesting, and the otter theme is cute. There were 3 customers here that should have been my sign. I got the chicken sandwich with fries. The sandwich had a tasty spicy sauce on it but it was just a spice blast in my mouth. This sandwich needed something like pickles, or something to give it more than one note. read more

The Easy Otter - Waffles Near Me - Salem, Oregon

See all

The Nashville hot chicken sandwich was so fire. Highly recommend with a side of their ranch! The fries were great too. Loved it!

Food was very fresh and yummy!! Service was great from the cashier gentleman! He recommended the best dishes for our likes- pickles, sandwich, Benigets. Ambiance is super cute with otter photos all over!!! Cute umbrellas and flowers and pumpkins. Love this cute place! Be sure to try the seasonal Benigets! read more

See all