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    The Easy Otter

    4.7 (140 reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    The Easy Otter Photos

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    THE EASY OTTER ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - The Easy Otter

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    The seasonal menu ! Coffee talk !
    Ariel D.

    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.

    The signage is so cute!
    Lori J.

    From first glance this little gem invited you in with fun logos and an interesting name. From there all staff were so friendly, the interior clean and FUN, and they brought a bowl of water just for our dog. Engaging, thoughtful, and delicious pops of flavor. We started with The Shrimp Incident that was smoky with the right amount of spice. My husband had the Country Mac (drizzled with leftover sauce from the appetizer, YUM!), and I enjoyed the Chowdah...say it right! We ended up taking home our beignet mix of Good God Lemon, Honey Butter and Classic, Amiright? The flavors of all the food popped so beautifully. True gem of a find in downtown Salem!!

    The Monte Cristo & the Cajun Biscuit's & Gravy
    Sierra S.

    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!

    Chicken and Waffles
    Matthew M.

    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!

    Strawberry Beignets
    Amy L.

    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.

    Inside
    Dave B.

    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.

    Beignets
    Shari P.

    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.

    Chicken and waffles
    Jennifer H.

    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.

    Chicken n waffles
    Gillian T.

    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.

    The Oo-De-Lally chicken sandwich with ranch and cajun fries.
    Benjamin M.

    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!

    It's Chowdah Salmon Chowder
    Mara C.

    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.

    The shrimp incident
    Wendy C.

    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.

    3 Good God, Lemon Beignets
    Mel G.

    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.

    Chicken and waffles

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Amazing food, have had multiple times and every time the service is fantastic, and absolutely delicious. Fantastic job!

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    6 years ago

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    Lindsay P.

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    6 years ago

    AMAZING fried chicken!! I'm from Memphis and this was the closest thing to home, definitely give this place a shot!

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Their sandwiches are the best! We heard good things about their sandwiches and tried "Hey Taylor" and were not disappointed at all!

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    Lindsay P.

    Thank you so much!! I so appreciate your support! See you soon!

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    Page 4 of 4

    Ask the Community - The Easy Otter

    Do they serve wine?

    We currently offer a small selection from Croft Vineyards here in Salem.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    The Easy Otter - waffles - Updated September 2026

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