Ate here twice for breakfast. Not sure how to explain the hour wait and long line. Food was just sort of OK. The sausage actually just tasted like ground beef. Pancakes were under cooked. Most of the food was just bland and this is coming from someone who doesn't like overly salted food. The atmosphere is cool. But we were just underwhelmed. read more

Great food and good service! My husband said it was the best bacon he's ever had and he's a bacon snob!

The Ugly Mug Diner is a fun little brunch spot in the heart of Salem, and it's a great way to start a fun day of sightseeing. Scoped this place out while planning a Salem daytrip with some work colleagues and I was so glad it turned out to be a hit. Our service was so-so, though the food was excellent (I'm a sucker for any kid of "benedict", and they did it particularly well here). Drinks were good, though nothing novel about them. The decorative strange mugs was a fun theme and it was enjoyable checking out all the ones within view. I liked the ambiance, definitely fitting for Salem and felt less corporate and more local. Parking nearby isn't easy, though we parked a few blocks north on the street where there was less competition for spaces. I definitely recommend giving this place a shot if you're in a brunch mood in the area. Overall: 4.0 stars ---- Pros: - Great brunch food, and decent drinks. - Calm ambiance with a great theme. - Part of the authentic Salem experience, but in a fun touristy way rather than a drab touristy way. Cons: - Service was lacking but we didn't need many callbacks so it wasn't a huge impact on our experience. read more

Arrived here for breakfast mid morning on a Saturday. Added to the waitlist and waited around 20 minutes. I did like that it was a virtual waitlist so we could explore some nearby shops while keeping an eye on our place in line. The restaurant itself is pretty small space- especially navigating around the tables and chairs to reach the restroom in the back. Our waitress Emma(?) was super nice and checked on us regularly. My mom ordered the blueberry pancake meal and I ordered the French toast meal. Both were delicious. I would definitely return next time I am in town to visit. read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Salted Caramel Mocha - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I had looked up places for breakfast and I was skeptical whether this place was all talks. This place is so worth the visit! I went very early in the morning to avoid crowds as it seems the place gets busy. I ordered the eggs Florentine and one pumpkin spice pancake with the special mimosa. Oh my, the eggs Florentine were cooked to perfection. Perfectly poached with just the right amount of hollandaise sauce. The pumpkin spice pancake was a tad bit undercooked but still tasted amazing. They are handling covid situation well and everything served is disposable. A little disappointed that I didn't see the ugly mugs...but I will 10/10 go again! read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Eggs Florentine, Pumpkin Spice Pancake (special), and Apple Cider Mimosa (special) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Fine, food was fairly unseasoned and overpriced but the service was good. I would not go back, basically like an expensive Waffle House

we came because a friend recommended :3 our food was good and our servers were all super nice but i'm confused over the hype? there's consistently a line out the door and I don't get why BUT actually as I write this and the more time I spend in Salem I realize EVERYTHING has a line out the door so maybe makes sense ? anyway it's good nothing outstanding though respectfully read more

If you're looking for a traditional American breakfast in Salem, I highly recommend the spot. The staff were so accommodating to us having all our luggage and were able to help us take our things to a safe location. The restrooms were extremely clean and super cute with a lot of art just a very cozy restaurant the staff are friendly and attentive to our needs, I recommend waffles and pancakes. Everything else is just regular shmegular eggs and sausage but very delicious. read more

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The food was good however they were really busy today so there were some issues. For example I ordered a sandwich with an over medium egg and it was fried really hard. My friend asked for Benedict and her egg wasn't poached she ended up with hard boiled eggs. She asked for the eggs to be redone and they were hard again. The food tasted good but there were just some issues with our orders. The home fries were delicious. And so were the mimosas read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Food and atmosphere was absolutely amazing highly recommend. Service was on point as well as everything else. read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Just took a trip to Salem and this spot was one of our favs. Very quaint dinette with super cute decor. The wait was 40 minutes. During an October visit we didn't think it was too bad and shopped around while we waited. Everything we ordered was perfection! My daughter got eggs with home fries and a side of bacon and they offered her biscuits instead of toast. Delish!!!! Def try the biscuits. I got their special Benedict of the day with sweet potato home fries and that was so filling. I couldn't finish it all. My other daughter got the pancakes with a side of ham and they were great! Would definitely recommend if you're in the area. Service was just okay. I understand they were busy but our server, Olivia, never even came back to check on us or refill our waters. Then she just abruptly dropped the check without even seeing if we wanted anything else. I would give a 4-4.5 but was really happy with our food so 5 it is! read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Super homey vibe! I got the chicken and waffles which was amazing. The chicken was tender and the waffle was buttery. The highlight for sure was the cinnamon butter. The candied pecans were a bit too sweet for my liking, but added a unique twist. Wait time was a bit long, but the diner was busy at the time which makes sense. read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - This Ain't No Chicken & Waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Read a lot of great reviews, but our overall experience was not great, could just be a bad day for them, so take it for what it's worth. We came for breakfast, no wait, which was nice (we tried coming earlier in the week and the wait was over an hour long so we didn't stay as we had another thing to get to). Staff were friendly. The food we ordered came out fairly quick but just wasn't very good. I had their daily special; a "dueling hash Benedict" which was one corned beef hash and one brisket hash Benedict. Both were very under seasoned, the eggs over cooked, and the hollandaise lacked basically any flavor. Both hashes were basically mush. I loved corned beef hash and love brisket and brisket hash, and these just did not do it. The brisket hash was basically inedible, I tasted WAY over cooked to begin with and then prepared into a "hash" that made it basically the texture of raw ground beef...but softer. The corned beef hash at least had some potatoes in it to give it some form of texture but tasted just like plain ole cheap canned hash. The English muffin was also stale and too tough/chewy to the point that cutting it was a challenge. Really just let down. My wife got one of their breakfast combos, and the again the eggs just weren't prepared well. It's like they forgot to actually scramble them (or flip them if they were going for more of an omelette. The bottom was cooked hard the top was undercooked scramble. The corn cakes were also basically powder to bite into. Making good gluten free breads is hard, but these were just dry and crumbled as soon as you touched them. Hopefully it was just a bad experience and not a bad place. Probably won't give them a second shot to find out. read more

This was my first time here and I definitely will be coming back and I highly recommend this place to any visitors that come to the downtown Salem area read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - 4 slices of Fresh toast scrambled eggs with green peppers, onions and American cheese with home fries and 2 slices of bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

So the hype is just that hype! Seating was crowded, I expected that - didn't expect to wait 15 plus minutes for waitress to approach or another 40 mins for food. And when it finally showed the eggs in the center of the omelet were uncooked, more than just runny this was raw! Party of four one bad breakfast. But the waitress giving us a hard time about returning at first was not needed - had to wait another 10 mins for a remake, the rest were nearly done. Coffee so hot it curdled the milk and the coffee was definitely watered down. Buy a mug at a thrift store and make your own. read more

Went on a pretty busy day. Had to wait outside for not too long with a party of 5. Seating is pretty small so expect to squeeze if you are a larger group (wasn't a big deal for us but just an FYI). Service was outstanding, however, the food was not very good. Drinks came out right before the food (not the servers fault, she seemed like the only one working as she was serving and getting people from outside and no one else was out working for the majority of the time we were there it seemed). Prices are a little high based on the quality of food we got. But service from our server was fantastic. read more

What a great place. Definitely a line, and I appreciate the hostess going through the line to see if anyone was alone... as I was. So I skipped the line, sat at the bar, next to a super friendly local who wanted to answer any questions for me about Salem. I loved the whole experience. The ambiance, the amazingly perfect eggs on my Benedicts, the super friendly people... couldn't have asked for a better start to a completely rainy day in Salem. :) Highly recommend this place. Good luck deciding on the menu because you will want at least 4 things. read more

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Great food, great service, great location. We stopped in for breakfast before a day of sightseeing. After a short wait (they grab your number and text you when your table is ready so you can browse neighboring shops while you wait), we were seated at a table in the back. Our server was very attentive and good with our kids. All the food was excellent. I ordered the chipotle brisket Eggs Benedict and it was magical - the seasoning on the meat made the dish really pop. The walls were decorated with huge crochet eggs and bacon, super unusual and very fun. My coffee was served in an ugly mug, as promised. read more

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Ate here twice. Waited in line both times and it was worth the wait. The crab cake eggs Benedict cannot be beat. Don't miss this spot if you visit Salem. read more

Great cozy diner in downtown Salem. Found The Ugly Mug walking around. Walked in and they were really busy. I love the local art on the walls. Some pieces political, others psychedelic, and some uniquely dark. Looking at their gigantic menu, the chai immediately jumped out at me. I was in need of something hot to keep me warm. The chai was sooo good! I've never had it this creamy. It was the day before out last spending the new year out here and got to enjoy some light snow. Having to that chai walking on those cobblestones while it was snowing almost felt like I was in a movie or something. Such a beautiful feeling. So I placed an order for take out. The staff was cool and took care of us quick. Building a breakfast sandwich was awesome. I always usually modify everything I order (I'm that type of foodie). It was made exactly how I wanted it. A buttery flaky biscuit with American cheese, portobello mushroom steak, and avocado slices. It was delicious and savory. Great food! Quirky cafe! read more

Great business... Really good food alongside the customer service that of "WITCH" is beyond excellence , THE UGLY MUG DINER is well worth the visit to the beautiful East Coast of Massachusetts especially if you're hungry "AF" and don't trust whoever you're with to cook for you or if you suck at cooking so anyways the prices are well worth the portions at The Ugly Mug diner. the workers are very customer service orientated... The coffee selection is top notch ... So bring your caffeinated addiction there if you're looking for a non-rushed "atmosphere". read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Food was good one of the best places in Salem went there twice and enjoyed both the service food and environment.

Worth the wait! Food- I ordered the dueling hash Benedict. Amazing! I would go back just for that. Waitlist- Love the waitlist option they use. You can see where you're at in line while you go walk around and don't feel pressured to stand by the door to hear your name. They text you when the table is ready. I wish every restaurant used that. read more

Food was delicious and came out fast for how steady they were. Nice spot to grab breakfast. Nothing too fancy and I'm okay with that.

We were looking for a brunch spot and saw that this place was close to everything so we decided to try this place out! It was crazy packed on a Sunday afternoon and they told us the wait for 2 would be 30 minutes which wasn't that bad. The wait actually turned out to be closer to an hour and we were getting extremely hangry. We noticed that a group of 5-6 people walked in to join their friends but I think the group didn't tell the staff that they would have so many people so they had to separate the group into two different tables. The staff was not prepared for it so the wait time became longer for the rest of us since that group took up an extra table. You could see that the staff was so annoyed but dealt with them calmly. My partner and I were impressed by the great customer service given to this group. On this note, we also received great customer service as well. The waitress was super friendly throughout our visit! We ordered the steak and eggs, lox benedict, a side of scotch egg, a vanilla maple macchiato, and a chai latte. With my order of the lox benedict, there was an option to get either regular home fries, sweet potato home fries or a mix. I opted for the mix and it was such a great decision! My lox benedict came with many different wonderful flavors and the home fries really enhanced that. Overall, the food was great and my partner really enjoy his macchiato. My chai latte was pretty weak and I wouldn't order it again. read more

The decor of this place is amazing! Definitely the best part. The service was really good and our waitress was really nice. My favorite part about the food was definitely the names! Most of them had a really cool name that just sounded really interesting before even reading the description. The berry soda was amazing and the regular waffle with whip cream was delicious. read more

Loved the Eggs in a Basket! The staff were super friendly and helpful. It's not a big place. So, be prepared to wait during the Halloween season. read more

The food is all homemade, but it lacks flavor! The pumpkin pancakes were loaded with pumpkin but no nutmeg or cinnamon. They were undercooked! The coffee tasted burnt, eggs ranchero were bland and the chicken waffles are better at KFC! Service was marginal and we waited 45 minutes and the bill was well over $100! Overall I'd give them a 3 out of 10! The hostess was amazing! Loved her!!! read more

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Great service and great food. A nice mixture of staples and more interesting options. read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Fried green tomato eggs benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

My first meal in Salem was at The Ugly Mug Diner! I really lucked out b/c I didn't make any prior reservations anywhere and all the other restaurants were quoting a 2-4 hour wait (this was on a Saturday 1pm-ish). The Ugly Mug Diner was able to seat us right away. I had a hard time deciding what to get, everything on the menu looked delicious. I ended up getting the pumpkin spice pancakes, since it is Fall and it's only right to get pumpkin everything. I also ordered a Baymosa for my drink, the alcohol to juice ratio was on point but leaning towards strong, which I loved. Service was fast and polite. Although it was a full house, the staff didn't act annoyed or impatient. They are really strict with their Covid protocol. Masks must be worn indoors and you are not allowed to remove your masks until AFTER you place your order. If you leave your table to use the restroom, you must put your mask back on. I didn't have any problem with it since it was very crowded inside and safety first! My pumpkin pancakes were so fluffy and delicious! I wish they gave a bigger portion of the maple butter b/c it was so good. The portions here are HUGE, I didn't even make a dent in my pancakes. I think prices were fair, actually pretty cheap compared to NY. Definitely recommend, if you can get a table. I actually did attempt to eat there again the next day (Sunday around noon) and they had a sign outside that said "booked for the day". They also close at 2pm FYI. read more

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I have to say you need to go early. We waited for 50 minutes to be seated but we said we could sit at the little bar too. Plenty of items on the menu. I wanted something different so I got a sammich with a fried green tomato on a biscuit. Fried potatoes and I got the sauce on the side. Tried the Apple cider mimosa and it was good but my friend said the pineapple one was better. I also got the salted caramel mocha in a big coffee mug and it was delicious. Make sure you go inside to put your name on the list. First weekend in October was busy like I'm sure it's going to be all month. read more

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The food was delicious and the service great! It was very crowded the Saturday that we went but it was a fun place hang out with interesting people. read more

I'm not sure why many people recommended this diner to us when we said we were visiting Salem. The exterior/logo of the diner looks interesting and you'd expect the diner to continue with the theme inside--(food, decor). Unfortunately, our experience was super lackluster. We came in on a slow Friday mid afternoon and all the servers and the hostess looked bored and unhappy. We heard one of the waiters audibly discuss/mock one of the customers' order. It was very unprofessional and tbh quite unpleasant to hear. Overall, nothing to really write home about. Food was mediocre and lack the ~Salem witchy spooky~ theme you'd expect. read more

The food was ok. Our server was not very pleasant or friendly. I don't think I would return.

Food was good, it was worth the wait in October. Waited about an hour and a half in the rain. A host from the restaurant came out and gave us Dunkin' Donuts for waiting, which was nice! Only thing I didn't like was that the potatoes weren't hot or even warm but my French toast and eggs were amazing. My sister had a waffle with strawberries and she loved it. Great atmosphere and very LGBTQ+ friendly which makes me feel better by spending money there. They need a safe space to go to and chill out. Didn't get pictures of my food though, I was cold and hungry so I started digging in before I realized I didn't take a picture yet. read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Came into Salem for some well needed site seeing adventures. Hubby saw this place online and wanted to definitely check it out. When we arrived, signs posted stating masks are required and only one person from Your party enter to be added to the wait list. Waitlist was all digital and you can see how many parties are in front of you and how long they have been waiting. You receive a text when you're all set to be seated. Place is small but packs a punch. There is QR Code to scan the menu but physical menus are available. The QR Code is just taped down and looked a rough. Maybe getting a smaller photo to fit under the tape so it could easier to change when needed or plastic table standings. There was definitely plenty of items to choose from. I only got a fried egg with some home fries. Wanted to order much more but can't eat much. Waitress Pearl was absolutely adorable. Would definitely recommend coming if you hungry and in the area. Tables inside are not socially distanced but you are required to wear a mask until your food arrives or actively drinking. read more

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This place was fine for a basic breakfast. There was nothing special about the food or service. The latte I ordered was decent. My egg breakfast was Luke warm. My teen son's pancake was good according to him. When we arrived it was very quiet. No music, no chatter. Only 2 other tables. Made us feel like we had walked into someone's private kitchen and was not very welcoming. They did turn some music on which helped. read more

Thank you for breakfast, awesome service. Good food for coffee, different to choose from just went with regular. Other mugs looked better than my plain coffee mug, but it was good coffee. Thank you waiters, chefs, and all staff. From East Los Angeles CA. to Boston part 2, well see if there's a part 3. Thank you. read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Steak and Eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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I was visiting Salem for a week and wanted to find a hipster-y diner that had more than bacon and eggs. This seemed to fit the bill, so we came here for breakfast. I got the Western omelet which comes with home fries. My husband got the pancake breakfast which comes with home fries and bacon. It was a weekday morning the week after Halloween, and it wasn't busy. Our home fries were dark and burnt or almost burnt. The bacon, as you can see from the picture, is cooked beyond what any meat should be cooked to, unless you want bacon jerky. Which might be good on other occasions but not for this. My omelet was all right but nothing to write home about. Coffee was pretty weak and we had to flag down for a refill because the servers were chatting. read more

The Ugly Mug Diner - Burnt bacon, some burnt potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I'm in love. I would be here on a weekly basis if I lived in Salem. I came here for brunch with a friend on a Saturday. We were planning to spend the day in Salem and the Ugly Mug Diner was the first thing to come up when I Googled "brunch in Salem". Even though it was busy we didn't have to wait long for a table. I really like the atmosphere here - it's a nice blend of classic diner and Salem's eclectic vibe. The server was excellent and answered any questions we had about the menu or specials. I had two of their drink specials (it was my birthday, why not), an iced turtle latte and a lavender lemon mimosa. The espresso in the latte was bold and not overwhelmed by the syrups. The mimosa was just as tasty. I had a hard time deciding on food, but eventually I settled on the Jon Negretti Blue Plate Special, which comes with three blueberry pancakes, home fries, and a side of bacon. The pancakes were huge and fluffy. I got them with their special cinnamon streusel butter, which I highly recommend. Not only that, but they had real maple syrup at the tables, none of the imitation stuff. The bacon was meaty and the home fries were hearty. For $10 it's a lot of food and well worth the money. If you're looking for a place on the North Shore to have a good breakfast, this is it. can't wait to come back next time I'm in Salem. read more