Went to Willamette Valley Smokehouse on a whim with my husband because he was wanting to try the…read morefood, and I'm glad we did! The first thing I noticed was the ambiance and the music. It was the perfect spot for a casual evening out. We had a couple of drinks, a cider and a Japanese lager, and really enjoyed the atmosphere. The musician playing that night was fantastic! He had a great song selection, and his voice was hauntingly beautiful. I'm not a huge barbecue person because I prefer my meals to have a little more variety than just meat, but I did enjoy the brisket and the pork belly. The sides were just okay for me. I'm from the South, where we take our potato salad seriously, so I wasn't the biggest fan of theirs but I did really enjoy the beans and the corn salad. I'll definitely be back for the music, a drink, and the laid-back atmosphere. It's a great place for a casual evening out!

"Unique" place south of Salem off I-5. Felt like sitting in a campsite with smoke spewing from a…read morefire pit. Large covered area for seating. Ordered the pulled pork sandwich which had a 60/40 meat to fat ratio and bun was quite soggy. Corn was not a Mexican street corn but good. Beans were actually the best. If I come back I'd order the brisket and see how that is. Service consists of ordering and paying up front, getting a pager and choose where to sit.

Everything was great I would eat here every day if it was open on the weekends. You can't beat BBQ…read moreChicken and Catfish. Memphis style.

08/07/26 We had just…read morecome up from Grants Pass on our vacation and were browsing for food spots near our hotel when JoJo's came up. We instantly knew we had to check it out. By the time my uncle and I made it over to 'The Yard' Mr. Tukufu had already sold most of his food, it had apparently been a very good day for him, understandably so. Nevertheless, we ordered some leg quarters and he kindly obliged despite appearing to be worn out from the long day. When we came back around to pick up the food I was shocked at the size and weight of the take out bag that was given to us. Mr. Tukufu had certainly hooked us up and when we got back to the hotel we had an absolute feast. I am confident in saying this was the best soul food I have ever had. You could tell it was made with love and sincerity. Thank you to Mr. Tukufu for being so generous, it was not lost on us. We look forward to seeing him again the next time we are in Salem. From my USMC veteran uncle - Semper Fi.

I ordered through DoorDash. I see that the restaurant has a Soso reputation, however, my meal was…read moreabsolutely delicious. I don't know if it was the time of day "" lunch or the chef was in a good mood.

Spent $70+ and had to suffer listening to gospel worship music while dining in. (The close your…read moreeyes and wave your arms in the air kind) It was a weird, unwanted, and a bad experience that I will not repeat. Food was good. There are many many music options suitable and acceptable for a restaurant. This was not one of them.

This sounds like a great review already. I'd polish it just a little while keeping your casual,…read moregenuine voice: 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!

Cozy spot with really great food. Honestly the best fried chicken I have had in years. Cooked and…read moreseasoned 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.

My family and I came here last night, and they were able to accommodate my grandfather, who's in a…read morewheelchair, very easily, which I really appreciated. The rolls were very good. We didn't get appetizers, but everyone in my family (except me) ordered the prime rib and loved it. I went with the grilled chicken topped with a parmesan sauce and a loaded baked potato on the side. The seasoning and sauce were great, but the chicken itself was pretty dry. It reminded me of cutting into a well done steak where it takes way too long to get through. It wasn't terrible overall, but I was definitely a little disappointed with how overcooked the chicken was.

Me and my husband used to go there because he liked shrimp Alfredo. The last time we were in there,…read morethe waitresses skirt was so high that her apron didn't even cover her backside. It was kind of gross and we haven't been back. I went today and took my son and my grandchildren for lunch. Today there was two waitresses with their skirt so high when they bend over you can see their underwear. It's kind of gross. It makes me lose my appetite. I don't know if I can go back there again so inappropriate for my grandchildren.

I ordered baby back ribs and fries. I wanted to love this place. I really did. Especially since…read morethe two reviews that were posted were such raves. However, the fries tasted of old dirty cooking grease. The rub and sauce on the ribs were outstanding but the meat on them was dry and tough. For smoked ribs (and they were smoked) I had hoped for that fall-off-the-bone experience with tender juicy meat. But that didn't happen. They were just average. If it weren't for such a great rub and delicious sauce, I'd have given them 2 stars.

Best.BBQ.Ever!!! We had the spare rib plate and the pulled pork and mac plate. And the Mac and…read moreCheese was OUTSTANDING! It was as good as home baked and maybe even better than mine! Fresh authentic ingredients, it tastes just as good as it smells! The service was fast, friendly and professional, and the prices are very reasonable. All around awesome food experience. The ambiance of the food cart court is quiet, safe and welcoming with ample parking.

I love food trucks and have been watching Chad's BBQ facebook page in hopes that their schedule…read morewould finally work with mine (they seem to be running every other weekend). Finally, today was the day. We arrived at around 2:15 and ordered up brisket with beans, a three meat combo plate, and an order of nachos. While we were waiting, we began chatting with the owner of the Oregon Crepe Company, who was just dropping off the buns for service (love that this business is keeping it local). This gentleman was extremely pleasant and he and the owner of Chad's BBQ gave us a complimentary pretzel bun, which was generous and tasty. Salem Ale House was comfortable and we enjoyed a lovely beer. The brisket and the three meat plate were good - the sausage was the best part of the meal - very moist and flavorful with a casing that had a crisp snap. The brisket was nicely seasoned and tender, but not fall apart tender - we still had to use a knife to cut it. Pork was a bit dry (seemed to be very lean). The beans were smoky and tangy. Portions were generous. The meal went wrong with the nachos. The chips were stale and tasted like rancid oil. Despite the cheese sauce (we thought the portion was a bit stingy) and other various toppings, the rancidity of the chips just dominated each bite. We ended up picking off the pork and tossing the chips. We probably should have mentioned this to the owner but there was a bit of a line when we left and it is always easier to avoid complaining. UPDATE: The owner contacted me, apologized, and advised they noticed a bit too late that the chips were rancid. He has offered to make it right on my next visit and I appreciate this gesture tremendously

Yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!…read more A pulled pork and pastrami sandwich is what I ordered, and it was effin delicious! How people can frequent that crap hole "BBQ" joint that gets Best of the Mid-Valley every year, I'll never know. This place had just two or three entrees and a handful of sides. Proof that quality IS better than quantity. This guy focuses on just doing a couple of things right, and it shows. I WILL be back. Soon.

Love this place! Great service, great selection of foods! Live music was a bit loud but we sat…read moreoutside and everything was great! Great for big groups!!!!

Got thai & my partner got a Philly & fries…read more Everything was underwhelming, though the lady at the thai cart was sweet. Once we got our food & sat down there were no napkins in any of the napkin holders near our table. Sad face, we love food carts. Well hope for better eats next time we're in salem.