We had a wonderful time at the Dire Wolf Tavern while visiting Salem for a work conference. The Wolf Wings were absolutely delicious. Cocktails were also superb. The atmosphere was nice and the service was warm. Our server Mike was attentive and friendly - he gave us great advice and helped make our visit exceptional. We truly enjoyed our time and would definitely recommend Dire Wolf to others visiting Salem. read more

This place seems to have quite a fanbase - we went on trivia night and it was a packed house. I appreciated the variety of items on the menu - a surprising amount of Asian-inspired dishes - as well as vegetarian options. Their menu is heavyweight and feels expensive, almost like you're opening a special spellbook - it's a nice detail that so many restaurants bypass these days, so I appreciated this extra decorative touch. I was really excited to try the House-Made Focaccia bread as a starter since we were starving, but it never came out and the server seemed kind of confused when we asked about it like she totally forgot. Bummer, but we ended up being so full on our other food that I guess it's for the best...kinda... Their drink menu was really fun and had lots of unique options. My cocktail here (the May Queen without the egg white - I'm always thrilled to see lavender on the menu, and seeing it mixed with hibiscus was a fun twist!) was even better than the one I got at their speakeasy bar, Hallowed Ground, downstairs if I'm being honest. It was topped with flowers and was the most beautiful purple color, and was the perfect amount of sweet and boozy without going too overboard in either category. For dinner, I got the Tofu Katsu sandwich. It was crispy and yummy and was enough for two portions. I saved half for later, and even the leftovers somehow held up very well texture wise. The tofu was crunchy and crispy outside but soft (yet not too soft or mushy) on the inside, I really liked how they cooked it. I swapped out the sauce it came with for something else but can't remember what I opted for. I got their Truffle Fries on the side and they were amazing, I loved the herb blend and amount of parmesan they topped them with. This was a very tasty meal with some interesting options available! read more

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Great Service. Very friendly knowledgeable about the offerings and went above and beyond for a special request. The menu is interesting kind of pub grub with sushi. I really enjoyed my roll nice rice and good ingredients. The buratta was ok. More of a full mozzarella it was good with a bright pesto. Nice spot with a menu that everyone should be able to find something to be happy with. read more

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While the ambiance is modern American bar / sports bar, the food was excellent and cocktails fantastic. Service team were all entertaining and enthusiastic. Best cocktail here (if not in MA!!) is the burlesque. read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Gunner's daughter milk stout and bar ambiance. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Went with a large group on a Saturday night and we were not disappointed! The waitress was very kind and attentive to our large group and checked on us frequently. The food was great! We got a couple appetizers to start including the nachos and fried pickles and then got main meals. I got the burger and wow was this portion large! The burger was cooked perfectly and I loved the fries as well. Had plenty to take home! If you are in Salem looking for a menu that has a bit of everything and good quality food, I would recommend checking it out! read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Lone Wolf Smash - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Interesting mix of things on the menu here and it's a bit of a American sushi fusion spot. They've got chicken Caesar salad, burger, sushi, tostadas. Big bar, and it looked like there was a basement cocktail bar that opens after 5PM. In the daytime it's a bit slow but a group of 6 of us walked in, and service was good. read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Chicken Bites - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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This place is awesome. Warm and quick service, all of our food was delicious, and so were the cocktails. Very comfortable environment, also great millennial throwback playlists. We went on a busy Saturday night without a reservation, but it was just two of us and we were able to be seated right away at the bar. read more

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Loved the ambiance in here! It really did give like an escalated tavern vibe. ANNDDD they have a downstairs bar?! How cool is that. My crispy fish sandwich was perfectly flaky. I haven't had a properly fried fish in a sandwich in quite some time, and I can say this fish was most literally perfectly cooked. The bartender was very attentive to my needs, and it was a quick dinner for me. She also suggested me a True North Shear Hoppiness IPA that paired so well with my own personal flavor profile and meal. read more

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Really cool spot! Great for drinks or a quick bite. Zoey was very attentive and makes fantastic margaritas! Truffles fries are good but could use more seasoning besides the Parmesan. Speakeasy is cool downstairs! The wings deal on Wednesday is a really good deal! read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Truffle Fries Wolf Wings (9pc) Crispy Chicken Sandwich sushi Yummy Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

First stop in Salem for apps and cocktails. What a cool place- like exactly what you want from Salem without being gimmicky. Our server was so nice and not only gave us great recommendations for food but salem in general. The apps were fresh and delicious and the cocktails were amazing. Would always stop here in Salem. read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Wow! Great food, drinks and even better service. Stopped for a late lunch after exploring Salem and it was incredible. Wife had a crispy roll and I had a tuna poke bowl and and tuna nigiri . We shared a very unique calamari app, which I will think about for a long time. Our server Vanessa couldn't have been better. Funny, patient, and prompt. Great spot! read more

I loved this spot. I got the sushi it was beautiful and so amazing! My boyfriend got the smash burger and it was very delicious. 10/10 recommend if you are in the area in Salem, MA! Also the bartender was very nice and makes excellent drinks. I got the razzle dazzle without the aperol and one of the best cocktails I've had in a while. Will definitely be back, such a good spot ! read more

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We stopped into this place for a quick break while sightseeing and shopping last week in Salem. I think I ended up only ordering a water, but my husband and friend both ordered a drink. I remember being confused by this place because it is a tavern that offers sushi...I didn't get the vibe that the fish would be fresh here. My husband went downstairs to the restroom and saw a mouse running up the stairs...another lady saw it too. They also messed up the bill when my friend and I were splitting it - they charged me for half of the bill and then charged my friend for the full amount. The bartender corrected it with help from his Manager, but I feel like the Manager should have came over and apologized for what happened. Dire Wolf Tavern was definitely not my favorite place we visited and I don't think I would come back if given the chance unfortunately. read more

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The food was good, but not necessarily great. I think the ambiance may have been nice, but we were hidden behind a partition, so felt really separated. There were some snafus in the service, and when I complained, I was treated like dirt afterwards. Really colored the who experience (in a bad way). Just felt like it could've been better. read more

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Came in for a bite and beverage while walking around Salem. We sat at the bar. Service was great. Drinks were great. Good was great. We split the loaded fries and calamari. Always love sitting at the bar. Fun chatting with the bar tenders. They let us know about the speakeasy downstairs read more

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Cool restaurant, stopped in around 1pm for lunch and were seated promptly at a booth at the bar. Clean and nice vibes. Wasn't overly busy for a Sunday afternoon. Our waitress was OK, friendly enough but didnt do much more than bare minimum. Never refilled soda, or asked, the water she brought to table was warm and had no ice. In our opinions compared to other restaurants and beers we've had elsewhere and back home, it was overpriced, 12$ each but were filled full. The fried pickles were good but were pretty greasy. The ranch tasted a bit off. We had the fried chicken sandwich which was good but did not care for the strong cheddar cheese wirh the other flavors. Chicken patty was cooked well though and fries were really good. Overall service could've been a bit better and our meal was average but worth it for the ambience I'd say. read more

After the long wait to see a server our food came out quickly. While the alpha wolf burger and the chicken sandwich were quite good but stay away from the fish sandwich. Lacked taste and was more breading than fish and my girlfriend didn't finish her fish because it was slimy. The fries were great both plain and loaded. Water should be cold when served, or did we have to pay extra for ice? read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Hubby liked his tofu sushi, yucca fries, and beer very much. My calamari and roast root vegetables were OK. Our friend's nachos serving was huge Our waitress was pleasant. read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Calamari, roast root vegetables, tofu sushi, yucca fries. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

We had reservations but we came an hour early and they were able to accommodate us with ease. The hostess and waiter were all too kind. They were pretty busy and running around a lot but were able to check in on us frequently. The food was a bit disappointing and took a while to come out. I can speak for the burger and tacos and say that it was okay. Nothing too special or mind blowing.. the table next to us got the fish and chips and that looked amazing and by the looks of the customers they enjoyed it. I can't say I trust the sushi but I took a shot at it and got the California roll because how can you mess that up. They in fact did mess it up. Unfortunately the rice was hard and the portions were small. The prices for it were also pretty high.... Nonetheless the hidden bar downstairs was fun and the drinks were great. The food upstairs not so much. read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Service was lacking from start to finish, and when we raised an allergen concern, it wasn't taken seriously -- a real problem when someone's health is at stake. Food was clearly past its prime, old and not fresh. Overall a disappointing experience. Would not recommend. read more

Great food and service! I had the lone wolf smash burger and my dad had the alpha burger. We loved our meals! We also went to the bar downstairs and loved the ambiance and friendly staff. read more

Had a very nice meal at the Dire Wolf Tavern. Beers and drinks were very good as was the food. They had some good vegan and vegetarian options and their fries were also excellent. They also served sushi which I didn't try, but my son though was excellent! So everyone was happy and the place has a nice ambiance. read more

Old time tavern with brick walls, black wood bar and counters, it's 'wait to be seated' and luckily we got a table right away. Salem in fall is beautifully witchy and 'kooky', the Essex Street area has lots of shops, psychics and street actors dressed up in a variety of costumes. Service at the table was a bit yes/no, our server forgot a drink order and wasn't very interactive, nonetheless the food came and the meal was enjoyable. I had the Dire Wolf Burger with fries - sorry, I ate half before taking a pic ooops! The fries were super crispy, the burger cooked medium-rare exactly as I like it. The tacos one of us had looked good and tasty, and the clam chowder was average; I couldn't taste the firecracker brussel sprouts because of chili but they looked very nice and crispy. Try the Monster Mash cocktail with bourbon, unfiltered cider, and cinnamon ..yum! Downstairs has a lounge and bar too but it seemed closed while we were there. Definitely a place to check out for the fun interior and good food! read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Dire Wolf inside - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I'm a bit puzzled by the low ratings because we had an awesome visit. Our tour guide mentioned their burgers, so we thought to stop in regardless of ratings. We were not disappointed. This restaurant is very busy, but we have an enormous bar and are good about keeping drinks refilled and food orders moving. Sit at the bar; you will be waiting forever for a table. We both had the smash burger. So good! The double burger patty was unexpected but delicious (I wasn't reading closely). Such good flavor in the patty! Also, the truffle fries are divine with a light sprinkling of cheese. Yum!! This is worth a quick stop while you're in downtown Salem. read more

To start, the steak tips were overdone yet we asked for them to be cooked "medium rare - closer to rare." The haddock had way too much parmasan cheese and the breading (made of very inconsistent pieces of Ritz crackers) appeared to be thrown on last minute as an after thought. In addition, the pieces weren't toasted, moist, or warm. The spinach that accompanied it had way too much garlic and the pieces were rather course. read more

t took a while for a server to greet our table and take our drink order. She was friendly though so not a big deal. Just seems like we had been forgotten about. I ordered a sushi roll and Szechuan green beans. Both were good. Cool atmosphere. One of my friends sushi roll had some crunchy pieces of rice in it but it wasn't a big deal. She ate it and didn't say anything because it wasn't a big enough deal. I will say the last time I ate there 2 years ago was much better. This time was good but not mind-blowing like the time before. read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

We went back the next day to get more! Same server, Julianna, was amazing again! This time we got the nachos and truffle fries. My husband got the Ohana roll. Super yummy! read more

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OMG seriously? Everything was great, from the service, ambiance, decor, drinks, and food. read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Artwork - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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The inside is dark and dingy. My burger was meh and the truffle fries were very strongly flavored. Prices were decent. I bet this place is better at night for drinks than for lunch read more

Super cool. Feels like a secretive, hip basement. Craft cocktails and chill music. Couches and bar service. I do wish there was a cocktail waitress walking around to alleviate the bar but, besides that, it was enjoyable and everyone was friendly about sharing seating and common spaces. read more

I'd like to start with .... there is an upstairs restaurant and a downstairs speakeasy that serves from the same menu. This review is for the speakeasy. The food was ok. I had the pulled pork and it wasn't as good as mine since the taste of bbq was very strong and there was no hint of smoky. The drinks were extremely good. Problem is there is no table service at all so you have to stand in line to order both food and drinks and there is only one line. There are two bartenders but one is assigned to the bar and the other prepares drinks and takes orders at the same time. They let a lot of people in, I guess, optimizing since it is October in Salem. The line was so long, it would take 30 minutes just to order. When you try to flag the bartender to just reorder your drink, and she's got your card cause you started a tab, she tells you, you have to get in line. Makes you just want to leave - not worth the hastle and the food is not that great. read more

After walking around for a bit, the decision was made to eat at the Dire Wolf Tavern. The first thing I would love to say is the service was amazing and everyone was so kind and tentative to us and David our server was great! The tavern is very nice for a quick bite to eat. It was nice and quiet and we were sat next to the window which we got to watch the rain fall. The food was pretty good as well and came out quickly. My favorite were the fried pickles. The jam out smash burger was okay I think it just needed more flavor. The chicken pot pie was good and came out really hot. read more

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Dire Wolf Tavern Stopped in for dinner at the Dire Wolf. It's a great location in Salem with a nice atmosphere. Big shout out to Jay, who took amazing care of us. We started with fresh oysters, a great deal, and they were very good. The food was very good and the specialty cocktails were ordered were very good. read more

We got lucky to get bar seats on halloween as it was packed! The wings were good and crispy and the special drinks were gas! read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Nice place to sit for great food and fun themed drinks. We both enjoyed the menu and what we ordered, our drinks, the service and the building. read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - Fun drink menu. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Food, service, and ambience is beyond compare! Truly appreciate the gluten-free fried options and the attention to detail.

The sushi was delicious, as was the bread to start the meal. 4 of us all got different sushi rolls and they were all great. My son got a chicken sandwich and it was extremely moist. Was a little disappointed that they don't do anything for birthdays. Our server was nice but seemed to be very busy so service was a bit lacking but not his fault. read more

Loved this restaurant that was suggested by a family friend of ours! The food was delicious, especially the Brussels sprouts appetizer; could have eaten this dish all day! And boy oh boy did I strike gold ordering their spicy chili beans with pulled pork; know that it was truly spicy (which I love), and oh so chokeful of meat! Yummy! The ambiance was very clean and relaxing, with a nice trendy bar-restaurant atmosphere. Our server was very polite and attentive. Would definitely recommend this place as a goto spot for lunch or dinner with family and friends! read more

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This is a new go-to spot for us. Cozy and comfortable, great music that isn't too loud, and a healthy selection of drinks. We got the Dire Wolf Roll and fish tacos, and both were so good. The fish tacos are apparently a seasonal item, but keep them on the menu! We were served by Sawyer, and they were great. read more

Eh. This place sounded really cool and definitely liked the vibe when we entered and were excited for good pub food and to plan out the rest of our day in Salem. Sadly, we didn't get that. We sat down and had someone tell us our server would be right with us and gave us some water which was nice. We took a look and decided we actually wanted the same thing. We got the crispy chicken sandwich and I got the fries it came with and my husband got the truffle fries. As an app we got the BBQ flat bread. Let's start with drinks the non alcoholic drinks weren't listed anywhere on the menu that we could see. I've noticed that at a few places I just dont understand why they aren't listed. When our server returned with our drinks he took our food order. We gave him all the food at once and his response to everything was "yeah totally" im not sure why that bothered me, but It did haha. The same person who brought the water brought our flatbread out and was very friendly the entire time. The flat bread was OK but the pork on it was dry. We had been out in the 94 degree heat for hours and were very thirsty and our actual server never brought a refill or asked if we wanted one, but the food runner came over without us asking and refilled our waters. Our chicken sandwiches were soo dry my husband said it was "cooked 4 times before I got it" and I agree. The breading had no flavor either. The tables are quite close so you cant help but over hear interactions at the table next to you. There was a family next to us who asked a few questions about the menu and our server (we had the same one) had to get a menu that was missing and when asked if something could be gluten free said "yeah totally" and then 2 minutes later came back and said it couldn't. He didnt really know the menu. That same table was asking him about the different witch museums and what the difference was and which one was better . His response was "oh I dont know. I dont live in Salem and I haven't been to any or even anything around here". I jumped in to help as we had just done this research ourselves. I know his job is a server but in a tourist town you need to know things about it. I worked in one for many years and you can take an ok experience to a good one with some knowledge and good customer service. read more

Dire Wolf Tavern - The flat bread. Should have photographed the dry chicken but was just so unimpressed. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts