We eat here at least twice each month. Tonight, I tried their fish and chips. The fish was perfect - flaky but not dry, with a flavorful breading. The house-made tartar and fry sauces were very good. A full house kept the staff busy, but they were still attentive and friendly. A band was about four songs into their set when I left. The house sound system does a great job of making sure everyone can hear the band, but the overall noise level was such that folks had to shout to have a conversation. They do post an entertainment schedule, so if you go there to visit with friends, do it when there are no bands playing. From prior experience, I highly recommend the "Dave's Insane" sandwich. read more

Half Penny Public House - Stage area before the band started - Bars Near Me - Salem, Oregon

We have heard so many good things about half penny and finally decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed. We went on a Sunday off hours time so they were very slow. We were going to sit outside but due to it being their slow time they said they didn't have enough staff for that right now so we opted to sit at the bar. It was clean and not sticky. Through out our stay we were checked on multiple times which was nice. The food was really good. We didn't even finish the tots because the burgers filled us up. They have tons of live music through out the week. It's definitely a great place to relax and catch up with friends read more

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Half rack of ribs were huge on a bed of Mac and cheese, good portion for the price. I also like the crab cake Benedict, they put dill in the hollandaise sauce which gives it nice fragrant flavor to it. read more

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New manager is great also atmosphere is fantastic the old manager was the major jerk. I highly recommend this place the food is fantastic also read more

This place is our go to for casual meeting up with friends for food and drink. Excellent food and service. We go here at least 3-4 times a month and have never had a bad experience. It's a very popular local's spot and with that it can have a wait every once in a while. Good live entertainment on certain nights too. The wife and I really do like this place. We've also met the nicest folks here too. Experienced staff that provides good food and service. Great beers on tap and great specials. read more

Been here several times and have never had a bad experience! Food is good, atmosphere is nice and all employees are sweet and helpful!!! Nice place to enjoy some live music and do some dancing as well!!!!! read more

The Thursday special is incredible. Don't miss out on excellent ribs! To be eligble for the special combo of ribs, a side and come coleslaw, you just have to order a drink. read more

Always a great experience and great conversations with patrons everytime we come. The monthly food schedules help, are delicious and a great value! read more

The food is fantastic here the brussels sprouts are amazing so is the rest of the food we get together with our friends to enjoy laughter, fun and blessings. Staff is fantastic. The atmosphere very enjoyable. read more

Half Penny Public House - The Brussel sprouts are amazing. We had French dip Reuben taco salad lots to laugh. - Bars Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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Great local place. Awesome bar food, fair pricing, specials every night. Good beers on tap. Excellent service, great atmosphere to hang and watch spots on strategically placed tvs. read more

A large restaurant pub with live music on certain days of the have newer owners working hard to keep up the Half Penny rep. I rarely eat pub food but if I do it's at the Half Penny! They have seasonal beers lots of IPAs, mixed drinks and non alcoholic beverages too. Friendly service and fast in a sometime crowded chaotic environment. Hardly any place has live bands and dancing so if you're into that, you should check it out. read more

This place is Salem's hidden gem! The ribs are to die for and sooooo inexpensive. I can't gate keep this place, and the staff are WONDERFUL! read more

Half Penny Public House - Baby Back Ribs - Bars Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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After a failed attempt at enjoying a prime rib at Rudy's Steakhouse the night before, I saw Half Penny offers a smoked prime rib on Friday and Saturday nights. It was delicious. Rudy's could take some tips from Half Penny. Not only was the prime rib cooked perfectly and so flavorful, but the mashed potatoes were amazing on their own. All for less than half the price Rudy's was charging for their flavorless slab of cow. Next time I'm in town on a Friday or Saturday, Half Penny will be my go to for prime rib. read more

Usually one of our go to places, we arrived to a mostly quiet afternoon as the end of the lunch crowd was clearing out. We picked out a table that was ready to go with menus and silverware and waited and waited. The server clearly saw us but never approached and avoided eye contact when she passed near. Eventually we got tired of being ignored and left. read more

Excellent food portions and tasty bacon. Quality and consistency of order accuracy is hit or miss. Depending on which server you get will determine your quality of service and attentiveness. Coffee always tastes burnt or like it was from the day before. Looking for an inexpensive breakfast this is the place to go. Just be aware your eggs may not be how you want them your potatoes might still be crunchy and the gravy could be cold. If you say something the server will make sure it gets fixed but then it puts you behind your table mates and doesn't always work out. read more

Laid back vibes, good service and fresh hot food. Not a bad wait especially for an early afternoon Mother's Day lunch! read more

Half Penny Public House - Crème brûlée - Bars Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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The half penny has a great bar menu, generous portions, stiff drinks, and great wait staff. What could be better? Well, parking is limited. So, get there early. This place is great for the $ read more

We had a very large group for a 101st birthday for a WW11 vet. We all ordered and enjoyed our meal, WINGS WERE GREAT! Our whole group paid and tipped the waitstaff. But there was a time I heard a waitress snap at one of the older women in our party when she asked if we could place orders after waiting 45 min to allow our group to arrive. Other than that, I will say I will definitely be back, I'd like to bring my husband for their ribs or wings read more

Food and service are great. Too loud for our tastes. We'll probably be back. Menu was impressive and costs were so so.

I found this on yelp had good reviews and we wanted a steak so we stop in on a Friday night. It was packed, because of a band that was playing, but we sat with 4 other people (family style). This is a bar/pub type of place. Seat yourself, very friendly staff, great service. Music was great. We ordered Prime Rib its a special on Friday nights. It comes with a baked potato, vegetables (a lot) a Salad (Big) with homemade croutons(so yummy) the prime rib was cooked perfect! Like I said they were very busy, this was about 7:30pm and we sat right down, and ordered got our food in 10mins. Would go back. read more

Drinks are excellent. Service is excellent. Sad they stopped serving steak fries. The new fries aren't half as good as the steak fries. Very few gluten-free options. read more

Ashley, the bartender, is super nice. I had lunch by myself today. I had a Mario berry Drop. Very good! Also, a flavorful prime rib French Dip with perfectly cooked steak fries. I will definitely be back!! read more

Half Penny Public House - French dip with prime rib, steak fries. - Bars Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Great food, good drinks. Couldn't ask for more in a hometown bar. Nice happy hour. Easy access.

I've been going to this place for about eight years and they've always had great food, and very friendly service. Not to mention a a nice atmosphere, and good value. Recently ownership has changed, and the new owner is doing everything that she can to keep things as as they were , but also improving on entertainment and some new menu items while keeping everything affordable. So why go to a restaurant chain when you could go to a local place with some character and support your community? read more

Half Penny Public House - Bars Near Me - Salem, Oregon

I come here ALL the time either with my family, on a date, or even by myself. I love the veggies platter and the shrimp cocktail. Another favorite is the quesadilla! Good food all around. They also have live music sometimes and it's a great place to be. The servers are friendly as well and make us feel welcome each visit. read more

No issues with the establishment or the employees. Just the owner. We were sitting outside and the new owner came out and introduced herself. Our friend mentioned he was here from Idaho and she went off on how the state was trying to take part of Oregon. Then she brought up everything that was wrong with "conservatives ". You run a dive bar that relies on people who don't care about your politics. read more

After moving to Salem, Oregon, from the foodie haven of Sacramento, CA, we discovered Half Penny. We were warmly greeted by Michelle, a cheerful host, in a clean, spacious, and cozy space with an open layout featuring a shared dining area and a stunning bar. We ordered Fish & Chips and Baby Back Ribs, which were incredibly tender and flavorful, with the rib meat falling off the bone. Michelle shared that the ribs are smoked in a large smoker out back. The chowder was homemade and packed with large chunks of clams, while the salad was massive, nearly a meal in itself. Portions were generous, prices were reasonable, and the lunch menu offered a great selection of options. The standout, however, was the "Specials" Michelle serves six days a week at excellent prices. This spot is a must for foodies, with an outstanding menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner--you won't be disappointed! Amazing. read more

Unfortunately, under new ownership there are obvious changes. The lack of owner management and leaving employees to run rogue is clear. The change in quality of meat and preparation is clear. This could be a guide to how to destroy a good business and waste your investment! 2 weeks in a row the ribs are An obvious quality difference! The slaw is offered in one flavor only rather than chipotle slaw. No wet naps after a sticky meal, so you need to go the bathroom and wash you hands.... Wait staff have a different priority than before and you set for a long time without any follow up to ensure meal is good or drinks are full... We literally watched another table go up to the bar to prefer cocktails because the server was that lame! We eat here 2-3 times per week and will be looking for a new place to dine based upon recent experiences.... Wendy! Get your act together! read more

A two star because the waitress was great. To start off, I ordered the Dave's sliced prime rib sandwich with fries - no fries showed up. I asked for them and I had eaten half the sandwich before the fries came and they were blazing hot - wait 5 minutes more. The fries were from a bag. You know you can just tell. The sandwich was ok, not bad - just ok. It was super salty with the au jus. The other dish was a crispy chicken salad. The chicken was heavily breaded and came out dark (perhaps old oil). I used to deep fry foods at a restaurant and when the oil gets old it suffers from the burnt remnants of breading that fall low in the fryer. Anyway, there are ways to filter this but the oil picks up the color and smell. Chicken strips were frozen from a bag most likely. I could be wrong but me thinks not. read more

cooks and bartender delivered! supreme spanish coffee and grand production of pyrotechnics. making the Half Penny a regular from now on. read more

Sorry for the 3 STARS but I really tried had to give you 4 or 5 but it's impossible. I went there for lunch today and ordered the Sliders off of the appetizer menu. I specifically asked "what do you put-on the sliders?" and was told the meat, cheese and bun. I was asked what kind of cheese I would like so I asked for pepper jack. So far, no problem. My order comes and there is this pale orange mess smeared onto the buns, I asked the server, "what is this?" and was told it was Half Penny Fry Sauce - gross! Server offered to have them remade but I declined and scraped off as much as I could. They were just ok, meat was very well done and tough. I ate one and brought the other one home to my dog - he liked it. The fries, although fresh, were very over done and extra crispy - and oily. Then the check comes and I was charged $9.75 for my meal. I pointed the price out to the server as the menu says "$8.50". His reply, "oh the extra charge is for the pepper jack cheese". Nothing was said before hand. Paying extra for cheese when it comes with cheese just seems wrong to me. At any rate, I was disappointed. The server was nice and polite, however, he didn't answer my initial question of what came on the burger, nor did he inform me of the "up-charge" for the cheese. I hope someone reads this and tells the servers to be upfront with the customer when they ask questions and to let them know of any up-charges for cheese. read more

The food and staff, best around. First experience here and I'll be back for sure. The wait staff was so incredibly kind and fast we never had an empty drink and our waitress checked on us constantly. Our food was super yummy. You can't beat the happy hour prices. The Thursday ribs special, Yumm. Fall off the bone ribs, personally had to have two sets and then we got some to go. Must stop in Salem read more

This was our last day in Oregon and we wanted a place for brunch and some football. Half Penny was perfect for that! We were pleasantly surprised to see so many football fans in Salem! read more

One of the best ribs I ever had in my life go on Thursday $1 a ribs from 5 to 9 pm Mac & cheese was awesome as well A+++++ read more

Half Penny Public House - Ribs - Bars Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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Went for breakfast. Hash browns tasted burnt. Bacon was also weird tasting. Eggs rubbery. Couldn't get a second cup of coffee after server said she'd be back. Finally gave up. Left most of our food on the plate. Won't be back. Service not great. Atmosphere ok. read more

Decent spot for Sunday morning football. Large place with plenty of seating. Lots of TVs. Decent beers on tap. Solid Bloody Mary. read more

Always awesome in every way! Servers are always great , food is delicious and vibe is great

Seems to be a popular spot with locals. We were in town helping our son relocate to Salem. Yelp reviews helped us decide to try it and we weren't disappointed. Rib special was outstanding, perfectly smoked and fell off the bone, besides being super affordable! Prime rib dip was also great, smoked meat was so tender. The only thing that was meh was the Cabernet wine, definitely a bottle that had been opened for a while, so should've gone with one of the many beers on tap! We even ran into our son's new neighbors there! read more

I hadn't been here in over a year and I'd have to say ALOT has changed. The food is fantastic and the service was great! It could use a few more servers during the weekdays, but overall it was a really good place to go for a nice lunch and a drink! The inside is a bit dark, but they have a nice outdoor seating area that is shaded and very comfortable! I will definitely go back there!! read more

We hit steak night about every other Tuesday. The food is great, the prices are reasonable and the staff is like family! What's more could you ask for? read more