excellent food, but what sold this establishment to me was the talent and skill of the bartenders - Sarah in particular is an absolute chemist when it comes to a quality, multidimensional drink. she was a pleasure and an incredible talent. read more

Hallowed Ground - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Strong drinks and good vibes here. It was a little hard to sit at the bar on a Friday night but my sister and I grabbed two seats when they first opened. We try to go on Saturday night but it was too busy and ended up going to another bar. read more

Hallowed Ground - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

The photos of this "speakeasy" spot and its beautifully lit up bar made me absolutely have to try it! It's not a true hidden speakeasy since the sister restaurant upstairs, the Dire Wolf Tavern, has signage on the street for it, but I didn't care - the drinks just looked beautiful, and the moody decor was so on trend for Salem without hitting you over the head in a touristy way. We walked down some pretty steep steps after having dinner at the DWT - not sure if there's another entrance or not, but seems a little accessibility challenged. We sat in some of the low down, trendy looking, cushy chairs, and had to order drinks at the bar. Table service would have been nicer, especially for what they're charging for a cocktail. I asked for a pretty drink I'd seen online in a coupe glass with foam and purple and yellow almost flower shapes in the foam, but was told it was from an old menu. No big deal, I figured as such since it was an older photo online. I ordered the Midsommar cocktail without egg white (was very excited to see Creme de Violette on a menu, but the flavor was more mild than I hoped). It was pretty good, and quite strong. I wasn't over the moon in love with it - I actually liked the drink options upstairs better lol - but it was quite good and made quickly. This spot would be great for a photoshoot, I'm dying to get a spot at the unique lit up circular bar they have. It started getting busier and louder later into the night, but when we first arrived it was nice and calm and relatively quiet. I'd go back to try more specialty cocktails, but for $20 including tip for 1 drink that was honestly quite small, it feels a bit like an overpriced tourist spot. Very fun to visit but not great if you want to be having multiple drinks. I'm glad we went and would try it out again for sure. read more

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One of my very favourite spots in town. Sean, Sara, and Ryan are a dream - they make incredible drinks and, provided it's not too busy, are always willing to share about the thought process that goes into them and the new, unusual ingredients they feature. Creative, talented, and can handle the hell out of a rush. I am torn about writing this because I always want to be able to find a seat at that bar, but credit where credit is due. read more

Located in the basement area of Dire Wolf Tavern in the heart of Salem. A separate entrance down the alley way allows you to go upstairs to Dire Wolf or downstairs to Hallowed Ground. They share the same kitchen. We ate sushi upstairs the first night which was absolutely delicious and was topped with shredded crab meat. The next night we had steak tips (more like steak hunks) with seared scallops, mash and spinach. Thus was an exquisite meal and plenty to split with wifey. Bartenders downstairs were awesome and skilled. The speakeasy atmosphere downstairs added to its charm. A must visit if you're in the area! read more

Not really a speak easy. Kinda disappointing. Definitely shouldn't have the sign outside the alleyway lol. Was a bit busy but also isn't that big. Only have certain drinks and they were really weird. No one in Salem has even heard of it really and never been there. Definitely would not go again. Also shares a bathroom with Dire wolf tavern. When u walk in the door u also can go straight into DW. read more

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We love speakeasy's!! Awesome back alley door. Dark and moody inside. Perfect!! We sat at the bar. Service was great! We came in for a quick cocktail before our scheduled walking tour of Salem read more

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Friend and I were stoked about trying this hidden gem out. I guess it's really not so theoretically hidden. Their door is in an alley way. That's connected to the dire wolf tavern. We walked in around 10 and it was busy. We just wanted to scope it out and have one drink. We thought you could order appetizers but suppose the kitchen may shut down around 8/9p. They close at 11pm which was rare to find anywhere open as late for a Tuesday night. It's definitely not our idea of a speakeasy. It's very hipsters millennial vibes. They had club style/house music playing. With a tv on playing scooby doo. Not much for seating when it's crowded. You can sit around the bar our lounges. One love seat and a couch. It's self serve as you have to go to the bar to place your order. The bartenders were nice and cordial. Drink prices are $10-up. I tried their pale moon option. Which falls under their lighter options. It wasn't bad, but was it worth the price- not really!! It had an odd dry aftertaste. It's definitely a place to experience for yourself. It won't be everyone's cup of tea. read more

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EDIT: Management reached out and HANDLED things. I love a business that is accountable and listens to customers. We will be back in the future. Changing the star rating to 4 stars. My two girlfriends and I ate dinner upstairs and then came down for some drinks. We would have had a perfect night there aside from the male bartender that was bald. He said his name was Ryan. One of the girls in my group wanted to go back to the hotel and me and my other friend wanted to stay because there was a drag show. We told the male bartender that we would be back because we were going to walk her to the hotel to make sure she made it safely. We went ahead and paid for the drinks we had already drank. (All three of us had one mixed drink that he brought to our table. The next was a shot that we went to the bar and got and brought back to our table. The last shot was the female bartender that brought it to us. So he literally took ONE singular order and brought it to our table at this point) We then walked our friend home and came directly back. We were gone for maybe 15 minutes. We got back and tried to get more drinks. My friend waited for at least 15 minutes trying to get a drink and was ignored. She started talking to a couple of other people at the bar and was trying to buy them a drink as well. Ryan, the bald tall bartender looked at my friend and told her "to be honest I'm not going to let you start a tab because you're a shitty tipper". He wouldn't even let her explain herself (though in my opinion she shouldn't have to) We told him we would be right back and we don't tip people until the end of the night because we tip one big amount. She got teary-eyed went ahead and left him a $30 tip. We didn't buy any more drinks the rest of the night because that was embarrassing and insanely rude. We tipped the people in the drag show so we spent our money on that instead and had a great time. If I was the owner of this business I would be getting rid of that guy as soon as possible. That's how you ruin your business. If that guy is more concerned about his tip than serving drinks, that place is going to go downhill quick. It's kind of unbelievable that a grown man had a little tantrum over only getting a few dollar tip when he only served us one singular drink at that point. Wild. And again, we were there to order many more drinks and stay the whole evening and then tip a generous amount at the end. I've been a server and I cannot imagine not serving because somebody only left you a few dollars when the night was JUST getting started. Also to be honest the lemon drop martini that he made me was ass. I'll post a picture of it though. read more

Hallowed Ground - Lemon drop martini with no sugar around the rim. To be honest it wasn't very good. - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Great food with decent prices. You can order off the Dire Wolf menu (that place is always packed and you need a reservation) but at the bar instead of via table service. They have water you can fill for yourself too. Vibes are good! read more

Hallowed Ground - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I'm not sure if they branded themself as a speakeasy or what, but I don't think its entirely correct. Its the downstairs of a bar that you can enter through a side door if your feeling adventurous. The bar is well decorated, with the option to sit at the bar, a few couches, or table tops. They definitely need more seating. The place was pretty empty when we arrived but we still had a wait a minute to find anywhere to sit. We went on the Thursday and the kitchen was closing (we got there around 9 I think?) so we didn't get the chance to try the food but the drinks were good! Cocktails are around $15, which is expensive in my opinion. It's a fun spot to checkout, but we thought we'd spend a lot more time there than we did. A bit underwhelming but if you have some time and are in the area it's a fun spot. read more

Hallowed Ground - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

What a great speakeasy in downtown Salem! We came here around 5pm on a Saturday and it was pretty busy due to the live music. We ordered drinks, truffle fries, chicken bites, and calamari. We enjoyed all the apps and the ambience! read more

Really nice bar, great drinks, delicious grilled cheese sandwiches. (Skip the tomato soup tho.) Service was very good. I'll definitely be back! read more

Cute little lounge . Not a ton of drink options but what I had was great. Food was decent too but kind of pricy read more

Hallowed Ground - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Saw the secret-looking little side entrance from Dire Wolf and couldn't resist going inside. Did not regret! The space was dark and mysterious with lots of comfy couches and a very cool crowd. Drinks had the vibe of classic cocktails and service lightning quick even for how busy it was. Will definitely come back! read more

Cold beer. Strong drinks. Fast service. Reliable bartenders. Reliable information. Cozy atmosphere. I'll be back for a comedy night or two. read more

Hallowed Ground - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Pretty cool place to get a drink. Went for the first time on a Saturday in December around 6pm. Plenty of seating, drinks were good, and staff was attentive. Prices are a little high but the drinks and food (from Dire wolf tavern) are pretty good. read more

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A misunderstanding led to a very rude encounter between my group and the bartender. We were refused service due to a bad tip. We paid and left for our first visit there. Accidentally under-tipped but we were planning to return very soon anyway to enjoy the show that was later. Came back after about 10 minutes of being gone- with the intention of correcting the mistake as well as ordering more and having a good time. The bartender told my friend directly that she wasn't going to get served bc she tipped so poorly before she was able to say a word. He then walked away to serve other people. She had to wait a very long time before she was even looked at again and waited quite a while to finally get drinks for our group and came back to us crying. She wasn't allowed to open a tab for the night. We tried to still have a good time and tipped the performers and bought other people drinks but even then the bartender would make us wait and ignore my friend when she would come up. We had just eaten upstairs and tipped normally. We tipped normally Down at the bar the rest of the night even though he was very mean to us even after we tried to make things right. He seemed to let his emotions get the best of him even when the people who "wronged" him tried to make amends. Kinda sucks. read more

Hallowed Ground - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

This is a cute lil speakeasy that I highly recommend you visit. The speakeasy is in the alley next to Dire Wolf. It's a cozy environment and they share the same menu as Dire Wolf so you still get access to all their dishes. My guest and I were a bit confused by the menu since they offer a mash of different cuisines from sandwiches to sushi. My guest ordered fried rice and really enjoyed it. I got a Caesar salad and fries which were yummy and we enjoyed our drinks with the great ambiance. Overall, great place. read more

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Cool doesn't cover it! Amazing experience and specialty cocktails are to die for! Highly recommended love the vibe

This speakeasy has potential but when I visited it felt kind of unorganized and all over the place. They were also really understaffed so I do understand that. The food menu looked really good but we just had a couple of drinks. The cocktail menu was unique and interesting but the first cocktail I had just didnt work well flavor wise so I went with an espresso martini after that, and that was good. Its a cool vibe in there for sure and worth checking our if youre into speakeasy vibes! read more

Hallowed Ground - a cocktail in a coupe glass - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Hallowed Ground is an amazing little spot for the ambiance alone. However Sarah was like a booze spirit guide. She leads you to the best cocktail choices with the authority of a scholar and the insight of a shaman. I would return back again just for her expertise and delightful personality. read more

Food was good with large portion sizes. Cocktail menu wasn't my fav, but the bartenders were friendly and the scene is definitely what we were looking for read more

Hallowed Ground - Mac n cheese with pulled pork - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Behind the door in the alley lie good drinks in a vaulted chamber. Wish it had more of a cocktail program than it does.

Really cool interior. Works well as a place to gather with friends. Side entrance without clearly marked signage makes it look like you're heading down into a basement speakeasy. Drinks are definitely interesting; some of them had a slightly unbalanced flavor but mostly really good. The butchers pie was decent; had a nice mix of root vegetables placed underneath a consistent mash. The side fries on some of the other dishes were a bit overly roasted / burnt. The Caesar salad could have had more complexity and a richer textural or flavor profile. Environs were excellent; love the lighting, the purplish glow, and sitting around in a lounge rather than on tables. read more

I'm not really sure this place qualifies as a "speakeasy" but it's a hell of a good time! Located right next door to Dire Wolf, they have a sign in the alley to direct you, and a light shining on the ground at their door. You won't miss it! Although they will tell you that you have to Dire for eating, we saw lots servers bringing in food off the regular menu so, take that for what you will. A great selection of themed cocktails had the two bartenders hustling to keep up with the busy room. Not enough chairs for the customer load had some of us squatting or sitting on foot stools, but we'd been walking Salem all day so even squatting felt good. Very loud, but not boisterous, just not a good space to try and quiet that many conversations. read more

Great drinks, but not really a speakeasy, very limited staff, and closes very early. Hallowed ground has small town Midwest dive bar vibes with uncannily fancy cocktails to unmatch. We came during karaoke night and had trouble finding seats. While it's very very small, everyone seemed to be having a good time. It was odd to see that the bar had a bouncer and a single bartender. Reallocating to two bartenders would make a huge difference: the single bartender made incredible cocktails, but was very obviously overextended and wait times were significant. read more

Hallowed Ground - Interior - Speakeasies Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Live music and drinks were GREAT at this place. I thought the service was fantastic at this speakeasy until we started to leave the establishment (after we had paid and tipped.) My friend noticed the servers looking/speaking about us. Right as we walked out, the bartender asked "Where are you guys from again?" And when we were responding, she cut us off and said "VISITORS!" We didn't appreciate the tone or the question. Made us feel unwelcome. read more

if I could give 10 stars I would, the service was incredible and the ambiance was beautiful. we came as a bachelorette party from Pittsburgh, and had an absolute ball. Sean was INCREDIBLE, The woman, we didn't catch her name, black pony tail and glasses was absolutely wonderful and had the best humor. she proposed we send water shots to a group of guys in the back of the bar, and delivered them herself, played dumb that she had no idea what the drinks where and scurried back to laugh with us about it. drinks made/poured by her and Sean were absolutely delicious, the energy of the whole bar was so amazing, and will forever be our best memory from our trip and hands down 10/10 everyone need to experience hallowed ground! read more

Sean and the team always produce top notch cocktails and offer an innovative cocktail menu. Food's great too!

Overpriced and in your face bad loud music. Not the setting of a Speakeasy. Do not waste your time. read more

Sean was an awesome and very friendly barkeep. Had a great experience! Had their cocktails of the night and it was bangin

Great service, amazing drinks!! We also got the wings which were awesome as well. Beautiful underground bar perfect for taking a break after our walking tour! read more

Good bar with a great cocktail list. Bartenders were good at conversation since I was solo and in town for work

My friend and I went there for food and drinks. Bartender we had was amazing but right as a new bartender joined all went down hill. We were cashing out and she ran my card twice. I could see her hide it and instead of just saying hey I messed up she just handed us our cards back. I then told her about it and she proceeded to tell me that she edited the charge and not voided it. I then had to ask for a manager multiple times cause she kept telling me she couldn't give me anything showing this. Manager finally showed up but now 5 days later I'm still waiting for the charge to adjust to the penny they adjusted it to. I'm also states away and was on vacation. Imagine if that would've been my last of my money you pulled and I was stranded. Will not be back. read more

This is such a cool little place ! The drinks were amazing and the employees were so sweet and upbeat !