Searching for a good lunch and up popped the name of the Salem Oak Diner. We quickly agreed to give it a try. A drive through Salem makes you wonder what this city was like in its glory days. Beautiful old homes ... classic mansions and then we spot this classic diner on Broadway. Ok, it looks a little worn but in the same moment you are transported back in time to an era where diners like this one could be found everywhere. Walking up you spot the music machines in each booth that once upon a time were connected to juke boxes . As you walk in you feel the comfort of a diner and the waitress calls out a welcome ... 'sit anywhere' and we choose a window booth. It's a classic diner menu with a printed sheet of specials at unbelievable prices. A couple of soup options so it was classic choices ... a mushroom cheeseburger that the owner will slap on the griddle and a tuna melt. The conversation with the waitress was non-stop (it was 230 and at first no one else was eating. It was a fun diner experience! Food was delivered hot ... another customer so the waitress went back to work. A great lunch! Fries were perfect and the burger juicy and flavorable!! Tuna melt perfect .. The rest rooms reminded us of being on a train in the 1950's! There's not much to Salem New Jersey but there is one awesome diner serving great food!! read more

See all

I have to admit my tastes haven't changed that much. As a kid I was koo koo for Cocoa Puffs, loving the chocolatey chemistry class simplicity of a no muss, no fuss breakfast. Welcome to the Salem Oak Diner where a simple menu of American classics thrive. Fluffy omelettes too big for your plate and a cheeseburger so rare it's still breathing. Perfection. There's no artifice or pretension here, just a solid menu, comfortable surroundings and a check that won't devastate your wallet. If you're hungry in Salem, it's your own damn fault. Try the Salem Oak Diner. Five comfortable stars. read more

It used to be the place to go. The food is still very good but Salem has really gone downhill and I don't feel safe there at night. It's ur typical old fashion diner with a good cook, good food , and good people. One walk inside and it takes u back to the good old days. But Salem has lost Anchor Hocking Glass, and Mannington mills sold off its linoleum flooring and the city has become a ghost town with most businesses, gas stations and storefronts folding up. read more

I brought a salad with shrimp. When I opened it it did not have any cucumbers or peppers which it was supposed to. I called them and they said they ran out of cucumbers and that I could come back to get the peppers no type of remorse. So it's a No for me. read more

We came here for dinner while in the area for a few weeks and wanting to try a new place. The diner aesthetically was nothing special, pretty underwhelming looking lol. The gyro wrap was very good though. I like how toasted and crispy it was. Pleasant stop for a simple but good meal. read more

Today must've been a lucky day. Not only was the food that I've eaten was splendid, it was free too. I'm not sure if it was the staff who comped my food or if someone else (one of the customers) in the restaurant did, but I didn't have to pay anything for my meal. Servers were friendly. As for the vibe of this place, you'll feel as if you're in the 1950's and I mean that in a good way. read more

Great diner! My husband used to come here every weekend as a kid with his dad. It was really special returning here for him, and he was happy knowing it's just as good as it was years ago. read more

I ended up early in the morning in Salem, NJ. Salem Oak Diner has a surprisingly low rating on Google Maps. They happily accommodated my special request for a cheesesteak with eggs. It was $6.40 and came with a fruit cup on the side (or home fries). This is a very cool old-school Diner in an old city. I stayed focused on the old school coolness and not the actual cheesesteak. read more

See all

Delicious!! Service was top notch, staff very friendly and accommodating:) My son had a weekend long event Salem and we needed somewhere to grab lunch. One day we dined in and another ordered take out. As usual, NJ diner did not disappoint!! read more

Facade: Unassuming, classic Jersey diner. Service: Friendly and prompt. Interior: Cute, small. Food: Meh? My lunch platter just didn't wow me. I've had plenty of chicken salad and bacon clubs on white toast without tomatoes in my day. Like to the point that I hardly have to open a menu at any diner. And in comparison to all those other chicken salads, this one just didn't make the cut. My mom also wasn't thrilled with her broiled crab cake meal. It didn't look too attractive to me, but then again I never find seafood attractive. I had her salad, and it was the basic salad you'd expect. I'd maybe return for a breakfast meal, but I'd pass on a second lunch trip. read more

My wife and I always try to go to the Salem Oak Diner when we eat out. We like to patronize local businesses. That being said, the biggest reason we go is because this place had to be the best value for you dollar ever. We can't believe the big portions, very reasonable prices, and outstanding service. It isn't a fancy place. It's one of those original diners. The atmosphere is definitely retro. The patrons are great. It's a cool neighborhood place. We really like it. read more

Funky old school diner where everybody knows your name! Great service. Great food! Do not pass over the Belgian Waffles!!!! read more

Salem Oak Diner - Bar area - Sandwiches Near Me - Salem, New Jersey

I love their breakfast and chicken noodle soup is the best. Always get the soup even if it's just an appetizer!

Recently I went to the Salem Oak Diner in Salem, NJ.  The Salem Oak diner is one of the quintessential diners in NJ.  It's in a small town, located close to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.  If you just entering NJ and looking for a stereotypical NJ diner, it's the perfect stop. Atmosphere: The Salem Oak Diner looks like it's been around for decades and that is because it has!  It's in an old shiny train car.  Inside has a few booths, tables, and a bar.  I Coffee: The coffee was brewed hot and fresh.  There was nothing unique or unusual about it, but it wasn't bad either.  It tasted like that of typical diner coffee.  Food: The Salem Oak Diner has a lot more options that you would anticipate for a small old time diner.  It has plenty of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.  It even has several salads and healthy choices.  To be honest, I was surprised it was open for dinner.  I stopped in around lunch and decided to order the vegetarian omelet.  It had an assortment of vegetables including broccoli, asparagus, and mushrooms.  The waitress asked if I wanted onions in my homefries and I thought, sure why not.  I chose rye toast. The omelet was massive.  It was one of the better omelets I've had.  I enjoyed the addition of opinions in my homefries.  I'm not sure if this a regular thing, but it was a nice addition. Service: The waitress was friendly and refilled our beverages quickly.  The food also came out fast, so I have no complaints about that. Overall/Would I Come Back: I really liked the Salem Oak Diner, and I'm glad I was finally able to get down there.  If you are looking for a quick, unique, and fun stop close to the highway, the Salem Oak Diner is perfect! read more

Salem Oak Diner - Sandwiches Near Me - Salem, New Jersey

My husband is very particular and leery about restaurant dining. I must say that we both enjoy the Oak Diner's cuisine very much! On our last three visits everything was delicious, and staff is great! My husband felt a little off balance during our last visit and they were concerned about him. (thank you). I don't know the cook, but I hope he stays on. lol. read more

The worst management ever! The food is sub. Par. The only good thing about this diner is the hostess Lynn. I would advise that you go to Diamond grill instead of this place. read more

Classic jersey diner here, a throwback for sure. Great service, cheap prices, pretty good food.

Very cute little diner, the food is amazing! The staff is so sweet and kind im originally from Middletown Delaware. I came with my uncle and I was so so surprised by how great this place was! 10/10, 100% would recommend! read more

This place has the best diner food around! Breakfast and lunch are my favorite and I always want to come back for more. The cooks are amazing and work so hard to make every order perfect and delicious. Come support this local business and try out some amazing food! read more

On are way this morning for breakfast. Great food and great service. We go at least twice a week. Sometimes more depending. Prices are reasonable. read more

Still #1 in my book! The owners are bending over backwards and jumping through hoops to make everyone feel welcomed and appreciated, and it shows. At peak times, there are only one or two parking spaces left open and turnover in the dining area is about perfect: as one party leaves, there's usually just enough time to get the table ready before the next party arrives. There's a happy atmosphere, here, which is one of the main reasons we keep returning. The waitstaff is cheerful, even when they're at their busiest, which tells a story in itself. Mike, the Manager, has personally been outside lately, painting the building, and it looks refreshed and so much better. Recently, the kitchen has been successfully experimenting with putting some new items on their Daily Specials menu, such as the delicious Tomato Basil soup and one of my new favorites, the salmon sandwich, a salmon patty with tomato, lettuce and onion on a kaiser roll. I tend to say in my comfort zone, though, and keep returning to my daily favorites, the Julienne Salad (with a tuna salad topper instead of the beef & ham), a ham, pastrami & swiss hoagie (just as good, if not better and BIGGER than what some of the area's sub shops make), greek salad, greek gyro, any of the sandwiches, club or otherwise, any of the fish/seafood dinners, mini meals...I may as well list the entire menu. When a decision is impossible, you won't go wrong (or hungry) with the Hamburger Deluxe! I would have to call "our diner" the jewel in Salem's crown; it's certainly one of the busiest places in town, and they work hard to earn it every day. read more

See all

Well, color me surprised! Don't let the location or the exterior fool you. This place is DAMN GOOD! Ordered a Salem Oak salad with Chicken. At a mere $6.95 I thought to myself, "This is going to be some skimpy side salad with a little chicken." So wrong. This is a great value. The salad was huge and had more chicken on it than I could reasonably eat in a meal. The veggies were fresh and crisp and plentiful. Honey mustard dressing was delicious. Server was quick and attentive and our meal was served promptly. They serve a solid cup of coffee, too! I'll be back for sure! read more

The Salem Oak Diner is BACK!!! Once the PRIDE of Salem starting in the 1950's through the 1990's, the "OAK" has had its "Ups & Downs". Living in the area, I have seen this place undergo Ownership & Management changes, mostly having a negative result. HOWEVER, the most recent management change is producing results. The Manager "Mike", has a New, Fresh, approach to the way this "Classic Diner" should be run, and values his customers opinions! He has recently upgraded the booths, window treatments, and holds weekly meetings with his staff on how to make this diner the "Best in Salem County". Now for the "Meat & Potatoes", pardon the "Pun". Service has done a total 180 degree change from before. Service is "EXCELLENT"! Let's face it, diner food is "Classic", and the "Oak" is committed to improving the quality of their meals. No More breakfast platters with 5lbs of tasteless home fries on your plate. I suggest "Mikes Famous Classic Cheeseburger", a Huge, Classic Cheeseburger, with French Fries! Most changes occur via baby steps, this manager and staff are making giant steps to improve the "OAK". I'm giving the "OAK" a 4 star review for it's service, and a 3 for food. I'm hoping to update this review 6 months from now with a 5 star review! Remember, you can bring your favorite spirits here! Come visit one of the "Few Original Classic Diners in New Jersey". Located in Historic Salem, New Jersey, a great place to eat while attending one of Salem County's Many Cultural Events, such as the upcoming "Arts N Bloom" Festival! Bring a Bottle of your Favorite Bubbly, or Ice Cold Brew, and slip back into the 50's with a "Mike's Famous Classic Cheeseburger"!! ENJOY!! CHEF GARY CURRY read more

See all

This is a roadside Mom and pop classic diner in every sense of the word. HUGE portions - consider splitting orders. Fries are a must. Open face Reuben and tuna melt are yummy. read more

I loved this place. The food was good and the portions were also large. I was surprised because of the location. I also love the little corner nook with the retro cards and stuff. We will be back. read more

I get the impression that locals love this place. It was not for me. When I walked in, there were some customers sitting down to chat with the wait staff, they were all still sitting there after I left. The salad that I ordered was nothing special, and I get the impression that salad is not the thing to order here. However, there doesn't seem to be a good place to get a salad in Salem. There wasn't anything interesting about, mostly just iceberg lettuce and some meat. What I disliked about the Oak Diner is how long everything took for the food that I got. The salad did not have anything cooked in it, and it took forever to get my food. It also took forever to get something to drink. The conversation that I mentioned earlier seemed to take precedent over my lunch. read more

I went there to have breakfast. Food was not that good. Hashbrowns were horrible. And what disgusted me the most is the pancakes. I think they were made the same place they make their beef and eggs or whatever. The pancakes tasted like onions. It was so disgusting and that means their kitchen isn't clean since they use the same spot to make everything. I would give two stars for the lovely waitress. The waitress is so sweet. read more

What a difference a change in management can do for a restaurant! The Old Salem Oak diner is was absolutely terrible, and you can see that from my old review. However, the new Salem Oak diner is amazing. It is run by the people who used to run the Quinton Diner, and honestly they are amazing. Their affordable lunch specials are my favorite. Half a sandwich, fries, coleslaw, pickle, soup, and dessert all for like 7 bucks? You can beat that. The chicken parm sand which is my favorite. The chicken tenders used in it are homemade, or taste it, unlike the cheap chicken tenders I've seen at other diners. Truly a gem right in Salem City and my go to spot for a cheap lunch. So sorry for taking so long to update my review when the new management has been there for a few years now! read more

Generally this is a very nice place. Today I was there for 10 minutes without seeing a waitress or hostess. I could not wait any longer and so I left. Maybe a staffing problem today. I will try again next week. read more

Never had a bad meal here and I've tried many things off their menu. Breakfast is the best in Salem county. Truly a down home diner, and I always see someone I know when I go here. Everything is fresh and cooked to order. They're also very reasonably priced and you will most likely have leftovers. Best coleslaw in the world can be found here and it's homemade! read more

This is a good old fashioned diner. The food is good, the prices too. The portions are large. We had to get a box. I think we have a whole meal in it. I looking forward to having it for lunch tomorrow. I would come back again read more

Love the oak diner. Once a week for breakfast we go here/ take out from here. Staff is always so lovely. You always are welcomed by the regulars too. You could have picked this diner out of a old country magazine. The lunch and dinner is great too, only down fall is it isn't open 24 hours like a lot of the diners around here, but it's totally fine! :) read more

This has been my favorite go-to diner all of my life. It had a few years of less than stellar offerings after the original owners sold it, but for the past few years it's been back! The current staff in there know what they're doing and they know what New Jerseyans expect from a good diner. Every staff member is super friendly and attentive to their customers' needs. This is not only my favorite breakfast spot, but their lunch and dinner menus are delicious as well. My non-breakfast favorite is the chicken and shrimp scampi over rice. It is sooooo good! Their dinner salads taste so fresh as well. Top off your meal with a cup of their very good coffee and a slice of yummy cheesecake or cup of chocolate ice cream and you can't go wrong! read more

Awesome foods, great soups. We stopped again for lunch on the way back from the Jersey Shore. Fresh & BIG sandwiches & tasty soups, crispy pickles & good french fries. And the potatoe salad is io home made & fantastic. And all at a great price! Love this place..!! read more

Stopped in for lunch today but ordered breakfast. The prices were amazing! I got a cup of great tasting chicken noodle soup a western omlette with home fries and rye bread for 7.50. Cannot beat that! My co-diner had a Reuben, which was open faced. We both left satisfied. It's yummy dinner food. read more

It was cleaner than I thought, but I wasn't expecting much. Dirty dishes at every open table and it got worst from there. Took over an hour to deliver some club sandwiches and an omelet. Waitress was not interested in keeping us informed as to why it was taking so long. I tried every disappointed face I had, but she wasn't getting it. My kids both had turkey bacon clubs and one didn't have bacon, my wife had a burn omelet and they replaced home-fries with french fries and asked if that was okay as she set the plate down. My roast beef club was dried up meat and I was so mad I didn't eat it. Just stay away this place has NO redeeming qualities. Service and food are sub par. read more

Breakfast was great rye toast tasted home made alot of food for a few dollars. Small place though. Wouldn't go again

Arrived early in Salem to go the MVC. Stopped in the diner for breakfast: 3 eggs, hashbrowns, toast, coffee - $3.99 worth of AWESOME. Service was fast and courteous. Food was delicious. Enjoyed meeting the regular customers. read more

The Salem Oak Diner has so many memories to me,, I sat many nights with friends, family and Nicky Shapiro unti his death there in 1978. Even days Nicky and I sat in it looking across Broadway at the Old Oak Tree and the old town LIbrary. I was raised in Salem from the time I was 6 mos old until I left in 1964 for the US Army. I have returned many times to vist family and now plan another vist in May 2011 just to see the old town again,, read more