This was our 4th visit in the past two years, all after COVID. On previous visits, sometimes we…read morearrived after opening and encountered a 20-30 minute line waiting to get in. This past visit was during a special Sunday buffet offering. We arrived about five minutes before opening and had no wait. Although the dining room became busy, there were still plenty of tables available.
We were seated right away, and our friendly servers quickly took our drink orders. Think that would be the last time we'd see them? Nope. They monitored our dining experience better than what I've experienced at many restaurants in Salem. Our drinks never ran dry, and dirty dishes were whisked away within minutes of us finishing. The dining area remained clean throughout our visit. The chairs were also soft and comfortable enough that you could almost sleep in them.
Before one bemoans that this is just another low-quality buffet at an expensive price, think again. See the photos.
The prime rib had excellent marbling and was tender and medium rare, with the expected slightly more well-done portion toward the outer edge. Au jus was available; however, my cuts were juicy enough on their own that I didn't need it. Each cut I received appeared to be approximately 14-18 ounces.
For my first plate, I took a large portion of prime rib and added 14 large breaded shrimp. These weren't little popcorn shrimp buried in breading--the shrimp were larger in diameter than my thumb. See my photo with the soup spoon for a size comparison. They were perfectly fried: crunchy on the outside while remaining tender inside. I also selected a bowl of clam chowder and discovered it made a pretty good dipping sauce for the shrimp.
The food was good enough that I essentially repeated myself on plate #2: another large cut of prime rib, 12 more shrimp, and this time I added one of the smoked beef ribs.
Interestingly, my second piece of prime rib was even better than the first. It was thicker, with a more precise medium-rare-to-rare center and more substantial caramelization on the exterior rather than tasting like meat that had simply been kept warm.
By the time I finished, I'm estimating I had eaten close to two pounds of prime rib, 26 large shrimp, a bowl of clam chowder and a large beef rib. Unlimited soda, iced tea, lemonade, coffee and hot tea were also included.
Is $65 expensive for a buffet? Absolutely. Is it necessarily expensive for what you're getting here? That's a different question.
My selections were actually pretty limited because I'm picky when it comes to seafood. For someone who isn't, the choices go considerably further: Dungeness crab served hot and cold, oysters, clams, shrimp, salmon, cod, sushi and other seafood selections, along with prime rib, smoked beef ribs, ham, turkey, chicken, salad, vegetables, side dishes, fruit and a substantial dessert selection. Again, see the photos because they tell this story better than I can.
If you fill your plate primarily with mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, salad and desserts, $65 may be difficult to justify. But if you're coming here specifically for the prime rib, Dungeness crab and other seafood, the economics change rather quickly.
In my case, two large portions of prime rib alone would approach or exceed $65 at some restaurants before adding 26 large shrimp, clam chowder, a beef rib and drinks. I certainly received more than ample value for my $65.
For a serious Dungeness crab lover, the value proposition becomes even stronger.
This is ultimately what separates the Prime Rib & Seafood Fest from a typical buffet for me. There are certainly inexpensive "filler" foods available, but you don't have to fill up on them. The premium foods aren't hiding in the name--they're actually on the buffet and, during our visit, were readily available.
Four visits in two years also gives me more confidence saying this than I would have after a single meal. Based on this visit, the combination of food quality, selection, attentive service, cleanliness and the ability to concentrate on the premium offerings made the $65 admission worthwhile for us.
