Not going to lie, I stopped in after months of just staying home and decided to get a plate of food. I used to frequent this establishment for the good vibes and conversations. No cliques here. The owner greeted me immediately with a hug. It was about 7Pm and this place was packed. The bartender immediately asked what I wanted to drink and within a minute a tall glass was sitting in front of me. The chefs were working so hard fixing nonstop orders of fish, fries, burgers, and tater tots for the most part. They were moving like a conveyor belt with the orders. From the time I arrived, until I left, not one order was messed up. All the staff are pretty friendly and just awesome overall. Don't expect long conversations if you're looking for liquor paid psychiatrist work while Friday fish orders are being filled. I had the baked cod (was always my favorite) and the first time the walleye with the broccoli crunch and tater tots. Walleye reminds me of catfish. Omg, everything was a 100 out of a 10 to be honest. Coming out of a dive tavern, yes. Everything had the right crunch or the perfect flakiness. Loved it. Friday Fishfry is the bomb here in my opinion. They do have a pool table, jukebox, and a couple of TVs. read more

The Hideaway Tavern - Walleye - Bars Near Me - Salem, Wisconsin

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The ultimate Wisconsin hole in the wall bar! Absolutely love the Hideaway! The staff are all fantastic and so much fun to hang around! The interior is an old house basement with living room and all! A few televisions to watch the games along with a $.25 pool table and Pull tab dispenser! I have yet to have the Friday Night Fish Fry but have several friends that constantly tell me it is the best in the area! Looking forward to trying it out soon! read more

Whole in the wall describes it well great food service is great you'd never know it was there if you weren't looking which makes it even better read more

A north woods tavern experience minutes over the WI/IL border. Set in what appears to be an old house, the semi-circle bar is anchored by a grill serving up burgers and chicken sandwiches made to order. A pool table is the centerpiece of a central room leading to a larger dining area with four tops and a piano. A throwback vibe to bars dad would have been at home in. Betsy at the bar was welcoming serving drinks while cooking at the grill. Prices matched the old time feel- a cocktail, beer, appetizer, burger and fries for $26! A great place for a meal before heading over to some live music at Hansen Beer Garden in Bristol. read more

First time coming here for dinner while camping near by. We weren't sure what to expect. Walking in we were seated towards the back room and we were surrounded by a very quaint furnished area. Our table ordered the mushroom appetizer. It was very good. We also ordered the baked cod with potato pancakes and the broccoli crunch salad. I absolutely love how you can order an extra side with your meal. Also, the best crispy potato pancakes i have ever had. Usually they are soggy and i dislike them but the hideaway has the best potato crispy pancakes ever!!! The breaded cod is also absolutely delicious. For drinks must have the old fashioned. It was perfection as well. I must say the hideaway is amazing and we want to come back soon! Thank you for such great food and service. read more

This place is amazing! Not sure how we came about it 4 years ago, but it's a frequent stop May through September during camping season! Food and staff are amazing. Ambience, PRRFECT! read more

Great Service, awesome food! Compliments to the chef! Good location and parking. Everyone made you feel welcome.

It was awesome. The place was packed which means automatically the food will be good. It was not good but it was DELICIOUS!! The best fish ever, and I used to live on the pacific coast and loved the fish there so you can imagine my delight when I had such amazing fish here in Wisconsin. The beer was good two. It was such a quaint place and it felt like a house not a restaurant. So cool. Cannot wait to go back again.. you gotta try it , you won't be disappointed.. read more

This place is a tax dodge by the owners and not an actual restaurant. If you're not a local, forget being served. There is NO PARKING. You will park in the mud of the owner's lawn, then she'll come out and yell not to park there. The food is typical frozen-fried you can find at a Culver's but at Culver's you'll actually get served. The prices are not listed so they can charge extra on people who aren't their friends. Stay away, or at least come expecting abuse. read more

Stopped in to nearby Bristol, WI to visit with a good friend on the mend. We looked for somewhere close-by for dinner and Yelp helped me find this place. Wow! We were out with another couple and had a great dinner and fantastic cocktails. The waitress was also the cook and the bar tender and also the daughter of the owners. What a great, intimate place for dinner and a cocktail. Looking at the menu, they have three different options for fish on Friday nights for their fish fry. We'll definitely be back for that! The Old Fashioned's we had were great. The burgers and chicken sandwiches were very good too. Don't be in a hurry and only go if you like small, quant eateries/taverns. read more

We gave the Hideaway another go as we had gone a few months ago and was severely disappointed. Ironically in my email tonight was a reminder of my initial review 2 years ago. Unfortunately, it has gone downhill since. Food quality has gone downhill, portions are small in relation to price (2 4"diameter potato pancakes are $4.00 EXTRA) and the service has just declined severely. I had 2 pieces of baked cod, they resembled to pieces of soap approximately 2'x3, 2 potato pancakes, coleslaw (pretty sure bagged mix with the Marzetti's dressing), half a slice of rye bread and the usual tartar sauce, lemon wedge, and applesauce & sour cream.portion control plastic cups. We waited 15 min for someone to notice us. There was a teenage waitress who made eye contact but avoided us, finally a harried older blonde asked us if we had been helped. Nope. Ok, took drink orders and brought them. Then was like, oh you need menus. Uh, yeah. Brought those, came back in 5 for us to order but in the middle of that an older woman interrupted saying there was no salad and only 2 baked potatoes left. Prior to this our waitress said no chip fries either. Food came out in about 10, waitress left without asking if we needed anything. In addition to the teeny baked fish my man had 3 pieces of fried cod, thick as heck breading and tough as leather. Honestly, the only thing that remained good and unchanged was my old-fashioned. For being 630pm on a Friday they were half full, too. Waitress seemed overworked, teenage waitress was clueless with her hair loose despite serving food, and it was just...sad. We used to LOVE this place! The dive bar atmosphee and quality food. Very sad. read more

The fish fry is phenomenal. Very friendly staff. The heated outside gathering spot gives a different meaning to night out. My man loved the burger with Mac and cheese on top. Food has been delicious every time. read more

Each season Deedy and I like to try 2-3 new places for fish fry. We might stumble onto a great place and it keeps my top ten rankings list fresh and valid. It would be very rare for a new place to make it onto the top ten list on a first visit. You can't test consistency with just one visit. Consistency is a key criteria. Tonight I discovered an exception to our usual rule. It was a first time here and tonight we discovered a new little gem - Otto's Hideaway Tavern in Salem. We almost drove by it. There was only one little sign which I missed. We turned into a gravel parking lot per the navigation software, with boats and some miscellaneous equipment along side of an old old house. There was a small sign by the door, and we then knew we were at the Hideaway. Tucked away in the woods. Tiny little sign. Blink and you'll miss it. We were greeted after being seated by the owner's wife with a huge box of crayons and coloring books for the grandkids. I started off with the usual Brandy old fashioned sweet. A little too much soda but not bad at all. The story would get better. Wow, the menu. An unusually broad fish fry menu in fact it may be the best menu of fish ever at a fish fry joint. Cod, walleye, blue gill, perch, always every time. But here is the big one, the differenciator - a combo plate. One piece each cod, blue gill, and perch plus 1/2 piece of walleye. This is a rarity and what a great way to sample or enjoy a bit of everything. All fare is served with the usual cole slaw and potato choices including tots. However, surprisingly, the potato pancakes are a $4 up charge. Turns out it's well worth it. Half and half is allowed. No chowder. Duly noted but not essential. Recall to qualify as a legitimate fish fry there has to be fried and broiled or baked cod or haddock, slaw, and potato pancakes. If tilapia is anywhere on the menu I walk out. Tilapia is not a legitimate fish for any legitimate fish fry establishment. Now for the good stuff. How was the fish? Taste was excellent. The cook is using a good quality grade of cod, the batter is thin and flavorful and cooked to perfection. The baked was also excellent. It came in a unique foil pouch as an individual serving. Unique. Seals the juices in. Nice touch. Since I got the combo plate, I got all fried. The blue gill was tasty, really big piece, the perch also exceptional and a big half piece of walleye also very well done. The fried and baked cod was all great. The cakes were exceptional. Deedy who has considerable influence on cakes and slaw agreed. They were just a little crispy on the outside, appropriately so, not a bit mushy on the inside cooked through evenly and extremely consistent. A ten! Now for the slaw. Exceptional! I'd rate it one notch under Mars slaw, which we consider the best. So bottom line, fish, slaw, and potato pancakes - all exceptional. We were just digging in when the server came over with a basket with one little fried filet. The server had told the owner we were fish fry aficionados and he sent over a piping hot piece of blue gill he had caught that day. Delicious! The owner and his wife are seniors, their daughter runs the bar and their grand daughter was our server. Nice family business. They also have a side option of what they call broccoli crunch. It is cream based has pecans and dried cranberries in it and it is delicious! The decor is what I would characterize as hunting lodge tavern antiqueky country charm. There is a pool table, a conversation area with couches and chairs and a little fireplace. Some antiques. Other guests were very friendly, obviously regulars, and saying it's their every Friday fish fry spot. Service was great. So I was impressed. Very much so. The people are important too and I have a soft spot for families doing a good job make a living. This is a very nice family and a very good fish fry. So much so I'm making it an exception and moving it up to #8 dropping Legends Food and Spirits on Como off the list based on a couple bad reports. Yes this is an exception to my rules. Let me know what you think if you try the Hideaway tavern. We will be back soon. read more

Reasonably priced. Polite servers. Restaurant is clean and nice homey atmosphere. Wait time after ordering is about 20 minutes. Waitress will come every now and then to see if we need anything m read more

The Hideaway Tavern - Great place to take the whole family out for Sunday dinner. - Bars Near Me - Salem, Wisconsin

The Hideaway, is a little bit off the beaten path (as the name might suggest). When you pull up it looks like a private residence, but there is a small yard sign by the driveway. Only once you pull around back and see the Old Style sign - Does it feels more like a place that is open to the public. The bartender/cook was friendly. She made a delicious cheeseburger. She said the tomato on my burger was grown in her garden, it really enhanced the burger. Whatever you order, get it with the chip fries they are very tasty. This place is hard to find but worth the search. read more

The Hideaway Tavern - A cheese burger with chip fries. - Bars Near Me - Salem, Wisconsin

My 94 yo Mom wanted fish fry so we thought we'd check out the Hideaway. The service was really good and everyone including the guests were friendly. All four of us had fish-two had the combo platter and two had the walleye. The meal was excellent. The broccoli salad, potato pancakes and fish were prepared just like home made. The drinks were spot on as well. We will definitely be back. The decor is shabby chic, really fun! read more

Highly recommended!! Don't judge a book by first impression. This is a hidden gem. A home away from home. Not to mention, the burgers and house made chips are excellent and affordable. Truly a local spot but warm and welcoming to strangers. We can't wait to return. read more

Love this place. It's true to its name. Hidden away in a neighborhood inside a home. They serve food, have a pool table, comfortable couches, and a fire pit in the back yard. Great place near Paddock Lake. read more

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We were looking for a fish fry to try. We both had the cod-it was a bit tough, probably overcooked. It was served with a ton of tater tots and coleslaw that was a bit sweet for my taste. So the food was just okay in my opinion. The restaurant is in an old house. The eating area is in a part of the house that was added on to the original structure. This addition is definitely sagging quite a bit. There is noticeable water damage to the ceiling tiles. I also noticed some heavy duty cobwebs in the corners. Some high dusting or vacuuming is needed. Now I wonder what the kitchen looks like. I will say that the servers were extremely personable and attentive. Service was outstanding. We were here on a Friday. There is no reuben sandwich on Fridays. So if you're interested in that, don't go on a Friday. It was not very busy when we went but customers were coming in, so people like this place. I'm glad we tried it. I like to try new places but I don't think I'll be sending my friends or family there. Bring cash because you will be charged a fee if you use a card. read more

We had the fish fry. 3 of us had baked haddock and one had fried. We cannot wait to go back! The baked was seasoned & cooked perfectly! Our server was very attentive! Well done! read more

How the heck did we find this place? So cool and old school. Burger and fires with a beer, cannot go wrong. Super friendly staff and customers. read more

This place is awesome. I'm from the Chicago suburbs and was looking for a good dive bar that is still good. This place is it. The bartender is an older lady with a fun bitchy attitude that whistles beautifully while she cooks. Food is great for bar food. Exactly what I was looking for. I will return. I'd like to see this place on a night when it's packed! read more

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This place is bad ass. Stay away!! ;) Zing zang bloody mix is my fav and that's what they use. The token old lady a sweet heart, she cooks the food, serves the drinks and cleans the place all at once. Wife and I both had the California burger it was good. The beef was well. Beef. Not a frozen patty but a smashed out ball of hamburger the way it should be. Loved this place. read more

The Hideaway Tavern - Zing-zang bloody M mix - Bars Near Me - Salem, Wisconsin

Amazing little spot hidden in a quiet neighborhood. Cheap drinks with great food and .25 cent games of pool--how can you go wrong?

Came here for lunch with a large group of friends during a weekend getaway in the Salem area. What a great place! Betsy, the bartender-slash-host-slash-chef greeted us cheerfully and made our stay at the Hideaway a true pleasure from start to finish. The atmosphere is down-to-earth and comfortable, the beer selection is great with a number of local options, and the food is excellent. Will definitely return if I'm ever in the area again. read more

This hidden place will catch you by surprise. Set in a converted house in a neighborhood. It is truly a neighborhood bar. Cheese curds are some of the best I've ever had. Fries are very tasty. Burgers are great as well. Will definitely be coming back with others for the food and the experience. read more

I'm giving it 3 stars because of Betsy and Mike. The owners seem to be very nice but the waitress, Marty is AWFUL. She is rude, ignores customers, always looks annoyed and doesn't seem to know where the beer is kept. After a little awkward small talk that she was VISIBLY not interested in, She took down our name for our order and that was it. She walked away to help everyone else in the place except us. We finally caught her eye after about 20 minutes, she looked at us and then AS WE WERE TALKING TO HER, turned away to help someone else!! I wish I could say it was just because it was busy but it's been that way every time we have been there. Mike finally took our order and served us for the rest of our time there but we probably won't go back. A shame because Betsy is incredible. She greets everyone as they walk through the door, even if it's busy, she remembers our names, our beers, and our usual order. read more

This place is a true Wisconsin original. Just over the border. read more

The Hideaway Tavern - Bars Near Me - Salem, Wisconsin

What a pleasant surprise. Dive bar with fantastic food and great service. I had the shrimp and onion rings. Husband had the California burger and chips. Delicious!!! Ordered an Old Fashion and the bartender/cook made sure it was exactly the way I wanted it. We will definitely be back! read more

We went here last Friday for Fish Fry. From the outside looked like a house, a typical neighborhood bar for the area. We walked up to the door and were immediately hit by the aroma of chargrilled food. I said woohoo, we found a good one! Inside nothing fancy but nice, a bar, pool table, seating area in in the back away from the bar area with tables and chairs. Drinks are priced well and good. Menu is small, but has something for everyone to order from. I ordered the baked cod, came in a small paper container with the fish wrapped in foil, reminded me of camping packets we'd cook by the fire. The fish was cooked perfectly, not dry or overcooked, not overly seasoned, perfect. Also ordered a baked potato, that was good as well and I opted for their broccoli crunch salad instead of coleslaw, that was amazing! They even buttered the rye bread. This was a good meal, one of the best I've had out in a long time. My sister in laws ordered as well one a burger, she said was good and the other the fried cod, which she loved as well. After we ate, we had a few more drinks at our table and enjoyed the music the people at the bar played. (it was not to loud so we chatted comfortably). I can't wait to go back, if you're in the area stop by, I think it'll be worth it! read more

What a gem of a joint. Absolutely delicious burgers cooked in the grill behind the bar. Fantastic Bloody Mary. No frills, taste bud thrills. We will be back! read more

The Hideaway Tavern - a man sitting at the bar - Bars Near Me - Salem, Wisconsin

First of all, the regular customers were so friendly. There wasn't any room to sit when my husband and I entered so they all moved around to open a table for us. Also, the food was delicious! Very reasonably priced, too. Our bartender/server was so attentive and friendly. If we are ever in town again we will definitely eat there again! Definitely worth a try. read more

I was a bit apprehensive when I first walked in. The place is a bar and a small restaurant retrofitted into a 1950s house located in the middle of nowhere. The menu has burgers, sandwiches, fries, etc. Everything we had was expertly prepared and very, very tasty. To top it off, the service was excellent. Our waitress paid close attention to us without ever being intrusive. I will be back and I'll bring friends. read more

This place is fantastic. Made my wife and I feel right at home. Batenders, owner, cook were all a please to be with. The portobello mushrooms were great. The real home run of the day ((other then the cubbies) was the burger . We had it cooked as they recommended and it was so good we both forgot to put add the garnish and condiments.Those home made potato chips were also unreal. Good food. Good drink. Good people. You just can't lose. read more

I love this place. Any time I'm out that-a-way visiting friends, we inevitably end up there. Everyone is kind, the beer is great, and somehow it feels like home. read more

Yesterday was my first visit to the Hideaway. This is a jewel of a place. The atmosphere is comfortable and cozy. Like being in your own home, except you are with people who don't live with you! The decor is nostalgic, bit there is modern juke box. Oh and there is beer. :) The people who serve are warm and down to Earth. :) read more

Awesome service. Food was excellent.I recommend the shrimp and bloody mary's. feels like I should clean up after my self.

Great food, have to recommend the Italian Chicken or the fish fry. This is a little gem of a place with good service and food in a cool atmosphere. Worth going out of your way for! read more

My two friends and I are always on the lookout for a good fish fry and a new spot. Terry, the manager apologized when I asked about the fish fry, that it didn't start 'til 4. It was currently 11:30 AM. Even though we understood and would be fine just ordering a burger or a sandwich, Terry said she would have no trouble getting a variety of fish ready on the spot. She did and we all of us ordered a "special" with Cod, Perch and Walleye. It was all good. Perch always being a favorite! Parmesan "chip fries" were also delish! The beer selection is not extensive, but a decent selection in bottles. The best thing is the friendly, extremely accommodating service we received from Terry. The second best thing is the comfy, home-town atmosphere, which includes a pool table, lots of tables a comfy "living room" for lounging as well as a screened porch and an outdoor seating area. We were there early so it was just us three and another young man who also took advantage of the early fish fry (how could she say no at that point). I would like to see it again in the evening full of regulars and other newbies like us, so I will have to go back! I want to try the burgers as well. so there's another reason to go back! read more

The Hideaway Tavern - Friday fish fry. Combo of Cod, Perch, and Walleye. - Bars Near Me - Salem, Wisconsin

What a funky little place! I got the bacon ranch chicken sandwich and it was rad. Service was great, the decor was gnarly and unique. I felt like I was at my grandma's house in 1975, and i was born in 1983. Whatever you do get the "chip fries" as a side for your sandwich. read more