My husband planned a birthday dinner for me at Clink! with 8 friends. It was perfect! We sat…read moreunder a pink tree that gave us a beautiful glow, and the tables and banquettes were so pretty and comfortable, with a shelf behind us for handbags and gifts. Best seating in Salem. The service was epic! Our waiter had a great personality, and handled our big, loud group with ease and grace. The timing on the dishes and drinks was impeccable. We felt well cared for, and I felt celebrated. The food was delish. We loved the fondue as an app, I think we ordered two, and some oysters. Everyone enjoyed their main courses, I loved my goat cheese dumplings. A few of the guys mentioned smaller servings, but I prefer quality to quantity, so maybe just order another entree‍. Bottles of wine were reasonably priced, which I always appreciate. Thanks Clink! for giving Salem a beautiful place for celebrations. Trying the happy hour next...

This restaurant is incredibly lovely. The ambience is definitely Instagram worthy, and the food is…read moredelicious. Where it lacks is experience and service. This place is too lovely to have anything less than a fine dining service standard, and right now it barely hits upscale bistro. Honestly, there are dive bars in Salem with far superior service at this point. I want this restaurant to do well, I'm genuinely excited for it. But there's an immediate barrier: guests have to walk through the lobby, then up a staircase or an elevator all the way in the back, with very little way finding to get you there. It also lacks experience, and that's exactly what diners want these days. People are more likely to go somewhere like Fogo de Chao or Korean BBQ because it delivers a full experience. Right now this place can't even provide exceptional service, let alone experiential service. There are some real barriers this restaurant group needs to solve for long term success.

This place is a gem! It's tucked away but once you find it you'll be glad you stopped in…read more The owner hands down makes some of the best cocktails I have ever had. If you want a delicious sweet treat try "your mother". Lots of the cocktails are made with in-house syrups. They also have a nice selection of snacks and food items too. Come in for a nightcap, to meet with friends or even if you're going on a date. I also loved that there was a dj and the place was decorated for Halloween! I also heard they'll have different dj's come in and events too! Really great addition to downtown Salem!

We really love this place. Especially on a weeknight. Very chill vibe…read more Bartender has a great balance of knowledge, humor and sass that you want from a great bartender.

Amazing experience all around. I accidentally made my reservation for the chef counter. I don't…read moregenerally like bar seating because I am short and the stools are often uncomfortable, but they had a nice ledge at the right height for me. It was fun watching all the variety of dishes come together. Service was great, just the right amount of attentive. Food was amazing. Everything was great, but special nod to the squid ink pasta and the tres major steak. Definitely will come back next time I'm in the area

Apparently, unlike the Napa/Sonoma area, Willamette wine country is not known for food, but after…read moresome research, we came across Cozy Taberna, which is a tapas style place in downtown Salem. We reserved on Tock, and it was mostly full on a Friday night. Drinks: lots of local beers are available, but I went with the Pineapple Express: she warned it was spicy, and it indeed was (in a really good way). All of the food is done family style: - Clams Galicia: with tomato, chorizo, bacon broth. This broth as amazing. I literally drank it with a spoon - Pan con tomate: slightly different from classic preparation - more flavorful and heavier on the toppings - Salmorejo: tomato and bread puree, Serrano, jammy egg - like a creamy gazpacho - Grilled asparagus: with whipped ricotta and a cured egg yolk - Squid ink pasta: with hazelnuts, caramelized onions, peppers, and a runny egg yolk, a bit spicy. This dish was my favorite - Honey brined pork chop with a basque piperade sauce The servers were all great about checking in. I would definitely recommend the squid ink pasta and the clams if you're in town!

Been here twice now, and it's probably my favorite bar in Salem. Drinks are affordable, and their…read morespecials are unique. Their food menu is a unique take on classic bar food. Probably the best garden salad I've ever had. The fire pits outside are warm and inviting. I went in on a Tuesday and they had karaoke, too! Vibes, food, drinks, prices, and kind staff all 10/10.

Historic locations always are exciting to visit, especially when they have been converted to a fun…read morewatering hole. Lunch was so good and the vibe was super chill. Staff was super friendly and the owner even has puppy's she's seeking good homes for.

Love the shrimp tacos and the assortment of ciders they always have on tap! The staff is always…read morekind and welcoming!

b² Taphouse &Brewery is a place I haven't been to before. I hit all of the breweries quite some…read moretime ago in Salem (also learned to drink more smartly after that trip) and a few more have popped up since. I didn't get the impression this place makes it's own beer as all I saw was guest taps... which is okay because the list was quite large. Looking in Untappd it does look like they indeed made their beer at one point and time and maybe they still do... I just didn't see any on the list. So tsking my own advice and drinking smartly I got a root beer here that was also on tap along with the beer. I don't recall who exactly made the root beer but it was from a brewery and some craft breweries make absolutely fantastic craft sodas and this one was very good! The place seems to have spacious seating but placing orders up at the front counter can get congested. This place is in a cool spot so despite not finding beer I still walked away from it feeling it was a positive experience.

Came in at just the right time! We were a group of 5 who ordered coffee and breakfast. Once we sat…read moredown tons of people came flooding in afterwards which we took as a good sign. You order at the counter and then you get a number to take with you and place at whichever seat you choose. Drinks and food both came out really quick. I tried the bees knees which had honey, lavender, rosemary and simple syrup with a dash of black pepper. I did not see nor taste the black pepper but I was a huge fan of this drink. It wasn't overpowering in any of the flavors and the rosemary sprig made it look so cute. I got the breakfast potato hash with no tomatoes and it was a delicious and filling breakfast. The potatoes were so good my group wouldn't stop helping themselves to them. I added some hot sauce as it was in the dryer side but still really good. I also tried the matcha coconut scone. It had a pretty matcha green color but it was hard to taste the matcha or coconut and it was quite dry. Service was quick and friendly. The inside is really beautiful and we couldn't help but do a little photoshoot, so many fun backgrounds! Things to note: Restroom shared with other businesses close by businesses and metered street parking only.

Update: Went for dinner, and their food was amazing. Definitely more of a dinner place imo. The…read moredining room was almost completely fully. Tried their low abv cocktail the honeycrisp, and it was delicious. Devoured an entire hummus plate on my own in like 20 mins. Vibes are still kinda bleak each time I go in for coffee. They forgot the peanut butter on my chia pudding when I reordered...

We walked in on a whim for our first visit -- no homework, no planning. We will definitely return…read more Ambiance: comfortable, both cool and cozy. Music was excellent; audible but not intrusive. Comfy chairs. Lower lighting, well placed. Service was excellent, friendly and fast. I think our server's name was Mikayla; a gem. Attentive and observant but never intrusive. Drinks: my old fashioned was absolutely perfect and my husband's margarita was fine. Appetizers: beer cheese was well balanced and a bit runny, which I prefer over the library paste version some places serve. The elotes dip was a standout, mildly spicy, with lime in the cilantro, and warm, crispy chips. (Whatever is in their seasoning for chips and fries should be sold separately -- I wanted to try it on everything.) We probably should have stopped there, as the portions were abundant, but our mains were amazing. Smash burger was insanely juicy, nice and onion-y with a few Crunchy Brown Bits around the edges. The roll was fresh and tender, with a good crust; flavorful, not just a shingle. The fries were the best I've had in Salem. Get the garlic-thyme upgrade; you won't regret it. My ribeye was cooked perfectly. Unfortunately they were out of both compound butters, apparently due to a busy Friday, but everything was well seasoned. The vegetable of the day was roasted Brussels sprouts with a sweet-and-salty sauce, almost like kettle corn; amazing. The outer leaves were caramelized without being burned, and the hearts were tender but not mushy. Crispy fried onions were perfect. Fried potatoes were fine, and enriched by their placement between the steak and the sprouts. The diners who came in before us were all smiles when they left, so it wasn't a fluke. Can't wait to come back!

Nice little place to hangout and get a bite, maybe watch a game too. Servers were nice and…read moreattentive. Food: We had the Wagyu Smash burger with sweet potatoes (waffle cut), and the Wagyu Sliders with the Garlic Thyme fries. The smash burger had those good crispy edges and good flavor overall, but started to get a bit rich and could've used a bit more acid to balance the flavors out. The Wagyu sliders were delicious. They came on a pretzel buns, had pickled onions and a good Serrano aioli sauce. Perfect balance of salt, acid, fat, and heat. Fries: the Waffle cut sweet potatoes fried were good but basic. The garlic thyme fried while smelled great, were definitely frozen from a bag and way over cooked to the point of many being burnt. The garlic was also burnt. They could've also used a melted cheese to keep the garlic stuck to the fries. Not sure I'd order them again. Beverages: we had the Santiam Brewery Infiltrator Pilsner, which was great, and the an Silver Falls Brewery IPA (can't recall what brewery it was from).

I was in Salem in business and was looking for a local, no-frills bar to have a beer or two. The…read morehotel clerk recommended Lucky's Pub that was about a 5 minute walk from my hotel (The Phoenix Inn & Suites). The bar is located at the back of an older shopping center next to a gun store and martial arts studio...can you say Dive Bar. The small place has bar seating for about a dozen people and another dozen or so tables. There was some sort of "slot machine" assortment in another area. The entire place, including the men's bathroom, was very clean. The bar had about 6 beers on tap, another dozen in cans/bottles and a decent selection of name-brand liquors. The bars is definitely a no-frills, local bar. Having said that, the bartender was very friendly and prompt with her service. The regulars were really friendly, which resulted in quite a few nice conversations during my two visits. As mentioned above, I had such a good time the first night, that I came back my second night in town. Pretty good recommendation for a place. If you happen to find yourself in Salem and are looking for a cool, local bar, you could do no better than Lucky's Pub. Highly recommend.

Loud, busy, and all over the place. Both a good and bad thing. I could be wrong, but I believe…read morethere was a huge party of people there that night (~a month ago). Asked for food and I was told they weren't serving food at that time... Got a spicy pineapple margarita from the specials menu that was hard to drink. Tasted like black pepper and water. If you're looking for a quick stop to get a drink, I'd keep driving down commercial to go somewhere else.

Loved this place! We were driving through Oregon and made the somewhat lengthy detour off I-5 for…read morelunch at Lively Station--but it was absolutely worth it. After several days of unhealthy travel meals, we showed some restraint this time and ordered the Sesame Ginger Salad with chicken. It was excellent! Every ingredient was incredibly fresh, right down to the carrot slices. Meanwhile, the smash burgers and everything else we saw coming out of the kitchen looked AMAZING. It was difficult not to have order envy! The ambience and music could not be beat. Such a cool, relaxed setting and exactly the kind of place we love finding when we're traveling. I hope we find ourselves in the Salem area again because we will absolutely make the detour back--and next time we're getting that smash burger!

This place is always a winner!…read more Today I visited on the last day of the Salem Burger Week (so stoked they are doing one of these in Salem!) to sample Lively Station's contribution: the Midnight at Bangkok burger. It had Painted hills beef smashed patties with Spicy Peanut Sauce, Bacon Jam, American Cheese and Pickles on a Potato Bun. This was so delicious! I really enjoy this place!

The food is delicious with a great presentation, and relaxing, and authentic, environment.read more

This place is easily the best Thai food located in Salem,OR. Everything we ordered was absolutely…read moredelicious and packed with flavor. The parking is limited and seating as well, best for groups of 2-4 max. The service here is top tier. The environment is welcoming and cozy. If you're looking for excellent Thai food and customer service this is where to go. I can't wait to go back and try more of the menu, cheers! (^.^)