First thing -- I'm not very picky. I don't act like Gordon Ramsay when I go out to eat, I usually enjoy my meals even when less than perfect. I've actually had very few bad restaurant meal experiences. --
I'll be honest, I went to Witch's Brew Cafe because of the name and location right next to the water and candy company. I ordered the chicken parm and my boyfriend ordered the steak tips. Pretty basic meals, nothing fancy.
My chicken was so chewy I could hardly cut it and the noodles were slimy and overcooked. My boyfriend's steak was also chewy and his fries were tasteless. It was edible, mostly, but the ice cream we had across the street afterwards was better.
Service was ok - my boyfriend never got a refill on his coke, which he downed pretty fast.
If you want to eat here because of the name - just don't. Take a picture of the sign and move on.
Good food, (soup, salad and wine) Â nice setting (near the piers) , but this place features a miserable waitress during mid day. Â Salem's authentic witch, I guess.
The place was empty and off season, but this woman was plainly annoyed at my friend and I for simply quietly existing in her space. Â She chatted quite amiably with anyone who wasn't a tourist. Â I most likely would not dine here again.
I signed up for Yelp because I was so disappointed in the food I got at the Witch's Brew Cafe in Salem today, and wanted to warn others.
Our app was cold (chicken cordon bleu balls, on special), and we told our server so she gave it back to the kitchen to warm up. He heated up the same ones we sent back, including the half eaten one! We didn't get it back until after we finished our dinner. When our waitress asked if we wanted them "to go", we declined. She still charged us for them!
The steak tips were not marinated, they were very tough, and charred black on the outside, raw in the middle (ordered med rare) Â and although they were listed as BBQ tips, they did not come with BBQ sauce. My girlfriend got a burger which was disgusting.
The whole ordeal put us back about $40 for 2 people to eat lunch and drink water! Terrible menu, poor selection, rude servers, only 2 beers on tap, and the place is filled with local drunks that are more than just a little "rough around the edges"
Bottom line, unless your looking for a dive bar watering hole that serves overpriced schwaggy food, avoid this place!
Small group? Â Don't bother eating here! Â Was in a group of three today and they seated us at a table we could not fit at as one seat had to be vacated as the bathroom door could not be opened when one was seated there and the large patrons behind the table would not allow for seating in that side of the table. We literally could not sit there with two regular sized adults and one child. They refused to allow us a larger table as "a larger party might come in". They closed seating in 10 minutes so they refused to seat us. All done in a rude manner. Can't speak to the food but I have never been treated so badly.
Review Source:Love is place! Great food, strong drinks and a very friendly local crowd! Â They had a list of specials that they wiped off the board, darn the luck I didn't get my lobster roll! Â Not to worry, they put the new ones up an lobster risotto appeared! Â I asked if I could get that with my side of stek tips. The risotto was phenomenal and had tons of great lobster in it. The tips were perfectly cooked and seasoned. A definite return visit is in store!!
Review Source:This was a nice little local spot in Salem MA when you are visiting the witches.
Named appropriately, the Witches Brew Cafe has a little bit of everything you need. We stopped in after traveling from Hartford, and needed some "hit the spot" food. We got just that.
Hummus (big portion), fried zucchini, and stuffed mushies started us off. No complaints for anything! Decent portions, didn't wait too long, and everything tasted nice and hot.
Lunch came the same way, with decent portions and everything hot. The fried fish sandwich was enjoyed by my mom and sister, and I liked the steak and cheese, even though the steak was cubed instead of sliced, and white american cheese was just melted on top. Nothing fancy or spectacular, but like I said, we just needed food to hit the spot, and it did just that.
The one star less was for service. While the young man serving us was friendly enough, the service could have been better. AND THE BLOODY MARY COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ALSO! Not enough Tabasco in the world to save that mix. If I were a Salem local, I would probably be sitting at this bar at least twice a week.
Great owner (Spiro), great bartender (John) and great server (Sue). Greatest "townie" atmosphere in Salem...just stay away during October as the place gets invaded by tourists. Just added some new beers on tap, a very welcome upgrade. Love the witch's brew steak and chicken...as well as the haddock. I wish the menu was a little more extensive...if you are a regular you can get a little bored of the selection. Always wished they had some "bar food" options at night (wings, potato skins, burgers etc)...you don't always feel like having a "meal," ya know? Â A little pricey, but worth it for a great night out.
Review Source:My wife and I had dinner there Wednesday night. Â I had chicken Marsala that was excellent and was only 13.95. Â My wife had a lobster dish that she loved. Â We both had leftovers to bring home. Â We sat a one of the high-top tables in the lounge area that has two wide screen TVs. Â The bartender/waitress provided great friendly service. Â She helped make our evening more enjoyable. Â The owner stopped by most of the tables to say hi. Â The menu is quite extensive. Â The drinks were reasonable and not watered down. Â We will go back.
Review Source:Some of my best nights in Salem have been spent at the Witch's Brew. As far as environment goes, this is one of the few bars in the area where you can actually hear your conversations. This isn't to imply that it's dead or anything. There's almost always someone sitting at the bar. On weekend nights, it's often packed from one end to the other. There isn't, however, blaring pop music or a sea of people you have to push through to order your drink.
Not to be a grouchy curmudgeon or anything. Most of the bartenders are very pleasant and attentive, and the food is relatively decent and well-priced. Recommended for sharing laughs with friends.
Visited Salem and it was specifically recommended by the tour bus (note to self: get more info besides tour bus). Went in and was impressed by the place, nice wood paneled walls, copper ceilings.
My first warning was passing the bar on the way to the dining room and seeing only TWO beers on tap. Folks - get with it. You have breweries in town! Waitress took our drink order pretty quick, of course every other beer in bottle form had the word 'light' behind it. Owner is clueless to beer culture, and had I been the one paying for the meal I would have walked out.
Drinks took about 20 minutes to arrive. Place was horribly understaffed. Note to owner - stop being a slave driver and cheap and hire more help! Obviously it's a problem since multiple people on this site have noticed the same thing. Multiple tables unbussed, waitress was making her own drinks.
Menu for lunch ( i cannot comment on their dinner menu) is mediocre  at best. Adult menu has things like 'grilled cheese' on it. Food suits school cafeteria, not a classy joint.
Ordered Hummus and Greek Salad. Hummus was actually pretty good. Greek Salad was ok (mostly ice berg lettuce) and 2 tiny olives. Like the owner carefully controls the rations. My hummus also had exactly 2 tiny olives.
All in all - a big thumbs down for lunch. Poor beer selection, slow service due to lack of staff, menu more like some 2nd rate diner.
This was a very cute restaurant nestled in the corner of Salem. We came here for lunch as per a recommendation from the visitor's center. The waitress was very nice, although it seemed like she and the chef were the only one's on staff today (Sunday). The food was very reasonably priced, although you do get what you pay for. For example, my open faces roast beef sandwich was quite salty, although I also received a very large helping of delicious fresh fries (it was less than $10). The clam chowder was very good and traditional, not at all like the thick commercial canned soup. All in all, it's a nice place to stop by if you have some time (we waited about 25 minutes for our food).
Review Source:I can't even rate the food because we never even had a waitress take our drink order so we got up and left after waiting for 15 minutes to be waited on. Walked in with a big crowd, including my out of town guests, hoping to show them a good time in Salem, however, we had the exact opposite experience. And, when we walked out, which clearly was evident of the long wait, the waitress who had seated us and gave us our menus saw us leaving from the back room (which we were the only table back there) and then she hid behind the bar, and didn't even ask us why we were leaving or offer us any reason not to leave. We headed down the street and enjoyed the Salem Beer Works Brunch buffet, what a great meal that was, so thanks, Witches Brew, for being the Witches Screw You and allowing us to enjoy a much better meal.
Review Source:First thing the waiter says "i have half a mind to sit down and eat with you right now". I thought it was hilarious, but most people, probably not. Awesome french onion soup, but thats pretty much all i eat when i'm on the east coast. I do have to say though, if you are headed to Salem for Halloween, like i was, this is the place to spend your drinking hours at! Best kept secret, which i am unveiling now, is that every bar is packed over capacity on Halloween, so good luck getting in anywhere. If you are lucky enough to get in DON'T LEAVE because you'll never get in anywhere else.
If you are like me though, and are not interested in tourist parties, head to the Witch's Brew for your drinking games. It's not over crowded because it's all locals, great prices on drinks, good food, everyone dresses up in costume, and they have an amazing drink called (so creatively) The Witch's Brew, a sweet green concoction which i will come back for.
Don't waste your time in the rest of Salem, just come straight here, and good news, if you're traveling by ferry... it's just up the street.
Maniacal cackle.
I can't pass judgment on this place as a restaurant. Â But as a local pub for a quiet evening, it's top-notch.
Derby St's not exactly off the beaten path, but it's far enough away from the center of Salem that tourists don't always make it this far. Â I came in with a friend at 11:00 PM on a Monday and enjoyed a quiet drink. Â The bartender was friendly and attentive.
Interior: cozy without being claustrophobic, dim without being dingy.
Protip: they do a perfect pour of Guinness. Â In fact, I'd almost say it's better than perfect. Â The bartender was struggling with the Guinness tap when I went in - lot of air in the pipes - yet it came out perfect anyway. Â So he stepped up to plate with the weights still on the bat and still knocked it out of the park. Â And how many bars have perfectly functional Guinness taps yet still serve you some sloshing, puddly mess? Â Truly, the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but time and chance, etc.
The steak and veggies! we both had it and it was soo much good food nether could finish it all. A great dish to split. It was soooo good and the price...cheap for steak! If you are in Salem go here and enjoy. If u r a vegan...u dont know what u r missing! Wish i was in Salem now id go back
Review Source:Now I don't know if it was us, or it was because it was the end of a Sunday... Â around 5 PM. but, we had a HORRIBLE experience with this place! First of all... the place is dead... there are maybe 6 people @ the bar. So we take our seats and ask what kind of beer is on tap? Our waiter with all the personality of a stale bagel. Barks rather curtly... Guinness & Bass! Now I'm passive aggressive so I figure it's a local place & he probably gets tired of dealing with tourists so I let his lack of warmth and personality slide. So then, we ask if they have a beer or drink list because my wife doesn't know what she would like to drink. At which point he says no just as curtly and rolls his eyes as if he could care less to accommodate her. So again we let it roll off... Now we just want something to eat. So we ask... what are the specials today? This rude-ass codger, pulls out his cheat sheet and tosses it on the table and walks away! that was the final straw! We paid for our drinks and left before he even returned to the table. What a Prick! Now regardless of his personal situation... that's no reason to be a dick to the only people who were there to actually eat! I mean the dining room was EMPTY! And the only reason we went there, is because of the reviews for good dining in the area. Coincidentally, we were in the area looking for a place to live. Needless to say... we will not be regulars there! Â Do they care... probably not. Â And you may have a perfectly fine experience there, so I would not tell you not to go there. But I was compelled to share our experience in the hopes that it will help future patrons to be treated better or, to at least be prepared for the possibility of a bad experience. I do apologize for the mildly offensive language. But I feel it is justified in order to punctuate the experience. As a fellow foodie, I hope no one else has such an experience ever! Thanks for reading our review :-)
Love, Peace & Chicken grease!
Luis & Nicole
Terrible service with low rate food. Â I ordered the chicken and vegetable plate, and it was very very bland. Â My friend ordered the burritos, and it was two frozen Rosie's burritos that you can get at the supermarket 2 for a dollar. Â And believe me, I spent many months living off of those, so I know the goods when I see them. Â Maybe this place used to be good, but if so it's truly gone downhill since. Â I'd recommend avoiding at all costs and going across the street to A Pig's Eye.
Review Source:Alright...this is in the heart of Salem's wharf area tourist mumbo-jumbo, but it is a neighborhood bar. The first couple times I went I felt like the waitstaff could care less about me, but after going a couple times they got to know me and have been friendly since. Â And the reason I went back...the food! They do have pub-style fair, and some other fresh seafood and specials. The burgers are friggin' awesome. One of the best burgers in Salem, and that's saying something. Salads are good and there are these dishes called witches brew steak and witches brew chicken. Try these. They are served sizzling over a bed of grilled veggies. The smell alone makes a person want to hug the chef.
As for the beer, they only have Guiness and Bass on tap (Hmmm...Black & Tan, anyone?) but do have a selection of bottles. I haven't had a wine from there yet.
The atmosphere doesn't have a whole lot to do with witches but thankfully focuses more on the nautical side of Salem. Which might be why you are likely to see local fisherman or boat crew having a cold one after work.
This place had good food. Â I had the Chicken Parm and Jon had the Stuffed Filet of Sole. Â Both were really delicious. Â However, the service was a little slow and strange. Â I really thought that the server was strange. Â she was yelling out different things across the restaurant. And she was overly friendly to my boyfriend and not me. Â like touchy feely friendly, which i did not particularly like. Â we probably sat for about 15 minutes before we ordered a drink. But i do have to say that the meal came out quickly. Â the server could have moved her ass a little faster, though. Â i would have given more stars, but based on the weird and slow service, i only gave 3.
Review Source:If it wasn't for the fact that The Witch's Brew employs the rudest waitresses on earth I would have given it 3 stars.  Living in the area, I would normally order take-out at lunch time, but have had dinner in the dining room a few times.  The experience was decent, however after having to deal with being insulted, ignored, and treated with a belligerent attitude on more than one occasion by the waitress/bartender behind the bar- I no longer  frequent The Brew.  I wonder why they employ her as a waitress/ bartender if she intensely dislikes people- she is truly the most miserable person I've ever encountered and it is a shame as she detracts from what could be a decent dinning experience. Â
Aside from the employees-the new dinning room is quite nice and although the food is nothing spectacular they are pretty consistent with the quality-I Â thought the baked scallops were tasty. Just bring some holy water and a necklace made out of garlic- in case you have to deal with the bartender.
witch's brew cafe is a moderately priced eatery near the wharf in salem. it has a quirky name, some interesting new england decor, a copper ceiling, and a nice fire going on cold days. the food is honest, not as fancy as finz or the old spot, but consistently good and hearty. it's also a great place to come for a beer and to people watch during the busy october months. expect the cafe to be full during this entire month.
as for specific food items, i really like to start out with the fried zucchini sticks, the french onion soup, and top it all off with the witch's brew steak. their burgers and club sandwiches are great too. oh, and make sure to leave some room for desert and stop by captain dusty's ice cream after dinner!
Witch's Brew fits firmly in the not bad category. The Witch's Brew Steak and Witch's Brew Chicken are fabulous. I've also had some good broiled scallops here as well. Atmosphere is eh, service isn't bad. I found it too crowded prior to the expansion and like it more now. Beer and wine selections could improve.
Review Source:I'd always heard good things about this place, and after they remodeled, my sister and I decided to go there. Unfortunately, it was during the Halloween season, which is crazy in Salem. Â The first thing we noticed was that the menu was very limited. It was a special October-only menu with fewer choices than usual so they wouldn't have to worry about too many dishes to prepare during the extremely hectic Salem Halloween tourist season. We also noticed that the menu didn't have a single vegetarian dish. Â Not two minutes later a group of people sat down, looked at the menu, and walked out because of the lack of vegetarian meals. We should have taken that as a sign. The appetizers we ordered were clearly of the frozen food variety. I felt gypped paying for something that I could have bought at the supermarket. The entrees were decent, but my sister found a hair in her food and it wasn't hers! She was comped the meal, but the whole experience put us off ever going back there.
Review Source:Witch's Brew has always been a local friendly place to go. Â Food has gone downhill. Â Went there for brunch and they were out of sauce for eggs benedict as well as home fries. Â I ordered scrambled eggs bacon and toast and got a plate with scrambled eggs and fries. Â Had to ask for the rest which ended up being cold.
They did a nice remodel a few years back. Â Really nice mahogany paneled dining room...must've spent a fortune. Â Only wish the food was on par with the rest of the place. Â It's far better than the dive it used to be. Â Always fun to sit at the bar and enjoy the characters that frequent the place.
Oh...did I mention cheap? Â Menu entrees for dinner are about 11 bucks!
Went here last night for the first time in a while. The food was as good as I remember. It is nothing spectacular but was filling. The wait staff is attentive and friendly. Very nice atmosphere. We got sat in the Back room as that was the only table that was open. Only "Grip" that my friend and I had that was at one point the AC was put on. The waitress finally came back to apologize to those of us at the three back tables. I guess the new room has a fireplace and was so crowded that they had to put on the AC. We on the other hand were freezing because of it. It got turned off right away.
Good food, great prices and lots of food for what you are paying. Not the best restaurant in Salem but one of the better ones.
Good food. Huge portions. Older crowd. For drinks and more socialization, I would rather go to the Pig across the street. Last time I was there I got steak tips, which were great. Their potato wedges are great. They have about a small page worth of wine, nothing spectacular, but a good low cost selection, and an 8oz pour! A glass of house wine is $3.50 and is not bad. I had a good martini there once too. I love the fireplace, but I never seem to get a seat there. There's a waitress there that is super friendly and always gives recommendations. I like the ceiling.
Review Source:We were a party of 7 visiting for the day. We'd made a reservation being that it was during the holiday week between Christmas and New Year's 2006, just in case, and our table was ready upon arrival.
The clam chowder and onion soup were tasty as were the burgers and salads. Â The portions were quite large too.
I'm happy to say that we didn't have an experience like the other reviewer did.
I'd give the food a 3.5 star review than 4 star, but the friendliness of the shorthanded busy staff adds a 1/2 star.
As I was passing it I thought "wow, nice paneled interiors and soft lighting, this must be a nice restaurant", and then I noticed a patron eating what looked to be a Po Boy sandwich. Â Odd. Â So we stopped and went in.
The bar is pretty nice with its long wood counter. Â We went back and around to the restaurant portion and it does indeed look nice. Â The service was pretty good. Â Then we had the food. Â The salad looked like it had been prepared days earlier and frozen, thawed out only the day-of. Â I had a pastrami sandwich which had overly-thick cuts of pastrami that seemed barely reheated.
Times visited: 1
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