Tavern on the Green

Such a cozy room. Service can be slow. Met an old friend for lunch. Ordered lobster quesadillas, and was half way thru first triangle before I realized it was chicken, not lobster. Had ordered guacamole, which was not offered with the dish for some reason. Chopped tomatoes instead of salsa. When I pointed out I had received the wrong entrée, waiter said he would adjust the bill. What I got was the charge for the tiny guacamole removed from the total. too bad service and food doesn’t match the ambience.

On Halloween Day, when Salem, MA is a GIANT party, we stopped in to Tavern on the Green for a drink and snacks. This restaurant/​bar is inside the Hawthorn Hotel and the interior is beautiful as you can see from all the photos! The staff is very well trained: professional without being stuffy, very friendly and personable.
We sat at a table with wing back chairs which were comfortable and much welcomed after our long walk. There are large, deep set windows to let in lots of light, but are higher up so you don’t feel like people passing by outside are staring at you.
It was between lunch and dinner so there were only a few other people in the room and the bartender was also our waitress. We ordered a couple of drinks off their menu and a draft beer to begin. After walking all over Salem, we were ready for a rest and spent a lot of time talking instead of reading the menu. The waitress kept an eye on us and brought over a basket of assorted rolls and butter while we chatted. No one ever made us feel like we needed to order. It was nice and relaxed.
Eventually we ordered Wicked Nachos with beef and beans and Vegetable spring rolls. The nacho chips were fresh made and piled high with layers of beef, beans, cheese, green onion, olives, tomato and sour cream! Definitely enough for three or more! The spring rolls were very tasty, nice and crunchy on the outside with a dipping sauce and ‘cucumber salad’ which turned out to be sweet and spicy pickled cucumbers. Very tasty.
After a drink, snack and rest we were ready to head back out into Halloween Night for some more Salem fun. As it was getting toward dinner time more staff had arrived and several of them wished us a ‘good night’ as we got up and headed out. So glad we found this place. Comfortable, friendly, good food, imaginative drinks. It’s just what we needed: an oasis in the city.

We are addicted to this place. Great drinks, amazing food. Had 4 meals here during our 7 day stay at the Hawthorne. For a pub, the menu offers a lot of variety, from sandwiches and nachos to full dinners. But the show stopper is the crab cake salad: the freshest salad you will ever eat (dressed with a non-​imposing balsamic), served with a splendiferous pan fried crab cake on the side – perfectly seasoned and crispy on the outside, filled with succulent crab on the inside with just enough bread crumbs and egg to hold it together – my estimation, about 80% delightfully FRESH crab – the way it should be. Be sure to get the chipotle aioli for dipping the crab cake. Winner!

The food is good and the service is great. I go there every time I’m in salem.

We were only in Salem for 24 hours, and ended up staying at the Hawthorne Hotel, not knowing it is famous for being haunted! Right up our alley! After a day and evening of walking all over the historic parts of Salem, we decided to pack it in and just eat at the hotel bar. SOOOO glad we did. The food was amazing! We ordered the crab cake sliders, fried oysters, and shared the crab-​stuffed baked shrimp. Some of the best seafood we’ve had.

My husband and I ate here 2 years ago & enjoyed it. Came back this year to spend a couple nights at the hotel & had lunch here yesterday. Our waiter (possibly called Ritchie?) was new I think, but did a great job. He was so nice. Overhearing him deal with two other customers we were seriously impressed. While he was in the back getting our food on a totally slow & weird hour for lunch (like 3pm or something), two older women came in & started shouting «hello is anyone here?!» Then they came up to us (we were seated with drinks) & had the audacity to ask if we work there!!! Um, no. Does it look like it?
When our waiter came out with our food he sat them & they proceeded to be the most ridiculously annoying customers I’ve ever overheard in my life. They asked for unreasonable things like «can you make the iced tea stronger» & «can you make some homemade guacamole for us?» Wow. And that was the tip of the iceberg. They had so many questions about the menu & wanted everything changed & different than it was. Omg. It was painful to overhear. Our waiter was so professional & so polite to them, it was amazing. That guy deserves a medal for patience. He was even polite when some other staff member asked him if his last name meant something in Arabic… what a strange question.
Anyway, waiter rocked. Food was good.
We came back earlier this evening to get coffees to go & everyone working was so kind to us & made sure we got what we needed. Love this place.

Really not the best. The atmosphere is nice and warm but the service and the food was off. Our server was nice but all over the place and a mess. He wasn’t rude but just not well trained. I had the crab cake salad which was not good at all. The crab cake tastes like a dry fish stick and the salad was not premium at all. They did however have some pretty tasty French fries. I recommend this place for a snack and a drink, not much more.

Great little place inside the Hawthorne Hotel! On a cold winter’s afternoon, this was the perfect cozy setting to warm the bones.
I stopped in here with a friend for a glass of wine and an appetizer. Our server was Johnny On the Spot with everything. Water, orders, check ins.
I ordered an artichoke, sun dried tomato dip with chips and my friend ordered the soup of the day which was a greek salad soup. Both were delicious! I don’t know who they’ve got back there in the kitchen but they were on it.
I came home and told my husband we need to go back, and soon. Between the coziness, the great service, and the delicious sampling I had, I want to try more things.

When we checked into the hotel, we immediately started think of places to eat that did not involve the hotel restaurant no matter how historic this place is. However, the Halloween package included enough credits to the restaurant to eat free every night if we wanted to. We were tired after flying across country and decided, «just this once». OMG
That turned into «hellz, yeah, every chance we get» The one thing that sounded disgusting turned out to be the crack cocaine of chicken wings. Maple Dijon wings. The wings were smoked and the maple mustard dipping sauce was like nothing we Oregonians had ever had. We were hooked from wing one.
There was a night in there I did get steak and it was good too, served with a healthy portion of fresh green beans and a salad. The service was good on all occasions here. The one huge complaint we had is if you were LITERALLY one minute past their kitchens time, you were not going to get served. We went in here for dinner, and they were packed, the waitress was a little slower coming back to us and we wanted dessert, and she said sorry they closed one minutes ago. We laughed thinking she was kidding. As it was literally one minute past 11. She was NOT kidding. That happened to us twice. I understand people want to go home but when you have diners still on dinner, and there were a lot of table near us on the same course as us, who might want dessert, that is missed income.
We survived despite that, and even got in on Halloween night, when we were told we’d never make in past the crowds. It did help were were staying in the hotel. The service still stayed good and despite all the people the wait staff sees, there was a waiter in there who knew most of order every time he saw us.
If we lived locally, this would be on our regular place to eat, loved them. I read reviews before we went and that helped feed some of our trepidation about eating here in the first place, so I am glad we gave them a chance.

The food here was good. Not 5 stars but very, very nice. Good enough to go back. The atmosphere is fantastic. Very quiet and cosy. Many of the chairs at the tables are large, comfy winged back chairs. It is located in the lobby of the hotel which has a really nice bed and breakfast feel to it. We liked it so much we had them show us some rooms and plan in staying there sometime in the future.

I went with a large group of friends on a Wednesday night and had no problem getting seating. The place is like a throwback to a hotel from the 1800s.
First off, our server was great — very enthusiastic and refilled my water like 30 times without asking (yes, I really drink a lot of water). Quite cool.
I started with a cocktail that she enthusiastically endorsed. She described it as booze with juice in it. I found it equally boozy and juicy, and was hoping that I agreed more with her. I can’t remember the name, but it was fine.
I then ordered the meatloaf with green beans and sweet potato fries. She enthusiastically endorsed them all.
The meatloaf came with a brown gravy. It was good. Not excellent, not bad, but solid. Green beans were also good. Now the sweet potato fries (I requested extra crispy) were great! Crispy on the outside and slightly melty on the inside. Really good.
Overall not a bad place to go. It was a bit dark inside and I wish it’d have more green considering it’s called «Tavern on the Green», but not bad.
My colleagues go frequently (all older women) and they love it. Most ordered some fish/​salmon meal and enjoyed it. No one complained. I’d say it’s like a classic American tavern-​restaurant.

Cool décor in this stately old hotel. If you like Guinness don’t order it here. I asked the bartender if they poured alot, «oh yeah» was the reply. Oh no, was the truth. Bartender had no idea how to pour a Guinness. No cascade, no head. I knew I’d be getting an awful beer, and I was right. Oh well.
Maybe stick with a seasonal draught that you know can’t be TOO old.
The rest of the group had mixed drinks that seemed to be good overall. We didn’t eat but there were plenty of people eating while we were there.

Maybe service isn’t the best here, but I wouldn’t suggest that it’s catastrophically terrible or even bad enough to impact my dining experience. I enjoy coming by TOTG periodically for a bite to eat. It’s cozy, it’s clean, & their menu is varied enough for everyone to find a dish to please their palate. Standard appetizer fare, burgers, seafood, & a variety of salad choices. They have vegan/​gluten free options as well.
If you’re lucky– and arrive before the rush– you can grab a seat next to the fireplace & warm your bones. The bar is well stocked if libations are your thing. The daily specials are always interesting & it’s always a good mix of locals and tourists– great people watching & eavesdropping in here!
Maybe I’m just partial to dining here because I’m often the youngest woman in the room, but I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest Tavern on the Green to anyone looking for a great place to dine in downtown Salem.

If Tavern on the Green weren’t in such an iconic location, it wouldn’t get nearly the business that it does. Oh it’s got that nice fireplace and the cozy bar, and I know the Hawthorne is haunted and all (cool, right?), but yikes. The service is shockingly slow, even on a late Sunday afternoon during the Historic Salem House Tour. That house specialty fish chowder? Do yourself a favor and don’t waste your money — overpriced, pasty and flavorless with no sign of any «fish» of any kind (yup, I mentioned it, still got charged. whatever). My lobster quesadilla was burnt (!!) and tasted off, but I was so hungry I ate a good portion of it anyway, hoping I was wrong about the «off» part. I lived.
Whenever I go to the Tavern, I always think «it’ll be better this time» and it never is. Too bad. I’m all set.

Service is terrible!!! We sat for 10 minutes watching all the servers sit up by the bar and talk to each other before anyone even came to get our drink order and then it turned out to be the person who sat us! The food was delivered and it wasn’t bad but wasn’t good either. No one checked on us once the food was delivered and we had to ask for our check after sitting with empty plates and glasses for at least 15 minutes. I saw other comments similar to this on here, some of them quite old. I can’t believe management doesn’t do something about this.

We have eaten at the tavern at the Hawthorne hotel the past two years we have visited Salem and have decided that it will be our regular lunch stop going forward. I absolutely love the feel of the tavern. There is a nice fire going to make the room feel cozy. We have never had an issue with service like other people who have reviewed the restaurant. I have sat both at a normal table and at the bar. We have really enjoyed the food both times we dined here. Yesterday I had the portobello mushroom sandwich and sweet potato fries, I would highly recommend! Last year I had the delicious lobster quesadilla. My mom wasn’t as enthused about the turkey sandwich and potato salad. She enjoyed the tavern penne last year. My aunt enjoyed the braised rib sandwich.

Went on a Friday afternoon on Salems off season in March. There was only one other couple in the restaurant when we walked in. I was very excited to go because this place (and the entire Hawthorn Hotel) had that old spooky vibe I was looking for in a Salem experience. The décor was elegant, but of an older taste. I felt like I was in a movie at times.
There was only two workers in the restaurant. One waiter and one bartender. However there was nobody in there are this particular time. So service was not a problem for us.
Let me just say the food was awesome. Now I had a simple cheeseburger with sweet potato fries. However they were both incredible. You would be surprised how many places can not make sweet potatoe fries. And my burger was cooked exactly how I asked. But the real gem of this place was my boyfriends dish. Pumpkin Ravioli! Yes! I have been looking for that dish everywhere! Only had it once somewhere else, but I have never found it at a restaurant were it was an actual entrée on a classy menu. I bite into it, and all I could taste was Halloween! Okay a bit over dramatic… but it was seriously incredible. We were tempted to order more to go just so I could bring it home for my family to taste. I love Halloween. So eating those in the beautifully haunted hawthorne hotel just really tickled my fancy. I can not wait to go back! I am not even a pumpkin person! But this was seriously good.

The service here is TERRIBLE. We were ignored when walking in, and our waitress had a terrible attitude. Her posture, eye rolls, lack of communication, and snootiness were unacceptable. We had some basic questions for her, and she looked at us without saying anything for about three minutes just shaking her head in confusion. She was clearly waiting for us to look away and leave her alone. This place doesn’t make you feel like a guest or a customer, they make you feel like you are imposing on them and it was extremely uncomfortable from start to finish.
I don’t think it could get any worse due mainly to the service. The drinks were no different than what you would get at your local dive bar, and they were pricey. We ordered a diet soda, margarita and a glass of wine for close to $ 30. The food was OK, and is the only reason for the two stars instead of one.
Save yourself the aggravation and skip Tavern on the Green. Nathaniel’s (the other restaurant located inside the Hawthorne Hotel) was not much better.

Terrible, terrible service made worse by sub-​par food. My sister and I went early on a Wednesday evening when the tavern was not particularly busy. However, we were ignored by our server until I flagged him down to order sliders and two cocktails. The cocktails arrived 15 minutes later, martini glasses a little more than half-​full. I opted not to complain, as the drinks were tasty and I suspect it wasn’t the bartender but rather the server who spilled some of the missing contents while carrying the drinks over – both glasses where wet and sticky on the outside. In retrospect, I should have taken the bad service with the drinks as an omen of things to come.
The sliders finally arrived 30 minutes after we placed the order, with ice cold buns and lukewarm beef. As these were appetizers, we still planned for dinner and again I had to flag down the waiter, who then asked, «You’re going to order something else?» Wow. Not a very polite question to ask two ladies. At this point, I’m too tenacious for my own good and confirmed that, yes, we wanted dinner. He left with a promise to return shortly to take our orders, but leaves us for another 20 minutes while taking – and delivering – orders to the other two tables with customers before returning to us.
We order and our salads arrive surprisingly quick for this joint, within 10 minutes. The salad is of the mixed variety one gets out of a bag at Costco, coated in suspicious tasting dressing, and the tomatoes are sour, squishy, and on the verge of rotting. That finally did it for us.
We cancelled our dinner order, paid the tab, and bolted. What a waste of nearly an hour and half of my life in that place, not to mention the $ 30 thrown away on half-​empty cocktails and cold sliders. Please, avoid this place until the managment gets their act together: you’re just throwing away money at the Tavern.

Décor — wonderful, old, quaint, historic bar in an early 20^th century hotel with over-​sized and comfortable chairs.
Service — dire. Both at the bar and at the tables.
We sit at the bar first in an attempt to order a couple of drinks. First the two female bartenders ignore us (there were maybe 6 other people in the bar), but they continue to chat, chat, chat away to each other. When we finally get their attention and a drink list, we are then ignored some more. On the verge of us walking out, one of them comes over and takes our drink order. We pay and move to a table to eat.
But guess what? We are ignored some more at the table! Now maybe we don’t fit the demographic here, but when the table to the left of us get served, then the table to the right of us get served, it makes me start to think, what’s up?
Food — uninspiring.
After flagging down a server, we order the BL (A)T — A BLT with avocado ($ 11). Save your money (+$ 2) and get the regular BLT. The menu description should read, BLT with a hint of avocado served with McDonald’s fries. My girlfriend ordered the Mesclun Salad. I was amazed that the difference in price between the small ($ 9.50) and the large ($ 10.25) was so minimal. Upon receiving the large salad, it was obvious — the plate was all mesclun and minimal bleu cheese, cranberries and pecans. Not sure I saw a croûton. Pretty expensive bowl of lettuce. Other tables got bread with their salads, nope, not us. No-​one checked on our meal until we were all done and then she comes over with her dessert sales pitch — yeah, no.
The only bright spot in an otherwise dreary service experience was a hearty goodbye from another server as we were leaving. I wish he had been our server.