Inexpensive Salem eats: Breakfast, lunch and dinner options that won't break the bank
Editor's note: This story was originally published in October. We are republishing it as we look back at some of our most-read stories of the year.
Finding cheap eats in Salem can be tricky. Whether you're new to the city or a returning student, here are some cheap eat brick and mortar options to explore. Salem might not be a big town, but there is a good number of cafes, restaurants and bars. Here are some to consider trying.
Lunch/Dinner
Al Aqsa
Al Aqsa is also just outside the downtown area, and home to one of the best value restaurants in town. Serving up Mediterranean cuisine, the dishes are made quickly and offered at under $12 price points. The portions of most entrees are more for two, making it great for sharing or saving for later.
The restaurant has primarily indoor seating, but does do takeout.
Address: 1326 State St.
Happy Bibimbap House
Happy Bibimbap House is one of the few Korean restaurants in town. They offer under $10 lunch specials, from individual dishes and bento boxes. The specials run weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Outside of those hours, the dishes are double the price, albeit with slightly larger portions.
Otherwise, most items on the menu that are not seafood, sushi or special Korean dishes are under $18.
Address: 635 Chemeketa St.
Manila Fiesta
Manila Fiesta is a Filipino restaurant in Salem with good price points.
Most of the dishes are full meals. The full entrees do not exceed $20 per container, and are large enough portions they could be split or shared.
It's a bit out of the way from downtown Salem, but worth the commute. It's recommended to call ahead for takeout, and daily specials are posted on the Facebook page.
Address: 1952 McGilchrist St. SE
Taproot Lounge and Café
Taproot Lounge and Cafe is another local staple with two locations. The downtown location is more for lunch, dinner or evenings hangouts while the other is for brunch and café vibes.
The State Street location offers a wider variety of options, plus the rotating selection of brews on tap. The menus include breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and desserts. A majority of options do not exceed $18, but even the smaller plates are a sizable quantity for the price points.
Come during happy hour for better deals, weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m. or Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to midnight. This only applies to in-house orders only.
This location also has the larger selection of teas and even offers smoothies, acai bowls and juice. If you're not a fan of beer or wine, the libations selection is wider as well.
The second location, called the Old Mill Cafe, is more like a sister location than a copy and paste of the first restaurant. The brunch selection is wider and the seating is closer to a cafe/brunch space than a formal restaurant.
For more about either restaurants, check out the website, taprootloungeandcafe.com.
Lounge & Cafe: 356 State St.
Old Mill Cafe: 1313 Mill St.
Venti's
The Venti's restaurants in town are known for the wide selection of drinks plus having vegan and vegetarian-friendly menus, including a kids menu.
The price points for dishes are on par with other fast casual restaurants in the area, but have more seating. All menu options are under $20, with most between the $8.50-$15 range.
The two locations share the same menu, excluding downtown's beer vault. To check out the menu of the restaurants, check out the website, ventiscafe.com.
Cafe + Beer Vault: 325 Court St. NE
Cafe + Taphouse: 2840 Commercial St. SE
Breakfast
Original Court St. Dairy Lunch
Do not let the Original Court St. Dairy Lunch deceive you - it's got one of the best deals for lunch in the classic old-school diner setting than almost anywhere else in town.
The restaurant opens at 8:30 a.m. for breakfast and closes at 2:30 after the lunch rush. The options are nothing fancy or unique outside of standard American breakfast, but it is one of the best deals in town for breakfast or lunch.
For more on daily specials or restaurant details, check out the Facebook page.
Address: 347 Court St.
Sybil's Omelettes
Sybil's Omelettes is one of Salem's older restaurants in town, but also remains quite steadfast in its traditions since it opened. The prices have gone up since it opened in 1982, but it remains economical for those wanting breakfast on a budget.
The standouts are the omelettes (of course) and the restaurant boasts over 100 options just for the one dish. You can get other egg dishes, although there are fewer customizable options. Fortunately, regardless of the style of eggs you order, that your dish will probably not exceed $16 - as long as your dish does not include seafood, which bumps up the price considerably.
Address: 2373 State St.
White's Restaurant
White's Restaurant is Salem's oldest breakfast restaurant, which opened in 1936. The location is also just outside of downtown, easily accessible if you can drive down Commercial Street SE. The location has a smaller menu than Sybil's, but its prices are on-par with each other, if a little more inexpensive.
For more on the menu and its history, check out the restaurant's website, whitesrestaurant1936.com.
Address: 1138 Commercial St. SE
Bars
The Dehn Bar
The Dehn Bar is a popular inexpensive spot downtown for a cheap beer, mixed drinks and the occasion food pop-up.
The bar is a popular spot for students already, boasting comfortable seating inside and a back patio area. There are also arcade and lotto offered inside as well.
Address: 157 Commercial St. SE
Magoo's Sports Bar
Magoo's Sports Bar is a downtown institution as one of the oldest sports bars in town. The bar is known for its multiple TV screens, sports memorabilia and cheap drinks. You can find beer on tap, wine, mixed drinks, food and specials throughout the week.
Address: 275 Commercial St. SE
Front Street Station
Front Street Station is just north of downtown, but it's home to the fun Train Beer. The bar has train tracks that go down Front Street, and when a train goes by the bar folks say, "train beer!" Everyone can get a domestic draft beer for just $1 when a train goes by.
Other than train beer, you can find beer on tap and other cheap mixed drinks as well. There are also events, specials and more offered regularly too. The bar has indoor and outdoor seating, plus pool tables and lotto.
Address: 860 Front St. NE
Em Chan covers food and dining at the Statesman Journal. You can reach her at echan@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @catchuptoemily.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Inexpensive places to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner in Salem
