Red Line Cafe — Restaurant in Salem

I really hate that I have to do this as I’ve been a loyal fan to the red line since they opened up. I’ve experienced their Halloween rush before, but this year with new staff it has absolutely gone downhill with customer service. I was in yesterday with my significant other and we ordered a piece of spinach pie and a Diet Coke. I asked for the spinach pie to be heated up and plated as we were going to be sitting in the café. Almost immediately, I was handed the spinach pie in a brown paper bag that seemed to already be greasy. I again reminded the women taking my order that I would like it to be heated up and plated. That’s when I was given a dirty look. After requesting for it to be heated up my significant other, and I took a seat and almost immediately he was called up to the counter to receive our food then again inside the same greasy paper brown bag. He didn’t even get the chance to ask for a plate as they just dropped the bag on the counter. As you’re probably thinking, of course, the food was not heated up, and we sat in the café, eating our food off of a paper bag. Which if you’ve been here before you would know, they give out metal silverware, and regular plates. As somebody who has lived in and around Salem their entire life, I understand that some businesses have a hard time catching up with all the tourism, but that’s no excuse just to be flat out rude to customers and ignoring their request within reason.

The reason why I hate to leave a review like this is because I probably would still go back for their coffee as it is extremely delicious and I would hate to just leave them 100% But I will reiterate that it was a new staff that had taken my order. I love the reoccurring off October season staff, especially the owner. He is...

To start off, I read all the the bad reviews to make sure I'm not the only one who has bad experiences here. Turns out that everyone else even tourists had bad experiences here too. The lady who works there always looks like she's mad at everyone and hates her life. I've been there multiple times on lunch break or just to grab a quick drink but there's always something off about their food and drinks. I grew up here and remember when red line wasn't even there before and ever since it's been there it hasn't been the best. Food is off, bad customer service or even manners like who tf wants to see an angry face when you go up to order?? Just because your life is bad doesn't mean you have to be miserable and make multiple people feel uncomfortable when you go there. Most the 5 star reviews are so fake I think they're just trying to be nice or something because no way. It's sad that this place has to be there and make tourists and even the people who live here feel the way they do when they go to red line. I hope they close it and someone else who deserves to have their shop there will be able to go...

As a local, I enjoy the opportunities to shop small in Salem. Fortunately, there are enough lovely people who own and operate small businesses that you do not to give this place your business. It isn't that great to begin with, however this morning, a bleached out woman in a hero had to come to a screeching halt as she peeled up on the pedestrian way on a Essex Street. She had the gall the confront me based on my facial expression alone and said, "This is my restaurant, honey, I can do whatever I want."

If this is how the owner is promoting her business, assuming she can alienate people on the street, then I feel it's my responsibility to share my experience and let people make their own decision. As I said, there are enough MUCH better cafes and coffee shops that this woman doesn't deserve the business of the good and considerate people of Salem. Also a warning to tourists and other out of towners, it is not welcoming like other places, so while it may seem convenient, it isn't even...