The Babe — Restaurant in Salem

Instantly our new favorite burger restaurant, but we'll be returning soon to try out the Reuban and several other dinner items as well. This place was not on our radar since the location is more on the edges of the "restaurant zone" of Salem so we were really happy to discover it!

Service was just right for the laid-back vibe of the place, the background music wasn't too loud, and the whole design of the place spoke of thoughtful design. Leaning toward hipster but not overly so (which either way is OK with us) but mostly the atmosphere says: we care about our food, our drinks and our service. Oh yes, and imagine that: the chairs for the high-tops were actually comfortable!

Every ingredient felt like it was fresh, the beef in our cheese burgers was top-notch and the cooks did a perfect job of accommodating one that was "medium-well" for my wife and a "medium-rare" for me. We had one order of fries on the side which was more than enough for the two of us. We had started with their mozzarella "pockets" which were also very good, but filling enough that we split one and took the other to go. She had a ginger ale and I had a whiskey on ice; made with a single large ice cube to keep it cold without watering it down (again, a sign someone actually cares).

We're both looking forward to returning and trying out the rest...

I can’t say enough great things about The Babe! Our food was excellent, and the atmosphere was fantastic.

I had the Mr. Falafel sandwich, and I was still talking about it days later! It was so good—perfectly balanced flavors with just the right amount of tzatziki sauce (heavenly), all wrapped up in a soft wrap. The one recommendation I would make would be to cut the falafels into four pieces just to make it easier to eat. But to be honest, it didn’t stop me from devouring the whole thing, and I will be back to eat another one! But it will be a tossup—do I get the truffle burger or do I get another Mr. Falafel?

My boyfriend got the Reuben, and he said it was incredible as well!

Our bartender was fantastic—so friendly, knowledgeable, and rocking these awesome little heart glasses. She really knew her stuff when it came to cocktails. They actually serve orange Combier, which I feel is the cream of the crop for making the best margarita! She made us a fantastic margarita, and I also had another drink with grapefruit (I don’t remember the name), but it was delicious too!

We sat at the bar and had the chance to meet one of the owners, who was so friendly and kind. The whole place has such a welcoming vibe, and I can only imagine how fun it must be when they have live music.

I really can’t wait...

The atmosphere was nice. Small little band playing. My grocery list is longer than the menu. Barely any options. The server/waitress had zero customer service skills. She put more effort into her halloween make up than she did serving us. We ordered chicken wings but the menu did not state it would be covered in dorito crumbs. I guess it is up to the customer to figure out what cool ranch means. We just assumed it was ranch sauce on the side. When the plate came out, we expressed to the waitress that we did not know the wings came this way and that had we known, we wouldn’t have ordered. She gives us a blank stare and says “anything else I can help you with?” Completely ignored our complaint, giving us annoyed looks and barely trying. In addition, we ordered fries and they were completely burnt. This is the first time I don’t tip at an establishment. The cook, had long hair , and no hair net. Absolutely disbelieved and looked like he hasn’t showered in weeks. If you’re going to allow customers to see the cook, ask him To look presentable and HAVE HIS LONG HAIR IN. A NET. This is a cute spot for a drink. Do not bother ordering anything edible...