4. Restaurants

Red’s Sandwich Shop

15 Central St, Salem, MA, 01970
  • (978) 745-3527
  • Store is closed

Red’s Sandwich Shop Menu

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  • Chris M.

    The breakfast here sucks, but try the seafood. It looks very good.

    (3)

  • Erika H.

    Red's is not a fancy, upscale brunch joint. Red's is not even really a 'sandwich shop'. Red's is American diner food in a cash-only, 1980s-style dining room setting. And it is AMAZING. I'm flabbergasted by the 3 star reviews critiquing the food - I've eaten here many times (and yes, have driven 45+ minutes into Salem just to go to Red's, although I think we may be a bit crazy and unique in that decision) and had an amazing meal every single time, breakfast or lunch. The menu is HUGE, the daily specials list is a mile long, the service is so friendly and warm, the food is SO QUICK, and it's cheap as hell! It's paper place mats and frequent coffee refreshing and filled with locals. What's not to love??

    (5)

  • Ellen H.

    True breakfast OG's know the original Red's is the benchmark by which all other breakfast joints are compared and rated. A complete hole-in-the-wall in downtown Salem, this place has every wonderful comfort breakfast food known to man. Lunch options are available, but I've never had them. Service is efficient with no frills. Paper placemats with local ads and thick ceramic mugs for delicious coffee complete the authenticity. Mismatched tables and chairs, presumably collected over time, make this place homey and delightful. But let's get to the true nitty gritty: the food. The food is good. I mean gooooood. Omelets goooood. Hashbrowns gooooood. Toast goooooood. Coffee goooooooooood. Get the point? Goooooooooood. I wouldn't say I'm exactly BLOWN AWAY, but I do love when I remember it... like "where should we eat breakfast? OH YA let's go to Red's!" It's like a hidden gem that keeps re-appearing. Thumbs up.

    (4)

  • Kathy S.

    As has been said many times below, Red's is a Salem institution. The service is friendly; the food is plentiful and cooked very well; and it's fun to have breakfast with all the locals.

    (4)

  • John K.

    Despite the crowd and line to get in, service was quick and the food was great. The place has the feel that you are dining amongst friends. Worth finding if you are on the North Shore.

    (4)

  • Apolinaras S.

    If you got kids, this is the place for you! 2-year olds are hard to wrangle, until you plop in front of them the humongous Mickey pancakes this place makes. And I mean HUMONGOUS! About the same can be said about omelettes. There is no way a healthy individual can eat one. Staff is also very nice, service is prompt, and mix of people eating there is really diverse, which gives nice vibe to the place. Definitely better than eating at the hotel :-)

    (4)

  • Rick M.

    If you come to Salem, make sure you don't miss breakfast AND lunch at Red's! I don't know how the cooks there do it, but they manage to create almost every comfort meal you could ever possibly think of - with HUGE portions - at reasonable prices and they get the food out fast! You might have to wait in line on the weekends but tables turn around quickly and once you're seated it's amazing how fast your dish is plated and served. They have it down to a science. It's a family owned restaurant that's been around for many years. Red's has a real mixed clientele of the daily locals and the Witch City tourists. I'm a local. It's where the waitress knows your name. Breakfast: You've gotta try the gigantic pancakes. Or should I say "pancake!" Don't order three or even two unless you're sharing or you'll be going home with a doggie bag for sure. The Belgian Waffles are awesome topped with fresh fruit. They do several versions of Eggs Benedict. All are fabulous! Lunch: Love the Chicken Pot Pie. Loaded with fresh white meat and big chunks of carrots. Roast Turkey Dinner is filling and tasty. All the chicken dishes are really good. The Chicken Piccata, Chicken Marsala, Chicken Asparagus in White Wine Sauce and the Chicken Parm is BIG! Oh... and if you're a meat lover, have a hefty portion of their meatloaf plate. If you want the Red's menu with a more upscale atmosphere, try their new location - Red's Tavern + Kitchen at 131 Newbury Street right on Route 1 north in Peabody, MA. Cocktails will be served up! Parking can be problematic. You may have to drive around to find a meter but there are many all around the block and a big parking lot across the street. *TIP: On Sundays park in the bank lot across from Red's. I consider myself a regular at Red's. My only wish is that they would be open for dinner. I'd be moving in!

    (5)

  • Marc D.

    Nice little place, an old school diner. Service was fast and everyone there was very pleasant. The food was great and the portions were large!

    (4)

  • Kelly T.

    Came for breakfast today at about 9am. We were seated quickly and moments later there was a line. Was visiting Salem and needed breakfast. Yelp to the rescue! I splurged and had the lobster and veggie omelet (plenty of lobster meat), my honey had the ham and cheese omelet. Both came with home fries and toast. Not greasy at all. Great coffee, quick service and our server Leann was on the move but never forgot a thing. She refilled coffee without being asked and grabbed ketchup super fast after the omelettes were served. It was busy, the menu is extensive and I wouldn't hesitate to go back again. Great filling breakfast. No room for lunch though!! You've gotta try a breakfast with lobster once in your life, right??

    (4)

  • Kim M.

    Delicious 'good to ya breakfast.' Good diner quality coffee & food. I enjoyed 3 pancakes...blueberry, chocolate chip & regular...and a side of bacon 'cause you need salty goodness with pancakes!! (You can mix pancake flavors in your pancake stack to try different ones!! Score!) Pancakes were plate-huge, fluffy & just plain good!! Hubby had the house made corned beef hash eggs Benedict. He said it was very good & it looked delicious. Overall VERY enjoyable!!

    (5)

  • Holly K.

    We found Red's on our last trip to Salem for Halloween in 2009. I knew they would be crowded and my memory did not let me down. The first day we hit them, it was only about a ten minute wait. Service is quick and the waitresses are friendly and always ready to talk to you. The Sunday after Halloween, snow was starting to fall and people were leaving town and apparently, we all had the same thought to hit Red's one last time. The wait was now about 30 minutes and packed in the doorway. Red's is borderline a dive, but the food is decent, and the prices are low. That last day we went in, they were not serving anything but breakfast, which is not my favorite thing but I sucked it up and ordered the ham and eggs. It was good and portions huge. We split a giant banana pancake, as well. If you get a chance to get to Red's get the pancakes know they are enough for the entire table. If you are willing to sit at the counter, which they always offered us, you could pretty much skip the wait and get a front row view of the cooks making huge piles of bacon, eggs and ham right in front of you.

    (4)

  • Leslie C.

    Most so- so breakfast I've ever had.I asked for the home fries to be cooked crispy. They were undercooked. Pancakes were huge and doughy with a cold maple flavor sugar syrup to pour over them. Really? We are in New England , can we not get some decent maple syrup for pancakes? Coulda had this meal at Denny's. Probably would have been tastier.

    (2)

  • Danna D.

    A lot of hype, but better places in Salem to go for breakfask/lunch Oh and I forgot to mention, we saw a man in the kitchen pick his ears and never replace his gloves. Yum. Hahaha.

    (2)

  • Raymond M.

    Fast friendly service. Quiche and salad made an excellent light lunch. Breakfast all day. The restaurant is in a colonial era building. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Sarah P.

    Breakfast was awesome! The food was amazing, very large portions! The service was great, fast and attentive. There was a little bit of a wait, but it's to be expected on a weekend in October in Salem. Loved the historical ties that the building has! It's pretty dated inside, but that only adds to the charm of the place! Only bad thing I could say in the the seating is really tight. Not a whole of space between you and your neighboring table. Still - it wasn't a huge deal. Overall, great experience!

    (4)

  • Scott V.

    i must say this is probably the best breakfast spot I have been too, and I know breakfast. I went there twice this week first day hash and cheese omelet and today sausage omelet. both very good, the sausage was some of the best I have had, not greasy and very good flavor. the service is very good coffee cup never got less the half empty. price are average and fair. not a bad thing to say. cook is on his game party of four all served at the same time and all the food was hot. I wish I lived closer

    (5)

  • Kym M.

    My father brought me here when I was little. It was good then and it's still good now. If you're thinking pancakes, get one unless your a really big eater since they are plate size and filling.

    (4)

  • Brad K.

    What a great experience. We were referred here by a local shop. I crossed check with yelp before going, saw they were 4 of 5 so we decided to give them a try. Well we are glad we did. Wow what a great experience. The food was truly homemade, the prices where excellent and the service 6 stars. Judy the manager was an absolute hoot and so warm to us strangers and tourists. I wish we had a place like this where we live. Highly recommend. We sat in the front area near the fireplace close to the counter. Glad we did because that is where all the action was versus the dining room around the corner. Can't wait to go back !!

    (5)

  • Liza R.

    I can appreciate that this place is a staple for those that live in town. The location is great and you're in an out in 45 minutes or less. I personally wouldn't come back, I do not live in Salem and didn't find it to be worth the drive. It was freezing cold inside! Not to mention waitstaff was not friendly and disappeared once our food was served. She literally dropped the check with the food and ran before I could ask for ketchup. On our way out I got up and asked the cashier for a box and was told to "track the redhead down and ask her for one" say what?! This place is a little too much like their counterpart in Peabody, which had the same subpar service and mediocre food.

    (2)

  • Robyn T.

    I'm new to the area, and pretty much 2/3 of the people I've met so far told me to try this place, so of course it's one of the first stops I must make. My husband and I arrived about 9:15 on a Sunday and I'm grateful we did because we got a table right away. About 20 minutes later the line was out the door. Let me stop and say that we are breakfast snobs. Our old spot had thick homemade bread, fluffy buttermilk pancakes, and excellent service to boot. Our standards are pretty high and we are on a trek to find what we left behind when we moved. My husband ordered the pancakes and I ordered a fried egg sandwich with home fries. Aside for the bread being pretty flimsy, my sandwich was delicious. The egg was perfectly fried, and the bacon was that exact balance between not to crispy and not too raw. However, the big winner of the day are the pancakes. When they set his plate in front of him I had instant flashbacks to the scene in The Great Outdoors where John Candy tackles the Old 96'er. I'd say these were the size of a steering wheel. I figured there was no way they could be light and fluffy because they looked so dense. I was wrong. They were perfect. A buttery, syrupy, fluffy mess. And we enjoyed every bite. Not to mention this place is cheap, the coffee is hot, and the service is great! So it's definitely worth stopping by. They only take cash so be prepared, but they have an ATM so you don't have to panic if you come during a weekend hangover and didn't think ahead. I believe we have found our new weekend breakfast spot. Not too bad for our first try.

    (4)

  • Harry B.

    The best breakfast around. Bottomless coffee. A giant omelette with meat runs you like 6 bucks and comes with 4 slices of toast and more homefries than you'll know what to do with. The value is unreal, and the ambiance kicks butt too. Old-timey diner feel in a historic Salem building. There's a reason this spot has been voted best breakfast 27 years in a row. I'm sure lunch is great too, although I don't think I've ever ordered it. Do yourself a favor and go.

    (5)

  • Lauren R.

    Awesome experience! Staff was friendly and quick. Good was excellent. Pancakes are huge!! Fair prices. Will be back!

    (5)

  • Jow O.

    Been back multiple times since my last review. The service Is top notch. These ladies are all great and sweethearts. I had to knock one star off for being cash only and the omelets are so-so, the egg is spread suuuper thin. Me no likey. all in all, this place is consistently good and the service is even better.

    (4)

  • Michelle R.

    We visited from California and ate at Reds on our last morning. I wish we would have eaten here earlier so that I could have come back a few times. I had the best breakfast of my life here. I ordered the corned beef has plate and it was plentiful and delicious! Best most homemade tasting hash I ever tried. The bacon was perfect as well as the eggs and toast. I will definitely be back if I'm ever in the area again.

    (5)

  • Steve K.

    We drive one hour each way from Marlborough whenever we can for breakfast and coffee at Red's; second best breakfast place in all of MA next to the more upscale and creative Sylvester's in Northampton. Oversize portions, fabulous quality and very attractive prices for what you get. We've seen the same wait staff over the many years we've been going there, so that kind of continuity and low turnover says something. Always friendly and on the ball, even in the middle of October mayhem (which we now avoid since our kids are grown up). Red's and Salem feel like our home away from home from November to September :-) And to the person below from Cleveland...the menu does not have "dinner" items because, strangely enough, they are only open for breakfast and lunch.

    (5)

  • Corey L.

    Stopped in on a Sunday, two of us, only had to wait like 10 minutes, but we beat most of the line. Service was good and quick. Liked the ladies. Server said the benedict stuff is the best - what ppl love. I got corned hash benedict and my girlfriend got an omelette. Came with hash browns. Corned hash was good. Not great, but good. That would cover the meal basically. They do a good job, but it's not great. I needed to add pepper and hot sauce to give it enough flavor. It was all well cooked, but a little bland for me. Nice thing was I asked for it to be crispy and they did it - most don't. That was really nice. And the prices are great for the amount of food - so bumped it up to 4 stars. Nice place, will definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Josie D.

    Really disappointed by this place. Saw how many great reviews it got on here and thought we'd grab lunch there. First, since it's called a "sandwich shop" I was surprised by the weird old lady dining room feel going on here. But I can always forgive a place for that if the food makes up for it. We both just ordered cheeseburgers. Pretty basic sandwiches, right? It's not that they were bad, but they were just obviously cheap frozen patties and really cheap frozen French fries. Not even kind of what we had expected with all the good reviews here. I realize we only tried one thing, so many everything else is somehow magically great (although the food around didn't look much better) but with messing up something as simple as burgers i find it pretty hard to believe.

    (1)

  • Stephen L.

    Cozy breakfast spot full of friendly locaks. Classic New England. Great cinnamon french toast. Great with kids and allergies. Cash only.

    (5)

  • Chris B.

    Good food, fast service, decently priced. Only problem with this one is that the seating is kinda cramped and you're about two feet from your neighbor (who happened to be a creepy weird bearded family who literally watched us eat our meal) P.s. Get the Monti cristo You can't go wrong!

    (4)

  • Allison F.

    LOVE this place! Seems to be family owned and has not changed in the whole 20 years that I've been coming here. Can get crowded and seating is tight but the service and the food make it worth it. I had a thanksgiving sandwich and it was the best one I ever had! Everyone else at my table gave their food 2thumbs up! Mac n cheese, fish and chips, hamburgers, all awesome! Price is a bargain too!

    (5)

  • Brian R.

    We ate there this morning for breakfast .... Had the corner beef eggs Benedict ... It was so good .. My wife had pancake and enjoyed it ..... This is are go to breakfast place in Salem ... We have been to Salem 5 times in the last 8 years and we have probably ate at Red's about 8 or 9 times and they never disappoint ... Their food is so good

    (5)

  • Johnny F.

    This staple in Salem is all the rave for the locals. I however find it to be your run of the mill diner style food with little quality and as prepared as possible to turn the table and get you out of there. Every local will insist you go to Red's but I just do not see the appeal in atmosphere or food quality. The home fries are greasy and over buttered and the all meat omlet I ordered was bland and not filled with much meat. Maybe it was an off day at Red's.

    (2)

  • Robert D.

    Great when you are really feeling the need to commit ooey-gooey carbicide after walking up and down the streets of Salem. Great greasy, bready, cheesy food. Fantastic and very sweet waitstaff-- I also noticed that they were serving some senior citizens and then didn't have them pay for their meals. Such a nice gesture! Even though they were PACKED, our waitress still took the time to check on us constantly, refill our drinks, and talk to us about our lives. Great food AND a great therapy session. Such a positive experience. Check it out!

    (5)

  • Chuck D.

    If you follow me you know I like to eat local when I travel. Red's nails the local experience. Surrounded by locals and welcomed like one it was a great time. French toast make with house made blueberry bread was quite the dish. The lobster asparagus Benedict was excellent! The kids had an egg sandwich and a hash and cheese omelet. The has is house made and great. If you are anywhere near Salem, make sure you hit Red's. Did I mention Mimosas?!?!?? Nice!

    (5)

  • Abby H.

    Breakfast didn't get better than Red's!!! If you can think of it they have it on the menu! Including blueberry pancakes the size of your head. When the waitress says they are bug, they are HUGE!!!

    (5)

  • C R.

    It's easy to et exited about breakfast - because it's pretty simple and hard to screw up. There was a crowd waiting outside - but to our surprise, people churn in and out pretty fast - and the hostesses were very friendly. They definitely have a system for making it all work so well and fast..... OMG the pancakes are comically ENORMOUS! There as big as a hubcap (if you remember those)....and they come 3 to a plate (I ordered 1). The rest was great. If you're in the Salem area - gotta do it.

    (3)

  • A R.

    LOVE RED's!!! This is one of the best breakfast places I've been to. Staff is experienced, friendly and efficient. The food options range from the common to the more unique and all are very good quality and well priced. it's a bit of a trek from our house, and always has a line, but sometimes it is worth the effort. We also like the location in Peabody, but do prefer the Salem location to make a morning or afternoon of it. If I lived closer, it would be our go-to spot.

    (5)

  • Benjamin L.

    Big fan. Great breakfast food. Haven't tried their sandwiches yet. Always a big line on weekends in the morning but always worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Adam B.

    I'm going to keep it short and sweet here since I'm sure I will be reviewing quite a bit this weekend. The corned beef hash was super swell. Work Wife got an omelet that wasn't nearly as good as the hash. We ended up eating mine! I posted a pic.

    (4)

  • James K.

    I live 100 feet from Red's and love going out for breakfast. Stopped visiting after the breakfast made me sick three times in a row. You're far better off walking up the hill to Red Line Cafe.

    (1)

  • Kinsey C.

    Pros: extensive menu, great for breakfast, friendly service Cons: a bit pricey (but worth it) for breakfast I stopped in here with a group of four plus a toddler. They were quick to seat us (we were pretty early on a Sunday morning- 7:15ish) and get a high chair. The decor here is pretty crazy- granny wallpaper as far as the eye can see, but it's perfect. The food was excellent and served fast. We ordered omelets (yummy fried potatoes and toast come with), french toast and lobster eggs Benedict. Everyone loved their food, and even with their generous portions we all pretty much scraped the plate. I think this place gets pretty busy later on during the weekend, but when I came early I had no problem getting a table. Other reviewers say there is often a wait, so just be prepared if you come later! All in all: I'm so glad I visited Red's while I was in Salem!

    (5)

  • Jonathan D.

    This place is great. Fast, friendly service. HUGE portions. The hash is fresh and delicious. I had a blueberry bread french toast that was excellent. The line moves fast so dont be disheartened!

    (5)

  • Patrick M.

    This was hands down the best breakfast I have ever had. Every bite of everything I ordered tasted exactly how you would want it to. We lucked out and only waited ten minutes for a table. By time we left the line was around the block! (We went the weekend before halloween) I have yet to eat a breakfast that surpassed it. Only one that came close, interestingly enough also in Massachusetts. As far as I'm concerned any trip to Salem is incomplete without breakfast at Red's.

    (5)

  • Ryan D.

    Wasn't "mind blowing" or anything, but it's down right tasty. Breakfast is cheap, delicious and HUGE. Had 2 over medium on top of corned beef hash with toast and potatoes. Coffee on the table before I know it, really good coffee and not 3 minutes later, no joke, boom. Food. Quality stuff really. Would be 4 stars on taste only, but for service and experience. 5 stars solid. I'll be back.

    (5)

  • D. H.

    Been going here for more years than I am willing to admit on the internet but Reds; what's going on? I'm going to give you 4 stars because for so many years your service has been excellent and your food has been delicious, down home and consistent. That excellent service and consistency is what has had me coming back over and over year after year but as of late you seem to be off your game..... What's really got me confused is all the sudden you are taking names at the door, but only sometimes but not all the time? I don't know what's going on and I am not sure what didn't work with having people wait in line? Service is still pretty friendly and the food portions are still pretty robust yet more "thrown together" than in the past. Anyway - you need to give the decor a break because it is what it is and the value here is top notch!! If you want bang for your buck this is the place to go and the thing I like so much about this place is that it's not trying to be something that it's not. Awesome place - but let's get this confusion at the door back in order and a little more love on the plates!

    (4)

  • Dave H.

    Walking into this place is like stepping 45 years into the past. The wallpaper is obnoxious, the air is greasy and the wood paneling is glazed. Exactly what I was looking for... The best thing about Red's besides the ancient decor is the location. Right in the heart of everything in Salem. Walking distance to shops, cafe's and museums. The food was exactly what we expected it to be..diner food. Good for lunch. I had the cajun chicken sandwich. Which was good, just typical. Fries are tasty...just typical. They only accept cash and they only have Pepsi products. 3 stars.

    (3)

  • Brooke H.

    Food came out in less than 5 minutes! Fresh and delicious. I had the cinnamon French toast (highly recommended!) and my boyfriend had the steak bomb omelette with home fries.

    (4)

  • Simon B.

    I really don't get the fascination with this place. It's often held up as one of Salem's "must eat" dining destinations, a place which all the in-the-know locals frequent. And the groups of people waiting outside for a table on a weekend might make you think that you're missing out on something special. But I think people are confusing 'cheap' with 'good'. Don't get me wrong, it's not terrible. So if you want cheap but mediocre diner food, give it a try - but be prepared to be underwhelmed. Otherwise spend a little more and have a spectacular breakfast at the Ugly Mug Diner on Washington Street instead.

    (2)

  • Melanie P.

    I went with my boyfriend on a Sunday morning 11am. it was very busying, which was expected. we didn't wait long to be seated but we waited 15 minutes before anyone came over to ask if we wanted anything to drink. we saw two waitress standing around, we understood maybe we weren't in their section, but it was just bad customer service. the food was pretty good and came out on a timely manner but the waitress also had dirty finger nails. and he had food on his fork, which was also disgusting. it was just not hygienic. she gave us the check the same time we got our meal, so we did feel rushed. it was good food and decent pricing, but the wait for just drinks and her dirty nails really was off putting to us. if you can get past it, you'll enjoy it. but we probably would check out reds cafe up the street before we go back there again.

    (2)

  • Joel S.

    Great prices, outstanding selection and cute place! I walked in to get change for a meter and the cashier was very friendly. That mattered. Beyond it being a busy little cafe (which I couldn't tell from the street), their friendliness when I wasn't even buying anything influenced us to stop back for lunch later. We had the beer battered haddock sandwich. The haddock was outstanding and the portions were large enough for us to split! Bun and fries left much to be desired. Service was lacking-drinks were only refilled after they were dry and we asked for more. Food came out within minutes after ordering.

    (4)

  • Melissa N.

    My husband ordered the frisbee-sized and very yummy pancakes, but after taking one bite of my Corned Beef Hash Eggs Benedict, he was lost to me. Seriously - the bliss on his face was embarrassing to see in public! Red's is hands-down the best food we've had since moving here. Deceptively simple, huge portions, low prices and everything was comfort food dipped in crack. Really, really good crack!! We will be back...over and over again.

    (5)

  • Carly B.

    Cheeeep breakfast and very fast too. I think we were in an out in about 45 minutes. Get a spot at the counter to bypass the awkward wait in the not-really-a-waiting-area waiting area. Then you get a good view of these guys slinging up plates and plates of pancakes and omeletes. I had a veggie omelete and it was filled with surprisingly fresh veggies (including not-from-a-can mushrooms). The omelete came with a hearty heap of home fries and choice of toast. At under $6, it's a steal. The building is super historic as well, housing the Old London Coffee House in the 1700s. It's in the main, downtown, touristy area of Salem and there's ample parking nearby. Because it was a Sunday, meters were free. Park once and and then soak in all of the historic sights that Salem has to offer.

    (4)

  • Justin M.

    First off, the place is cash only. Totally fine but I think it is good to out that important detail out there for those who might come by. I have heard a few people rave about the place but I wasn't too impressed. Everyone goes crazy for the portions. They are indeed large but I don't care if I eat the biggest breakfast. I want the best. This is not it. I had an omelette. It was a good size but looked like no effort was put in. Basically a giant thin square of scrambled eggs folded over a couple kraft singles and a big piece of ham. The home fries were overcooked and turned to mush. Toast was all burnt and the pancake was just not very tasty. Also a single coffe was as expensive as three juices. Service was very good and friendly, though. This is one of the only places in town for breakfast, I imagine, so if you have an appetite and don't care about food, this is a great choice. Otherwise have breakfast at home before coming to visit.

    (2)

  • Marjoline F.

    I was anticipating a restaurant with a wide selection of sandwiches but it is actually just a diner. The portions are gigantic and the prices are pretty low. We sat at the counter where we can see the chefs cooking. It probably wasn't the best seat but we were able to see all the different dishes-- the pancakes are about 10 inches wide! The wait staff was also very nice.

    (4)

  • Tim R.

    I have been eating at Red's for several years now and still in love. Great food, huge portions, lovely waitresses. You will not be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Alfred F.

    Two things are guaranteed at Red's...a wait for a table, and a full belly. We've gone here for breakfast most every time we've visited our friends in the Boston area. The wait is not because there is too few tables...it's just that busy, especially for breakfast. This particualr time we were seated within 10 minutes, although we would, and have, waitied longer than 30. A couple of things hit your senses immediately...the smell of fresh-brewed coffee...the sight of a mountain of home fries on the grill...the clatter of plates coming and going. The one thing you do not see is any waitress standing around chatting. They are much too busy. This is not the place for someone to pick up a few dollars waiting on tables between college semesters, these folks are professionals, making every second, motion, and fingertip count. In my younger days I might have considered working here... On to the food. Besides Mount Homefry, the other breakfast dish they are famous for is their pancakes...or rather, pancake. One of these flappers overhangs on the large plates from every edge. It is a challenge to eat one, almost impossible to eat two. I asked our waitress what was the largest stack she could remember serving, and she said four, although she wasn't sure the guy finished them. In this case, I shared the single with my wife. It was the perfect accompaniment to "Red's All-meat Omelet," a three-to-four egger with more than a half lb. of meat inside. Not sure what they all were, but I know it had ham, keilbasi, pastrami, brisket, bacon (two whole slices), tender tips, and sausage. The plate also came with about a pound of Mount Homefry, and toast. The waitress showed her ability and serving skills by coming to the table only to refill drinks,and one follow-up to make sure everything was OK. It's amazing to think that she gives the perfect level of attention to each group she takes care of. After we were done, we waled around Salem for about an hour...not necessarily to tour the shoppes and attractions, but just to make sure we could fit into the van! Bravo Red's...dontcha ever change!

    (4)

  • Heather S.

    Love this place! I only wish it wasn't always so crowded...

    (5)

  • Bill G.

    Landmark in Salem for breakfast: good food, coffee and service.

    (5)

  • Melissa A.

    Very good experience. Lovely people and the waitress was very nice. Never seen such a big pancake. Food was awesome.

    (4)

  • Kyle L.

    This place isn't bad you know, it's an old timey diner where the waiter could know your name. Lots of veterans come here to sit, talk to each other and drink their coffee. The foods great too, I usually get scrambled eggs sausage bacon and white toast. Their eggs are well cooked all the same with their meats. And they definitely know how to keep a reasonable price.

    (5)

  • Sarah W.

    Sounds like a deli, right? WRONG! It's a diner! The kind of family-owned and operated diner that locals go to. It's diner food, which means it's not fancy, but it's delicious and cheap. Tip: If you're going on the weekend for breakfast, for the love of cinnamon french toast... GO EARLY. We were in at 9:15 with no line, but when we walked out around 10:15, there was a line out the door and along the building.

    (5)

  • Christina N.

    I can't rave enough about Reds!! My husband and I visited Salem from out of town this past October, and from all the great reviews I had read about this place, I knew we had to stop in here. It was peak season for Salem, so when we went in for breakfast, the line was out the door for a table. Since it was just the two of us, we ended up getting seated quickly, and our waitress was great. Very attentive and delightful. The breakfast menu is huge, so there's plenty of selection - I ordered the blueberry French toast, and the portion size was enormous. Delicious coffee, too. As a note, they only accept cash here. There is however an ATM machine inside the building.

    (5)

  • Janice R.

    Have been many times, but other breakfasts in neighborhood are tastier and better. They do give big portions, but banana pancakes are very bland. Where are the bananas? Tried it twice. Home fries edges are burned. I have picked around them to see which are edible. The coffee seems acidic, so needs a lot of sugar and cream. If I can drink a coffee black and it tastes good, that's a good coffee. I tried bran muffins twice. The first time it was very good, but the second time it didn't seem cooked all the way through. I have not tried lunch here. I do like the service at Red's! Waitresses and cashiers are really nice! They have made me want to come back because they are so nice, and seem like really hard workers. Quality rather than quantity should really be the focus with the food. I hope things change for the better.

    (3)

  • Derek B.

    Red's is enjoyable in a "well this is rather uncomfortable" sort of way. Sometimes the staff is aggressive, sometimes it's hot inside, sometimes the eggs are burnt. One time it was 95 degrees outside, I asked for a recommendation, and the waitress recommended the Thanksgiving Dinner. Okay. Whatever, it's some sort of low rent proletariat diner, but it's really good at being a low rent proletariat diner. I mean, it has an almost fictional quality to it. Uncanny, sublime, something like that. What is this--the 50s? 60s? Probably not the 70s, but maybe the 40s. I don't know, I was born in the 90s. I like this place.

    (4)

  • Rose C.

    I liked this place. It was nice and quaint. The waitress was sweet and efficient. Breakfast was good but not great. I mean it was just an ordinary breakfast and the prices were a bit high for what they were offering. When we got the check, we were like, 'whoa'. They need to become slightly more reasonable but hey, the place was packed and there was a line at the door so it's evidently not hurting them. I definitely plan on returning to Salem because I loved it and my family loved it and I might even return to Red's but I might be there more often if the prices were not so high. If they aren't going to lower them at all, then the breakfast has to go up a notch.

    (3)

  • Chris G.

    So Red's is Classic American breakfast defined. Nothing fancy. No unexpected flavors or surprises. But that's not a criticism. It is solid delivery on breakfast and then some. Portions are enormous. Staff is friendly. And food is good. If you find yourself in Salem and wanting breakfast - here's your spot. No fancy dishes - just awesome American breakfast goodness. HEADS UP - cash only. So grab some before you come.

    (4)

  • Susan V.

    The best breakfast we have had in our travels. We headed to Salem and thought we would get breakfast. What a great find. Everything is so fresh. Everything is prepared to perfection. The value for your money is great. We ordered French toast, bacon , eggs Benedict and basic eggs and potatoes. The dark eye toast was fabulous.We had breakfast and if lunch is anything like breakfast you will not be disappointed. Try this restaurant your taste buds will be happy.

    (5)

  • Ninihada C.

    Cheap, delicious food. I had baked haddock and veggies. Good service, casual atmosphere. Avoid weekend mornings, its crazy.

    (4)

  • Lena M.

    I LOVE Red's! Everytime I vacation in Salem, we eat there every morning! Everything I've tried is good and the prices are very reasonable. The daily specials offer a lot of variety and you get a lot of food for the money. I can't wait to visit again!

    (5)

  • Tina J.

    Huge breakfast at a small price. Blueberry pancake was $4.75 and bigger than a dinner plate. Bacon and eggs were Also very good and great value.

    (4)

  • Andrew S.

    Randomly chose this place for breakfast. Everything coming out looked fantastic. Decided to go with eggs and hash. Hash was perfect. Reasonably priced, great service, and looks kid friendly. Will definitely bring the family back.

    (5)

  • Jill F.

    This place was fantastic!! On a side street right off of Essex street in a cute old house and was very cozy inside. Their pancakes are tremendous!! Only order one!!! And their steak omelet was the best me and my boyfriend had ever had. Prices are so reasonable that we actually came back for dinner that was also pretty good! Nothing but good things about this place - and the restaurant which I believe is reds tavern, located in Peabody right outside of Salem. It was more of restaurant style than this place, which is straight up home style diner cooking. Both places are fabulous, defiantly put on your to do list when in Salem!!

    (5)

  • Kristine A.

    I went to this place which is apparently super popular to the point of having to wait outside. I thought it would be worth the wait, but it really wasn't. I was not that impressed, except for the pancake you get that is bigger than the plate & your head. No, seriously, it is that big & I couldn't even finish it. It just wasn't that good though, really had no flavor to it & I had added fruit so it would taste yummy but no such luck. I think it was ok, nothing worth standing outside for though. We waited to get served & of course after looking at the menu while waiting already knew what we wanted. No need to give us menus & make us wait even longer. I guess up to you on whether worth taking a chance or not.

    (3)

  • Less H.

    This place is the antidote to a diet. Huge portions of delicious food. Try the hash eggs benedict. They make their own hollandaise sauce and hash. The waitstaff is great and food is served fast. The place is hot, like sauna hot. The food is amazing and worth sweating off a few pounds.

    (4)

  • Babygirl N.

    This place is beyond amazing. Portions are larger than any other diner I've ever been to and the prices are better than reasonable. Our server was personable yet professional and was on top of her game, refilling my coffee 3 times in the 35 minutes we were there. Clearly the owners care because 1)she has worked there for 11 years...that in itself is a miracle for the industry and 2)all the guest were clearly regulars chatting with each other and making jokes from across the room. I ordered 2 of the blueberry pancakes and my boyfriend ordered the lobster cakes eggs benedict. The pancakes cost $5.75 and they were the size of frisbes. The lobster cakes were $10.95 and came with home fries. The cakes were literally ALL lobster and the size of hamburger patties, the eggs were perfect and the hollandaise was the best either of us ever had. We waited less than 2 minutes to be seated, under 30 seconds for our server to greet us, and under 5 minutes to get our food. Eating the actual food was the longest part of our visit. This was the best place I've been to in the 3 years I've lived in Salem and I highly recommend it to ANYONE and EVERYONE who likes great food at crazy cheap prices, friendly funny staff/clientele and fast yet precise service.

    (5)

  • Samantha E.

    I was in Salem recently with my sister and aunt and we decided to try Red's for lunch on the recommendation of a local shop keeper. Wow! The first thing I saw was a pancake go by and this thing was so huge it was hanging off the platter!!! My sister ordered the meatloaf and my aunt and I ordered the chicken pot pie. When the waitress brought our food I was shocked at the portions. I'm used to large portions but these were gargantuan!!! The review for the meatloaf was a rousing thumbs up and the chicken pot pie, well, I don't think I'll ever find another that good! It was loaded with chicken and veggies in a delicious gravy and topped with a large piece of puff pastry. It even came with mashed potatoes and gravy. I would give 10 stars if I could. Atmosphere is homey, service is top notch, and I will definitely be going back!!!

    (5)

  • Sharon B.

    Great food, great service, great prices! I enjoy eating there everytime I visit salem. They give you big portions at reasonable prices. The staff and the other patrons are always very friendly. Will eat there again. I've had breakfast and their sandwiches for lunch.

    (5)

  • A M.

    Horrible. They either gave me the wrong order, or got my order wrong. I work down the street, and have an allotted time for lunch - I did not have time to return my sandwich. So I threw it away and ate the soggy fries. $10 bucks for soggy fries. I'm starving. Never going back. So disappointed.

    (1)

  • Sherlyn D.

    I loved Reds. The GIANT pancakes and MOUNTAINS of homefries was a dream!! The place is SUPER crowded but a cute little experience. Wasn't thrilled to sit at the counter but turned out to be really fun to watch the cooks run around. Great food.

    (4)

  • WD A.

    This is by and far a neighborhood MUST VISIT morning food stop on your list of places to frequent! Red's delicious offerings are just that DELICIOUS! This is the place where the local's go to eat in the morning for a reason! Their omelet's are magnificent, and their hash browns and sour dough toast accompanying the egg-cellent dish is just great! Pancakes anyone? Gigantic and sure to fill the hunger of anyone! You have to try this place! - WD Allan (Psychic to the Souls!)

    (5)

  • Michael F.

    This place is a must if you are visiting the area. I can see why they won best breakfast 27 years in a row. We went on a Wednesday morning and was seated promptly. The place was busy but no wait. We had the Cinnamon French Toast with a side of sausage and a cheese omelette with home fries. We had a side order of sausage links and a fruit bowl. We wanted the blueberry French Toast but that was gone already. The fruit bowl was strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. Get it....red white and blue. Needless to say, the meal was delicious and the portions were more than generous. The prices were great. The service was friendly, warm, and very good. The coffee was tasty as well. We even bought a couple of souvenir mugs for home. Once again, this place is a must. You won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Dave P.

    Really solid diner with great breakfast selections. Service was great and the prices seemed like they were from the 80s, so cheap! Lots of seating and families.

    (4)

  • Michael R.

    Second time here, place does not disappoint! It's first come, cash only, service is fast like we'd all like from a joint like this...and the staff is super nice! I had the Monte Christo, turkey is the real deal sliced off a breast, ham too...no deli nitrates here!

    (5)

  • Genevieve B.

    Whoa! Their menu is serious! There are so many options and it's rediculously cheap. I came here with a group and we ordered a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner options. If I remember correctly, 10 of us ate for under $80 bucks! Say what?!?!?! And the portions are huge! I ordered the chicken alfredo pasta dish, which honestly lacked seasoning, but it was so cheap that I couldn't even complain. If I ever come back, I think I'll stick to the breakfast items. Nonetheless, this place is a no frills diner, with cheapest prices ever....

    (4)

  • Meredith M.

    You really can't go wrong here with ANYTHING! Personally, the pancakes, waffles, omelets, coffee and hot chocolate are all delicious. This is a great place for small to medium sized groups. I wouldn't come here with more than 5 people though. It's a busy, packed place on the weekends. Even if you have to wait fifteen minutes, it's worth the wait. Come here for a delicious downtown Salem breakfast/ brunch!

    (5)

  • John C.

    A Salem Classic and a must. A good sized meal for little. Get there early if you go on the weekend. There is often line out the door. Them good is traditional and excellent prepared.

    (5)

  • Leila C.

    Great place 4 big breakfast that hits the spot! Hash & eggs + a grilled bagel - perfect. Avoid the line & grab a seat at the counter.

    (4)

  • Melissa W.

    We sat at the counter for lunch... the waitress was very friendly and the service was super quick. I had the shepherds pie which was a little scorched on top, but still delicious underneath all that mashed potato goodness. We wanted to go back for breakfast the next day since it was near our hotel, but the line was out the door on a very chilly day. we'll be back, though.

    (4)

  • Nick B.

    No matter where I go for breakfast I always compare it to Reds and it usually falls short. Reds is fast, cheap, and great breakfast. I can't comment on anything other than breakfast there, but I've never had a bad experience. I can't recommend this place enough.

    (5)

  • Lara L.

    Holy crap this place is so good! It's a no frills type diner serving all the classics. I had a cheese and tomato omelet with home fries, toast, a fruit cup and coffee. My husband ordered French toast and bacon. We also split an order of hash. Well, we were kind of just splitting everything, noshing at our table like gluttonous animals. But neither of us had ever had corned beef hash before so that was the stand out of our enormous order. And goodness, was it something wonderful indeed. And the rest was just as perfect. Fruit cup had fresh, colorful fruit. Omelet was huge and fluffy and overflowing with tomatoes. Home fries were more like big seasoned potato wedges. Crispy, eggy Cinnamon French toast doused in syrup and thick, greasy bacon. Need I say more? We dined in for a late breakfast, but I noticed some delicious sounding lunch and dinner selections on the menu. Oh, and beer and wine served all day. No lie. Sadly I'm no longer in Salem but I am absolutely coming back soon- to Salem and to breakfast (and lunch and dinner) at Red's.

    (5)

  • Mallory S.

    This review is for breakfast. Red's wasn't bad, but it just wasn't a place that I would be dying to return to. It's cheap, greasy, and semi-homemade diner food. We went early in the morning (9ish) on Saturday so it wasn't crowded yet. The decor is like your grandmother's house when you were younger - wallpaper, fake plants and wood paneling galore. They have a lot of long-time customer and the service was friendly. I prefer the Driftwood if I'm comparing old diners on the North Shore. I would still like to try their lunch/subs.

    (2)

  • Lauren T.

    This place is wonderful! Excellent food and service in a cozy atmosphere. The prices here are very reasonable as well. I had the half crab sandwich (real crab, not imitation) and a cup of seafood chowder. The sandwich was so simple, but very delicious. While the soup could have been hotter (stove hot), it was packed with an assortment of different seafood. It was a good variety in a small cup.

    (5)

  • Cassanda C.

    With all the good reviews, which made me choose this place for a quick lunch, I'm surprised that I did not have a very good experience. I ordered a Monte Cristo sandwich, which came with fries. Price was fine, but my sandwich was completely soggy and pretty gross. I couldn't finish it. The fries were ok. The inside of the restaurant is kind of grungy. I don't recommend this place.

    (3)

  • Tom F.

    The good: great location, character, nice waitstaff. The bad: the food is truly mediocre and over-rated by some here. Still, a decent breakfast spot... If you're okay with tasteless coffee, OJ from a can, and your typical diner fare. Bring cash, they don't take credit cards.

    (2)

  • Jim M.

    Was worried that this would be too touristy, but was pleasantly surprised to see this filled with locals AND have food that lives up to the hype. I had the Lobster Cake Benedict which was UNREAL! My wife had a Banana Pancake as big as a small child (seriously, folks, just order 1). Great, homestyle, service and decent prices make this a must visit in Salem.

    (4)

  • Andrew H.

    Red's is a mom/pop style diner with a heckuvalotta options and good portions for growing boys. I had eggs benedict for brunch as well as a gigantic pancake and grapefruit juice. I enjoyed every bite :-). On weekends there's often a large line and can take awhile to get in if you don't want a seat at the "bar." It doesn't supply the same warm fuzzy feeling you get when your girlfriend makes the same thing, possibly because diners use too much salt and oil, but the service is friendly had helpful, the atmosphere is nice and conservative, and the food is great. I'm definitely biased by the fact that my girlfriend's roommate loves this place, so if she loves it, I hope you will too :-). The only reason i rate this a 3, is because the food isn't really "quality." It's really quick food that you'll find at any diner across the USA, and it's fairly expensive.

    (3)

  • David O.

    A good cup of coffee, very good hash browns, and a great egg sandwich. The staff was friendly and our waitress had a nice sense of humor. I will return!

    (4)

  • Tanya M.

    great service and great food. definitely what you'd expect of a diner.

    (5)

  • Marsha F.

    Red's is the best! For locals and visitors. The food is great and the service is impeccable. Whether you're on your own or with a group, the staff will take care of you. They have an old style counter (where most of the locals hang out) as well as plenty of room for you and your party at a table or booth. The thing I love the most about Reds is the lunch specials, which are of the gourmet variety, and change every day. So interesting, yummy and priced right. You're never gonna break the bank there regardless of whether you're having breakfast or lunch. So go there if you're in Downtown Salem! You won't regret it. And, your stomache (and friends) will thank you for it.

    (4)

  • Kells C.

    Coffee is delicious. The portions are massive especially for pancakes. The prices are reasonable. My boyfriend an I split 2 blueberry pancakes, a side of bacon and 2 coffees for under $10 We have bringig our 6 month old daughter here since she was 8 weeks and her noise gets drowned out in the crowd, and all the waitresses come over to say hi. Reds is friendly, fast and affordable!!!!

    (4)

  • Dale N.

    Scary - but delicious. I met friends here for breakfast and I had no idea what to expect. I arrived first and when I walked in the door I received a military style welcome. How many - are they all here - please wait along the side. Professional, yes, friendly, not in a conventional way. Although the place was mobbed, a table opened up fairly quickly. We were seated and a friendlier waitress came and brought drinks. The menu is pretty big and has just about anything you could ever want for breakfast. I ordered a pancake - yes one. I was wondering if that would be enough to eat, but oh man, this pancake was bigger than my plate! It was huge and fluffy and very very good. The bacon was a little undercooked, but still delicious. I'd order it well done the next time. The coffee, for what it's worth, was drinkable but not up to coffeehouse standards. When the check came, I had no idea how to read the slip. I brought it up for the register (cash only!) and was happily surprised when I was under $40 for the four of us. Once you get past the rough exterior (which honestly isn't that rough) this place really is a gem. It's not very close to me, but I'll be back sometime, just to say I ate a pancake bigger than a plate!

    (4)

  • J Z.

    TRANS FAT CENTRAL This place is a health disaster. Their Benedict sauce is made with margarine, they cook with trans fat and serve margarine on the toast! Holy cow, it's 2010 already, don't they know how toxic ( and tasteless) that stuff is? Otherwise, a greasy spoon diner. Not sure why it gets so many stars except for the mega- portions. The average person eating here is pale, obese and sickly looking, ready for that trip to the ER with chest pain. I searched in vain for a healthy breakfast here and finally just got the fruit cup. The fruit cup was made with frozen blueberries- yuk.

    (1)

  • Sean B.

    "Salem's Best Kept Secret--and my FAVORITE place to eat in Salem, MA!" Ah, Red's! It's called "Salem's Best Kept Secret" where the locals eat--for a good reason! The FOOD! Red's has an extensive menu with daily specials that will not dissappoint. The portions are HUGE, the prices are TINY. You can see for yourself on their website. redssandwichshop.com The quality of food and service is off the charts. When you're at Red's you're home and treated like family by a relaxed, friendly, and efficient staff. I have been visiting Salem on and off for Halloween since 1995 and have NEVER had a bad experience at Red's. I even see the same cooks and servers there since my first visit. Whenever I visit, after I drop my bags in my room, I make a beeline to Red's. Its the perfect place for breakfast on a cool Autumn morning or for lunch. The dining area is always warm and cozy. Bathrooms are ALWAYS clean. On weekends there may be a line to get in, but If its just you (party of 1 or 2), you can by pass the line and sit at the counter....if there's room. Insider's Tip: Red's isn't open ALL DAY. They close in the afternoon. So if you're a late riser or just tend to move slow, keep that in mind or you'll miss out. During my last visits during October 2011, RED'S was open Mon-Sat 5AM-3PM, Sun 6AM-1PM. Be sure to check their website for current buisness hours. You can also find them on Facebook. Ah, Red's...how I love you! I WILL be back every time I visit Salem, MA! ENJOY!

    (5)

  • Sherie B.

    Red's was recommended to us by a local fan and we are so glad we went. The omelet I had (Steak Bomb), was the best omelet I have ever had. Everyone in my party enjoyed their breakfast. Very friendly service, good food, casual atmosphere made for a great experience. We will be back!

    (4)

  • A L.

    Red's was recommended by a friend. Food was really good! Large portion sizes. Very filling, we left the restaurant full. On the food only, I would give it five stars. The issue was that the bill was handwritten, sort of illegible. Then, we went to the register to pay. Guess what? It's cash-only. Nowhere is this posted. I didn't have cash, just a debit card. They have a privately-owned ATM. You want cash? $2 surcharge. I wish the ATM was down, then legally I could've gotten a free meal, although I don't want to stick it to them. If only they would clearly post CASH ONLY, NO CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS, they would have got 5 stars. I told YiaYia who waited on me, she was sweet and friendly, but seemed to not get it when I mentioned they need to clearly post that it's CASH ONLY. Bottom line: bring your appetite and CASH ONLY!

    (3)

  • Toni M.

    If you haven't had breakfast here before then you are seriously missing out. Hands down best breakfast ever. Weekdays you can easily get a table at any time. On weekends after 10am plan on standing in a line out the door. The line usually moves pretty fast. I don't usually get lunch here (never had a sandwich here, even though it's in their name) but I always get breakfast. The pancakes are enormous and take up an entire plate. One pancake= about three regular sized pancakes. The cinnamon french toast special is awesome too! I always get a Veggie and Feta Cheese omelette which, of course, comes with toast and home fries. Mmmm.. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Stop by here if you're ever in Salem and if you live in the North Shore and still haven't been then get up off that lazy bum and get some scrumptious breakfast. The menu is huge.

    (5)

  • Lianna D.

    I've only been there for breakfast but, YUM! The portions are generous with cheap prices (the muffins are huge!). The waitstaff is very friendly with their customers and each other. It has a great family/small-town neighborhood vibe to it. I highly recommend it!

    (5)

  • D'dra O.

    REAL hollandaise sauce! GREAT service!!!! 'nuf said. : )

    (5)

  • Megan S.

    I was very disappointed after reading all the great reviews of Red's. They food was very greasy and was lacking flavor. I had the crab cakes, not enough crab and were very small. A table mate had eggplant parmesan, also said it was lacking flavor. With the grill in the dinning room a lot of smoke got into the dining area. Having breathing problems I left coughing and disappointed in the food. I would only go back to try breakfast but I would never try anything else there.

    (2)

  • Linh V.

    Wow. Amazing pancakes! I usually don't go for pancakes. I'm more of a french toast/waffle/crepe type of person, but those blueberries were just calling out to me! Our waitress was nice, and informative about the sizing of each dish, and also was quick to solve a vent problem. I would have ordered way too many pancakes! I ended up eating about half of my pancake, which was hanging over my plate! It is definitely a different type of pancake, nice and thick, and the fruit was fresh. Thanking my friends for bringing us here. Will definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Divie E.

    For what this place was, it deserves at least 7 stars. The food was home cooked style yet creative; the waitress was friendly, my family and I had no complaints! The restaurant had an eclectic home feel and was in a historic home in Salem; it was also quite clean. Now, with the food, where to begin... Course one was the cantaloupe mango soup. Really creative and definitely a success! I also tasted the seafood chowder, which was hearty and loaded with flavor. Top with delicious oyster crackers and you can't go wrong! For the main dish, I ate half an order of the seafood pie. Yummy! Loaded with shrimp and scallops, topped with cracker crumbs and butter - yum!! We got a side of mashed potatoes (plus French fries accidentally), and both were great! The veggies were also perfectly cooked and fresh in a butter sauce. Other family members had the meatloaf and the freshly grilled salmon with rice pilaf. Not one complaint, or one crumb remained. If the food wasn't good enough, the price made it taste even better. Each meal is enough for almost two people and a family of five can eat for under $50- unheard of! I would highly recommend this for any family-style affair. It's not fine dining (which I also love) but it's great feasting! I would definitely pass through to eat here again!

    (5)

  • Kelly D.

    Upon arrival in Salem, our innkeeper directed us to Reds for a late breakfast / early lunch. We were lucky enough to get a table after a brief wait. The staff were friendly and helpful. My husband had the chicken club sandwich and I had the chicken pot pie. Both were delicious and the portions were generous. Definitely on the 'return to' list.

    (4)

  • Morgan D.

    Let me preface this by stating: I absolutely ADORE Salem. I want to go back in October for a pumpkin-tini!! After searching for the perfect place for a Sunday breakfast, we finallllly settled on this place. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted by numerous awards in 'Best Breakfast' spot for about every year...for the past 20 years! This place was great....the waitress kept the coffee flowing and we all left super full! Success!

    (4)

  • Laurie B.

    The seafood chowder was excellent! I thought the lobster was good but it was first time I've ever had one so nothing to compare it to. I also ordered the half portion of Mac and cheese for my toddler. It was huge, I think I have a weeks worth of Mac and cheese. It was also mediocre but I'm used to southern Mac n cheese which this was nothing like. My mom has the pot pie which was also very good. I thought the interior was a bit dated but at least I didn't stick to the table. Also it's cash only, but there is an ATM onsite.

    (4)

  • Nicole R.

    My husband had the fresh vegetable omelet, and I had the all meat omelet. We both loved them!! The steak in mine was cooked PERFECTLY. It was also a lot of food for the price. The service was friendly and prompt. We were so happy we found the place. It may have been the best omelet I've ever had. The home fries were good too. The toast was a little darker than I like but wasn't bad by any means. Great place!!!

    (5)

  • Dan C.

    Wow!! Talk about bang for the buck!! This place is awesome :)

    (5)

  • Amy F.

    Really good food, huge portions, excellent price, very cute place. Everyone except our waitress was very friendly. Definitely a great starting point for a walk around Salem.

    (4)

  • Alex W.

    If you're looking for pancakes the size of a small child, look no further. Although I cannot comment on the lunch menu, Reds is my number once choice for breakfast in Salem. What looks small and cramped from the outside turns into a pair of large dinning rooms once you cross the threshold. One of the only major drawbacks for me is how hectic the place can get during prime breakfast hours, which can lead to a long wait for a table. That being said, if you survive the wait, it is well worth it. Portions are huge and prices very reasonable for the quality and service. Although they don't shy too far away from classic breakfast options such as meat and eggs, pancakes, and fluffy waffles, what they do they do well and have done so for decades. It is an established spot nestled in downtown Salem and is always the first choice of my group of friends when looking for a sit down breakfast experience.

    (4)

  • Chan C.

    Fantastic breakfast and the price is great for the huge amount of delicious food you get!

    (5)

  • Dougie B.

    A visit to Red's is a fantastic way to start your day. Enormous pancakes, delicious omelettes, and great corned beef hash all at reasonable prices. They don't accept credit cards, but they do have an ATM in the event of a cash emergency.

    (5)

  • Dan G.

    So excited to visit here and it was our first stop in Salem after dropping off our bags. It was packed, even on a rainy Wednesday around 1pm. We had the Monte Cristo sandwich (good, but not stellar), and country chicken chowder (awesome), bagel (more later), and the turkey cranberry stuffing sandwich (good). We ordered the bagel on a whim after seeing the awards for North Shore best bagel in the waiting area, and no we see why. They griddle their bagels in what must be gobs of crazy good butter and you get this nice crusty golden brown bagel that's warm and soft and perfectly cooked. Our service was really good the whole time. It's even more amazing since our server just had a couple of people stiff her on the bill and bolt out the door. She was cheerful non the less and all our food came out quickly. Red's isn't going to get you the absolute best food you've ever had, but you will have some damned good food at amazing prices with a unique feel that's hard to find. Definitely stop by for at least quick bite if you're ever in Salem! Cheap and good. Hood service

    (4)

  • Jayde B.

    Stopped by because we need a quick hot lunch. Oh boy did we get that! I ordered the Ruben - instead of bread, they used french toast! It was awesome. The fries were delicious and plentiful! I watched them make a Mickey Mouse pancake for a child - it was three times bigger than the child - but looked awesome. Their menu cannot disappoint anyone - it is huge and they have amazing specials daily. I imagine we hit it at just the right time because it started to pretty busy by the time we were leaving. I did notice they have a area to wait in line for the busy times! It must move pretty fast because there is a lot of seating inside. Prices super low (especially for Salem!) and the service is your old-fashioned crass with a smile dinner style.

    (4)

  • Helen M.

    Great cinnamon French toast,,,good coffee, friendly wait staff, fast service,,,can have a long wait time, got there about 8:45 Sunday morning, no waiting, by the time we left, there was a line out the door,,,

    (4)

  • Kathleen H.

    The coffee was good. And strong. I'm a little jj jj jj ittery as I write this, because the very friendly waitress kept my cup full and hot. I had Irish Benedict Florentine: sausage patties instead of Canadian bacon, with spinach. It was very good, and the hollandaise sauce was great. My friend had a bacon and cheese omelette which was also delicious.. The bacon was clearly nice and crispy before they put it in. Cheap - huge omelette, w/homefries and a bagel, OJ, bottomless coffee, my version of eggs benedict, huge pile of home fries - $19. The room decor leaves something to be desired. Weird green stripey wallpaper. . a little dark and. . weird. But when you're gabbing and eating yummy breakfast you don't notice too much. Good diner food, great service - I'll definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Conrad C.

    Wifey, Bro, Viper (Bro's girlfriend), and I went here on a Sunday at noon. Wifey and I had already eaten breakfast, so we were hoping for lunch. When we ordered, we were told they only served breakfast on Sundays. Setting aside the name of this restaurant, nothing on the menu says that this is the case. Anyway I didn't downgrade my review because of this, but it was a little crappy of them. I got their signature steak omelette (can't remember the name). It was quite good. Wifey got a Western omelette which she liked also. These weren't the best omelettes ever but they did the job.

    (3)

  • Lynn P.

    Always crowded on weekends but the line moves fast! Food comes out quickly after putting in your order and it is delicious and simple. Mmm..Irish Egg Benedict! The hollandaise is less of an emulsion than it is just egg yolks but good nonetheless. They also have $6.95 deals daily that I really want to try (but they close after lunch so it's hard to get to). The deals are updated on their facebook page and include some unbelievable items: roast leg of lamb, grilled salmon or mahi mahi for under $7??

    (4)

  • Krista K.

    Awesome selection, great soup!

    (5)

  • Eric S.

    Look, if I eat somewhere and like it, it tends to get either 4 or 5 stars because no 2 places are alike and Red's is truly a breakfast/lunch place unto itself. First, it's nestled into a sidestreet that borders the walking-only, shop-dotted, portion of Salem's touristy Essex St. So, it's not a busy traffic area but there's always plenty of people milling about which has kind of a nice feel to it. The meters are only 1 hour max so keep an eye on that. The front door, a veritable fire code violation, opens INWARDLY. If there's a fire and the donkey at the front of the mad rush doesn't get to pull the door towards him, or her, you're all going to pile up against the front door and die. Lovely beginning, huh? ;) That being said, the moment you open the door, you are hit with a wave of mingled food smells that say one thing, "GET READY TO WOLF SOME FOOD DOWN!" Yeah, it looks like they've had the carpet and furniture since 1960 but that's part of the appeal, actually. They've got a big countertop surrounding the grill and plenty of seating across 2 dining areas so, despite it's popularity, I've never seen a wait. The food is just typical American/Italian decadent food and every day there are like a half dozen super specials for around $6.50. Today, I had the following: 1. Shrimp; Scallops, CRAWFISH!, Clams over angel hair pasta with tomatoes and scampi-style. Absolute heaven! Five-star? How the hell would I know? I just love good food and lots of it so this was awesome! The seafood items were of the smaller size but they were plentiful, and the pasta was cooked to perfection. The scampi was so tasty and had just the right amount of garlic for a garlic lover. ;) (See pic); 2. Macaroni & Cheese, half-portion. Half portion? This was my USUAL portion and I can eat! Again, the pasta was cooked just right and the cheese, to me, was so delicious. It's not the kind of cheese you get with boxed Mac&Cheese; it's more like "fondue" consistency it really did justice to the "Cheese" in "Mac & Cheese" (see pic of my empty plate for portion size); 3. Key-Lime Pudding. Ehhhhhh, I'm pretty forgiving but this coulda used some help. First, keylime pie ANYTHING is supposed to be GREEN but this, I told the waitress, more closely resembled, Monkey poo because it was yellowish and looked like banana mush with whipped cream on top. As for the taste, it DID have a key-lime pie-LIKE taste to it but it was just a little too tart and seemingly artificial. That didn't stop me from pounding it into my gullet. As for breakfast, I've had it here before and every possible decadent breakfast you could want should be here. And they don't skimp; they cook to stuff. And, along with your breakfast, if you're the type, you can suck down a nice Sam Adams beer and scratch some lottery tickets from the Mass Lottery Machine if that's your thing! Again, the decor ain't hot; and, as a timeless fixture, it shouldn't, and doesn't, need to be. But the food is... on a lazy, hungry day, head on over to Red's and PREPARE TO GET YOUR FOOD ON!!!!

    (5)

  • Kevin S.

    What's not to love about Reds? Their turkey sandwich with stuffing and cranberry sauce and the corned beef hash are my two favorite meals here!! Definitely a staple for Salem and an amazing comfort food treat! Please note - cash only.

    (5)

  • Howard D.

    Awesome breakfast. This is my type of restaurant. Hole-in-wall diner feel. The cooks are skilled and fast, and service is friendly. I wish there was a Reds in Columbus, Ohio.

    (4)

  • Sarah L.

    If you have not been to Red's you need to GO...and NOW!!! It is amazing. They have the best breakfast ever. I have never been there for lunch, but I hear it is just as good. There is always a line, so don't be discouraged when you get there. It relatively fast moving and well worth the wait (it's only going to be a 20 minute wait tops). The waitresses are all very outgoing and friendly, and you never have to wait for refills, and the food gets to your table quickly! I recommend the pancakes because they are the biggest you will ever see (and the tastiest)! The omlettes are to die for and the Belgian Waffles...well those can't even be described in words! I go fairly often, and whenever I bring a new friend they want to kill me for not bringing them sooner!

    (5)

  • Mike M.

    Old SSC hangout...Large portions, great quality, wonderful soaking up a night of fun! A perfect little New England diner!

    (5)

  • Jon T.

    Came for lunch. I had the steak bomb which was pretty reasonable for a diner. My wife had a Monte Cristo and it was horribly made. Super greasy and no good at all. 3 stars for the steak and 1for monte cristo, thus the 2 stars. Totally awesome prices though.

    (2)

  • Rachel E.

    Eh, I wouldn't come back. I was tricked into going by the rave reviews on Yelp for this place, but really, it was COMPLETELY overrated. Service was pleasant but decor made me feel like I was in the lobby of a Travelodge. I was disappointed to walk in and see carpets, office ceiling tile, and fluorescent lights, and food that looked like it came from a Denny's. :( I agree with the other reviewer who said the place seems kind of grimy. Breakfast was just OK (I got eggs, bacon, home fries -- the usual). Eggs were cooked as I ordered them but home fries didn't have much flavor. Coffee was typical diner coffee (weak). I wish I had ended up somewhere with more character and an actually enticing menu -- there has to be somewhere better in Salem!

    (2)

  • Heather S.

    I love Red's! I don't care how late I stay out, I will get up 5:00am if I know that my family or friends are planning on going to Red's. Yes it's cash only, but they do have an ATM inside and there is also a Century Bank ATM 25ft. away so there is no excuse not to have cash. It's one of the very few places that I can get a filling breakfast and spend less then 10 dollars. I love the steak and eggs. The fruitbowl is different from most places because they add bananas and blueberries. The pancakes are the size of your head, literally. Which is why they have a three pancake limit. This is hands down, my favorite breakfast place.

    (5)

  • Skip B.

    It has taken a few trips to reds to have me finally warm to it. I ordered the ginormous pancakes once ( enough for a family of four) so I lived down that embarrassment. I must say they are fast and good. Everything I have had there had been very good. I would recommend you get there before 9am or plan on waiting online a good while. Greek omelet is my favorite so far.

    (3)

  • Kali G.

    Whenever I am in Salem, I always make a stop at this place! Very sweet staff - awesome food - the BEST lobster ravioli I have ever tasted. Lots of history at this place as well. The locals love it too.

    (5)

  • Just The Facts M.

    First time visit for lunch. Ordered a bowl of chicken and rice soup. It was so salty that it was inedible. The waitress was pleasant and brought me a different soup instead. She later came to our table and said she tried the chicken rice soup and it was so salty that they threw it away. Our lunch was at 1:45pm, so I can't imagine that other customers ordering the chicken rice soup earlier in the day had not mentioned the intensity of the salt. And didn't the chef taste the soup before serving it?

    (2)

  • THE LA G.

    Super casual diner with very affordable food in a historic building! I had breakfast there-comfort food in large portions; pancakes, home fries, sausage and coffee. highly reccomended if you want something filling, fast and cheap!

    (5)

  • Dustin N.

    Had never been here before but my girlfriend had always talked about it. Finally one morning we decided to head over for a breakfast. Wow! Delicious and cheap! Think it cost me like $15 for both of us, I was stuffed and she even brought home a healthy portion of Mac and cheese that she didn't even finish when she had it for lunch. Upon leaving the restaurant the (I assume) manager gave her a helpful tip to reheating the mac and cheese (add milk to it before) and that worked great. Even suggested making a tuna casserole with it. Just a nice helpful gesture.

    (5)

  • Celeste A.

    I'll warn you.. the water is snarky. It's pretty gross water in Salem so get the bottled water. It's worth it. Greek salad wasn't that impressive. Mac N cheese with fried lobster ravioli lunch special? Holy Moley Batman. and the Fried Haddock with fries and slaw? tasty. This is a homey establishment with cheesy floral wallpaper and warm wooden furniture. I loved the waitresses. They're funny and care about you but you can tell if someone misbehaved they would not put up with any crap. I highly enjoyed this place and it should get your dollar. Also the building was the London Coffee House in 1690 something and later is where the Salem branch of the Sons of Liberty met up to organize themselves against the tyranny of George III. History + Good Greasy Food = Pretty darn near perfect mom and pop restaurant establishment.

    (4)

  • A P.

    Honestly, it just does not get much better than this! You cannot cook the food cheaper than on their menu! I love Reds so much that we bring every out of town guest there - as well as ourselves for the $6.95 lunch specials! The pancakes can put you into a food coma that will make you want to nap immediately after finishing every last bite... The Benedict is a MUST HAVE! The Chicken Kabob salad is amazing, seriously, everything on the menu is amazing.

    (5)

  • Joe S.

    I've been going to Red's since 1993 mostly for breakfast and sometimes around lunch but always the breakfast food so that's what this is about. It was one of my favorite diner/breakfast places in MA. I loved the corned beef hash and the pancakes were superb. I recently went back for a visit after not going for 3 years since I moved. The corned beef hash was still good if a little burnt from the grill but the pancake was not up to par. I ate a few bites and clearly something had changed and I didn't eat any more of it. So in conclusion a mostly great breakfast place and interesting atmosphere for the out of towners.

    (3)

  • Nate N.

    What is there to say about Red's? I have a Red's tattoo. That is how much I love this place. I've been a regular there for well over a decade and up until I (reluctantly) moved out of Salem a couple months ago I ate at Red's about 5 times a week for the past 12 years. I won't go into reviewing the food because everyone else here has taken care of that already, I will just say that you will not find a more welcoming and friendly place. Just don't sit at my table.

    (5)

  • Lita K.

    Don't get mad if you can't get a table right away. They get a ton of business and are always busy because of their excellent reputation and it's a local favorite as well as conveniently located for tourist traffic, and the wait is really worth it. Yes it is crowded, yes it noisy with chatter and clinging dishes, etc, but the food is FANTASTIC and you'll leave with a full belly as their portions are larger than your usual garden variety chain breakfast shop.. The breakfast meals are the best I've ever had anywhere, while their lunch options are also excellent, I my self prefer their breakfast offerings. The cooks are darn fast too and the wait staff although constantly on their toes always make sure to stop at every single table when they can to assure everyone has what they need and that all is well. Their prices are reasonable and fair too.

    (5)

  • Dan W.

    We love Red's and every time we are in town we try to grab breakfast or lunch there. As others have said the food is great, the portions are big, and it is frequently busy. Very busy! I have to disagree with the comments on the coffee being tasteless. For a typical restaurant it's good. The food ranges in price and type from your typical diner fare and prices up to some very interesting dishes and typical restaurant prices. The menu is HUGE and the specials boards always list extras.

    (5)

  • Dina C.

    5+ Stars. I have been coming to Red's since I was a teenager. In my opinion, Red's has the best breakfast in the USA. Red's is located in historic Salem, MA and is frequented by the locals. I have dined throughout the USA and enjoyed many breakfast joints from the upscale brunch spots to the greasiest spoons. Red's crushes everything out there. I am a New Englander, so breakfast potatoes are not shredded, undercooked, pre-frozen, deep fried, or covered in gunk. I love corn beef hash and fresh blueberries in my pancakes. Red's potatoes are true breakfast potatoes and cooked New Englasnd style. Their "from scratch" pancakes are the size of a dinner plate (no lie) and full of fresh blueberries. The corn beef hash is stellar. I love that they ask if I want my potatoes "crispy," because no one else asks me how I want my potatoes and they are usually undercooked elsewhere. The servers are quick and keep the fresh coffee flowing. This is an amazing place and I highly recommend that anyone visiting Salem, MA should come to Red's for breakfast followed by a stroll through the Old Burying Point nearby. Cash only but they have an ATM inside.

    (5)

  • Julie H.

    We found this place just walking around Salem. Don't be afraid of the long line. The wait is WORTH IT. they have ginormous pancakes and excellent breakfast. Tip: try to sit at the bar rather than a table, it'll cut the waiting time in half! I've only tried the breakfast here, so I can't review the lunch, but just thinking about this breakfast makes my mouth water!!!! oh boy!

    (5)

  • Amanda C.

    I had the bacon and cheese omelette which came with french fries. The fries were DELICIOUS, and the omelette was alright. I like this place, but the food is pretty standard and you can find diner food like this in pretty much any city.

    (4)

  • Michael J.

    Red's is ol skool north shore style - lots of old timers, families, lots of hoodies, keno, lots of grease in the food, and lots of love. It's a great breakfast place, and (despite some of the comments below) I'd say the service is usually spot on and first rate, even when the line is in fact out the door. it's worse crowd-wise (as other reviewers say) in the tourist season (summer and fall) and of course on the weekends. Their hash can vary from ok to excellent, depending on the second law of thermodynamics...or something. You can sit directly at the bar, in a booth, or at a table, lots of options. CASH ONLY. Head sized pancakes. Think before you order. Good, but massive.

    (4)

  • Lin M.

    This review is for lunch. This is oldfashioned food not New American sandwiches so if you expect that you get what you came for. The menu is large, cheap and portions are good sized. Four of us had lunch for less than $50 including tip. Although the place was busy we were seated quickily and service was good. Negatives: They ran out of lobster...no lobster roll, etc. which was disappointing since one of our party was visiting from SanDiego and wanted her lobster "fix" The egg salad she got in replacement left much to be desired. Chopped way too fine with too much yolk. Tables are crowded in so you need to like listening to other's conversations. Literally banging elbows. Cash only. A rarity these days and very inconvenient as I never carry cash. They do have an ATM if you don't mind the $2.00 fee. I found the fake plates of food at the counter a little disturbing. It was suitable for what we needed that day but I would not return for lunch. Salem must have better places for lunch.

    (2)

  • Susan B.

    I grew up in Salem, now live out of the US and every time I come back home and want to meet up with friends for breakfast they want to go here. Why? I don't know. The food is disgusting frankly. Who cares if the portions are huge? Nobody ever finishes what they order and it ends up being thrown out. The massive pancakes gave me a stomach ache the few times I ordered them and even though I ask for bacon crispy and well-done it never is. It's just not good, I do not understand all the stars except for nostalgia maybe.

    (1)

  • W W.

    I think people who love this place either grew up on hamburger helper or dont cook for themselves, except out of a can or a box. Diner type menu, lots of items; friendly but harried service, and very average food; not a whole lot of "fresh ingredients". I've been to a lot of diners that do everything home made; great pies, baked goods, locally inspired menus etc. Red's takes a different tack, lots of plain very basic food, fast production type items. Red's employs cooks, not chefs, so dont expect fancy if you order fancy -- one review mentioned crab cakes -- really? why would you order crab cakes at Red's? corned beef hash from a can, with a couple eggs on top - they can make that just the way you remember it, and it's pretty good, if you like that sort of thing. there are basically no healthy choices here either. ok by me, it's a diner, but don't expect a selection of local seasonal fruits. I cook a lot so I can make much better omelets, french toast etc (real maple syrup etc) myself, so I wont eat here on my own except under duress. It IS an easy place to go if you have kids and just need to get some basic food into their gullets; they wont notice, especially if you are no kitchen maven yourself. but there are plenty of other places to get a decent breakfast in Salem, without the lines, less than a couple blocks away. the lines I frankly dont understand. I would not wait one minute for this food. A sticky bun at A&J King, 3 mins away by foot, beats anything Red's can offer, and with excellent coffee. some yelp fans like the "local color". I prefer not to eat breakfast sitting two inches away from folks who are hung over, cursing their heads off, and wearing wifebeater tank tops, with pit hair sticking out. That's Salem local flavor I could do with a lot less of. I also try to avoid places that don't take credit or debit cards, like this place and nearby Maria's. your food aint good enough to make me want to go to an ATM to pay cash, guys...

    (1)

  • Ashley B.

    Found out about this place through the trolley tour guide in Salem, and the history of it is interesting. Now, the place is deceptively large, from the outside it looks tiny, but it's quite large. You walk in and you are just overwhelmed by the delicious smelling food. My friends and I had breakfast there and just absolutely fell in love with it. The food was GREAT, but it had ridiculous LARGE portions, and I mean LARGE, if I had known they were so big, I would have shared with someone! The prices are great, especially for the amount of food you get.

    (5)

  • Linda T.

    We moved here from Brooklyn, NY about six months ago. We've had breakfast at Red's several times and I can say in all honesty that it's the best breakfast we've ever had and we've eaten in some very good restaurants in NY. Their hash/cheese omelet is excellent and I order it every time. We took visiting relatives from upstate NY to Red's for breakfast and they raved about it. Will try lunch next time as I see they do fish and chips!

    (5)

  • Meeghan H.

    Flipping delicious! I've been looking for a solid breakfast place around Salem since I moved here and I finally found it. It's cheap, service is quick, and the food is wicked good. Though the place was crowded and we had to wait for a table, it was so worth it. I'm a believer in home fries making or breaking a breakfast and these were totally up to par. Slightly crispy and well seasoned. I had the eggs bendict and it was huuuuuge. The hollandaise was a little bit much, in a good way. I couldn't eat it all, so everyone at the table tried it and were fans of it as well. Service was solid and quick to refill coffees (a bonus in my book). It's cash only with an atm inside the place. It was aweome.

    (5)

  • Crys C.

    Stopped in for a late brunch while talking the town. Great prices, fast service, scrumptious food! Had some pancakes, homefries with cheddar, bacon and coffee. Place was packed so you know it has to be "the place". Place is more of a country setting, homey, comforting & family-owned diner.

    (4)

  • Kereth C.

    Red's is a solid performer--been there tons of times, never had an order come to my table cold or wrong. Always piping hot and correct even when I've issued several high maintenance commands to my server. I prefer the omelets--the egg is nice and thin. I may be in the minority, but I hate an overly eggy omelet. I like mine to be nice thin egg wrapped around a shit load of yummy filling and that's what Red's delivers. Their bacon is long and fat, although a bit salty, and their sausage patties are better than the links. So if you want sausage, get the patties. The cinnamon french toast is delish, and the pancakes are good, but freakin huge, so just order one if you get them. The home fries are decent--I've had better, but I do like them well enough. Really love the chicken hash, but they seem to only have it on the weekends. It's really tasty if you get it with two over easy eggs on top. I also love their various benedict offerings. I usually get it with just tomatoes instead of meat, but they put plenty of Hollandaise on there, and it is generally good, although sometimes it can be a bit on the acidic side for my taste. My wife gets the Irish benedict (sausage patties) sometimes, and that looks tasty, but I've never tried it. She really likes it though. Their coffee is nothing to write home about, but it is always fresh. At lunch they have pretty ginormous portions for not a ton of money. I like their chicken marsala and their mac and cheese. I can't ever finish either, so I get two meals out of it. Their wraps are pretty good, and they have daily specials, but I haven't tried many of them. The service becomes friendlier the more you frequent the place, but I don't ever remember getting bad service there. They are incredibly fast, even when it's busy. Don't expect much in the way of decor--it's pretty bland inside, but it's hard to notice when your stuffing your face full of awesome. I'd give them five stars except for a few nit picks. Cash only is a drag. I don't like to carry cash. I'd probably go there way more if it wasn't cash only. The blueberries in their fruit cups are often shriveled, and sometime the bananas are over ripe. And they don't serve real maple syrup, so I have to bring my own. Otherwise though, Red's is a solid place for breakfast and lunch.

    (4)

  • Joe B.

    It's the best for what it is. It's a "greezy spoon". We all love em. This one is the best. I'm willing to bet if Salem residents were told they could only have 3 restaurants in town... this would be one of those 3.

    (5)

  • Allison M.

    Great breakfast, huge portions. Macaroni and cheese is the best EVER. Always crowded and unfortunately closes early.

    (4)

  • Christina Z.

    The French Toast is made of homemade cinnamon bread and hands down the BEST I've ever had anywhere! I had a RED'S omelet the last time I was there. It was amazing but I found myself looking forward to the next time I go back so I could have the French toast again. The hot chocolate is a nice treat too. Can ya tell I have a sweet tooth?! ;)

    (5)

  • Amanda M.

    I officially love this restaurant and am ashamed that I only recently tried it out. I usually end up eating at lame Salem Beer Works or Fin's or not at all when I am in Salem. Now that I have walked through the door at Red's, I will never eat elsewhere when in the neighborhood. It's location is great, right off of Essex Street and only about a block from the Peabody Essex museum. The $6.95 specials are really good and while some are listed on the whiteboard in the dining room, you will also find many affordable options in the regular menu. I had grilled mahi mahi with soba noodles and veggies in an Asian sauce for $6.95!!!! The same dish at Fin's down the street would have easily been $25. Other yummy options are the Cuban sandwich with fries (which is huge and also $6.95), the turkey dinner ($7.50), and the seafood or lobster pie...all great. I haven't tried breakfast yet, but that gives me another reason to return. Just remember they close early and only accept cash.

    (5)

  • Tom T.

    Best diner we've found in the area. Been there twice and the service is always fast & the food is always good. It's your typical diner food, but with a north shore attitude (a good one). Super friendly and personable! A must stop & dine place in Salem!

    (5)

  • Sasha S.

    We were visiting Salem from NYC and stopped here for lunch. I was impressed with the large selection this "sandwich shop" offers. Their $6.95 lunch specials are a real bargain and I wish we were going to be there longer so we could eat at Red's a few more times. Looking forward to going back the next time we're in the area.

    (5)

  • Jay A.

    This review is for lunch. I sincerely hope the star rating is based upon the breakfast/brunch offerings, as Red's is by no means noteworthy based on the midday menu. My partner and I had been driving for four hours, having made the trek from New York City, and were ravenous for a good sandwich. You know, a good sourdough or wheat roll, fresh ingredients, some good mustard and voila! happiness. Red's failed on all fronts. Only white sliced bread? Iceberg lettuce and crunchy tomatoes? Wasabi mayo that had to have been prepared by someone who had never had wasabi himself? Unnecessarily greasy meats...really. Really. BAD!

    (1)

  • Jason J.

    Hands down the best dinner in New England. Get here early on the weekend to avoid waiting in a long (but fast-moving) line. Somehow even with a line out the door they are able to keep the tables turning over. You'll stuff your face next to locals and tourists alike. I've never had a bad meal here and I can safely say Red's has the best dinner coffee I've ever had. Red's is one of the few places around that has stayed the same for as long as I can remember. Every time I am back in town I NEED my Red's fix. Classic, greasy diner food at its best.

    (5)

  • Scott P.

    wow great food, great prices and fantastic service. i shall return soon

    (4)

  • Christina A.

    This is by far the best breakfast place around. The food and service is excellent. I would be a regular here if possible. I used to come every Sunday and get the Red's Everything omelet and a banana pancake. Delicious! If you get Steph the waitress your in luck. She's the best. My only complaint is that this place ruined me for any other breakfast place. Nothing can live up to Red's! Make sure to bring cash. They don't accept credit cards or checks. But there is an Atm machine in restaurant.

    (5)

  • Rob B.

    Great food, great atmosphere. Bring some quarters for the meters and some bills for the scratch tickets. The food was very good - two guys, big breakfasts for $20. I had the Hash & Cheese Omelet with their homemade hash - delicious. My buddy had their Greek Omelet with spinach, feta, sausage - he said it was good. It has a nice counter top area for dining and booths - it was 5 AM and pretty sluggish on the crowd but I could see it filling up as we left - great place for breakfast in the Salem area.

    (4)

  • P B.

    Breakfast day after Boston Marathon, lobster spinach and veggie omelet; friend had steak bomb omelet, both awesome on taste, size, speed of service. Very friendly. Very nice local diner

    (4)

  • Charles B.

    Its greasy food. early in the morning. Not much to say, its a breakfast joint that serves a giant menu of lunch treats. (although, stick to breakfast). I'm not going to say this has anything above ihop, other then its local, and supporting local is better

    (3)

  • Taylor N.

    Excellent local spot with friendly waitstaff and delicious food. Cinnamon French toast is amazing. Cash only but ATM on premises (with fee).

    (5)

  • Tenisha G.

    DELICIOUS. Love this place. I usually get breakfast here and it's always great. The pancakes are GIANT. I can't even finish one. The staff is great also. The waitresses are so friendly!

    (4)

  • H M.

    everything is good.

    (4)

  • Laura H.

    Decent breakfast. Typical diner coffee, usually burnt and bland. HUGE pancakes, nobody should ever order more than one unless they want to be hospitalized. Homefries are good, nothing to write home about but I will eat potatoes in anyway you serve em to me. This place is always packed, I don't think I've ever been without waiting in line. Weekends are insane, line out the door and around the corner. They only serve Benedict on weekends which I think is pretty whack, cause I rarely wanna venture to this place on the most busy time of the week. I've struggled to get a waitress to even glance in my direction once we have our food on our table, which is part of the three stars. I am a waitress and I understand they get really busy, but dropping the check on the table right when you deliver the food and calling it a day isn't great service. I get parched mid-meal and would like something other than coffee please! Never had lunch, probably won't come to try it either. Salem is filled with a butt-ton of restaurants with better food and service.

    (2)

  • Angela M.

    Any place that serves a plate of macaroni and cheese the size of your head deserves 5 stars. Words can not fully describe how much I adore Red's. It's cozy, super cheap and have I mentioned they have a plate of mac and cheese the size of a small child? Add to top it all off...they have a rotating pie display? Wha what? All true. The only down side is that it's only open until the early afternoon, so get there early or miss out.

    (5)

  • Kerry D.

    I usually only review local places, but I wanted to pass on our great experience as tourists for the day in Salem. This is not the most elegant, amazing food in the entire world, but what it is is a great, old-fashioned true diner experience, which is also a great value. The extensive menu is cooked to order quickly and well. The service was fantastic. Our waitress gave us extraordinary service, was fast, helpful, and NICE. We were there with two small kids so you can imagine how much better this made our lunch! We had yummy burgers, fries, and other hot grilled sandwiches, which were all delicious. If they had a place like this near me in Boston, I would go ALL the time. I would love to go back for breakfast especially.

    (5)

  • Jared R.

    Red's is one of the best breakfast places in the North Shore. I can't quite add more to the other reviews here. I've had the Tuna melt and it was delicious. The servers are knowledgeable and friendly The ONLY thing that knocks a star off it is this: no credit cards. It's almost 2010... get a credit card machine. I don't know how many times I've gone there and forgotten about that archaic part of the store to have to excuse myself to go to the ATM across the street. It's not enough to keep me from going there, but there have been a few times that while planning out our day we cross Red's off the list because we don't have time to go to the bank to get cash first.

    (4)

  • Amit A.

    The food is great and dont get scared by the line. The line that goes outside the door is definitely worth the wait. I ordered the French Toast, and it was damn good.

    (5)

  • Kristan O.

    Red's Sandwich Shop is the cream of the crop. Right in the heart of downtown Salem this breakfast/lunch joint is bound to sweep you off your feet. I have been in love with Red's ever since I first sunk my fork into the best Veggie Omelet on earth. It's the size of your entire plate and it's oozing with white American cheese, fresh sauted onions, mushrooms, green peppers and tomatoes. If you come on the weekend try a little Hollandaise sauce on it ;) If breakfast is what you desire then you definitely came to the right place. They have mouthwatering omelets to whatever your liking. The hash is homemade and delicious (not out of the can!!!) Their fruit cup is delightful. It consists of fresh cut Strawberries, bananas and Maine blueberries. Their Muffins pair well with the fruit cup and they are also the size of three fists. If lunch is on your mind I highly recommend the Turkey dinner sandwich which consists of Turkey, stuffing and a light cranberry sauce on toasted bread with a side of fries. But plan on splitting the sandwiches because their portions are ENORMOUS!!! All in all Red's has a little bit of everything to tickle your fancy. Give it a try and I guarantee you'll be back! And my favorite part of all its CHEAP!!!!

    (5)

  • Valerie B.

    My all time favorite breakfast spot. Also great for lunch. Huge portions, great prices. Pancakes are bigger than your plate. Thick sliced French toast is delicious. Omelettes are excellent. My preference is an omellete with bacon, cheese & kielbasa.

    (5)

  • Kayley T.

    I give this place 5 stars for corn beef hash. Homemade, seriously the best I've ever had. Eggs are always good too! My husband got a greek omelet (he always gets a Greek Omelet, any breakfast review I write I will probably always write that he gets a Greek Omelet) and he really loved it. Saturday/Sunday mornings it IS always packed, but sometimes you can sneak past the line and get a seat at the "bar" if you don't care about waiting for a table. Decor isn't anything special, it's just normal diner. Service is always friendly and quick. This place is without a doubt my favorite breakfast place to frequent.

    (5)

  • Carol M.

    Great place loved it! Tourist exploring Salem for the weekend, and had breakfast here. We felt welcome as soon as were stepped in. Our server was wonderful and did not steer us wrong with our breakfast choices. Hubby had the cinnamon french toast which was wonderful slices of cinnamon swirl bread that were oh so good. I ordered the lobster eggs benedict with asparagus, It came with nice chunks of lobster and fresh asparagus. Awesome eats! We sat in a booth and were able to enjoy watching the cooks prepare all. They seemed like a really nice group of guys who have fun cooking together! No lie there were at least six and all worked together as a well oiled machine in the kitchen. A yummy friendly place to eat! .

    (5)

  • M C.

    Awesome Breakfast, pleasant staff, very original Always came here as a kid, love it now, it has not changed much. Classic Breakfast place : ) Only down side is the wait for a table, but you know its good when people are waiting to get through the door!

    (4)

  • Gypsy M.

    Best corned beef hash ever. Anywhere. Ever! Waitresses who make you feel like you are having brunch at your favorite aunt's home! I dine here once a week or so and take all my out of town friends and family when they come for a visit! Excellent specials, and I do try them from time-time BUT the hash, it is divine! As in, so good you wake up thinking about it! Go see for yourself! You're welcome! :)

    (5)

  • Keith F.

    clearly, Red's is going to get along just fine with my glowing review. but i'll go ahead and quickly say that the food was fantastic, the staff was kind and accomodating, and i left with a full belly and a huge smile. when i asked the taxi driver where to go for breakfast, he told me that Red's was my only option. he was right.

    (4)

  • RL C.

    Nothing too special here. It's in a nice area and seems to experience long lines, at least at brunch. The coffee isn't very good, but considering it's a diner, that isn't too surprising. One thing that would've been good to know beforehand is that they don't serve any lunch items on Sundays. The omelets, including the steak bomb, receive high marks. The prices are good too.

    (3)

  • Nicole M.

    This place has awesome breakfast. It has, hands down, the best breakfast I've had in years. I had my favorite omelette (bacon, tomato and swiss) and it was perfect. The omelette was paper thin and stuffed with cheese, lots of crispy bacon and just enough tomato. I also had, for the first time, a grilled english muffin and I think I'm in love. It was unbelievable. The lunch menu looked very interesting, with some up-scale options that you wouldn't expect in a diner.

    (5)

  • Salem X.

    There are two reason's to enter Red's Sandwich shop: 1. To order pancakes that are larger than fat Italian greyhound. 2. To buy scratch tickets from a vending machine. Sure, there's some perks to a visit. The mix of surly yet lovable waitresses, oxygen tanks, tourists and regulars. The insanely cheap prices, probably unchanged since at least the late 80s. The fact that it's a big red building. All good things about Red's. But trust me - order a pancake (maybe two, at the most, if you have a monster appetite) and a a couple of "We Wish You a Merry Cashmass" tix and enjoy your morning.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 am - 3:00pm
  • Mon : 5:00 am - 3:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : No
    Good For : Breakfast, Brunch
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : No
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Red’s Sandwich Shop

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