Adriatic Restaurant & Bar

I have visited twice, once for lunch (not too busy) and once for dinner on a busy Sunday night.
Both times, good, yes excellent service. The servers were well trained and informed in details of menu items. Servers also knew the wine list well (I have some knowledge of wine and asked a few questions about particulars of wine choices and they were well answered).
Food was excellent. For instance, lamb lollipops can be difficult due to the small size of the chop. Can’t make this right unless you watch it and time it properly. They were excellent. I tried Cod on a Sunday night (usually a no-​no But recommended by our server) and it was perfect. Presentation of dishes was also attractive and well done.
Cocktails left nothing to be desired.
Consistency is the challenge for a Restaurant like this — having such good experiences will lead us back and hopefully we will see the excellence continue. This restaurant so far is the equivalent of «Big City» dining in a small city with tons of charm.

After not having been here for about 6 months, my husband and I decided to give Adriatic another shot, and we were very impressed! The service was better than my previous dining experience, but there was still room for improvement. The food was so much better this time around! I was really impressed with the quality of the food and the portion sizes. To start, the house made focaccia bread was served warm and crispy. The menu is filled of many things that sound delicious and the server was able to provide us with some nice recommendations. We started with the Mediterranean salad, which was a nice mix of tomatoes, cucumbers and olives with a tasty dressing. The meatballs and olives starter was incredible, served in a tasty red sauce with some olives mixed within. The Margherita Pizza was cooked perfectly and was nice and crispy. The ingredients were extremely fresh, as it consisted of fresh melted mozzarella, crushed tomatoes and basil. There was a nice crowd of people on a Friday night but the restaurant wasn’t overly crowded and it wasn’t difficult to be seated. Based on this experience, I look forward to returning!

This is one of our go-​to places. I took friends who had never been before and they were quite pleased. I like ordering a couple of small plates, so you can have an interesting dining experience without breaking the bank. One suggestion, though — several of the small plates come with the same (very tasty) salad accompaniment, so one ends up with less variety than intended. They don’t mind letting you taste the wines before you order a glass, especially if they aren’t too busy. Service is helpful and friendly.

Great lunch with very attentive service. I had Gyro and Beet salad — both excellent. Outside patio area was relatively small but very inviting. Definitely worth a look when you go to Salem.

We enjoyed our meal here, but were puzzled by the rave reviews for their fried squash blossoms. Not that they were bad, but quite bland. They were drizzled with some balsamic vinegar but they should have had more, or a dipping sauce. Just very bland. The worst part was that the first appetizer we ordered was a combo platter that included the squash blossoms. They were not blossoms but fried zucchini sticks. We asked about it and were given a line that didn’t make sense to any of us. Can’t remember just what was said except that they WERE blossoms. No, sorry. Blossoms are flowers. This was a stick of zucchini which wasn’t stuffed with cheese, as the blossoms are described on the menu. So we followed the first appetizer with an order of the blossoms, which arrived as a plate of the bland sticks and two cheese stuffed blossoms on top. Just as bland and disappointing.
The other disappointment was the bread — I would have loved some real bread, but we were served what seemed like plain pizza crust. Not as fresh as one would hope. I just had a bite or two and then went without bread. Which on the one hand was a good thing, since a fresh basket of bread would have been devoured and would have added calories galore. I do love fresh, good quality bread. And it’s so nice with a plate of pasta. Or with what my husband ordered, similar to a Bouillabaisse. It’s a shame not to have a crusty piece of bread with that! I hope they’ll consider adding good bread.
Now that I have complained about the two things I wasn’t happy about, I will say we all enjoyed our entrees. And we enjoyed our server. It was a special night celebrating my son’s birthday, and was not tarnished by these things I’ve complained about. I had the bolognese. Delicious! I will go back if the opportunity presents itself.

My wife and I held a lunch for family and friends after my daughter’s baptism a couple of weeks ago, and the both the food and service was excellent. We used the backroom, which is perfect for an event of 40 – 50 people in size and the setup looked great!
Planning a special event is always a bit nerve-​wracking, but working with Vini and his team was a pleasant experience. In fact, I am so pleased with the my experience at Adriatic that it has inspired me to write my 1^st Unilocal review. The common theme from family and friends was I can’t believe I haven’t been to Adriatic before, and I can’t wait to come back.
Highly recommend Adriatic for a special event and my wife and I will be back at Adriatic for dinner very soon (and often)!

Open disclosure that I haven’t been to Adriatic in about a year. I live 50-​feet from their entrance and eat out often. And all of my half-​dozen experiences there were enjoyable. In fact, the food is consistently in the good-​to-​excellent range. I’m just rarely looking for a traditional sit-​down dining experience. Be better for me if they ditched the white table clothes and did more of a small bites menu. Become more of a place to meet up with people vs. traditional dining. But that’s just me. Anyone looking for a sit-​down dinner will be very happy choosing Adriatic.

Very nice place. The food was excellent and the prices were not too bad either. Our service was very attentive. I nice option for a fancy dinner in a town full of pubs. My only complaint was that I put it was my birthday on my reservation and was hoping for someone to mention it but nothing was said. I put it on the reservation so I wouldn’t have to be tacky and tell them when I was being seated. Other than that it was a very nice dinner with friends.

We went here Friday, March 11, 2016, but were not sure what to expect. The ambiance was quite nice and we opted to sit at the bar, as that is our preference at most restaurants. Well, first, a big shout out to our bartender Linsey — she was an excellent bartender/​waitstaff — she was attentive, made great recommendations, and overall a delight. We opted to split the arugula salad which was excellent-​very fresh ingredients. I ordered from the bar menu — the salmon — which was excellent… the portion was just right for me. My husband ordered an entrée which he thoroughly enjoyed. We would highly recommend the Adriatic to anyone visiting the charming town of Salem!

«When someone highly recommends a restaurant to you, you are likely to try that restaurant… we are fortunate that we did. Our first experience was lunch, which was delicious and unique… zucchini blossoms as an appetizer (yummy) and pizza (goat cheese and mushroom) also yummy! Our second experience was dinner… eggplant that was light and just enough cheese, which didn’t hide the flavor of the eggplant, chicken saltimbocca so good! So, now we are highly recommending the Adriatic to all that haven’t found this treasure in Salem, MA.»

Forget the Boston North End. Come to Salem for by far the best food in the north shore. Linsey is a super friendly bartender and a classy atmosphere. Ask about the daily specials, they are always creative and fantastic. Vinny the manager is a great guy, who takes great pride in the business.

We just wish like heck they would open for lunch during the week!
UPDATE April 2016:
They are open Sat and Sun:
12:00−4:00
Excellent food for dinner! We have brought relatives and friends here because we know for sure we will have a great meal with the best quality ingredients.
Fresh fish always! Huge positive for us. Not so easy to be consistent with freshness. We appreciate the effort.
The staff are extremely polite and professional!
We always look forward to going here, but wish we could go more often. It is too expensive for us to go out to eat here regularly. Only on very special occasions.
Another reason for them to open at lunch time, and offer less expensive fare. We would be there in a heart beat!
Ingenious recipes every time, even with vegetable dishes.
The desserts are to die for.
If you want a very special evening with family or friends in downtown Salem, go to Adriatic. You will not be disappointed!

This is my favorite restaurant in Salem. My sister lives across the street which is how we discovered this restaurant. They have an assortment of Mediterranean-​Italian dishes and a nice selection of wine that are all absolutely delicious.
The last time I went they had an antipasto platter special that had detectible meats and cheeses and olives — a must if they have it on the menu! I once went for restaurant week and had their spinach lasagna and I would also recommend this as well. But my favorite dish is their Eggplant Parmasan. I am not an eggplant lover (this may be because my parents used to grow eggplants in our backyard as a kid and we had eggplant sandwiches, eggplant salad, eggplant and pasta, eggplant and eggs. I mean you get it, right?) but Adriatic’s eggplant parmesan is layers and layers of cheese, eggplant and pasta with a zesty delicious tomato sauce but wait, then at the bottom there is fresh homemade little pasta and to me this makes the dish perfect. It’s a GOOD size portion so I usually eat half at the restaurant and eat half the next day — that way I get it 2x and I’m the happiest girl in the world.
I love this restaurant so much I’m actually having my Bridal Shower here. They have a nice back room with a beautiful fireplace that fits around 40 – 50 people. Definitely a must when visiting Salem!

The bar menu has exactly what I want on it — try the Salmon. The portions are perfect. The pizza is chewy and crisp and gooey and rustic — try the mushroom pizza. The bartender is my favorite in town. I’m not a huge fan of the wine list but can usually find a decent Malbec. Cocktails are poured to perfection and the beer on tap is cold. This place was not one of our favorites when it first opened but has since become a spot that we frequent for good conversation, cute waitstaff, attentive service and quality food.

Haven’t been in a couple years but the food and service were excellent. All 4 of us enjoyed our grilled romaine apps and entrees. After we get through October in Salem we will be back

Very disappointed in this restaurant. Never actually got a chance to eat here. Called while I was on the train from Boston to see what time they were open until. Was told they close at 10:00. Went on our tour and rushed back to the restaurant at 9:00 only to find the doors locked and people still sitting inside.

Hands down the best bolognese I’ve ever devoured. Unlike most restaurants these days they are not afraid of sodium. The meal with homemade pasta was perfectly balanced. With 15 foot sliding doors that open to the quaint Salem streets and friendly staff we certainly will be back.

I am here to set the record straight about this place and rescue it from inept reviewers.
I am terribly discerning when it comes to restaurants and this place impressed me in every way.
Beyond reproach. Cavatellis are perfection. Great and professional service.
Bravissimo!

Excellent– truly delicious and fresh Med fare in a nice corner space with plenty of al fresco seating.
The menu definitely leans toward the sea, no surprise given the name, and everything we had that was del mar was killer: we went tapas style with the scallops, grilled calamari and the littlenecks, all fresh, light and flavorful.
Terrestrially, the zuchini flowers were expertly fried in a light tempura batter and then stuffed with herbed goat cheese that was perfectly melty and salty to the sweet batter and zuchini. Delish. We got the grilled meatballs with tzaziki, they were okay but were pretty dry and a bit bland, I’d pass on them.
In the summer months, the large patio is on a perfect intersection for people watching and the food lends itself to warmth.
Another welcome find in the Salem dining scene that I’m really starting to dig into.

Friends of ours ate here last year and loved it so we went there today for lunch. Salem is of course packed so we waited an hour for our table but we expected that. The host was great!
Our waiter greeted us and served us water then disappeared for 20 minutes. Now we weren’t expecting quick service but that’s a really long time to wait to order.
The food took another hour to arrive and when it did the pizza was cold and the crust was soggy. I ordered a Greek salad with my pizza. Instead of dressing they drizzle plain olive oil on. The grilled chicken was delicious though. We all also agreed that the pizza sauce was awesome even if it was cold.
Salem was packed today so we would have given them all the benefit of the doubt except… I ordered a cappuccino because our friends said it was the best around and the waiter’s response was «that’s too messy they aren’t going to bother with that!». I felt shamed for ordering a cappuccino!
I say if you aren’t offering the full menu… Let the guests know. If guests are going to wait an hour to get in, an hour for food that is cold… the least you could do is bring a cappuccino or not have a lousy attitude and act put off by the order.
Our friends were embarrassed and I doubt any of us will be back due to the service we received. I only tipped 15% which requires a really rude server.