The Easy Otter

The Best Chicken in downtown Salem. If you're looking for southern comfort food come to The Easy Otter. They have the best fried pickles I've ever had and their chicken sandwiches can't be beat. If you want something that isn't fried, their Mac or slaw is impeccable. The beignets are delicious and they change the options out often, but still keep their classics. The outdoor seating area is so nice and the location is fantastic. Their service is always on point and so fast.

This is a place to go for good Southern food. That said, there'll be a lot of food that's deep fried and heavy on the fat. The smoked salmon chowder tasted fantastic! It was very generous, both in the size of the portion and in the amount of smoked salmon in the chowder. But forget about it if you're on a low-fat diet; it was cooked in heavy cream. Even the coleslaw was literally creamy. Many of the selections on the menu, especially the chicken dishes, were breaded and deep fat fried. So, five stars on the taste; but brace your cardiac arteries for the onslaught of fat!

If I could give it 10 stars, I would! I can't say enough about how amazing this place is!!! The staff is phenomenal and go above and beyond - they thoroughly explain the menu, serve the food quickly and with care, and even explain how to properly eat certain items like beignets. Their drink menu is full of great local options. We shared several dishes and can honestly say we've never had better fried pickles or mac & cheese in our lives. Our taste buds were 'flash banged' with intense and delicious flavors. Do yourself a favor and do not miss this gem hidden in plain sight in downtown Salem. We will be back to try the rest of the menu. Simply wonderful!

This place is UH-MA-ZING. The chicken and waffles are so good. The chicken was nice and juicy and crispy, that waffle was AMAZING very fluffy and sweet. The service is awesome and everyone is so sweet and attentive. I also love the atmosphere It's awesome. I am very impressed and sad that I'm a visitor! Salem, you got a great place for chicken tendies and sweet treats. We can't wait to be back!

Hush puppies were above and beyond with texture and flavor. Had the House Mac and cheese 🥰 the fried chicken crisp and tender. The Red White and Blue Beignets won my heart ❤️

Best brunch place in town! The staff are super friendly and made my day. The beignets are the best thing on the menu nothing quite warms the souls like this rich sweet bread bliss! The inside of the store I cozy and elegant but unique it’s an amazing place to clear the mind.

First time here. Got a place as soon as we got in. Ordered the fried chicken with French bread. Tasted good but was super greasy. Loved the Beignets- very moist and melts in your mouth. Good place to sit and have a cozy breakfast with friend.

This adorable little place is so good. Delicious spice and fabulous staff. I love the pictures of the fancy otters every and the parasols hanging from the ceiling. The playlist is on point the whole time and the food is a whole other level of comfort.

Omg the food was off the hook! Otters all over the walls, pretty lights and umbrellas were awesome to look at. And the folks behind the counter really cared. I was not able to eat much of my tenders and I was asked if there was something wrong with the food. Nothing at all! I just could not eat much. It was awesome they cared so much They also had not seen the Otter review on here. That's what convinced us to try them out! When we visit Salem again, we will for sure stop by!!

This was our first time at Easy Otter and there was so much to love. The most important thing to me is food, and it was incredible. I'm a fiend for fried pickles and these were the best I've had. The batter was crispy and flavorful, like a tempura but lighter, and it didn't slide off. The ranch was the good stuff and not out of a bottle. We ordered chicken in the Nashville hot style; it was rich with flavor and it brought the heat. We joke that mayonnaise is "Salem hot sauce" so finding hot chicken that lives up to the name was a thrill. Another thrill: two kinds of chicken. My husband got the breast tenders he prefers, and I was able to get boneless thighs, which is my favorite piece on the bird. You can tell they take care with their food because of things like the quality ingredients, but the technique is so solid! Fried foods are a thing of beauty when done correctly: making sure the pickles are dry before battering, frying at the perfect temperature, and keeping the batter ratio right. No unbattered chicken bits fried to inedible toughness, no bare-gummy-stuck-together pickles, no huge clods of breading hiding uncooked food. It's all done properly. (It's always a good sign when there is a limited menu, too. Places with a nin-page menu might let you order braised moose, but what you're getting is a mystery package from the freezer. A limited but well-rehearsed repertoire is a sign of quality.) Ambiance is perfect for me, because I love otters, whimsy, and references from the early years of The Simpsons. It's hard to explain why so many little touches made me laugh (a menu item called the Canyonero, or sauce description about eight spices -- some of them have to be duplicates!) but if you know, you know. There was also a small vase of fresh flowers on each table. For a lot of people, that's a shrug. But the miniature bouquets seemed hand-arranged and had a couple of unusual stems with a variety of market blooms. It matters. The building itself is like many other retail spaces, and this one is nicely personalized with whimsical otter-art and creative decor. But fresh flowers enliven the table and feed the eye before the food arrives. Such touches show care and earnest effort, sending the message that someone works in this space with love, and is thinking about your experience. Beer selection works for me -- I had an Ecotopia (Santiam Brewing), which is a reliable standard -- and this is another area where quality control is everything. Maybe a sports bar can have 40 taps and be diligent with hygiene and temperature, but I would rather open a fresh can than have a flat or funky draft. (They also serve Coke! For those of us who die a little when we hear "Is Pepsi All Right?", this is a gold star. Southern food goes hand in hand with Coca-Cola.) Service was fast and friendly. There was a hitch with one of our entrees and they handled it flawlessly. Lots of places will greet you walking in, but they said goodbye as we left, and that made me feel well hosted and welcome to come back. Things I didn't love as much: * you order at the counter and seat yourself. It's efficient, especially for the space, and I would probably run things the same way, but it's not my favorite system. * huge appetizer portions. That sounds like a hidden flex, but I don't want to have to choose between apps and dessert. I didn't get to try the beignets! * no salt on the table. Sign of a quality joint, I know, and the seasoning was perfect for my husband, but a I like a last-minute salting. Sue me. * garlic fries were tasty but what my eye told me was a lavish heap of fried garlic was actually buttery bread crumbs that were not too garlicky. This might be the Southern influence (or serving a local palate that doesn't want extreme flavors) but I personally like a vampire-slaying level of garlic that laughs in the face of Altoids. I can see why they wouldn't want a palate-wrecker in the appetizer menu but I was hoping for a lot of fried or minced raw garlic (not "jarlic"). Now I know. And I will definitely be back. Might order delivery sometime, but I love that place. And I can't wait to try the fresh Berry White beignets.

Formerly a food truck at the Beehive on south Commercial, this place has made such a great name for itself that they were able to move into a cozy little brick and mortar location in downtown Salem near the Elsinore Theatre- with a fun and upbeat ambiance no less. This was the first time my dad and I had patronized the place, and it sho ain't gonna be the last. Johnhenry, our server, was super affable and quick to accommodate- he was very intentional about making sure our dinner service went smoothly. And Lindsay the proprietor and chef was a delight, as were her incredible dishes! We started with the mouthwatering jalapeño tarragon hush puppies that came with a roasted red pepper pesto (the dish is called "All Dogs go to Eleven"). They were straight up fire. And then both of us ordered the "Ned's 5-Alarm Chicken"- it was as boldly flavorful and tender as could be. And there couldn't possibly be a better way to finish this outstanding meal than with their masterfully prepared, New Orleans inspired beignets...omg. Don't tell anyone, but I had five. No, six. These were definitely the most delectable beignets I've had this side of the Seine River. It's so nice to finally have a fast casual restaurant of this caliber in Salem!

This trip was just for beignets, which were delicious, but I can't wait to come back for dinner. Cozy vibe with lots of otter pictures and fun employees make it a great addition to Salem.

Cute cafe in old 1900's era Salem building, with high ceilings and unique decor and an open bustling kitchen. Great location but parking will be a challenge. I ordered Lemon Poppyseed Slaw ($4) and Mac & Cheese, ($23) and sat at the small bar area, and got the Salmon Chowder ($25) to go. The Mac & Cheese is perfectly al dente pasta shells in a delicious cream sauce with a light nutty-garlicky breading. So rich and delicious - this is not your average M&C! The slaw is equally amazing with a perfect balance of flavors, crunch and creaminess. The Salmon Chowder, which I reheated for dinner, is also rich and creamy, with plenty of little chunks of salmon and potatoes, served with perfectly flaky miniature biscuits. The menu references "pot pie" for the chowder dish and that is exactly the consistency, more like a delicious filling than a soup. Generous portions - definitely shareable sizes, so bring your besties! The prices seem crazy high until you taste it - I just wish they had half portions of these items. It's only going to be for special occassions for me, but I will be craving all of it! Note: ALL the other patrons were ordering Chicken and Waffles and raving about it. Since I don't eat land-meat, next time I will take my carnivore hubby here and update this review with his take on it, and I'll figure out what is so great about the French Fries (how could a side order of fries be $10? I can't wait to find out!)

Well hey there, Ollie Otter here, providing a totally unbiased review of this groovy place called Easy Otter. Worry not, no otters are on the menu. Hope that doesn't come across as a disappointment (you sicko!). What you will find are the most perfectly made fried chicken you'll ever taste. And not only are they tasty AF (as fish), these guys dish out a ton of food for your hard earned dollar. They don't skimp. This place started as a food truck and grew into its current incarnation. Yeah - they might be a bit of a one-trick pony on the main entree (no ponies on the menu either, though!), but it's a helluva trick. Well - their beignets (aka donut pillows) are pretty rockin' too. They seem to like otters here. The 24 pictures of 44 otters pretty much are on-theme, so I adore it. There's also a Simpsons vibe here too, which they apparently love. They happily served me my yummy food. Consider this place otter approved! 5 out of 5 herrings!

The salmon chowder is one of the best I've had- excellent flavor. We also tried the chicken and waffles, as well as beignets. The chicken is breaded and seasoned very well. The turkey, brie and apple beignets were also a great combination of flavor. This is on our list to return.

Oh Mah Gawd! This place is wonderful! Chef is from Vegas but this place will be on our short list now. Had the Shrimp Incident and an order of beignets and are thoroughly impressed! Service is friendly and the theme of the place is cute!

Food was very fresh and yummy!! Service was great from the cashier gentleman! He recommended the best dishes for our likes- pickles, sandwich, Benigets. Ambiance is super cute with otter photos all over!!! Cute umbrellas and flowers and pumpkins. Love this cute place! Be sure to try the seasonal Benigets!

I love the chicken sandwiches. Their beignets are top tier. I love the vibe here and the service is incredibly friendly.

Menu is concise - everything is done extremely well and easily my favorite option is the chicken sandwich oo-de-lally and the raspberry beignets. Simple but done better than anyone else. The seasoned fried are phenomenal. The staff is super friendly and funny. The restaurant has a cool look to it and the otter them is everywhere. Will return and am excited to have another awesome option downtown!

The beignets! I made a return visit (more chicken fingers and their delicious slaw) and tried their seasonal beignet special: pumpkin (pumpkin spice?) Not remembering exactly what they are called, but oh my gosh, they are perfection. They are a little crisp--just the slightest, slightest hint of it, with soft perfect texture inside, and tasty pumpkin topping drizzled over, and of course the requisite confectioner sugar. Made me think of my grandma making donuts at home. Service was again genuinely warm, friendly and fast. LOVE THIS PLACE.

The Hey Taylor and Ol Lally with Beingets. You will find this little gem tucked at the very end of the Beehive station that is located in Salem. With the delicious food that simply leaves your mouth watering you will want to try more and more. The service was quick, food was out in a timely manner and perfect for those whom have an appetite. Short of actually being in New Orleans, these were some of the best Beingets (pronounced Ben-Yeah) I have come across. It is very easy to over cook these bad boys and have them not be very flavorful. Too little time and they are doughy. Being that you are at Beehive, pick your spot to go and strap on that feed bag and be prepared to enjoy a delicious to go or sit there meal.

Was very excited to try this restaurant. Small place with great ambiance. Love the pictures on the walls! The service was excellent! The food however is the real star. My husband and I started out with the Shrimp Incident. WOW shrimp and andouille sausage in a creamy sauce. It was amazing. We followed that up with a chicken sandwich with bbq cheddar cheese, slaw and red onion, and bacon. Also delicious and full of flavor. We finished the meal with beignets both original and the berry white. What a way to end a delicious meal. If your in downtown salem this is a definite spot to eat!!

This review is for the downtown brick and mortar: AWESOME JOB! I love that they have the brick and mortar! Chicken sandwiches my wife and I ordered yesterday were awesome! We will be back!

The best fried chicken I ever had! I loved the beniets too...nom nom, I'll be back for more.

Went with a friend on a Saturday night. Delicious chicken tenders. We were too full to order dessert but I will be back to try the beignets. Very cute de or inside

Absolutely Amazing Love this place!!! Been following it since it was at the Salem Saturday Market!!

Love this cute little place. The chicken has heat to it. We've tried the sandwiches, chicken and waffles, beignets- all very good! Counter order service. Friendly service.

Lemon beignets were so good, you could bath in the lemon curd sauce. The portions are huge and could easily be split by you and your date.

So glad I found this place! The Canyonero BBQ chicken sandwich was fantastic! Best I've had in town honestly. Service was quick and staff were very friendly and accommodating. The decor and otter pictures in the downtown Salem location are so cute! We will be back!

The beignets are other-wordly. The service was very friendly for a place where you order at the counter. the decor was fun. Lots of clever otter art. The chicken sandwich I got had good flavor but the chicken was a bit overcooked. The salmon chowder was bewitched. Overall, it was excellent for such a casual place. I wish I had gotten the mac and cheese or "The shrimp incident" (the menu is limited but clever). I have a reason to go back, which I will.

We got the chicken and waffles, Mac n cheese and the cookies and cream beneigs. All frickin amazingly delicious!

I'm not a chicken and waffles person. I don't order spicy food. Trust me. Get the chicken and waffles. The waffle is thinner, the chicken is thicker, and the butter and syrup (all of it - put it on) make this the only chicken and waffles I will ever love. We also ordered the Mac and the beignets, which the hubs said were the closest to Café du Monde he's had. Great service. Great atmosphere. Amen.

This unassuming gem has not only the freshest, juiciest fried chicken in the willamette valley, but also the sweetest beignets all served with a laugh and some sass. This is the place to go for flavor, for high quality at reasonable price. Don't expect fast food quality, it's made with love every time. There's no reason to visit any other chicken vendor in Oregon. The Easy Otter is the place to be!

We were thrilled to find out one of our favorite food trucked opened a restaurant! Easy Otter has the best chicken sandwiches, and the beignets are to die for. We can't recommend the this place enough!

Finally got to go to their new space in Downtown Salem next to Epilogue, and the food and space is awesome - especially if you like antique otter chique. Got the Shrimp Incident, a creamy cajun sauce over some amazing sausage and shrimp with some lightly toasted baguette slices. Mac's Famous Mac and Cheese, a white sauce mascarpone and gruyere mornay sauce, with a bread crumb and hazelnut blend, bacon and fresh basil slivers. I thought it was a very creative version of mac and cheese and I was apprehensive, but after trying it, this was by far one of the highlights of the dinner and of going out to eat for me in a long time. Very original, very Oregon with the hazelnuts, and something that isn't meant for the kids, but as long as they have a great palate, they will love it too! Four Fingers of Chicken and Fries, a standard basket is not what you get here. 4 massive tenders that have a crunchy thick crust with some of the whitest and moist chicken that I've ever tasted within the confines of a breading that thick. Finished it all off with the Berry White Beignet, very light and airy but with a thick berry forward white chocolate sauce spread and of course powdered sugar. Was absolutely a wonderful meal, inventive in some classical standard dishes, unique to our area, perfect mix of elevated classics with a touch of humble goodness. The truck was outstanding, the brick and mortar gives us a gem that the Valley and Salem needs, and next door to another amazing establishment. Service was busy, but food came in hot and fresh within a good amount of time. Would easily go back again and again, and order takeout on those days that comfort food is needed.

Excellent hospitality, a fun and tasty menu, and a great location. Super happy with my experiences here!

I'm not usually a big fan of fried chicken but this place has the best fried chicken I've ever had. Every chicken sandwich is amazing, and so is their Shrimp Incident. The service was great, especially the hostess with the dyed hair. The ambiance is quirky and homely, fitting the theme of otters and southern hospitality, but with that Oregon quirk. 10/10 recommend

Lindsay is an exceptional entrepreneur her ideas and the food she creates are amazing. The beignets are a must try.

Exceptional food and tablet stands More than adequate banter as well. Not to be missed

So glad The Otter has its own space! Always balanced my desire for an amazing chicken sando with eating in the rain, now rain be damned! Yummy cider on tap with my fav Oo da Lally. Delicious beignets for dessert. Counter service to order, then food is brought to your table. Pro tip, order the beignets, but ask for them to be made once you're done with your sandwiches!

Definitely worth the wait but I would allow some time there. Delicious. Looking forward to our next visit.

A really cute food truck. And the owner is AWESOME. The Beignets are spectacular!!! They have a variety of other things to choose from. I really can't say enough about the Beignets. Get in your ride and make the drive to see for yourself.

We stopped by on our way through town and found this place in a food cart pod with a lot of cool options. We got two Taylor chicken sandwiches (one with no hot sauce, the other with lite sauce. Both came with a large amount of fries and a side of ranch/ketchup or BBQ. We got ranch. Both sandwiches were tall with a nicely fried chicken breast and a good amount of coleslaw plus some fried pickle sliced. The fries were nice and hot and weren't as large as steak fries but still quite substantial. The side of fried pickles we ordered was huge and had a light amount of breading, served with ranch and chipotle aioli. This should be half the size for the price and would actually still be too much! Lastly we got an order of beignets, she was kind enough to make 6 smaller ones instead of 3 larger ones so we wouldn't fight over the 3rd one. lots of powdered sugar and these were okay, not amazing. I'd like to try the cinnamon sugar version. We were able to wait for the food in our car and she texted us to let us know it was ready. Overall a good meal.

Overpriced, small portions of fries and pickles. Service good and ambience okay. Pretty disappointed with food as well the chicken and waffles was very basic.

Great food, friendly, good customer service. Have came back multiple times for their fried pickles!

We first found the Easy Otter when the owner was working a small booth at the Saturday farmers market in Salem, and then we went back almost every weekend because her beignets are out of this world amazing. Then she opened up a food truck and we would take family there when they were visiting from out of town, because it's a must try place, and let's be honest, we would find any excuse to get some of that raspberry sauce on those beignets... seriously, order the berry whites. Today we were thrilled to find out that the owner was able to open her own restaurant, so we knew we had to stop by for dinner and we were not dissapointed! The fried chicken is so tender and crispy, the flavor is phenomenal. Everyone was friendly, the service was great, food came out quick and pipping hot, the atmosphere was whimsical and fun... all around a GREAT experience. Even my kids were asking if they could leave a "five star rating"!

the food was amazing, the staff was kind. This is a great new dining experience in Salem!

I've been to The Beehive several times and can't believe it's taken me this long to try Easy Otter! I had the Nashville hot chicken and it was delicious. I couldn't finish the ciabatta bun because it was just so much (good) food. My boyfriend had the club and upgraded to two fries and it made for two meals. We were both very impressed and can't wait to keep trying other menu items!

The chicken sandwich war is real.....Don't waste your time with fast food when theres this place. This place has a amazing chicken sandwich And the "OoDeLally" is a must to have in this place. One of the best customer service experience, amazing food, and soooooo much love and effort is given for some great food.

I had the Hey Taylor, which is described as a southern fried Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Hands down the best chicken sandwich I've ever had! Will be coming back, for sure.

Went here after my friend mentioned a group of food trucks gathered around called the beehive, so intrigued I agreed to give it a try. We had the chicken and waffles, a simply the pesto panini, and a trio of beignets. The chicken and waffles were okay, waffles were not as crispy. The panini was excellent and probably my favorite from our choices. The bread was toasted and fresh ingredients. The beignets were okay, never had them before so can't compare to something else, but they were just too crispy and my choice would be just to go with the plain powdered sugar ones. Overall, good experience.

Finally managed to go to Beehive and not stop at Dahlia's, which is a miracle, and tried this place. Wow! I had the turkey club, and even though that's one of my all-time favorite meals I didn't have super high expectations. I couldn't believe how good it was. It's advertised as a pressed panini, which I'm not super big on but luckily it wasn't really "pressed" and more like just grilled which is perfect. Tons of turkey and bacon, delicious spread, perfectly toasted bread, man it was good. And pretty reasonably priced too. I'm far from a beignet expert, but they were pretty dang tasty too.

This review is long overdue. We've eaten semi-regularly at The Easy Otter for months. We've tried half the menu. If chicken + waffles and beignets were low calorie, I'd eat here every day. The fried chicken is fresh, flavorful and has the perfect crunch, but isn't greasy at all. The waffles are the best waffles I've had, hands down and I'm a breakfast snob. The beignets are what I imagine you'd find in New Orleans. It wasn't until I had these beignets that I realized that all the other beignets I've tried are imposters. They do have other, less caloric options, like made to order sandwiches. I always say I'm going to order the Caprese sandwich, but I kid myself, because fried chicken and waffles wins over spinach and tomatoes every time. She also has fantastic coffee! My favorite meal is chicken + waffles with an iced latte. It's perfection. I have a food allergies to fast food/processed food. Often, when I eat out I will get a migraine the next day because of something in the food I ate. So many restaurants use processed food, fake spices like Lawry's or pre-made mixes - which wreck havoc with my health. I have never had a migraine after eating here, which tells me that when she says the food is made with fresh whole food ingredients, they are. I appreciate this so much! I'd also like to add the the owner/creator of this wonderful food is so genuine and kind. We also enjoy seeing and talking to her.

Well organized food truck lot, many options, but the easy otter is a must have. The Hey Taylor was very well flavored and juicy, and the garlic fries was crispy and very delicious. The classic beignets were very fluffy and highly recommend! Would absolutely come by again!

Discovered this food truck while looking for food in Salem this long weekend. The reviews do justice and the de lally chicken sandwich is spot on! It stays well for take out and so do the amazing garlic fries. Wifey got the caprese which was alright. I'm not sure the waffle panini idea works well. Will try the beignets next time!

The decor that they have around their food truck is adorbs so it really caught my eye, plus who doesn't like waffles? There are quite a few yummy options to pick on so it was hard for me to choose. I went with the crepe waffle club option and garlic fries. I got confused when I got my sandwhich? I was thinking maybe crepe batter into waffle, but it... was toast? Toast in a waffle press pretty much? The fries was thick cut style fries and the seasoning was lacking in garlic, but a lot of salt. For $5 I was thinking it would have garlic bits and some seasoning vs just... straight up salty fries. Maybe it was off day, but I was pretty dissapointed. It was a sad really just an over priced sandwhich.

Everything I've had has been of the highest, tastiest quality. There's always business so be prepared to wait a bit--it's worth it! Everything is flavorful, the fried chicken is juicy and delicious, A+ all around!