Love Settler! My partner and I go for special occasions and have always had an incredible experience ❤️❤️
Ljt McDonough
Recently, my friend and I were lucky enough to get seats at Settler’s bar without a reservation. All I had heard about the place is that the food is fabulous (true) and that it is VERY, VERY expensive (not true). Yes, it’s expensive in comparison to Applebee’s, but not in comparison to any of the high-end restaurants in the area. In keeping with the boutique restaurant profile, Settler is very small. It’s efficiently designed to maximize seating and bar service. The staff are attentive and well-versed in keeping the diners on track and receptive to the Settler experience. Initially, I was put off by the practice of discouraging tastes of wine and declining to split plates. However, when I opened my mind, I came to admire the stand the chef/owner Aaron Chambers takes to ensure his vision and the guests’ experience are not compromised. If you are forming a preconceived notion, STOP - there was not a whiff of snootiness in the delivery. Justin, a convivial and down-to-earth guy from Revere, expertly handled the close-quartered bar. My friend ordered coffee, which turned out to be a fresh Americano. Brilliant! No Bunn coffee machine taking up precious space only to deliver pre-brewed java. The food and my generous glass of Nebbiolo were first-rate and well worth the price. I have paid more for so-so many times. Make a reservation, it’s worth the wait!
Dallin Nelson
It's a great restaurant, albeit a bit overrated for how expensive it is. Everything is fresh and high quality but I found the recipes a little less exciting than they sounded. We had a great time anyhow. Also the chocolate tort was an unbelievable treat. Great spot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Patrick Dolan
Hands down the greatest Steak Tartare I've ever eaten!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak Tartar
Victor Lay
We ate here on consecutive nights. The staff were very friendly and professional.
We enjoyed the hot apple cider, foraged mushrooms, basque cheesecake, pumpkin cappelletti, Nova Scotia halibut, Hudson Valley chicken, and casarecce.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Basque Cheesecake
COURTNEYM
Food and service (shout out to Cody) were fantastic! Came to celebrate birthday of best friend who is a vegetarian who had initial concerns as pre-fix menu only during month of October; however, after first bite of Chef's Mezze, all doubts put to rest. Having been here before, I can safely say food and service are consistently phenomenal (I was concerned Cody wouldn't be able to live up to Ross but he held his own)! Definitely a wonderful dining experience and will return next time in Salem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Steve Wingler
Staff and food were amazing. Generous portions with a lot of flavor.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
George Chalhoub
We’d had a great experience at the Settler. We visited during the busy month of October. The food was great, I’ve had the confit duck and hudson valley chicken. The service was phenomenal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Lisa Ann Schraffa Santin
I am still thinking about the meal I had on 10/2/24. Probably the best of the North Shore. I find that great food with a complimentary serving experience is a rare find these days and especially in the area North of Boston. This was so memorable a meal and a dining experience that I will be recommending it to many a local and visitor alike. Justin M. our server is a 100% professional. Everyone in the restaurant staff supporting him that evening made for an amazing ladies night with colleagues.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
amanda bassoff
This is our second year coming to Salem and our second time coming to settler. We made a point to come back for dinner on our anniversary because we literally thought about the beet hummus from a year ago, almost everyday! This year didn't disappoint. Carrot hummus and squash babaganoush, absolutely decadent! Also, the pumpkin pie came with a caramelized honey ice cream that I want to bottle up and have shipped to me, the best ice cream I've ever had! Thank you again!
Highly disappointed in the dry fish, very overpriced, go to Turner’s.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
Ansel Barnum
After scouring Boston’s restaurant scene for a special bday dinner for a friend, I settled on Settler. What really sold me was its reputation for a house made sourdough baked from a 50+ year old starter gifted to them by the star studded Michelin legend Daniel Boulud who the owner worked for years ago. I bake as well, so was especially curious to see what the hype was all about. The bread was strong on the sour (a bold move given that flavor is not appreciated by everyone), with a spongy dense crumb and toothsome blond crust. We enjoyed it enough to order at least three plate refills of additional slices. As for the food, it had some high’s and low’s which averaged each other out. The standout was the whipped ricotta with butternut squash Muhammara served with spicy lavash. The disappointment was the nova scotia halibut which was bone dry from overcooking—a mistake they made three times on each of the three plates that were ordered! Shocking for a restaurant of this caliber, and price point. Dessert was underwhelming (and at additional cost to the pre-fix $75 menu): an uninspired frangipan tart with ginger ice cream that was more crunchy than smooth from ice particles left by freezer burn. Then there was this aesthetic disgrace: After rejecting my request to bring a bday cake they assured me they would send a candle with dessert. So I expected what we ordered (or a bonus dessert or scoop of ice cream as restaurant overachievers will do) to have a candle plunged inside it. Instead, they put a lonesome candle in a little cup containing nothing at all. A sad looking celebratory dish! Aside from those missteps, the rest of the dishes did not disappoint, like the crispy falafels, Calabrian chili clams, and quinoa. But in the end when the oversized bill arrived its magnitude seemed to far exceed the mixed impression.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Irving Ramirez
Some of the best oysters I've ever had (could use a lil dash of heat to br perfect). The pate was incredible, as were all appetizers. By FAR the best falafel I've ever tasted (I was vegan once, I've eaten lots of falafels!)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Jamie Randall
Phenomenal experience with both food and service. The falafel and Cavatelli Al Pesto were chefs kiss. Also, the sourdough bread is 👌🏻
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Walter Grosyk
Enjoyed a fantastic meal on the patio last night. Cooking as good as at a Michelin-starred restaurant in France. The experience is rustic dining, not dining with table settings of Limoges and Christofle.
Love Settler! My partner and I go for special occasions and have always had an incredible experience ❤️❤️
Recently, my friend and I were lucky enough to get seats at Settler’s bar without a reservation. All I had heard about the place is that the food is fabulous (true) and that it is VERY, VERY expensive (not true). Yes, it’s expensive in comparison to Applebee’s, but not in comparison to any of the high-end restaurants in the area. In keeping with the boutique restaurant profile, Settler is very small. It’s efficiently designed to maximize seating and bar service. The staff are attentive and well-versed in keeping the diners on track and receptive to the Settler experience. Initially, I was put off by the practice of discouraging tastes of wine and declining to split plates. However, when I opened my mind, I came to admire the stand the chef/owner Aaron Chambers takes to ensure his vision and the guests’ experience are not compromised. If you are forming a preconceived notion, STOP - there was not a whiff of snootiness in the delivery. Justin, a convivial and down-to-earth guy from Revere, expertly handled the close-quartered bar. My friend ordered coffee, which turned out to be a fresh Americano. Brilliant! No Bunn coffee machine taking up precious space only to deliver pre-brewed java. The food and my generous glass of Nebbiolo were first-rate and well worth the price. I have paid more for so-so many times. Make a reservation, it’s worth the wait!
It's a great restaurant, albeit a bit overrated for how expensive it is. Everything is fresh and high quality but I found the recipes a little less exciting than they sounded. We had a great time anyhow. Also the chocolate tort was an unbelievable treat. Great spot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hands down the greatest Steak Tartare I've ever eaten!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak Tartar
We ate here on consecutive nights. The staff were very friendly and professional.
We enjoyed the hot apple cider, foraged mushrooms, basque cheesecake, pumpkin cappelletti, Nova Scotia halibut, Hudson Valley chicken, and casarecce.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Basque Cheesecake
Food and service (shout out to Cody) were fantastic! Came to celebrate birthday of best friend who is a vegetarian who had initial concerns as pre-fix menu only during month of October; however, after first bite of Chef's Mezze, all doubts put to rest. Having been here before, I can safely say food and service are consistently phenomenal (I was concerned Cody wouldn't be able to live up to Ross but he held his own)! Definitely a wonderful dining experience and will return next time in Salem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Staff and food were amazing. Generous portions with a lot of flavor.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We’d had a great experience at the Settler. We visited during the busy month of October. The food was great, I’ve had the confit duck and hudson valley chicken. The service was phenomenal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
I am still thinking about the meal I had on 10/2/24. Probably the best of the North Shore. I find that great food with a complimentary serving experience is a rare find these days and especially in the area North of Boston. This was so memorable a meal and a dining experience that I will be recommending it to many a local and visitor alike. Justin M. our server is a 100% professional. Everyone in the restaurant staff supporting him that evening made for an amazing ladies night with colleagues.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is our second year coming to Salem and our second time coming to settler. We made a point to come back for dinner on our anniversary because we literally thought about the beet hummus from a year ago, almost everyday! This year didn't disappoint. Carrot hummus and squash babaganoush, absolutely decadent! Also, the pumpkin pie came with a caramelized honey ice cream that I want to bottle up and have shipped to me, the best ice cream I've ever had! Thank you again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Highly disappointed in the dry fish, very overpriced, go to Turner’s.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
After scouring Boston’s restaurant scene for a special bday dinner for a friend, I settled on Settler. What really sold me was its reputation for a house made sourdough baked from a 50+ year old starter gifted to them by the star studded Michelin legend Daniel Boulud who the owner worked for years ago. I bake as well, so was especially curious to see what the hype was all about. The bread was strong on the sour (a bold move given that flavor is not appreciated by everyone), with a spongy dense crumb and toothsome blond crust. We enjoyed it enough to order at least three plate refills of additional slices. As for the food, it had some high’s and low’s which averaged each other out. The standout was the whipped ricotta with butternut squash Muhammara served with spicy lavash. The disappointment was the nova scotia halibut which was bone dry from overcooking—a mistake they made three times on each of the three plates that were ordered! Shocking for a restaurant of this caliber, and price point. Dessert was underwhelming (and at additional cost to the pre-fix $75 menu): an uninspired frangipan tart with ginger ice cream that was more crunchy than smooth from ice particles left by freezer burn. Then there was this aesthetic disgrace: After rejecting my request to bring a bday cake they assured me they would send a candle with dessert. So I expected what we ordered (or a bonus dessert or scoop of ice cream as restaurant overachievers will do) to have a candle plunged inside it. Instead, they put a lonesome candle in a little cup containing nothing at all. A sad looking celebratory dish! Aside from those missteps, the rest of the dishes did not disappoint, like the crispy falafels, Calabrian chili clams, and quinoa. But in the end when the oversized bill arrived its magnitude seemed to far exceed the mixed impression.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Some of the best oysters I've ever had (could use a lil dash of heat to br perfect). The pate was incredible, as were all appetizers. By FAR the best falafel I've ever tasted (I was vegan once, I've eaten lots of falafels!)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Phenomenal experience with both food and service. The falafel and Cavatelli Al Pesto were chefs kiss. Also, the sourdough bread is 👌🏻
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Enjoyed a fantastic meal on the patio last night. Cooking as good as at a Michelin-starred restaurant in France. The experience is rustic dining, not dining with table settings of Limoges and Christofle.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charred Spanish Octopus
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