39 Best American Restaurants near South Salem

“This place is a gem, a real throwback to when dining out was a pleasure. Been here several times for lunch and dinner. Warmly welcomed each time. The service and the setting and the food are all top-notch. Great fish always, and many traditional Italian dishes to choose from. Good sides, too. Each dinner entree comes with a lovely salad , nicely presented with a tasty house dressing. I feel fortunate to live nearby but would drive longer if I had to. many of their regulars come from other towns.“

“I love the Horse and Hound Inn. I grew up 1mile from it. they have great people working here. Sue Val’s the owner is a mother to me/friend. i highly recommend the Horse and Hound Inn!!!“

“Second time we have driven from Avon for lunch at Baldanza. Well worth the two hour round trip drive. Everything was PERFECT! Large selection to chose from. Food was delicious. Presentation beautiful. Service OUTSTANDING with no pressure or hurry. At our first visit in the Fall we were seated outside next to the brook which was nice and tranquil. The view yesterday of the ice and snow covered brook from our table inside this quaint former school house was picturesque. Highly recommend Baldanza. We will definitely be back.“

“Everything! The staff is so helpful and knowledgeable!“

“love it .kind,friendly staff,GREAT specials,creative ,yummmy.(easy to park)“

“We hosted my daughter‘s bridal shower at J Law and it was everything we hoped for. Clara, Megan, and the entire team were attentive, kind, and incredibly helpful throughout the day. The private event space was ideal, spacious, welcoming, and flexible enough for us to personalize with our own decor. The food was delicious. The service was top-notch and the atmosphere made everyone feel at home. I wouldn’t hesitate to return for another celebration. Thank you, Clara and the J Law team for helping us create such a memorable day!“

“Such an adorable place and the food was so delicious! Great ambiance! Lovely hostess and waitstaff“

“My boyfriend and I went to this place for dinner. I have to say we had one of the most delicious meals ever. We started with the Tuna Carpaccio and a dozen Oysters on the half shell. The Tuna was beautifully presented and delicious as were the Oysters. We had huge hot popovers served with a honey butter which were mouthwatering. We also tried the Crab Cake which was one of the best I have ever had. The Crab was fresh, and the tarter sauce was very light and didn't over power the Crab, For dinner we decided on the Roasted Chicken with watercress and the Butter Brown Spinach Ravioli. They were both amazing and the presentation was absolutely exquisite down to the garlic shaves on top of the watercress. For dessert my boyfriend had the Chocolate Sorbet and I enjoyed the Toasted Almond Ice cream as well as the fresh baked cookies with milk. I couldn't have asked for a better ending to the meal. The Ice Cream and Sorbet were delicious and the freshly baked warm cookies with milk were scrumptious. Everything was homemade and you can tell how much love goes into the food here. The server we had Mae was friendly, smiling all the time, very attentive and made our time there so nice. A special thank you also to Kerri Casso who is the Service Manager there. I know her from her previous job and Kerri is the reason we tried this place. She checked on us several times and made sure we were happy. Thank you to Mae, Kerri, Sunny and everyone there who made our meal enjoyable. We can't wait to come back!“

“Excellent dining experience in Danbury, CT“

“Awesome old school bar-style burgers done right! You can tell they care and use quality ingredients. Cheeseburger with caramelized onions, pickles, and their house sauce (it’s kinda like a chipotle mayo) is the perfect combo. The staff and owners are as nice as can be too.“

“Exceptional dining experience. Our party of eleven showed up on a very busy day and The Barn Door never skipped a beat. Food:A+, Service :A+, Friendliness of Staff:A+. If you plan to dine in the Ridgefield/Redding area area, the Barn Door is where you want to go. Ron & Denise Mangano Essex“

“we had a party here and thanks to Helen and staff, it was amazing and affordable! Highly recommend!“

“Had lunch today with my sister and daughter Had the pear walnut salad with blackened scallops One of my favorites Unfortunately today the scallops were overcooked like little rubber balls“

“Love the Sycamore drive-in! We started getting mostly car hop service when the pandemic hit but we’ve inside a few times before that. Staff is great, always friendly, food is great! We’ve tried many things on the menu, from hamburgers to breakfast sandwiches to salads and always good!“

“always welcoming - love them all❣️“

“The burgers are fabulous!!! We love the atmosphere too!“

“I went to Whitlock's a couple of weekends ago and had the absolute best meal. I ordered the French dip and it was mouthwatering good. My server's name was Tisha and she was honestly one of the best server's I've ever meet. Her smile light up the room and she went above and beyond to make sure my husband and I were happy from the time I walked in, to the time we left. I would recommend Whitlock's to anyone who hasn't been.“

“great food, location and service“

“Love, love, love this place. They are constantly changing up the menu. Awesome food. The carrot ginger soup this past week was amazing! Always look forward to weekend food!“

“Great food, great people!“

“We hadn't made a reservation but Lucia was super accommodating. We love eating here as it has a bustling vibe, like a New York bistro. Food, as always outstanding and atmosphere first class. Cannot wait to return.“

“Food was exceptional and our server Santiago was very friendly and knowledgeable. Great experience for us!!“

“Great… just like it’s been for going on 50 years!!“

“Delicious food and excellent service! Extremely courteous staff! A wonderful experience“

“We met some friends here to watch football and grab something to eat. The food was really good. It was a little loud but of course it was football so that was okay. Our waitress was excellent. Great place to stop for a quick bite in Danbury.“

“I used to go here quite often many moons ago, but for some reason haven't been there in quite a while. But was meeting an old friend who lives in New Caanan, and we chose this place. I opted for the Fish-n-Chips which was pretty tasty, but somewhat oily. But I ate every bit of it. The atmosphere is very "dive" bar ish, which is a bit of a charm in itself. We were able to eat our food and enjoy a couple of beers with some good conversation without them trying to turn over the table. After all these years CSE still has tasty food, and I'm sure I'll be back.“

“We’d flown across the continent from Vancouver to New York, and drove up from Midtown to New Canaan to see something quieter. The moment we parked on Elm Street, it felt like the right destination. The name might belong to old horror movies, but the street was nothing but calm. My wife called it “cute” about a thousand times, and she wasn’t wrong.

We walked the shops, stepped in and out of small storefronts, and followed a narrow back alley when hunger finally caught up with us. That’s how we found Back End — tucked away, sunny, and exactly where it needed to be. The November air was cold, but the day had a clear sky that made everything feel sharp and clean.

Service was friendly and quick. The room had an easy rhythm — warm decor, high stools, tight tables. A space used well. Fun without being loud, relaxed without slowing down. Sometimes you stumble onto a place that matches your mood perfectly. This was one of those.

We shared tacos, Nonna's meatballs, and chicken dumplings. Every plate landed. Simple dishes done right, seasoned with confidence. Nothing heavy, nothing forced — the kind of food that keeps a conversation moving and a day on track.

Back End fit the afternoon. A hidden spot in a quiet town, found by accident on a long trip. The kind of place you remember because it met you exactly where you were.“

“Best place ever ! Food is fabulous !!“

“Everything I had here was really good. Everything from the guacamole to the cheesesteak. My only wish is that they served the waffle fries with everything! Great uplifting atmosphere as well.“

“fantastic food hands down“

“great food great staff great wine“

“Around CT & NY Elm reliably holds its place with Pound Ridge, L’escale, Skittleman, Union League, plus honesty the coolest professional staff, blessed to have Elm 🌳..“

“Love the LA Fit wrap, of course on a habanero tortilla. Great soups, too. All around a great option for a quick lunch.“

“This Little Pub has been a staple for work lunches. They are conveniently a walking distance (if you prefer) away from my office. Their service has been great for over 10 years that I've been coming here. The food is as delicious as ever and they have a nice selection of beer that's not standard bar choices. If you don't already frequent this place, definitely stop in for a work lunch or hang out after work! It's going to become your go to work lunch spot.“

“Great Local place! Great food & service“

“The restaurant is very well done. The atmosphere is great and well thought-out. I have been there twice and service was exceptional both times. Valet parking is a nice touch for a cold night. The food is a bit disappointing for this price point. I ordered an ahi crusted tuna special that came out partially frozen. They told me it came with grilled asparagus but it was served with sauteed spinach. This was fine, as I used the spinach to melt the tuna. The steak tartare app was just ok. My guest ordered the lobster fra diavolo and it took them 25 minutes to alert us that they ran out of lobsters. This was after they told him they ran out Peroni beer. The desert was solid and nice selections of after dinner teas.“

“The vegan taco and short rib hot bun. YUM! Great selection of tap beer as well. Staff was stop on. Will be going back👍“

“Have had dinner at The Arch previously each time everything was tasty and prepared well. My wife who's very particular was more than satisfied. In June my wife and I had our wedding at The Arch. We Highly Recommend , Zennel and his staff are professional. The chef definitely knows his way around the kitchen. The food, from appetizers, to desert, everything, was delicious. The entrees were perfect, the short ribs were to die for, no knife necessary. Our chocolate on chocolate wedding cake was incredible.“

“We absolutely love Chucks. The food is consistently fantastic. Tommy is always incredibly friendly and good with kids. Rocky is a wonderful server and takes great care of us each time we come. I truly could not ask for a better experience dining out with my family.“