Taproot OLD MILL CAFE

1313 Mill St SE, Salem
(503) 364-3396

Recent Reviews

Sky Janice

Please consider a proper set up for this poor life. Betta fish are not decoration unfortunately and require a minimum of 5 gallons, a heater and a filter. This little man can barely swim. As a restaurant owner the means are surely there for a proper life for this betta fish. This set up is not suitable for a betta fish unfortunately and he is certainly suffering and there is no reason for this type of neglect. Thank you.

Joey M

The food and service were EXCEPTIONAL! Lindsey took such great care to help me with my food allergies. We will be back!!Dietary restrictions: Gluten intolerance and soy allergy

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Jody T.

We had the most delicious breakfast. I had the Great Start Hash. It was perfection. He had the Salem Slam. Both were incredible. We are regulars at the downtown location but the food is often overcooked or just average. This was what you wish the food to be but never is. The ambiance was lovely. The decor was colorful and warm. The service was spot-on. We couldn't have asked for a better Sunday brunch. I wish I had brought my phone to take pictures. The food was as visually appealing as it was delicious.

Audrey Ward

Stumbled on this gem on the way home from Portland.. located in the Heritage Museum. We ordered the special, Chicken Mojo, Russian Doll (their take on a lemon drop) & an Old Fashioned. The food was delicious & the pineapple salsa a perfect pairing w quinoa. Healthy & flavorful, exactly what we needed after the holiday decadence. Will definitely come again!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Shane Beecher

Excellent food and wonderful people. We need more restaurants like this.

Nate Hergert

I knew the other Taproot location, coming here was no surprise on the food, just as amazing! Loaded biscuit and gravy was a hit! Cleared the potatoes too!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Biscuits and Gravy, Burrito

Hannah Faulhaber

Loved the atmosphere. Quick, friendly service and amazing food!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Kathryn Walters Howard

Taproot Cafe at the Old Mill Building in Salem is a wonderful spot to gather and enjoy community. Though the space is smaller, the atmosphere is open and welcoming. I called a week or two ahead of time to reserve a sectional couch area for our large group (10), in the front of the cafe. On the day, our experience and service could not have been better. I know that large groups can sometimes be challenging, but Lindsey, our waiter, went above and beyond with the service. Lindsey was efficient, friendly, fun, and attentive to all of us. All of our food was delicious, and everyone left satisfied both in body and spirit. I and many of my friends will definitely be returning in the future to Taproot!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Riki Angel

Small cafe with a tree under a large ceiling window. That was so lovely! The coffee is really good and they had nondairy creamer options. I had the eggs Benedict and was able to have my dietary needs met with no allium. The service was quick and very good. The food was great as well. Eggs were done perfectly and the hollandaise was as expected. Also, parking was super easy!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Kelly Thomas

Love the atmosphere of this place, but the service needs work, and while most of the food is fufilling, today, my food was a huge disappointment. I almost never write reviews, but this was bad and others in the party agreed.Most people in our group got what they paid for, and it was hearty. I got the (3) Taproot Tacos which are described as having "arugula, onion, cilantro, and molé" and cost $12. When they arrived, there was about 1-2oz. of chicken (approx. 5-7 little cubes) on each, literally a couple leaves of arugula, a small dash of molé, and no cilantro or onion. The only side was a 1/2 full, small cup of salsa.When I asked for more molé, the onion that should come with it, and some extra tomato to make a heartier breakfast, they did provide it. However, when the check came, they charged me $2 for a total of $14. This was per the "chef" according to the waitress. This ended up being (2) decent tacos after I added fried brussels sprouts and potatoes from others in the group. So, $7 per taco. Ouch.Plus, we have been going here once a month, every month, for at least a year and they suddenly want a reservation. I understand they want to staff appropriately, but we never know if it will be 4 people or 10. So, our group has decided to look elsewhere after the experience today. Love Tap Root in general, just not going back to this location.Good luck!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 2

Catherine Cole

Atmosphere was amazing.The food was slow, the server often seemed to forget what we asked for. We told the server before we sat that we'd be ordering another meal at the end to go, which she completely forgot by the time we got the check.The food selection was the worst. I couldn't tell what half of it was. I ordered the hash and got roasted potatoes on top of spinach. The plates were so big, my friends food looked like poor portioning. The sourdough was fantastic, but no butter or jam to do anything with it. Stack of pancakes? Side of bacon? Nope! Not even ala carte.It's such a cool place but I won't be returning because the menu was very... Farm house limited.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 2

Service: 2

Michael Bredimus

I had heard positive remarks about this location and was looking forward to a pleasant brunch. However, the server seemed to be having a difficult time. When a member of our party requested bacon instead of Canadian bacon on the eggs Benedict, she mentioned she was hesitant to ask the cook due to his “mood.” Upon insistence, she took the modified order but swiftly returned stating they were “out” of eggs Benedict. The next menu item included country potatoes with bell peppers. When requested to omit the peppers, the server once again hesitated, inquiring if it was due to an allergy or personal preference. After clarifying it was a personal preference, she expressed fear again about asking the cook to modify the dish. Eventually, when the food arrived, it was well-prepared, although the over medium eggs were served over easy. The server was apologetic while handing us the check. As we exited the restaurant, we overheard the cook sternly discussing menu substitutions with the server. Despite well-prepared food, the unwillingness to accommodate simple menu modifications and the palpable tension between the cook and the server significantly marred the dining experience.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 1

Kelly T.

Love the atmosphere of this place (reason for 2 stars), but the service needs work, and while most of the food is great, today, my food was a huge disappointment. I almost never write reviews, but this was bad and others in the party agreed. Most people in our group got what they paid for, and it was hearty. I got the (3) Taproot Tacos which are described as having "arugula, onion, cilantro, and molé" and cost $12. When they arrived, there was about 1-2oz. of chicken (approx. 5-7 little cubes) on each, literally a couple leaves of arugula, a small dash of molé, and no cilantro or onion. The only side was a 1/2 full, small cup of salsa. When I asked for more molé, the onion that should come with it, and some extra tomato to make a heartier breakfast, they did provide it. However, when the check came, they charged me $2 for a total of $14. This was per the "chef" according to the waitress. This ended up being (2) decent tacos after I added fried brussels sprouts and potatoes from others in the group. So, $7 per taco. Ouch. Plus, we have been going here once a month, every month, for at least a year and they suddenly want a reservation. I understand they want to staff appropriately, but we never know if it will be 4 people or 10. So, our group has decided to look elsewhere after the experience today. Love Tap Root in general, just not going back to this location. Good luck!

Anita Holser

Very nice restaurant in the mall next to the Willamette Heritage Center. My friend had an OG Chicken Burger, and I had the Breakfast Tacos. They were out of quite a few items, but it was mid afternoon on a week day, so I expect that many items sold out during a busy downtown lunch hour.The dining area is rather small, but there are very comfortable sofas to wait on.Service was excellent and quick, food was appealing and warm, and the atmosphere was very welcoming.Definitely plan on visiting again.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Breakfast Tacos

Dirk Sonniksen

Fantastic place. Amazing Eggs Benedict. Staff was incredibly friendly and the atmosphere was perfect.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

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