TripAdvisor Traveler Rating based on
879 reviews
A bistro offering breakfast and lunch in Salem, Word of Mouth (WOM) Bistro serves only the best of everything. At WOM, it’s not just about filling the belly. It’s about sitting down in a cozy space with good friends and family and sharing a fabulous meal together.
TripAdvisor
What a great find! The food was absolutely delicious. Large portions and cooked to order. Fresh, home style selections. The service was excellent. Or server knew the menu, the day’s specials and made suggestions based on our likes. The vibe was fun. Lots of little signs to read and trinkets to look at. Good prices Parking lot is small, but worth a walk from around the corner where street parking is available.
A problem with our rental car on our 1st full day of vacation had us driving from Lincoln city to Salem to exchange it. It’s a long ride and took time at the rental counter so decided afterwards to looks for a place for a late breakfast. This gem popped up and we head3d over. It’s tiny bit adorable and the wait was to be 45 minutes. Since it was overcast and drizzling this say, we decided to wait. We sat in a comfy area on the indoor porch and were able to order a cup of coffee while we waited which was told to us by some regulars. The staff here is so positive, friendly and outgoing, we felt we were at someone’s house for breakfast! Once seated, I ordered the special which was the triple crown berry and bpcream meal. It was a large pancake with this amazing cream layer and tons of berries. I also had the fresh squeezed orange juice which was lovely. My meal came with 2 eggs and a side of choices of which I got the fresh fruit cup. Every piece in that cup was perfectly ripened and sweet. Hubby ordered the blueberry buttermilk pancakes which he absolutely loved. That came with eggs and he got bacon as his side. While we were first waiting for our meals, the server came over with a complimentary chocolate and Carmel bread pudding. It was out of this world. We only ate 1/2 as we didn’t want to ruin our appetites. We took the rest home and heated it up one night for dessert! This breakfast was so filling that we couldn’t eat for the rest of the day! Delicious!
I hadn’t been to Word of Mouth since the ownership changed, and I don’t actually know if that’s the issue, but the meal I had this past week was pretty disappointing. It was perfectly fine, but nothing to write home about — and definitely nothing to justify waking up early, waiting in line, etc. Word of Mouth used to deserve its place at the absolute top of the Tripadvisor rankings for Salem, but based on my last visit, I’d say it’s now solidly middle of the pack. Particularly disappointing was the hash, which used to be outstanding: in this meal, it was simply a somewhat overcooked pile of veggies.
This has been the #1 breakfast spot in Salem for quite some time and there is good reason for that. Food is amazing and they have some interesting items to order. Trust me, they are all great. I’ve seen some comments about it not being as good as it use to be, I’d disagree. Smaller portions, yes. Quality is still the same. I’d highly recommend WOM to anyone looking for a tasty, fulfilling breakfast with a great atmosphere and friendly staff. Be patient, wait times can be long due to limited seating in the old house, but if you have the time, it’s worth the wait. Don’t believe the 1 and 2 star ratings on here. They either are super picky reviewers or they just had a one time bad experience. I’d recommend they go back and I guarantee it will be better the second time around. No, I don’t work for them, I just eat here a lot 😉
This restaurant is in an old house, so the seating is a bit limited and definitely unique. Service was great and the food was good as well. I would return here in the future!