Entertainment/night life in Salem (Portland, Keizer: house, employment, theatres)

[kezialyn]

I may be relocating to Salem this fall and I'm wondering if anyone can provide me with information about entertainment/night life in Salem. I previously read that most restaurants close by 7. Is this only in the downtown?

I'm 28, single, and plan to seek outdoorsy activities on the weekends but I'm wondering about my options for weekdays. Any information about restaurants, coffee shops/cafes, shopping, taking classes, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

[.freak]

I think the Malls close at 9PM and as far as nightlife, Salem has none. There are bars downtown, but they get old. As for entertainment, the bars get old... I have lived in Salem for a long time, there is nothing fun to do there.

[bobmulk]

Coffee shops--The Beanery downtown or Steam Heat in Keizer. SH has live music on the weekends. There's a shop called Tutto Cucina that has cooking classes on international foods. Willamette University has speakers and events. There's concerts, etc. at the Elsinore and the plays at the Pentacle are quite good.

I wouldn't listen to freak. Sounds like he doesn't get out much and if he does, it's too the bars.

[Ryn]

Whatever happened to the 300 Club?

[Krystle]

If you're into Southeast Asian food like I am, there are a few places to check out. There's Lanxang, a Lao & Thai restaurant, on Commercial near Kuebler (the atmosphere's not the best, but the food and the prices are great). There's also a Vietnamese restaurant on Silverton road that I just tried, and that was very good as well. There's another one downtown that I've been planning to go to.

[503Aviator]

I lived in Salem the first 18 years of my life and still come back from Arizona when I am off from college for the summers( I'm now 20). Salem's nightlife is truly lacking. Obviously there are several movie theatres to go to that are open fairly late, but many many restaurants close down quite early. I am not yet 21 but from what I have heard, the bar scene is not known to be great, but their seems to be no shortage of dive bars( I wouldnt go in 80% of them considering they seem like biker bars, but thats just me). Whenever a trendy bar or club has been opened in downtown, it seems to only last a few months before closing its doors because it obviously isnt making it. I think the biggest problem with Salem is that their is no major state university located here. Yes, there are a couple of really small private colleges and a community college, but there really is no "college town feel" to salem. I would describe Salem as being fairly conservative and lacking a youthful spirit. To me, it seems as if the town is full of lots of kids and married adults who are 30+ years old. The 18-30 single age group is largely missing from this town. One of my former high school teachers who is in your age bracket used to complain all the time about how hard it was for her to find dates in salem because everyone was either already married or 50+ years old. That is obviously a bit of an exageration, but really, its not a good town for single 20-year olds. She has since left and moved to New Jersey and is much happier.

To be completely honest, I am being quite gentle on Salem. Many Salem Natives will probably try to disagree with me and tell you that there are lots of things to do, but I am not exageratting the situation. Plus, many who say it isnt that bad have never really gotten out and lived somewhere else.

[MimzyMusic]

I'm only 18 but Salem is awful. Nothing to do, the mall is the best thing in the damn town. Boring as hell for a major city.

[Silverfall]

I am 39, married with two kids so this is from my perspective (I also came from the Chicago area to Portland to Salem)...

Many restaurants are open well past 7. I have to agree that Salem is a fairly family oriented town. We don't have a major university here so the youthful element isn't here to drive bar/nightlife business. With the government jobs being the major source of employment here, we are just family oriented.

I would expect most singles that are looking for a club type of nightlife to be insanely bored here. The restaurant scene has improved since I moved here 9 years ago, but it has a long way to go.

If you prefer a more liberal/laid back coffee shop, the Coffee House Cafe downtown is great. The Blue Pepper is another great coffee shop and they have live music on the weekends. I haven't listened to any of the bands but friends have said the music is good.

I know Boons tends to book countryish type of bands.

Restaurants: Bentley's is the newest restaurant in town and the place has good atmosphere, the food is generally good, but I've had a couple of misses there. Morton's on the west side is good. I like Da Vinci's as well. Amadeus down south is great if you don't mind slow service. Rudy's at the south salem Golf Course has good food as well. The Wild Pear's deli downtown is good as well.

Carl's Cuisine has cooking classes, and Chemeketa offers some good wine tasting classes.

You many want to consider joining the Chemeketans which is the local outdoor club.

If you like to bike the Salem Bicycle Club has club rides every weekend as well.

We have classes from gardening to quilting to whatever. If you specify your hobbies more, we might be able to get you plugged into things.

[bobmulk]

If you're only into drinking and partying, then yes, Salem has nothing to offer. Thank God.

[503Aviator]

Originally Posted by bobmulk

If you're only into drinking and partying, then yes, Salem has nothing to offer. Thank God.

Quite frankly, this is exactly the kind of negative attitude you will often find here in Salem. Drinking and Partying don't have to be loud, out-of-control, disturbing events. In fact, you dont have to drink to party and not all parties have to involve alcohol either. But many conservative, generally older Salem residents have this very close-minded view about what should or shouldnt go in this city. Teenagers and young adults are not generally catered towards in this city and Salems nightlife shows this. Many in this city are afraid that young people are going to ruin their "conservative, quiet, relatively uneventful town." I guess we should thank god that there is no major university here. Many citizens would be in uproar over good old-fashioned tailgate parties and barbeques. I'm sure it would be "too out-of-control" for them.

Obviously not all Salem residents are like this, but the ones who run this city and who have a major influence over agendas truly do not care all that much about having a youthful spirit in Salem.