Downtown Salem, OR has come a long way in the past few years with the addition of some awesome eateries. Noble Wave is a true stand-out and guess what?? They like Tots!
New Orleans flair in the heart of the Willamette Valley
We first heard about Noble Wave back in the spring of 2018 when Tots Dad and Tots Mom were working our booth at the Salem Saturday Market. Riley Vannoy, a transplant from New Orleans, came by for a visit and told us all about his dream of bringing Louisiana cuisine to Salem. We like food (a lot) so this information piqued our interest. Oh, and he also shared that his new restaurant would also be a brewery. GASP! This news increased our interest by about a bajillion.
Noble Wave is a favorite spot of our Tots Crew and one that we visit pretty darn often. Oh let me count the reasons why. First of all, they are the best people around. Even when they were in the initial construction phase, Tots Grandpa would pop by to check on the progress of Noble Wave pretty much every Friday. Riley was always so kind to give Tots Grandpa a look around and catch him up on the latest and greatest. He certainly didn't have to do this but we think it's pretty great that he always took the time. Customer Service at its finest (thanks Riley!)
Additionally, in our humble yet very professional opinions, they have some of the BEST food around. The cheese curds are to die for and the Hot Bird sandwich is not one to miss. Don't forget the fries and special fry doink sauce. They also have a kids menu (which we always appreciate) as well as a killer Sunday brunch menu. When we visited with Tot #3 the other day on her maiden brewery voyage at just four days old, they were slinging some Hot Honey Bird sandwiches as their weekly special. Man alive - YUM! They do like to shake things up so make sure to ask about their specials so you don't miss out. As we always say, #FOMO is so real and the Tots Crew is here to help you avoid these feelings of remorse.
Okay, let's talk about the beer that Noble Wave is brewing. We visited specifically to try their new "Alright Alright Alright" fruited hazy which contains nine varieties of hops and six types of fruit. WOAH. You would think with all that going on that this beer would be too much fun in one glass. Instead, it was super smooth, crazy refreshing, and down-right delightful. In fact, all their beers are a bit on the unique side but still extremely approachable. You can also see their brewery area towards the back of the restaurant which is always fun. They also have wine and some pretty amazing southern-inspired cocktails.
Noble Wave has a lot of great things going for it. They are located on a vibrant, main drag in downtown Salem and have both indoor and outdoor seating. The interior always has some really fun music playing so if you have a fussy tot, they likely won't bother the table next to you. Our tot was sleeping the entire time we were there so that wasn't an issue...at least not this time. :) Noble Wave hosts a gallery wall for local art displays which we think is very cool and infuses some fun color into the space. They have a nice mix of high-top and low-top seating as well as these fun, cushy alcoves that our tots tend to prefer. They have high chairs and baby changing station in BOTH the men's and women's restrooms. (This always makes us happy!) Noble Wave provides free juice boxes to the kiddos and always have some really fun flavored slushies that you can order sans alcohol for the tots. They are adjacent to the Reed Opera House which has a bunch of fun and funky shops to visit. So if you need to take your tot for a stroll while you wait, there's plenty to explore!
What to expect when you visit:
Some of the best food and brews in the mid-Willamette Valley
Friendly, attentive staff and a really cool space
High chairs and changing stations in both restrooms
Kids' menu and fun drink options for the tots
Fun environment with music and lots of activity (so if you have a tot who is a bit on the loud side, you're probably going to fit in just fine)
Walkable area in downtown should you need to take your tot for a stroll
Maury on one TV and WWE on the other - what more could you possibly need??
More Info:
Open Monday - Thursday 11am - 9pm, Friday & Saturday 11am - 10pm, Sunday 10am - 9pm
Address: 189 Liberty Street NE Suite 112 | Salem, Oregon 97301