Venti’s Cafe and Basement Bar

Great place to grab a brew. Nice selection on tap and in bottles. The downstairs bar is dark and comfortable. The service is outstanding. Both attentive and knowedgeable. I have never had a bad experience.

I love this place. They are really excited about beer. The Basement bar is a cozy place with a rotating schedule and currently they have a tournament of beers. The food is excellent as well

Cool place... I like the way it’s designed, with the deli upstairs and the bar in the basement. Not really impressed with the tap selection, but they had some cool stuff in bottles (though if I wanted bottles, I’d just go to the store and buy bottles, no?) Less-than-friendly service. I kind of got a cold, "we’re too hip for you" vibe - I’m 25 and I felt old! - but maybe that’s just me. Had a Greek salad paired with a Lucky Lab porter and both were great. Even though my first visit was a little disappointing, I would try this place again sometime (probably for lunch though, and not dinner.)

Really cool concept and execution. Combination of a nice cafe you walk into from the street--good food at low prices, lots of stir fries and wraps. Affordable stuff for college kids. Rock and roll on the hi-fi, bright colors everywhere. Very friendly and modern looking place. There’s a big staircase off to the right, down you go to a funky cool little bar with very well-chosen taps. Big emphasis on west coast beers. Great spot to stop and eat and drink if you’re in Salem. Not quite a destination to go out of your way for, but you definitely won’t feel at a loss for good beers in this town, if you look.

Venti’s September 2009 Craft Beers Purveyed Taplist nn. Brewery, Location–Beer Offered Bear Republic Brewery, Cloverdale, Calif. - Double Red Rocket Ale Bear Republic Brewery, Cloverdale, Calif. - Nor’[thern] Cal[ifornia] Bitter Caldera Brewing Co., Ashland - Pilsener Bier Captured by Porches Brewing Co., St. Helens - Red Emma Amber Ale Cascade Brewing Co./Raccoon Lodge, Portland - Celtic Copper Ale Cascade Brewing Co./Raccoon Lodge, Portland - Pilot Porter Diamond Knot Brewing Co., Mukilteo, Wash. - Industrial [2x] IPA Dogfish Head Brewery, Rehoboth Beach, Del. - 60 Minute IPA Eel River Brewing Co., Fortuna, Calif. - Organic [2X] IPA Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, Wash. - Bifröst Winter Ale Eugene City Brewery, Eugene - Track Town 200M [2X] IPA Fort George Brewery, Astoria - Red Nut Ale Fort George Brewery, Astoria - Spank’s Chili Stout Fuller Smith & Turner, UK - Extra Special Bitter Green Flash, Vista, Calif. - West Coast [2X] IPA Lagunitas Brewing Co., Petaluma, Calif. - Lucky 13 Mondo Large [2X] Red Ale Lucky Labrador Brewing Co., Portland - Triple Threat [2X] IPA Ninkasi Brewing Co., Eugene - Tricerahops Double [2X] IPA Oakshire Brewing Co., Eugene - Perfect Storm Imperial IPA Oregon Trail Brewing Co., Corvallis - Wit Ale Roots Organic Brewing Co., Portland - Burghead Heather Ale Seven Brides Brewing Co., Silverton - Rose’s Imperial Pilsner Terminal Gravity Brewery, Enterprise - TG IPA 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend - S1nist0r Black Ale Three Skulls Ales, Seattle, Wash. - Walk the Plank [2X] IPA Victory Brewing Co., Downingtown, Penn. - HopDevil IPA

Small storefront on Court Street. Opens up inside to a nice spacious modern type eating establishment. The Basement Bar is to your right down a flight of stairs. The Bar is tastefully lit and decorated, very comfortable feel to it. Very clean establishment. They do some wonderful food here from yakisoba to a more Meditteranean/North African fusuion type. The selection of beers on tap is always small :8, 4 upstairs at the restaurant, 4 down stairs. But the choice of the owners is very very good and fresh. Mostly rarer PNW beers that sell out very quick .They seem to change beers every couple fo weeks..though some of the more popular sell out in under 3 days.. The service I have recieved has been wonderful. Very nice and respectful. easy to talk with. Good value,good food, good service and a friendly atmosphere who could ask for more?