Salsa Bar & Grill

Our tour guide suggested Salsa Bar & Grill as a dinner spot and recommended that we get reservations ahead of time because the location fills up quickly. Definitely recommend it. I wish we went here for every meal because it was so delicious.
I ordered the «linguini pepperincino w/​tableland red claw, garlic, chilli, shaved parmesan.» It
was my first time eating red claw. It was kind of like crayfish meets lobster. Super fresh with a nice garlic flavor and spice. I powered my way through the dish — it was quite a messy experience but definitely a memorable one.
The restaurant was more casual than I expected. The women’s toilet was very clean and uniquely decorated.

Good location. I was confused by this menu at first glance. A restaurant called salsa with an Asian and Cajun inspired menu however I came to like the variety and that the menu was quite original. The dinner tasted good esp the gnocchi. The desert tasting plate was excellent. The service was not as polished as Sassi but a very enjoyable experience overall

This restaurant came highly recommended from several locals. Service staff is friendly, kitchen is open late and location is nice. Interesting flavor combinations with beautiful presentation. I ordered a beef steak and my
Husband ordered a tuna steak special. Both came slightly over cooked but were fine.

This is like the ‘rock’ of dining in Port Douglas.
Over the years many others come and go, some very fancy, some not so much, but Salsa just hangs in there and delivers uniformly high quality food and service.
We have eaten in most of the top restaurants in Port Douglas, and although you are not eating in forest, treetops or a camp, you can be sure to get a great meal here.
It surely isn’t the cheapest, but it likewise is not the most expensive (I think Nautilus takes that prize) and value for money and reliability says a lot.
Everything on the menu is good, the wine list is suitably varied with something for everyone.
You need to book most times, because they are always busy.
Well worth the time — a rare 5 stars from me.

Great Food, Great Location, Really fine friendly people.
I agree with earlier review
«The food is magnificent uncomplicated and presented beautifully. Service is all about doing a great job efficiently. I come here every time I’m in Port Douglas.»

Better than expected lunch menu fantastic
Tasting plate was flavour plus
Gnocchi was incredible

It’s a beautiful cheery restaurant that feels very aussie and serves creative and delicious food. The spring rolls were loved by everyone and we had to order seconds. All of the seafood dishes, especially the barramundi were fantastic. You should not come to port Douglas without eating here

Accommodating staff who go out of their way to make your evening enjoyable. Pleasant décor with a view, albeit on the other side of the carpark. And damn fine food. My crispy duck with paw paw chutney was very well-​prepared and the gnocci was light and rich. If there was one wrong note, it was my Jameson’s, neat. I’ve been drinking the stuff for a few decades (not ’round the clock, smart guy), and if that was Jameson’s, I’m Pope Francis… bless you all.

The best restaurant hands down in Australia. The food is magnificent uncomplicated and presented beautifully. Service is all about doing a great job efficiently. I come here every time I’m in Port Douglas. Have the yabbies they’re an addiction

Situated on Wharf Street at at the bottom of Macrossan Street, the beating heart of Port of Douglas, Salsa is a charming restaurant with a upmarket vibe. We had dinner for two and I can safely say the seafood was tasty, the specials good (we had pork with a fig jam) and the cocktail list memorable being both wide ranging and quenching.

The ambiance is not stellar. LED lights and such do a great job at destroying any hope for a more romantic atmosphere but the food is spectacular!!!

Absolutely loved it. Went there for lunch and again at night in the bar area for desert and had a blast. Excellent service, wonderfully prepared and tasty meals, and their desserts were superb. Also some of the most refreshing drinks in down town. They also has this oyster platter with different flavor/​toppings that were super unique considering we’re used to the very traditional oysters with mignonette/​cocktail sauce. Romantic and classy yet not too upscale that it detracts from the local charm.

More of a tarty tango then a sexy Salsa is served up here.
The service is sea side smiles in teeny tiny white shorts. Bright and bubbly like a fresh glass of prosecco. Not the fastest but no complaints.
Super cute pulled pork piquos were served on a smokey corn accompanied sauce.
The décor is über svelt seaside luxury. Big, wide open space looking out towards the beach.

Quick lunch at Salsa after the Sunday markets and had no trouble getting a table for two. A small menu with some really unique but delicious sounding meals and an extensive cocktail menu — I chose the thai chicken spring rolls with a banana and ginger mayonnaise and a mango nut cocktail. Both meal and cocktail were full of flavour, well presented and arrived within 30 minutes. The spring rolls had a big chilli hit which was perfectly balanced by the delicate flavours in the mayonnaise, a really filling meal given it was in the ‘light’ section on the menu.
Service was friendly and our water glasses were always full. It was a little noisy however this was cleverly disguised by the sounds of their large water feature which added a nice ambience.

Forget this place! I have never had worse food poisoning in my whole life! DO NOT GO HERE! The seafood pasta might literally kill you.

Meh.
First the waitress told us, she knew nothing about one draft beer of three we asked about.
Then she said, of the bottle… she would NOT recommend two.
Then we waited over 30 minutes for mains, despite the restaurant being 60% full. No explanation. And we asked, ahem…
Then when my main was too much and were in a place with a kitche, we asked to take it home.
«I’ll have to ask.»
Really? I paid or will for it.
Coming back she said it was against policy, but…
I was about to put on paper and wrestle anyone who said how gauche.
Magically a plastic container was found, I could take my fish home.
So like the beer… I don’t recommend Salsa. Two stars cause it was good, food. Not great, just good. Service, awful.
Stupid policy, worse.
Ps At the end, got the «was all alright» by a man who’d seated us. Husband said, yes but.
Either unheard or ignored. Music was a bit loud.

Very good food, a little noisy, average service, average beverage list. A very popular mid price point option here in Port Douglas but certainly not the best food in town.

Close your eyes. No, no, actually, open them again so you can keep reading. Well, actually, close them for 5 seconds, think of the first cuisine that comes to mind when you hear «salsa» and I bet it’s not what these guys serve.
I booked via Dimmi (yeah I did) and noted that I’m vegan and they were totes prepared. I had three options of meals; salad with no feta (menu item), tempura vegetables or vegetable linguini (both options made especially for me). I went for the mandarin and cajun almond salad and ordered Turkish bread with macadamia dukkha. Both were insanely delicious, I mean, ridic delish.
One thing that really stood out here was the service. We were served by three energetic but not intrusive wait staff. They knew their stuff, we never wanted for anything and after our second bottle of sparkling water, they knew to keep pouring it without asking if we wanted another bottle. Top marks.

My boyfriend and I decided to check this place out while we were in Port Douglas due to the great reviews it received on Trip Advisor. The night got off to a bit of a rocky start at the hostess stand when I was informed that I mistakenly booked our reservation for the next night (and this was our last night in Port Douglas). Thankfully, the staff was accommodating and said they would do their best to take care of us. After a brief wait at the bar, we were shown to our table and I was relieved that I had not completely screwed up our dinner date.
To start, we ordered the pork belly scallops that everyone recommends but found that they weren’t much to write home about. The scallops were cooked well but kind of small and bland.
Fortunately, we found the rest of our meal to be quite delicious. The jambalaya was full of different seafoods and sausage and I loved every forkful. (My waitress said this was a good choice when I placed my order and she was absolutely right). My boyfriend ordered the beef cheek and was very happy with his decision. It was flavorful and fall-​off-​your-​fork tender. Yum.
If you save room for dessert, I’d recommend the chocolate soufflé. It was light, airy, and delicious. Not at all too much after our meal. Just don’t be in a rush to get out of there when you order it as it does take some time to prepare.

The boyfriend and I were told to check out Salsa by a few of our tour guides. They stated that this place was a must. Were they paid to say that?! Did I get suckered into a tourist trap?
Service was EXTREMELY slow and there really wasn’t anything special about the food. It was actually kind of bland. As for service, I felt like I had to ask for everything including the menu and utensils. And when waiting to order our dessert, no one came around for 20 minutes. By that time I was getting tired and the thought of indulging in some sweets would not have been ideal. I was ready to leave.
I would probably head over to another restaurant in Port Douglas over this one any day.