44 Best American Restaurants near Essex

“My husband and dined here for the first time last evening. We both savored the experience. From the moment you walk in the door, you know that you are in for something unique. The cocktails, especially the white Negroni, were excellent. The food was top tier. I had one bite of my husband’s halibut and fell in love. I opted for several starters. Oh! To be a mussel luxuriating in that broth! Ceviche portion was HUGE and clean and fresh, lobster risotto was so creamy and warm. I wanted the entire dessert menu, but selected the frozen soufflé, which was light and dreamy. An night out like no other! Thank you chefs!“

“I had the Southern Fried Chicken and Leslie had the BBQ Fried Chicken. Lucky (our dog) was treated to some bacon and water for his 8th birthday by our waitress who couldn’t be nicer. Nice find!“

“Great place with lots of vibey aesthetic and outdoor, heated seating.
Use the Heinz ketchup, though. It tastes better.

Parking: Lots of spots right at the restaurant

Wheelchair accessibility: They have a ramp that is fairly accessible“

“Terrific location in a small New England town bordering the Connecticut River. Excellent food, wine and comfortable rooms.“

“Very clean and great food!“

“I celebrated my birthday at the Seal tonight. We haven't been in a while. I had the Short Rib Ravioli, Mom had the Serloin Steak, my wife had Tuna and our son a grilled cheese. Everything was delicious! Our server said she was new, but did a great job. We finished with warm Carmel apple pie! It was the perfect ending to a great night!“

“Great spot, friendly staff, and delicious food“

“I've visited Café Routier several times over the past 15-20 years and the restaurant never disappoints. You'll not go wrong ordering the Frites, fried oysters or Mussels, all 3 are amazing appetizers. My choice of entreé is almost always the “campstyle” grilled trout. It's always prepared perfectly. Desserts are aleways fantastic too.“

“This is a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ restaurant for sure from the Food which was mouth watering to the service and atmosphere a fantastic place to eat! You won't find a better steak around. I can't say enough about how pleased I was tonight with everything . Hats off to Jack and Nancy I highly recommend it“

“Awesome meal and service at the Red House. Nice wine, beer and cocktail selections and great menu with specials. We will be back!“

“Excellent!! Crab cake appetizer was the "best I've ever had" according to my son. There were four of us and all were very pleased. I've been twice and looking forward to going back. This restaurant is definitely the place to go when you want to take your time between courses and enjoy the food and people you are with. I like the 20% service charge(tip) added to bill. Keeps paying thoughtless as service is excellent. 5 stars on everything!“

“Huge portions, friendly staff, great experience!

Parking: Plenty of room in the big parking lot that wraps around back.

Kid-friendliness: The kids at the table next to us had plenty of choices! They seemed very happy!!“

“Excellent food & something for everyone. Wonderful staff & service. 100% recommend“

“Whether you go for the art and stay for the food, or simply go for the food; you can’t go wrong dining at Cafe Flo.
We stopped by the Florence Griswold museum on a nearly perfect Autumn day and were delighted by the food, atmosphere, and service at Cafe Flo.
The cafe is seasonal with outdoor seating overlooking a bend in a gentle river that meanders by. The picture perfect views complement the experience.
Note: it can get breezy and be a bit cooler in the shade of the porch, so dress accordingly.
The menu and specials board presented the challenge of having to choose among several great options.
Choose we did, I opted for the beet and goat cheese salad, which was fresh and flavorful. My spouse order the mushroom bisque, having been inspired by the mushrooms of the Wee Faerie Villages (An annual autumn event at the “FloGris”).

Both dishes were fresh and flavorful.
For dessert we enjoyed the apple crisp pie, which we found to be done just right - fresh, subtly spiced, and not overly sweet.

In addition to the season food specials, several beverage specials were available as well, including alcoholic and nonalcoholic option.

Cafe Flo is worth a visit, whether you are visiting the art galleries/museum or not.“

“Good food, good service. Our server last night, Andrea, recommended the blackened salmon flatbread when I couldn't decide between that & something else. it was delish! She was very attentive & friendly, making our meal even more enjoyable. The meal was a bit delayed getting to us & without a word from us, Manager Tony came & topped off my wine. This kind of service is rare these days. Thank you Andrea & Tony for an enjoyable dining experience! Not our first time here & always enjoyable ☺️“

“Food/ambience was excellent. Only down side was our food took a long time to come out. Waitress told us we got stuck behind a large party they had downstairs. Gave us a coupon for 10% of next visit. This continues to be our favorite spot in the area“

“The comfort cafe is the perfect place to go for a great quick tasty bite and a few drinks. Chat with friends and be able to smile have a great time and relax. I’ve always had exceptional service there. I quite enjoy their French fries very much. The drinks are always top notch too! Come down for a visit!“

“Great service and food! A lovely atmosphere and attentive staff.“

“Very good chow and good service, 5 stars!“

“Good times , nice friendly great food ..could have more diverse drafts“

“My friend and I had a phenomenal time at brunch here. The restaurant is gorgeous, the staff are doting, and the food was outstanding.
I had been here once before with a different friend, but wasn't in a place where I could afford more than soup and bread.
I am so thankful I came back when I had saved up a bit of money so I could enjoy a full meal and drink. I guarantee no matter what you order you will be impressed. Their menu is kinda small which allows them to perfect everything they offer.“

“We were here on vacation and dined here twice in the 4 days we stayed at the resort.

The vegetarian options are limited but all of them are delicious, freshly made and portions are decent sized too.

Beet salad is really good. Quesadilla is recommended

The cocktails
Water's edge punch is a must try.
Paloma and spicy margarita are the second best.

People are kind and attentive.

Don't forget to get French fries with cocktails and take them to the beach! Have a blast!“

“1st time here and wow was everything from the appetizer to the main course top notch dining.“

“My wife and I went with friends visiting from Los Angeles on Saturday evening. The food and drink were, as usual, fantastic, and our server, Alex, was outstanding. I almost always write a review of this place when we eat there and I've never had a negative thing to say about Liv's. Nice job! We'll be back.“

“So happy they are here! The foos is always good and the servers are always friendly and welcoming!!! Thank you for bringing a great restaurant to this town!!!“

“Great food, diverse menu and awesome service! Will definitely be back!“

“Totally different . My Brother and I stopped for Breakfast on Sunday September 1 st . Very small place and extremely Effecient . A Line was waiting outside but there was a couple of spots available at the Counter . Great bunch working there and used to handling crowds . Three Cooks doing their job right in front of you and 2 Waitresses taking care of Counter and Tables . We had Corn beef hash and eggs which were great . You have to try this place . Plenty of outside tables for good weather .“

““I had an incredible experience at Wayback Burger! From the moment I walked in, every team member made me feel welcomed and valued. The service was exceptional, with everyone going above and beyond to make my visit enjoyable. A special shoutout to Lori, who truly made my day with her warm and friendly personality. She made sure I had everything I needed and took the time to make me feel like more than just a customer. Wayback Burger has an amazing team, and thanks to Lori and the entire staff, I’ll definitely be back! Highly recommended!”“

“I had the bison burger with sweet potato fries. The dipping sauce for the fries was amazing. My server Jackie was great about never letting our glasses become empty and making sure to help out with my daughter’s allergies!“

“Had the special - Chicken Cordon bleu… didn’t expect anything amazing but it was amazing. Surprisingly, but beautifully, crispy on the outside with a slight sweet flavor. Chicken was perfectly cooked, not dry, with appropriate proportions of cheese/ham. Service was extraordinarily friendly. Topped it off with a nice Port wine and they had a decent selection available. Will be back.“

“This was my first visit and I really enjoyed it.
I was concerned because it was a Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. and I just knew it would be busy and we may not get seated right away; we were seated as soon as we walked in.

Our server was very attentive.

The food arrived within 10 / 15 minutes

When going to most breakfast places for a first time especially, I always go for my go-to, which is the eggs benedict.

To be honest when my eggs benedict and home fries arrived, the holidays looked a bit different than I am used to at most places and I was unsure about how it would be, taste-wise.
I really enjoyed it and I ate every bite. I always get my English muffins toasted extra for that crunch and so they don't end up too soggy.
Perfect amount of Hollandaise and the home fries were good as well.

Tasty coffee, which matters because you would be surprised or not, that a lot of breakfast places don't serve super good coffee. ?

I will definitely come back, thank you Bree for introducing me to this breakfast/lunch spot and thank you Tina for your exceptional service.
There was another young lady there who was our actual server and I am so sorry I did not get her name. She was great as well!

I paid for breakfast and with the tip it was around $40

I did not take a picture of my blueberry pancake which I saved for the next morning. Yummm“

“Honestly originally came here thinking it was a typical tavern. Left having one of the best food experiences I have ever had! The food was amazing and so perfectly prepared I have been back countless times since and am always recommending them to friends and family. Definitely need to fit in a date night here really soon!!!“

“The best place in Coastal Connecticut“

“great beer selection and bar food is unique and creative“

“Fun place with fantastic service, great music on the weekends, good food (I love the bacon, egg & cheese sandwich), very clean, and of course wonderful, kind people. Oh, did I mention how much I love the Bloody Mary bar on Sunday??!!! Thanks Doc's Bar & Grill!!!“

“Simon's catered a party of 50 for us and it was FANTASTIC. An Italian style charcuterie board, shrimp cocktail, mini lobster rolls, herb roasted salmon, Korean style barbeque chicken, corn salad, roasted sweet potatoes with veggies, fruit, cookies, and - of course - crack bread. The guests just raved about the food. Highly, highly recommended!!!“

“great place to meet up with others“

“My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and were absolutely blown away. We tend to end up with less than stellar dining experiences and service, but the Brushmill was outstanding! The service was impeccable, they congratulated us on our anniversary (which was a note on the reservation) and gave us a complimentary Prosecco toast to start the evening. Our server was top notch, we never found ourselves in need of a thing. We started with drinks after the Prosecco toast- a mint greyhound and a tequila old fashion, both of which were well balanced with beautiful presentation. For the appetizer, we got the scallops…. Out of this world! Our server commented they were his favorite, and after trying them it’s no surprise! This may have been the best scallop dish I have ever had. If you go, GET THE SCALLOPS and thank me later! For dinner I had the pasta dish and added chicken to it and my boyfriend had the steak frites. The chicken was juicy and perfectly seasoned. The brown butter sauce was light and flavorful at the same time and the hazelnuts in the pasta dish paired beautifully with the brussle sprouts and sage. My boyfriend’s steak was cooked perfectly and melted in your mouth. The amazing meal and service were complimented by the absolutely beautiful building. We both love the rustic industrial vibe, pairing the history of the building and the elegance of the atmosphere perfectly. We will definitely be back and telling all our friends about this hidden gem. Thank you for being a stupendous addition to our evening.“

“Hungry after a few hours at Gillette Castle, we were looking for lunch/dinner. We had a wonderful experience at Pattaconk! Our waitress was friendly and attentive to my dietary needs (Celiac’s). We had a burger, quesadilla & Nashville chicken stripes. My burger had a gf bun & was delicious, husb & daughter loved the stripes & quesadilla. Restaurant had a nice, chill atmosphere, everyone enjoying drinks & food. We will be back when out in the area.“

“They wouldn't give us window table although no one sat in the available ones... claiming a large party was coming that never came - super weird. Window seats remained available during our entire meal. It upset my guest - even other patrons came up to us to comment about how rude it was. .“

“We have been enjoying Chow for years and everything we have ever had from them has been delicious but yesterday… Father’s Day, they went above and beyond! They were packed and after waiting for a while for my take out order (understandable for a busy night) they confessed and profusely apologized because in the rush of the busy evening one of my pizzas had been dropped. Without missing a beat they promised my pizzas would be remade and delivered to my house…. Half hour away!!! That is stellar customer service!!! So, amazing food AND wonderful customer service, what more could anyone want?!“

“Great food; relax atmosphere“

“Love the Deck and LOVE the fact they pay attention to not serving those under age. More establishments need to be aware of this and enforce it! The Deck is a wonderful place! Great bartenders, great service, great food, and great overall atmosphere. Other patrons are always friendly and just there to enjoy themselves and have a good time! Definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a laid back place to enjoy a drink. Plenty of space to move about and plenty of parking as well!“

“It was a pleasure working at The Gelston House this weekend! The staff were so accommodating and friendly! We highly recommend their event services and dining experience! 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“