What an amazing experience. I first want to thank the bartender Dylan for welcoming us and allowing our night to be the most special experience. We started drinks off and they were really delicious. The food came out in a timely manner and I love how the kitchen is in the same room as you. I ordered the egg toast with caviar and the short rib. My boyfriend got the waygu steak, he said it was the best steak he's ever had. I tried a piece he's not wrong! The bar seats are so comfy and I loved being able to enjoy a fancy dinner. The desserts were very rich. Thank you The Essex!
Mike E.
Love The Essex! GF treated me to a BDay dinner. Peter is a fantastic server; accommodating and thorough. Chef was really fun to talk with. Hostess was great! Perfect sized menu. Definitely had vegetables on their menu! Best Lobster Bisque Soup we have ever had. The Salmon and Monkfish were prepared perfectly. Dessert was incredible... seeing we never get dessert. The Essex and Arethusa a Tavolo are our two favorite restaurants in CT. The Essex has much better atmosphere though!
Tasting menu was good. The caviar course was excellent. The onion tart and octopus fritter were both playful, fun twists on classics. My only complaint with the food was the progression. It started out really well, but towards the middle to end it was one rich dish followed by another. I would've preferred mixing in a couple of lighter or acidic things to keep the pallet guessing.
Arhawk
It was a wonderful experience! The decor is cozy and beautiful. The Lobster bisque was AWESOME! We were celebrating three birthdays and they brought each of birthday people desserts—so kind!♥️?
l g.
Excellent service, very nice food choices. I did not notice if there were a lot of veggie options but there were lots of fish choices and beef. Lovely atmosphere. We enjoyed our meal and will come back for the fixed price tasting when we are hungrier.
Robert
This is a small restaurant with small kitchen. Ambiance is simple and warm. Service and food are good but not outstanding. Menu is unique. Pricing seems reasonable compared to other restaurants.
Gabriel Martinez
Transported from a scene reminiscent of Netflix's "Chef's Table," The Essex stands at the forefront of culinary innovation, offering enigmatic dishes and a nuanced perspective on the very essence of food. Treat yourself to an extraordinary dining experience here.
Very impressed with this intimate dining experience and incredible food. We had the five course tasting menu and it was awesome. I believe the chef actually came out and served us at one point . so great to see the kitchen at work. Every food choice was spectacular. The flavors are amazing.
We ordered the chef's tasting menu. IEverything was incredible. My favorite was the fois gras torchon with apricot and hot buttered roll. It was divine. We left very full and very satisfied.
John Phelan
Not sure why it took us a year to finally try this restaurant. Moved to the area from NYC over a year ago. The experience here is delicious. We were so surprised and impressed. The food was as good and tasty and inventive as a very good NYC restaurant. Yes more than what you normally pay here but so much better food experience. For us, this and La Marea are the two best culinary experiences in the area. Will definitely be back.
I was told that The Essex was a gem in Old Saybrook and they didn't disappoint! The tasting meñu was incredible. It was a little pricey for Connecticut but I still thought it was worth it. The selection in the tasting meñu was thoughtfully prepared and quite generous, actually. Can't wait for my New Yorker friends to come and try this treasure of a restaurant too.
Lindsay McAlpine
We had a fantastic meal at The Essex. The salad was fresh and indulgent. The lobster was perfect and a very generous portion. The Basque cheesecake was impressively flat and light!The only disappoint and surprise I had was the unethical animal products on the menu (foie gras, wagyu beef). I expect high quality, ethical ingredient sourcing from a restaurant like this and hope they reconsider in the future.Dietary restrictions: They did an amazing job of accommodating an allium allergy, which was greatly appreciated!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
nicole gagnon
Experience was just okay. Hot tub was the highlight of the trip. No CO-ED spa activities. Tavern wasn't able to do room service. *Visitors, Please triple check your invoice and charges. We booked a package and we still got charged for the amenities in the package and had to get them refunded two separate times.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Kayla Del Biondo
Our dinner at The Essex was truly the best dinner we've ever had! The service was amazing, the ambience is cozy and intimate, and the creativity and flavors that the chefs bring to each plate was unbelievable. The steak frites covered in sweet toffee glace served with crispy, salty french fries was a PERFECT combination. The 'sin nombre' cocktail I got was a combination of mezcal, fresh pressed ginger, honey, their house made fermented pineapple (tepache), and a few other mix-ins, and I savored every sip. Plus, they have 'captain's orders' listed as a cocktail with the fun description, 'tell us what you like and we'll make something just for you.' We will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak Frites
Wade R.
All around excellent. Service, staff, vibe and fantastic food! The chairs are sooo comfortable. Highly recommend!
What an amazing experience. I first want to thank the bartender Dylan for welcoming us and allowing our night to be the most special experience. We started drinks off and they were really delicious. The food came out in a timely manner and I love how the kitchen is in the same room as you. I ordered the egg toast with caviar and the short rib. My boyfriend got the waygu steak, he said it was the best steak he's ever had. I tried a piece he's not wrong! The bar seats are so comfy and I loved being able to enjoy a fancy dinner. The desserts were very rich. Thank you The Essex!
Love The Essex! GF treated me to a BDay dinner. Peter is a fantastic server; accommodating and thorough. Chef was really fun to talk with. Hostess was great! Perfect sized menu. Definitely had vegetables on their menu! Best Lobster Bisque Soup we have ever had. The Salmon and Monkfish were prepared perfectly. Dessert was incredible... seeing we never get dessert. The Essex and Arethusa a Tavolo are our two favorite restaurants in CT. The Essex has much better atmosphere though!
Tasting menu was good. The caviar course was excellent. The onion tart and octopus fritter were both playful, fun twists on classics. My only complaint with the food was the progression. It started out really well, but towards the middle to end it was one rich dish followed by another. I would've preferred mixing in a couple of lighter or acidic things to keep the pallet guessing.
It was a wonderful experience! The decor is cozy and beautiful. The Lobster bisque was AWESOME! We were celebrating three birthdays and they brought each of birthday people desserts—so kind!♥️?
Excellent service, very nice food choices. I did not notice if there were a lot of veggie options but there were lots of fish choices and beef. Lovely atmosphere. We enjoyed our meal and will come back for the fixed price tasting when we are hungrier.
This is a small restaurant with small kitchen. Ambiance is simple and warm. Service and food are good but not outstanding. Menu is unique. Pricing seems reasonable compared to other restaurants.
Transported from a scene reminiscent of Netflix's "Chef's Table," The Essex stands at the forefront of culinary innovation, offering enigmatic dishes and a nuanced perspective on the very essence of food. Treat yourself to an extraordinary dining experience here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 45 Beef Wellington, Clam Chowder Lobster, Wagyu Steak
Very impressed with this intimate dining experience and incredible food. We had the five course tasting menu and it was awesome. I believe the chef actually came out and served us at one point . so great to see the kitchen at work. Every food choice was spectacular. The flavors are amazing.
We ordered the chef's tasting menu. IEverything was incredible. My favorite was the fois gras torchon with apricot and hot buttered roll. It was divine. We left very full and very satisfied.
Not sure why it took us a year to finally try this restaurant. Moved to the area from NYC over a year ago. The experience here is delicious. We were so surprised and impressed. The food was as good and tasty and inventive as a very good NYC restaurant. Yes more than what you normally pay here but so much better food experience. For us, this and La Marea are the two best culinary experiences in the area. Will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fluke, King Salmon
Restaurantji Recommends
I was told that The Essex was a gem in Old Saybrook and they didn't disappoint! The tasting meñu was incredible. It was a little pricey for Connecticut but I still thought it was worth it. The selection in the tasting meñu was thoughtfully prepared and quite generous, actually. Can't wait for my New Yorker friends to come and try this treasure of a restaurant too.
We had a fantastic meal at The Essex. The salad was fresh and indulgent. The lobster was perfect and a very generous portion. The Basque cheesecake was impressively flat and light!The only disappoint and surprise I had was the unethical animal products on the menu (foie gras, wagyu beef). I expect high quality, ethical ingredient sourcing from a restaurant like this and hope they reconsider in the future.Dietary restrictions: They did an amazing job of accommodating an allium allergy, which was greatly appreciated!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Experience was just okay. Hot tub was the highlight of the trip. No CO-ED spa activities. Tavern wasn't able to do room service. *Visitors, Please triple check your invoice and charges. We booked a package and we still got charged for the amenities in the package and had to get them refunded two separate times.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Our dinner at The Essex was truly the best dinner we've ever had! The service was amazing, the ambience is cozy and intimate, and the creativity and flavors that the chefs bring to each plate was unbelievable. The steak frites covered in sweet toffee glace served with crispy, salty french fries was a PERFECT combination. The 'sin nombre' cocktail I got was a combination of mezcal, fresh pressed ginger, honey, their house made fermented pineapple (tepache), and a few other mix-ins, and I savored every sip. Plus, they have 'captain's orders' listed as a cocktail with the fun description, 'tell us what you like and we'll make something just for you.' We will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak Frites
All around excellent. Service, staff, vibe and fantastic food! The chairs are sooo comfortable. Highly recommend!