20 Best American Restaurants near Old Lyme

“Great people, yummy food! The steak salad is my go to ~ delicious!“

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

“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!!!“

“Absolutely outstanding! 5 star experience from start to finish! Our hostess was a gem! Very kind..Our server Peter was a professional.. made some wonderful suggestions on wine and appetizers! And one of the most important parts was the food! It’s a must try! Memories were made! Can’t wait to go back and enjoy a beautiful experience if they’ve gave 10 stars the Essex would get an 11 cheers“

“Very good dining experience. food, service and atmosphere get a big thumbs up 👍“

“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“

“Stopped in and had the best chili dog I’ve ever eaten in my life! Perfection!“

“Delicious food, friendly staff, served quickly and very attentive staff making sure everything is okay. This is our #1 go-to place for breakfast, lunch or dinner!“

“Amazing food and a really great atmosphere. The chef puts so much care into what she does and she makes everything tasty“

“The food here is top quality, NYC style cuisine. Every time we come we have a delicious meal. Tge steak is always perfectly cooked, the salads have clean crisps dressings and the vegetables are nicely presented. I have two things that bug me every time. One, I wish they would improve the decor in the dining room. It is so plain and almost Russian at this point. Second, some of the servers are inexperienced and they reach across you and interrupt you to clear the table at the end of the meal (we were about to leave.)“

“My husband and I went to Aspen the other night for our wedding anniversary. We had our rehearsal dinner there 4 years ago and were blown away by the food.. well, once again, they nailed it! It was delicious!! Not only was the food good, but our waiter, Joe M (funny, same name as my husband 😅), was wonderful! We will definitely be back again!!“

“Birthday dinner. Everything was fantastic. Service impeccable. Our server lylia was awesome. Will definitely be coming back.“

“We were in the area last night- headed home from the casinos- and like to sing Karaoke. We stopped here and the people were so warm and welcoming. Also drinks were very reasonable. I’ll definately stop again next time I’m in the area. Only wish I lived closer. It’s a good atmosphere for any age group.,“

“Amazing service from the moment I walked through the doors. I had a table of 7 booked for my birthday meal and couldn’t have wished for better service! Food was amazing as always and the atmosphere was great! 😊 Thank you little pub!“

“Always loved this place. Food and service amazing! Always stop here on my way through town.“

“We visited last night for the first time since it was Oliver‘s Tavern years ago. We were so impressed from the moment we walked in the door. We opted to go upstairs to the beautiful bar area for appetizers and happy hour drink specials. The food was phenomenal (we had incredible nachos, which were loaded with beef and the fantastic, huge warm pretzel with cheese sauce) and the service was phenomenal as well! Every server and staff member was so attentive and super friendly ! Can’t wait to go back for another great experience and maybe take advantage of some nice weather and sitting out by the fire tables outside.“

“5 of us went for lunch yesterday, Haley & the kitchen knocked it out of the park. None of the other guys had ever been before,all said they'd be back. So laid back, not at all stuffy. Don't ever change.“

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

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

“The food was amazing. Beautiful restaurant. The service was just a bit awkward. It was almost like they were annoyed we were there. Our initial server who took our order was very kind and attentive, but after him, the other two waitresses seemed put out and almost rushed us out. Hopefully it was just an off hand experience because other than that we loved the restaurant!“