30 Best American Restaurants near Old Lyme

“This place is really a wonderful establishment. It is not often in this area that you find a place with great quality, interesting, and rotating/seasonal dish options. And all of this is at a fairly reasonable price and a great view of the Lieutenant river. Highly recommend.“

“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!!!“

“Love this place!!! Very friendly staff“

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

“Stopped at a great little spot in Old Lyme today— Hallmark Drive In for lunch. Sorry no pictures. The food was great! We shared the clam strip platter and the grilled hotdog platter (with curly fries). Both choices were delish! The clams were flavorful and very tender. The “dog” was grilled just the way we like it. The servers were delightful too! Next time we stop by I think I’ll try their 🦞 roll! They also have great ice cream!“

“Great atmosphere and food. A must visit!!!“

“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“

“Not only is the food delicious, but the staff are fantastic and truly make you feel like family. The East Lyme Shack is our go-to restaurant! Thanks, guys!!“

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

“Stopped by Ed's Place and had the Hot Chick Sandwich with a side of coleslaw both were absolutely delicious! The sandwich was flavorful and cooked perfectly, and the coleslaw was fresh and a great complement to the meal. The service was excellent, and the staff were friendly, personable, and made me feel welcome from the moment I walked in. Great food, great people, and a great experience. I’ll definitely be back!“

“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“

“Fabulous from the beginning to the end! Excellent staff and great food. Enjoyed it very much. The lobster chowder was fantastic! Kobe sliders amazing! And the best porkchop I've ever eaten! Great bottle of wine 🍷
I'll definitely frequent this place. Highly recommended 👌“

“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!!“

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

“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.,“

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

“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!“

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

“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!“

“Such great service but even more so, the chefs are incredible with their creativity and delivery of unique and delicious food. Liv's is an oasis away from home....they do so much to make dinner special every time. Thank you all.“

“As someone who grew up in the area, I am so excited to see this place revived. The memorabilia, even the plates Pay homage to the history of Moodus and East Haddam. The history is incredible, and felt magical to me. I can’t wait to go back. Thank you, Jimmy and to your partners - Your family would be so proud!“

“The place looked compelling as we drove by; it is absolutely stunning inside. Very special and rich decor, yet very comfy. A little disappointing that they were missing some menu items. The New England clam chowder and the pot stickers were excellent.“

“Big Thank You to Alex who handled our reservation & table of 24. Great, friendly service & he juggled a lot so we really appreciated it. Food & drinks were very good. Our 1st time there - great atmosphere! Definitely check it out.“

“Food is awesome and the staff is great! Food is cooked fresh and worth the wait! Lori is amazing!! I highly recommend!!“

“I had THE BEST breakfast ever! I have been wanting to go to the Turtle Cafe for a long time and finally got to have breakfast there. I ordered the breakfast crepes with salmon and lemon sauce. It was absolutely delicious. Service was friendly, on time and the chef was great, too.
I will return! Recommend Turtle Cafe to anyone wanting a fantastic meal.“

“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.“

“It's a Friday night and we're meeting up with some friends! One of them suggested Marker 37 for a variety of reasons and today, we're going to find out why! Here's how things went for me during my visit. Atmosphere/Appearance: Set right on the Connecticut River in Chester, CT connected to its own marina is this gem. Reservations are recommended especially in the summertime since THIS is the place where you wanna be. We were here in early April so things hadn't quite picked up, but at least the snow was gone and we didn't need to wear super heavy coats. The parking lot is massive so if it's busy you'll be walking for a minute before you get to the door. But once inside it's pretty modern, chill and relaxed. The decor isn't over-the-top. Everything is straight-edged and just... almost minimalistic. However, we sat in the patio area that was certainly heated so we could see the view of the water while the sun set. It was a wide-open setting and I'm very glad the restaurant didn't smash too many tables and chairs in there. Service: I can't remember who took care of us, but I don't remember having any issues throughout dinner. It was fairly slow so I didn't expect any hold-ups. Food/Drinks: I started off with an old-fashioned which was fine. Nothing crazy. Next up was a New England clam chowder which is perfectly seasoned and flavorful. Textures were good and so were the seasonings. Spot-on. For dinner I went with their Prime Rib! It came out perfectly medium-rare with a side of fingerling potatoes, grilled squash, au jus and horseradish sauce. It was good. Just... kinda not exciting. :-/ Maybe I should've gone the seafood route since we were on the water. But no matter. Value: Not too crazy here. It's a nice restaurant, but prices aren't out of control. You can totally come here to chill, have a drink and an app or a full-on family dinner and not be upset at the final bill. In conclusion I liked it here, just not enough to want to drive all the way out here again. Would I come back? Sure, if I were invited by friends and stuff, but I highly encourage you reading this to pay this place a visit and enjoy the views! Thank you for reading.“

“This place is great. Great food, great people. Even great customers. We always meet fun people here, that’s a big why it’s a favorite. Growing up on the Boston area, I love fried seafood. Charlie’s fried seafood is the closest reminder to the fried whole bellies I grew up with. And the Bahamas Mamas are on point!“

“I have two words for you, Malibu chicken. This is a favorite in our home. Our family finds themselves just wanting to go there for this alone sometimes it is that good!! My son also really enjoys their salmon dish. I wish Otter Cove had more visibility to gain more recognition because it’s fully deserved. Well, not on a main strip it is worth the drive!The food is really really delicious and you owe it to yourself to go there for a treat!“

“Love, love the food and staff of this fabulous breakfast lunch restaurant!
Great specials. The sausage and biscuits best in CT.
The homemade muffins and breads out of this world! My favorite is the Cinnabon bread. Yum!
Outdoor seating if you have a dog with you.
Right on Main St, Deep River if you want to pop in one of the local stores after very nice unique !“