50 Best American Restaurants near Essex

“Great food - dinner and dessert! Great views. And the staff is so friendly. Highly recommend!“

“Good food, great drinks !! Nice water view !! A little noisy though !! Thanks for a wonderful evening Sharon D.“

“My son had a surprise 70th birthday party for me with my siblings. Everything was suburb. Excellent food, outstanding service and awesome conversations with family and staff 😀 A wide variety of food options to satisfy everyone. 5+“

“We drove way out of our way to go to Woodman's of Essex all because of Mark Wein's YouTube post about this place. He was not wrong! DELICIOUS! It was my birthday present to stop here as we were traveling near the area. I was prepared to order anything I wanted on the menu. It was so sweet of the lady behind the cash register to remind me I could get the same thing for less money if I ordered the special. Oh my goodness it was so wonderful! Not only did I have fried full belly clams and onion rings but my husband had the fried shrimp. It was all perfect! And.... They had fried lobster tail on special and so I just gobbled it down! The lobster tail was $9.95 but it was worth every penny... All four bites of it! I'd do it all over again tomorrow!“

“excellent restaurant and bar!…. nice people my issue is the fact when I was leaving this evening I was absolutely eaten alive by mosquitoes… is it just me?� I never in my life been swarmed like that“

“Friendly welcoming staff Very reasonable prices Fun Atmosphere“

“We first found mercy tavern last October! We planned a quick trip again this year and it was on our list of places to return to! We absolutely love the atmosphere, food and amazing drinks! Can’t wait to go back.“

“I hosted my best friends bridal shower at The Grove in the Bramble House. The entire experience was seamless from start to finish and the coordinators and staff were extremely helpful and professional. I highly recommend using them for any event!“

“Their Italian Sandwich -- BEST EVER! The bread was outstanding, meats were top shelf and the special sauce put it over the top!“

“My husband and I sat outside and had a lovely snack in the sun, away from most of the hustle & bustle that October brings to Salem. We thoroughly enjoyed the butternut squash hummus, falafel, and cauliflower & quinoa tabouleh but the real highlight for us was the apple cider! Holy. It was the best we had on our trip around New England. Not too sweet, served nice & hot, lightly spiced and so, so good! The service was wonderful as well! Best of luck to this crew, we wish you much success & hope to see you next fall!🍂☺️“

“An Ipswich staple, they have the best sandwiches and roast beef. Always good for grabbing a cheesesteak, roast beef, or chicken salad to name a few of my favorites!“

“Love this cozy little place. Awesome food, great prices and wonderful waitstaff.“

“Had an amazing dinner highly recommended.. I will definitely be back“

“Good not have picked a better place to start a New England spring break! Good inexpensive food in a setting full of yesteryear charm. We ate at the bar and enjoyed conversations with other patrons and staff. I had an Irish Benedict… benedicts are not my go to either but this was great! We also tried the fried dough. If you visit Marblehead, definitely worth a visit for breakfast or lunch. It’s not large so I imagine there is a bit of a wait at times but totally worth it… also, cash only so make sure you come prepared!“

“Outstanding service and food - can’t wait to return. Staff was awesome !“

“Cala’s is the Bee’s Knees! I am blown away with the quality of food and especially the service! Golden nachos COVERED in tender pulled pork and fresh cheese, chicken tenders are hand battered and well seasoned, hand cut french fries cooked to perfection. Food and service have been superb, consistent, and dependable. Definitely a regular spot for us.“

“I am a long time customer (1975) Nick's is absolutely the best there is! Once when I had a broken leg, Nick helped me (and my sandwiches etc.)out to my car. Not only great roast beef but compassionate!😍“

“We were very happy to discover Sea Salt is pet friendly. The service was great and the food was delicious!“

“The steak tips and scallops ate the perfect meal.. always on point. Big juicy scallops, and steak tips always cooked right. Never had a bad meal here. GREAT food..“

“We met our son and two grandsons for Saturday morning breakfast. Food was good, fast, eggs done perfectly with not too much grease, and generous portions. Staff were excellent. Loved the meal.“

“Great food and great service!“

“My girlfriends and I stopped into this little diner on a whim, and I’m so glad we did! The food was absolutely delicious (classic comfort food done right!) Everything tasted fresh and homemade, and our meals came out surprisingly fast. The staff couldn’t have been friendlier!! They treated us like regulars from the moment we walked in. You can really feel the heart and pride they put into their place. Definitely one of those hidden gems that makes you wish every restaurant still had this kind of charm and hospitality. We’ll absolutely be back!“

“Very good soup and they were very hot. We had chicken vegetable and clam chowder.“

“Always a good meal and relaxing atmosphere. Thanks Larry!“

“Lydia is beautiful and amazing. Very attentive and professional. She's so great with all the customers even when it's a full house. Wow is all I can say. Highly recommend when she is here. The beers are always cold and they make great cocktails. Food is tasty and fresh. Pizza is a must.“

“Excellent food, fresh ingredients, and outstanding customer service! The pizza is always delicious, the portions are generous, and the staff is friendly and welcoming. Definitely one of the best pizza places in the area. Highly recommended!“

“Simply the best restaurant on Rocky Neck. Pricey, but worth it. Outstanding entrees and service!“

“I had the fishermen’s platter, wife had lobster carbonara, after starting with bang bang calamari. Food and service was both phenomenal!“

“Thank you so much for a great experience. We loved the decor and the food was delicious. Thanks to Jacob, Natalie, Mico and of course my sister Karen for a wonderful experience. Thank you to Margaret and Matt for welcoming us. Excellent Marie (Butt) Washington“

“The rolls that the subs are made with always taste fresh, not dry like some places in the area. The staff are always friendly and polite.“

“It was awsome, yummy and all of you very friendly - you are Great. Mans ist warm regards for Jacky from the two germans . Good Luck Kerstin“

“Excellent , can’t get any better . Highly recommended. You will definitely happy with all aspects of George’s .“

“We thought this place was absolutely awesome. Very clean, private. Very well run and everyone Very friendly. Very modern rooms but still has the historical charm throughout. Breakfast just a few steps down the hall. Very close to all historical places we enjoyed visiting. We will definitely return and highly recommend.“

“Went here on Halloween night, the best bar experience I've had in years, everything from the super nice security, to the bartenders, very good drinks and reasonable prices,good music. I'm a local and this place just became a regular spot for me!“

“Delicious food, great variety, and easy online ordering!!!“

“the food was great! love the wall art inside.“

“Fun atmosphere. Good service and food“

“OMG Best breakfast ever. Got a western omelet and I must say was the best one one I've had in years. My daughter got the veggie omlet and is the first time I've ever seen her clean her plate! Will definitely go here from now on. No other restaraunt can will ever top this place. Good coffee, friendly people, great service, and great prices. I highly recommend this place to anyone wanting the best! I'm not the only one that likes it there. There was only one empty table left. Wheelchair access, handicap parking nesr the front door that makes it an easy access for those needing it. Will definitely go back there. Hard to find anywhere with a breakfast this good.“

“Never had a bad meal at this place“

“Place is so unique! Love the antique feel! Had a wonderful time dining on the patio with friends!“

“The bartender is awesome beautiful, so that's a W for sure but shes always dancing around and her vibes are contagious. Poors a hell of a drink and always smiling ! My favorite part is FRIDAYS when Dj skully is Blazing beats. Awesome spot.

Vegetarian options: Who cares it's a bar.. maybe icecubes?“

“First time here we’ll be back!“

“It wasn't really busy the time that we went. And it seemed like we were always waiting for our server.  pork belly tacos were ok, nothing that I'd rave about. My friend did enjoy her salmon. We also ordered drinks, and the first beer that I ordered was flat, so I sent it back.“

“Love the atmosphere there. Friendly staff and the food selection is pretty good.“

“Three Cod is fabulous the food the service are the best I highly recommend for a great meal & fun & Sunday Brunch the best try the Eggs Benedict & a Bloody Mary yummy!!“

“I love this place! highly recommended. Impressed with the food and drinks, the atmosphere and also the staff. Kelly B was our waitress, she was awesome, our first time there, she had a great attitude and always checking in with us! thank you for the great service! we'll definitely be back!!!!!!😊“

“Me and my family visited Salem yesterday for a little roadtrip, we come to Salem all the time (we are from New York). My sister mentioned that we go somewhere different to have lunch/dinner. We selected on The Counter, Ashley (hostess, waitress) charmingly greeted us and we picked a table to sit. The menu was very simple and had great selections. My sister and mother got the counter salad wrap, I got the Counter Burger, my daughter 12” cheese pizza and sister in law the grilled cheese. The amount of satisfaction being whispered out of our mouths…oh my god! Everyone’s food was absolutely delicious, we all voted that this will be our food place to eat every time we come to Salem. With the amount of hospitality, Kindness and attentiveness that Ashely gave to us, she was top notch! You have one AMAZING employee at The Counter. We can wait to come back, we would love to check out Hotel Salem one day. So all in all, myself and my family give The Counter a 10 out of 10, and we give Ashley a 10 out of 10!!!!“

“Food was Excellent. Quality was great and quick service. Server was excellent.“

“The "appetizer" short rib poutine!! 100%YUMMO! Two of us ate it and still had leftovers! And the raging honey garlic wings were amazing... just the right amount of spice and cooked too perfection!!“

“I WENT TO REV YESTERDAY FOR THE FIRST TIME TO MEET MY SON FOR LUNCH I WAS APPROACHED BY CORY AS OUT WAITER. HE WAS ATTENTIVE KIND AND EXPLAINED EVERYTHING ON THE MENU. WE WERE VERY HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE THAT HE GAVE US I WILL DEFINTIELY LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO GO TO EAT AND ASK FOR CORY HES THE BEST!! THANK YOU CORY“