Diners' Choice: Most Booked restaurants in Essex

OpenTable

Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for the most booked restaurants in Essex? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 500,000 new global diner reviews from the past month. We sort the results by location to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Kara Lounge & Grill

4.7

4.7 (1227)

£25 and under

Turkish

Grays

About the restaurant

We are proud to serve you one of the healthiest and most well-balanced Turkish and Mediterranean food in Essex.

Our dishes are prepared freshly upon order, using authentic recipes, traditional cooking methods with finest ingredients.

Our focus is to provide the highest quality of service available.

Top review

nikki

Dined today

Food is always fantastic here, services as quick or as slow as you want it - great choice too.

Bill's Restaurant & Bar - Colchester

4.6

4.6 (647)

£25 and under

British

Colchester

About the restaurant

Whether it's a bite to eat after a morning at Colchester Castle or private dining for 28 people (can we come?), we've got a spot for you. Find us where West Stockwell Street meets the High Street, or just follow the sound of people having a good time.

Top review

Serena

Dined on Jan 5, 2025

We were a table of 18 dining to celebrate a birthday. Without asking we were offered the private dining room upstairs and having ordered in advance all the adult meals everything just ran so smoothly. From the moment we were greeted at the door we were made to feel welcome, valued and comfortable. The service was brilliant and relaxed in a great way with 6 children to cater for too. Nothing was too much trouble and the birthday sundae wowed us all! Thank you Nicole and all the team. You did a wonderful job.

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Experience

Bottomless Pancakes

Experience

January Small Group Dining Menu

Experience

January Group Dining Menu

Bill's Restaurant & Bar - Braintree

4.3

4.3 (811)

£25 and under

British

Braintree

About the restaurant

Our restaurant is located in the heart of Braintree's busy shopping area, handy for taking a break any time of day. From booths to larger sharing tables, we're open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between.

Top review

Gill

Dined on Dec 22, 2024

Staff were really friendly and the food was tasty and good value

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Experience

Bottomless Pancakes

Experience

Small Group Dining Menu

Experience

Set Menu for Celebrations

Lot Bar & Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (1374)

£26 to £40

Contemporary European

Brentwood

About the restaurant

Lot Bar and Restaurant is a family run business offering freshly prepared food from 8am until 10pm daily. Whether you are looking for an informal breakfast or light lunch with friends or a 3 course celebration dinner in the evening or simply a drink in the bar after work, we have the best to offer locally.
We at Lot Bar and Restaurant take pride the quality of our ingredients, the high standard of presentation and excellent service. A seasonally changing breakfast and lunch menu offers everything you could want from a kitchen and our evening A la carte menu includes restaurant favourites as well as daily changing specials. On Sunday afternoons we offer the best Roast available. Our wine list, available from 11am, is curated by us to include the faithful, the unusual and the interesting.

Top review

Michelle

Dined 3 days ago

Lovely venue, with great choice of food and attentive staff. We will be back.

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Popular dish

Paella

Bill's Restaurant & Bar - Chelmsford

4.2

4.2 (851)

£25 and under

British

Chelmsford

About the restaurant

Bill's Chelmsford restaurant sits in the heart of town and provides a welcome escape from shopping. Come in for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between. From cosy booths to sharing tables, there's something for everyone.

Top review

DavidVIP

Dined on Dec 26, 2024

Great service from the young chap that served us!

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Experience

Bottomless Pancakes

Experience

January Group Dining Menu

Experience

January Small Group Dining Menu

Côte Brasserie - Chelmsford

4.5

4.5 (63)

£25 and under

French

Chelmsford

About the restaurant

Cote is inspired by the brasseries of Paris, serving authentic French dishes all day in our classically designed restaurants. We are committed to producing authentic French classics, freshly cooked to order, from the highest quality sourced ingredients.

Top review

Jane

Dined on Jan 1, 2025

Another wonderful meal today with first class service. Always consistent and special. Thank you.

Smiths Restaurant Ongar

4.8

4.8 (4870)

£41 and over

Seafood

Ongar

About the restaurant

Priding ourselves on our motto ‘Famous for fish’ Smiths Restaurants is a name that has become synonymous with fine dining and quality, attentive service. Our restaurants are located in Ongar Essex (just off the A414) and Wapping in central London (near Tower Bridge). Both restaurants boast an extensive menu of fresh fish that we offer to cook in a variety of ways to suit every palette. We also offer locally sourced meat dishes to accommodate those who prefer their food terra firma. To compliment the quality of our food we have worked closely with well renowned independent wine merchants to ensure we have a selection of wines that are the perfect accompaniment to every meal. The only problem you may have a Smith’s is being spoilt for choice.

Top review

Amanda

Dined 3 days ago

It never disappoints. The food was exceptional. We both had a gorgeous piece of skate and was beautifully cooked and presented. Service is first class and often better than in Michelin starred restaurants.

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4.7

4.7 (820)

£26 to £40

Turkish

Basildon

About the restaurant

The Eyna is a new, refreshing, traditional Turkish cuisine coming to the heart of Basildon. With a open-plan dining experience, open kitchen & central bar, we're sure this will be your perfect location for all types of events or casual dining.

Top review

Shanae

Dined 1 day ago

Amazing service, amazing food, amazing ambience. We will most definitely be back and recommend to friends and family.

Banquet Chinese

4.6

4.6 (1667)

£26 to £40

Cantonese

Colchester

About the restaurant

Start the the New Year with 25% off your total bill until 19th January.
Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Sunday from 5pm.

Banquet Chinese is a restaurant and venue unlike any other found in Colchester or North Essex today.

This is Chinese food the way it is meant to be experienced! Our mouth-watering dishes are cooked to perfection by award-winning chefs using only the freshest and finest ingredients.
The interior has been carefully chosen and imported from China to create a genuine and sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy your lunch or evening meal, perhaps together with a bottle of wine from the well rounded wine list supplied by Liberty Wines.

Top review

Kenny

Dined 2 days ago

Very good dim sum restaurant in Essex, worth a visit.

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Experience

25% Off Special Offer

Mad Dogs & Englishmen

4.8

4.8 (2847)

£26 to £40

Afternoon Tea

Leigh-On-Sea

About the restaurant

Here at Mad Dogs & Englishmen we have become renowned for our themed Afternoon Tea’s and wonderful cocktails. Enjoy the eclectic surroundings of this unique venue. We offer an immersive experience, a feast for the eyes and the taste buds!
The Parlour Tea Room at Mad Dogs and Englishmen provides a vintage setting to enjoy Afternoon tea. We’ve become renowned for our themed teas which offer an unforgettable experience.
The Botanical Rooms is upstairs and hosts our cocktail bar and also hosts our themed afternoon teas.

EVENTS

THE PARLOUR TEAROOM seatings at 12, 2.30 & 5 pm

Running till 5/1/25 - THE NUTCRACKER
17/1/25 - 28/3/2025 - DIAMOND OF THE SEASON

THE BOTANICAL ROOMS (upstairs) seatings at 12.30 & 3pm

Running till 5/1/25 - A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS
17/1/25 - 28/3/2025 - SNOW WHITE

Please ensure you select the correct time, venue and event when booking.

Top review

Vickie

Dined on Jan 5, 2025

Amazing setting, service and afternoon tea was beautiful as it always is. Can’t wait to come back for the next one!

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