The Essex

4.8

1010 Reviews

$31 to $50

American

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 23, 2024

10:30 PM

Booked 9 times today

Innovative
Good for special occasions
Charming

Set in the heart of downtown, across from the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, the “new” Essex will continue to offer the progressive, modern, approachable cuisine that has made it a top restaurant in the region. Whether it’s a pre-theater dinner, a casual gathering with friends, or a tasting menu for a special evening, guests can gather at The Essex to create memories with family and friends while enjoying excellent cuisine.

The Essex menu showcases modern American cuisine that draws inspiration from the land, sea and deep heritage of the Connecticut River Valley, using the freshest locally sourced products available from farm and sea. All will inspire an ever-changing menu of progressive interpretations of timeless dishes.

"Voted Best New Restaurant in New England" Yankee Magazine
"Best Restaurants in Connecticut" CT Magazine
"Not to be Missed" Town & Country Magazine
"Rising Chef Star" CT Mag

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Contemporary French / American, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
Hours of operation
Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(860) 237-4189
Website
http://www.theessex.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Colt Taylor
Private party facilities
Your Special Events Destination: Elevating the Dining Experience on the Shoreline.Contact Colt@TheEssex.com

Location
247 Main St, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
Neighborhood
Old Saybrook
Cross street
Across From Town Hall and The Katharine Hepburn Theatre
Parking details
Parking in Rear
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Gift card

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What 1,010 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.9Service
4.8Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Connecticut
Innovative
Middlesex
Best Overall
Middlesex
Best Food
Middlesex
Best Service
Middlesex
Best Ambiance
Middlesex
Innovative
Middlesex
Hot spot
Middlesex
Romantic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Essex offers a "superior service" experience with a warm, welcoming ambiance and inventive, delicious dishes. Guests rave about the chef's tasting menu, noting it as "absolutely amazing" and "creative." With attentive staff and a chic setting, The Essex is perfect for special occasions or a delightful culinary adventure.

1,010 Reviews

B
Bruno
VIP
Greater Boston
48 reviews
5.0
48 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Another Outstanding Experience. Peter our server is always professional and knowledge. Chef's new menu format is amazing and this current menu is one of his bests.
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G
Greg
New York City
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 14, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was the best meal I have had all year. To put that in contest I have enjoyed meals at very highly rated restaurants in NYC, Boston, San Diego, Cape Cod, as well as all over Connecticut. The food could not have been more delicious. Our waiter was phenomenal. I will be back and more than once. I will next try you Branford location as it is closer to home. Thank you for a wonderful dining experience.
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R
Ray
VIP
New York City
17 reviews
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on December 13, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Attentive service. Top notch food. Beautiful restaurant with chill music.
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S
Susan
Greater Boston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our dinner with friends at The Essex was beyond expectations. Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and well paced. We opted for the three course price fixe and were pleasantly surprised by the appetizer course we were served before the salad course. At $79 per person the dinner was very reasonably priced for the quality and quantity. Our first and main courses were outstanding. My strip steak perfectly cooked to medium rare and the whole table enjoyed the frites. The halibut and scallops along with the sauces and vegetables were excellent. Dessert choices were very generous although I hit my limit after a few bites of the baked Alaska. The menu was heavy on seafood which restricted our friend who has a fish and shellfish allergy. But once aware of that and a nut allergy, every dish was carefully adjusted for nuts. Dining at the Essex is a wonderful treat. We will be back.
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J
John
New York City
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 7, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Nice atmosphere, a little tight and got noisy like being in a pub. Menu is pricey but interesting. Is it worth the money? Maybe once, judge for yourself.
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P
Paul
New York City
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 4, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Absolutely incredible meal start to finish. Inventive takes on old standards, plus some totally new concepts. Sometimes we had no idea exactly what we were eating, since exact descriptions are hard to put on a menu. But every bite turned out to be a beyond-delicious surprise. $79 prix fixe is steep for Old Saybrook, but I'm not sure how they could pull this off for less given ingredients and attention to detail.
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K
Kimberly
VIP
Greater Boston
229 reviews
4.0
229 reviews
Dined on December 3, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We were there the first night of the brand new menu. We had an excellent meal overall however the french fries that came with the steak were greasy and only tasted like the oil of the fryer. Foie “psicle” was interesting. A little bit heavy on the onion flavor, but would do it again. There were only a few tables, so not a great time to judge the overall noise level of the restaurant. Service was excellent. Definitely will go back.
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W
Weston
Hawaii
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 23, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had the 7 course chef’s experience with wine pairing. Absolutely outstanding! The first course was unbelievably delicious. Yet somehow each course got even better. Wine selection was beautifully paired. Waiter was attentive and very helpful with descriptions. Loved our experience.
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A
Andrea
Greater Boston
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food and service experience at The Essex is amazing. Always above and beyond. Bartender Dylan is the best! We love the entire experience!
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B
Brian
VIP
Atlantic City
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a wonderful night celebrating my wife’s birthday. The food, service and atmosphere were terrific. Loved it!
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FAQs

The Essex is rated 4.8 stars by 1010 OpenTable diners.

The Essex does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 23, 2024

10:30 PM

Booked 9 times today

247 Main St, Old Saybrook, CT 06475

Additional information

Cross street
Across From Town Hall and The Katharine Hepburn Theatre
Neighborhood
Old Saybrook
Hours of operation
Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Contemporary French / American, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Parking in Rear
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Colt Taylor
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.theessex.com/
Phone number
(860) 237-4189
Private party facilities
Your Special Events Destination: Elevating the Dining Experience on the Shoreline.Contact Colt@TheEssex.com

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card

The Essex

Make a reservation

Additional information

Gift card

Menu

What 1,010 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is The Essex restaurant rated?

Does The Essex offer gift cards?

Is The Essex currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information

Gift card