Essex Restaurant Reviews

Yummy bunch with bottomless choice of drinks! The Eggs Benedict was good. Katie was our server and she was the sweetest!

Great place for cocktails and food, Delicious and fresh menu options, great selection of cocktails and wine . Friendly and attentive service.

Very pleasant evening. Good food. Great service from Alfonso who was friendly and efficient. Delicious coconut cream pie!

Bof, bof,...bof.....nothing really original,...personal completely lost...never the same server......bof what...even on the plate

The place is super nice, food was great but the service is quite bad. Group of 9 people, we had to wait till everyone arrived and to be seated, and we had to queue at the door, which was packed, while we could see the entire place was almost empty. Finally seated, we ordered, the waitress serving out table was probably in a bad mood cause she was literally arriving at the table without saying a word. Anyways food was great (except the fact that the menu says fresh orange juice, that is not included and you have to pay separately, and when I tasted I could clearly say that it was a bottled one). Asked our waitress that said no its not the fresh one..so why they would make you pay an additional 3 dollars for a glass of Tropicana juice????Btw this place is cash only.

Finally, a bottomless brunch spot where the food, drinks AND service were top notch! Went for a friend's birthday celebration, there were about 25 of us and Mo took excellent care of us. Highly recommend this restaurant for weekend boozy brunch.

We got there 15 minutes after our reservation but staff was very friendly. They had the drinks coming continuously just like we like them. We took full advantage of the bottomless mimosas. The food was also very good

Our waitress Victoria was kind and sweet and made our experience enjoyable! The food is delicious and it came out very quickly!

We went for the Sunday Brunch where they offer unlimited Mimosas and Bloody Mary's- sounds perfect right? $32 for one breakfast item and drinks. The food was great- only down side- the mimosas were kinda weak. I would have liked fresh squeezed orange juice and I believe it was concentrate which made them not 5 stars. I am a Florida girl though so maybe I was expecting too much:). Coffee was bad also. Other then that we had a lovely time and the service was great. Fun place for a girls weekend brunch!

The food was ok but I just didn't like the service. I really felt like I was being rushed. I didn't even get a chance to look at the menu without being asked quite frequently what I wanted to order. The staff was hanging around watching my friend and I eat. It was really annoying and quite uncomfortable and I noticed them watching other people eat as if they had nothing else to do. Everytime I looked up, someone was watching me. I won't be going back.

This is one of my favorite brunch spots in NYC. Great food & drinks, and the service is exceptional. Mo & Isa are very friendly and attentive, definitely makes the experience memorable and fun!!! 👍👍👍👍👍

I arrived at around noon on a Sunday, it was busy but we didn't have to wait for a table. It was a post birthday weekend, hangover recovery breakfast. We sat at the bar and ate breakfast, mimosas were included in the price fixe breakfast menu (it says limit 3 before they start to charge you but the bartender just kept filling our glasses). The Bloody Mary's were DELICIOUS, spice and delectable-best I ever had. I had the Mexican Brie Scrambled Eggs, WOW. Eggs and home fries were delicious with the beans. Mid meal the restaurant was packed, WALL TO WALL! Obviously a hot spot and a hidden gem, it has plenty of seating from the bar to the upper floor. The food offerings were endless and everyones plate looked amazing.

Do not order the chicken friend steak. It was disgusting. Place is very loud. Table are close to each other. extremely disappointed with this place. I would give it a zero star if not for the mimosas!

Loved Essex! Loved our server, Mo! He was amazing, with a phenomenal sense of humor. Great shrimps and grits + lots of mimosas. Definitely go.

I freaking had so much fun with Katie give her a raise. The food was great and the ambiance was so lovely and exquisite don’t get the chicken sandy lowley

What drew me here was the brunch special that consists of a meal and three alcoholic drinks for $23.95, which is a pretty great deal in the city. So, I decided to have my birthday brunch with friends this past weekend. There were seven of us. First off, they won't seat you until your whole party is there even though there is barely room to stand and wait. Secondly, even if you have a reservation you still have to stand and wait for a table. The place was packed with barely room to move. When we were finally seated we got our drinks right away, then shortly after we ordered our meals, but then came the waiting. We waited so long for our meals. It seemed like forever!! Finally when our meals came it was like we were shoveling the food into our mouths. We couldn't even tell if the food was good or if we were just too hungry to know the difference. As we finished our meals and were waiting for the check the waitress told us that we can't sit there for too much longer because other people need the table. She came up to us and told us that twice. The first time we hadn't even gotten the check yet and the second time was when she was handing us the check. Excuse me, how rude!?!?!? It wasn't as though we were sitting and hanging out long after we paid our check. I will not be dining here again. There are too many other options around the city to deal with such b.s again!!

Happy hour ends at 8PM which is pretty decent considering most places in NYC end at either 6-7PM. HH here is m-f. Half price cocktails and dollar oysters! Can't get any better than that! The oysters here are almost always great! The drinks are a sweet deal since HH cocktails usually have it coming in at around $6-7 a drink. Our bread and oysters arrived 15 mins before our drinks did. My theory is that they probably take a while to bring you the drinks so that you will miss out on ordering more at HH prices. We sat by the bar and saw our drinks ready at the counter about 3 mins after ordering but didn't get them until almost 25 mins later when we inquired about it. The food here is ok, nothing too crazy. It's a bit salty for my taste. Overall, would recommend for HH only.

Mo is amazing. Definitely the best waiter I've ever had in New York. He is so attentive and fun to be around. All around amazing! Such a good brunch experience!

Had such a great brunch experience. My waiter Mo went above and beyond! The food was really good and the value was great; $35 for an entree and unlimited drinks.

This was a horrible choice! We went there for a 50th birthday and made reservations in advance for 14 people. They seated us at 7:45, time of our reservation, and were very pleasant but then it all went downhill. It took a 1/2 hour to get our drinks, they got our appetizers to us two hours later and did not served dinner to us until 10:30. We should have just gotten up and left. I will NEVER return!!!

I was with nine people for restaurant week ($42) for choice of from three (appetizer, main course and dessert). I had a kale and apple salad - excellent but too much. My main course was Atlantic Salmon - was asked how I wanted it done - was perfect but too much and my dessert was kind of an ice cream soda with bourbon. Perfect. We were nine and it took us over 30 minutes to pay our bill because the restaurant only could do four credit cards from a bill. I paid cash. It was stupid because in Canada - we can be 20 people at a table and ask for separate cheques and no problem. The paying of the bill took away from the experience of the meal.

Came here with a group of friends for a bottomless brunch. It's a good deal! $35 for an entree and bottomless mimosas, screwdrivers or bloody mary. The entree options were great and were vegetarian friendly. The meal started off with bread for the table and my mimosa glass was never empty. Great vibe for a Saturday afternoon with friends!

I ate here with a girlfriend on a recent trip to NYC - the restaurant space is great - or at least it is earlier in the evening, be warned, if you end up sat at one of the high tables in the bar area you'll be fighting for elbow space to wield your cutlery once the NYU crowd come in! The food is very good (catfish and scallops with risotto were our choices) and there's a wide ranging menu but the cocktails are awful - ours were served lukewarm. Two other pet peeves here - no condiments provided (why do restaurants assume they know how seasoned a diner wants their food to be) and, unbelievably, no sugar offered with coffee! The service was very friendly and our sweet waiter told us it's a very different place on Sunday when you wouldn't run the risk of getting a hipster's braces in your dinner. I'd say the food worth giving a try - maybe though skip Saturday night or insist on being seated in the main restaurant.

Moe was great! Highly personable and so friendly. Food is amazing, atmosphere is quiet not too loud. Was there to please and we had a great time. Will go again.

Essex was recommended by a dear friend so of course we had to go! The hostess recognized the name on the reservation and greeted us warmly, using our name - always a good sign. Service was good, happy hour drinks and oysters were well priced and delicious, entrees were excellent! Between the 3 of us we ordered salmon, gnocchi and shrimp, and a steak - plus fruit sorbet and strawberry tarts for dessert. All were really good and at reasonable prices!

Essex is energized on Sunday afternoons, so if you are looking for a quiet brunch, search elsewhere. We relaxed at the bar with the bartender refilling our mimosas, savoring the grits, eggs, and shrimp/avocado salad, and watching football. Bon appetite!

Yes, it's loud and yes, it's busy .... but when the Mimosa's are basically free-flowing and people are enjoying their visit, it's going to be loud. I had The Aristrocrat ... Salmon, Caviar, Poached Eggs ... and I'm still dreaming about it. The waitress was busy, but was still attentive and friendly. Kept our Mimosa's flowing, and topped them off again after we payed the bill. CASH ONLY (there's an ATM across the street). Had an excellent meal and will definitely return.

We went here on a Wednesday knowing they has a lobster deal. Upon arrival we realised the restaurant was pretty cool inside. It was happy hour so cocktails were half price (and amazing), it was $1 oysters and then a deal on lobster. The atmosphere was great and the staff were incredible helpful to say how busy the restaurant was. Would return.

Had my 29th birthday brunch at ESSEX this past Saturday 10/10/15 and my friends cannot stop talking about it. 25 person reservation - we had our private area upstairs and a HUGE thanks to our server Mo, the drinks kept coming.. and coming.. and coming. He was a big part of a successfully executed brunch where every single person was more than satisfied. He was on top of everyone's food order, drink order and every need. Most importantly he was the nicest and friendliest guy. I would go back in a second and my friends have already told me that they would have an occasion there 100%. I'll definitely be back!

This is one of those fairly open spaces with mostly hard surfaces. It does not take too many conversations for it to get noisy. On to of this they play the music very loud. We call in for a short rest and quick drink. Service was slow. Staff were distracted. Not sure I would go back.

This place is the best. If you get Moe as your server, you're going to have the best time, I promise. The drinks are phenomenal. Enjoy! Xo.

We had the most accommodating waiter, he was friendly, welcoming and so generous. Would come back here and dine with Mo any day! He kept our glasses full and made the best menu recommendations!

We have been going at Essex for years because the staff is always great, the food certainly keeps you coming back but the overall experience is just fantastic. We suggest you get on the email list as they always have special deals which are so affordable. If you would like to get the real NYC brunch experience then Essex is the place.

My friends and I had an amazing Saturday brunch and will definitely be recommending to all of our friends! Moe was our waiter and he was so attentive and funny, we will definitely be coming back for lunch or dinner sometime soon. Great food, great vibes!

My friends and family all came here to celebrate my pre bday with a bottomless brunch. The place was packed. Please know they won’t seat you until your whole party has arrived. The music was a mixture but good for everyone joining. Definitely won’t be any complainers when it comes to the music and drink mixture and oh yea, you will get tipsy so dance if you feel like it (it’s allowed) lol. The food is the best part. So many choices to chose from. For the price that you pay and the amount of food you get , I will be making a second trip back it’s totally worth it. I ate the Southern...Omg it was so delicious.

Perfect day to have a hearty brunch. Walked from port authority bus station (1 hour and 10 minutes plus stops for photos). Xmas menu was ample. We skipped the bottomless mimosas. I had manchego mac and cheese (perfect) with chicken apple sausage. My husband had the Essex burger (with egg and Swiss cheese) to die for. Fries were crispy. Serving sizes were enormous but we walked a lot in the wind. Coffee was weak but refillable. Service was brisk. A great Xmas day find!

The service was a little long but the staff was very short and rude. The brunch special gets a bit expensive if you want your included drinks with well products. 4.00 per drink up charge for even things like stoly vodka vs the bukoff vodka they use.

Essex Restaurant is the best ever. I am a brunch professional and I can truly say Essex is the best I've been to, all thanks to our darling server, Mo. Request him and you won't be disappointed. XO.

The food was delicious and Helena provided amazing service—especially being attentive towards the bottomless mimosa.

We had reservations for 11:15 a.m. but we were about 20 mins late because the F line was rerouted. But they promptly sat us when we entered. We both ordered the brunch special with mimosas. It was really bottomless. I never saw the bottom of my glass and started to get a buzz. My friend ordered the blueberry pancakes and wow were those good. Crispy on the outside, fluffy and dense on the inside. I asked for warm syrup and they don't have microwaves which was actually nice to hear. But they made it happen anyway. I ordered the three eggs with chicken sausage. It was good as well. Nothing earth shattering, but good. I would definitely go back there for brunch again. We enjoyed it

I had a boozy brunch here with a friend and the service was incredible. Mo was our server and he was so much fun and so helpful. Couldn't have had a better experience

Our anual girls Christmas party , party of 14 ladies. The restaurant was ok, 1 bartender for the whole bar @ 7pm was extremely inappropriate, the margarita was terrible , no cold beers (Stella / Heineken) seriously? Supposed to be on the open bar It was on the menu, party package. It was Saturday evening - What kind of package is that , we didn’t get what we expected at all, food was ok. The service was very bad , the waitress/table tried on her end ,but the helpers should not work in a busy place like that only to deliver the plate, but they are not good at , they do not have hospitality skills. We spoke with the manager at the time, but he didn’t handle well. Offered a round of shot ;we denied of course. I was not impressed at all. Be aware the price is average of Nyc places that have these type of party, the only BIG problem here you do not get even what you pay for. Saturday evening one bartender working and no Stella / Heineken cold, (basic ) it should speak itself. We will def. not come back.

Very extensive brunch menu, including refills on Mimosa, Bloody Mary, or Screwdriver. Great choice of entrees, some with a Tex-Mex flavor. Bargain price $23.95, but cash only for brunch! Make a reservation if you don't want to wait.

Went here to celebrate my friends bday on a Sunday for brunch. It was very lively and the food was pretty good. Very crowded so make sure u make reservations. Seemed to b a hotspot for brunch. They played current music. The service was good and the bottomless drinks were on point. Will b back

Booked an 11am slot for a lovely, boozy bottomless brunch. Arrived early but they couldnt have been more helpful! Seated us straight away and immediately began with our bottomless drinks. Bloody marys, mimosas and screwdrivers! I asked for my Bloody Mary without the ready mixed tomato juice (has Worcester sauce in which contains anchovies) and they were very accommodating. Our waiter was a delight! Our food arrived quite quickly and everyone’s was delicious. My veggie burger was the best I’ve had. Really large portions- didn’t eat again til that night! Great buzzing atmosphere - Highly recommend it.

Fantastic! The Mimosas are mind blowing! Helena always had an eye on us and our drinks! Never saw the bottom of my most delicious drink!

Great drinks and food. Terrific, helpful service and fun atmosphere. It is a good place to hang out. Bar area is a bit loud but the upstairs is a better fit for conversation. Would recommend for a evening out with friends.

Terrific menu of hearty brunch food, this place is like a high-class diner disguised as a brewpub bar in the Lower East Side. But the reason for waiting crowds is that the service is fast and for the bottomless brunch option (unlimited Bloody Mary's, Mimosas, and Screwdrivers) - the staff will make sure your glass never drops below half-full. Now that's how New Yorkers weekend!

Three of us went on Sunday April 7th. We were intrigued by all the good reviews on other sites. Plus the menu looked interesting and who isn't going to want a bloody mary or mimosa with brunch? Thinking the hook was the three drinks included in the $23.95 brunch menu we made reservations for 11:45. NOTE: NY law restricts serving liquor on Sunday before noon so if you get there too early you will be charged the 23.95 but will have to settle for coffee/soda instead of the drinks. We started to look around at what others were eating and the food looked really good. So maybe it just wasn't about the drinks. Turns out the food was very good. We shared the blueberry pancakes, potato pancakes and LES matzoh brei. They were all really good. Given the price I had assumed the drinks would be weak. They weren't! Although the bloody mary was a mix it was tasty and spicy. My third bad assumption was that service would be rushed. It wasn't. Although it seemed like a busy day with plenty of folks waiting in the bar area for drinks, the service was very attentive and friendly. Never rushed. If you are looking for a fun brunch place, with good food and great prices (assuming you plan on having a drink or two or three) this is the place.

I am a big fan of New York brunches and never had a bad one before going to Essex. For starters the place is even noisier than your average New York restaurant, so forget having a conversation. I ordered their pompous "Aristocrat" expecting something delicious. Their "famous" potato pancakes? Bland. Their house cured salmon? Bland. The "salmon caviar" = 4 eggs!!! Only the poached eggs were o k, but then you sort of expect that to be done properly. I went there with a group of friends, some from New York and the rest from Europe. We all had something different. The New Yorkers thought it was all 'pretty good'. The rest of us wouldn't give the place another try. Sorry, but 'cool' doesn't mean good. Even if you get 3 drinks for free. And then again not much vodka in the bloody Mary!

In a word it was awful from beginning to end. We waited 30 minutes just to order drinks, first of the appetizers came out 2 hours later. Not all the apps, just some. Never did get the dinner I ordered. Only thing that came fast was the bill..... confusing part was they were not that busy and had plenty of staff, so I assume they just didn’t care. Will never go back

We went here for Sunday brunch. Omg what an amazing choice. We got the 40 dollar deal that includes entree and bottomless mimosas and screwdrivers. Everything was delicious. I ate off all my friends plates. ALEC was an amazing server. He went above and beyond for us. He said when he saw an empty glass he was gonna keep pouring. That's what I like. Food was amazing. Wish I would have gotten a pic but the food was just so good. I ordered French toast. My friends ordered steak and egg and the southern comfort dish. That was amazing and it had a little kick to it. Definitely will be back. Even with covid going on they did amazing

Absolutely loved this place! Food was great, service great, + drinks were great. Overall, definitely recommend this as a spot for brunch or lunch/dinner. Outdoor seating is very nice as well as in door. Such a fun atmosphere!!!

I highly recommend Essex for a fabulous dinner & drinks! Our entire meal experience was fantastic. Apps were spectacular -- we had a grilled shrimp and avocado salad and manchego mac 'cheese. YUM! For entrees, we enjoyed the herbed pork tenderloin (brussel sprouts, bacon, potatoes) and New Bedford scallops over risotto (asparagus, corn, mascarpone!) - these meals were extraordinary! The drinks were great too. We had a peanut butter pie for dessert and we loved it so much that we bought an entire pie. The service was excellent all-around, and Kayley was such a lovely, friendly, helpful in every way, pleasure to have as our server. All other servers that assisted were amicable too and went out of their way to be helpful and make sure we enjoyed our meals. Sensational evening at Essex! we'll be back soon.

Across from Central Park the Essex House is all you can ask for in a luxury hotel. We paid for an upgrade and got a very large room with lots of drawers to store our clothes. The staff was impeccable.

A very nice place where you can come with friends and family. The food was extraordinary and the drinks as good as the food. I recommend this place, the employees are friendly and you can only expect good things.

Essex not to be confused with Beauty on Essex, which is right down the street on Essex Street is the new happening place. The decor is industrial and the noise level is high, with frequent shouts from tables celebrating birthdays etc. However what distinguishes this place is that the food is actually quite good. I had the house burgher which was excellent, but all the rest of my group of five all enjoyed the food. Recommend it for parties and celebrations if you like the loud decibels of people having a good time!

The night that just kept getting better and better. Essex was not the first place we decided to meet after the event but it should have been. The plan was for a select few of us to venture over to a local bar lounge called Nitecap for a few drink to celebrate my friends new blog series called The Movement featuring D. Moore. I encourage anyone reading this to check it out. Now onto the rest of the night. Needless to say, we never made it over to the Nitecap because the event ended early and we couldn't change the reservation. I hadn't actually eaten dinner and so I was secretly hoping the plan would be switch to dinner instead. Lucky for me, I got my wish. A quick side note. Just about one month ago, I was standing in front of Essex waiting for my Uber to arrive, I remember thinking to myself, wow I've never seen this place before but man would I like to eat here one day. Things like this seem to happen to me a lot. (Lol) Now, fast forward and here I was sitting upstairs enjoying an amazing "Nite-cap" of drinks and an amazing plate of lobster man and cheese!! My goodness that Lobster Mac&Cheese was to die for. What I said in the very begging bears repeating. The night just kept getting better and better and I have the Essex and their staff to thank for that.

Had the most amazing time and food at Essex! Mo was our waiter and created an absolutely AMAZING experience and afternoon brunch for us! Loved our day here and will definitely be coming back!! :)

(Last visited September 4, 2023.) Hanging out in New York City for Labor Day weekend and it's time to brunch! So today we're on the lower east side and checking out Essex! Here's how it went... Atmosphere/Appearance: This place is pretty big for a New York restaurant! It's elongated like most of them but it also has an upstairs! It's very elegant, chic and felt like, historic... maybe? Like, set back in the day a little bit. It was on the quieter side, but still felt energetic as we sat right at the bar near the door since it was so busy. Service: We sat at the bar and we were well taken care of. I can't remember who took care of us, but they had our mimosas FULL-FULL. Like, with a meniscus on top. Lol. Serious stuff. Food: I went with the Angus strip and salad which was decent. It could've used some more seasoning or salt, but the steak was cooked well and the salad felt healthy. It was filling, but didn't make me regret eating it. Lol. Most importantly, the mimosas just flowed and flowed. Bottomless was done to perfection here, that's why it's important to sit right at the bar! At the source! Lol. Value: It's New York City and it's a nice restaurant. It's not going to be cheap. I think my wife and I spent just over $100.00 with tax and tip for each of us to have bottomless mimosas then our entrees. Totally worth it. In conclusion, I liked it here and would totally come back! Check this place out if you're in the area.

I had a hard time deciding wether I tilted towards four or five stars on this one , but every tiny gripe I had was blown away in the face of a phenomenal lobster Benedict, so here I am. With news of 10-15 min wait for brunch , my date and I had a seat at the bar. We picked the mimosa which was heavy on the champagne and light on the orange juice - this was no complain. As we sat and contemplated (just about everything on the menu looked good , choosing was hard !) we noticed that the space was really very nice -a lot's of natural light from skylight. On to the lobster Benedict. I haven't had many, but out of what I've had , this has been the best. The eggs perfectly poached a lots of chunks of lobsters finishing well with the hollandaise sauce , and I had some extra healthy salad instead of the home fries (which I stole some of them from my date ) who did have the omelette. A few last notes : Service was courteous without being intrusive , which I always appreciate it .

This place is obviously a trendy Lower East Side brunch hot spot and if that's the scene you are looking for, then you'll probably like it. But, beware, it's jam-packed like sardines, very hot (we had to fan ourselves the whole meal) and so loud that it was almost impossible to have a conversation. Pros: Took reservations Endless mimosas (they say 3 per person, but server kept pouring them) Cons: Won't seat you until entire party arrives Cash only Small portion sizes Food took a long time to arrive They rush you out after you finish eating (but did encourage you to stay at bar afterwards by providing drink tickes.) Bottom Line: If you want a comfortable, leisurely brunch, this place isn't for you.

Had a great little brunch with bottomless drinks. Rachel was great and she doe not smell like cheese, she makes sure you get your body weight in mimosas

My four friends and I made a reservation here for Saturday afternoon brunch about two months in advance. When we arrived there were MOBS of people in the waiting area and at the bar. The bathrooms are in the same area, making the chaos even worse. 35 minutes later, still no table. After about 40 minutes, they bring us to a high-top table at the bar - which is surrounded by the same mobs of people mentioned earlier, plus others just hanging at the bar. We asked to be seated at a dining table, like our reservation guaranteed us. After about 15 minutes of back and forth, we were given a table that had been open since the get-go, that was set for 6 - we were 5. So they basically wasted an hour of our time, treated us like garbage, while they could have easily resolved the issue but didn't want to give us a table that was slightly larger than our party number. Insanity. During this whole mess, we heard the (very rude) manager referred to as "Eri" (spelling?), so don't waste your time with him. Not sure why he has dedicated his career to customer service, because it is clearly not his thing. Once we were seated, things were definitely better. Food was decent. Drinks were good. But the main reason that I'm giving this place three stars is our amazing, attentive, funny waiter, Mo. He went out of his way to make up for our awful experience with being seated. Whatever he makes, he should get a raise. He seemed to be the only person in that place that understood that all we wanted was for someone to apologize and let us have the brunch that we had been planning for two months (we have two busy moms in our crew, so it's not easy to get us all together). So thank you, Mo! You turned our day around and you're the best.

Went with friends and family for brunch. The vibe was great the food was exceptional and the service fantastic! Loved my experience and will be back. The bloody Mary's were excellent too!

Celebrating my niece’s 20th birthday—food was terrific and Gizmo, our server, was amazing! My mimosa glass was never empty. Highly recommend the french toast—it was incredible.

Had a great boozy brunch here. Our server Mo was fantastic and prioritized us all morning. So glad he was able to help us out. The potato pancake and lox was the best dish by far.

Food took an hour to come out. The shrimp grits are great but the salad and potatoes that came with the three eggs were below average. Great place if you like bottomless drinks. PROTIP: This place is baby friendly.

I visited yesterday with family for Sunday Brunch.The service was excellent and the bottomless Mimosas alone make it worth the visit but the food although well presented was a little to bland for my taste and the restaurant was a little to loud for my taste and I'm pretty loud 😕

After 5 days exploring NY, my husband and I had our last real meal in the city here--brunch! We got reservations via OpenTable (very easy) and they called to confirm 2 days before. Their brunch deal is this: $25.99 gets you three drinks (mimosas, bloody Mary's or screwdrivers) plus a brunch entree. I had 3 mimosas and the "Aristocrat" which had two delicious potato pancakes, lightly smoked salmon, salmon caviar, 2 poached eggs, and greens/sour cream. My dish was fantastic and there was too much for me to finish! Combined with the booze I thought I got my money's worth. My hubby got bloody Mary's (he said they were just OK) and Classic Eggs Benedict. He would've liked more hollandaise sauce on his Benedict but he said it was good. Cool space, friendly waitstaff keeping your drinks coming, and good food--perfect last meal in NYC!

Looked for a good meal around the area. Menu seemed like a good variety at a good price. Happy hour until 8 pm. Half priced drinks. $1 oysters. House made cocktail sauce was great! Great cocktail menu and I'm a cocktail snob. NY strip was cooked perfectly. Wife's pork sliders tasted great. Highly recommend. Can't beat the happy hour deal. Service was attentive and friendly.

Just came back from there for a quick dinner. The restaurant is very sleek and modern with very high ceilings. It has very high ceilings. Service with quick and efficient. You must try their versions of the Potato Pancakes and the Manchego Mac & Cheese which are both great. The Bluepoint Oysters were super fresh. There was a good crowd, they had the World Cup on their big Flat Screen TV. Will be going back there again!

Mo was the greatest server I have ever had and isa was great too. we had such a great Saturday at the Essex it was a very comfortable homey feel

Definitely a hot spot in East Village. Our reservation was at 11:15, the only time that was available a week in advance. We arrived to a very active packed house, and were promptly taken to the upper level in the very back, right by the bar.. Brunch is $35 with entree and unlimited Mimosas, Bloody Mary's or Screwdrivers. The menu had a little bit of everything, brunch items a a couple lunch sandwiches as well. I ordered the potato pancakes and salmon gravlax with salmon caviar and two poached eggs! It was delicious, different and nice portion. My daughter ordered the lobster Benedict ($4 up charge) and she was unhappy when it arrived because the lobster was cold, refrigerator cold. We told our server who immediately took it back but the manager told us that it was always cold. Very strange, as the rest of the dish was hot, and that was a lathe disappointment. She didn't eat more than two bites and her plate was taken away completely full. That should me noted on the menu or told by the waitress because we would not have ordered it otherwise. The restaurant is VERY loud, impossible to talk to anyone except the person right next to you. It was an experience and obviously a place locals enjoy regularly!

We recently tried this place for brunch because it had always had a lot of hype around it but we were never able to get there early enough for a table because its where the spoiled trust fund babies go to see and be seen. It opens at 11AM on Sunday so since we were in the neighborhood we swung by to check it out. The waitress presents us with brunch menus that have no prices on them because they do an all-inclusive booze n brunch deal where you pay $24 and get to choose any brunch item off the menu and your choice of 3 cocktails (typical brunch fare like mimosas, bloody marys, etc). She then proceeds to inform us that for some baffling legal reason they are not permitted to serve alcohol until noon. So we look at each other quizzically and ask her how much brunch is without the cocktails. She tells us its the same price but we complimentary tea and coffee. We thought she was joking but no, no she was not. So basically they force you to pay $24 for brunch, promising you cocktails included and then tell you you can't have any cocktails, this has got to be one of the stupidest things I've ever encountered in a restaurant. So we decide to stay anyway and just linger over our breakfast until 'cocktail hour' rolls around and we figure that won't be much of a problem because the place has already rapidly filled up with the Gossip Girl crowd. We place our orders and the food comes out wayyyyy too fast to have been prepared fresh. I actually dropped an additional $3 supplement to get the crab cakes eggs benedict because I had heard that was one of their signature dishes. The crab cakes were soggy and disintegrating, clearly they'd been cooked earlier, not fully drained of excess oil and left under a heat lamp, then the cook just poached some eggs and tossed them on top. My salad was gross, browned lettuce, bitter dressing. And the roasted potatoes were the same sad affair, they were very likely leftovers from the day before that were reheated and served as fresh. It was just a really bad and disappointing breakfast and one which we had to slowly and sadly push through for our cocktails (which were of course watered-down crap). So we basically chugged them down and got the hell outta there asap. Terrible food, terrible policy, terrible clientele, there is no good reason to go here.

Ate brunch here with friends, no wait to be seated and nice spot on the mezzanine level. I enjoyed the onion bread that comes once you order and had the Benedict which was delicious. The drinks were plentiful and regularly refilled which was great as I’ve been to other places where you have to wait ages for another round. Overall I enjoyed eating here and I would revisit.

Essex is one of my favorite NYC brunch spots. I have been to their brunch several times and the weekends attract an upbeat and trendy crowd. The ubiquitous sound of champagne corks popping adds to the thriving atmosphere. The food is great and my mimosa glass is never empty. They even provide drink tickets at the end of your meal to top off your mimosa at the bar if you'd like. Always a fun spot to have brunch with friends or your significant other. Make a reservation in advance since it is always packed on the weekends, and don't forget, it is cash only! There is an ATM in the restaurant though just in case. Cheers!

In New York for Christmas and wanted something a little different. This place was great, great choice off food, great drinks included. I have an allergy to oranges, waiters were great and just kept us topped up with prosecco straight. Brunch price includes 3 drinks, although in reality you get more 😊

Brunch at Essex was incredible. The food was spectacular, atmosphere was inviting, and the service was exceptional. Our waiter Mo was particularly very helpful! Will definitely return soon to see Mo.

Amazing food, amazing service, bottomless booze and very accommodative staff, fun crowd. We stayed at the bar for 10 min till our table for 6 was ready, very friendly bartender. Our drinks were great, then we moved to the table upstairs food was awesome and the waitress was very attentive. I will go back there again soon. Thanks Essex!!!

We dropped in at 10pm for dinner. We both ordered the catfish entree. It was very good. We weren't sure if we'd like the "hash" that was paired with the fish (mainly because we didn't know what it was and I was thinking "corned beef hash out of a can, haha) but it turned out to be potatoes & shrimp with sauce poured over it. The fish & hash paired nicely. We considered staying for drinks at the bar but it was very crowded and there was a lot of traffic (servers with plates of food, etc.) and a few people deep at the bar so there wasn't anywhere to stand with a drink in hand.

The service was absolutely horrible from start to finish. Walked in assuming I would be seated for a friend's brunch (which had begun 10 minutes prior) but I was told I had to wait for the whole party to arrive. When asking the hostess if we could be seated with 1/2+ of the party present, I was then told that the table wasn't even ready for us yet. Finally after a 20+ minute delay we were seated. The table was quite cramped for a large party, and the waiter rushed us along, barely even giving us the full 3 hour bottomless brunch that was promised. Waiter also barely refilled our drinks, and when he did, he would only fill with mimosas (but the brunch included bloodys and screwdrivers as well). Those who did order the other included drinks were never offered refills. Instead, they had to wave over a server (who most of the time was not even our waiter) for refills. Also no ice water was provided or even offered at any point during the brunch. Because the waiter was barely present, I had to go downstairs to the bar and bring up several ice waters for friends. Staff also tried to accuse us of underpaying, when we indeed paid, and were overcharged for an extra meal. At that point, the brunch had only been going on for two hours, and we were rushed out well before the 3 hour mark. However, the food was very good. That's the only reason I'm giving it 2 stars. But given the service, I wouldn't recommend again.

If you want to go somewhere with an LA scene for brunch then this is your spot. Women there are beautiful, drinks are plentiful (make sure to have enough people for bottomless), background music is fun, and food is not bad (a triumph for NYC).

The nicest waiter I have ever had! He recommended the greatest food (I had the southern and loved it!) and was so kind to my friends and me!! When you go here ask to be seated in his section if possible because he is the greatest!

Great atmosphere. Mo was an awesome server. Suggested great food and provided excellent service. He was able to recommend restaurants, shops, bars, etc and anything we wanted! Highly recommend brunch (bottomless mimosas)!!

We were lucky to get a walk in table on Thanksgiving. Prix fixe menu was at 45$ for three courses which included a choice from scallops to turkey and we chose scallops as starters and NY strip as mains. The wine list was interesting but as they didn't have two wines we desired we agreed to get a higher priced Napa blend for the price of the missing - as the difference was only 6$ I chose not to argue about the bill which showed of course the listed price for the beverage... Waiter has been welcoming and attentive but over all our experience was average not urge us to chose another try at it.

Enjoyable and great foods and excellent "after work" atmosphere with the best happy hour drinks menu.

Ana was amazing.: Brunch was great and she kept the mimosa coming.. must come and get your drink on. Ask for Ana.. she will make your brunch experience worth your time and money!!!

Where do I even begin... I went to Essex for my friend's birthday brunch. We split two dishes — The Southern (chicken-fried steak with a sausage patty, two eggs, sausage gravy and a biscuit) and the Shrimp 'N' Cheesy Bacon Grits (with poached eggs, jalapeño relish, and a biscuit). We then got to taste the Manchego Macaroni & Cheese that our friend ordered. ALL OF IT WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD AMAZING. The biscuits were perfectly textured, the grits had so much bacon and cheese in them, and the mac was the best I've had in years. Not to mention, they take bottomless brunch seriously. The constantly-poured mimosas are more champagne than OJ — just the way I like them. Will definitely be going back!

Happy hour drinks are a good price and the food is excellent. Weds have a lobster dinner special $ 20.00 preety tasty. The raw oysters have always been fresh when I visited for happy hour 4x already. Nice decor. No complaints. Go there and enjoy some drinks and food.

Our waitress did not bring what we ordered, did not add the extras on the burger, etc. Was nice and helpful while at the table but seemed to forget everything once she left. Food was OK but not more.

The brunch at Essex made our trip to New York even greater. Excellent ambience , delicious food. The aristocrat, lobster Benedict, french toast and thick cut bacon "the bomb". Thank you Essex We'll be back.

Had a great dinner here, and our server Rachel was so nice and friendly! She recommended a delicious toffee brownie dessert. The gnocchi here is also very yummy!

Went for Sunday brunch perfect way to start the afternoon. Service was great our waiter Nathon made sure we were taken care of he was very attentive to our table. Also we met another worker named Mo he also made our visit there more of a blast. The food was great the atmosphere was great.

Long time fan of Essex brunch. Fashionable parties come to socialize and enjoy great service. Jonathan H is my favorite waiter, always attentive and making sure our mimosas are topped off. Food quality is consistent and very reasonably priced. Make a reservation, the word is out: this is an "it" spot. Vibrant bar scene in a reinvented/reimagined LES environment.

Omg. My bestie n I went here on a whim and our server made it amazing. Seriously love her. Her name is Katie and she changed my life. She’s so great some parents let her hold their baby. How to describe Katie.. well, let’s just start with this. Katie has a warm and welcoming energy. Katie will always put a smile on your face and is proven to cure depression. She deserves everything ever that is good. Katie should just be given $1 million dollars because she exists. Thank you Katie.

Great time! Klejvi was a great server, will come back!! The vibes were awesome and people seemed to really love the place.

Probably the best deal on bottomless brunch in the area, and for a huge and beautiful space with outdoor dining that is VERY elegant! I really like the breakfast chilaquiles and bloody mary's / mimosas. I will be back.

we went to shopsins. the menu list was super long and everything looks sinfully yummy. We ordered a few dishes to try and were warned by the person taking the order that it should be enough. Yes indeed, the portion was very generous. We enjoyed them to the last bit.

There wasn't anything special about this place. Mid way through our brunch a cockroach crawled up the wall. They were nice enough to give a free drink, but only to the one person at our table who told them about it! That was just strange and not cool.

We had a reservation for a large party of 20 at Essex for a birthday during a snow storm. We were discouraged because of the awful weather and thought we wouldn't have a great birthday experience for our friend. We were quickly seated and Mo was an extremely helpful and was an incredible server that catered to our table of 20 people with ease. We never had an empty drink and he delivered our food quickly and each modification was addressed (which rarely happens!!!) Mo made our snow day an amazing day and truly made our experience here great. An awesome server and a better person :) I cannot wait to come back and request him as a server. Great employee, keep him around. We will be back!!!!

Great brunch, our host Francesca was great,very good bloody Mary’s and the manchego Mac and cheese was to die for- add the chorizo

My auntie's family took me and my little daughter to visit Essex for dinner and drinks. This was a charming place with a surprising menu. The food was really good while the atmosphere was friendly and unpretentious. We had enjoyed dinner there. The fresh baked breads were fantastic. The fried oysters appetizer was one of the best dishes in the city. My little 4 years old girl enjoyed this place who was the 1st time to happy hour with mama!!

Went to have brunch and the place was fantastic. Good music, good vibe, food and price were great, one of those nice places that you don't realize if you're outside of it. Small tables tough.

This place was so accommodating and food was excellent. Best experience be was thanks to our waiter MO! Thank you!! Had amazing suggestions, excellent service and attention! I would defensively recommend this to everyone who visit NY! Can't wait to come back!

Recommended by friends, we joined them here for Sunday brunch. The food is just amazing, and plenty of it. I had the Manchego Mac Cheese with chorizo which was awesome. Really delicious, huge portion. The menu on a Sunday is a set price that includes cocktails. My mimosa glass was continually topped up, and was fairly strong. Great place to try, and nice area to wander around to enjoy the eclectic culture. Definitely book, our friends are regulars, or you will be disappointed. Staff are great too and help you through the menu if you have questions. Traditional with a twist is how it was explained to me. Simply just loved the food!!

We originally went to the Essex Street Market to eat at Shopsins, but they were closed for the day. We did get to see Mr. Shopsin sleeping in his chair (watch the documentary "I Love Killing Flies"). So we ended up eating at the Essex Restaurant and the food was good. We sat on the top level. The space can be a little cramped, but manageable. We went during brunch time and ordered from the $22.95 brunch menu that included your meal and 3 Bloody Marys or 3 Screwdrivers or 3 Mimosas. The eggs were nice and fluffy. Service was good. Brunch Times: Saturday 11AM - 4:30PM Sunday 11AM - 8PM

The food is great, the drinks are strong, and the atmosphere is lively. Great place to have a drunk brunch on a weekend morning. We go about once a month and it never disappoints. The Mexican Matzoh Brei is my favorite, but the Manchego Mac-n-cheese is also wonderful. The Baked Ham and Eggs is also a favorite. I tried the Chicken Fried Steak once and didn't love it, but that was my first time trying chicken fried steak anywhere. The place can get very noisy, so be aware of that. Finally, you definitely should have reservations for weekend brunch; your wait will be significantly shorter.

We have dinner there on December 24. Very nice welcome, warm place and beautiful decoration. New Year's Eve menu very nice and quality but really mediocre dessert .. I also did not appreciate the 18% mandatory service, added to the bill! Menu at $85