The Essex Brasserie

4.2 (92)

$30 and under

French

120 N Main St, Branford, CT 06405

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Charming
Good for groups

Chef Colt Taylor, celebrated for his culinary gem, The Essex in Old Saybrook, is proud to announce the opening of The Essex Brasserie in Branford, Connecticut, This is comfort food at its finest.

The Essex Brasserie showcases Chef Taylor’s innovative approach to French cuisine with a focus on local ingredients and bold flavors. The menu features classic French dishes, including many of the favorites at The Essex. Among the highlights:

Lobster Bisque, Clam Chowders & French Onion Soup

The Wagyu Burger

Beef Wellington served with pomme purée, haricot verts, and bordelaise

Fluke Meunière: A zesty and flavorful dish with peanut chile crisp

Moules Frites: Fresh mussels offered in three unique styles

The famous Essex Lobster & Beet Fusilli

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
French, American, Contemporary French
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(860) 237-4266
Website
https://theessexbrasserie.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Colt Taylor

Location
120 N Main St, Branford, CT 06405
Area
Branford
Cross street
Cedar Street
Parking Details
Park in the Rear and enter through the back door!
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at The Essex Brasserie.

4.2

(92)

4.3Food
4.4Service
4.2Ambience
3.9Value

Noise • Moderate

92 Reviews

D
Diane Gold
Greater Boston34 reviews
4.0
Dined on 3 May 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
We were practically alone on a Saturday evening during prime dinner hour (7 ish), and wondered where everyone was. It was our second time here, and although the first experience was great (last fall), this one left something to be desired. The food was good, though not spectacular. Our waitress was wonderful, accommodating and attentive. We asked that the music be turned down - it was loud and not particularly enjoyable to listen to, and though the waitress said she’d ask, it was never turned down, which made our evening a little more frustrating than it needed to be. We may or may not return; we may give it another try in case they were having a ‘off’ night, but won’t be anytime soon.
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P
Patty
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined on 2 May 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
we had a really nice meal – the food was outstanding… It was very relaxing nice evening and will definitely be back!
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E
Ed
New York City49 reviews
5.0
Dined on 2 May 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food is inventive, and delicious. Christina our server was great!
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L
Lori Gold
Minneapolis - St. Paul41 reviews
2.0
Dined on 29 April 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
I will first say that the service, drinks, salad and French onion soup were great! HOWEVER, the entrees were all terrible! Two of us ordered the steak frites. A thin piece of steak that looked grey in color. Fries were marginal and not hot. Beef Wellington was ordered medium rare but came medium well. My mussels came with no broth in the bottom, so no flavor. Very disappointing. Chris, our server was great and sent over the manager. He handled it well, offering to take the steak dishes off the check. Each entree was around $50 so didn’t want the restaurant to take such a big hit. Settled on a gift certificate to come back and try again. We will try again(because of the gift certificate). Hopefully they will get it together. Their restaurant in Old Saybrook is great. Not sure what’s going on with this one. We will go back and order soup and salad.
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J
James Gold
New York City46 reviews
1.0
Dined on 5 April 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
Really wanted to love this place; they clearly invested in the physical space and we want to support a local small business. Unfortunately, it was awful. The food was bland, the service was slow and there was little communication, and we waited well over an hour for our entrees. The only explanation we received was that they had a new chef and he was hit with " a bunch of tickets" all at once. OK, well, delays happen. But, since the food was not good, paying the bill was painful because we paid for a meal that was terrible.
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K
Kelley
Connecticut3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 5 April 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food and service was great. Nate our server was attentive. I had the chicken Milanese and my husband had the shrimp pasta. Both were delicious. We will be back!
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R
Richard Gold
New York City15 reviews
3.0
Dined on 3 April 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Beef Wellington was disappointing beef was not tender or tasty. Lamb Shank was good. The shrimp with Angel Hair was average.
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C
Courtney
Orlando / Central Florida East4 reviews
5.0
Dined on 29 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food and service was excellent. The beef Wellington was cooked perfectly medium rare as ordered and the fish melted in your mouth. Perfectly seasoned food and excellent presentation. The menu is quite pricy but that’s expected at a higher end French restaurant. Will definitely return.
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M
Mark
Greater Boston8 reviews
4.0
Dined on 29 March 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Very nice place with several shortcomings. Both the menu and the wine list are a bit limited. The food on our prior visit was superb; this time a notch lower. My veal shank was mediocre. The service is superior.
1 person found this helpful
f
fred
New York City7 reviews
5.0
Dined on 29 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Main courses, halibut and beef Wellington, were perfectly cooked and seasoned. Excellent, interested service. Very good value.
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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
French, American, Contemporary French
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(860) 237-4266
Website
https://theessexbrasserie.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Colt Taylor

Location
120 N Main St, Branford, CT 06405
Area
Branford
Cross street
Cedar Street
Parking Details
Park in the Rear and enter through the back door!
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.