Ugh. Date nights with my husband are so precious (we have two small kids and rarely have a sitter,) and I'm soooooo disappointed that we chose to go here! The food was nothing to rave about at all. The fish tacos were a joke with a scrap of fish covered w/ mango salsa, my husbands burger was undercooked. The service was terrible, very slow. I felt like because we weren't "regulars" we were treated differently. The atmosphere and music were good but that's about it. I'll never go back. I have zero tolerance for bad service- especially when it's combined with mediocre food.
Review Source:My husband and I went & we are so glad we did! Spinach & artichoke dip was great, pretty creamy though. our waitress gave us more chips as we ran out! Salads to start were amazing! Best dressing & came with sunflower seeds for some crunch. I got the chicken Marsala that was just to die for! I think my husband got lamb shank. He was very happy as well.?The portions were perfect! We will absolutely return.
Review Source:I try to avoid writing reviews more than a day or two after my visit, which is what I'm doing now....so, you're getting a few highlights and not details, which make a review more valuable to a potential patron. Basically, my boyfriend and I went one Sat night recently...there was a pub crawl going on but we weren't part of it. The place was packed and despite that the service was decent. I had a burger and fries and the boyfriend had a fish sandwich and fries...mine was quite decent but his was a bit undercooked. Also they were not so generous with the fries (which tasted incredible!). However, I've been there a long time before and found the food and service to be just wonderful. So, Essex Street Grille has my vote for a return trip, another chance, and my experience at that time might add or subtract stars. Also good to know: although they don't have a private parking lot, there is a super cheap public lot next door and a super cheap parking garage two minutes away.
Review Source:I love this place. I've never had a bad meal here, From the scallops over risotto to the eggplant rollatini to the crab burger, the food is always on point.
That being said, the service here is usually on the slow side. Don't come here in a hurry! I enjoy conversation at the table, so waiting (within reason) is never an issue for me. The dark, intimate atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. The bar is always full!
I will definitely continue to come here. The food is worth the wait!
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised after dining here Saturday night. We started with the lobster egg rolls and the mussels. The lobster egg rolls came with a sweet and slightly spicy dipping sauce. They were perfectly cooked and tasty, but could've used some larger chunks of lobster. They could have almost passed for crab rangoons. The mussels were the only real disappointment to the whole meal. They were all over cooked, some shells had barely opened, and most of them were torn between the shells. The only thing good about the dish was the broth. For dinner, I had the scallops over risotto. I am very picky about both, and they blew me away. The scallops came out steaming hot and the risotto had the perfect ratio of rice to creamy cheese. Absolutely delicious. My mom had the fish and chips which was also excellent. The fish was lightly battered and you could hardly tell it had been fried. Perfect. My dad and boyfriend both had the chicken masala which had tons of flavor. Our server was attentive and kept our drinks flowing. I took off 1 star because the decor is pretty bare and dark, and for the mussels. I'll definitely be back. Worth a shot in downtown Haverhill.
Review Source:This place has really gone downhill since the first few times I've visited (2.5 stars). It used to be excellent and now it is a bit disappointing and just barely okay.
Of course the service was never wonderful; however the last few time I've been the service has been beyond horrible. Â There was no wait staff- only bartenders on a busy Saturday night--- so getting food was near impossible and not entirely warn when it arrived. Â The quality of the food is also not nearly as good as it has been in the past- steak was very tough and the rest of the food was just okay. I'm not quite sure what happened to this place. Â I really wish it was as good as it used to be!
The more I eat at restaurants in Haverhill, the more I like them. We have been wanting to try this place for a while, and finally took the plunge. When we left, we knew that we would be back in the near future.
We went on a Friday evening around 7pm and there was no wait for a table. It wasn't dead inside, but it wasn't packed either. All seats at the bar were taken, and 1 or 2 empty tables in the dining room.
We ordered some buffalo tenders that were light and crispy and not overly breaded, and some calamari that was the same. Not too greasy or heavy, but crispy and light. The dipping sauce for the calamari was delicious as well.
For dinner we had a margarita flatbread that was nice and thin and crispy. We also had the steak tips that were tender as all hell, although the fries were a little soggy as were the asparagus stems. A fish sandwich was ordered as well, and was a little fishy tasting, but not too bad.
Note that the website is out of date. They do not carry the same draft beers or drinks that they state on the website. They have a more diverse beer selection on draft than stated on the website, but also have plenty of bottles to choose from as well. I was expecting a Bud Draft and it wasn't an option. Guinness was, which made me happy.
Around 10pm a DJ came in and started playing house music which I thought was strange, especially since the whole place was clearing out. It didn't seem like a house music type of place, but it didn't bother us so much. We were leaving anyway. It just seemed like a strange choice for a restaurant like this.
If you are looking for a good meal at a good price, check this place out. Nothing is overly expensive but the quality and taste makes you think you are eating at a more expensive place.
We ate here a few weeks ago and the service was deplorable.  Waitress spent more time conversing than taking care of customers. The waitress looked 9 months pregnant and  that didn't help matters, as she had a hard time covering her tables. We had to leave our table and go to bar to get drinks!
They need additional help
Its a better-than-average bar/restaurant. Â The menu offers some more expensive entrees (lamb, seered tuna, etc., but not the type of place where I would order such an item. Â The cheeseburger I ordered was really good and the salad was nicely prepared. Â The service was quite acceptable and the atmosphere is pleasant in the familiar New England mill building. Â I would certainly come back if I were in the area, but would not specifically come to Haverhill to eat here.
Review Source:I've been in for drinks a couple of times recently. Â It's a youngish crowd. Â Yeah-dudes and girls who like yeah-dudes. Â I've gotten the feeling I'm busting in on a staff party (or friends of the staff party) each time.
I'm holding it against them that Paul Simon's 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover was on, and some girl who did not appear to be working plugged in her ipod to blast some shitty rap music at a too loud a volume. Â Phht.
As of this writing Essex Street Grill has 4 stars, and they do not merit such a high ranking, in my estimation. Â Nope, certainly not when Bistro 45 has only 2.5. Â There is no justice in the world.
I really enjoyed Essex Street! Â No, our waitress wasn't the best ever - she seemed really rushed, but she did get us our food and paid enough attention to us that we weren't wanting.
The food was delicious, though. For appetizers my fiance had the calamari and was really impressed. I had the zesty lobster bisque - the flavor of which was fantastic, but it could have been a little warmer. Â For entrees, he had the pan seared scallops with risotto and a side of vegetables (zucchini, etc.). I tried some of the risotto, and it was super good. I had the mango & avocado salad with steak tips. It was so so so so good that only later did I realize - there was no avocado on it! I would have loved the avocado, but the salad was so flavorful without it, I suppose it wasn't necessary.
Beer selection was nothing exciting - mostly Budweiser products. And I guess the avocado thing was weird. And my soup could have been warmer. And our waitress could have been friendlier. But for some reason I walked away feeling really good and full and that I had had a great meal. I will certainly return!
Service is a 2 Star and food is 4 Star.
Came here on  a whim one Fri night.  Walked around the Haverhill center area and nothing looked appealing and decided on this place as it looked like an upscale Bistro/Pub.
Service was terrible. Â Dumb waitresses who were absent minded. Â Forgetful and totlaly forgets what you asked for and never checks to see if food was OK or if we needed anything else.
Had the calamari appetizer which was very good. Â The steak tips and scallop entrees were also very good. Â
Skip the desserts. Â Usual foodservice frozen desserts they thaw and serve.
After a horrible experience at JP McBrides, my friend Johnny and I hopped over to the Essex Street Grille. Â What a great place. Â Tom, the bartender was by far the best I have ever seen when it came to service. Â He knew the special, let us taste beers, and made really good recommendations. Â There was a couple next to us who got appetizers and the first thing he said was that they were a bit more done than they should have been. Â He offered them the option to try them and if they weren't happy he would replace them. Â The initiative he took is rare.
Johnny and I wound up have two beers and splitting three appetizers. Â The Calamari was outstanding. Â Fried in a thin batter with cherry peppers and tossed with butter. Â There was a house made pepper coulis to go with it. Â The potato skins were par. Â The portion was a bit small. Â Nothing to write home about. Â The seared Ahi tuna was just silky smooth and full of flavor. Â I would recommend this in a heart beat.
All in all I will be back. Â If nothing else to have the great service Tom provided.
We've been before, for apps & drinks with friends, food was great, as were the drinks. Needless to say, when  Living Social had a great deal, I snatched it up & off we went for dinner - a rare event for us these days.  The service was well...sub par, and I am very forgiving. The food was superb!! (but slow) Wish the service was better, there seemed to be dysfunction between the Bar & the waitress, etc.  Many other restaurants downtown, will go elsewhere next time, whenever that is:)
Review Source:This place was great! Trying to go somewhere fun for dinner to celebrate my birthday with a friend, we tried Joe Fish - PACKED. We tried Kruegars - PACKED so on our way to the TAP we saw this place, menu looked good and there was plenty of tables. Not long after sitting down the place was packed full, guess Haverhill's bumpin!
The food was better then your average place, sort of the next level up, you wouldn't order fish and chips here. I had a rare tuna steak which was outstanding! I expected it to be good for the price, but I didn't expect the portion size to be so large. I like good food, but often the better the food the smaller the portions, not so here. Given the quality of food and the quantity as well, I'd say this place is actually a pretty good value.
Service was fine, atmosphere is decent nothing special. They had some fun drinks too. All and all I'd most certainly go back here.
My husband I had dinner here tonight, by accident. Â We had a gift certificate for Bistro 45 but discovered it was closed on Tuesdays. Â I had seen this restaurant as we visit Haverhill for dinner fairly regularly so we decided to give it a try. Â We arrived around 6 pm, clearly on the early side, as the restaurant was virtually empty - but the bar was SRO. Â We ordered drinks, the bartender was definitely heavy handed on my husband's martini. Â We ordered off the nightly specials - they had a veal piccata but I prefer chicken and they were happy to accomodate. Â My husband had the veal and he said it was the best veal piccata he had ever had. Â They advertised it with prosciutto, which seemed weird to me, and the owner/chef came out and explained that they didn't have prosciutto and offered some alternatives - a little weird given that it was a special of the night, you would think they would have all the ingredients - but whatever, it was awesome without the proscuitto. Â Service was friendly and relaxed, really like a neighborhood bar, just give a wave and someone came right over. Â The owner was working the bar, in the kitchen, checking on our meals, really made a personal effort and it made us want to return. The place had a real vibe to it, and I was nervous that the food wouldn't live up, but it definitely did - we'll be back.
Review Source:Service was average, nothing spectacular but not horrible either, which is always a plus! The only thing that was slightly annoying was that they were out of a lot of food items. Â The waiter did explain that it was their first time opening on a Sunday so that was the reason why. Â I mean, I guess I can cut them a break there, but at the same time, if they knew they were going to start opening on Sundays than they should have properly prepared.
Aside from the minor details, the food was excellent! They have a pretty extensive menu (which I was definitely not expecting), and their seafood dishes were amazing! Â I ordered the Lobster Saute and was actually shocked at the amount of Lobster they gave. Â Normally restaurants go skimpy on the seafood or only give a certain amount... not Essex! I could not even finish it all. Â
The atmosphere is also very pleasant and a great place to people watch if you sit near the windows (which I of course had to do). Â I think it is a great place if you want to have a relaxing meal, but it is also a cool place to stop by for a drink and pub food later on in the evening. Â Having just moved to downtown Haverhill, I will definitely be stopping by here more often - I just hope they have everything on the menu next time!
I went on a Saturday night, with a small group. Â It was the first time I'd been--the atmosphere always looked cute from the window outside.
We went at the height of dinner time and were able to get a table without a reservation, but the restaurant's small and did fill up very quickly. Â
They offer a pretty good variety in their menu. Â I ordered the steak tip and tomato and mozzarella salad. Â Steak tips weren't the best I've ever had, but they were good and the portion was a good size. Â My fiance had a burger and said that was good. Â Someone else we were with had a salad with goat cheese that was great.
They have a pretty good size bar (all in one room with the restaurant). Â Decent atmosphere (seems like a lot of locals frequent the spot). Â We'll be back!
Went with a party of 4 on a Wednesday night. Â The restaurant was nearly empty when we arrived, but the crowd picked up quite a bit as the evening went along. Â The service was pleasant and attentive, though not overly so.
I ordered the "wine dinner special" which was 3 courses (soup, salad, entree) paired with 3 wines for $22, which is just an amazing deal. Â I don't know if this was just a weekday or "Wednesday only" special. Â It started with a "tomato-vegetable soup with chicken and pasta" (really just chicken noodle soup) paired with a Pinot Grigio. Â The soup was nothing special, but tasty. Â The noodles were not homemade. Â Next was a salad of field greens with grilled asparagus and roasted (I think) tomatoes. Â Very good. Â It was paired with Sauvignon Blanc (the wine pours were surprisingly generous for a tasting meal like this). Â The entree was two grilled petite lamb chops (perhaps a bit overdone - I wasn't asked how I would like it cooked), served with an interesting and tasty feta an olive risotto, an excellent demi-glace, and (unfortunately) more grilled asparagus. Â The entree course of the special was changed at the last minute from scallops to lamb - they probably should have changed the side dish to avoid redundancy with the salad. Â The entree was paired with a Pinot Noir.
For dessert, we tried the Chocolate Lava Cake (my wife described it as "adequate"), the Baily's Creme Brulee, and the Key Lime Pie. Â The presentation of all 3 was impressive. Â The Creme Brulee and Pie were both excellent.
On the downside, we were sitting in the the bar area, and the TV over the bar was too loud for pleasant conversation (it was during a Red Sox game - the Sox lost also). Â Also, we were not served any bread until we asked for it after the entrees came (the bread was warm and very good when it did come.)
The bill for 4 people, including drinks and dessert, came to $101 plus tip (we also had a 10% off coupon from the website.) Â Overall, I recommend it!
I visited this place twice so far and will revisit again. I experienced one very good late afternoon (5-8p) and one mediocre late afternoon (6-8p) visit. As a whole, the staff (manager) works VERY hard at exceeding guests expectations.
I will begin by saying that I was there with a very good friend of mine who sent the greater part of his adult life in luxury hotels as a manager (Four Season, Wynn Vegas just to name a few) and he critiqued the hell out of this place (as he does EVERY place we visit). He explains it to me as he sees it. His eye is still requested from time to time in a few select luxury hotels throughout the world to make sure they fix POTENTIAL slights in their operations.
Anyway, I meet up with two friends, one had just returned from school in NYC a she just received a job in the area so we meet up to congratulate her on a job well done at school and in her new opportunity!
I first tried the lamb. I ordered it medium rare (as  I do all my meat: more flavor) and received it med-well. UGH! The manager recognized the expression on my face and asked if he could have another chance to make it right. I reordered but something different: The New York Prime Rib and the Calamari and the Butternut ravioli!!! That came out PERFECT!!!!
Total bill: $92 + tip.
And the manager thanked me for allowing him and his staff the opportunity to correct any mistakes! WOW! Now that is a manager!
Steer clear. I don't know if Yelp will let me leave zero stars, so if this review winds up with one star next to it, that's why.
This place allows overcrowding so much so that it is impossible to move, and you'll wait forever for a restroom, in a line of 18-25 year olds waiting to um, powder their noses. Yeah. That's why they all take so long.
The drinks and food are okay but the owners, and staff are small town detritus, just as most guests are.
Come on down if you like foul attitudes, shady dealings, and unintellegent company.
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