A little hidden gem in Essex but worth the drive. Staff is very welcoming and the wine list is delightful. Started with the Tuna Nachos which were to die for and for the entree I tried the Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich with an order of truffle fries. Everything is amazing and I can't wait to come back again. Unfortunatelyx it's a rainy day but I can absolutely envision a glass of wine on the deck. This place should be on any foodies list. read more

Drift - Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

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Fabulous Food, Service, Happy Hour and view of the Marina Love everything about this restaurant. The menu varies by season! But the staples are the lobster roll and smash burger and fish and chips which are all great! Try the Bong Water Drink with Mezcal or the Campfire bourbon smash! The restaurant is open year round, it is located in the Dauntless shipyard and Marina. Make a reservation in the summer for the deck that looks over the Dauntless and Essex Island Marinas. You'll feel like you are on vacation! The staff and owners and kitchen staff really care! If you have an allergy or other dining request they are great at guiding you!! Their shrimp and grits is Gluten Free! Great place to go when you're going on the Essex Steam Train for Polar express or Thomas the train or leaf peeping or just browsing the shops in Essex! Great for couples, families or groups of friends. Deck is dog friendly! read more

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Great lunch spot, beautiful patio, delicious food. Make a reservation if you can, but don't be deterred if you don't have one. read more

Drift - Peach Berry Prosecco salad $19 with salmon +$13 - Seafood Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

We went here for lunch on a Saturday and there was a wait on the back patio. No wait for the indoor seating so we opted for that instead and I'm so glad we did because it was absolutely lovely by the window. No sun and we had a nice view as well. We ordered the UK style fish n chips and I love that it's served inside a brown bag! Their fish was really fresh and the fries were good too. I wanted the lobster roll but it was a bit pricey at $40. That's $10 more than other restaurants. The fish tacos had a pretty presentation and was good too. The addition of the jalapenos was nice. We didn't like the Old Bay macaroni side salad though so don't recommend ordering that. read more

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Gorgeous day to have a late lunch in Essex. We decided to try Drift, located in the shipyard in Essex. I'm not sure how long they have been here, but I recall another restaurant in the same location years ago. The location is great, right by the water and the shipyard. We wanted to sit outside on the deck, however they said they were setting up for a large party, so only indoor was available unless we wanted to wait an hour. Actually a table by the window turned out to be a better option than outside in the hot sun. However, we noticed live music on the deck that we couldn't hear - just a limited amount of folks outside could enjoy. Too bad. Inside, it's not too big a place, but clean and tastefully decorated. Our server was a nice young man, but he might have been new & still needed time to learn. Food was delivered very quickly. I had the tuna nachos & my husband had the fish & chips. Tuna nachos were very good, crispy wontons, with little chunks of tuna, small pieces to pineapple, cucumber and avacado. Plenty of food to have as an entree. Fish & chips were really good, not greasy. Served with fries. My drink took a long time to come, fortunately it was very good. I had the tequila honey bee and would order it again. Overall - a nice meal, however, it would have been nice to hear the music too. read more

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What a welcome addition to the Essex food scene! Great cozy bar, beautiful outdoor seating, excellent menu( try the smash burger with Drift sauce) The owners are fantastic and very hands on. They do a lot of fun events. We just their Kentucky Derby event. Well done guys we are looking forward to being here regularly read more

Great service. Toasty space on a cold winter day. We liked the beers on tap and the amount of lobster on my salad wowed me. The smash burger was also delicious - chargrilled? Yum. My son was happy with the kid's menu options and ate a decent amount of his cheeseburger. He loved seeing all the giant sail boats in the boatyard too. Would definitely come by again if we were in the area read more

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We arrived w a large group and they quickly accommodated us on the patio (nice view btw). LOVE the menu - so many fun apps, plates, and drinks. Would come back just to revisit the options. This was more of a layover for us on the way to another restaurant but I'm glad we stopped. I had the lobster bisque and for $18 I expected a "fancier" presentation but it tasted good and had huge chunks of lobster in it (seriously I must have had two entire claws in there). I tried some of a friend's fish tacos and they were delicious. Servers and staff were super friendly and made us feel welcome. There was however a lot of confusion w the bill at the end due to how it was broken up but I feel like this is the norm w large parties unfortunately. Parking is...interesting. Sort of a free for all. Also not very low car friendly with multiple extreme speed bumps but we made it in and out unscathed. read more

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Came here with a group of people wanted something not to far of a drive with a water view. Drift is located near a marina right near the water on a section of the CT river called the north cove. Great Atmosphere, Live Music, Exterior and Interior seating. Menu changes often. Awesome burgers, fish and chips. Don't miss on the smoked salmon dip. Everybody dug into that so quick. I couldn't even get a picture. The tuna nachos were loaded. The cold lobster roll and scallop roll were served on a brioche roll. I preferred the lobster roll over the scallop roll. Don't miss out on those burgers though it was absolutely delicious. Staff is great and if it's nice out sit out on that patio and watch the boats go by and soak up some rays. read more

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Overall very pleased with my experience. Had great service, the ambiance was great, right near the water. Food was yummy as well. I got the hot lobster roll, the brioche bun was a bit thick and overwhelmed the dish, but otherwise good. read more

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Came for lunch a group of 4. We ordered the poke bowl, the cold lobster roll, salt and pepper calamari, seafood ceviche, salad with grilled chicken. The menu had nice selection of dishes. The lobster roll was my favorite, nice amount of lobster meat and very yummy. Overall the food was delicious, our server was awesome, and the view was great. We sat outside. Def worth checking it out. Kudos to the chef. read more

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Great food, nice outdoor seating. Drinks were good too! Service was a little lacking but the food and drinks made up for it! read more

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Excellent spot! We stopped in for lunch on a rainy day and had an awesome meal. The place was pretty empty since we were off season in the winter, and we were seated immediately by a very nice server. It's a nice, small spot on the water. We ordered the fish and chips, lobster roll and a kids burger. Each dish was better than the last. The fish and chips were phenomenal, not too oily, perfectly fried. Just excellent and huge portions. The lobster roll was similarly fantastic, and I snuck a bite of my kid's burger and it was very good. I'd come back just for the burger. Definitely recommended, I'd drive an hour back to Essex just for lunch here again. read more

Drift - Fish and chips - Seafood Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

A great spot in downtown Essex for food, drinks, and the view. The service is fast and the owner even came to check on us to see if there's anything else they can do to make it a great experience. There are fun seasonal cocktails as well as a standard list. The food is great as well only wish they had more vegetarian options but the veggie burger was homemade and great. I'd absolutely return again and recommend anyone visiting to sit outside if possible. read more

Drift - Veggie burger - Seafood Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

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We have visited this restaurant twice so far and we have been very pleased with the food each time. We were lucky enough to sit outside for lunch the first time which was beautiful. The outdoor dining area is comfortable with pretty views of the marina and water. Our second visit was at night and it was a little chilly so we opted to stay cozy inside. Very tasteful decor and plenty of seating. We were with our kids so we were in the main dining area. If we were sans kids, we would definitely opt to sit at the bar. The food was excellent both times. Our favorites were the hot lobster roll, the fish dip and the calamari. The burger was delicious and seems like their take on an elevated Big Mac. The fish sandwich was excellent but I wish there was a non fried option. I will say it was remarkably light though. Cocktails were great too! The only teeny "negative" feedback I would give is that the server we had outside was not very attentive and we waited a long time before our order was taken and then for our drinks. She did not check in so we were looking for her often, but perhaps they were understaffed that day. Our server inside was much better and we had a great experience with her. This is a favorite find for us. Looking forward to seeing their fall and winter specials. P.S. they have a kids menu too which was an added bonus. read more

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Don't miss this restaurant such a beautiful welcome coming from The Polar Express Christmas event with my grandchildren. Thank you for ending our most memorable evening with joy great food atmosphere and exceptional service from Rye NY we will be back! read more

I have dined here a couple of times and I really appreciate their creativity with the menu. Also the staff and views are awesome!

Hidden gem on the water. Lovely setting amongst a boatyard with gorgeous tall sail boats all over and cozy ambiance outside and in. They have igloos on the deck for winter but the inside is lovely as well. The service was very good albeit getting drinks from the bar was a bit slow. Worth it though because they were all very good! We tried the salt & vinegar calamari which was the most tender we have ever had. The crab cake smash, filet of fish, and ahi tuna salads were all amazing as well. Will definitely return. read more

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Perfect trifecta!!! Food: 5 star Service: 5 star Location: 5 star Started with the Delicata Squash "Donut Rings" which are sure to be copied by other restaurants. My husband couldn't resist the St. Patty's Day special --the Corned Beef Reuben -- and it was the BEST Reuben he's ever eaten. He was practically in happy tears! I got the fish sandwich, perfect British-style batter with sweet tender fish inside. The weak link were the fries; wish they were hand cut or sweet potato but they were unexpectedly bland. Got the cheesecake special for dessert and it was sooooooo good. We could see Chef making the whipped cream for the cheesecake from where we were sitting and omg, I could've eaten a bowl of just that and been happy. Highly recommend Drift!!! We'll definitely be back!! read more

Drift - Corned beef cooking for 10 hours before serving made it juicy and beyond delicious. - Seafood Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

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I had lunch at Drift with my husband and two friends when we were in the area about two weeks ago. We sat outside on their deck, which has tables with umbrellas for shade and a view. (Inside was cute, too, but we definitely wanted to be outside!) They were busy, and I can see why. Their menu is fun and interesting, and their seafood is fresh. We shared a bunch of dishes: tuna nachos (crispy wontons, tuna, pineapple, avocado, scallions, sesame seeds, kimchi, wakame, and spicy mayo); shrimp ceviche (pineapple, lime, shrimp, served with housemade chips); hot lobster roll; lobster rangoon; watermelon refresher (watermelon with olive oil, sea salt, micro basil, and lime); and a salad (with pickled blueberries, goat cheese, and more). The food was good overall. Definitely fun! They also have a great bar menu. I had a coconut water mojito, which was light and refreshing - perfect for a hot day. The service was great, and the atmosphere was wonderful - everything I wanted from a lunch on the water before we drove into New Haven! I would happily return! read more

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Ambiance is great in the Marina great views. Service was awesome Food not even close to good and so overpriced. It's like because they have a good Location they get a pass in quality of Food. 28 for shrimp ceviche that was flat and like 3 oz maybe if shrimp for Lunch read more

This is by far one of the best restaurants I've ever visited. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the food is absolutely delicious. We ordered the tuna nachos and the clam chowder--both incredibly fresh and full of flavor. The owner is an exceptional host as well. He's welcoming, personable, and truly embodies great hospitality. Overall, a wonderful experience from start to finish. Highly recommend! read more

Can't beat the view or the ambience. Service is always exceptional with wait staff knowing exactly when to check in on the table, without being overbearing We were there Friday night for dinner and I had the surf and turf burger, which was a smash burger with a crabcake on top (which I've enjoyed before.) the one thing that is important to both of us is consistency. If we go to a restaurant and know we're going to get a consistently good meal, then that makes us very comfortable. It didn't happen with Drift. Had a selection that I know I've liked before I expected it to be just as tasty and this one was poorly done. I had to scrape off the crabcake and I just picked at the burger - meh, but I must say the bun with the mayo dressing on it was quite delicious. The fries were very decent too. read more

I have a lot of burgers when I go out. They are usually adequate or even not bad. Drift's burger was good bordering on great. Two smashed, the right amount of onion, house sauce that was very tasty. My companions had the veggie tempura (reportedly good), another had the calamari and it was thoroughly consumed and enjoyed. Finally a crab cake smash. This too was well made. The fries were nothing out of the ordinary. (IMHO, New England restaurants should serve crinkle cut fries, but few people agree with me, obviously.) The restaurant is located at the back of a marina. The view of the CT river is nice. There is outside seating. They don't take reservations for a party fewer than six people. It is a 5 min walk northwest from the CT River Museum (also worth a visit) . Main Street to Ferry Street to Pratt.. The restaurant is small, I'd plan to wait for a table. The TUE in Aug we'd visited required no wait. The owner was present and very nice. read more

We really enjoyed our lunch at Drift. I ordered the Crab Cake smash which was delicious and very fresh. My husband had the Morton burger which he said was excellent. We sat outside on a lovely deck with views of the water, very relaxing. Our server, Josh was very friendly and attentive. The owner was also very nice and came over to check on us and also thanked us for choosing to have lunch there. It's the little things that make all the difference. We will definitely be back. read more

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Drift came recommended to me by my neighbor. I was looking for a place on the water to have my Birthday lunch. We sat on the back deck overlooking the boat yard, & marina with views of the CT River. We ordered the calamari, hot lobster roll and a cold lobster roll. The food was delicious! Our server, Lilly was friendly and informative. She had a sweet personality and was eager to please. The other waitstaff all worked together to clear plates, fill our water glasses and deliver food& cocktails. I drank the coconut mojito and it was delicious! I highly recommend Drift if you're looking for casual dining w/ a view. read more

Drift - Best cold lobster roll ever - Seafood Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

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First the service was outstanding. The food not so much. While my fish and chips were great especially the fries ....everyone else's entrees were just so so. Had a great bar scene though so stick to that and pub food and you'll probably do okay read more

Our lunch at Drift was one to remember. The owner, staff, and chef pour their hearts into every guest who walks in that door. It is a great summer restaurant as it's in a marina but it's also a great winter restaurant as well in Essex! The food and drinks were phenomenal and we would highly recommend visiting! read more

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What a gem! Smashburger was delicious (small patties for the price but delicious)... burger sauce was great... Truffle honey chicken sandwich was tender and perfect... the drippings were great with the fries... we got them with salt and vinegar... also very good... and the squash donuts is absolutely a recommended appetizer... sweet and satisfying! Glad we found it! read more

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Found this little gem by accident looking for a rest room. Great food drink and service. Can't wait for my next CT visit for another stop by. read more

Just been there one time stopped in while by the sound, almost missed the place it's super quaint, service is fantastic it felt almost like a home kitchen, and that's before the food had to have been some of the best fish and chips I've ever had the batter was fantastic and the french fries were really good. Thank for an excellent meal!! read more

Delicious food Good vibes Great service We've been to Drift a few times now. We've sat inside at their bar and outside on the patio. Patio is 10/10 with great views of the marina and overlooking the CT river. Last time we were there they had a couple musicians on the patio which really enhanced the vibe. The food is something like elevated comfort food. Seafood forward, they have things like crab cakes, lobster rolls, fish and chips, octopus tacos and more. Oh and don't sleep on their smash burger. They do it right. If you're looking for a fun afternoon - drive to Essex, park your car, stroll around town and then grab a bite and some drinks at Drift. You won't be disappointed. Pro tip: when you're finished at Drift, walk over to the little ferry and catch a short ride across the water to Siren for a beer or two. The ferry is FREE and only takes about 45 seconds. read more

The food was excellent (lobster roll and fish and chips). The fish was cod and was prepared to be the flakiest fish I've ever had. The setting of the restaurant is awesome as it sits right at the marina. As great as the food and location are the staff was the biggest highlight. Our waitress was Bella - she was so good I thought for sure it the restaurant was owned by her family. Friendly, attentive, knowledgeable and proud of the restaurant. read more

Drift - Lobster roll on lettuce rather than a roll. - Seafood Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

Such a great spot. The parking was easy and the food, decor and views were great. I had the veggie burger and chowder. The chowder was exactly how it should be, packed with goodness. The company at the bar was also great and I had a chance to chat with the owner who such a delight. Will visit again for sure, great job! read more

Great service and food. Loved the tempura vegetables, coconut shrimp roll, and fish and chips, Try to coconut water mojito and the strawberry Aperol spritz too.. read more

The chowder was amazing! Also our server Bella was phenomenal and very attentive will return soon!

Great food and setting but the loud music was definitely a turnoff. Not sure why so many places seem to think this is good for business but then maybe I'm just too old. read more

Great spot overlooking the water. Sat outside on the deck. Lobster and fish and chips were top notch. Service was great! Strawberry Aperol Spritzer was excellent! Will definitely return if in the area. read more

Great hidden gem! Popped in here thinking we would order to go and decided to eat at the bar. Had harvest roasted chicken, calamari, butternut sage carbonara. All were excellent! Will definitely return. read more

I keep a boat at Essex Island Marina, and look directly at drift. We used to go there when it was a different named restaurant and it was just OK when drift came in and they made some adjustments within the kitchen. This place has turned into an amazing restaurant where we've tried six dishes on the menu and they've all been fantastic. The lobster bisque is a meal in itself Along with the clam chowder. If you're in the southern Connecticut area I highly recommend you give this place a try it's fantastic with a great selection of wines and a cute bar along with excellent service read more