yum, quaint little resto in poughkeepsie.. personal touch, located at the little italy side, however, serves good ole American dishes.. read more

Essie's Restaurant - chicken & waffles.. - New American Near Me - Poughkeepsie, New York

What a lovely place! I missed the brunch menu, but they immediately offered to fire up the waffle maker to make my chicken and waffle dreams come true. Hands down the best chicken and waffles I've eaten, and I like to think of myself as a chicken and waffles expert. The staff, including the chef, were all very friendly and helpful. Super cool vibe. Lots of outdoor seating, and inside and outside are both contactless service. I'll be back for sure, and will definitely tell friends to visit. read more

Great cozy atmosphere and outstanding wine list. Creative, thoughtful food. The menu usually features a vegan option or one can be made vegan on request. read more

The chicken sandwich was exactly what I needed. Crispy, spicy, and delicious. The mac and cheese was also very addicting. I was disappointed with the jerk pork loin. It was just grilled pork with salt and pepper. I would have just bought the marinated and season pork loin from the supermarket. read more

Mmmm so good! The food was fabulous. My son and I shared a Berbere steak and a Jerk Pork Sandwich. They were delicious! Too bad they are not open for breakfast tomorrow because I need to take a flight out. But otherwise I would be back. During a pandemic I am more picky about cleanliness and safety than I am about the food. And they were an A+. Most guests ate outside very separated. Indoor ventilation seemed terrified. Restaurant was spotless and beautiful. Everything was carefully sanitized between customers including the no-touch menu that nobody touched! We did a take out order and it was still awesome when we got back to the hotel. I will be back next time I am in Poughkeepsie! Thank you for a delicious meal! read more

I love that this restaurant supports local farms and they care about quality! My favorite restaurant in the valley!!

Ate here for the first time last night with my husband, Anniversary dinner. The Petite Jerk ribs were delicious and falling off the bone tender, Local lettuce was tender and fresh. I had the West African pork shoulder and my husband had the steak. Both cooked perfectly and generously portioned, we had no room left for dessert! I'm looking forward to eating there again since we only live 10 minutes away! read more

Was recommended to come here. The menu is relatively small but everything was cooked amazingly. We started with the grilled octopus, I had the west african port shoulder, it was unbelievably tender. I definitely recommend trying out this local gem. read more

Reservation was on time Service was great Food was great and creative They even asked if anyone had food allergies or restrictions Chef came out to meet his guests 5 Stars !!!!!! All the way read more

The food was absolutely amazing. Those Grits... you need to get them with the Chicken & Waffles, omg! Great customer service; big shoutout to Kevin! Highly recommend. read more

Essie's was a delectable experience. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The staff was friendly and provided excellent service. Our food and drinks were beyond scrumptious, just what we were looking for in a Sunday brunch. My only complaint is that I don't live close enough to eat here often. read more

Overall disappointing for what we were expecting from positive things we had heard. Went for brunch, we were literally the only people there. There was mix up with our coffee order, which was fine and easy to fix, but in hindsight was our first clue. Our appetizer seemed to be taking a long time, and when we inquired our waiter told us it was ready to come out *with* the main meal, which was already plated. When we expressed we didn't want it any longer he was confused like that wasn't an option, but it was supposed to be an appetizer and did not get placed on our table until after our food was put down. (I should mention it was a cheese plate- not something that took a long preparation time at all). Food itself wasn't bad- eggs weren't super warm and a little undercooked. At the prices we were paying, 3 people with one drink each, we payed over a $100, normally a restaurant would comp the appetizer or something. Would not return for brunch. Would give dinner a chance! read more

This place is amazing! I can't give this chef enough props. You can seriously feel the love in all his food! Every time we have been there the chef has actually presented himself. It's a hidden spot VERY worth finding! Go find it! Beyond worth it. Finger licking good! read more

Great food, super friendly staff- this place is great. The pork jerk sandwich was blackened and seasoned perfectly, and my son loved the chicken and waffles. Not sure how crowded this place gets, as we were there at an odd hour-2:00pm, still had half the tables filled. My only complaint is that I don't think regular fountain drinks are available ( on the online menu) and they initially wanted me to pay for a refill on my sweet tea. When I questioned them, they said not to worry about it. So perhaps a misunderstanding? Anyway it didn't take away from everything else which was exceptional. We'll be back next time we're in town! read more

Got takeout from Essie's when I visited Poughkeepsie. Chicken was so moist and tender with excellent spices. Green beans are also excellent - crisp flavorful all fresh delicious food. Would definitely recommend! read more

Comfort food Tuesday's need I say more? I highly recommend this restaurant if you want to have a great dining experience.

The atmosphere is awesome, the space is cozy and welcoming. The menu is familiar but unique, the staff is friendly and service is great. The chef himself is a nice guy and took his time to come talk to us and graciously answered some questions we had for him about the restaurant. Most importantly though the food was amazing. I had the crispy spicy chicken sandwich which was perfectly seasoned and cooked to a tenderness that is unmatched. The argument over chick-fil-a vs Popeyes chicken sandwich is moot. Having had both they pale in comparison to the one from Essie's by a long stretch. read more

We just dined at Essie's for the second time and we were blown away once again by the presentation and flavors of the food, the service that was provided by the wait staff and the restaurant decor. What a wonderful experience! The chef is truly gifted, talented and gracious. He takes the time to come out, greet and thank each patron at the end of their meal. We started with the jerk ribs that were very tender and perfectly seasoned and spiced. Next we had the really delicious chicken galantine (chicken stuffed with chicken sausage and accompanied with collard greens and savory mashed yams), Mediterranean pork shoulder (succulent roasted pork covered with an exquisite brown sauce and apple preserve on top of creamy corn grits) and a beautiful flat iron steak (prepared medium, exactly as requested, with potatoes, onions, mushrooms and a dark rich Marsala sauce. Finally, we ended with dessert, though full, just because we wanted to continue the experience of enjoying exciting and fine food. We had the perfectly textured cheesecake with apples and strudel (deconstructed sensational crunch and creaminess), chocolate mousse with mint ice cream and a refreshing bowl of sorbet; and everything was fabulously delicious!! I can sincerely state that the 55 minute drive from Goshen for my husband and I and 2 1/2 hour drive from Fort Green, Brooklyn for my daughter were definitely worth it again. Essie's is definitely our new favorite restaurant and we will be back again, again and again!! read more

My wife, son and I are so happy we followed the recommendations we saw here on Yelp and went out of our way to have dinner at Essie's on our way back to our home in Brooklyn. Essie's is a gem - better than anywhere I've been in quite some time, and we dine out in NYC and travel quite a bit. It should be a destination for anyone visiting the Hudson Valley. Everything is done from the heart and with skill - from the standout salad to the perfectly cooked and seasoned steak and octopus to the carefully selected beer list (Threes on tap!) to a list of house-made sours (who knew that could be a thing?) to the innovative homemade desserts to the friendly service. We see so many places phone it in and hope owner-chef Brandon Walker will get the acclaim he deserves. read more

I ate there a few days ago with my husband and I must say the food was DELICIOUS!!! We ordered the grit crochets, jerk ribs and two chicken sandwiches(if you like popeyes chicken sandwich your gonna love Essie's chicken sandwich). I left the restaurant full and content. If you're looking for good fresh cooked food I recommend this restaurant! read more

We're Brooklyn transplants and have been in the area for 1.5 years. True to the stereotype, we eat out a lot. Essie's is by far our favorite restaurant in the Poughkeepsie area. Much of their food is locally sourced. There are a small enough number dishes on the menu that everything we've tried has been excellent, but a good enough diversity to satisfy different moods. Our current two favorites -- the flat iron steak when you want a straight up delicious steak -- and goat bolognese -- a creative bolognese with apricots and almonds. The bolognese sounds like a reach, but it's amazing. Try it. read more

Had a late brunch that was imaginative and perfectly prepared: pork hash topped with sunny side eggs. And a frittata with zucchini and cheddar. Coffee was also first rate. Fast and friendly service. I'll be back. read more

Great aesthetic and even better food, Chef Brandon is both an amazing host and chef. The jerk sauce on the Jerk Pork Lardons is hands down one of the best sauces I've ever tasted. Very excited for the upcoming brunch menu to come out. In my opinion this is the best restaurant in Poughkeepsie. read more

Fabulous unique food. Steak was delicious. Grit croquettes were yummy. Loved it! The outside doesn't reflect the charm and warmth inside. Also wish the staff was friendlier. read more

Visited Essie's this past Tuesday for comfort food Tuesday. My wife had the fried chicken and I had the jambalaya risotto. Both were excellent. The presentation was great and our server Samantha was wonderful. Looking forward to returning soon. Recommend highly! read more

The hospitality was warm and amazing. The grit croquettes was seasoned and lightly fried to perfection. Brandon the owner/head chef takes time to come out and greet his customers and makes you feel appreciated. The service is fantastic and the food keeps you coming back. read more

This was an amazing meal! Their menu is small but diverse and has something for everyone. We got a nibble of grit coquets, a bowl of winter squash soup, a small plate of jerk ribs, and grilled octopus. Our server was attentive and super nice! My husband states it is a one way ticket to flavortown. read more

If you are in Poughkeepsie, this place is a must!! We had friends who recommended this amazing world American fare food and it lived up to the hype!! I had the Goat Bolognese, it might be one of the best meals I've ever had! It was rich with flavors exploding in your mouth, topped with creamy goat cheese. The Chef seasonally changes his menu, but I'm not sure I could ever get anything else!! My friend had the Pork Osso Bucco. The pork just fell off the bone! Another great choice. You're a fool not to make this a stop on your trip to Poughkeepsie! The ambiance was perfect! Casual jeans or dinner before the theater! If it's a busy night, call for reservations!! Enjoy! read more

Delicious food and cocktails (try the Poughkeepsie pioneer!), cozy ambience and great service. We will be back!

My wife and I got take out from Essie's tonight (due to the pandemic of course) and it was absolutely fantastic. We I got the buttermilk fried chicken dinner with mac and cheese and garlic green beans for the sides. Everything was so so delicious! It will easily be enough for both of us to have a full 2nd meal, so the price is a bargain. We even got a bottle of wine (which are 1/2 off)! We will definitely be back soon. Thanks Chef Brandon! read more

I'm always skeptical of 5 star reviews, however after having experienced Essie's I'd give it 10 stars if possible. Everything from the service to drinks, food, all the way through dessert blew away my expectations. We had the grits and lardon nibbles, followed by octopus appetizer (I don't like octopus but give this dish a 10+), the chicken and dumplings entree and apple sorbet for dessert. All dishes outstanding! Highly recommend for a great meal and great night, no shot you'll be disappointed read more

Nice spot. Menu is somewhat limited but the food we ordered was very good. Burger was big enough to share. Service was a bit slow but the place was full. read more

Came here Easter Sunday with three cranky and hangry kids. They were miserable UNTIL the food arrived. Just a few bites of the delicious Belgium waffles, Grit Croquettes and eggs and sausage and they were happy as could be and we ended ordering most of the menu. Great place for after walking the Walkway, only a 3 min drive. Definitely coming back read more

Terrific food in a pleasantly relaxed setting. Staff is always attentive. Menu has plenty for all. The signature cocktails are worth a look as well. A nice gem to have in town read more

We were pretty disappointed with this place. We had to wait about half hour for the food to come out, and there was only one other two top seated at the time. Despite being beautifully browned and crispy, the chicken on the confit salad was painfully salty, so much so that we couldn't even finish it. The portions were generally pretty small but the space is really beautiful. Also the brunch menu is quite limited, so if you don't see something you like you're basically out of luck. read more

This is a gem not to be missed. Such warm and kind people delivering such solid, tasty food in a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. It was like being in Greenwich Village. We cannot say enough how hospitable, warm and friendly everyone was toward us. We started with salads that were perfectly dressed with a luscious mix of greens followed by flatiron steaks that were perfectly cooked and quite flavorful. If you are dining in Poughkeepsie, this is a very good choice. read more

Went to Essie's for brunch with a friend yesterday - the food was amazing! The staff was very welcoming and attentive. As brunch is a new offering here, we did not need reservations. We had the toast with lavendar-infused ricotta, asparagus and shaved radish served with a lemon sauce. It was beautifully presented, and delicious! My friend had the excellent eggs benedict and I ordered the sausage and eggs which was also very good. I highly recommend Essie's -- can't wait to come back for dinner soon! read more

Highly recommend. We started with the cheese plate, which did not disappoint. Creamy, potent Stilton and sharp aged artisanal cheddar were highlights. The Fish and Grits plate was downright gourmet- the cheese grits were a perfectly composed base; the center held fried black bass and collard greens topped with a bit of slightly acidic tomato sauce that matched the rest if the flavors quite well. After we finished, the chef came over and talked with us about our meal and our stay in town. It was a very special personal touch that made the experience even better. Do yourself a favor and go to Essie'e if you're in Poughkeepsie! read more

I read a lot of nice reviews about Essie's, so my wife and some friends went to see what it was all about. We were greeted right away by Emily and seated. It wasn't too busy due to the Thanksgiving holiday, but I've been to a lot of "nice" places that ignore patrons under these circumstances. Our waitress introduced herself and told us if we needed anything at all she was there to help. They were also very nice to let my wife bring some alcohol free beers and kept them chilled all evening. We ordered the octopus appetizer, a salad, and a squash soup. Delicious! The main course was fish, which was cooked to perfection. I had the goat Bolognese which was prepared with lots of citrus. A very complex dish. It's great to have another fine dining experience in Poughkeepsie! read more

Had a wonderful dinner at Essie's! Everything was spot on regarding service, ambiance and food. We had a plate of great cheeses , local honey and jam for an app along with the grit croquettes . I had the fish special which was bass over vegetables and small potatoes. My friend had the foie gras special and she raved about it. My descriptions won't do the food justice... Everything was fresh and flavorful. The owner came out to introduce himself. The entire staff was attentive and knowledgable. I'm already planning my next visit to Essie's! It's clear much thought and talent went into creating this dining experience . read more