Abby’s Place

We have had both breakfast and lunch here. We have never been disappointed.
Omelets, salads, wraps all well prepared. They also serve cocktails now and have a great deck overlooking the marina. Abby pays attention to customer satisfaction.

Setting– outdoor has a decent view, probably better when all the boats are out, deck chairs are metal but comfy
Food — You will feel good about eating here, portions are good size freshly made. We started with the chili cheese fries (yes, really), I had the Cod fish sandwich (I skipped the bun because the piece of fish was huge!), my wife had the pecan & goat salad w/​grilled chicken, daughter had the «basic burger» and son had the «BLT». All good stuff and ok value $ 122 w/​tip for lunch
Service– You may have a better experience than we did, our lunch was almost two hours!!! Most of that time wondering where the waitress had gone to so we could ask where our food was…

Try THE most wonderful, authentic clam chowder full of tons of clams!
Beautiful setting on the marina on CT river. Great relaxing place — sit outside in the summer.

We both had the turkey sandwich. It was one of the best we have had outside the home in a very long time. It was real turkey not that deli stuff but off the breast of a real turkey breast and was moist and had great flavor. The bread tastes like it was home made not store bought. Was a great meal and very filling. This place is hidden in a corner near the marina and is a absolute must go to type place the scenery was fantastic also. The service was above board If your in the area you need to do lunch but they close early (3) so get there in time. We will make it a point to come again whenever we are back to this area near Essex Don’t need to dress up jeans are just fine. Also has a bar so that glass of wi e went down so perfectly with the turkey. Also wheelchair accessible and bathroom is also wheelchair accessible. Just a great place for all to enjoy.

Nice place, fantastic wait staff. the food was good, the waiter made a mistake, apologized and gave the ordered item at no cost. Beautiful setting outside, shade available. Easy parking Loved it!

Location is great but that was about it. Service was slow, ordered a cheeseburger and a turkey wrap after 45 minutes the waitress comes over with a bowl of potato chips and says «something to snack on while we wait.» Another 20 minutes goes by and our food finally comes. Food was average and overpriced. We will not be back.

The drive into Abby’s makes you think that you are in for a treat. You drive through a small boat yard with beautiful views. Once you get to Abby’s you are immediately greeted and taken to your seat. Now let me tell you, the views from this restaurant are Amazing with a capital A!
This is the point that the restaurant side of things starts to go down hill. You order your drinks and it takes 15 minutes to get them. You order your food and it takes 45 minutes to get it! This is a little crazy seeing that there was no crowd!
With such a long wait you expect to have amazing food… Well wrong. I had the orange infused French toast with fruit and sausage. Everything was good except the French toast… The French toast was a little on the raw side and THERE WAS A HAIR IN IT… so now you are faced with a serious problem… Do you send it back and wait 45 more minutes or do you just eat around it? I opted for the way around it…
Best advise I could give you? Don’t go here if you expect good service with good food…
But hey they have great views!!!

Lovely, casual waterside place to breakfast, lunch or dinner. Nice view of the marina and water. Food was surprisingly good and not expensive.

This is a great little spot for a casual lunch. Unfortunately it was too hot to sit outside… but we could still enjoy the view from our table by the window. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. If I wasn’t on a restricted diet I would have had the lobster roll! Instead, I had the seared shrimp, arugula, watermelon and feta salad.
As other reviewers mention, it is hidden. Look for the signs around the Dauntless Marina.

WHAT A SURPRISE. I was driving around ESSEX, CT. Showing this community to a visiting friend. I did not intend to stop for a lunch but as we drove around the harbor, my friend was excited about all the boats at the marina that I decided to stop for a lunch at a restaurant where you can see many of the boats docked in a Marina by the restaurant. So we stopped at Abby’s Place and chose a table outside on a deck overlooking the Marina. What a wonderful view.
We ordered lunch. I had a half crab salad sandwich and a soup. My friend had the fish sandwich. Both meals were good. Service was friendly. It was a delightful experience.
Prices are slightly higher than many other local restaurants. But the view justifies the slight higher price. My only complaint was the price of a beverage. Coffee and soda was $ 2.75.
The restaurant offers a breakfast menu but when you add coffee at $ 2.75, it discourages having breakfast here.
I recommend lunch.
I gave it four stars. I could give it five stars but my four stars are others five stars.
TRAVEL KAL

Slow service and prices that are too high for the quality of food. The lobster roll and salmon are good, but over priced.

First time since they reopened for the season. Food is still very good. I had the lobster Macaroni which was excellent. Rich but not too heavy. Lots of lobster flavor. Service is very nice, just not very experienced or seasoned. Three different attendants tried to remove my dinner roll which was still in the basket. The rolls were VERY good, btw. The wait person got my drink wrong which seems to be SOP here. I kept hearing «I’m sorry, we will make you another» at various stages and from various directions. Very friendly, tho, to a fault. Just the facts, maam, thanks. Long story short, would I go again? Absolutely. It is really good food and we all like to support local business.

Abby’s has been open for a few years now and as we have a boat at the marina it’s the most convenient location… but, we went when they first opened and the service was incredibly slow, one time we were one of two couples and breakfast took almost 1 ½ hours… so, we stopped going,.very pleased to say that after three visits in the past few months the service has dramatically improved, food is very good, not overly complicated but some nice extra touches and served hot, very pleased to see this turnaround in service.

My whirlwind visit of Connecticut continued at Abby’s for a leisurely lunch. Abby’s is hidden back on the harbor in Essex, which is an adorable little town along the Connecticut river. We ordered drinks and then settled in for a leisurely lunch. Which turned out to be too leisurely because the server forgot to place our order. Now I wouldn’t mind so much if she would have just admitted this. But instead, she made it seem as though the food was just ready to come out and I was the impatient one. The food was okay, but I’m a Boston girl and I prefer my chowder to be, well, chowder, with a thick, rich base. There’s this Rhode Island thing going on here where the soup base is watery. Knowing this now, next time I’m in this area I will ask what the chowder is like before I order. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this little place, though, because the ambience is charming and it’s a nice way to while away a lunch time looking out on the river.

I had a wonder experience at Abby’s. We arrived after a Sunday drive through the area. We had my wife, father-​in-​law and 3 small kids. It was just at 3pm when they closed. They said they would stay open just for us. I felt uncomfortable at first, but they made it clear we were welcome and at home. The service we were provided was outstanding. They were friendly and attentive to our needs. I ordered and cheese burger with gorgonzola and a side salad. It was one of the best burgers I ever had. Everyone loved their meals. One of the best things is the view of the water and boats. Highly recommended.

I was recently visiting Essex, Ct. from the San Francisco Bay Area. During my stay, Abby’s Place was recommended to me by one of the locals. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The food was very good and the coffee was just the way I like it. My waitress, Debbie, was very attentive. The owner, Abby Miner, came out to the dining area to make sure everyone was enjoying their meal.
This café is a bit hidden in the Marina, however, make the little effort to find this place, it is worth it. I would recommend this place and would eat here again if I am ever back in the area.

Had a terrific lunch. Suburb turkey sandwich with true home made turkey! Great clam chowder. The service was really good and the bar tender made such an incredible drink that my wife took pictures of it!

My wife and i had lunch here with friends from VA. It’s a hidden gem on the iconic Essex harbor. The main dining area is decorated in pale blues and greens with well spaced tables and a fresh flower on each. The rear doors open to a spacious deck for dining alfresco under a large green awning. The staff is well trained, attentive and accommodating. We asked for a couple of substitutions with our lobster roll entrée’s which were done without comment. The lobster was fresh, plump and overflowed the brioche rolls, not those doughy hotdog buns you often get on the Shoreline. We had sweet potato fries, crispy and delicious. The owner/​manager/​entrepreneur Abby Miner greets each customer like a guest in her home not a patron in her restaurant. Abby’s Place is a find, highly recommended.

My husband and I had a delightful lunch on Abby’s deck this afternoon. The food was excellent and the service prompt and friendly. The clam chowder is clearly homemade, with tender clams and small firm potatoes, but absolutely no thickening agent. The crab sandwich had a generous portion of crab, on good bread, and the walnut and Gorgonzola salad with spring greens was large and flavorful, balsamic dressing on the side. We will definitely be back!

Well hidden little gem. Look for it on top of the marina. The deck seating is comfy and all tables have umbrellas. Both coveted and open deck seats. Perfect for a spring day and reasonable prices.
Ordered the crab salad burger with sweet potato fries and a regular burger with waffle fries. Both types of fries were excellent; the beef burger was an 8/​10, and the crab burger was also good.
Recommend if you want a fairly cheap casual seafood place with a laid-​back atmosphere in Essex.