The food and service here is amazing! Loved the sweet corn soup and grilled octopus. Green tea beer was refreshing.

The food and service are excellent. Alcohol is very pricey, with wine pour a bit on the skimpy side. Would visit again, just won't order wine :( read more

We had dinner here on a Tuesday night after driving up from Baltimore. They were doing a special Tuesday night prix fixe "comfort food" menu and we got one of those and a couple things from their regular menu. The prix fixe included a romaine salad with hazelnuts, cranberries, bacon, apple, and buttermilk dressing with herbs, a "seafood vindaloo," and vanilla ice cream for dessert. We also ordered the Jerk Ribs appetizer and an octopus small plate with sea island red peas. Of these, the ribs were unique and memorable, the sea island red peas were stunningly spiced, and the octopus was tender and the char on it was perfect. The salad complemented all well. The seafood "vindaloo" was delicious, but the name was misleading. The dish contained a generous quantity of mussels, enormous clams, shrimp, and whitefish in a thin spicy broth with rice and potatoes. We were impressed with the spicing throughout the meal--complex with slow heat. The service was friendly and detailed and our food was thoughtfully coursed with place settings changed between each. At the end of our meal, the owner/chef chatted with us and gave us a long list of area recommendations. A fabulous and adventurous meal at an unpretentious spot! read more

I've been here a few times, and we recently went on a Sunday for a birthday brunch. The menu is creative, and the food is excellent. If you go during good weather, I recommend sitting outside. The restaurant has a small dining room, and a very small bar. Essie's is a great place to go for a special occasion; The owner/chef and staff are very thoughtful and kind. read more

Wow! In the bowels of Poughkeepsie is this terrific restaurant. Had the Cucumber Melon Salad, which was a perfect balance between the sweet melons, snappy radish, creamy goat feta and sour vinaigrette. And the very tender grilled Octopus over a very flavorful and textured "stew" of capers, chorizo, potatoes, chickpeas in a tomato sauce. Couldn't recommend this place more. It's been operational for a year, and deserves to become a long term establishment. read more

Delightful but I would price this at three little dollar signs, not two. Starters, soups and salads were $8-$15, mains were $19-28, desserts $7-8, wines mostly $9-15/glass. Really excellent, though - a labor of love I'd guess. read more

Brunch was just the right size chicken and waffles were crispy and moist . Jerk shrimp salad was the bomb

Came here with some co-workers and had a great meal. The menu is very interesting (especially for this area); I had a goat stew with subtle north african-style spices. Even on a weeknight there were plenty of other people there and it felt like a hot-spot. 4 stars because there weren't great vegetarian options. read more

I am in Poughkeepsie with my son for a tour of Marist College. What an unbelievable meal! I live in the D.C. Area and our dinner at Essie's ranks with some of the top meals I have ever had! The grit fritters are amazing and the Osso buco was so rich and full of flavor and textures! The chef and staff are talented and clearly pour that talent into the food and service. This place deserves its perfect rating! Do not miss! read more

I wish that this review was going to cover all aspects of dining at Essie's. Unfortunately, our reception at the restaurant was so poor that we never even made it to the first course! We arrived at the restaurant and were immediately greeted by someone, who, we found out later, was the chef/owner. Although we had made a reservation, we were informed upon arrival that it was "Comfort Food Tuesday", which we learned meant that only appetizers were available, along with a "special" set menu. This was not disclosed anywhere on the website or on the phone when I spoke to the owner. The set menu was not particularly "comforting", consisting of a choice between fritto misto and a salad, a main of pork scallopini, and some desert I can't recall. We decided to instead order every appetizer they had, to create a shared tapas style meal. We were summarily informed that they were out of the octopus dish, which was one of the only small dishes that included a protein. We asked if, given they were out of octopus, we could sub in a fritto misto, which was part of the set menu. The chef refused to allow us to do so, dismissively saying that it was "only available as part of the set menu". We were a table of four adults, having dinner at 9 pm on a Tuesday. There were two other tables of two in the restaurant, in the middle of their meals. The chef/owner himself refused to permit us to purchase that dish, which I can't imagine was going to cause him any supply concerns for the rest of that evening. We had already ordered a nice bottle of wine and would've spent $300 plus on our meal...instead we decided to leave without eating because we didn't want to support an establishment where the chef/owner himself has so little regard for his customers - and so little business sense! We will spend our money elsewhere. read more

Everything we ordered was delicious, my favorite were the croquettes, so simple yet so good. Customer Service was extraordinary. Great experience from the minute we walked in the door to the minute we left. Will be coming back many many times!! read more

What a wonderful dining experience! First off, the service was great. I ordered the Pork Osso Buco, which did not disappoint. The meat was falling off the bone and the sauce was fantastic. There were also many other menu items I would have loved to try. I would highly recommend checking out Essie's if you're in the area! read more

Great wait staff who made excellent recommendations. We had the Fish of Day and the Pork Osso Buco which were truly amazing. This place is not be missed by foodie's. read more

Nice addition to Poughkeepsie's growing number of culinary chefs that call it home. We need more places like this that use local and sustainable products. Food was great. We had a variety of options but the osso buco was outstanding. There are a bunch of empty restaurants just a few blocks from here that need to be filled in order for this trend to continue. Healthy competition helps build the community, and keeps prices in check. read more

Run don't walk to Essie's. What a wonderful experience for your taste buds. Chef Brandon takes you on a journey around the globe with his dishes. The warm spices, the perfectly cooked food, and the presentation is a great addition for foodies!!!! The service is cool and casual as well as attentive. The place had a great vibe. Be sure to try the jerk pork lardons, you will become addicted!!! Bon appetite. read more

We dropped in at 7:30 on Saturday night and they were able to seat 2. Warmly greeted. Emily was our server and she is probably one of the finest representatives of a restaurant I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She knew about all of the dishes, made recommendations, and was a delight. When requesting something they didn't have (type of beer), she had of way of telling you that made you ?happy? She just has a way about her, which can't be taught. She just had "it". GREAT asset to this establishment. Now the food, great. We had the grilled octopus and clam/mussel soup for starters. Both were delicious. It is not your typical cream New England style chowder. It is cream based but the flavors are just so much more. Octopus was cooked perfectly. Main meals were the Pork Osso Bucco and Goat Bolognese. Wonderful flavors in the pork. Cranberry and squash so slight sweetness. Bolognese is not Italian standard but has Mediterranean flavors. Unusual and delicious. Unfortunately we had to bolt and couldn't stay for dessert. Our loss. Fantastic restaurant!!! We will go back again soon before the masses hear about this place and make it hard to get in. read more

Amazing restaurant!! What a gem! The chef is very talented. Food was fantastic and service was impeccable. Looking forward to going back very soon. read more

My friend asked me to meet him at this place because his good friends were the owners. I was tired and reluctant but went anyway. I walked into a small Manhattan style place that was so full of class I felt I should have worn better clothes. But that's not the case. My friend didn't even know I was there yet because he was in the bathroom and I was welcomed by these people with such warmth and kindness and they didn't even know who I was it didn't matter what I was wearing you were in a family-style amazing place the food was so amazing I'm not even sure what I ate because my friend ordered for me but it was appetizers because I wasn't that hungry at the time I wished I hadn't ate so much during the day I could have stayed there all night but they were closing these people treated me like family the chef and his wife and their daughter are the most amazing people the place is so clean and so classy like I said prices were great food and presentation was unbelievable if you don't go there you are foolish read more

Really enjoyed this place. Good energy, tasty modern food with southern twist. Nice wine and beer list. Staff was very sweet and hospitable. Highly recommend you try it out. read more

Just returned from our first dinner at Essie's, wonderful! Lovely intimate restaurant , great dinners as well as small plates all unique and fresh. read more

Another amazing meal at Essie's! Chef Brandon does a wonderful job balancing his courses and flavor profiles. We went with a group and sampled everything on the menu. The grilled octopus and grits were favorites as well the chicken and dumplings and fish. It is one of the best meal you will have in the Hudson Valley and beyond! read more

Ehhh. We ordered chicken and dumplings, fish, and pork dish and all ok. Octopus salad was horrible, the octopus was actually tough and chewy. Nothing spectacular. Drinks were pretty good. If im spending that much money I expect flavor and just overall better food. Sorry i really wanted to love this place but did not. read more

Service was good and our pork lardons app was excellent. We both got the chicken and dumplings, however, and were really unimpressed. The chicken, while nicely cooked, was really bland. The dumplings were so dense and chewy that they were not fun to eat. They had no non-alcoholic beer (which I get that not every place will have), but there were no suggestions made for anything else non-alcoholic, which is always a bummer for me because I don't drink. Plus, they do not carry diet soda, which sucked for my partner who is a diabetic and also doesn't really drink. Hope they tighten it up a bit because the place has potential--it's nice inside and the service is friendly. I will give them another go if I can convince my partner to go back. read more

Average, at best. We waited over 2 hours for our order to come out. Small selection on menu. Would not go back.

We were so looking forward to going here because of all the great reviews. It must have been an off night for them. Our service left us sitting for long stretches of time and our two different desserts were at least a day old. Disappointed! read more

Had a wonderful meal here for New Years! My friends and I tried each other's entrees! Impressive and wide variety of flavors!

What a gem. Not from Poughkeepsie, but will go back. Food was delicious, everything made just right, service is excellent and the ambiance was just right. I hesitated to rate it just because it might become mobbed, as it should be. Don't miss the Osso Buco or the octopus appetizer. read more

A MUST TRY! We enjoyed a fabulous dinner the other night at ESSIE's. We were traveling and passing through Poughkeepsie on our way home. The chef, Brandon Walker, is passionate about his food, family and his restaurant. Check his credentials on his website. Our server, Ashley, who was a family member, was a real pleasure, as was Phil the bartender. They are about 1 hour from our home and we will be returning just to try another fabulous dish. We had the octopus, clams and mussels, pork and flat steak. read more

I drove an hour to Essie's hoping to enjoy a good meal as options are quite limited where I reside, with the exception of your usual chain or fast food restaurants. After the food journey I was taken on by Chef Walker, I can honestly say I would make the trip again. Dining with the family, we started with appetizers... the jerk ribs! They were perfectly seasoned with the right amount of spice to enhance the fall of the bones ribs. Next, we ordered different entrees and everyone was beyond pleased with their meals. My steak was cooked to perfection..well seasoned, juicy and tender!The accompanying mushrooms (by the way I hate mushrooms ) were to die for. The potatoes were unlike any I have other tasted and the Marsala sauce, rich in flavor, was the perfect addition to the steak. Overall, my entree was an example of fine dining at its best! I didn't plan on ordering dessert as I was unable to finish my entree and put the rest to go, but after perusing the dessert menu, we all decided to end this great dining experience with dessert. Omg...the dark chocolate cremaux 9. No words to describe this dessert ...just get to Essie's as soon as you can. All the desserts compliment the meal and are the perfect ending to the fine dining journey the chef takes you on . read more