This review is from awhile ago. I would really recommend this place. It was our first time at Pigeon Cove. We enjoyed it very much. So this is an upscale eatery, part of a hotel. We just loved the atmosphere. As you c an see from the pictures this is a really nice place with lovely decor and wonderful service. And before I talk about the food I must mention our wonderful server Amanda. I rarely mention server's names unless they are incredible and that is what Amanda was. Both my dad and I agreed she was one of the best server s we have ever had anywhere. Ask for her table if you go! So not being from the area, we did not know what to expect. The menu is small but nice. I myself had a burger. My dad had Crab and Avacado. I did not partake in that because I had just had crab the day before. It sure looked good though and ac cording to my dad it was! Burger was huge. And very good. I however could not finish it. Oh..we both had Sangria. I think it was maybe the tastiest Sangria I have ever had. Just look at the pics! The reason I did not give it a higher score (although a 3 is not bad) is just because the menu is quite limited. I wish there had been more choices. Also the burger was a bit overdone. But the taste was good plus the Sangria was picture perfect and the service beyond wonderful. So to sum up..great evening with yummy good in an upscale atmosphere with great service. I look forward to visiting again if in the area. read more

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I went last night and had a wonderful time! The view is lovely, of course. But the service was wonderful and the food was delicious. The lobster appetizer and sliders were seasoned well and tasted fabulous. I noticed there weren't any recent reviews...I know they have a new chef and owners and want everyone to come try! You won't be disappointed!! read more

Such a lovely couple of days on this stunning inn. The staff was so friendly. Bill, Lisa, the breakfast staff who's names I sadly don't recall and the owner all lovely. We will definitely be revisiting ! read more

The Emerson - View from our room - Seafood Near Me - Rockport, Massachusetts

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The back patio of The Parlor Bar is expansive and has lovely ocean views. This is a perfect place to grab a drink with a relaxed atmosphere and great views. There were a few items to order for snacking, and we were happy with the way the meat and cheese boards came out. read more

The Emerson - Hot & Dirty - Seafood Near Me - Rockport, Massachusetts

This place has a great view from the back deck where they have seating. When we were there a week ago the restaurant wasn't open yet, but they had a bites menu at the bar and their bar was fully open to? They have nice indoor seating at the bar area as well. The drinks were all right and the food wasn't that great, but we enjoyed the view and the atmosphere most and it was Nice to get away from the hustle and bustle and tourists of Rockport even though this is just a few minute drive away. read more

Beautiful spot. Sadly we had some of the worse service we had ever experienced. The waitress seemed annoyed by anything we asked for, or about. I didn't think asking "what tequilas do you carry?" was such a difficult question. After she named off some Gins, she desided to go ask. When she came back with the list, I ordered Patron with lemonade & a splash of pineapple. She said "I can ask. But we dont have pineapple juice". My reply? "Its listed in 3 out of the 6 drinks on your drink menu, so would you mind checking?". Everything seemed like it was a bother, like bringing us our food. She did not want to be there & it showed. It's sad because I was so looking forward to a nice evening. read more

Last night we went to the Pigeon Cove Tavern for dinner for the first time. Sadly it was to cold and to rainy to sit on the deck, but our table was close enough to see the water. We had great service, Karina was our server and she made some great suggestions!!! The tuna tartar appetizer was delicious, the chicken & duck entrees were yummy and the creme brûlée was a perfect way to finish our meal. We will definitely be back on a warmer night to enjoy the deck. read more

Visited with two workers in October 2013. I have to say it was one of the more delicious meals we ate in Boston area. It was quiet and in the off-season, but there was still a decent crowd. The servers were very attentive, the atmosphere very elegant, and the food was phenomenal. Compliments to the chef for giving us a can't-miss experience at a VERY reasonable price. read more

We decided to have a nice dinner before going to a concert in town. Pigeon Cove Tavern at the Emerson Inn sounded like an ideal choice. Somewhat removed from the center of Rockport, driving up to it was a treat. Our reservation was honored promptly although was not necessary as most tables were not taken at the early hour of 5:30 pm. We opted for outdoor seating on the porch and the water view was beautiful. Wait staff was pleasant, menu pretty simple. One of our dinner selections was panko fried haddock, the other pan-seared salmon. The haddock arrived and the size of the portion was, well, shocking. It was maybe 2 ounces, almost as if it were a kiddie portion, swimming in a bed of sloppy French fries. The salmon was an appropriate portion placed on a bed of risotto. The contrast made us appreciate the difference in size, especially as the haddock was $20! We brought it to the server's attention and she did send the manager to our table. He wound up doing the right thing by sending over another piece of haddock, but not before saying that he knew it was the correct size since all the portions are weighed in advance. Hmm. Both fish dishes were okay, but we couldn't help but feel we were paying for the view, not the meal. If that's what you're looking for, go for it. Long and short for us, no return visit here. read more

Great views of the ocean on a hillside. The service was adequate at best. I had to ask 3 times for some bread for the table. By that time the appetizers were already served. The staff seems overwhelmed. The food was decent, but nothing exceptional. This establishment has potential but at its current state, seems a bit run down. Lots of peeling paint on the exterior. I saw lots of wood pieces that had seen better days. It's too expensive simply for an ocean view. read more

We were overwhelmed by Chef Ameer and the staff who provided a romantic anniversary dinner on the deck facing the ocean. The meals were superb and we will be back soon. read more

This place has a long, long way to go. Been there before, but has gone backwards instead of better. Horrible, stupid beer (3 picks) selection and served in can of all things. Really! Warm table water served in tiny glass with no ice. Had to ask for glass with ice to make water cold. Ordered the simplest thing (hamberger) and couldn't have done a worse job (very raw) and took for ever and we were the only ones in in the dinning room. Didn't want to send it back and wait another 15 mins to come back. This restaurant has a recipe for failure. 05/18/18 read more

On our annual vacation in Rockport, we have enjoyed dining at the Emerson Inn for quite a few years, not just because it is a fine old place with a lovely view for terrace dining, but also because the food was always good. The food was disappointing, however, in the three dinners we had this season--2011. Perhaps there is a new chef. We were disappointed the first time but came back twice more because we wanted to give an old favorite a chance to succeed. But it never happened. One of our entrees was a duck breast that simply lacked flavor. It was served with plain white rice, no different from white Carolina rice from the supermarket. In another entree, rack of lamb, the meat lacked flavor (quite a trick with lamb!) and was served along with vegetables that had the life and flavor cooked out of them, even including fennel devoid of licorice taste and mealy garlic cloves. Rack of lamb is a dish that would be nicely accompanied with one or two red potatoes, but this one had no starches at all. A dessert of cookies was unpleasant, since the cookies tasted like uncooked dough. We'll come back in 2012. Perhaps by then there will be a new chef. It is a lovely place, and even with three disappointing dinners this season we had very good service. read more

We just spent $65 on a Sunday breakfast buffet that had no food! Literally no food! When I asked for food she said that it was too close to 10:00 and the chef wouldn't be making anymore!!! Horrible... read more

Lots of great sea food selections as would be expected at an Inn by the sea. A big portion of Sweet and Spicy Calamari (Thai chili glaze and watermelon) started us off. I recommend the enormous, eye-popping Lobster Pot Pie! I am sure this will become a signature dish at the GC. It has a light, buttery, puff pastry covering a super generous portion of lobster filling. The Artisan Cheese Board reflects the high standard of the GC kitchen as it is varied, selective and local, we shared it as an appetizer, but you could have it for dessert too. The dessert menu is fun. It has something for everyones taste. I love wine and the wine list offered me a variety of budget and exclusive wines to pick from including a selection of half-bottles. I will go again and try to Raw Bar next time. read more

The Grand Cafe in the Emerson Inn by the Sea is absolutely wonderful! ( To see a review for the Inn alone, please see the separate review) We ate here twice during our stay. First evening upon check in, we ate from the casual fare menu and chose the burger and the Caesar with chicken. The salad was wonderful. Crisp, fresh lettuce with perfectly grilled chicken and a homemade dressing that was packed with flavor. The burger was enough for two! It was delicious, but the real star was the crispy potato wedges that were on the side. I have no idea how they managed to get a "noisily" crisp exterior texture while maintaining a fluffy not over cooked center. Incredible! On our second evening, we enjoyed a fine dining experience off the regular dinner menu. We ordered a bottle of a simple sparkling Californian Dry Brut, classic shrimp cocktail, the Seafood stew and the Filet Mignon. The sparking wine was ordinary, but if you are looking to throw down, their wine list was chosen as one of the best by Wine Spectator for 2014. The shrimp cocktail was very cold ( perfect! ) and pair with a VERY zesty cocktail sauce and fresh lemon. The shrimp were huge, and there were four all together. The seafood stew was a masterpiece complete with mussels, clams, calamari, and shrimp. The filet was served with an herbed risotto and grilled asparagus. The filet was cooked to a true medium and was absolutely succulent. The risotto was slightly over salted, but not enough to ruin its delicate flavor and texture. The asparagus was perfectly grilled and had a nice bite to them. For dessert we had the molten chocolate soufflé. It was piping hot, paired with vanilla ice cream. The service was very friendly, but very slow. There was a large group in the dining room ( 14 or 15 people ) and it slowed down our waitress and the kitchen considerably. The waitress was adorable and we liked her very much. Her wine service skills left much to be desired, but she was so charming and we were very relaxed that it did not matter too much. We like to take our time, but it took us just over three hours to have our meal. I do believe it was due to the large group ( who seemed picky and demanding ) and not negligence. The decor of the restaurant is very elegant and clean. The color scheme is navy, white and burgundy. The Grand Cafe over looks the ocean which is absolutely the highlight! The food here is really very special, and the atmosphere is grand! Hopefully you will be lucky enough and have a better experience with timing and service than we did. read more

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The Grand Cafe at the Emerson Inn consists of two dining rooms, a more casual option is in the Parlor and more formal (and expensive) in the Dining Room. My husband and I took our two kids (a 4 year old boy and 8 year old girl) to eat in the Parlor and had a lovely meal. The service was excellent and both the waitress and manager were great to my kids - gave them coloring pages, crayons, and there is a kids menu (more expensive than your typical kids menu - $10 for each item, but the food was good and the kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves). My husband and I split a burger and the crabcake appetizer along with a chopped salad. The salad was SO good. The crabcake very light and flavorful. The burger was much too big and a little undercooked for what I asked for, but was definitely tasty. We enjoyed walking on the grounds down by the water after dinner being that it was a gorgeous late summer night. All in all a great experience and I definitely recommend to others. read more

Great Place!! Chef Ben knows how to do it right! Food was amazing, fresh and seasoned to perfection. The waitstaff was very attentive and personable. The Mediterranean platter is a must have, the homemade humus was smooth and creamy with a hint of garlic, very pleasing to the palate. I highly recommend the Grand Cafe. You will not be disappointed. read more

Awesome restaurant chef Brian is amazing!! The seafood chowder was to die for. Had the lamb as well it melt in your mouth. The service was amazing as well. Kristina, Miranda, Mitch every will take good care of you. read more

Under new mgt and so disappointing. We used to love to go the the Emerson inn for dinner. The food was usually good, the tables not crowded close together and the people pleasant. That was not our experience last Saturday night when 6 of us went to dinner there. First everything was delayed because there was a wedding earlier in the day so our 6:00 reservation was pushed back by about 15 minutes which was not a big problem. However when the hostess went to seat us, the other hostess became very unpleasant and told her she couldn't seat us first because another couple had gotten there earlier. The other couple was seated in the lounge area having a quiet drink and did not seem to be concerned with being seated first. We had to wait while our hostess went over to get them, gather their drinks, and move them along into the empty dining room. Once we were seated it got worse relative to the food and drinks. The blue mojito was undrinkable and the martinis were ill prepared, neither shaken nor stirred. Just flat and room temperature. The food was about 40 minutes late and as the bread was just unappetizing doughy white rolls there was nothing to munch on as we waited. The appetizers were average - Caesar salad and tacos. The short ribs were fatty and not particularly flavorable. The fish dish was also bland and poorly presented. The lamb chops were the best meal ordered, but not good enough for a return visit. The one bright spot was our waitress who was very sweet. I felt sorry for her as she kept apologizing all night long. read more

Really inattentive waitstaff in the parlor - did not even look to refill my iced tea during the 1.25 hours we were there, and the food took forever to get there. The chowder was fine, but a bit bland. The portobello mushroom stack and house salad were good, and the lobster Mac and cheese was OK. I waited 10 minutes for them to run my credit card, to no avail, so left cash and split. read more

My wife and I love this place. The food is always excellent. The signature drinks are perfect and there's something for everyone. The cries are the best of any restaurant on Cape Ann. read more

I had an early brunch at the Emerson Inn in November. The inn and grounds were beautiful even in the winter. The coffee was good and strong, but the salmon bagel plate wasn't too special. It tasted like a store bought bagel and cream cheese. The stuffed french toast was average, I wouldn't hurry back for it. I'd come back for the Bloody Mary bar and jazz on Sunday morning. Also think the prices should come down by a few dollars. read more

Nice to sit on the porch on a summer evening for dinner. Food is good. Service is excellent and the view of the ocean is spectacular. Highly recommend read more

It's tough to find a restaurant in Rockport that is open for dinner during the off-season. So, my friends and I found ourselves at the Emerson Inn's Grand Cafe. The menu looked promising, not extensive, but a nice variety. Unfortunately, the food could best be described as ordinary. While the hearts of romaine salad had a tangy dressing, the lettuce appeared a bit "tired" and the serving was quite small even at $6.00. The "Ratatouille" was essentially grilled vegetables over a serving of spinach and quinoa. The entree was nice and fresh, but had little flavor or other attributes of ratatouille. My dining companions had a perfectly ordinary salads and a portabello mushroom appetizer that would have been much tastier had the mushroom been grilled. The service was fine, but it took a while to get our drinks. Never a good start to a meal. The cocktails were tasty, but a little overpriced, in my opinion. Our experience was far from terrible; it was "fine." But it was not enjoyable enough for me to plan a return visit. read more

yummy stripped bass.....good wine selection.....good service and beautiful surroundings....great place to visit...also had the breakfast...lots of choices and all fresh! read more

I went here with two friends. There views and environment were great, we had cocktails we really enjoyed, but the service was very poor. There were five women working that night, very few people dining, but no one came to wait on us. Go for the ambiance but not the service. read more

Good food and friendly attentive service in the dining room. Surprisingly child friendly too.

New Chef on board. Food is just fair. Service is not. Food cold due to very very slow service. Dining is not a priority for this Inn. Difficult to determine whether is was due to kitchen calamity or severely under staffed dining room. No food service at all of any kind between 10am and 5pm. read more