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December at The Gris - oh so festive! - The Griswold Inn, Essex, CT

The Griswold Inn

4.5
4.5
933 Reviews
$31 to $50
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
The Griswold Inn is an inn and restaurant located in the historic seaport village of Essex. The Gris, as it is affectionately known, has been in continous operation since 1776.

`Currently we are offering dine in, dine out, and Gris To Go! Inside, guests may enjoy dining in historic, art-filled rooms which exude character, charm and tradition. Seating for the alfresco experience is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with the exception of larger parties of 7 or more which may be made by calling 860.767.1776.

The Inn boasts a wine list consistently recognized by Wine Spectator with the prestigious Award of Excellence; Food & Wine and Travel + Leisure have recently recognized the Inn's restaurant as "Connecticut's coziest" and it is included in Patricia Schulz's "1000 Places to See Before You Die". The Griswold Inn is also the recipient of Connecticut's Highest Award for Hospitality. The best of old and new meet here.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:30 am–8:45 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:15 pm Sun 11:00 am–7:45 pm
  • Phone number
    (860) 767-1776
  • Website
    http://www.griswoldinn.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Ian Matheson
  • Catering
    DECEMBER is a wonderful time to experience The Griswold Inn! With our “halls” fully decked, the “Rockwellian vibe” is in the air. The month-long celebration features a Holiday Bill of Fare with game selections as well as Gris Classics. Each evening, while served by costumed wait staff, The Royal Court Singers perform seasonal classics table-side.
  • Private party facilities
    The Griswold Inn, is ideal for many types of private events, from small gatherings and business meetings, to large parties. Each of our rooms is a unique space, showcasing our celebrated art collection, and our proud history. Contact Claudia Odekerken, our Private Events Manager to plan your next event!catering@griswoldinn.com t.860-767-1776.
  • Location
    36 Main St, Essex, CT 06426
  • Neighborhood
    Essex
  • Cross street
    Ferry St
  • Parking details
    Free street parking and in the Inn's private lots.
  • Entertainment
    Live music nightly with a varied musical menu. View the entertainment calendar on the Inn's website.
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 933 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Middlesex

    Best Ambiance

  • Middlesex

    Romantic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Griswold Inn charms with its "historical vibe" and "quintessential New England" atmosphere. Guests love the "wonderful service" and "amazing food," especially during festive events. The ambiance, enhanced by live music and attentive staff, creates "special occasions" even on ordinary days. Reservations are recommended for a memorable dining experience.

933 Reviews

  1. Lisa

    VIP

    New York City

    14 reviews

    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went on Saturday night and had the bonus to hear live music from the bar. Charming atmosphere, delicious food and great service. Thank you for a fun evening!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Travis

    New York City

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A totally great time at the Gris !! Love the tap room . Love the dining rooms !! Great food and libations!!! And our stay at the inn was awesome!! Always love coming here!! Travis V

    Is this helpful?

  3. Jeff

    VIP

    San Francisco

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Great location and property. Excellent ambiance and vibe. Piano music in the pub before dinner. Decorated beautifully. Popcorn for early snack. Dinner in the timeless Steamboat room. Excellent and diverse menu. Food was very good. After dinner had a classic 60s trio band playing. Great sound. Was a great Valentine’s Day dinner. Only draw back was the service. Specifically the bar. Took forever to get a drink. Bar tender was surly with limited sense of urgency and lots of attitude. This was when the bar crowd was small. As the evening progressed it become significantly worse. I can’t imagine how much revenue was lost by the establishment due to these inefficiencies. Overall our experience was very positive.

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  4. Jenn

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a great time at the Gris. Love it there From the Inn to the restaurant to the bar and entertainment

    Is this helpful?

  5. John

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent experience. We will certainly be back again soon!

    Is this helpful?

  6. William

    Connecticut

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    The Griswold Inn is worth the visit for its character and historical ambience. Our dining experience though was average. My wife enjoyed her salmon dinner, but my fish and chips were overcooked. We were dining early in the evening so it was not busy. Our server, although attentive, attempted to give our dinner to a neighboring table.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Howard

    Connecticut

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Feta cheese with spinach and mushroom quiche was a very small portion and not very flavorful. Fries were good as was the bread. Restaurant temperature was cold, so be sure to bring a sweater - boyfriend had to keep his coat on the whole lunch. The décor is beautiful , room was very loud. Overall I would say it's okay but not wonderful.

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  8. shannon

    VIP

    New York City

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love the historic dining at the Griswold Inn. We usually go on a weekend night so we can stay for live music in the bar. It’s always a good time!

    1 person found this helpful

  9. John

    New York City

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on February 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a really nice experience last night. The food was very good, and the server was excellent… I wish I remembered her name but we joked about her husband who puts ice cubes in his Manhattan…. Who does that lol…..Anyway she was great and the ambience was so nice… highly recommend this spot.

    1 person found this helpful

  10. Ron

    VIP

    New York City

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Charming historical vibe, great service. Sunday lunch with a pleasant stroll afterwards was hard to beat.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Griswold Inn offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (860) 767-1776.

The Griswold Inn is rated 4.5 stars by 933 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Griswold Inn

36 Main St, Essex, CT 06426

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Ferry St
  • Neighborhood
    Essex
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:30 am–8:45 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:15 pm Sun 11:00 am–7:45 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Free street parking and in the Inn's private lots.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Ian Matheson
  • Entertainment
    Live music nightly with a varied musical menu. View the entertainment calendar on the Inn's website.
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.griswoldinn.com/
  • Phone number
    (860) 767-1776
  • Catering
    DECEMBER is a wonderful time to experience The Griswold Inn! With our “halls” fully decked, the “Rockwellian vibe” is in the air. The month-long celebration features a Holiday Bill of Fare with game selections as well as Gris Classics. Each evening, while served by costumed wait staff, The Royal Court Singers perform seasonal classics table-side.
  • Private party facilities
    The Griswold Inn, is ideal for many types of private events, from small gatherings and business meetings, to large parties. Each of our rooms is a unique space, showcasing our celebrated art collection, and our proud history. Contact Claudia Odekerken, our Private Events Manager to plan your next event!catering@griswoldinn.com t.860-767-1776.
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