The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold Inn

Name: The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold Inn
Address: 36 Main St, Essex, CT, United States, 06426
Telephone: (860) 767-1776
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.8

4.8

85 Reviews

$30 and under

Wine Bar

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 17, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 1 time today

Charming
Neighbourhood gem
Great for fine wines

The Wine Bar at The Griswold Inn is an extraordinary space in which to enjoy a delicious experience in every respect. It features an innovative tapas menu, inspired "macro" plates, artisanal cheeses and handcrafted desserts. The menu changes periodically to take advantage of all that characterizes a particular season, though there are a few classics that remain on the menu throughout the year, like its very popular Grilled and Carved Bistro Steak, served with white truffle-laced pommes frites, arugula,
and red wine jus. A consistent winner of Wine Spectator's prestigious Award of Excellence, it offers numerous wines by the glass, wine flights, and a more extensive bottle list. A full-service bar is also available. A creative and accomplished chef and a knowledgeable and attentive service staff complete the experience.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Wine Bar, Tapas / Small Plates
Hours of Operation
Wed, Thu 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(860) 767-1776
Website
http://griswoldinn.com/food-wine/wine-bar-dining/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Eric Bond

Location
36 Main St, Essex, CT 06426
Neighbourhood
Essex
Cross Street
1 Ferry Street
Parking details
There are two parking lots located off of Ferry Street directly across the street from the Wine Bar. There is also street parking. All is free!
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wine

What 85 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.9Service
4.8Ambience
4.8Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Connecticut
Best Service
Connecticut
Best Ambience
Connecticut
Best Value
Connecticut
Neighbourhood gem
Connecticut
Great for fine wines
Connecticut
Good for special occasions
Middlesex
Best Overall
Middlesex
Best Food
Middlesex
Best Service
Middlesex
Best Ambience
Middlesex
Best Value
Middlesex
Neighbourhood gem
Middlesex
Great for fine wines
Middlesex
Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold Inn offers a "great fun atmosphere" and "delicious" food. Guests appreciate the "excellent" service and the "cozy" ambiance. Highlights include inventive dishes and a knowledgeable bartender. It's a "little gem" in Connecticut, ideal for celebrations and special occasions.

85 Reviews

R
Richard
Greater Boston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely fantastic! We will be back soon! First class staff.. and the food? All 10’s! Thanks for a wonderful evening! Cheers
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L
Lisa
VIP
New York City
38 reviews
5.0
38 reviews
Dined on February 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Wine Bar is one of our favorite places. The menu varies from time and everything we try is great! We love the tapas which allow us to try and share several things. The spanish garlic shrimp, chorizo with red bliss potatoes and the amish chicken were all amazing. Of course the steak frites are always great and cooked perfectly! Steve and his team are amazing - working as a team and making every guest feel special. This is a very special place!
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T
Tania
VIP
San Francisco
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on December 20, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Another outstanding visit- thank you Steve & staff
Is this helpful?
L
Lisa
New York City
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 19, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Festive and fun and delicious! Great food and ambience!
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W
Wendy
Wilmington
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 14, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great fun atmosphere, food, service. Would visit again if back in Essex
Is this helpful?
L
Lisa
VIP
New York City
38 reviews
5.0
38 reviews
Dined on November 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Another wonderful dinner at the Wine Bar! It is such a cozy spot. Love the tapas. Chicken cacciatore, autumn salad and flatbread were great. The upside apple cake was amazing.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 20, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Food, wine, service was excellent. Highly recommend this little gem in Connecticut. I’m local and always love this place.
Is this helpful?
T
Tania
VIP
San Francisco
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Another terrific evening at the wine bar - thank you Steve & team!!
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L
Linda
New York City
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Thank you to Steve for another fabulous evening at the Wine bar and for making Matt’s birthday special!
The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold InnResponded on November 16, 2024
Thank you so much Linda! Always a pleasure having you and Matt. Have a great Thanksgiving
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S
Scott
VIP
New York City
29 reviews
5.0
29 reviews
Dined on November 14, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The bartender was very helpful and knowledgeable. We had a wonderful experience sitting at the bar. Food and wine were enjoyable.
The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold InnResponded on November 16, 2024
Thank you so much for the stellar review Scott! Glad you enjoyed-hope to see you back soon!
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FAQs

The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold Inn is rated 4.8 stars by 85 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 17, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 1 time today

Google Map for The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold Inn

36 Main St, Essex, CT 06426

Additional information

Cross Street
1 Ferry Street
Neighbourhood
Essex
Hours of Operation
Wed, Thu 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Wine Bar, Tapas / Small Plates
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
There are two parking lots located off of Ferry Street directly across the street from the Wine Bar. There is also street parking. All is free!
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Eric Bond
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wine

Website
http://griswoldinn.com/food-wine/wine-bar-dining/
Phone number
(860) 767-1776

The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold Inn

Make a reservation

Additional information

Menu

What 85 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold Inn restaurant rated?

Is The Wine Bar & Bistro at The Griswold Inn currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information