Best Neighborhood Gem Restaurants in Old Lyme

La Marea is our special occasion go-to spot. We had a delightful dinner tonight celebrating my husband's retirement. As always, the food was outstanding, only surpassed by the exceptional service by ALL of the many staff taking care of us. Karen is particularly amazing and always makes our experience wonderful. We can't say say enough about how truly first class La Marea is. Cheers to all of you!!

We often go to concerts at The Kate, which is right down the street, and we almost always dine at Liv's before the show. The food is always excellent and the service is always attentive and friendly. This last dinner was no exception, from the friendly greeting at the reception stand to the competence and attention of our server. We enjoyed the meal very much -- the kitchen's preparation of fish and seafood is a standout -- and will certainly be back.

We celebrated our anniversary and had a delightful meal. Our server, Paige, was excellent. Just the right balance of attentiveness and friendliness, while not rushing us. The food was excellent. The view of the water made everything perfect for a special occasion.

The best food and service! Wish there were some light live music playing :)

Our dinner with friends at The Essex was beyond expectations. Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and well paced. We opted for the three course price fixe and were pleasantly surprised by the appetizer course we were served before the salad course. At $79 per person the dinner was very reasonably priced for the quality and quantity. Our first and main courses were outstanding. My strip steak perfectly cooked to medium rare and the whole table enjoyed the frites. The halibut and scallops along with the sauces and vegetables were excellent. Dessert choices were very generous although I hit my limit after a few bites of the baked Alaska. The menu was heavy on seafood which restricted our friend who has a fish and shellfish allergy. But once aware of that and a nut allergy, every dish was carefully adjusted for nuts. Dining at the Essex is a wonderful treat. We will be back.