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Our Latest Reviews
French Toast
Absolutely delicious, the caramel was a nice change from syrup and the sumac was a nice added flavor.
Roasted Vegetable Salad
I loved the roasted vegetable salad, to which I added salmon. The maple dressing was especially tasty!
Chicory & Date Salad
Delicious salad. Gorgeous restaurant. By far the best restaurant and atmosphere in Connecticut.
Seafood Hash
We went to brunch today and had the seafood hash and French toast. Both were excellent. Plenty of lobster and shrimp in the hash and the bourbon brown sugar maple syrup on the French toast was wonderful. The waitresses were helpful and service was attentive. Thank you for a wonderful meal
Salmon
Absolutely delicious. Cooked to perfection, played beautifully, service exceptional and the view was Divine. Making reservations for next week already!
Fettuccine
Fantastic! Highly recommend, amazing food and amazing scenery!
Oysters
We held a family gathering to celebrate the marriage of family members from Canada. The staff were wonderfully supportive to our party. We had a private room and attentive service. Drinks, oysters, fresh fish, all delicious. We had a gluten free guest and two vegetarians who raved about their dishes. A champagne toast and chocolate wedding cake topped off a celebratory evening.
Burger
Went for lunch with co-workers & I can't wait to return for dinner. The burger, the service, and the atmosphere was the most recherche restaurant experience ever!
Quinoa & Crab Salad
I love the Halibut dish in Carlsons Landing however I have found it to be a little more cooked than I like. The beet purée that accompanies the halibut is mouthwatering. As I've eaten the halibut the last couple of times I've eaten there I decided to go with the Quinoa & crab salad. There was very little crab on my salad when it was served to me. I told our lovely server Sally that I was disappointed with the small portion of crab meat and she immediately removed it and said she was going to ask the chef to add more. She was so well mannered and showed a lot of empathy. She returned to the table with the Manager, Patrick who apologized and told me the crab was finished and that's why a got such a small portion. He asked if I'd like to substitute the dish for anything else on the menu so I settled on shrimp. My plate was once again swiftly removed to the kitchen and returned to me within 5 minutes. Patrick and Sally were incredible. Having been a trainer for 33 years I can tell you that educating someone to successfully deal with a customer complaint is one of the most difficult things to do as it involves showing empathy. Patrick and Sally have empathy in spades. Hence I will keep returning to dine at Carlsons Landing . A huge thank you for the beautiful restaurant, setting, food and most importantly, staff.
Fries
We stopped in for a quick bite, and ended up staying longer and ordering a few things to try. The fries were everywhere in front of other patrons and Bloody Marys too. We opted for soe other bar specials that were delish but the fries had just the right amount of crunch, flavor and a touch of salt. ADDICTIVE! Couldn't beat the view either. Cant wait to go back for a real dinner.
Cheesecake
pomegranate was the cheesecake flavor and it was AMAZING! It doesn't look like a typical cheesecake either but WOAH it tasted heavenly.
Tenderloin
So good! My only criticism is that this should be an entree and not a starter portion. It was so good and not nearly a large enough portion to cure my craving for this delicious dish! I highly recommend and truly hope they add it to the dinner menu before fall... TRY IT!
Burger
The best pork belly I ever had. Plus my chicken dish was amazing as was the service. Thank you for a great evening
The Chef's Tasting Menu
First time ever doing a tasting menu, and WOW was it worth it, the mango gastrique on the pork belly was delicious, the seared tuna was cooked perfectly, the salad was surprisingly exceptional and I'm not a salad person at all, then came the quail, and I've never had it before, but this dish was out of this world!
Baked Oysters (6)
Ambience can't be beaten . Decor ,yacht like with sweeping views of the Connecticut River. I enjoy this unique restaurant which also has the sophistication of a City Venue.
Fried Chicken
Wonderful meal! This was the best chicken I have ever had.
Tenderloin
I've tried a few menu items from here and everyone was delicious. The tenderloin however was absolutely spectacular! It literally cut like butter and was seasoned perfectly. The potatoes with it l made a perfect pair. My tastebuds crave this meal now over any other tenderloin I've tried. Highly recommend trying it. Along with any of their dishes. I'm sure all all wonderful. The halibut was excellent as well and the tuna tarte and shrimp etc. plus their drinks are delicious! Mixed perfectly. They don't skimp on fine alcohol either. Going to try their brunch next!
Halibut
We were COV-ID crazy and took a drive to Essex on a beautiful pre-fall day. We saw Carlson's at the harbor with an OPEN sign. We stopped for lunch. A starter of crostini with olives, shredded prosciutto and parmesan was the perfect starter. The halibut with pine nuts atop beet vichysoisse and greens was not only a visual delight, but also was incredibly delicious. We will definitely return for their upcoming fall menu. A real find!!
Baked Oysters (6)
Everything was great, but the baked oysters were out of this world. I could eat plates and plates of them! We had a wonderful time. It was relaxed, the service was perfect. Very pleasant atmosphere. Thank you!
Lobster Slider
Love the sliders, great portion size and fries were delicious! Felt very comfortable eating there during COVID. Staff did a great job...Thanks Carlson's Landing for a great meal!
Rosemary Focaccia
I had a lovely time celebrating my birthday at Carlsons Landing. The location is phenomenal, right on the CT river where it feeds into LI sound and adjacent to the quaint little village of Essex filled with boutiques and nautical themed shops. The outdoor seating is extraordinary with a birdseye view of the river. We chose to eat inside and were equally impressed. The decor is chic and contemporary, the booth seating is a clean, white leather material and tables are a light wood, almost scandinavian style. The effect is bright and stylish. But the meal was the best part! We ordered from the brunch menu. I had Rosemary Foccacio. It was delicious...the bread was crisp with just the right amount of herbs. On top was layered a fried egg, succulent pork belly, sweet carmelized onions and a generous topping of gruyere cheese. The combination was heavenly. It takes an egg sandwich to a whole different level. The accompanyng home fries were also tasty and crisp. For a beverage, I ordered a bloody mary cocktail; it was spectacular in both presentation and taste! I will definitely return...
Halibut
So delicious. The beet purée was inventive and incredible.
Roasted ½ Chicken
The 1-2 Chicken was phenomenal! Im not a fan of seafood which is a majority of the menu, but its nice they offer a chicken dish! Beyond juicy, seasoned and glazed perfect the mashed potatoes and asparagus that come with it compliment it very well! Hands down best around town for chicken like that! Kudos to the chef, simple and delicious
Soup of the Day
The Manhattan Chowder is to die for! Bravo to the chef! It's so satisfying, rich, full of flavor, loaded with clams, and a hint of bacon. This chowder is the best I've had since my childhood when my grandmother owned a chowder house on Long Island.
Fried Calamari
This dish was excellent. Just the right blend of hot, spicy peppers and a cool green sauce over lightly fried calamari. A unique presentation perfectly prepared!
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