Essex Bar & Bistro - Charlotte, NC

When my wife and I dine in Uptown Charlotte, we often have Essex Bar & Bistro near the top of our list. Essex is located at 101 S. Tryon Street Ste 13 in the heart of Uptown. Indoor seating options include regular tables, high tops, and a private dining room. Outdoor patio seating is also available for food and drinks. The restaurant offers a large selection of alcoholic beverages at affordable prices. Their food menu includes a mix of many cultural dishes such as falafel, steam buns, and coconut curry seafood dishes. One other part of their food menu that may seem surprising is the sushi roll list. Essex has expanded their sushi roll list over time to include a nice mix of varieties.

Food menu

My wife and I have been to Essex at least five times and we always enjoy ordering the Warm Brussel Sprout Caesar. The delicious dish contains shaved brussel sprouts mixed with caesar dressing, parmesan, and croutons. Another dish we typically order is the Coconut Curry Mussels. The mussels are served in a coconut curry and sundried tomato sauce along with naan. I enjoy dipping the naan in the remaining broth after eating the mussels. Other popular choices among friends include the Butter Chicken, Lamb Kefta Sliders, and Pork Belly Steam Buns. I have tried a sushi roll and thought it was quite tasty. There are enough options on the menu to satisfied anyone's food craving. 

Coconut Curry Shrimp

One main reason for dining at Essex is their very affordable alcoholic beverage pricing (in regards to Uptown Charlotte). Essex always has a few wines by the glass for under $10. Wine bottles are also reasonable when looking at the markup. The only negative thing I can say about their wine list is that they tend to run out of the more popular wine options. My wife and I have tried ordering wine off the menu only to learn that they were out of stock. This has happened on three separate occasions. Fortunately, they offer enough affordable options that were are able to choose another wine. 

If you are planning to dine at Essex during a show or special event downtown, I highly recommend making a reservation on Open Table. Essex is a popular spot; especially, during weekend events in Uptown. I recommend giving the restaurant a try for your next dinner or happy hour in Uptown.