Essie's Restaurant 14 Mount Carmel Place, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

"Looking for a place to have brunch after picking up my girlfriend from the train station, I discovered this charming little restaurant on a Google search only 3 minutes away. It's very charming and the staff here is wonderful. They managed to seat us without a reservation. I had the waffle and eggs, which was delicious, waffle perfectly prepared and scrambled eggs creamy and perfectly cooked. My girlfriend had the frittata, she really enjoyed it. We vowed to to come back again."

"This is the best restaurant in Poughkeepsie, hands down. The jambalaya croquettes will haunt my dreams. The short ribs and grits were wonderful. I’m only sorry it took so long for me to find this place. Great service too."

"I was visiting Poughkeepsie for college tours and found Essie's! My family and I ordered chicken and burger dishes and loved them soooo much! I ordered a coffee and something about it was so comforting! We all shared a cheesecake, also very good. Absolutely recommend this place"

"I recently had the pleasure of dining at Essie's, an elegant yet casual American restaurant located in the heart of Little Italy in Poughkeepsie, NY. The dining room pays homage to the things of old with industrial and reclaimed wood features to create a cozy, warm and inviting environment. The air circulation was not what I expected, but it was manageable. During my visit, I enjoyed the shrimp and grits which were great, but I wish I had been told that the shrimp topping had bacon in it. The cornbread was not quite what I was expecting, as it was more like a cake loaf. However, the beet nachos were the best thing on the menu, full of flavor and absolutely delicious. They were the highlight of brunch conversation, and I highly recommend trying them. Unfortunately, we were too full for dessert, so I cannot comment on that, but the potential was definitely there with the cheesecake. The staff was diverse, professional, but also personable, which added to the overall experience. In summary, my dining experience at Essie's was truly enjoyable, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great meal in the Poughkeepsie area."