Good, and high quality-well prepared food but missed the mark for me somehow. I enjoyed the beet salad, and the freshness of the shrimp used in the gambas ajillo, and the quality of all ingredients was exceptionally high.
Portion sizes were actually massively generous, befitting the price but unexpected coming from Chicago and San Francisco where "shared" sometimes feels like a sophisticated-but-cruel joke. I would have preferred more flavor a less quantity though. Still, quality is super high so there's promise here - I think they could pare down the menu to a few truly exceptional options and have a winner.
I may have not ordered the best things on the menu and am happy to give the Essex another try.