Good turned bad turned good again. I Made a 7:30 reservation at Essex for a birthday party for 16 people after the restaurant at merchant and trade accidentally double booked and cancelled our reservation. I was grateful that they allowed me to make a reservation at Essex last minute as merchant and trade told us two days before the party.
When we arrived we had to wait almost an hour to be seated. We started dinner pretty frustrated due to the long wait. They do not valet parking so those who paid a cab to bring them here or paid to park nearby would be out of the cost if we relocate. Not to mention the venue is Uptown so the odds of us finding another place to accommodate us last minute nearby is slim.
They definitely redeemed themselves later. The food was good and they staff was very attentive once we were seated. The manager brought the table a dish for our trouble.
I recommend coming but prepared if you have a large party reservation, there may be a wait on a busy night.