Six Essex Massachusetts seafood restaurants: An embarrassment of riches, Part 2

If you know anything about the North Shore of Boston, you know fresh seafood is plentiful. If you know Essex, Massachusetts, you know that route 133 is the home to many terrific seafood restaurants.

We’ll start in the center of town on the recently rebuilt Essex causeway and head north on 133. So here goes!

The Shipyard Tavern – $$

The Shipyard Tavern is the latest addition to the Essex restaurant scene. Located next to the Essex River boat ramp in the space formerly occupied by Ripple by the Water, its bar and dining areas offer views of the marinas nearby.

The restaurant has proved popular from the get-go, offering seafood staples like fried clams, lobster roll and seafood chowder, and more adventurous dishes like Sicilian haddock and spicy shrimp.

C K Pearl – $$$

Located next to Shea’s and also perched over the Essex River, you’ll find the very popular CK Pearl. The location has had it’s share of restaurants over the past 30 years, but CK Pearl looks like they’ve nailed it and are here to stay, attracting locals in the off season and it seems like everyone on the North Shore in the summer! This family-owned establishment features their own twist on North Shore favorites.

Our friends from Swampscott said it was their new favorite North Shore restaurant. With it’s lively atmosphere, indoor and outdoor seating and very own barbecue smoker, it’s easy to see why.

The kitchen shows attention to detail while keeping things fresh and simple, with creative touches that set their seafood classics apart.

A fun fact about CK Pearl: The C and K in their name are the initials of the owners’ two daughters.

Boat House Grille – $$$

It’s easy to forget that the newest of the restaurants on our list in Essex is in fact in Essex! Opened in 2016 and located on Route 133 on the Ipswich line, the Boat House Grille has proven popular from the get-go.

The restaurant is creatively decorated with a nautical theme, beginning with a sailboat proudly displayed roadside. When you walk in you’re greeted by a hostess stationed behind a boat binnacle, complete with engine controls. A large bar and several dining rooms continue the theme, with cozy banquettes lining the walls.

The bar prides itself on it’s creative cocktails and it’s tempting to grab a hightop and eat there and soak in the energy from the bartenders and lively crowd. This is not a room for a quiet table alone!

The Boat House Grille is chef-owned and it shows. The Boat House Bouillabaisse, Haddock Tesoro and Salmon Tower are signature dishes, and the extensive menu includes 11 pasta options. Grazing fans find 20 starters, 8 salad options and a raw bar.

A fun fact about the Boat House Grille: Next to the restaurant is tatty looking cabin cruiser, easily mistaken for the S.S. Minnow of Gilligan’s Island fame.