Beauty & Essex at a glance

Group Reservations

Beauty & Essex: Lower East Side grit meets Las Vegas Strip glam

Hidden behind a pawn shop storefront, Beauty & Essex invites discovery in every sense of the word. After you walk through this lavish pawn shop inspired storefront, you’ll then find a stunning restaurant with your table in one of several jewelry box rooms.

A partnership with TAO Group and acclaimed chef/restaurateur Chris Santos, Beauty & Essex offers unique sharing plates and new twists on classic cocktails. The menu serves up gems like grilled cheese smoked bacon & tomato soup dumplings, chicken meatballs and more.

Signature Dishes

  • Grilled Cheese Dumplings | smoked bacon, tomato soup
  • Thai Style Deep-Fried Shrimp | green papaya slaw
  • Tuna Poke Wonton Tacos | chiffonade cilantro, radish, wasabi kewpie
  • Pearls of The Sea | oysters, littlenecks, shrimp cocktail, lobster, Alaskan king crab legs
  • Beauty’s Wonder Wheel | Chef’s selection desserts
  • Chef Bio: Chris Santos

    In December 2010, Chef Santos welcomed Beauty & Essex to the Lower East Side. With an actual pawnshop entrance, the design transformed a turn-of-the-century townhouse into a seductive, bi-level restaurant and lounge. Beauty & Essex was named OpenTable’s Hottest Restaurant in America in both 2012 and 2013.

    Throughout his career, Santos has appeared as a guest chef on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s Early Show, The Martha Stewart Show, and The Rachael Ray Show. Most famously, he is a resident judge on the Food Network’s most popular hit series, Chopped, and he has recently become a City Harvest board member. Santos has served as a repeat guest chef at The White House and Camp David, and has been a brand ambassador for Jägermeister and Morningstar Farms.

  • Accolades

    • OpenTable, 100 Best Restaurants in America for a Big Night Out

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