Esca Restaurant

I ate here somewhat randomly on a trip to NYC - it was the only place on my "to try" list that I was able to get a last minute reservation at. It s... more

I ate here somewhat randomly on a trip to NYC - it was the only place on my "to try" list that I was able to get a last minute reservation at. It s... more

I have always been an Esca fan so I was extremely dissapointed last night. The fish was over-salted and appeared to be masking the staleness and the sea urchin was downright inedible and obviously left over as we received three servings instead of one. In fact the server said he would never recommend it again after he saw our faces and we received free vegetables. Our entrees were luke warm and to top it off we saw a rodent squirring through the restaurant- like 5 times. When we let the Manager know he said it was inevitable b/c teh door was open and was not apologetic at all even though my friend almost passed out. For a $400 meal rodents should not be running around the restaurant... I have never written a review but Mario- I am truly dissapointed and actually quite sad that I cant go back to one of my NYC favorite restaurants... more

I have always been an Esca fan so I was extremely dissapointed last night. The fish was over-salted and appeared to be masking the staleness and the sea urchin was downright inedible and obviously left over as we received three servings instead of one. In fact the server said he would never recommend it again after he saw our faces and we received free vegetables. Our entrees were luke warm and to top it off we saw a rodent squirring through the restaurant- like 5 times. When we let the Manager know he said it was inevitable b/c teh door was open and was not apologetic at all even though my friend almost passed out. For a $400 meal rodents should not be running around the restaurant... I have never written a review but Mario- I am truly dissapointed and actually quite sad that I cant go back to one of my NYC favorite restaurants... more

I came here about 2 months ago to celebrate my sister graduation with my parents and her boyfriend. I always wanted to try one of Mario Batali's restaurant but boy was I a bit disappointed. After reading raving reviews about the seafood I thought it was ok. My dad, sister and brother dish was really salty. I understand that sometimes ingredients are salty and it is hard to avoid but maybe it should have been counterbalance with another ingredient or they should warn you about the saltiness of the dish. And my sis really eats salty so for her to say that it MUST have been REALLY salty. we thought the chef went heavy on the dish but not for all three different dishes. But thankfully that didnt totally ruin the dinner because as we talked to our waiter on how salty it was and he explained to us it was because of the ingredients, we asked for the menu to order something else and he gracefully offered to check with the manager to see if the salty items can be removed from the bill (which it did) otherwise the bill would have been really hefty. I thought the food would be better seeing him how he cooks in Food Network but it was a bit disappointed. However I was REALLY IMPRESSED with the service, very well-coordinated. All food arrives at the same time and gets removed a the same time. We also ordered a bottle of Italian (of course) white one and it was exceptional with a wine connoisseur and all. Pros: Exceptional Service Cons: ok food more

I came here about 2 months ago to celebrate my sister graduation with my parents and her boyfriend. I always wanted to try one of Mario Batali's restaurant but boy was I a bit disappointed. After reading raving reviews about the seafood I thought it was ok. My dad, sister and brother dish was really salty. I understand that sometimes ingredients are salty and it is hard to avoid but maybe it should have been counterbalance with another ingredient or they should warn you about the saltiness of the dish. And my sis really eats salty so for her to say that it MUST have been REALLY salty. we thought the chef went heavy on the dish but not for all three different dishes. But thankfully that didnt totally ruin the dinner because as we talked to our waiter on how salty it was and he explained to us it was because of the ingredients, we asked for the menu to order something else and he gracefully offered to check with the manager to see if the salty items can be removed from the bill (which it did) otherwise the bill would have been really hefty. I thought the food would be better seeing him how he cooks in Food Network but it was a bit disappointed. However I was REALLY IMPRESSED with the service, very well-coordinated. All food arrives at the same time and gets removed a the same time. We also ordered a bottle of Italian (of course) white one and it was exceptional with a wine connoisseur and all. Pros: Exceptional Service Cons: ok food more

I like eating at the bar when Victor is bartending. While it is a Batali restaurant, this place is great... more

I like eating at the bar when Victor is bartending. While it is a Batali restaurant, this place is great... more

I like eating at the bar when Victor is bartending. While it is a Batali restaurant, this place is great due to the chef/owner Dave Pasternack. D... more

I like eating at the bar when Victor is bartending. While it is a Batali restaurant, this place is great due to the chef/owner Dave Pasternack. D... more

For all it's hype (well, Batali's), Esca is nice and reliable, but not great. If you love your seafood... more

For all it's hype (well, Batali's), Esca is nice and reliable, but not great. If you love your seafood... more

For all it's hype (well, Batali's), Esca is nice and reliable, but not great. If you love your seafood untampered with, this is NOT the place to go... more

For all it's hype (well, Batali's), Esca is nice and reliable, but not great. If you love your seafood untampered with, this is NOT the place to go... more

Had dinner here last night, a bit of a disappointment. Service was lackluster, slow, and disorganized. EVerything seemed just a bit off, even the food. The grilled fish all looked nice, but lacked taste and some were overcooked. The pasta was cooked well, but the sauces overwhelmed most of them.The setting is very nice, with some outdoor tables. Perhaps it was an off night, but I was underwhelmed and am not rushing back......expected better from all the publicity, but it was not worth the money at all. Pros: pasta Cons: seafood not the way it should be more

Had dinner here last night, a bit of a disappointment. Service was lackluster, slow, and disorganized. EVerything seemed just a bit off, even the food. The grilled fish all looked nice, but lacked taste and some were overcooked. The pasta was cooked well, but the sauces overwhelmed most of them.The setting is very nice, with some outdoor tables. Perhaps it was an off night, but I was underwhelmed and am not rushing back......expected better from all the publicity, but it was not worth the money at all. Pros: pasta Cons: seafood not the way it should be more

If you go for nothing else have a drink and the crudo tasting. Its delicious and so satisfying. I also enjoyed a pasta with crab and sea urchin wich was great too. Dessert wasn't so great the portion was gigantic but it was pretty bland. The waiter I had might have been in training he seemed a little nervous but sincere. I sat a bit close to the waiters service station and was privy to some of their discussions which made me a little uncomfortable. Nothing innapropriate it just spoiled the magic a little. All in all the food was excellent , I'd definetly go back. Pros: inventive dishes, super fresh fish Cons: dessert wasn't so exciting, beware seats by service stations more

If you go for nothing else have a drink and the crudo tasting. Its delicious and so satisfying. I also enjoyed a pasta with crab and sea urchin wich was great too. Dessert wasn't so great the portion was gigantic but it was pretty bland. The waiter I had might have been in training he seemed a little nervous but sincere. I sat a bit close to the waiters service station and was privy to some of their discussions which made me a little uncomfortable. Nothing innapropriate it just spoiled the magic a little. All in all the food was excellent , I'd definetly go back. Pros: inventive dishes, super fresh fish Cons: dessert wasn't so exciting, beware seats by service stations more

My wife and I have had a wonderful experience every time we?ve dined at Esca. The food and service are excellent. Our waiter last night made terrific wine and food recommendations. I especially loved the crudo and the mackerel entree. Esca is one of the best choices near the theater district. We?ll definitely be back! Pros: Food, Service more

My wife and I have had a wonderful experience every time we?ve dined at Esca. The food and service are excellent. Our waiter last night made terrific wine and food recommendations. I especially loved the crudo and the mackerel entree. Esca is one of the best choices near the theater district. We?ll definitely be back! Pros: Food, Service more