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Esca, New York, NY

Esca

4.2
4.2
4781 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian
  • Innovative
  • Romantic
  • Good for special occasions
Esca is a Southern Italian Seafood Restaurant created by Joseph Bastianich & David Pasternack. Esca showcases the style and sensibility of Italian coastal cooking. Dave went to Italy and saw firsthand what they were talking about. After years of cooking French food, Dave had finally found the food he had always wanted to cook: the best fish available, prepared in a simple and delicious way. In Italy, that means the local catch. In New York, that means the best fish of the Pacific, Mediterranean & our own backyard.

At Esca, you can eat the most sought-after Pacific Ocean delicacies along side fluke that Dave caught on his day off. The menu changes daily and is driven by the fish markets of the world & the farms of Dave’s friends. Esca is the place where you can have stunning raw fish, an incredible bowl of pasta and then a Mediterranean Branzino cooked in sea salt. Esca is the best of Italian coastal cooking with access to the world’s greatest fish.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch: Monday - Saturday: 12:00pm - 2:30pm Dinner: Monday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm Tuesday - Thursday: 4:30pm to 10pm Saturday: 4:30pm - 11:30pm Sunday: 4:30pm - 10:00pm
  • Phone number
    (212) 564-7272
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    David Pasternack
  • Private party facilities
    ESCA’s intimate and elegant dining room offers a lovely, quiet experience amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City’s Theatre District. All menus are based on fresh, seasonal ingredients (in other words, whatever Chef Dave Pasternack catches that morning).
  • Private party contact
    AnnaMarie Vukmanovich: (646) 237-1880
  • Neighborhood
    Hell's Kitchen
  • Cross street
    9th Avenue
  • Parking details
    None
  • Public transit
    Subway to 42nd Street - Times Square
  • Additional
    Beer, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wine

What 4,781 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.2
4.2 based on all time ratings
  • 4.2Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4Ambience
  • 1.2Value

NoiseModerate

4,781 Reviews
  1. SerleE

    New York City

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 4, 2019

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The clam ceviche tasted as brine minimally spiced. The haddock was most likely old and frozen and tasted bland with slight ammonia taste to it. Several entrées were not available because the restaurant was to close for renovations the next day.

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  2. none

    New York City

    15 reviews

    2.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2019

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    The worst service I ever experienced

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Dubai

    12 reviews

    3.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2019

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Servizio molto buono il personale super gentile e premuroso. Unica pecca io mio fritto misto, dove un pesce aveva un forte odore e sapore di ammoniaca!!! L’ho fatto notare e molto gentilmente mi hanno proposto un piatto alternativo e alla fine della cena non me lo sono trovata nel conto. Ho assaggiato i piatti degli altri tre commensali che erano molto buoni.

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  4. suledo

    New York City

    17 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2019

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Excellent fish restaurant with an Italian flair west of Times Square. Has always been a stand out and the Crudo is a must.

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  5. Tdoc

    New York City

    12 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2019

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Appetizers were mediocre at best. Mains were terrific. Wine, while very good, was way overpriced with a markup of 5x retail.

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  6. jmf2

    Los Angeles

    160 reviews

    3.0

    160 reviews

    Dined on April 27, 2019

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Best for post theatre as pre-theatre is crowded , noisy and rushed

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  7. Coppertop

    New York City

    70 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    70 reviews

    Dined on April 27, 2019

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Extended family I clouding an elder. A smidge rushed to take plates away even though we were not on way to show. Noise level pretty good for restaurants these days. Wine list prices greatly inflated.

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  8. mickS

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 27, 2019

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great selection of fish. Roasted fennel a pleasant surprise.

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  9. JoJo

    Greater Boston

    15 reviews

    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2019

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    We were recently visiting New York and had not dined at Esca in over 10 years. Our memory was that it was one of our favorite restaurants in New York. Overall we had an enjoyable evening but the place is showing its years. The outside looked quite run down as we approached and inside it did not have the sparkle we remembered. Our table was nice, the noise was moderate and the service was wonderful. Our food was delicious but not exceptional. The tuna crudo was fabulous with just the perfect amount of salt and oil. The gnocchi were perfect little pillows of perfection. The Branzino for two was simple but moist and delicate. The roasted fennel had a nice flavor but unfortunately it was mushy. We enjoyed the almond cake dessert with mascarpone ice cream as a perfect ending. Even though Esca has lost its luster the food and service was good enough to bring us back in the future.

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  10. EdgardoB

    Chicago

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on April 21, 2019

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We went in a group of 7. We were well greeted. After an adequate initial explanation the waiter described the menu. Then, the very knowledgeable sommelier helped with the outstanding italian wine list and recommended two excellent reds from Sicily and Tuscany which were excellent. It took very long for the waiter to take the orders, the appetisers came timely but the second courses took forever. That´s why I didn´t rated wit 5 stars. In sum excellent food and wine list with average table service (excluding the sommelier).

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FAQs

Esca is rated 4.2 stars by 4781 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?
Claim this listing
Google Map for Esca

402 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036

Additional information

  • Cross street
    9th Avenue
  • Neighborhood
    Hell's Kitchen
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch: Monday - Saturday: 12:00pm - 2:30pm Dinner: Monday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm Tuesday - Thursday: 4:30pm to 10pm Saturday: 4:30pm - 11:30pm Sunday: 4:30pm - 10:00pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Public transit
    Subway to 42nd Street - Times Square
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    David Pasternack
  • Additional
    Beer, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wine
  • Phone number
    (212) 564-7272
  • Private party facilities
    ESCA’s intimate and elegant dining room offers a lovely, quiet experience amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City’s Theatre District. All menus are based on fresh, seasonal ingredients (in other words, whatever Chef Dave Pasternack catches that morning).
  • Private party contact
    AnnaMarie Vukmanovich: (646) 237-1880
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