| ambiance |
95.0% positive |
- “
The service was good, but I found a sommelier to be a bit much for the casual atmosphere of the place. ”
- “
Not recommended for a romantic dinner. ”
- “
Both the food and atmosphere were so good, we soon got over it. ”
- “
It's an elegant, well-done Mario restaurant where the food is consistently great, and ideas such as "service" and "ambience" are so given that to ask about them is laughable. ”
- “
Too noisy, not a choice for a romantic evening ”
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At first we appreciated the atmosphere and what seemed at first like attentive service, though we were a little put off by the loud rock music, which seemed at odds with the atmosphere. ”
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Works both as romantic and as a group of friends, they food is excellent and very fresh. ”
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It is not a cozy restaurant--not a good first date place, unless you REALLY have to try hard. ”
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remember eating tasty crudo in a lively location, but that just is not so anymore. ”
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Rude service, so-so food that was too complex for its own good, boring decor. ”
|
| dessert |
100.0% positive |
- “
The fish entrees come to life and the deserts were delicious. ”
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Desert (chocolate cake) was superb. ”
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recommend you stick with their wonderful fish, and skip the side dishes and dessert, which were not so exceptional. ”
|
| drinks |
100.0% positive |
- “
Though I didn't taste any of the crudo, all the raw bar options looked incredible. ”
- “
Service very attentive, and the wine list is still outstanding and fairly priced, especially for Whites. ”
- “
Throw in an excellent Italian wine list and some delicious cocktails (the pomegranite bellini and pineapple cosmo were terrific) and you have an all-around excellent meal. ”
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Also enjoyed the italian digestiv and Turkish press coffee. ”
- “
Reservations are essential indoors or out but you can almost always get an early seat at the unique ice-filled raw bar where the greatest bartender dispenses volumes of knowledgable friendly chatter and perfectly matched wines as well as oysters. ”
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Three of the four wines were pleasent, nothing to scream about but the fourth one was rich, robust and a perfect match with the toro. ”
- “
Great food Great Chef Raw bar at the bar is fantastic ”
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friend and I went to ESCA (without reservations) and sat at the bar where we were greeted by an amiable tender named Victor who promptly presented us with a wonderful and complementary white bean bruschetta. ”
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Wine steward recommended a bottle of wine priced 50% more than the range I gave him (a very valid range because on the second try he picked a perfectly acceptabe bottle within the range). ”
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The food and wine were excellent and the staff were so attentive. ”
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Our waiter last night made terrific wine and food recommendations. ”
|
| food quality |
86.56999588012695% positive |
- “
San Pietro fish is wonderful! ”
- “
Visit Esca if you seek exceptionally fresh fare and creative pastas and side dishes served with a smile. ”
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Chef thinks burned food is good! ”
- “
Unique seafood & fish creations ”
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best seafood in ny. ”
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His girlfriend had the Seafood soup which was flavorful and had a hint of heat. ”
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recommend you stick with their wonderful fish, and skip the side dishes and dessert, which were not so exceptional. ”
- “
Throw in an excellent Italian wine list and some delicious cocktails (the pomegranite bellini and pineapple cosmo were terrific) and you have an all-around excellent meal. ”
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The raw fish appetizers were amazing -- all of them. ”
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recommend the black roasted codfish, it was the best dish of the evening. ”
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Works both as romantic and as a group of friends, they food is excellent and very fresh. ”
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The hot food was cold and the chilled food was room temp. ”
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Don't get me wrong - the service was very good, but if I notice things like empty water glasses during a meal that averages several hundred dollar per person and involves many courses, I tend to think there's room for improvement. ”
- “
Simply, the service was great but the food was not up to par. ”
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a. you want to share a great meal with them and, ”
- “
Catastrofic service great food. ”
- “
This is truly the best fish I have ever eaten--tender, flavorful and cooked in an elegant oil. ”
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First off, I was celebrating my girlfriends' father's 60th birthday and since he loves this kind of food and knows the reputation that Mario Batali has, we wanted to make it a memorable experience. ”
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Excellent food and service ”
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Rude service, so-so food that was too complex for its own good, boring decor. ”
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Maybe the chef was away in the Hamptons yesterday, but the food is just unacceptable at this point. ”
- “
remember eating tasty crudo in a lively location, but that just is not so anymore. ”
- “
Great food Great Chef Raw bar at the bar is fantastic ”
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If you don't have to wait for your table, it's a delicious experience -- although a bit pricey. ”
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The food that Dave prepared was wonderful as usual however the service left much to be desired. ”
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Esca is not the best seafood the city has to offer. ”
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Both the food and atmosphere were so good, we soon got over it. ”
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Each dish was excellent. ”
- “
Some places can get away with horrible service if the food is great, but at Esca, the service was thin, hurried and rude. ”
- “
Does sushi become exponentially more expensive when you poor olive oil on it? ”
- “
The fish entrees come to life and the deserts were delicious. ”
- “
Our waiter was very good and he was well versed in the menu and preparations as well as recommending some of his favorite dishes. ”
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The fish is extremely fresh & prepared to perfection. ”
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would like to try Babbo, but I am a little reticent about dropping a ton of money on mediocre food. ”
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We had a dinner for two, and several courses (the tuna appetizer, the sole entree and the baccala) were slightly oversalted this time, although the quality of the fish itself was very good. ”
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fantastic fish ”
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My monkfish entree was also delicious, although my friend's scallops were a bit overdone. ”
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The pasta course was delicious, but we each only had 4 gnocchi. ”
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It's an elegant, well-done Mario restaurant where the food is consistently great, and ideas such as "service" and "ambience" are so given that to ask about them is laughable. ”
- “
The food was delightful as always but, in a situation where service was really going to shape the experience, the staff really came through and made this a wonderful low-key celebration. ”
- “
Exquisite fish ”
- “
The food was outstanding, and Joe was very helpful as he offered excellent suggestions and explanations of the menu. ”
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Service was good and the fish appetizer sequence (starts with a wonderful oyster) was not tbe beaten. ”
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We had a great time, good food and great company. ”
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also enjoyed a pasta with crab and sea urchin wich was great too. ”
- “
But I got 3 small slices of fish which was WAY overpriced. ”
- “
Great food, everything is excellent and servings are decent sized. ”
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The food, however, is very fresh. ”
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This restaurant is one of the best fish restaurant in manhattan. ”
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Because that's the only way Citysearch editorial (though we KNOW you're not food critics) could make this the best seafood in Manhattan! ”
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By the way, Esca in Italian means bait--Is Chef Batali suggesting what the food is good for? ”
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best fish ”
- “
The menu is filled with interesting local ingredients: instead of salmon, line caught salmon from ___ river. ”
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The fish was very fresh and well-prepared but not to a degree to justify any higher prices than at many italian restaurants. ”
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The grilled fish all looked nice, but lacked taste and some were overcooked. ”
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However, I have to evaluate if the food can compensate the horrible service. ”
- “
Considering that was half my entree it really overshadowed the meal (and I left it untouched after the first bite) Service - while the servers/bussers were attentive, our waiter was hurried and the only time we interacted was when he initially dropped the ”
- “
The food and wine were excellent and the staff were so attentive. ”
- “
The food and service are excellent. ”
- “
This restaurant's specialty is beautiful fish in every style, including crudi (raw fish, Italian style). ”
- “
Our waiter last night made terrific wine and food recommendations. ”
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have never seen so many types of shellfish in one bowl, all fresh and cooked to perfection in slightly spicy tomato broth. ”
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The pasta with walnut pesto & fresh sea scallops was perfectly al dente. ”
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All food was excellent. ”
- “
If you're craving crudo - head to The John Dory to dine with the celeb set, eat some tasty seafood and raise your glass and have a good time. ”
- “
The food is always mediocre, the servers are bitter, the chefs are tired of cooking the same meals day in and day out, the hostess wants to go home so she does not want to seat you and to them you are just one filthy rich New York snob or a dumb tourist w ”
- “
The waiters were attentive and happy to expound ala Molto Mario about any of the dishes. ”
|
| menu variety |
92.8600025177002% positive |
- “
She made excellent recommendations without making us feel intimidated by the menu. ”
- “
Considering that was half my entree it really overshadowed the meal (and I left it untouched after the first bite) Service - while the servers/bussers were attentive, our waiter was hurried and the only time we interacted was when he initially dropped the ”
- “
Though I didn't taste any of the crudo, all the raw bar options looked incredible. ”
- “
Joe was not only charming, but was a wonderful guide to the menu. ”
- “
The food was outstanding, and Joe was very helpful as he offered excellent suggestions and explanations of the menu. ”
- “
The menu is filled with interesting local ingredients: instead of salmon, line caught salmon from ___ river. ”
- “
Our waiter was very good and he was well versed in the menu and preparations as well as recommending some of his favorite dishes. ”
|
| overall |
91.66999816894531% positive |
- “
I've had great experiences at both Po and Babbo, so I expected good things from this place. ”
- “
This restaurant is one of the best fish restaurant in manhattan. ”
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It is not a cozy restaurant--not a good first date place, unless you REALLY have to try hard. ”
- “
The service was good, but I found a sommelier to be a bit much for the casual atmosphere of the place. ”
- “
Luckily he was able to leave early one night so we decided to find a great restaurant to enjoy a wonderful night out. ”
- “
We were planning a lunch for a good friend and wanted to find a place that was nice, relaxed and away from the craziness of our Times Square office building. ”
|
| return potential |
66.66999816894531% positive |
- “
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. ”
- “
Otherwise, this was a memorable, enjoyable dining experience and I would go back without hesitation. ”
- “
went there once and vowed never to go back due to the careless and downright rude attitudes of the waitstaff. ”
|
| service |
82.2599983215332% positive |
- “
The service was impeccable. ”
- “
We all found bones, and when we complained, the hostess was obnoxious and said well it's not perfect. ”
- “
Rude service, so-so food that was too complex for its own good, boring decor. ”
- “
Some places can get away with horrible service if the food is great, but at Esca, the service was thin, hurried and rude. ”
- “
went there once and vowed never to go back due to the careless and downright rude attitudes of the waitstaff. ”
- “
Our waiter last night made terrific wine and food recommendations. ”
- “
The server was professional and the sommelier was very helpful. ”
- “
The food is always mediocre, the servers are bitter, the chefs are tired of cooking the same meals day in and day out, the hostess wants to go home so she does not want to seat you and to them you are just one filthy rich New York snob or a dumb tourist w ”
- “
The hostess in Esca is so unpleasant that it really left a bad taste in my mouth. ”
- “
The food and wine were excellent and the staff were so attentive. ”
- “
The service was good, but not excellent; however, the waiter was initially huffy with me when my guest was only 5 minutes late, threatening to make me move! ”
- “
Overall, the service was very good and not intrusive. ”
- “
Simply, the service was great but the food was not up to par. ”
- “
Considering that was half my entree it really overshadowed the meal (and I left it untouched after the first bite) Service - while the servers/bussers were attentive, our waiter was hurried and the only time we interacted was when he initially dropped the ”
- “
Service very attentive, and the wine list is still outstanding and fairly priced, especially for Whites. ”
- “
At first we appreciated the atmosphere and what seemed at first like attentive service, though we were a little put off by the loud rock music, which seemed at odds with the atmosphere. ”
- “
The service was good, but I found a sommelier to be a bit much for the casual atmosphere of the place. ”
- “
It's an elegant, well-done Mario restaurant where the food is consistently great, and ideas such as "service" and "ambience" are so given that to ask about them is laughable. ”
- “
Excellent food and service ”
- “
Our server, Joe, was outstanding. ”
- “
Catastrofic service great food. ”
- “
On a plus note - the service was great. ”
- “
The food that Dave prepared was wonderful as usual however the service left much to be desired. ”
- “
The waiters were attentive and happy to expound ala Molto Mario about any of the dishes. ”
- “
Our waiter was very good and he was well versed in the menu and preparations as well as recommending some of his favorite dishes. ”
- “
Don't get me wrong - the service was very good, but if I notice things like empty water glasses during a meal that averages several hundred dollar per person and involves many courses, I tend to think there's room for improvement. ”
- “
However, I have to evaluate if the food can compensate the horrible service. ”
- “
The food was delightful as always but, in a situation where service was really going to shape the experience, the staff really came through and made this a wonderful low-key celebration. ”
- “
have never been treted this poorly at any resturant the manager who took our orders was very condesending and belittled his customers his attitude and lack of professionalism might be good enough to work at DMV. ”
- “
Reservations are essential indoors or out but you can almost always get an early seat at the unique ice-filled raw bar where the greatest bartender dispenses volumes of knowledgable friendly chatter and perfectly matched wines as well as oysters. ”
- “
The food and service are excellent. ”
|
| value |
68.17999839782715% positive |
- “
The group agreed, though a bit pricey a memorable experience. ”
- “
Too expensive for good, but not great fare. ”
- “
It is not cheap, but a good NYC dining experience usually isn't. ”
- “
There are too many good italian restaurants around to waste your time and money here. ”
- “
The prices, for such high quality ingredients and cooking, are quite reasonable. ”
- “
would like to try Babbo, but I am a little reticent about dropping a ton of money on mediocre food. ”
- “
But I got 3 small slices of fish which was WAY overpriced. ”
- “
The fish was very fresh and well-prepared but not to a degree to justify any higher prices than at many italian restaurants. ”
- “
If you don't have to wait for your table, it's a delicious experience -- although a bit pricey. ”
- “
Don't get me wrong - the service was very good, but if I notice things like empty water glasses during a meal that averages several hundred dollar per person and involves many courses, I tend to think there's room for improvement. ”
- “
Does sushi become exponentially more expensive when you poor olive oil on it? ”
|
| wait time |
50.0% positive |
- “
The service was good, but not excellent; however, the waiter was initially huffy with me when my guest was only 5 minutes late, threatening to make me move! ”
|
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