Esca

"For fish lovers, walking into Esca is like that amazing pet store that had the best selection of tropical fish when you were a kid. “Holy cow. They have Tetras, Swordtails, and Kissing Gouramis!” But far from a pet store, this Italian seafood spot is the best high-end dining option near Port Authority and Times Square. As for the menu, the raw fish crudos are out of this world. Start with lots of them. Definitely get a pasta or two, and when it comes to picking your fish entree, it’s all a matter of taste because the simple preparations are seasoned perfectly and you really can’t go wrong. Reservations aren’t tough to come by at Esca, and during warm weather months, there’s also a great outdoor patio for maximum quality fish enjoyment. Despite minimal updates to a dated space over the years, Esca remains a safe bet for an excellent meal. Being the lone great restaurant in the horrible hot mess of an area where the Lincoln Tunnel, Times Square and The Port Authority all converge has actually been a great thing for Esca. Since there’s nothing even remotely noteworthy around here when it comes to food, Esca is the place to be. Food Rundown Crudo This is how you start a meal at Esca, and maybe some oysters, too. The crudo section of the menu literally covers every fish in the sea. It doesn’t matter what you mess with, it’s going to be delicious. Get a sampler to try a bunch of different stuff. Seppia One of our favorite appetizers. Whole cuttlefish cooked in their own ink with butterbeans and pastina. Watch out, don’t get the black ink all over your shirt. Vongole Forno (Clams On Clams On Clams) We’ve been known to come here and do a clam tasting menu. Crudo, this dish, forno (which are littleneck clams baked with apple, double-smoked bacon, and horseradish), the absolutely flawless Linguine Vongole with red hot pepper and pancetta, and the Zuppa di Pesce (their delicious fish stew entree that has clams in it). Bucatini Thick, spaghetti-like pasta with jumbo gulf shrimp, arugula, and gravy. Delicious. Maccheroni Alla Chitarra Whatever pasta they have on the menu with sea urchin and crabmeat, order it. Thank us later. Whole Fish For Two One of the Esca signatures, if you come with a group, you should absolutely order a simply prepared, expertly seasoned whole fish. As with everything on the menu, there are options. Lots of ’em. Sea bass, branzino, and porgy. Don’t sleep on the porgy." - Andrew Steinthal

"COVID-19 update: Temporarily closed. Esca (the name means "bait" in Italian) is Mario Batali and Dave Pasternack's take on classic Italian seafood; the menu is full of inventive and unusual crudos and amazing shrimp and shellfish pasta dishes. Smack in the middle of the theatre district, it’s an excellent choice before a show; there are plenty of light fish entrees that won't send you to sleep before intermission. "

"COVID-19 update: Temporarily closed. Esca (the name means "bait" in Italian) is Mario Batali and Dave Pasternack's take on classic Italian seafood; the menu is full of inventive and unusual crudos and amazing shrimp and shellfish pasta dishes. Smack in the middle of the theatre district, it’s an excellent choice before a show; there are plenty of light fish entrees that won't send you to sleep before intermission. "

"Chef Dave Pasternack defied odds during his nearly 20 years at Esca." - Eater Staff

"Longstanding Italian seafood restaurant Esca is closing its doors permanently, according to an announcement from ownership. “We have been put in an almost impossible situation,” owners Victor Rallo and Dave Pasternack wrote in a post on Instagram. “With the future still uncertain, we have no choice but to end Esca’s illustrious run on 43rd Street.” Midtown restaurants like Esca have been hit particularly hard during the pandemic due to loss of tourism and the shutdown of Broadway theaters. Rallo and Pasternack noted that they hope to reopen in the future “elsewhere in New York City.”" - Luke Fortney