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Ratings and reviews

RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere

Details

CUISINES
Wine Bar, Italian
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours, Drinks
View all details
meals, features
Reviews (213)
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Traveller rating
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77
27
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15
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All reviews calamari flat bread pappardelle the chilean sea bass an early dinner server entrees
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Reviewed 25 August 2023

We have dinned here several times and the food and service are always on point. We like to sit up in the loft section as we find it is quieter up there. This time however two out of four of us were not happy with...our entrees. I ordered the special (striped bass) and our friend ordered the Chilean sea bass. The fish tasted fishy to us and my meal was lacking flavor. On the other hand our spouses loved the short ribs; they were flavorful and had absolutely no fat. My husband never takes leftovers home and he did on this. We also ordered some meatballs to start and they were prepared perfectly. I have to say the drinks always hit the spot. I love it how they finish the martinis in front of you, it is a nice touch. Service is always topnotch and our server was friendly and engaging. She checked on us often to make sure we had everything we needed. We are looking forward to our next visit.More

Date of visit: August 2023
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Reviewed 15 May 2023 via mobile

Sometimes a chance encounter makes for a very memorable experience. Such was the case when a function at Wesleyan ended early and we had an hour to spare. Esca was within walking distance and fit the bill perfectly for a quick drink and bite to...eat. We opted to sit at a table in the bar amidst a steady flow patrons coming and going. Specialty cocktails (Gin Fizz and Jalapeño Mango Margarita) were nicely crafted with the perfect combination of ingredients, muddling, shaking, and stirring. The drinks were great and the prices very reasonable. As good as the drinks were, the food was even better. A burrata and prosciutto pizza and a Salumi Board were amazing. Flavor, presentation, portion size - outstanding. And the price was, again, very reasonable. I imagine that this place is packed on most nights and am glad that we had the chance to try it in the relative calm of a weekend afternoon. The value at Esco is tremendous and I can’t believe that any visit would leave you disappointed. We cannot wait to return.More

Date of visit: May 2023
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Reviewed 14 May 2023

Eight of us got together here for an early Mothers' Day celebration. We were plesantly surprised by the cuisine, excellent. Service was very good, but be careful where you park!!

Date of visit: May 2023
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Reviewed 5 April 2023

My wife went to lunch at Esca a few weeks ago with a friend and she loved it. She liked it so much she wanted to take me there too. We were there on a quiet Monday for an early dinner. The restaurant is lovely...and the vibe was very comfortable. As the dining room filled up it was still comfortable with a quiet din that allowed us to continue talking without having to speak loudly to be heard. The tables are not smushed together, so that makes it nicer. The menu and wine list are really great, especially the extensive wine list. A long list of craft cocktails as well as local beers made for tough decisions. We had a wonderful rigatoni with shrimp and peas that was fabulous. Big portion as well. My wife had flat bread which was beautiful and tasty. Our server was outstanding. Friendly, professional and attentive. We could not have asked for a better experience.More

Date of visit: April 2023
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Reviewed 15 August 2022 via mobile

This was our first experience at Esca and we were very impressed! The drinks were perfect and we split the Caesar salad, which was ample to split and had a tasty, not heavy traditional Caesar dressing. My wife had the shrimp papardelle and I had...the Chilean sea bass - both were absolutely outstanding. No dessert at this visit. David was our server who was attentive and affable. We look forward to returning again!!More

Date of visit: August 2022
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Reviewed 13 February 2022 via mobile

Went there valentine’s weekend!Had reservations were seated immediately.Our server Mat was amazing.Attentive,quick and personable.The food was perfect.Eggplant chips,Bruschetta and calamari were just perfect! Our Entrees were just as great. We had the wine flights which we liked. We can’t wait to be back!The whole staff...was nice and efficient,everyone was hustling to make your experience great!!More

Date of visit: February 2022
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Reviewed 9 May 2021

We went to a wedding in early April and attended the rehearsal dinner at this wonderful Italian restaurant. Parking is a bit tough so we called ahead and were guided to the bank's lot adjacent to the restaurant. The hostess was very welcoming and guided...us to the private upstairs room. The two cousins that were our servers and bartenders were phenomenal. The food was served family style and it was excellent. The chicken and salmon with roasted potatoes were fished with cannoli. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a gathering. It seemed like the other patrons just there for dinner were having an equally wonderful time.More

Date of visit: April 2021
Helpful?1  
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Reviewed 13 April 2020 via mobile

Esca's family dinner was fantastic and made our Easter dinner special despite being quarantined at home. The family meals are $50 and come with plenty of food! Our family of 4 ate and we still had leftovers! There are choices on the family meal dinners-...2 different salad choices, 2 different pasta choices and multiple chicken choices. We ordered caesar salad, chicken picatta, and penne ala vodka. The meal also came with bread. It was so easy to do curbside pickup, and the $50 price was well worth it considering the amount of food received. We will most likely order a family meal again now that we know it is not just a holiday option. We also appreciate the people in the restaurants who are still operating and open during this difficult time. Thank you Esca!More

Date of visit: April 2020
Helpful?1  
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Reviewed 15 February 2020

My boyfriend and I made a reservation for 8pm on Valentine's Day. We arrived on time and the place was packed. After a 15 munute wait we were seated. It took an hour to get our appetizer. After another hour we asked for the check,...never getting our dinners! Obviously they weren't properly prepared for this many patrons. Our waitress was very apologetic but what could she say? This is generally a wonderful restaurant but it isn't ready to handle heavy customer traffic. We left disappointed. Bottom line: don't go to Esca on a holiday night. I saw other couples were waiting and waiting and were equally unhappy and disappointed. Their management needs to step up their game.More

Date of visit: February 2020
Helpful?2  
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Reviewed 26 January 2020 via mobile

Decided to eat at Esca before deciding to book our sons rehearsal dinner there and went Saturday night with the brides parents ...what a lovely experience! Many staff members coming and going and our main server was very attentive. I had the diver scallops with...butternut risotto, my hubby the sea bass, the others had a chicken dish and a seafood dish over linguini. All excellent and good portion size. A must try is the steak bruschetta appetizer. Wow. Really busy atmosphere, bustling and noisy (we were seated on the upper level) reservations a must ..there is a balcony private space for parties that I need to check out with the banquet manager that looked perfect. Parking a bit of an issue, use kids museum and Wells Fargo lots behind if you are coming in the evening. Highly recommend!More

Date of visit: January 2020
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Reviewed 14 December 2019 via mobile

Definitely a fun place for friends and couples on a Saturday night. Went with 2 other couples and was Seated immediately upon arrival (reservations made in advance online). Wes, our server was attentive and provided good info on specials and drinks menu. At first we...weren’t sure about being placed away from main area, but as people arrived later was grateful for the quiet corner provided. We all got the combo charcuterie board and enjoyed the various cheeses and meats. Everyone liked their entrees from bolognese to my short ribs. Desserts included beignets and flourless chocolate cake. Definitely will be returning!More

Date of visit: December 2019
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Reviewed 8 December 2019

We decided to head to Middletown for a change of pace and after seeing the Xmas decorations in town, we grabbed some food and drinks at the bar in Esca's. The waitstaff was friendly, the apps were delicious and the prices at happy hour (4:30...- 6:30) Made this a great visitMore

Date of visit: December 2019
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Reviewed 22 November 2019

Esca is a very nice place! The decor is beautifully! Nice wine list! The food isn’t bad! The meatballl appetizer was excellent! The muscles ok! The booth was nice and spacious! Unfortunately they had a fruit fly problem and I kept swatting them the entire...dinner! The waiter could care less, he just igonred the problem! The shrimp was excellent! The duck was so so! The place was very nice, stick to appetizers and wine!! Hopefully they take care of the fruit fly problem !More

Date of visit: November 2019
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 30 October 2019

Our family originally went because of its prior listing in Wine Spectator's recommended "wine lists". Now we also go back because of the food and service. This meal we had a pasta "carbonara-ish" with shrimp and ravioli with mushrooms. If schedule allows, we also go...on Monday evenings, when the whole wine list is discounted (50% off??).More

Date of visit: October 2019
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 21 October 2019 via mobile

Nice Friday night dinner at the bar. Service was very good. Bartenders were attentive and friendly. They even lent me a pair of cheaters since I forgot mine. My friend had wine and I had a cocktail. Both were great. But the food... excellent. I...had been here before so it’s not that I wasn’t expecting it to be good, but this far outweighed my expectations. My friend also enjoyed her pappardelle dinner. I started with the tuna tartare. It’s got a nice little kick to it without being overly spicy. For my entree I had the salmon. First, I loved that the bartender asked how I liked it cooked! Not all restaurants do that so I usually end up making a request for the temperature I prefer. It can easily become too dry for me if it’s cooked too long. Needless to say it was fantastic, paired perfectly with the cous cous side. Great experience. A 5 star review from me.More

Date of visit: October 2019
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Questions & Answers
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rgeulen
4 September 2023|
AnswerShow all 2 answers
Response from Rit4CR | Reviewed this property |
there is a bank just west of the restaurant and you can park there after the bank closes.
0
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JackandBetty
20 January 2020|
Answer
Response from steve s | Reviewed this property |
Call to ask. I have not been in a large group and have only ordered from the menu. Do ask. This is a great place.
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ESCA RESTAURANT & WINE BAR, Middletown - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Esca Restaurant & Wine Bar

Esca Restaurant & Wine Bar is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4
  • Service: 4
  • Value: 3.5
  • Atmosphere: 4