Always exceptional !! Treated like a king when i go there. Nothing but great professional service and delicious -( always ) dinners ! Alcohol is mixed great, oysters superb, steak cooked to perfection! And desert simply delish! read more

We had 8:00 reservations on a Saturday night walked in the place was packed! Our table was ready, we had a couple of drinks at the bar then we sat down. I started with Mozzarella en Carozza which was quite tasty in a white sauce, then I had flank steak with mashed potato's Very good cooked perfect! Deserts were good as well the donuts OMG; and the Creme Brûlée was excellent. Oh; and don't forget the Espresso Martini was good as well. The service was excellent the waitress had a lot of big tables and still managed to stay on top of everyone! The only complaint I got is the bathroom situation one Men's Room next to the bar that could only welcome one person!!!!! No good need to work on that! Overall great food, great service; and great drinks........ I'll go back! read more

Good food and great bar service. Enjoyed a nice evening with my husband there while visiting his family whom live nearby. Thoroughly enjoyed the grilled octopus. Appears family friendly with a nice vibe and pleasant staff. Will return again when we are back in the area. read more

Wait a minute.....I have been here so many times and was so mesmerized by the food that I forgot to write about it! Rib eye is always on point....the lamb chops are always cooked oh so tender and just crazy good. Pasta is tops and always fresh. Portions are generous...appetizers are so filling. Try the pulpo, it will bring you back to that Italian vacation you need to re-do. The wine....ahhh the wine...bar tenders are very nice and always offer a taste. It is just an easy place to relax and eat and be around a drama free crowd....just food and fun....mmmmmm make your way there anytime because it is always, always satisfying. read more

Max's esca had some bad publicity recently, so I was on the fence when my friends suggested it for dinner, but I'm so glad we went. The service and food were amazing. Everything from the oysters to the pasta was absolutely delicious. I had no idea that they clear out the tables later in the evening and it turns into more of a "club." The music was so good, and I honestly forgot when the last time I had so much fun was! I love everything about this place read more

Escas the place to be from Sunday to wed. buy one get one free...woooweee I cant believe how yummy my food was, well worth your trip cheap and yummy in one sentence is it possible?,.. yelp! Great local stop for me to just have a drink or sometimes dinner, always a welcoming bartender and service. This happens to be one of my favorite local winter place, always a good crowd. read more

I enjoy this Italian Restaurant/Classy Bar & Lounge, Party Room....The grilled chicken w spinach fettacini & roasted peppers is my favorite!! read more

The food here is outstanding. Had a dinner with 10 people and we were all taken care of tremendously. The sangria was sool good, and the fixed menu was nice. I would highly recommend this place. The atmosphere was really nice, the staff is so.sweet. read more

I recently attended a baby shower here which was my first time dining at Es-Ca. Upon walking in I felt blind because it was sunny outside but then extremely dark inside. I think the set up is nice and I like that there was a separate area for the gifts, seating cards and cake so that it wasn't so crowded near the tables. The waitresses were all extremely nice and were constantly filling up our glasses. I had the sangria which was bland. There was a tasty salad course but then it was followed by some of the worst pasta I have ever tried. It had a soapy or maybe a metallic taste. Then for my entree I ordered chicken marsala which was flavorless. I'm not sure I would give this place another try. read more

you cant be serious..... a 1 hour wait for a salad????? the bartender handled cut fruit for drinks with bare hands!!!!!!! the check did not even list the items i agreed to pay for.....unbelievable!!!!!!!!! read more

Definitely one of the best restaurants in Staten Island. I have been here on numerous occasions, mostly for parties. My favorite appetizers are the fried calamari and eggplant rollatini. I recently had a salmon entree. It came with honey mustard which I don't like, but even without sauce it was delicious and cooked to perfection. The desserts are all made in house and especially of note are the sugar coated jelly filled donuts, bread pudding and chocolate cake. Service is high quality and they are very attentive. read more

Great service. Nice restaurant. Food is good. Great 40% off bottles of wine on Monday's! Spicy tuna tartar was good.

Es-ca is always consistent, the menu never disappoints, from the cocktails to the entrees. Casey the floor manager is always there with a smile to make your experience wonderful, very accommodating. She is always ready with a recommendation and she always knows your name. read more

Lovelovelove Esca. My fiance and I are not food snobs, but we definitely enjoy a good meal. We eat out with friends a lot. Mostly we go to NYC but when we want to stay local we head to Esca. The food is amazing and the sangria is to die for! Word to the wise, later in the night this place turns into a nightclub of sorts and the cougars and cougar-hunters come out in full force. read more

Here to celebrate the Marine Corps Birthday. Tradition of rice wine shot not permitted bc we have our own Sake. With two tables of 11 and 7. Mainly chose this location bc of singer Tommy & Teresa . Great company; so - so service. We go out once a month as a group. Not coming here again. Not accomodating. Last yr, I was here with friends of the owner, I guess THAT explains a lot. SMH. To be fair, the food is still excellent; it's the service that gets spotty. read more

Amazing food. The grilled octupus and lamb chops appetizers were mouth watering. Had one of the best lemon drop martinis ever. I wanted to mention my waiter Daniel. He went above and beyond to make our dining experience great. read more

Ohhhhh we came for their bed Wellington. The craft of making beef Wellington is an art, the sauce is so delicious. The meat was cooked just right. Price is a bit high but totally worth the money for the taste. Excellent service except for the valet. It was raining the day we visited, he waited for us to go to him while we wait in the rain for our car. Well, he should not wait for people to come out of the restaurant, but the management could've done something so he doesn't have to, hence the customers don't have to be in the rain either. read more

I wanted to,love this restaurant but it was soooo noisy I couldn't even think. The party room is sectioned off by a thin curtain and the bar was so busy I couldn't hear the person next to me.. The food was good but I left with a headache. It was pricey $75. A person which was fine for good food and fabulous deserts but it was a terrible dining experience. If they put up a wall or a noise barier curtain, We may think of going back. read more

One of my favorite restaurants on the Island by far. The food is always fresh and out of this world. Max and Alison are always there and it's so clear how much they love the business and appreciate their loyal customer base. Johnny might be one of the best bartenders I've ever seen. Knows my drink whether I'm having a good or bad day and is quick as hell. Strongly suggest Esca to anyone looking for a killer Italian meal. read more

We went to Es-Ca's tonight for their outdoor dining because of COVID and I have to say I was amazed by the staff. Allison and Casey were tying tents down, lifting tables and running, actually running, to make this work during this unprecedented time. I have to give them credit for how they have navigated all these obstacles, so we can get out of our houses for a night out. On top of all the regular obstacles right now, tonight there was a thunderstorm and they had to keep us dry, which basically meant they all got soaked, but nothing stopped the staff there. Allison and Max have a very dedicated group working for them. The food, as always was great as was the service. I had to write this review because it is so important that we support our local businesses so that they can get back to a normal way of life. We owe them that, and when they work like they do at Es-Ca's, they truly deserve our patronage. read more

My family has had a few parties here and each one has been great. There is always so much food! Caprese, stuffed clams, calamari, salad and bread for apps. Choice of chicken Marsala (yum), steak, tilapia. They even made my picky uncle veal parm and rigatoni. We rented out the whole place for my cousins sweet 16 and the kids had an awesome time with the dj. I always enjoy coming back here and the valet makes life very easy on the way out. read more

We've had our corporate event here for our end of the year celebration a few times, they do a great job with the food and service. There were no complaints about the food, everything was very good. read more

This place had really good food. It wAs romantic & the waiter was friendly. I would recommend this place. It is fancy & pricy.

Love love love this restaurant. Their goat cheese salad is enough to have me going back! I'm not even kidding. My family has had many parties here. They have all been phenomenal and the staff is great. I love Max and he really puts a nice meal out every time. My husband's favorite is the Chilean sea bass. I love the shrimp any way he prepares it. You HAVE to try the flour less chocolate cake! read more

I went here for a beef Wellington but was persuaded by friends to take the especial of the day; pork chop in some sauce (bad decision). The portion was very generous but the sauce was so sweet that it took away from the the pork --- horrible! My wife got the skirt steak and was just ok. For appetizers we got fried calamari and salads and it was delicious. The place was extremely loud with private parties nearby the regular patrons and that can be a problem if loud noises do bother you. The staff is very nice and accommodating. Also keep in mind that this is not a cheap place to eat. I might give another shot to this place to try the beef Wellington. read more

Great experience last night as usual. Friendly, knowledgeable waitress. Everything was delicious starting with appetizers, entrees and dessert! Would highly recommend this restaurant read more

My first time there and from the service to the food I had an amazing experience. It was a busy Saturday night and we were greeted right away. As soon as we sat down out waitress came right over to greet us and was very nice, her name was Stacy and she was a sweetheart. Our drinks and appetizers came right away and the shrimps were huge, my wife had the spring rolls and they were delicious. The entrees were even more amazing, I had the beef Wellington which was one of the best meals I ever had and I'm a tough critic. My wife had short ribs that melted in you're mouth. I can't wait to go back. I woke up thinking of my meal last night. Even the managers came over to see how things were and introduced themselves, that's a rare trait in a busy restaurant. I can't recommend this place enough. read more

Pharmaceutical-sponsored dinner brought me here. The sea food risotto was very, very good. Staff was very attentive.

Great mom's day: food was great. Our waiter Mario is fantastic. Branson's was wonderful. The apps. We're great especially the filet brushetta read more

Good o'l Italian food with a modern twist. My parents love it here and so do I! Tuna tartar is amazing, baby lamp chops to die for.

Another frequently visited spot when I'm in New York. Fantastic service, extremely friendly. Our food is always very quick and always piping hot. The Montreal Crusted New York Strip is one of the best steaks I've had outside of fancy steakhouses. Finish with the beignets if you saved room for a dessert. Can get a little loud, as guests tend to speak louder and louder as the place fills out, and it can feel a little cramped, but the food and service are worth coming for every time. read more

Great spot to have a few drink or dinner. Oysters are nice and fresh, steak was cooked perfect wait staff was all over us couldn't get any better. read more

Went here last night for dinner and it was the first time I was here.... the food was absolutely delicious!!.. ordered a dozen raw oysters... very fresh and delicious, my girlfriend got the salmon which was cooked perfectly and I ordered the ny strip steak medium rare with mashed potatoes and sautéed string beans,it was one of the best steaks I've had in a while. The service was excellent!!.. I'll definitely be going back there again read more

Fantastic service. Clams on half shell fresh. Had rib eye for two. Cream spinach was excellent. Mashed potatoes tasty, onions and mushrooms fresh and the steak was absolutely perfectly prepared. Some of the bread was not very good but the steak trumps the bread complaint. Wine by glass was very good. Top grade for Staten Island. read more

At the risk of sounding like one of those "I'm too good for Staten Island" types, I gotta say that I would love to give this place an awful review because I really CAN'T STAND the crowd it draws, as well as the overall vibe of the place. But at the end of the day, it is a restaurant (not a night club) and the food and service has never once disappointed me. The menu is large so all of the "regulars" can get their parm, marsala, calamari, etc. and their is still plenty of inventive dishes that are really well made. I have had their beef wellington, Tuna (both apps and entree,) the artichoke, strip steak, a few pasta dishes. The service is really good. Last night, 2 waitresses held down a relatively busy dining room with no problem. The chef needs to calm down with banging on the pick-up bell, it was really annoying. Other than that, it was another great meal at Es-Ca. read more

I thought the food was very good, service was excellent. I love the atmosphere also. Banana tart for dessert finished off a great night out. DJ was great as well. I would recommend Esca. read more

This is my third visit here. I was impressed the first visit. On the second visit I met the owner, Max... Talk about a nice man. He has a passion for his restaurant, an it truly shows. The food? Excellent. Desserts? Make sure you leave room for it because weather it's the pumpkin cheesecake or the benaise donuts, excellent! Bar has good selection. People are all friendly. I heard its a good hotspot for dancing on Saturdays too. They remove 1/3 the tables and expose a nice dance floor. Wherever you come from, it'll be with the trip. read more

Filet mignon bruschetta, tuna tartare, mozzarella carrozza, OYSTERS!!! That was before we even got to our dinner!! Impeccable service, fantastic food, phenomenal drinks...Staten Islanders get here, if you're further make the trip!! read more

Have been going here for years. I can honestly say I have never had a bad meal here or sent anything back. The staff makes you feel so comfortable and the decor makes you feel just as comfortable. From the oysters to pasta's, this is my family and I's "go to" restaurant. I'm a big Esca fan!!! read more

We had a retirement dinner with 18 people at Max's Es-Ca a couple of days ago. We chose to have it there because we were told that their steaks were very good and that's what the majority would be eating. We were given a private room that was perfect for our party. For appetizers, we had eggplant rollatini, baked clams oreganata, calamari and mozzarella en carozza. All were excellent. For entree's, we had a choice of steak, salmon, pork chop or chicken rollatini. Everyone was happy with their entree's, but the hit of the night was the steak. A heaping Montreal crusted NY strip steak that was impressive to look at and even more impressive to eat. To top it off, for dessert we were served tiramisu which was among the best I've ever had. Thank you to Max, Alisson, Kacey, and Tommy for taking care of us so well. You gained a bunch of new customers. Will definitely return. read more