Esca Restaurant & Wine Bar

Been meaning to try this place for a while and finally did it! There is street parking that you may be lucky to get.

We decided to sit at bar to dine. We ordered the bourbon smash to drink and Abby made it very good. They have a great appetizer menu and while we thought we would eat an entree, we kept ordering appetizers. We had the calamari 1st that was just ok. It was overcooked but edible. The lumpcrab cake was really good and flavorful. My favorite was the wildmushroom Flatbread and the roasted beet salad. I will get that salad everytime!

Service was really good. Kara and Abby were very welcoming and attentive but also gave space which was nice.

The resturant is nice for any type of occasion with a beautiful ambience. I hear they have a great happy hour on Wednesday's so I will be sure to try that out.

Just dined here last night. I can't believe I've never reviewed escas as I had my baby shower here 9 years ago. So I am a little late. I do remember the awesome space and food and service from my shower, but this review is based only on my dinner last night. I will start by saying the grilled octopus is probably the best I ever had. My daughter tries octopus everywhere we go and doesn't much care for it, but this time she said wow ok and now understands my love for it. So thank you for that esca! My Sea bass was great, perfectly cooked but I wish it came with a lemon caper sauce instead of the creamy asparagus crab sauce it came with. It was good too but I just don't think they fit. I know this is only my personal preference. My dads scallops were amazinggg and I wish I got those instead. My moms salmon was good but not great. My daughters kids pasta was a humongous portion and the sauce was very good and authentic tasting. I definitely enjoyed our meal here last night. We all left full and happy and the lot of us are extreme foodies. We will for sure be back. Thank you for the great dining experience!!

Located right on Main Street in Middletown, this is the perfect place for an elevated yet intimate night out. We made reservations for a Saturday night at 5:30pm. While it wasn't busy when we arrived, the place was full as we were leaving. Staff was attentive. The setup of the space is unique, with two levels and a rock wall at the bar. Drinks were well made. We ordered calamari, rigatoni bolognese, and spaghetti pomodoro. My friend and I both agreed that there was nothing special about our pasta dishes, but still enjoyed it. It can be pricey here, so this is definitely somewhere to go for special occasions. I did wish there was a side house salad or soup included with my meal. Their lunch specials and brunch look pretty good, so I'll come back and try that!

The restaurant itself is so cute inside. We were seated in the perfect spot, in front of large windows. The server was great! Super attentive and helpful when ordering drinks and our meal. The chef did an outstanding job with our octopus and pasta orders. The scallops were perfect and worth the price!

Tried a new item of Esca honey glazed wings on the Happy Hour menu and they are so delicious all around. They come with three but you will want more. The price is a little high for only 3 but worth it to try as you won't be disappointed. Sarah the bar manager is definitely an added touch with service on Thursday evenings. It's my go to place when I'm in the area of Middletown.

The food and atmosphere were wonderful. But, the wine was especially good, smooth as silk!

I just moved to the area and I'm trying out restaurants in Middletown this is the BEST by far!! The service here is amazing! Our server is also the bartender and she is still very attentive. My whole table had ZERO complaints about anything. The shrimp pasta was to die for. And don't even get me started on the prosciutto pizza I'm definitely going to be coming back here. Expect me to be your newest regular! the restaurant itself is such a good vibe. The decorations and the Italian feel that the walls give off is amazing. Definitely a must go to restaurant in Middletown!

A very American Italian restaurant in every sense - portion size, ambiance etc that resembles more of a CPK branch. The majority of dishes were tasty but nothing to wow over, except maybe the Calamari which was pretty good. The staff was great however and would rank their service separately at a 4.5/5. While it was not a stand out in terms of food, it is a viable option for big group meals in the area.

I ventured out to Esca in Middletown on a Thursday evening and it was very busy. Street parking was scarce but free, the street has many restaurants and shops. My cousin and I had an excellent time! The restaurant is beautiful, the hostess wasn't very attentive or welcoming to greet but maybe she was tired. The waiter was awesome! He was attentive and gave great suggestions. The octopus was delicious and cooked very well, the Arancini was out of this world, the tuna chips were a pleasant surprise. The bruschetta we could've done without, the beef was chewy. The bread was fresh though. We didn't have room for entrees so we went straight to dessert, the ice cream on the affogato was delightful very flavorful. The tiramisu was ok but good for table sharing as it is a bit heavy. The drinks were too strong for us. We definitely will be going back.

I've been here for lunch a couple of times now and the food and drinks have been good. Recently, I came for lunch with a friend and decided to order the Caprese Wrap with eggplant chips added, and a side of fries. My meal was very tasty, especially the eggplant and the fries. I ordered a margarita off the cocktail list as well and it was good. Based off the lunch, I would like to come back for dinner sometime. My reason for 4 stars is because upon entry, my friend and I were not greeted by anyone, and stood at the front for some time. Eventually another pair of customers entered behind us and a staff member showed up and seated them before us. Maybe the customers visit frequently or had reservations, but regardless the lack of communication to us was unprofessional. Hopefully my dinner experience will have better customer service!