Review Esca Grill - Moonee Ponds

I am a very fussy eater, so was I pleased when I came in here hungry! The food was beyond outstanding, this suburban restaurant rides in the same category with the best CBD restaurants in Melbourne. Every single dish was cooked to absolute perfection, all ingredients were super fresh. The Tasmanian oysters are some of the best I’ve ever eaten. All the staff were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend coming here and I can assure you I will be returning.

Sometimes it is worth paying extra money for chefs that cook your meal to perfection. I order the duck dish and it was cooked perfectly, the skin was crsipy, the duck was juicy and the sauce so good to dip each cut of duck in it before eating it. I was not very hungry so I only orderee a small entree which was only one king prawn. Probably one of the best prawn I have had anywhere. We did end up getting the chocolate dessert plate to share and every single thing was sublime. If you are nearby I recommend you checkout Escagrill.

Arrive early and be prepared to drive around looking for a park, or do laps, or take a punt you’ll be lucky! The best time to arrive is circa 6:15 pm so you can wait out the timing for 2 hour parking across from the restaurant on Mt Alexander Road! But 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 💥💥💥⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you want a classy silver service meal, you get what you pay for! The lobsters were ordered for myself and another dinner guest, done two ways - butter and garlic & mornay and they were absolutely delicious, out of this world, mouthwatering, flavoursome delicacies 🦞👌🏻 So delighted with the choice of crustaceans on the seafood platter, and the liquid love of cocktails and sides were wonderful too 🤤 A hugely ambient place to enjoy a lush, leisurely catch up with friends .. See Friends, See Melbourne, Seafood! ⚡️⚡️✨✨✨

Food was delicious. Everything was yummy. Service was exceptional! Do yourself a favour and dine here!

Beautiful food, clearly prepared with love and attentive but not intrusive service from friendly staff.

One of the best meals I have had in a long time. The food was next level and the service by Nikhil was impeccable.

BEST FOOD ON THIS TRIP: Here on a three week trip and this was the best restaurant I visited, two-thirds of the way in to my visit. We chose seafood starters and mains, with no disappointments. My superb fish dish came without anything else and it was perhaps for the waiter to prompt me to order a side-dish, or for me to ask what came with the fish. Pricing all round was reasonable. On leaving the place, I couldn't help but be impressed by the refrigerated steak offerings and I did wonder whether I should have chosen differently. One of the steak options next time, in other words. We didn't have the full attention of our waiter unfortunately, but it was a busy Sunday night. Definitely worth repeat visits.

Consistently excellent service, a great wine selection and fantastic food. I’ve visited Escagrill many times now and it’s almost hard to believe that a place so good is literally around the corner from my home in the suburbs! It’s worth leaving the city for!

Great food and great service!<br/>Highly recommend :)

Seriously flawless!!!!!!!!!!! They got our booking wrong which meant we had to wait (close to an hour) for a table so was praying the food was excellent given the wait ! And thank the lord it was !!

One of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne! From the service to the food, Esca Grill never disappoints. Words can’t do this place justice, just go check it out!

We came here hoping to cure our seafood cravings. We ordered a seafood platter, scallops, quail and some wagyu steaks. The seafood was fresh and the scallops were delicious. The quail was beautifully cooked and well seasoned. Sadly our steaks were over cooked which was a shame. The venue is very nice for a local restaurant and it’s a great ambience for a fancier meal.

4.5<br/>So disappointed that we have not bothered to dine at Esca Grill before.<br/>Everything about dining here ticks the boxes.<br/>The warm and genuine greeting at the door, the decor, the professional wait staff, the kitchen, the food, the wine.....<br/>Excellent value.

Great restaurant to dine in. I have been in this restaurant a few times and enjoyed the food and wine. I particularly recommend the steaks. Nice environment for a night out.

Brilliant restaurant. Our waiter was fantastic and really made it a good experience. Our food was top class. We really enjoyed everything!!<br/>Will happy go back again

What a lovely dining experience. The food, wine and service were all exceptional. The food was flavoursome with classy presentation, service was prompt and attentive and the selection of wine top notch. I think it's one of Moonee Ponds' best restaurants...

Dined here for dinner on a busy Saturday night with my partner. The restaurant was full (bookings are required) but despite that the service was lovely (Thank you Anthony!) and the food was tasty and delicious. I would highly recommend this place for its meat and seafood. I had the rib eye and my partner had the eye fillet and both dishes were executed beautiful. 5 stars for me 🌟!

Food was delicious! Order the king prawns! My friend and i shared a steak and seafood platter we could barely breathe afterwards. only downfall was one of their waiters kept making inappropriate comments - i dont know if he didnt realise but they were borderline racist like when he asked if we wanted to use "chopsticks" instead of a spoon and fork (mind you my friend and i were both raised here and speak perfect aussie english). Lucky we realised he was just being friendly but other customers may not.

Our family love coming here for birthdays and special occasions. It’s fine dining in the burbs when you don’t want to head into town. Atmosphere is soft and elegant, service is wonderful and personalised, the wine and food.. simply amazing! I’m a seafood eat your heart out kind of girl and it’s reasonably priced so I go to town on their fresh crab, prawns and oysters every time. They also do delicious hearty Italian pasta dishes which are also a must. The complementary bread alone is freshly made at the kitchen and we always go back for seconds. Go here, you won’t regret it!

The food was amazing! Service wasn’t the greatest the waiter seemed to have been judging our every move, we started off the night knowingly we wanted to order the oysters but the waiter quickly insisted not to get them as we had enough sides. after finishing our meal he sarcastically said “is that enough, did you want another one” felt very uncomfortable with the situation and to top it off he had to comment on us being on our phones. Was pretty disappointed because the food was real good and I would properly avoid coming back.

Nice atmosphere and food was nice. Our initial waiter was asked 3 times for a glass for water and got frustrated when we asked for the mock tails available. Our second waiter was frustrated we ordered 5 entrees to share as there was only 4 of us and couldn't work out where to put the plates down. The main guy explaining the menu was great. Lots of stories. The steak was delicious. We did order the pasta without pancetta and it came with pancetta which they were happy enough to replace. I like restaurants that have great food (tick) and service which is friendly and seamless (could improve)

Beautiful venue, had high hopes for something of an experience, but alas it was not quite to be. Came with a group of 15 or so, and were given a private room upstairs (next to the toilets) with our own waiter. Shared a tasting plate of prosciutto, olives roasted peppers and buffalo (?) cheese. Absolutely divine. Now I can only really comment on the Rib-eye steak, because instead of allowing everyone to order sides, they instead delivered four plates to share. Had three chips (which were average) and a spoonful of mash which was very good. The steak was ok, but certainly not melt in your mouth or exceptional. Desserts looked good, which they would want to for the price. Service was in general good. In summary, Esca Grill is like 70% of the Rockpool experience, for about 90% of the price.

My Key 3 Pointers <br/>* When the bill arrives you may for a split second think your sitting at Rockpool. Then think, I probably would have been better to go there.<br/>* If you are going to make me wait 30mins for a booked table at least offer me a drink on the house so it makes me think you actually care. <br/>* No bread, how do you run out of such a basic by 8.30.<br/><br/>I had not been to Esca Grill for over 8 years. Very close and I probably drive past it daily but never could remember why I had not gone back. Classic Italian Steak, Seafood and Oyster bar.  The dinning room has intimate booths available or floor level open dinning option and a oyster bar overlooking the Kitchen which is used for making customers wait for their bookings. Atmosphere is great for a romantic night, white linen and dim lighting. We made a booking and lucky we had good company and the wait of 30mins did not feel long as we watched the kitchen and chefs cook away while we patiently waited and was starving. It was a bit of a tease. We were asked if we wanted anything to eat at the bar but we booked a table to be comfortable and really wanted to be seated. They were unable to bring us a Peroni beer for the entire 30mins, not sure what food would have been prepared. I found the service a little clumsy and it was so loud we were not even able to hear our waiter without having to second guess or ask him to say it again. Finally got our table and without being offered if we would like a drink the first thing we were informed was sorry there is no bread. We had a chuckle and thought could it get any worse. My partner asked for his beer on four times and he eventually got it with our entree. The drink wait was longer than table wait. The food was enjoyable and we definitely all enjoyed what we ordered. I was surprised that they only had one fish option on the main considering they are a steak and seafood specialist. For the price tag was I blown away, probably not and this could be the reason I could not recall why I had not been back in 8 years. Usually a restaurant has me if I go for dessert but if I’m not keen to try then I know you have not completely satisfied me. Overall a little flat experience, you got a tick for convenience and being so close to home

My wife and I had an amazing dinner here last night. We can highly recommend EscaGrill and will be returning soon<br/>The service and food is of the best quality and it deserves to be in the top restaurants of Melbourne.

A+++ Great steak, entree & incredible dessert! Good service as well, and impressive wine list! Will definitely be back to  try! Great when you don't want to venture into city

We eat out a lot and thought we'd try Escagrill, expecting something special due to the positive reviews (and hefty prices!). For the price, it was disappointing. The fish was lovely but nothing special and the Tiramisu (usually my favourite), did not taste fresh. The Bombe Alaska my companion had, though, was very nice. Most disappointing was the feeling that we were being fleeced - we were billed for everything, right down to the 'vinegar and oil' on the table to accompany the bread. To charge for such things feels a little like tacky penny-pinching. Even at Michelin star restaurants such things are complimentary because the meals are expensive, and that is how it should be. They know how to cook seafood here and the atmosphere is quite ambient, but given there are so many great restaurants in Melbourne, I would not be in a hurry to return.

My favourite in Melbourne. Food is always so fresh. Staff are amazing. I only come 3 times a year or so. They always remember me and greet me like an old friend. Amazing aged beef and seafood and their oysters are the best and cheapest in Melbourne. Don't miss it when you are in the area

Amazing as always. The stuffed calamari has been there for so many years and so it should. Beautiful dish. Even the kids Spaghetti Napolitana was perfect. Could go on but won't. Perfect

Esca Grill is a premium restaurant in Melbourne- Moonee Ponds area. I have had couple of corporate lunches here and goes without saying it couldn't be better. The seafood is a must try of you are planning to dine here.

The seafood was amazing! The serving sizes aren't big but they are full of flavor and I left very content. If you are looking for succulent seafood then Esca Grill is a must try

Our dinner began with the mixed seafood platter and cured meats platter to share. For main I had the whiting with chips and tartare. Would have been nice to see more fish options for mains that were a little more interesting than essentially 'fish and chips.' I thought for the price it was average and not a meal that would make me run back in a hurry. Others on the table who had meat for their main thought their dishes were nice. Unfortunately for me, I was disappointed.

DINNER<br/><br/>Amazing food, fun atmosphere, great seating. Specialises in seafood, best seafood we have had. Was really busy and for good purpose. Was worth every cent and was a nice experience. If you like seafood this is the place for you.

Great place! <br/>Food was amazing, the restaurant had a great feel. Waiter was great, good fun. Each course was yummy! Dessert wasn't traditional but if you like chocolate ice-cream then you will enjoy it. Thanks for a great night!

came here two weeks ago on a weekend to celebrate my boyfriend's mother's birthday. we made the booking for 6 people in advance as the restaurant gets really crowded during weekends. <br/><br/>upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted warmly by the waiter who then led us to our table. we ordered a bottle of red wine to share while looking through the menu.<br/><br/>for the entree, everyone had their own plate of seafood platter, which consisted of scallop with savoury condiment, charred prawn with a hint of spice, and prawn stuffed in baby calamari with roasted cherry tomato and fregola. the entree was very well presented, that's for sure. flavour wise, each element of the dish stood out on their own and we enjoyed them very much. <br/><br/>moving on, we each ordered a different main course for ourselves. i ordered the crispy duck breast with confit leg, blood plums, snow pea shoots and grappa sauce while my boyfriend ordered a porterhouse steak. his family ordered pasta of the day (which was gnocchi on that day), seafood chowder with baked puff pastry on top, herb crusted romsey lamb rump with yoghurt and fish that has a touch of japanese flavours (it was served with miso sauce/base). we enjoyed our main courses a lot, and we felt pretty full from our food.<br/><br/>however, one should never say to ordering more food to eat, which is dessert! ☻ we ordered the strawberry and meringue cheesecake with coulis and chantilly cream, vanilla bean crème brûlée served with monte carlo biscuit and raspberry sorbet, and chocolate truffle. everyone managed to try the desserts, and we were full and satisfied with our dinner.<br/><br/>this has been my second experience dining at this restaurant so far (i had rib eye with truffle and black olive butter the first time), and i have enjoyed both times i was here. 10/10 for service, food and ambiance! :)

The main menu was okay but not spectacular. It was also fairly limited. The desserts were great though and we really enjoyed them. The service was good.

Went for dinner here last night and it was brilliant. Oysters were fresh, prawns melt in my mouth and homemade spaghetti was very good. All you could ask for in modern Italian cuisine. Took customers here and they were impressed with my selection. Escagrill hats off !!

I came here for a family function over the weekend. We were seated in a separate room with our own private waiter and set menu which was a little fancier then I was expecting. The waiter was very efficient and friendly taking our drink orders and main menu preferences very early on making us feel very comfortable and catered for.  <br/><br/>Entree consisted of a very generous prosciutto, olive, rocket and mozzarella platter. This was followed by an equally generous serving of hot and cold seafood platters to share, laden with crabs, scampi, prawns, oysters, a mussel and pippi stew and plenty of salt and pepper squid.  All extremely tasty and satisfying.  <br/><br/>Mains were a choice of rib eye fillet with mash, spatchcock with mozzarella and capsicum or a barramundi fillet with a couscous & bean salad. Sides included some awesome crispy potatoes and a lovely Waldorf style salad.  I had hoped for the the spatchcock, however I was informed that the kitchen had run out (disappointing), so I had to settle for the baramundi fillet. Unfortunately, I found the fish a little over soaked in oil (and maybe I had my heart really set on the spatchcock), however other people at the table enjoyed it.  Mr B, who had also ordered the spatchcock, settled on the rib eye and unfortunately found it over cooked for what he had expected (medium rare).  Overall the mains were ok...but nothing spectacular...especially in comparison to the first two courses.<br/><br/>Dessert redeemed things again with the perfect combination of crispy and creamy canoli!<br/><br/>Overall I can't complain too much about the food as it was pretty good and even exceptional in parts. Our only real concern for the night was the slight over enthusiasm of the waiter...who make no mistake was extremely good at waitering...but may have crossed the line a little when he decided to contribute to the family speeches and tell one too many stories about his family history.

I've been here many times and have honestly loved it every single time. The food is wonderful, they're always happy to accommodate dietary requirements where possible and there are pleanty of gluten free options. <br/>Service is extraordinarily welcoming and helpful, we even got complimentary dessert wine on our last visit!<br/>The atmosphere is wonderful and it's a beautiful restaurant. If I had to complain about one thing, the lights are ever so slightly too dim but honestly that doesn't even matter. <br/>I hope to be back soon!

Went there after s break, still very good , can get busy, nice steaks, had the t-bone wagyu and the rib-eye, the others had the fish selection and FOD all were good. Nice potato mash and salad , can get super busy which makes service a bit tricky <br/>

Came here for lunch several times. I just went with the group flow as I didn't have a preference. The guys that I went with really likes the food here and think the wine is worth its value. But it's kinda ok for me. The dishes are visually appealing. The dishes I had didn't give me the flavour suited for me. I wanted to add stuff to my dishes. But adding salt and pepper wasn't exactly right either. I'll go with the crowd, but it's not my choice by default.<br/><br/>Update: Sept 2017. I had to update the score to 4 cos of the Lamb they are offering on their menu. Friends have been here several times in the last several months and the lamb is just that good, each and every time... falls off the bone and just so tender. I'm not a lamb person, but friends are giving me a bashing if this lamb wasn't properly documented in my review. So, here it is. For those that like lamb, here is an option for you to decide. <br/>

Had my daughters communion here. Food and service was amazing and price was great too. Definitely recommend and will definitely return. Food is so tasty and fresh.

I've been here twice in the past two months, once as a group of four, once as a couple. Each time I have been extremely satisfied with the service, food and drinks on offer. It's a moderately expensive restaurant, but it's commensurate with the experience you receive. I'll happily go hack here again, and will definitely order the bombe Alaska for dessert again.

Esca Grill is by far our most favourite restaurant. Every restaurant we go to, we find ourselves comparing to Esca! And they're never even close! We have been dining here for about 7 years now, we even had our wedding here. Service is amazing and the food is exceptional. My favourites are the oysters, stuffed baby calamari & whiting, and their steaks are the best we have ever had.

One of the worst experiences I have ever had at a restaurant.<br/><br/>- I arrived on time for my booking. A 15 minute wait became a 30 minute wait, which became a 1 HOUR WAIT. 45 minutes in we were told to “be patient”.<br/><br/>- To ease the boredom/pain, we were served drinks. Instead of making up for the waiting time by providing drinks on the house, we were wrongly charged for an extra drink.<br/><br/>- Staff treated us as if we were part of a production line. We assumed our relatively young age had something to do with it. Woeful.<br/><br/>- Food was ok but way too overpriced. I had the rib eye steak (on top of entrees) and walked out hungry. Ended the night at McDonalds with a Big Mac.<br/><br/>- During eating, we asked on two separate occasions for some lemon with the seafood dish (somehow did not come with it!!) and water. We waited 10 minutes both times before asking a different experience.<br/><br/>Overall, given the $$$ and reputation of the restaurant, we had a VERY POOR experience, so much so that I just made an account to share this.

Fantastic food, efficient service. Can't complain, expensive but you pay for what you get. The cheesecake is the best I have ever had. Highly recommended.

Elegant setting, attentive service, fantastic food. What more could you ask for? Walking past one evening we stepped in without a reservation and were seated promptly. Matriarch Mama Maria told us they never turn away a customer if they can help it. Maria's two sons, she told us, run the restaurant and are both chefs. The 14 hour cooked lamb roast was generous and a gastronomic delight. Water glasses were always topped up without asking, waiter always on hand if needed. Wine selection was extensive. A classy restaurant in the heart of Moonee Ponds. We will definitely be back.

Bloody marvelous. Great food, great wine, great service. Definitely a more pricey restaurant but you get what you pay for! Only downside is on a busy night can wait quite a while between courses

Fantastic food and excellent service. Our prawns were cooked and seasoned to perfection. The waiting staff were super friendly and very knowledgeable. Great wine list. I would definitely return!

This place is amazing for a date night or special event. The seafood is fresh and immaculately presented, and I also can't fault the rib eye. Good beverage list and the cocktails are well made too. Definitely on the expensive side however.

A bit pricey however the steak was impeccable, I ordered the eye fillet (the cheapest item off the menu) and was pleasantly surprised. Melt in your mouth steak, broccolini and mash with a delicious red wine jus, will be back again, but only as a treat.

Been here twice. Great food, great service, can't ask for more. We had black angus scotch fillet steak, it was cooked just right, great flavour, I would highly recommend.

My girlfriend and I went last week which we like to think we eat at restaurants with amazing food, unfortunately we didn't have such luck here. We ordered the premium seafood platter for two, (which the prices have gone up from the photos on here) the cooked fish was delicious yet all the cold seafood was very bland even with the added sauce. Perhaps trying the steak here instead..

Food - amazing! Service... eh... leaves a little to be desired. Kinda felt like being part of a production line. In saying that, there was nothing particularly wrong with it, just no warmth. Would I go back? For the fine dining - absolutely! For the hospitality - I might be inclined to weigh up my other options first.

Brought the man here for a surprise date night on a saturday night. He was a impressed and a little worried he was underdressed. Was busy but we still got exceptional and professional service. Boyfriend had the King George whiting with sald. I had the veal that was a special. Large portions and were nice. Dessert we had the creme brulee (nice but I'd had better) and chocolate fondant to share. Was extremely rich but i guess thats why the desert portions were small. Bill came to $130 with 2 alcohol drinks but we left satisfied. I suppose you could complain it's expensive for what you get but bear in mind you pay for the service as well and it is 'fine-dining'. Will be back next time (for a special occasion) for the seafood platter and slow cooked lamb...it looked and smelt amazing!

Now let me start by saying that I am not a big fan of seafood, but thought i would give it a try here. What a great idea that was the prawns for entrée were cooked to perfection and then the fish for the main was irresistible. This place is a little more pricey than other places in the area, but it is well worth it

Delicious seafood. Excellent service.

One of the more expensive restaurants of the area, but great food with wonderful staff. We enjoyed a lovely three course meal and wines were also great. All dishes were cooked to perfection, particularly the pasta dish. A lovely restaurant for a special occasion. Will return without a doubt!

Dropped in late last Friday with wife and kids for a late dessert and coffee, and maybe it's because I am kind of familiar, but by no means regular, but no one does great service and respect to customers so consistently like this place, if I am not happy I tell them, and the last time was in 2008, and they were good about and don't forget and try to fix things. Never disappoints me here and good people.

Overated and waiting staff distant and aloof. What a disappointment for an anniversary dinner. The waiter was very aloof and appeared preoccupied. Only one slice of bread. As soon as it was eaten plates taken away!!! The food was ok but for the money, there are much better venues around. <br/>Won't be going back there. <br/>Maybe management need to look at their waiting staff.

Booked for Mother's Day lunch here 2 weeks ago. When we arrived on time on the day, the owner/manager stated that there was no room for us and that we would have to wait 20 minutes. We asked where we could wait and he gestured outside in the freezing cold and rain. I must've given him a confused look because he rudely stated, "there's nothing we can do-20 minutes!"<br/>Needless to say we went up the road and had a lovely Mother's Day lunch where the staff understand how to manage diners and provide customer service. <br/>Absolutely disgusted by the behaviour of this man.

Varying Standards of Service. My partner and I have had a wonderful experience two months ago when we dined there for the first time. The service was very friendly and attentive, and the menu was explained to us clearly to help us make our choices. It was a very impressionable experience and we have longed to return to the restaurant. <br/><br/>We've just come back from dining at Esca Grill tonight (8/5/15) and I must say I'm quite disappointed with the service that was provided to us. Initially, it took a while before our orders were taken, and then when our orders were taken, the waiter appeared distracted and distant. We ordered two entrees (scallops and calamari) and we both ordered individual mains (my partner ordered the pasta special and I ordered the hot seafood platter). We finished the entrees which were delicious. However, when my seafood platter arrived, I discovered that the scallops and calamari were served to me again, along with fish sticks (which were dry and underwhelming) and king prawns. I expressed my frustration to the waiter and asked why I wasn't told that we had ordered the same food twice, and that I'd have ordered something else if I knew I was going to have the same things for both entree and main. The waiter tried to come up with an excuse but wasn't apologetic, and no amendments were made to improve the situation. <br/><br/>I've also noticed that the waiters were visibly passive aggressive towards each other and towards the busboy/busgirl, and the atmosphere was very uneasy for us as diners. For a restaurant that charges a premium for its food, we expected excellent service but it was a let down this evening. I was intending to have my birthday party there in a few weeks and now I'm considering an alternative venue. The dining experience that we've had tonight has left a really bad taste in my mouth, and the superb service that we had previously experienced is likely to be a thing of the past.

Absolutely loved this restaurant. Meals and service was amazing. Deserts to die for try the deconstructed cheesecake absolutely stunning. Will be back soon.

Top 5 steaks I've ever eaten and I have clocked some of the best recommended in Melbourne. Had a 60 day aged wagyu scotch, it was the softest most flavoursome bit of meat of all time. Great size and it came with a carrot purée and a simple jus which was extremely complimentary... And I don't even like carrots. Seafood entree was also magnificent. 10/10

Food OK, but overpriced. The steak we had was OK, small to medium serve but only came with a small tomato and some kind of tasteless potato. Dessert of chocolate fondant with caramel icecream was beautiful. Put a dampner on the whole evening when we had just finished eating and the waiter came out and asked us to fix up the bill because someone else was waiting for the table. We were waiting for the bill anyway, it was not necessary to ask us to go. Very rude. Tried once, wont bother to go back again.

Fabulous! Will certainly be back!. Thank you for such a beautiful dining experience. This was our first visit and everything about it was just divine. The food was beautifully cooked and prepared, staff were very accommodating and pleasant. Thumbs up, will be back!

Good meat, but the coffee (especially the long black) and cheesecake were a huge disappointment. Stay away from the desserts.

Excellent food, great service and lovely atmoshere!. Thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Food was delicious and staff very attentive. Will be back.

Best Tagliatelle and seafood in town!. My wife and I eat at esca grill regularly , we have never been disappointed with any of our meals that we have had there. We particularly love the tagliatelle and seafood pasta dish, the boys there never get it wrong! The best we've had in Melbourne!

Lovely. I love this restaurant the service was efficien friendly and polite

...... Esca Grill turns out an equally exceptional main course. Once again, the generous portion size is not to be faulted, if you enjoy fine dining with portion sizes to equally match the higher prices – this restaurant offers excellent value. Throughout this dish you will be treated to perfectly cooked duck breast with crispy skin, confit duck leg (brilliant) and I believe pork croutons; but I may be wrong. All in all, another well executed dish. Other notable dishes which were not pictured include the gnocchi with wagyu meatballs which was simply divine, the rocket, parmesan and poached pear salad (refreshing and a lovely palette cleanser) as well as the salmon and grass-fed steak which was elegantly presented (although I can’t comment on taste). Esca Grill joins the ranks amongst a host of restaurants along Mount

Better options elsewhere. The food here is not bad but its not awesome either... for the prices they charge it should really be better. 5hey also had ran out of 2 of the main courses and it was only 19.30.. pretty poor effort. Chocolate pudding was good but I'd never go back

What can you say apart from one of the best restaurants melbourne has to offer. Value for money and service is second to none.

Great food ! quality service. Great food , quality service value for money.

What a great restaurant. Great ambiance, service and the menu and wine selections are fantastic. The seafood seems to be the pick. . We had a large group and the seafood choices were remarked upon very positively. Two of us had the steak and it failed to live up to our anticipation. Not as tender as I expected and it was more well done than medium. Despite this I would go back

Can't wait for it to open again. My husband and I eat here often and we can't get enough of this place. Exceptional food like bbq chilli prawns you could die for, best pantagonian toothfish in melbourne not to mention amazing prosciutto wrapped quail and just when you think you've had enough a shared chocolate tasting plate to make your night finish on an absolute high. Service is friendly and warm and the family friendly atmosphere second to none. I highly recommend to the best foodies out there who love fresh, high quality produce and innovative cooking. Love love love this place. Can't wait for the doors open for 2015.

Good service good food, a little on the expensive side but comfortable seating and a good atmosphere. Limited menu could do with a little more variety.

Ten out of Ten. Wonderful fresh oysters, Beautiful Elegant Surroundings complemented with exceptional service

Great vegetarian meal. Excellent service and delicious pasta for vegetarians

Omg - amazing food and service! The seafood pasta is to die for! Love love love!

The Seafood Chowder. It was nice and creamy, yet not too heavy, with the right amount of fresh seafood.

Fantastic. We had our work Christmas function at Escagrill last night. We had an excellent booth in the back of the restaurant. The food was fantastic, as were the wait staff. A great time was had by all. Much appreciated. Thank You, Escagrill. 

Very $$. Overall it was a good experience. I can't help but feel like we were a number in line when they pushed 7 bottles of mineral water for $45 onto us. I asked them to stop at 4 and they kept going. My steak (rib eye for $42) was ok. Meat & Wine Co is 10x better. No sides for a $42 steak? seriously. If you are going to charge like wounded bulls please add more value. <br/>I rarely post negative but this place is ok and charges like it is outstanding. Our waiter didn't give us any eye contact and had about as much personality as a thumb. 6/10

Best Patagonian toothfish in the world! Can't be beaten. While you're there have the wagyu steak. Creme brûlée is a favourite as well! Challenge anyone to name a better Resturant.

Best chowder. The best seafood chowder I've ever had!!!

Great Food and Service. Absolutely great food and service. Fresh, tasty and really good value. Will definitely come back here on our next trip and recommend it to friends.

Not worth the crazily long wait times on a Saturday for food or the high prices. Also, I was totally disturbed last Saturday night to see the owner and waiter/s apparently having an altercation with a small group of diners that included children. This was disgraceful and so unprofessional. I will NEVER return and encourage other locals to head to other places around moonee ponds or even the city (which would be cheaper).

Lovely staff, great service, fresh food.

Great value & Excellent Service. We been to this restaurant few times so far along with friends .never been disappointed .from warm welcome at the door to carefully prepared foods with fresh ingredient along with excellent service every time made our night special .i personally love their in house dry aged steaks and their beautiful desserts plater called Esca plate .we will be back as usual to try new dishes and new wine from extensive wine list

Worth a visit. Had been before with a group and all were impressed with the quality of the food and service. Used a Groupon voucher for lunch and it represented great value. It was a set two course meal - bruschetta and scotch fillet. The first course was excellent, the steak was nothing special in terms of the cut (what can you expect for $40 for two) but the jus was superb and made it a memorable meal. The wine included in the meal was also very good but I was surprised that an extra glass was $11. A bit rich in my opinion. This is a good quality restaurant. The decor is good, the food and service very good. If you are a steak person, give Esco a burl.

Service brilliant. Had beautiful seafood, with fabulous waiting service and attention to detail. We enjoyed our night out

We'll be back. Just enjoyed a lovely evening to celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary, Esca Grill was everything we were looking for. Ambient, private booth, excellent table service with staff who knew their stuff and offered great menu suggestions. I decided on the Chefs' Special of Snapper Pie (a dish I would never normally go for) and enjoyed every bit!! Will definitely be taking friends back to our new. "find"!

Girls Night dinner Great Choice. The food was cooked to perfection and it as quick despite the amount of people dining in the restaurant <br/>Loved that the chefs were viewable from our booth <br/>The service was great and the staff very attentive <br/>We sat in a both which e really enjoyed it gave us a kind of private feeling <br/>We ate we drank and we laughed <br/>Bringing the family back to Esca Grill for sure

Will be back. I went to this place last night with my partner and it was simply beautiful. The lamb shoulder we had was so tender and delicious. The combination of the meat and the sauce makes this an outstanding dish. I highly recommend it

Millionaires dine only. Wayyyyyy over priced. great service. average portions and average food

We went there for groupon lunch,the service is good. Steak is in good quality and has been perfectly cooked, love the sauce.

Purchased groupon voucher entitling us to supposedly $189 worth of dining. Food was exceptionally salty and definitely not even worth the groupon voucher price. Dessert (not included in the voucher) was burnt. The service was good, if not a bit heavy handed. Overall, wouldn't go back.

Highly recommend as a function venue!!. I had my son’s baptism at Esca Grill today and I could not be more satisfied with how it went. Dominic was so accommodating to our needs and requests in the organisation of the event, I didn’t have to worry about a thing. I was very impressed with the level of service by the wait staff and their efforts to make my guests happy. There was a wide variety of food and I cannot speak highly enough of the quality and freshness of the ingredients, my guests have been raving about it all afternoon. To top it off, I found the costs more than reasonable. If I could do it again, I wouldn't change a thing, I could not fault it! and I’m planning to be a repeat customer and have my next function here. I highly recommend this venue to people who appreciate premium quality food & wine, excellent service, value for money and want an organised event that is managed by experienced staff.

Steak night. Used a dining voucher purchased on groupon.com.au... $49 gave 2 of us 2 course meal and wine. atmosphere was gorgeous. staff were fab.. steak was delicious.its a seafood restaurant but I love my meat. yes definitely b back.

Wonderful. I came here on date night and I was very pleased. We both had the steaks which were delicious and the service was fantastic. I'll be back.

Love the atmosphere and service, but found the food average. Steak was overcooked and sauce was very ordinary. Will return to give another chance, but maybe I'll just stick to seafood.

Esca blew us away with their quality and service. Went along for a family get together and what a surprise we had... everyone loved it. We all had seafood patters to start with and it was all so fresh that it was quickly devoured! I had the chat grilled steak, just perfect, others had the barramundi and raved about the quality and freshness... There was nothing to fault. The restaurant has a beautiful spacious interior reminiscent of a good quality city restaurant with seating available in booths and tables. There's lots to keep your eye occupied from the copper refrigerator's used to hang their slabs of wonderful meat cuts to the open kitchen to the large retro meat slicer by the front window. We were made to feel really welcome and every request was actioned for us. No hesitation in recommending Esca to anyone that needs a special night out.

Terrible service. Waiter was not at all helpful, was disinterested and unattentive to any of our requests. Steak was over cooked and on telling the waiter we were then told by him "No, that's how it's supposed to be" and shut down. He continued through out the whole experience to be rude and quite arrogant- clearing unfinished dishes when asked not to and muttering bad language under his breath. By far the worst restaurant experience I have had, due to the service. Will not be returning and neither will any of my family and friends.

This restaurant is always consistant their seafood meat and service would have to be one of the best in Melbourne!

I love Esca Grill - great staff who care about serving great seafood and steaks. Not a bad wine-list either.

Elegant. Not much can be said about Esca Grill other than try it your self you will not be disappointed. I would have to say best seafood. Will try the steak next time.<br/>One waiter was the best, when we first walked in I wish I had asked his name, the others, totally insignificant, they could at least smile. Cant wait to go back. This is how you run a restaurant.

Service and food wa great. Staff look so professional. Great calamari dish really fresh fish. I waa slighty disappointed with the crispy skin snapper. The skin was not crispy. But will definitely come back.