Il Pesce

Razor clams, polpo, and the fish of the day (flounder). Everything on point, even the brussels sprouts sides. Liked the laid back atmosphere.

This was our first visit. The smoked mackerel bruschetta was a meal in itself. Cobia was very fresh. The bread is superb. Wonderful wine by the glass.

Consistently excellent spot in NY’s big Eataly for seafood. Don’t miss the Zuppa de Pesce, Whole Branzino, or the swordfish. There are always excellent specials, too, reflecting the day’s catch.
Suggest you ask waiter for clarity before you choose a dish, as the authentic Italian takes on some of the dishes may be quite different from American expectations.
The counter is perfect for solo diners, too.
A favorite, consistently great.

My friend had never been to Eataly so we decided to come check it out.
We were starving so we checked out each of the restaurants to see what was available. There were two seats at the bar at Il Pesce so we gave it a try.
I ordered a glass of wine and after pouring me a taste, I didn’t like the wine. Unfortunately as I was saying I didn’t like it, the server poured me a full glass. I didn’t want to be a pain so I let it go.
We ordered the fritto misto, sea bass, and roasted fingerling potatoes to share.
The fritto misto was okay, but it felt like it was missing something. The lemon juice was needed but not enough to give it the depth I was looking for. The sea bass was very tasty, and the potatoes were cooked nicely and it was a decent portion as a side.
After our meal the server disappeared. We were waiting for our check for over 15 minutes and he came back to us without it and acted like he didn’t know we wanted it.
I wouldn’t be back, unfortunately, but will probably try other spots in Eataly.

I love the seafood dishes at Pesce! Always fresh and tasty! Authentic Italian & SIcilian recipes executed to perfection! The chocolate panna cotta and cappuccino cannot be rivaled!
***Seating is cafeteria style except with wait staff.

Despite the crowds and wait for a table, I give this place the thumbs up when it comes to the food. I started with the baccala which was just perfect For a main dish I had the whole branzino which was excellent. All washed down with a Vespa Bianco and I was in heaven.

Today, my friend and I sat in Il Pesce. I ordered the branzino whole fish, my friend ordered the orata whole fish, and we shared an appetizer of razor clams. Everything was perfectly executed. The seasoning was light and each fish had two or three side dishes. So simple and perfect– just the way I like it. Apparently the branzino is a bit oilier and more flavorful than the orata. Also, these are the best clams I’ve ever had in my entire life and this is coming from somebody who recently started loving clams/​oysters/​weird little seafood haha I would order these again for sure.

When we were ordering, I felt like the waitress was rushing. We wanted dinner but only had time to order appetizers since she had already taken the menus away. She also took forever to come by for the check.
can’t comment on the entrees, but the oysters are tiny and the squid special and side of potatoes were only okay.

Make sure you check the daily special on the wall!
For first timers to Eataly: Go to the host stand located near each restaurant to get a table. The wait varies but most of the time, it’s fast paced so the wait isn’t too terrible.
The service isn’t too great but can’t complain too much because the food is just spot on. All the seafood is fresh and they have great flavors.
I would recommend the razor clams (on daily menu), pulpo, fried seafood and any whole fish they have on the daily menu.
The razor clams are around $ 18 and it’s a great appetizer to share.
The pulpo (octopus) is super tender and comes with vegetables. I would definitely recommend this if you like octopus.
Their fish is always spot on and what can go wrong with fried seafood?
If you like seafood and if you’re at Eataly, make sure you check this restaurant out.
Their food reminded me more of food I had in Barcelona rather than Italy but still good.
Would definitely give a 4.5 if I could but service was hectic and erratic.

I’ve never been to a restaurant like this before and I loved every second of it!
The octopus salad, which isn’t actually a salad but a taste explosion in your mouth, was to die for. I don’t know what they marinade those tentacles in, but the end result is delightful bliss.
The wine selection is all from Italy and delicious. The waiter was more than helpful in determining which wine to select to go with the food.
I had the Orata, which is a fish that I’ve never tasted before. It came whole… as in head on and everything attached. It was well cooked so I was able to easily remove the head, fins, and bones and get to the tasty white meat inside. If I have the opportunity to try Orata again, I will, because it was absolutely delicious.
The only negative that I have to say is that we were seated right next to the rope that partitions the «restaurant» from the market, so we had to be a little careful with our bags and hand gestures since it sometimes got a little crowded.
I would definitely recommend this place if you like seafood, you can’t pick a bad dish!

Came here with a party of six on MLK Day late afternoon and were seated right away. Not a place for a quiet meal, as it’s right in the middle of Eataly where people are shopping for groceries and looking around.
Service was good. They constantly refilled our water and the waiters were friendly. The food’s pricey, but what do you expect? It’s Eataly.
Now on to the meal. The pesce marinato was a delicious starter. Very fresh salmon and I love the crispy parsnips. The skate was on the salty side, but I prefer it that way. It might’ve come from the Brussels sprouts, though. The Bronzino came with a marinara sauce. Otherwise, it was a little too dry. The scallops were cooked well, with some veggies on the side.
Overall, the food was pretty good, but I probably won’t come back because it’s too pricey.

Always a favorite! It feels soo good having the food here! The taste is never compromised and the service is always great! Love this place!

Il Pesce is the seafood restaurant at Eataly. Adjacent to La Piazza atrium area, its counter seating wraps around a small open kitchen on two sides. For a table at their open seating area, head to the hostess booth near the book section.
Considering it will be a casual, marketplace ambience no matter where the seat, the bar seats hold much more appeal but wait for a table if more than a party of 2. Like their other food bars, seats are first come, first serve; no saving seats, no partially seated and standing parties. When you snag one, peruse the menu already present at the place setting and the specials on the blackboard above the kitchen. A server will materialize shortly after you sit to pour water and take orders. The beverage menu, the same as can be had at most of Eataly’s restaurants, is a neatly curated list of wines, beers, and non-​mainstream sodas and drinks, dominated by Italian choices, also available for purchase onsite or in their neighboring wine store.
The food menu is streamlined, with a good mix of fish and shellfish, and seasonal vegetable sides. The crudo trio is always a sound choice and difficult to pass up: astoundingly fresh raw slices of fish, seasoned and garnished with ingredients that elevate their flavor and texture. Likewise the delicious whole fish, with at least a few choices daily, at least one pan-​seared and one roasted. But there isn’t much to criticize with such high-​quality seafood and simple preparations that would leave lesser seafood nowhere to hide. Its worth having a seat at one of the better bar seats to see their sure hand preparing the dishes.
About the only thing that limits more frequent return visits is the expense. The seafood quality and Eataly setting comes at a price. Certainly not unworthy, but the same bill can buy a dinner at a fine restaurant.

The service is quick and if you can, get the razorback clams. They’re seasonal. Otherwise you can’t go wrong with the montauk squid!

It’s located within Eataly on Fifth Avenue between 22^nd and 23^rd Street.
I went during the lunch time rush about 130 or so. They take your cell number and text you when a seat is available.
After you are seated, they give you a plate with olive oil and some bread wrapped in paper. The bread was forgetable. Neither good nor bad.
I ordered tomato fish soup. The soup was delicious. I don’t know what type of fish was actually in the soup but it was tasty.
I ordered two vegetable sides. Potatoes. And broccolini. I was happily surprised with both. I believe they first bake then grill the potatoes. I usually don’t go crazy for rosemary flavored potatoes, but these were extremely tasty. Perhaps they used rosemary oil/​essence or something along those lines. The broccolini was delicious as well. Perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned.
My main was a combination of shrimp, little neck clams, scallops, razor clam, and some bland fish in a broth along with house made rustico. What’s rustico you ask? I was wondering myself before I ordered. My waiter informed me that rustico is the house bread. Okay. So I said the fish was bland– never mind that. The shrimp were the best I’ve had outside of Japan. The scallops were actually sweet. Reminiscent of what you would be served at a sushi restaurant if you ordered raw scallop. The clams were tasty. The razor clam was out of sight. The broth was delicious. The rustico provided for the perfect end. And the bland fish was good in its own way because it helped clear the palate between the different shellfish. All in all it was wonderful.
The Service
The service was okay. The waiter took our order and we didn’t see him again. But we didn’t need to. We had our bottle of sparkling water. The busboys come around and cleared plates as needed. They worked quickly and everyone had a positive attitude. There were a bunch of specials written up on their chalkboard by the kitchen. I noticed them at the end of the meal, when we were getting up to go. It’s not obvious and not in plain site. So it would of been nice if the server offered to let us know about them at the start of our meal. But he didn’t. That was missing from the table service much like how the fifth star is missing from this review…
Price
The soup was 12. The potatoes 5. Broccolini 5. The seafood with rustico was 24. It’s actually kind of inexpensive when I consider the portions and the quality of the ingredients they use in their cooking.
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I’ve been to IL Pesce twice now and I think the first time I ordered the wrong thing because the second visit was DELICIOUS. When you come to dine at one of the restaurants at Eataly, you’re not coming for the impeccable service or cool ambiance. You come for simply good food. The seafood felt so fresh and light. I left feeling just the right amount of full and felt like the food was relatively healthy. No extravagant sauces. Just simple and fresh. My boyfriend and I shared the following:
–Montauk Squid
–Mussels wit butternut squash
–Whole Flounder
All of these were specials of the night. The squid was my favorite followed by the flounder. While the flounder did have bones, it was incredibly easy to just work around the bones since the skeleton lifted up easily. I prefer my mussels at Flex Mussels. Overall, this was a great meal.

Went on a Saturday afternoon to meet some friends from out of town. My recommendation is to check in for a table AND THEN explorer Eataly because there is usually a bit of a wait. but for us. it was worth it!
There is a permanent menu and lots of specials written on the chalk boards hanging by bar portion of this section. We ordered a variety of foods and everyone was very happy with their selections.
Our friend had a crudo sampler which was a collection of various fish, all raw like thicker cuts of sashimi served simply on a plate with a drizzle of olive oil. The grilled octopus was some of the most tender and flavor we ever had — perfectly cooked and not too charred. Our other friend also has a salad which had tuna pulverized and incorporated in the dressing — I didn’t try this, but everyone that did seemed to like this. For our mains, our friends both had the scallops, which after trying a piece I have to say these were the sweetest, tastiest scallops I’ve had in a long while. They all seemed huge as well — about the size of a toddlers fist. My wife had the mussels and she thought they were ok — she was a bit disappointed with the broth which was a little too thick and she didn’t feel like dipping bread like she normally does. I had the grilled whole Montauk flounder off of the specials — this was awesome! Simply grilled to perfection it had grilled lemon, friend tarragon and an assortment of nuts. The piece was huge — it could easily be shared by two and it was delicious. I also got a «contori» of beets that were quite delicious.
The service was pretty good and not rushed — in fact it may have been a bit on the slow and leisurely side since one of the waiters had to wait until another server brought out our cutlery before he could put the food on our table. He stood patiently with our food as he waited for his partner to arrive. The waitress wasn’t slamming the check down as soon as we finished allowing us to sit and relax after our meal. It was a good pace, but if you have an appointment after you may want to inform your server before hand. Our server in general was quite attentive throughout.
I have to say I was a bit skeptical about coming here thinking it was a «tourist trap» and I can understand why most will think that — the place was quite crowded and overwhelming, but once you sit for a meal it is a like a calm oasis in the sea of madness. The prices for some items seem a little high and others it feels like a fair value — of course this is always relative to the diner, but I will say everything we received was quality — fresh, prepared simply and expertly. I believe this is a solid choice for seafood lovers!

Had the braziano whole fish from the grill. It was filling for just me but just annoying to eat because the little bones. There was a lemon but other than that no veggies, pasta, or rice. It was $ 23 with tax was $ 25 something. Overall it was good and fresh but wouldn’t suggest coming more than once. Plus the food took forever to arrive.

Definitely a fan of IL Pesce. I was here for a quick dinner last Friday night before heading to MSG for a Billy Joel concert. IL Pesce had an overall very good rating on Unilocal, (4.0÷5.0 when I had checked) so my plan of attack was to try to get seats at IL Pesce first before trickling down my list of options. We were able to score seats instantly at the bar in midst of overhearing the hostess tell another lady that the bar area was first come first serve. I had grabbed those seats like we were playing musical chairs!
Shortly after we were approached by a server who laid down the pace and vibe. Eataly was hustling and bustling as it was and is on the regular. Our server I felt appropriately set the tone. He was casual yet respectful, polite and punctual all with a cool New York vibe. He got us waters, our wine and beer, took our orders and before we knew it, we saw the chefs cooking our meal right before our eyes. It was quite nice sitting at the bar watching them systematically construct my dish.
I had the TROUT which was on the permanent menu. my boyfriend had the SEARED SKATE CHEEKS from one of their listed specials, and a side of potatoes to share.
The TROUT was great, the lentils were even better with the truffle butter and the spice kick on the artichokes were a nice touch. It wasn’t a very colorful dish, but was definitely tasty.
The SEARED SKATE was great too! The broccoli purée with lemon zest were all so refreshing! The side of potatoes were really good too; fingerlings that were cut in half, hit with a little parsley.
There is no doubt I would return. The bar seating was the way to go!

So at first I’m like, «this restaurant only has fish? No pasta? And that one is only vegan?» and was annoyed, obviously. But it makes sense: coffee area only for coffee, cheese area only for cheese, and so on.
Il Pesce is welcomed pretentiousness with fantastic wine, great service, unbelievably good dipping olive oil, all within the down-​the-​rabbit-​hole supermarket Eatily. Lots of people watching as you enjoy your fish meal.
Child seats available!