Esgaroth, or Lake-town, is a fictitious community of Men upon the Long Lake that appears in the 1937 novel The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. 

Esgaroth was located in north-eastern Wilderland, a large inland region of Middle-earth.

It was situated on the western shores of the Long Lake, close to the inflow of the Forest River. The Forest River provided an upstream route to Mirkwood. 

The Lonely Mountain, which could be seen from the town and could be reached
by travelling up the Long Lake and then up its northern inflow, the Celduin. 

The Celduin flowed out of the south of the lake, providing a travel route from Esgaroth
all the way downstream to the land of Dorwinion on the Sea of Rhûn.

Master of Lake-town is the title given to the elected leader of Esgaroth. The Master of the town when Bilbo and Thorin's Company arrived in The Hobbit was portrayed as a capable businessman, but more than a little greedy and cowardly. He was stated as having run off with a large amount of gold and dying in the epilogue.