Beautiful and tastefully decorated. This isn't your pier 1 eat pray love interior. Fixtures and pattern's that are tasteful and enduring. Our server Michael was phenomenal. Well mannered , knowledgeable about the menu , sincere all well moving with a purpose. He treated us a lonely table of 2 like we were his only priority well simultaneously handling a 10 , 4 and 6 top. We sat in the side dining room facing the kitchen pass. We watched 6 pros handle business. Minimal words just chin gestures and some pointing. Some serious heat was moving thru that kitchen being passed to runners that kept that fire alive calling for garnish extra sauce and accoutrements as if it was Orchestra.Food was phenomenal. Egregious portions. Flavors layer. Sweet salty fatty creamy one after another nothing standing too far out or too far behind. The spice in the seafood dish was about right to let you know it was there but not over stay it's welcome. Plump seafood with a clean finish. We shared a bite with each other and went for seconds. The dessert a catcher's mitt size of chunk of old style ricotta cheese cake. Mind you all this was happening when they were serving a wedding of 50 in the back room. Two cons. The a/c wasn't working it was a little warm. I won't harp too much on that we had extreme weather the day prior. Number 2 . Truffle oil. The table next to us ordered truffle fries. We smelt it , the table on the far side of us smelt it. Truffle oil is so strong you can smell it on your clothes the next day. read more

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Food and service: 5 stars. Management: 3 stars Our food was outstanding and our server Lilly couldn't have been sweeter and attentive! Even though it was a little loud, it was a great night until we left. I scraped my leg on the platform for musicians - it wasn't well marked. Blood was running down my leg and the hostesses couldn't find a bandage. It took 15-20 minutes to talk to the manager. I suggested she get a first-aid kit for the front desk. read more

The food was good though the stuffed flounder was a bit salty. The chicken involtini was very good. The big issue was the AC was not working in the restaurant area. We were told the AC was 'just turned on' when actually it hadn't been working for a few weeks. They had fans but for the price paid for the food it was uncomfortable and not an enjoyable experience . Flys were also adding to not being able to enjoy the meal. The staff was great. We felt bad for them working in the heat. Get your AC fixed please and maybe we'll come back. read more

Service at the bar is the best. All the bartenders are very friendly. We love wine and meatball Wednesday nights and burger night Thursday. The burger specials always on point and cooked to perfection. read more

I've been here a few times recently. Just love this place. Always great food and a wonderful staff. I've had family dinners with my children, sat at the bar in a high top with girlfriends and sat in the back room with a large family party of 10. All excellent in every way! read more

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The bread was great. Calamari was excellent. The other appetizers were ok. I ordered pizza and expected it to be good, it was horrible. The sauce and cheese were trash, the crust was ok. They should be ashamed of the pizza. I would go back though read more

Food is great, but not when you have to sit sweating in their dining room with the air conditioner broken. It would have been nice if they told us that when we made our reservation! So for now, AVOID this restaurant. Maybe when they fix the A/C I'll update my review. Seriously, they didn't even bring Ice with the water...we had to ask, and then we got 4 glasses of ice for 8 people. No air con, no ice, 92 degrees outside, over 80 inside. Nah, can't give this a good rating at this time. Sorry! (July 10 2026) read more

Service was fantastic. I wish I remembered her name but we visited 3/20/24 around 6:30pm and we were sat right away in the bar area (we liked that option.) Wednesdays are martini and meatballs night. We didn't take advantage of the special but most of the meatball dishes were $15. The table next to us ordered a few and I made a note of the great portion that's given. Next time we will definitely try that. I ordered the ricotta tortellini with wagyu bolognese. HIGHLY recommend it! I'm a sauce girl, and there was no shortage of it. My boyfriend got the NY strip with truffle fries and sautéed spinach. The steak was perfectly cooked, but unfortunately it lacked seasoning. We both can't say we would spend the $65 on it again. The truffle fries were a hit with the both of us. The spinach not so much. The drinks are very well balanced. I got the Southside Fizz. Make sure you have a pallet for gin if you order that. I enjoyed it, but someone looking for the alcohol taste to be masked would not. Last thing - idk what their house wine is, but the Chardonnay was shockingly incredible. Yes, the HOUSE wine! I must find out if that's their own or a bottle I can buy somewhere. read more

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Great service & food was good! My fiancé got the burger and thought it was really good. I got a steak. I probably wouldn't get it again from here but the sides, apps, drinks, bread, were all so good! read more

The butcher board is to die for . I think their fresh bread comes from Philadelphia area, the bread is absolutely delicious. We usually eat at the bar during happy hour for good food, relaxation , good company, and excellent service! read more

Delicious food, clean restaurant, friendly staff, amazing dinner had by all of our party of 7. Plus there's also a kids menu. read more

Great place . Friendly staff. Great food and drinks . Enjoyable bar environment. Thursday burger night is a great deal

Great food and ambience. Everyone at our table enjoyed their meals and had a great time. We will be back!

Get service and tasty burger, wait staff above a 10. Very clean n nice flower arrangements. Relaxing read more

I would give Aqua Blu a 3.75 out of 5. We were able to get a last minute reservation for 5 on a Friday evening. The service was great, pretty quick and gave great recommendations. Overall the food was solid, I would definitely recommend the eggplant parm, crispy rock shrimp and pepperoni pizza. The calamari and Romain salad were good but not amazing. The drinks however were so so good! It can be hard to find good food and good cocktails around the Jersey shore since so many restaurants are BYOB but these cocktails were great! The restaurant was very very dark it almost felt like we were dinning in the dark but there was live music and it was very big. read more

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Great Bar service! Well made drinks and a wonderful happy hour. The crowd is middle aged and very friendly . I always order the chili lime chicken wings that are always a bar special. Enjoy! read more

Everything went well service to me is everything it was excellent. The food was great. The drinks were not watered down and the ambience was nice. read more

Food was mediocre, I've had better food at Mia's in Ortley Beach. When they charge $10 to add pasta to a seafood dish, it's just ridiculous. Food was not great. Had linguine and clams basically gave you nine clams probably won't go there again. read more

Arrived 15 minutes early for reservation on a Wednesday night when there were plenty of empty tables. We're told we'd wait until our exact time to be seated but nowhere at bar to grab a drink. Lounge singer was okay but he had his volume high enough for the older deaf crowd to hear, which was way too loud. The old folks with hearing aids probably turned them off. Our service was good. The "chimichurri" sauce with the hangar steak needs a bit of tweaking. (At minimum some salt) Rest of our food was good, pasta, salad, meatballs etc. read more

I received a gift card to this place and been passing it for years. This is an upscale experience. Tables are small for 2 people and a kid. Even if I didn't have our son, they are small tables. We ordered the chicken and pork chop. Presentation on both meals were high quality. Her pork chop was very good. Cooked well and definitely was worth the price. She stated the best pork chop she ever had. My chicken I asked to substitute potatoes since I can't have starches with Brussel sprouts. When the meal arrived it was missing the sausage that comes in the chicken meal. I had a few bites realizing something wasn't right. It was returned and made correctly. The juice from the chicken, sausage, peppers made a nice broth and tasted great. I wasn't happy being charged 5 bucks for the substitute. According the waitress the chef insisted a charge was on it. After my order being messed up, I think they would correct the mistake and not charge me. My sons pizza was fine. It's kids pizza. The biggest complaint is the service. It was so slow. We ordered the kids pizza before we ordered. The pizza came out before our orders went in. I saw our waitress not doing much. Just to receive the check, pickup the check, pickup our dinners, it just felt longer then needed. The sit down area also wasn't busy. Overall, this restaurant is fine. I can't say I would return anytime soon. The penny pitching for the food, plus the disappointing service for a slower night. I feel this a once of year place to visit. The price didn't justify the experience. read more

Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails - New American Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

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We visit Aqua frequently for happy hour. They have great specials and the food and service is always good. My only complaint is lack of water views. It's near a marina yet no windows or views outside. The inside is dark. Not sure why that's the case. They have a few tables for outside seating near the entrance and facing the highway, which isn't appealing. I hope they can lighten it up with more windows and views in the future. read more

Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails - Happy hour! Paloma is good - New American Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

Been here a few times and it is consistently good. Excellent priced happy hour beverages with a very good selection of happy hour foods - not greasy or heavy. Nice clientele at the bar, nicely decorated, very clean bathrooms, pleasant and professional staff. I recommend it here. A mature place to celebrate the end of a work week with a friend or spouse read more

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Had my sweet 16 last night had the time of my life it was such an amazing party i couldn't had of imagined it any other way the room was perfect and the food was amazing the owner is one of the sweetest people and was there for me the whole night thank you cathy for being such a sweet person. The dj john was great me and my friends had the best time dancing all night to a whole bunch of songs i love this restaurant and would definitely have another party here. read more

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Service was horrible. Not the staffs fault. Management had one waiter for the entire bar area. The food was not good. The fish was sent back under cooked and swimming in butter ( not as described). The one good thing is the drinks had a good pour. read more

We tried to have lunch across the road and were turned away. We entered Aqua Blu right at the beginning of Happy Hour and were seated in a quiet corner of the bar by a lovely server. The interior of the restaurant was beautifully decorated for the holidays and my friend and I had a wonderful time catching up with two glasses of red wine. We ended up picking off the Happy Hour menu: Chips and Guacamole Meatballs Fried Calamari Mussels in a white wine sauce All of the food was excellent and out server was attentive and helpful! Overall, a great experience read more

The service, food, and bartenders are top-notch! Allison and Kane deliver on drinks and personality. It is so much fun to end our week with happy hour on Friday night! Diane and Ed Brown read more

SO GOOD ! We went to aqua blu for dinner on Thursday night, which also happens to be burger night. The burgers are delicious, huge, and only $10! Best deal around. My boyfriend had the NYC deli burger which has hot pastrami on it. He seemed to enjoy every bite I had rigatoni in vodka sauce with breaded chicken (this was suggested by our amazing waiter - Michael, about out Michael) Other food had but not pictured: scallops over risotto, oysters, eggplant parm appetizer, grilled Cesar salad, all which received 5 's To end our meal we had espresso martinis and Michael brought us an array of dessert on the house. He knew we were celebrating my boyfriend for just taking the bar exam. Truly a nice guy! The room we sat in was so pretty. It is decorated beautifully with lights, candles, and ivory. I can't wait to go back to aqua blu! Not only is their burger night deal an absolute steal, but all the food on the regular menu is just as good! read more

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We had a long wait to sit down even with a reservation. The food was only ok. They forgot to put in a meal, burger came out like a hockey puck and our glass of wine had to be brought to our table by the person who ordered it. Wasn't even crowded. They had a DJ playing fun music. That was the best part. read more

How can I not have reviewed this place coming here for as long as I remember? IMPOSSIBLE but I have no registered review here so here we go. As stated, 8 plus years dining here from the bar to main dining room, with mostly Wednesday evenings being my go-to as they have live entertainment in the form of Atlantic City headliner "Gerard Esposito" If you haven't gone and had dinner and a show, you're missing the best Wednesday night down the shore there is. Plenty of parking, large bar area, main dining room where the entertainment is and larger quite dining areas in the back which is also used for banquets & Private parties. Menu is diverse with plenty of option for everyone. There is also a bar menu which can be utilized when at a table. this review sort of covers multiple visits this summer. Service is always due to the high changeover of young students as their go to help seems to be spotty with some help being exceptional while others being useless. Bartenders haven't changed much over the years, and they continue to provide a great pour and good conversation. Appetizers are always solid Such as the Butcher board, Mussels, clams or the best crispy provolone with dipping vodka sauce around. The Hanger steak with chimichurri sauce is always excellent while the Burger and fries are to die for. Avoid at all costs their pizzas this year just a sloppy mess undercooked dough, uncooked tomato sauce does not make for a good combo (Have to be honest no matter how much I like this place). deserts are always good as well. Years go by and this is the best Wednesday stop in town. Dinner, appetizers & Gerard Esposito make for a memorable evening! read more

We had a great family dinner here on a Saturday night during MDW. Our waitress was great and very knowledgable of the menu and offerings. We ordered the octopus, calamari and cheese board. I thought the cheese board was average, prosciutto was not the best I've had. However, the octopus is great and the calamari was awesome. It came with a lemon aioli instead of the usual marinara sauce and I thought it was outstanding. For entrees two of us got the hanger steak, one short ribs, one branzino and one got chicken milanese (which they made for a picky eater). I had the steak and it was a perfect medium rare with tasty chimichurri and the french fries were nice and well done. I tried the branzino and that was very good, it had a nice char to the outside skin. Everyone enjoyed their meal and I can't wait to come back again this summer! read more

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They have a piano player every Friday night from 5 to 9 pm. Service is excellent. Food is awesome. read more

I live around the corner and I am certainly grateful. The best part of Aqua Blu is the staff. Kane the bartender is a sweet angel. Speaking of angels - Mike & Juan who are servers, the absolute best. Saturday night DJ always a fun time. Have to mention Alexa too - she's awesome! Love this place, can't go wrong. Even have our family celebrations here. read more

My friend & I wanted to meet for happy hour some place between both of our homes & Aqua Blu fit the bill perfectly. Happy hour is Monday thru Friday, 2-6. We arrived about 3:30 & there were plenty of seats at the bar. The bartender welcomed us before we even sat down, nice. The decor is quite but nice & we chose seats at the bar. The bartender showed us the happy hour menu & took our drink orders. I wanted a glass of pinot noir & find many places serve real garbage for happy hour. Not here, my wine was great! We checked out the happy hour menu & there were many options at reasonable prices. We decided to share a margarita pizza, calamari & sliders. The food came out hot & quite tasty, even the pizza crust. Portions were great & sharing the dishes between 2 of us was too much food. Our bartender continued to check on us to see if we needed anything throughout the visit. Only 2 small negatives...I find many places are skimpy with basil on margarita pizzas. I really don't get it as basil is cheap as hell. Because of this I asked for extra basil. Our pizza came out with 3 little basil leaves on it. Presentation was nice but I would've liked more (& I'm sure our bartender would have gladly brought more if I had asked again, but I didn't). Second, as much as our bartender had a great personality & was very friendly, her replacement seemed to have very little. I wish I had asked our original bartender her name. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised at this place & equally surprised I'd never been there before. I'd probably give it a 4.5 star review if I could. I will definitely return, maybe for dinner next time. read more

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Food was pretty good, service was decent. The issue and I can't get over it, the portion size for the shrimp cocktail. We were a party of 4 splitting apps and a huge plate with like a pound of ice comes out with 3 shrimp. Shrimp cocktail app needs to be 6 shrimp. I'm sorry. And the cocktail sauce needs horseradish read more

Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails - New American Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

Wish we lived closer. Loved this place. The decor was gorgeously maintained. And for such a large place the server really made us feel welcomed. Drinks were delicious and well balanced. Only order apps but they came quick and were tasty for a late night snack. Ashley was a treat and made our visit very enjoyable. A true professional. read more

Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails - Drinks!! - New American Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

Stick to pasta here , would not recommend the steaks dinners here . Apps were delicious and my wife's pasta dish . My steak was sent back .

This place is over priced and the portions are small. We didn't have a reservation so we where sat in the bar area. I have a bad back and the seating is extremely uncomfortable! The menu has a very small selection and the food was ok but nothing to rave about. It's a very trendy type of bar / restaurant. It look like a scene out of a Godfather move or the sopranos if you know what I mean. Not sure if I would ever give it a second chance. Just don't see a need to torture my back again. read more

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Great food, service, and music! Really nice ambiance in a well-run restaurant. Been here a few times and have always been seated on time. Plenty of parking too. Makes for a nice stress free night out. read more

My husband and I got married at Aqua Blu on 9/25/21 and it was the best choice we could have ever made! We got married at the Lavallette gazebo and our cocktail hour and reception was at Aqua with around 125 people. There aren't enough words to express our gratitude towards Cathy, Oscar, the bartenders and all of the waiters and waitresses. They truly exceeded all of our expectations! Cathy was there for our wedding night and everything went smooth and perfect (and if something did happen, i didn't know about it!) We got SO many comments about how involved, accommodating and hardworking Cathy was the whole evening- it did not go unnoticed! Thank you Cathy for bringing our entire vision to life- the welcome table, Polaroid and cake table, the most iNSANE cocktail hour and figuring out how to fit our very large band :)  Our guests CANNOT stop talking about the cocktail hour (many said it was the best they've ever been to!). The quality of the food and the presentation was truly out of this world. People are still talking about the mussel display, the freshness of the raw bar, and the insane antipasto table! Oscar and the catering staff absolutely blew us away!!!! Oscar- you are absolutely incredible at what you do! Our guests were served surf and turf (how many tradition wedding venues would offer this option?! None!) and the food was incredible! The bartenders were absolutely unreal! All of our guests said they never waited more than 15 seconds for a drink. I apologize on behalf of my friends for making them make 100 espresso martinis :) They were all SO sweet, personable, and made incredible cocktails with top shelf liquor. Our after party was held at the big bar and Oscar cheffed up some much needed chicken fingers, fries and pizza. ANYTHING that we wanted to do, they accommodated our requests. We wouldn't have changed anything about our wedding and couldn't be happier we chose to have it at Aqua Blu! You do not get this quality of service at a traditional wedding venue- I promise ! To Cathy and the entire staff: Every single thing you did to make this the best night ever makes our hearts want to explode! We truly cannot thank you enough. It was everything we wanted and SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT! You are AMAZING at what you do. Our hearts are so full!  With Love- Jenna & Frank Cimato read more

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We went on Saturday night and sat at the bar. The drinks were plentiful and Stephen our bartender was great. They had live music was very entertaining. I had the caprese salad which looks different than the norm but was good. I also had the Bolognese and it was amazing and even better the next day. read more

Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails - Bolognese - New American Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

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