I was very intrigued to try Aqua after passing it multiple times and reading about it. The concept of Italian and Japanese food served in the same setting seems weird but I think the execution was well done. I stopped in on the night of the Super Bowl (on purpose! I don't watch the Super Bowl and I enjoy the empty streets and businesses every year on that day). As expected, the restaurant was pretty quiet with a handful of parties seated. The restaurant is MASSIVE. Like, it kept going all the way to back when I didn't expect it to. I was alone, but since the restaurant was not busy, they gave me a 4 person table so I had plenty of room. The menu is pretty extensive in both Japanese and Italian offerings. I opted to do the Restaurant Week special. For $60, edamame, miso soup, appetizer, entree and dessert which is a great deal. I am a vegetarian and the server told me the miso soup was not vegetarian so I could not partake in the soup. I suggest reworking this to be vegetarian in the future. The edamame was good and a nice start to the meal. For my appetizer, I had the seaweed salad which was presented with the spinach actually cooked together in a rectangle shape that you had to break apart. The sever poured the sesame dressing over the salad at the table. I had the eggplant pasta dish for my entree. It was very good! Really enjoyed this. Very flavorful. For dessert, I opted for raspberry sorbet. Standard sorbet, but good. Although, not sure if this was intentional or a mistake...but at the bottom of the bowl, there was parmesan cheese sprinkled? I stopped eating the ice cream half way through once I started eating into the cheese. Sorbet and cheese do not go together, lol . For a drink, I had the Hana Collins, which I assume is a play on a Tom Collins. I also enjoyed this drink. Drinks were $19+ and up. From the host to the server, I thought the staff was all friendly and attentive. Because the restaurant was pretty empty, management was very visible, walking around and asking how everything was. I think they were probably too visible though to the point of being awkward, kind of just standing there and staring at tables and staring at the staff. I guess it is good they are being present, that's important. Overall, I really enjoyed my meal here and would certainly come back. I like the idea of having Italian and Japanese food in the same meal, and it is not as weird as you would think. Both cuisines seemed to compliment each other. The restaurant itself is also gorgeous and large, which is not something you come across too often in Manhattan. This would be a good spot for a quick dinner, but also good for groups and dates. Something for everyone. One thing I suggest is to please put purse hooks on the bathroom doors. There are currently no hooks available and I had to put my bag on the floor. read more

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While visiting NY came here for dinner. It happened to be restaurant week. Three courses for $60, which is a DEAL! The atmosphere was pretty cool vibes and a number of birthday dinners going on. There was a DJ playing at a small station as soon as you come in. The decor of the restaurant was pretty vibey as well! The service from the hostess to the server was excellent. We were well taken care of and when there was a mishap was handled very professionally. Totally didn't take away from the experience. The food was okay, the shrimp was So salty (I'm pretty sure it was the sauce). The sushi rolls were pretty good and probably the highlight of the night they were fresh and well rolled. The rock shrimp was well cooked however the sauce was salty and the oxtail rigatoni was pretty good but also low on flavor. The sorbet assortment was a perfect way to end the night. read more

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Aqua is a large restaurant with a great vibe, fun and loud but you can still hear everyone at your table easily enough. Great acoustics and lighting! We were able to walk in early on a Friday night with a party of 4. There are effectively 2 different menus, one for Italian food and one for Japanese. This is not a fusion, just 2 menus slapped together which is interesting and slightly odd. The timing of the food was a bit odd as the sushi rolls came out at the same time and even before some of the appetizers. Overall food was good, the Japanese menu was a bit better overall, and the deserts were inventive and tasty, especially the chocolate caviar. The service was very fast, some food arrived almost seconds after being ordered. However the places were being cleared very aggressively, before we had finished all our food. On one course my plate was taken away as I was still spooning food in my mouth. read more

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The restaurant is huge. It wasn't completely filled, but keeping up the number of tables they had was already pretty impressive. Unfortunately, the food wasn't great. They had Italian and Japanese menus, but neither were done very well. The sushi was a bit mushy. One of them had this jelly on it that didn't really work... read more

Aqua - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Dined here for brunch on Broadway which consists of a 4 course menu. For drinks I had the Raichi martini (a bit on the stronger side) and the Mai Thai me up and Negroni. For appetizers we started with the arancini, shrimp tempura and a caponata. The arancini had mushroom and black truffle and was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside -delicious. The Caponata was very crunchy but the pesto on the bottom of the baguette added another layer of flavor. The rock shrimp was tasty but could have been fried longer as the tempura was on the softer side. Overall great start and everything was family style. My favorite was the arancini and if dining a la cart I would opt for that. For the next course we had a sushi and sashimi platter which was super filling. The presentation was beautiful. For entrees, we opted for the add ons and ordered the wagyu burger with sweet potato fries and the oxtail mafalde. The oxtail was flavorful and hearty and the burger cooked at medium was juicy and filling. Also enjoyed the sweet potato fries as well. For dessert, the staff brought out a platter with assorted fruit chocolate mousse, mochi, ice cream and a lemon ricotta mousse. Again phenomenal presentation and I was thankful for the fruit for my palette. For the price of the brunch the value and level of presentation and execution of the food is a great value (we also used a pulsd voucher which made it similar to BOGO). We also dined early December where the foot traffic on a snowy day was slower than normal. We received speedy service and the venue itself is massive. Overall I would come back again for brunch! read more

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Very beautiful inside. The decor is amazing and the service is really good here. They are very accommodating with reservations and their bar makes excellent drinks. The sushi by the piece was very good and depending on how much you order it can be fun to share with a friend. However, the lamb tortellini wasn't what was expected. The serving was very small and for the price it should have been better. The bathroom was very clean which was a definite plus. A place I would definitely visit again. read more

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Came here with a group of 6 and did the Kyoto to Roma $98 tasting menu. It was perfect for our group. Loved the mix of Japanese and Italian dishes and there was enough for vegetarians as well. Ambiance is A+ and love the location right in Flatiron. Love how they made the tiramisu tableside. Def recommend! read more

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Beautiful, large space. Interesting concept having 2 different cuisine menus. This is not fusion, there are 2 separate menus - Italian and Japanese. It was really interesting to be order pizza and pasta and also get sashimi. At first I wondered how that would blend, but it does work. We ordered a few items off of both menus. The focaccia was not exactly what we were expecting. Based on the description we thought it come with olive oil, not that it had olive oil on it already. It's also more like flatbread. The lobster pizza could use more lobster. The sushi was fresh and we really enjoyed the burrata. The pumpkin dessert was terrific. They are new, so I think they have a few kinks to work out, but we do plan to come back and try a few more things off the menu. Food tips: Burrata, Sashimi, Pumpkin Sundae Drink tips: Kyoto martini read more

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We stopped by Aqua for some drinks and small bites before heading to dinner elsewhere. Plenty of comfortable seats at the bar. The service at the bar was attentive, and the entire staff was very friendly. The ambiance was sleek and modern. We tried the rock shrimp, crystal sushi (botan ebi), and flounder sushi. The food was well presented and tasted good overall, but we felt it was overpriced. The rock shrimp consisted of tiny fried pieces that didn't seem to justify the $28 price tag. The crystal sushi was beautifully plated and fun to eat, but again, the ingredients didn't seem to warrant the $20 cost. The flounder sushi stood out as the best value at $11. The restaurant itself is spacious and inviting, with an interesting concept of two separate menus (Italian and Japanese), almost as if it were two restaurants combined into one. We might return for a full dinner experience, but we'd carefully select dishes that offer better value for the price. read more

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Had a wonderful birthday brunch here. The space is beautiful. We had a 2pm seating which was perfect for us. There's a $58 prefix brunch menu that included 3 appetizers, Omakase, a choice of a main and a assortment of desserts. It was more than enough food and so worth it. The only catch is that the entire table has to do it. You can add another $39 for 90 min bottomless of prosecco, wine, beer and aperol spritz which was more than enough. There's a premium bottomless for all other cocktails for $98. The rock shrimp app was delicious, we were obsessed with the aioli that it came with. The truffle rice ball and crostini were also good. We tried the ribeye and eggs, oxtail pasta, and wagyu burger. We loved the Omakase display. For all the apps, they made enough food so everyone could have one of everything (minus the rock shrimp which were all cut up into many pieces). All of it was good. The pasta looks like its a small portion but it is very heavy and it was more than enough food. The dessert was mochi, espresso and chocolate mousse with tapioca to look like caviar, lemon mousse and cake shaped in a lemon chocolate shell, and fruit all beautifully displayed. We did do the regular bottomless and found the waiter attentive, making sure our glasses were always filled. Overall it was very good and would come back. read more

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Came in the other night for my usual whiskey on the rocks. The inattentive bartender finally handed me a glass with hardly anything in it. On my second drink I asked him about it and he said, "that's our new pour." Same price, less of what I actually ordered. Who's idea was this? Go somewhere with prices that aren't a rip off, even for New York standards. No wonder the bar has been empty every time I've come in. read more

It's all the things mentioned by others--beautiful space, vibes and interesting menu options. Our party of 5 feasted on the burata, tuna and veggie tempura appetizers and dinners including the cod, Malfade, eggplant, octopus and linguini. Everyone enjoyed their meals but I think left wanting more. For dessert, we had the pumpkin and sweet caviar desserts. They were creative but as a chocoholic I didn't care for them. Faith was our wonderful waitress and overall service was good. Like others said, disappointed our main dishes all came out at different times. Some people were eating while others didn't have their meals. I think pricing is on par with other places of this caliber...we ordered two bottles of wine and our final bill came to $140pp. I left wanting a slice of pizza. read more

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Absolutely outstanding experience at Aqua NYC! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was modern, stylish, and welcoming. The sushi was incredibly fresh and beautifully presented -- every roll tasted like it was crafted with real care and attention to detail. The omakase selections were next level, with perfect cuts of fish that melted in your mouth. You can truly taste the quality. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and made great recommendations without being pushy. Whether you're going for date night or just craving top-tier sushi in NYC, Aqua NYC delivers on every level -- food, service, and vibe. Definitely a five-star spot and I'll absolutely be back! read more

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Came here during opening week - the restaurant was offering 50% off food. Didn't know what to expect and was really pleasantly surprised. There were 9 of us and I did for a little bit felt a little bit under dressed but I got over that really quickly. The venue is pretty impressive, offering lots of seats (including mezzanine level seating), an extravagant bar and an independent sushi bar. We were told there were two separate kitchens. One serving Italian cuisine - and the other Japanese... so you never know which one was going to come out first and vice versa. The food offers to our palettes - we had 5 kids with us too so they were able to enjoy both Italian and Japanese cuisines. My fave out of all our orders was probably the pasta malfade (ox tail ragu). It was so really tasty. The pumpkin dessert is also worth trying out. I look forward to eating here again soon. Welcome to the neighborhood! read more

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The portions are small but the food, ambiance and service are great. I'll definitely be back

Beautiful, huge and clean indoor space. We stopped by for drinks and sat outside to people watch. Highly recommend the lychee martini $22 which is typical NYC prices. read more

Aqua - Inside bar - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Very impressive interior, this is a HUGE restaurant. I came for brunch, and they had live music as well, which was a joy to listen to lounge jazz from the guitarist, bassist, and drums. Brunch deal was amazing, unfortunately will not last that long. Having 3 small appetizers, sushi display, 2 entrees, and dessert platter was a very very good deal. I enjoyed everything and it was well made. Service is attentive and they really have servers coming around to fill up your water cup. The bar is also impressive, and they have a wide selection of drinks available. At night time the interior is beautiful with the rib cage architecture. Parties must be fun here for sure. read more

Came here on a rainy day and wasn't expecting much since it has 2 completely different menus (Italian and Japanese). My first thought is that most people come where for the vibe versus the food. Somehow they make it work as both cuisines were pretty solid. I don't think any of the dishes were out of the world but each one was a good version of what it was supposed to be. read more

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I came here looking for a random happy hour last week and they did not disappoint! The ambiance was incredible. As soon as you walk in you see the huge bar at the center and all the tables surrounding the area. Happy hour was only available at the bar which was fine because the bar service was great. You can bundle a cocktail plus happy hour item for $20 and our bartender let us know if we want to take advantage of the deal we can bundle more than once to get more bang for our buck and that we did. Everything was incredible. Truly fresh and delicious ingredients. Fresh Oysters. And a knowledgeable staff. read more

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Stunning and enormous Italian and Japanese restaurant. Staff and service were warm and welcoming, presentation and flavors of the dishes were good. Yiguel was our amazing server, he provided great recommendations which we pretty much ordered what he suggested. I had the raichi martini which is similar to a lychee martini. I had 4 drinks of this delicious martini, but surprisingly it didn't give me a buzz. My friends ordered the spring reverb cocktail and spicy margaritas and they also did not get tipsy from their drinks. My personal favorites and must order were the miso black cod, pork belly, and tiramisu. My friends really enjoyed the spicy tuna roll. I would definitely come back and try their brunch. read more

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Came for brunch. It was pretty quiet for a Saturday. The okonomiyaki was good and huge. The wagyu was disappointing - way too small and thin of a portion for the price. Our server was polite and service was good. read more

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Came to Aqua NYC on their opening day, and they were offering 50% off. The restaurant is very large and vibey, the music was popping but not too loud that you couldn't have conversations. I can definitely see Aqua NYC joining the echelon of restaurants like Buddha Bar, Tao, Buddakan, Catch, etc. We ordered a variety of dishes, some were hits and some were misses. Mushroom arancini - very good and very truffle-ly, love that there are big chunks of mushroom inside. My only complaint was that it was not as crispy on the outside as I wanted. Almost like it was deep fried and left out for a bit. Veggie tempura - this dish was kind of a flop. Similar to the arancini, it wasn't that crispy and the dish was kind of cold? The dipping sauce was good, but I'd rather get tempura at a more specialized Japanese restaurant Botan ebi crystal sushi - we were so curious about this crystal sushi, and I'm so glad we were able to try it. It exceeded expectations. It comes with a ring of jelly, which ended an interesting texture but a great flavor to the whole piece of sushi. I wasn't sure how I felt about the textures initially, but in retrospect, I really liked it. Also loved how the roe seemed to be flavored with wasabi. Ngl, this is pretty pricey for 2 pieces of maki, but it was fun to try. What a unique culinary! Miso black cod - Soooo delicate, flaky, and buttery with a deliciously caramelized top. Also loved the side of yuzu mayo and the side of pickled burdock. I would've preferred if there was a vegetable or something on the plate, but the fish was very delicious. Zucca pizza - my vegetarian friend ordered this, and it took quite a while to come out, which was annoying. I tried a few bites and it was decent. I liked the nice thin crust, and it really tasted like fall. My friend really liked it. Pumpkin sundae - this dessert was so unique and good! It's a mini roasted pumpkin with ice cream inside. When you scoop it, you can scoop some pumpkin flesh from the sides, which pairs perfectly with the cold ice cream. Sooo yummy. At the end of the night, the whole meal for 3 people was about $200, but only $100 after 50% off, which is such a steal! There are definitely some kinks that need to be worked out, but I'm glad we had this experience at Aqua NYC. Definitely try the crystal sushi! read more

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Super vibey place, perfect for a girls night out dinner spot. Food is decent but super expensive

We arrived early for our reservation and were told to wait at the bar. After standing there for about five minutes before the bartender even acknowledged us, we were served weak, overpriced drinks. Shortly after, we were brought to our table. While our waitress was pleasant enough, she was inattentive and added little value beyond taking our order, dropping the check, and checking on us twice. She spilled water all over the table while pouring and left it there without addressing it. The food was mediocre, cold, and overpriced. My dish -- the meatballs and cacio e pepe prepared tableside -- arrived, but we then waited another five minutes for my partner's meal to be served. Overall, the restaurant feels like a shallow, "good for Instagram" spot with no substance. Between the lackluster food, poor service, and unprofessional execution, the experience fell far short of expectations. We couldn't wait to pay the check and leave. read more

Service 2/5 multiple wrong things Food 2/5 miso soup was the only good thing Ambiance/Vibe 2/5 Also booked me for the sushi bar, but then sat me in the dark in the Italian restaurant because apparently it is closed on Sundays. Get your stuff together. read more

Tonight we had a spectacular evening. We were lucky to be greeted by Omar who made me feel like a prince. Later Santiago took over and continued to make me feel like royalty. The food and service was top notch. Do yourself a favor and RUN to Aqua. Thank you for a memorable evening The lemon dessert was truly a work of art read more

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I must say, I'm very impressed with aqua's management. I was invited back with my partner for a complimentary drink and an array of treats due to my last review. Tasty and filling, and more than generous. Although it was unnecessary, I do truly appreciate them trying to make up for my last experience. read more

Aqua - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Stunning restaurant with delicious food and drinks. My friend and I shared the burrata and grilled corn appetizers, which were delicious. She got two sushi dishes and I ordered the rigatoni. I had the Taiko cocktail which is a little spicy and a little sweet. Forgot to take a pic of that. For dessert, we shared the sweet caviar, which was also good. Everything was yummy but, in my opinion, a little overpriced. The place is clean and comfortable with nice staff, and it was easy to make a reservation. read more

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Out with coworkers. Such a unique place of Japanese and Italian. Go figure. All fresh and full of flavor. The ambiance was loud but enjoyable. The service was great so helpful. I enjoyed the food I kept forgetting to snap a photo or 2. read more

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Made a group reservation it was eight of us. The meals are shareable, but the portions are small. They have two different menus, a Japanese menu and an Italian menu, but it is not a fusion style restaurant. The ambience gave upscale the prices gave upscale but the food gave subpar . The sashimi was the best bite for the night. Everything else seem to fall flat lacking flavor. We had an amazing waiter named Chaz. We tried his best to make our night amazing and memorable but overall, I would have to give this place a three, the vibe is a five out of five but the food Definitely needs improvement. read more

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The atmosphere was very pretty and the bar was visually impressive. The highlight of the meal was definitely the matcha waffle. The oxtail ragu was flavorful and well done. The wagyu sando was disappointing as it was chewy and didn't feel like true wagyu quality. The burger was just okay. Service was fine, nothing standout, but the space itself is gorgeous and worth a visit for the vibe alone. read more

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Overalls it was good value. Lots of food for $30. The restaurant looked great, it had 2 beautiful bars. Service was good. Overall a decent experience read more

Aqua - Tempura lunch set - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Beautiful presentations. Sushi is VERY standard and ordinary taste and quality wise and therefore too pricey !

We ordered focaccia, crystal sushi with scallops, prawn maki, clams linguine, lamb chops, negroni bianco cocktail and a raspberry mocktail. Everything was delicious, the service prompt and courteous and it is such a clean chic setting. Ty! read more

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Stopped in for lunch. It was beautiful ambiance and friendly staff. I got the lunch special with the class pasta it was a lunch portion and tasted good. I enjoyed my visit here read more

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This restaurant far surpassed my expectations. Food and service were excellent. 10 out of 10. Highly recommend if you like Italian and Japanese food. Restaurant menu includes both. Dinner was memorable. Shout out to our amazing waiter Winslow. read more

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The decor is beautiful. This is a an unusual menu of Japanese and Italian fusion that somehow works. The cocktails have a Japanese spin on them such as the addition of Yuzu in their version of a Tom Collins. The small bar bites on both the Japanese and Italian menus are delicious. Don't miss the arancini. They have a nice happy hour too. read more

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Had the best time every time I came here! Food is always great and they have everything you're craving for. I love the sushi and omakase experience. Everything is fresh and thoughtfully curated. Appetizers are really good. They have a lot that you can share as a table in general. The shrimp and dip was my favorite (can't remember the name of it) dip was so good. Steak and eggs were pretty good, cant go wrong there. Same with the lobster roll but wish it were a regular sized lobster roll. Seemed a little small compared to other places that make lobster rolls. Still delicious though. Loved the sides that came with both dishes though. They complimented them very well. White Chocolate Matcha Latte was wonderful. I wish I could have more. They offer it in a large size glass. Dessert platter was very good and balanced with fruits. Loved the presentation with the sushi dish and the dessert platter. The fog from the dry ice was a nice touch. Service was excellent as always. Very courteous staff. It's a beautiful restaurant with a very nice oval round shaped bar. Plenty of room for people to sit around and hangout read more

Great food. Great ambience. The place was lively and full of energy, making it perfect for a celebration. They surprised us with complimentary champagne for our anniversary, which was such a nice touch. The food was extraordinary from start to finish, and the tiramisu--hands down--was out of this world. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a memorable dining experience. read more

Restaurant Week Review: beautiful ambience, quick service and tasty food. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. In celebration of Restaurant Week and Veganuary, I had the 3-course lunch meal deal, in which I selected the bruschetta (without the smoked burrata), the tan tan ramen and substituted panna cotta for sorbet ice cream. Again, the food was tasty, the ramen was flavorful and delicious. However, the only drawback that I have for the ramen is that the sauce was a bit salty and thick. I would recommend to add hot water to the ramen, so that the sauce loosens up and the salt blends evenly throughout the soup. Or simply request to not have thick sauce. Whichever floats your boat :)...the sorbet ice cream included 3 flavors: passion fruit, lychee and mango I believe. 3-course lunch meal for $30. Gotta love it! I will surely return back to try their other vegan dishes. read more

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