We were impressed with this restaurant! We had great views of the sound, delicious and inventive food and great service. We came to Duck for the afternoon to walk the town and have dinner. We had no reservations but arrived at 530p with an hour wait for outside seating. The waiting area had Adirondack seating on the water. Luckily the wind was low and the sky was clear on this beautiful April night. We enjoyed the sunset, a nice glass of Italian wine and ordered the catch of the day and duck breast. My 14 YO son had the best meal of his life (duck) and the hubs and I loved our freshly caught tuna. Even grandma was happy with her meal (and she is a woman with high expectations when it comes to food). Of our six nights of dinners out in the OBX, this was by far the best. Choose Aqua. It was the bomb. read more

Came here for Easter brunch looking to go out with a bang before leaving the OBX. It did not disappoint! My sister and I split a Caesar salad for an app and its was quite good! Then, for the main course, my mom, my sister, and I had the Shrimp and Grits. They were to die for. My dad had the Crab cake eggs benedict which he said was quite good as well. I will definitely come back here when in Corolla! read more

Aqua Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

The food is so good, the mixed drinks are awesome, scenery is also great. I would highly recommend this place over others. Very dog friendly outside as well. Live music outside was a nice touch. good wine list as well! read more

Beautiful restaurant right on the sound! We went to Aqua on a Sunday night, which is also their burger and brews night. Of course, we all had to have burgers and beer. The burgers change weekly but the ones that we had were amazing. I also had an order of sweet potato fries with my burger, also very good. This was the first time I had tried Duck Rabbit Amber, so good. Definitely try it! Aqua can be a little pricey but you are paying for good quality, fresh food. We will be back. read more

My husband and I went to Aqua S in August 2009. The inside of the restaurant is fairly small, so we made reservations, but at 6pm, we were early enough that we probably didn't need them. By the time we left, though, every table was full, so if you're set on eating dinner here, you should consider making reservations. We both started our meal with salads. My husband had the mixed green salad with English cucumbers, sliced almonds, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber ranch dressing. He was not particularly a fan of it, partly because he didn't like the dressing and partly because the plate was mostly greens with only 2 tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, and a half a dozen almond slices. I had the Caesar salad, which had a too much dressing, but overall was ok. Both of us thought our entrées were good, although neither of us was blown away. Hubby had the chef's special, which was a Tilefish. He said it was nice and flaky, but that it was bland. I had shrimp and jumbo lump crab with fresh fettuccini, cured pancetta, and veggies in a lemon alfredo sauce. The lemon flavors overpowered the dish, so there was little else to taste. That said, the seafood tasted fresh and there was plenty of shrimp and crab meat in the dish. I paired my pasta with the 2006 Estancia Reserve Chardonnay (winery, snooth), which made for a nice, refreshing combination. The creaminess and lemon zestiness of the pasta enhanced the citrus and creamy notes of the wine. Overall, we enjoyed the restaurant, but thought that the price was high for the quality. read more

Ill give them this..... We went 5 days after a hurricane and they were open even though there was some extensive flooding. I think they did a great job under the circumstances as I noticed they were short staffed the night we were there. I hope to upgrade this review when I go down next time and visit again! read more

We stoped in after going to corolla for lunch The folks were super nice to us and the service outstanding JR who waited on us is jewel of guy. We had the seared flounder then the key lime Chez cake on my word ..... read more

This was the perfect place for our pre-Valentine's Day dinner. From the warm welcome by Erin, bar drinks from Lucy, the person (whose name I didn't get) who took us to the table and CJ our server everything was great. Service, food and atmosphere was more than expected. Thanks for making it a special night. read more

A great experience. The food was excellent, views terrific and waitstaff helpful and kind. Probably the best meal we had on the OBX!

Visited Aqua for Tuesday lunch on the patio. My soft shell crab sandwich was good and it was worth it to upgrade to the truffle fries as they were divine. Signature drinks were overpriced. I had the tropical pineapple with rum one and it was not worth $11 as the alcohol wasn't noticeable. The crab dip appetizer wasn't tasty and difficult to eat since the cheese on the top was broiled and hard to cut thru to get the dip. Overall, while the meal was okay, it was definitely overpriced. I'd try another place next time. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Softshell crab sandwich with truffle fries - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

Seven of us went for dinner. Upon arriving, we all noticed the noise level. We were seated immediately and Emily, our server took drink orders and went over the specials. Emily was efficient and friendly, but again, she almost had to shout because of the noise level. Two of us had the pork chop which was very big and flavor great although a little on the tough side even though we ordered it medium. One person got the filet, one the trout special, one the crab cakes and two others the shrimp pasta. All agreed their meals were very good. It was a pleasant evening and the food and ambiance good. read more

Came here for just appetizer food and drinks, we basically wanted something light to eat and a couple of beverages, but not a full dinner. Good news: The view from the restaurant is amazing! We took some photos real quick, as we were seated on the deck outside. The service was very polite, friendly, and prompt. Everyone agreed that the drinks we got were excellent as well, "hooked on quack" was delicious. Bad news: The menu is VERY small with not only few options, but little to no moderation to be done to them. Everything in my opinion was very over-priced, the drinks were good but not $16 good. The appetizer we got wasn't great, but also wasn't horrible and was also very expensive. Seating was also a complaint, the seats are very pact together and was very awkward not only in how close-for-comfort we were sitting to the party behind us, but how we had to talk over them because of how close we could hear ourselves vocally. Overall I give it a 3 out of five...simply because of the view, service, and drinks. read more

Not bad. Decent food. Cocktails not good. Got the margarita equivalent. Great views. Scallops were the best part.

Too bad there's not a 3.5 star..... aqua was a little better than good, a little less than great. 4.5 stars for location.... Which was loctaed directly on the sound side of Duck, with an amazing view with outside seating. Aqua was very accomodating... We arrive with a groupof 13 at 630 and were promptly seated. Hostess was very friendly, as was the wait staff. Fairly good drink menu, extensive wine list. Unfortunately, not much belgium beer or german brews on the beer menu. Ordered the crab dip and spicy tuna roll appetizer, both were great. Main course was seared rare tuna, served on a bed of kale and mashed potatoes. The tuna came out more on the medium side, however service was a little slow and therefore i didnt send it back. Dinner service was a little disorganized, as it took a good while for everyone to be served. The wait staff did a great job keeping drinks filled, they picked up the check quickly, and there was live entertainment... A female musician that knew a wide range of genres.... Did vocal and guitar....she was very talented. read more

Great location in Duck sitting right on the sound - especially if you catch the sunset! The restaurant itself is nice - it feels a bit more formal than others in the area. The wait staff were friendly and attentive throughout our meal and provided additional information on the drinks and entrees when we had questions. The food itself was good throughout the meal. We started with the shrimp and fish taco appetizers and both were delicious. We enjoyed the spicy sauce that was used in each of these dishes. Just the right amount of burn after we ate it. We also enjoyed the crab cakes for our main course which were rich with crab meat. We enjoyed the flavors immensely. Also, don't skip the drinks here - the Frenchmen especially was excellent!! I would just go to Aqua for drinks and appetizers alone. read more

Only went to the Bar. Drinks were good. Fish tacos were BOMB and outside seating was great for watching sunset. Bar tender was polite and professional. read more

We ate here twice and both times were horrible. Once with a reservation, once without. both times we wanted to sit outside. The hostess(es) on both occasions were absolutely unpleasant and bitchy. I couldn't believe it. The waitstaff is super friendly, which is why they get three stars. But the second time we were there they kept bringing club soda instead of Sprite to the kids and also brought butter pasta instead of the cheese pasta for one of the kids, which doesn't go over well with hungry kids when the grownups got their food first. I will say the burratta salad and ceviche were very, very good. I had the shrimp and grits the first time and the shrimp was perfect, the seasoning and sauce was perfect, but the grits were terrible. No self respecting Southerner would call those good grits. The tuna my husband had was quite good but the sides that went with it were awful and overcooked, which was consistent the second time we went back. It is a beautiful restaurant, but disappointing food, lack of attention to detail and poor attitudes/customer service. read more

Totally worth getting reservations! I'd highly recommend it. In years past we have stayed in one of the larger homes and done much of our dining at home. This year the place we stayed had a limited kitchen, so we got to eat out more. I sure am glad because we found a couple gems in Duck, one of which was this place. Decor The decor was likely very trendy at one point, but needs an update. Stark white walls donning some nondescript art. To be honest, the decor kind of says "we're your parents idea of fine dining". To be fair, the restaurant does offer a breathtaking view of the sun setting over the sound. Also, the patio and front garden was super charming. So I'd call this memorable view/forgettable decor. I'd figure out sitting outside next time. Food The food here seems to focus on ascetics as well as flavor. Everything from the kitchen was thoughtfully plated. We had the crab dip which was amazing. Chef certainly doesn't skimp on the crab meat, and the peppered crustinis were a perfect compliment to the sweet, creamy crab dip. My wife and I agreed, it was easily the best crab dip we had on vacation. For main course my wife had the shrimp and grits which were also nicely prepared. This was a more refined dish, almost deconstructed. Once pulled together the dish managed a balance of spice and creaminess. I had the seared mahi which was served on a bed of forbidden rice and seasonal veggies. Beautiful plate of food that tasted as good as it looked. Well done! Service This is where AQUA really shines. Our son has food alergies, and the chef was amazingly accommodating. Their chicken fingers are done with an egg wash (one of the allergies) so chef dredged the chicken in buttermilk and flour and pan fried it. They really went WAY above and beyond in this case, so thanks chef! Our server was super attentive and bubbly. She interacted well with everyone at the table (including the kids). In my opinion their service is head and shoulders above ANY I've experienced in the OBX. Overall This place is rocks. Picturesque view, wonder food, warm and accommodating staff. Will be on my list to visit next trip to Duck. read more

Wonderful restaurant. Came here twice for lunch on the back deck directly overlooking the sound in Duck. Sabrey our server was professional and lots of fun. Best fresh fish and chips on the island. Fish tacos are great also. The aged Gouda and Italian dried beef were a delicious starter. Homemade ice cream and sorbet (yay I'm lactose intolerant) were also delicious. Would come here again and again. read more

Good service Crab dip ok Shrimp and grits the worst I've ever had, grits bland with an awful BBQ sauce.

The food here is amazing; and the waiter was very attentive, especially since we had two kids. So hats off to our waiter - s/he was patient and did a great job! s/he made our dinning experience!! Only one minor issue, our food was delicious, but it was not what we ordered. We ordered two Salmon and one Chicken fettuccini bolognese. What we were served was two orders of Kobia and one order of Seafood alfredo. It was delicious, and this would not stop us from going back. read more

We ate here during our vacation to Duck in May. The service and the location/view are great. It would be nice to sit outdoors on the dock overlooking the sound. My seafood pasta dish was tasty but kind of bland, there was nothing special about it. However, my husband ate the filet with truffle butter and is still talking about it a month later. I felt my dish was a disappointment since the prices here are pretty steep. read more

We dined at Aqua for the first time last night - although we've been coming to the Outer Banks for years, we've never had the chance to visit this restaurant. The restaurant is large and attractive, with a spa upstairs and plenty of patio seating overlooking the bay. I ordered a gingered pear cocktail which was delicious and refreshing. My father got a glass of sangria which was also very good and had plenty of tasty fruit in it. The bread was phenomenal - light and crispy, warm from the oven. I started with the sweet corn and crab soup which had a nice flavor but was a little thin - I would have expected more chunks of crab and corn for the $10 price tag. My entrée more than made up for it, however - the chicken paillard was tender, the pan juices delicious and the mashed potatoes and green beans on the side were good as well. It was topped with some crispy pancetta and capers and was absolutely addictive. My companions ordered the crab cakes, the fish tacos, the truffle fries and the shrimp and Andouille pasta. All were excellent especially the tacos which were very fresh and had lots of different ingredients coming together for a complex blend of flavors. The fries came with a delicious mustard-horseradish dipping sauce that was just the right blend of creamy and spicy. The crab cakes were well sized and very flavorful. Shrimp and pasta is not my thing but my son loved it and ate every bite. We'll definitely be back - so excited to have found another good place to eat here on the Outer Banks! read more

First time dining here...Just fantastic. We had the flat iron steak and the shrimp and grits. I'm not a fan of grits but the wife's were closer to tapioca pudding. Service on the deck was as good as I've seen. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Seared - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

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My entire experience was awesome. Spa treatment with Mark - honestly best treatment I have ever had- then came down to have some lunch and OMG Sabrey was the most amazing bartender. She was fun and attentive. Food was great. I planned on staying for a drink but Ubered he I had so much fun. Not a bad thing! read more

Fantastic dining experience. My two friends and I had dinner outside and watched the sunset. We each had something different and each choice was perfectly prepared and exquisite flavors. A peak culinary experience on our vacation. read more

We had the fish tacos while enjoying the view of the sound. I will say that we lived in San Diego for a decade and fell in love with fish tacos. These are the first good ones we've had since moving east. I assume the rest of the fare is just as good! Our server was pleasant and knowledgable. The view is as good as it gets in Duck. read more

Food and service was great . The staff was very friendly. Shout out to the cool waitress that complimented my Flatbush Zombies shirt, 5 s

We stopped in for lunch today. The atmosphere was very nice. Our lunches were delicious. The service was superior. I would highly recommend this as your next dining stop. We left feeling more than happy!!!! read more

The food was very good, they made sure we were able to order from the menu before since they were in the middle of switching to evening menus that we didn't really want. They were extremely nice, I would come back again!! read more

Worst service I have ever received very inconsiderate & loud. Expensive for no reason the food was mediocre. Very salty & no substitution. Wateriest was careless only cared about what you ordered & not the service. The manager was no where to be found. There was a party that was very loud & no one cared about the comfort of our dinning experience read more

Extremely noisy, vulgar atmosphere, not a date place at all. Terribly sloooow service and very poor attitude from management and even owner who discounted 30% off our bill for putting up with extreme shouting and whistling from other two tables. Too late, our dinner was already ruined. read more

Everything was excellent! The flavors popped in everything we ordered. Such a great decision was made for our anniversary date based on pictures and reviews on yelp! read more

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The food here is amazing! I had the crab cakes and my husband had the tuna steak. Then we split the meals both were delicious. If you love an appetizer have the brad soup also creamy and delicious. Our served JR was awesome. If your looking for a superb meal while in Duck make sure you go to Aqua you won't be disappointed. I hear they have a great lunch menu maybe we will check it out read more

Amazing place to eat! View was great and the food was yummy! It was our first time in obx and our waiter JD was awesome and so fun and helpful! read more

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Food and drinks were amazing as was the customer service. Multiple appetizers along with the sea scallops special and the salmon were so yummy!! Our kids loved the lobster Mac n cheese and my favorite was the bangin shrimp. Overall, we were most impressed by our server and the customer service from their staff. Side note, they went out of their way to help us with an internet issue. I would highly recommend Aqua as a place to eat. read more

Came here twice on our trip to Duck. The food and service the first time was really good. On the second trip, the food was still very good but the male server was a condescending ahole...we asked if my daughter's fish tacos came with fries. The reply, in a snotty tone, was: don't you remember I said a side only comes with sandwiches? Jerk. 4 stars for the food - 1 stat for the jerk waiter. read more

This is a wonderful restaurant! The patio seating has the most spectacular sunset views. The crab dip is very good with brushetta, the goat cheese salad was wonderful with so many layers if depth in each bite. The seafood pasta is so creamy and delicious and the key lime tart is perfect to finish a perfect meal. Wonderful place, the staff were allbvery friendly and our waiter was very attentive as well as funny, I highly recommended this place if you haven't tried it! read more

I rarely put the time and energy into writing a bad review, but I think our experience at Aqua warrants one this time around. The food was superb. Truly, I enjoyed every last bite of our ceviche, crab cake and shrimp and grits. But the service....wow, just totally lacking. We had a 6:30 PM reservation. We were constantly hassled to put in our order from the minute we sat down and comments were made by our waitress that "the table would have to turn over at some point, and there is another reservation after ours." Forty five minutes from the time we sat down and we've finished apps and the entree and were begrudgingly given dessert menus. I finally said something to the front desk staff who responded with "yeah, don't worry about it..." No....not at all the response I was looking for. I was expecting "I'm so sorry to hear that. Please don't feel rushed. Please enjoy your meal." So no...we won't be back.... read more

Amazing view. Amazing food. Amazing wait staff. We had Kent and he made the experience everything. My husband and I were out on a date night and this was definitely a great spot for it. Will be returning for sure. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Crab Cakes with roasted red pepper reduction - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina