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    Aqua Restaurant

    4.0 (523 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Services - Aqua Restaurant

    Venue rental

    Aqua Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    AQUA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Aqua Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos

    Ted G.

    Perched where ocean breeze meets open pasture, Aqua brings a refined touch to rustic roots. Their menu flows with the rhythm of the tides and the turning of the soil--featuring fresh-harvested produce, ethically sourced seafood, and artful plating that lets nature's beauty shine. It's farm-to-table, but make it seaside elegance. My favorite starting point is the bar patio, where the water shimmers like it's in on a secret, and the breeze carries hints of sea salt. Glasses clink softly, laughter dances in the air, while a guitarist strums in the background--easy, unhurried, like summer itself decided to sit in for a set. The cocktail menu spans from citrus-kissed spritzes to moody, barrel-aged masterpieces, every drink tells a story and they are worthy, my favorite being the Old Fashioned. The French Cut Chicken Breast isn't your everyday bird--it's a culinary showpiece. The French cut keeps the drumette attached, lending elegance and flavor while showcasing expert butchery. Pan-seared to a golden crisp, the skin crackles with every bite, giving way to tender, succulent meat. The roasted garlic potato gnocchi in the sage velouté serves as the perfect backdrop for this delicious bird. After dinner linger a little longer--the finale is worth savoring and my pick of the menu comes in the form of a Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding. Imagine if your favorite snickerdoodle got a glow-up, took a buttery bath, and moved into a cozy bread pudding loft. That's this. Golden, gooey, cinnamon-kissed decadence with warm brown butter vibes and just enough crunch on the edges to make your fork do a little happy dance. Fresh plates, waterfront views, and ambiance smoother than your last date's playlist, enjoy! Cheers!!

    View from our table on the water
    Adrienne B.

    My family has been coming to the Outer Banks for 25 years and have never been to this restaurant but this year my husband and I came down for my 51st birthday and I wanted to finally try this place. We came down in the middle of April so it was off-season and we had an early dinner reservation at 5:45 so there was barely anybody in there. (which I would say is the perfect time arrive because by the time we left, it was pretty packed.) The greeter and the servers were super friendly and attentive. They really take the time and talk to their guests. We ordered drinks and then the appetizers of the warm crab dip and the truffle fries which came out like within five minutes and they were both absolutely amazing. We've devoured them. I wasn't super hungry after that so I got the shrimp Caesar salad The salad was fresh and the shrimp was good (the tails were removed. Thank God cause some places don't do that) my husband got the fish special which was the tuna which he said was amazing. We then got dessert, I got the chocolate torte, and my husband got the apple puff pastry tart. They added a candle on my dish because it was my birthday. That was a nice touch. We weren't super impressed with the desserts, but everything else was amazing. We would definitely come back and sitting by the windows to overlook the water was a plus!

    Daily Fish Special
    Jared W.

    Very reasonable wait time and the waiting area on the water makes time go by a lot faster. We were seated outside which was ideal given the weather but the septic system or something seemed to have an offputting smell. Some have complained about the small menu but I thought it was appropriately sized based on their expertise. Other restaurants bombard you with a massive menu like the newspaper with a million choices. I thought the food was pretty tasty and we left feeling not overly full but not still hungry. Compared to some other restaurants the pricing may be a little on the high side, but I get it. I would recommend hitting the Swellsa Duck Dive Bar after for drinks and live music.

    Duck wings that were amazing!
    Kassie W.

    First time and we were not disappointed! The fried duck wings are to die for and everything was wonderful. We shared gazpacho, poke, and the fish tacos. We ran into one of the servers and asked about the smoking of flavor in the gazpacho. She took my number and is sending us their secret ingredient!

    Creamy Warm Crab Dip and AQUA s Bangin Shrimp
    Wael D.

    Came here the other day for while I was in the area for a wedding. Service was normal, the restaurant itself is pretty. The lunch menu was kind of lacking, not many choices on food items. Food was good but nothing to write home about.

    Prime views
    Danielle P.

    This place has the best espresso martini in all of OBX, IMHO. Their bloody marys are also pretty solid. If you're craving seafood, their oysters on the half shell will also make you pretty happy. I mostly come to Aqua to grab a drink, sit outside and enjoy the view, which really can't be beat. They have a full bar with a robust drink selection plus plenty of beer and wine options. Service is usually pretty good, though there's one guy bartender here who's always in a bad mood, but he makes a good drink so you know, trade offs. They have live music here during the summer and a fire pit. The boardwalk outside leads to the shops and restaurants in Duck, so this is a great place to either start or end your night. The spa here is also top notch. If you have back pain a massage and a cocktail at Aqua is the remedy you need.

    Creamy Warm Crab Dip
    Allen A.

    I am a big fan of the food here. It is also very celiac friendly with lots of GF gluten free options. I got the shrimp and grits and was a fan. The grits came on - a squash sauce maybe? - it was an u usual combination but it worked well together. The scallop ceviche was also good but was not really a soup. We came with a 12 person group and they were able to handle us easily. The staff was cool and took my allergy seriously. I liked the place. Two thumbs up for Aqua. Side note: I swear someone handed me a large print menu but no, that is how they look here. So to all the people who wear cheaters, you are welcome at Aqua. Ha ha.

    Mediterranean Seafood Pasta
    Chris L.

    Waterfront restaurant in Duck, and certainly one of the nicest restaurants in the area. Certainly decent views of the sound coast, and at times, even some wildlife. Parking can be a bit tough, but there's a small auxiliary lot directly across the street. Wine and cocktails at this place are pretty decent. Their wine list is quite good, and they have some wonderful selections available. Appetizer menu is also quite good. For us, we had the bangin' shrimp and the whipped goat cheese dip. The goat cheese was tremendous, and a huge portion to boot. The bangin' shrimp was also very good. I wouldn't say it was spicy at all, but the sauce was quite good, and the shrimp was perfectly cooked. the batter wasn't too heavy, and the result was a nice light crisp. I think it might be a rice flour batter. For dinner, we had the NY Strip and the saffron seafood pasta. The pasta was absolutely tremendous! Sometimes you get a seafood pasta with an almost fishy taste, but not this at all. The homemade pasta was delicious and the sauce fabulous. The steak was a bit of a different story. The sauce was pretty good, but despite ordering it medium, i received well done. Dinner took a bit of time and i was really hungry, so i didn't send it back, but honestly, for the price they charge, that's unacceptable. A well done steak is a travesty; tough, dry, and tasteless. I really do expect better from this place. Service at this place was quite good as well. Friendly staff throughout, and easy to work with for reserving an eight person table. The completely ruined steak not withstanding, this place was pretty great! It's expensive, but you get some pretty great food, and I have to assume they know how to make a proper steak and just had a moment. In fairness, this is more of a seafood restaurant, and i had considered the shrimp and grits, so perhaps i should've gone with that instead. Anyway, this place is certainly worth a shot.

    Southern Gentleman

    We had such a wonderful experience at Aqua! We had a party of 10. The staff worked magic to get us seated together outside. The drinks and food was EXCELLENT and the service 5 stars from the moment we walked in. JR was our server and super accommodating and great sense of humor. Definitely will be back next year!

    Tuna Special
    Jeff W.

    Party of 8. Mixed reviews from the group. Service was very good. Our server was very attentive. My meal was good (Duck Breast), but a couple people said their meals were a little salty. Portions were a little on the small side. Price was on the high side, but in line with the other restaurants on the island. Pretty much a captive audience. Make reservations. View was excellent. Everyone enjoyed that.

    Wild Caught Scottish Salmon
    Neha A.

    One of my faves in OBX! The service, food, ambiance (live music with adirondack chairs - swoon!) are all great. My most recent visit I had the bangin shrimp and salmon. Both were excellent! They have great outdoor seating overlooking the water and live music, and afterwards, or even while I'm waiting for the food, I like to go downstairs and listen to the music. Also very kid friendly! Highly recommend.

    Dirty Duck Martini , AQUA s Signature Sweet Corn and Crab Soup, Ceviche
    Brittany W.

    Great place, stellar service. Amazing food. The soup was phenomenal! Loved the ceviche! Only gripe I had was the restaurant allowing a large party to take up the entire bar area. There should be a maximum of 2-4 people per party to sit at the bar, not a large family of 9 with a young child.

    Indoor water view

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    I wish. Still good not as good as the first time that we went. I had the glazed salmon and a couple of drinks on draft.

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    Page 2 of 14

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    Steamers - Steamed Spiced Shrimp & Oysters on the Half Shell

    Steamers

    4.4(711 reviews)
    4.6 mi
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    31 years in business

    Fantastic seafood place with a classy feel. We had a party of 6 on a Friday in April during…read moreoff-season. I imagine lines are crazy during season, but I can't say for sure. Dining extends to 2nd floor, which is where we sat. Nice menu with higher-end choices. The menu says no subs, but some of the entrees come with accouterments for advanced palettes, so I would ask about substitutions (squid ink pasta w/rockfish , for example). The Fish & Chips were among the best I've ever had. I'm very picky about slaw, and this was perfect. More pickly than sweet. We did see young children in a party, but I would not say this is a great family-friendly option.

    We were seated immediately, so off to a good start…read more After waiting a bit, our server finally stopped by and dropped off water, with a promise to return. Again, we waited a bit for his return. He explained the special's and took our drink and appetizer order. It took quite a while for an alcoholic drink to arrive. As a matter of fact, the appetizer showed up first. He apologized and said if it wasn't ready soon, he'd stare at the bartender until it was made. Keep in mind, we were sitting at a high top across from the bar. While I was waiting for my drink, I saw one of the two bartenders come from the bar and take an order at the table that sat a good 10 minutes after us. Note, still no drink. Fast forward to the food. It was great! Everything was prepared well and tasted great. Oh, and yes my drink finally arrived. My biggest issue with this place is the credit card fee. I understand seeing this in some places, but when you charge $36 bucks for a double shot of bourbon, there shouldn't be an additional fee applied! To be fair to the server, he did stay on top of things, once we received everything, and he was a nice guy.

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    NC Coast Grill & Bar - Steamed mussels

    NC Coast Grill & Bar

    4.1(471 reviews)
    0.1 mi
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    What a great place. It is bright and airy. They do have outdoor seating and even though it was 55…read moredegrees with a 25 mph wind, there were people eating on the deck. Our waiter, Carlos, is great. Smiling, friendly and polite and makes great recommendations. My husband had the fish and chips (salt and vinegar). I had the gumbo and a side of sweet potato fries. So really good. My husband also had the Screwball expresso martini. Wowza!

    NC coast has a great view of the sound. We were seated quickly upon arrival and discussed dietary…read morerestrictions (pork) with the waiter. He was initially warm and as we ordered, asked that he let us know if we inadvertently selected a dish containing pork. The dishes arrived with astonishing speed. The Caesar salad had some unidentified fried object on it and when I asked the waiter, he let me know it was pork rinds. He did not acknowledge that it was an error and flippantly suggested I remove them. I asked for a plate to put them on. The waiter's demeanor turned cold after this (what I considered innocuous) exchange. Regarding the dishes, everything was beautifully presented and arrived hot and fresh at our table. I would not recommend the fried cauliflower as it was very bland with some chili sauce splashed over top. The scallops were very well prepared however. NC Coast is a nice spot for a special meal, especially with the view. Just hope the service is more consistent with other guests.

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    Aqua Restaurant - seafood - Updated June 2026

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