If you're looking for a 10/10 vibe for your next group dinner, Aquarelle is literally it. We went with a big group and basically did a speedrun of the entire menu. The "Must-Orders" for the table: * The Royal Tower: Genuinely massive. 12 clams, 12 oysters, whole lobster, ceviche, scallops... If you don't get this for the table, you're doing it wrong. Everything was SO fresh. * Salt-Baked Whole Fish: This was a whole moment. They lit it on fire , hammered the salt shell off, and prepped it tableside. * Seafood Risotto: They brought out the cheese wheel for this one. It was so creamy We also had grilled octopus, squid, a few the flatbreads, and basically every pasta on the menu. Loved all the pastas . Desserts: The Pistachio Crème Brûlée is a NEED. I've never seen that flavor combo before and it's officially my new fav. The chocolate lava cake and donuts was also delicious The restaurant is beautiful and the service was amazing! read more

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Aquarelle is a fancy seafood restaurant in the East Village. Prices are on the higher end, but it's seafood so I get it. The Good: - The decor and aesthetic were visually pleasing and in line with the aquatic theme of the restaurant. Bathtub axolotls...cool, should the mermaid maybe have a face...I'll let you decide. - The private reservation room was really nice for large groups and I liked that they had plenty of bathroom options. - The french fries were top tier, well seasoned with a solid crisp. - The ceviche hamachi was delicious and somewhat reminiscent of Peruvian ceviche. It consisted of some sort of yellowtail and shrimp. - The drink options were unique and the happy hour prices were a great value. I tried the Deja Vu, the Souka, and the Emerald Dream. Deja Vu was the best of the three, with a unique blend of lychee, matcha, and white rum. The Souka was strong and felt like a good answer to cap off the night. The Bad: - There were a lot of mistakes made during ordering and it happened from the very start. To name a few: I ordered the Deja Vu drink at the bar and then my drink was randomly given to another member of our party who did not order a drink. My friend ordered a hamachi ceviche and instead was given a seafood ceviche which he couldn't have due to allergies. Another member of the party had ordered a drink and had to keep reminding them about it, even though I ordered a drink after him and received that drink before him. My entree of squid ink pasta was completely forgotten about and then to add insult to injury, they gave me a lobster pasta which was not what I ordered. They let us keep the lobster pasta on the house, but forgetting an entree is just unacceptable. - The wait times between ordering drinks and entrees was obscenely long. Drinks should not take over a half hour to be received and the entrees took over an hour to be served. - Food quality: I didn't receive an entree and ended up cancelling my order after the mistake was made but the rest of the party did not seem to think of the entrees as worth writing home about. - Service: Look, I don't normally pay attention to service and will admit that I had thoroughly read reviews on Yelp prior to eating here...and everything that was said was true. Our servers did not seem to know which drinks, appetizers, or entrees belonged to which guest. Servers would come into the room and be like "who ordered this". I'm sorry, but any restaurant at this price tier needs to have waiters that at least write the orders down, this is just downright unprofessional. Overall consensus: The looks and the vibes of Aquarelle are aesthetically pleasing and really add to the potential it has as a seafood restaurant. I would like to say that I can envision this as a place to go for casual drinks and light seafood appetizers. However, I can't in good faith recommend the restaurant until they invest more time and effort into the staff. At a minimum, the staff needs to introduce themselves to the guests, WRITE DOWN ORDERS, and provide good and timely service (or at least provide an ETA and check-ins). For the prices that are being charged, the least that can be done is good service for food that, quite frankly is not that great, especially considering the wait times. I hope that Aquarelle can improve, but at this time I cannot recommend this restaurant. read more

their apps are a lot better than the entrees. the mushroom flatbread was yum & so was the ceasar salad. pasta & chicken with mashed potatoes were good but nothing crazy. dessert was fried donut it felt like it was missing something. service was good & ambiance is really nice. read more

Aquarelle - donut - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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Ambiance and decorations were great and the food was delicious too. Our waiter Marco however needs to improve at his job. - Never refilled our water during the entire dinner - We said we didn't want drinks and 2 separate occasions he was pushy about us ordering drinks or sodas. If someone says "just water" leave it at that. Did the same thing to the 2 tables next to us - When we ordered he didn't know anything on the entire menu and I had to point to each dish and he circled them with a pen on the menu. The menu is not that complex so even if it was his first day I don't know how he didnt know any of the dishes. Would come back for the food and vibes but hopefully a different waiter read more

At. First I was apprehensive because of the location. However they quickly put us at ease. We had a great staff and they made their recommendations. We had 2 appetizers and each own fish Entre. The pictures of them cooking the salted fish are included here. The food, drinks and dessert were excellent. Even though it became more crowded as the night progressed. They offered us champagne and the dessert came out. They do appear on the bill and I didn't happen to ask when they offered. read more

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This is an interesting restaurant. It has multiple levels is an aquarium theme with fish and movies w fish theme continually playing. It is spacious inside with dining upstairs downstairs and a mezzanine type area. Service was good a bit rushed but attentive nonetheless. Food was good too. Nothing extraordinary. Portion size on small side but good for the waist and diet . Had chicken, oysters (well shucked) shrimp flatbread, calamari, crab cakes, fish and tuna tartare. Good presentation of the food on the plate . Looks like could be a fun place for a large group as the have private room (s) read more

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Came here for an early dinner before catching a show and everything we tried was delicious. We started with the hamachi ceviche which was great, citrusy and fresh. Then I tried my mom's clam chowder which was very flavorful! The star of the night was the squid ink crab pasta, which 3 in my party of 4 ordered thoroughly enjoyed. We also shared the whole branzino served with capers and lemon and it was great. Lastly we shared the truffle fries which was served with a spicy aioli and ketchup and they were thick cut and well seasoned. The ambiance was an aquarium/underwater vibe which was cute. The service was attentive without being overbearing. New York has so many restaurants to try but if you're a seafood lover this one should definitely be one to consider. read more

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I celebrated my birthday at Aquarelle, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable dinners I've had in NYC. From the moment we walked in, my friends and I were treated like absolute royalty. The staff strikes the perfect balance of friendly and professional, and the bar was already buzzing with energy -- plus they have a surprisingly great happy hour for a place this polished. The seafood here really lives up to the hype. I started with raw clams (incredibly fresh), shared a flatbread with the table, and then went for the squid-ink pasta with crab meat, which was rich, briny, and expertly done. Dessert is also worth saving room for -- they take just as much care with the sweets as they do with the mains. The space itself is gorgeous -- easily one of the most immersive dining rooms in the East Village. The whole place feels like you've slipped "under the sea," with marine-inspired colors, candlelit corners, octopus murals, and these incredible barnacle-style mirrors. It's been described as "dining inside a luxe submarine," and honestly, that's spot-on. The ambiance manages to feel both transportive and warm, almost like a nod to old-New-York hospitality but with a modern coastal twist. Aquarelle was created by Marcus Andrew (of Le Souk and Lamia Fish Market) and Baris Koroglu (of The Lullaby and Paradise Club), and you can feel the blend of restaurant and nightlife DNA throughout. It's not just a seafood restaurant -- it's part cocktail lounge, part late-night hang, part celebratory dining room. The cocktail program leans botanical and coastal; I spotted drinks like a yuzu-thyme spritz and a lavender sea-salt martini that fit the scene perfectly. And with the kitchen open until midnight most nights, it's one of the rare spots where a great meal can effortlessly turn into a fun night out. All in all, an excellent experience -- delicious food, standout service, and a setting that feels like a little escape from the city. I'd absolutely come back, birthday or not. read more

We came to Aquarelle on a Wednesday evening and the place had a really nice crowd for midweek. The vibe is upscale Mediterranean seafood with a polished, stylish atmosphere that still feels relaxed. Service was attentive overall, water refilled, dishes cleared smoothly, and the table never felt ignored. The food had some strong highlights. The grilled octopus appetizer was tender and flavorful with a great char. The crab cakes were nicely seasoned and the creamed spinach was surprisingly one of the standout dishes of the night. My cocktails were very good and well-balanced, so the bar definitely knows what they're doing. There were a couple of misses, though. I ordered the lobster and specifically asked for it broiled instead of grilled. The server acknowledged the request and mentioned it would take longer, which was totally fine, but it came out boiled instead, which was disappointing. My partner ordered a simple gin and club soda and was brought something completely different without any explanation or check-in. The seafood pasta was just okay and could have benefited from more sauce and seasoning to bring out the flavors. Even with those hiccups, we still enjoyed our night. The ambiance is great and it's a good spot for a dinner that feels a little special without being too formal. I would return, but next time I'll make sure to double-confirm any requests or substitutions when ordering. read more

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Food, service, were outstanding.... The atmosphere, décor is exquisite. Everything was very fresh....An exclusive, beautiful place to go, to see and be seen, great atmosphere, a very romantic place to go out on a date. read more

Want to feel like a mermaid princess.....What a cute underwater themed seafood restaurant!! picture ops everywhere you look. The waiter was new but super attentive and helpful. The food was good with a hardy seafood tower so much we had to take our main course home. The calamari Bronzino the surf and turf the mash and even the cease were amazing. The drinks were on point. We will sure to come back to taste more of the menu. read more

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Here's a concise, honest review for Aquarelle in NYC: Aquarelle - Stylish Vibes with Strong Cocktails Aquarelle brings the energy with a sleek, well-designed space and a lively, clubby atmosphere. The cocktails were a highlight--well-crafted and reasonably priced for NYC, which is always a win. We tried the hand-cut French fries and were pleasantly surprised--crispy, well-seasoned, and satisfying. It's not exactly a quiet date spot, though; the music is loud and the vibe leans more nightlife than intimate dinner. That said, it's a solid place to hang out with friends, grab a few drinks, and enjoy the scene--just don't expect deep conversation without leaning in. read more

Aquarelle - Old fashion - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this was genuinely one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in quite a while. My friend and I visited in late April, and while the decor is beautiful, unfortunately that's where the positives ended. After being seated, we waited about 15 minutes before anyone acknowledged our table. We eventually had to ask a busser to find our server because no one had come to take our order. Once our waitress, the one with the pink hair, finally took our order, we then waited another 45 minutes for our food. The service continued to be frustrating throughout the meal. We had to repeatedly flag people down for basic things like utensils and water, and even then, they kept forgetting. It felt like we were constantly having to ask for things that should have been handled without issue. When the food finally arrived, it was incredibly underwhelming. Everything tasted like it had been reheated or microwaved rather than freshly prepared. After such a long wait, it was especially disappointing. It also took a long time to receive our check. When our waitress brought it over, she asked how everything was. I was honest but respectful and simply told her that it hadn't been a great experience. I wasn't looking for a discount or a free meal. I just expected some acknowledgment or an apology. Instead, she simply responded, "OK," and walked away. No apology, no concern, no offer to involve a manager, nothing. It honestly felt like she couldn't have cared less. What frustrated me most wasn't even just the slow service or mediocre food. It was the complete lack of ownership when we shared our experience. Every restaurant can have an off night, and I can be understanding of that. But how a restaurant responds when something goes wrong says a lot. Thankfully, we were able to salvage the evening by getting a last-minute reservation at Superbueno, where the food, drinks, and service were all excellent. Given our experience, I'm genuinely surprised by the extremely high ratings this restaurant receives. Maybe we happened to visit on a particularly bad night, but based on our visit, I can't recommend it. There are simply too many great restaurants to spend an evening here. read more

I visited this restaurant with my girlfriend to celebrate our anniversary. The atmosphere was fine, but there were flies right where we were seated. For an indoor establishment, they seriously need to do something about the fly situation. We ordered a seafood tower as an appetizer, and the lobster tasted terrible we couldn't even finish it. The waitress only came by our table after we finished a dish, never once checking in during the meal to see if everything was okay. I doubt she actually informed anyone about our issues. For the main course, we got a risotto, which was good, along with a fish dish that came with a side of potatoes and vegetables. The side was freezing cold it tasted like it had been cooked beforehand, stored in the fridge, and they just forgot to reheat it for us. By that point, everything was a disaster. As usual, the waitress only checked in at the very end. We ate the fish but left the side untouched and asked for the check. I didn't even bother ordering dessert. I brought my partner here to give her a great experience, and I got the exact opposite. Terrible service and zero attempt at guest recovery. I'll not recommend and come back to this place. Not even for free. read more

All they need is a Pastaio, a sommelier and a pastry chef and they might have the makings of a real restaurant. Sorry to be harsh, but despite the hype, Aquarelle is sadly lacking. It is actually just a glorified bar, except that the cocktails are just ok. The raw seafood and salads are very good, but the rest of their food is tasteless or worse. On a Friday evening in the middle of the summer they were out of three quarters of the (handful) of white wines on their very mediocre wine list. They only had barely passable Pinot Grigio and Sancerre. The service was fine with the staff simply apologizing about everything. Could be a terrific spot, but they need to get serious about what they are doing. read more

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3.5 stars. I nearly went with four to give Aquarelle the benefit of the doubt because it still is new, but I give a lot of four-star ratings because I do my research and go to a lot of impressive places and my experience at Aquarelle was not at the level of that at spots I've previously given four stars. Perhaps it will become more efficient with time, but at the moment, Aquarelle is somewhat disorganized and would benefit from a comprehensive edit. The food and drinks are mostly solid and the prices are generally fair. I do believe that improvement is possible if they stay open for long enough to showcase some refinements (I say this because the space is absolutely massive and I truly cannot imagine how much it costs for Aquarelle to stay afloat -- no water pun intended). Made a reservation for four at 8:30pm on a Saturday night. As I mentioned, the space is absolutely massive. My first thought upon walking in was that the decor/overall aesthetic of Aquarelle is such that the restaurant feels much better suited for midtown as opposed to the East Village/Alphabet City. Nothing understated or minimalist about it: if there is an opportunity to reference all things marine life, Aquarelle has seized it. Giant mermaid statues, over the top raw bar design, a bar backdrop that resembles a submarine (The Ship did it first), projections of fish being cast across the back wall of the second floor -- it's all there. Now, typically when a place is this gimmicky, I begin to worry that more effort has been put into the space than the food. Luckily, most of the food was quite good, and if I was rating the experience on food alone, I probably would have gone with four stars. The main reason for the three-star rating was the service. For starters, we did not get water until an hour into our meal, and we did not get our first round of drink for 45 minutes after ordering them, which I suppose would be understandable if the restaurant was packed, but it wasn't. Additionally, our server was at times unprofessional in the way that he communicated and when we were trying to figure out how to ensure that we were not ordering too much food, he said nothing is too much and didn't give us guidance. He also kept referring to "dorade" as "dorado". Another gripe was that for sides priced at $12, the portions were laughably small. Think the size of a bowl you'd see bar nuts served in. Okay, so now we'll get to the positives of the experience. They were able to locate bleu cheese olives for our dirty martinis which was much appreciated. The martinis themselves were delicious, but I can't speak to the rest of the cocktails. Food-wise, we ordered a nice sampling of the menu, trying quite a few cold dishes and a few warmer ones. Most were solid with a couple that were a bit underwhelming. Eats, below: Hamachi Nobu Crudo: B Straightforward and unmemorable, but nothing wrong with it. And I'm happy to have tried it because I will always go for hamachi crudo when it's an option. Octopus Carpaccio: A Our favorite dish of the night, great flavors and well executed. Also fun to order something you see less often on menus. Tuna Tartare: B+ Solid preparation, nothing that exciting or creative but checked all the necessary boxes. That said, there were oddly very few chips served on the side. Either don't serve with chips or provide enough -- unless you want to consume this in three or four heaping bites, you may need to ask for more chips. Seafood Ceviche: A Probably my favorite dish of the night, a mix of hamachi and shrimp. That said, like the tartare, there were not enough chips. Unlike tuna tartare, I am more than happy to eat ceviche directly from my spoon, so I minded less in this case. Aquarelle Caesar: B The components were there but because of the way it was served, some of the lettuce was bone dry while some had the right amount. More of a matter of execution than anything else, because the dressing was tasty and the lettuce was fresh. Salt-Baked Snapper: A- It comes out aflame and portioned for each person at the table, which is a cute gimmick. The serving process was a bit inefficient but the fish itself was delicious and served with a great sauce, though we were not told what exactly it was. Branzino Grilled w/ Lemon & Capers: B- Another reviewer said this as well but this was relatively bland. I think it was one of the only dishes that did not get fully consumed by the end of the night. We ordered the grilled veggies, truffle fries, and mushrooms as sides. None of them were all that memorable, and as I mentioned, the portions were laughably tiny. read more

Came here to celebrate a friend's 35th birthday this past weekend. At first, I was a little nervous because the streets were still snow-covered, so there was absolutely no street parking available. We had to park about a mile up and Uber down to the restaurant, making us a few minutes late for our reservation, but thankfully, they were understanding. Our group consisted of nine women and we requested to be in the downstairs Mermaid area. Everything was so nice! Beautiful layout, modern design, very unique. My only qualm was it was absolutely freezing down there and the drinks were a tad slow to come out. However, in terms of the food and hospitality, everything was excellent. The managers were all so nice and helpful, and the food was very well flavored. I especially liked the seafood flatbread which comes topped with shrimp, calamari, and mussels. They actually gave us one flatbread with tomato sauce, a the other without. I'm not sure if that was intentional or by accident, but I actually preferred the one with the sauce, though both were very good. In the future, I would definitely order it without the muscles, as a matter of preference. For dessert we finished off with chocolate lava cake, and champagne. On our way out the door, we had one last round of drinks and the bartender, Alexander, and Manager Gael, were super friendly and accommodating. I will definitely return in the future!! Thanks so much! read more

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Aquarelle needs to be added to every New Yorker's "must visit" list immediately! This hot new East Village Seafood spot absolutely blew me away with top of the line quality across their entire menu - AND without that crazy New York City pricing. Everything I had was incredible but you cannot miss the surf and turf, the tuna tartare, or the squid ink linguine with crab!! With a live DJ, a beautiful seafood counter, and incredible service, this place gets an undisputed 10/10 in atmosphere. You definitely won't regret making a reservation here for your next date night or group dinner! read more

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Amazing Greek food! Would definitely come back here again. Nice spot in East Village for date read more

Aquarelle - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

Always such an experience there at night, performers, great food! And super friendly staff!!!!

$80 for 3 small burnt pieces of crab cakes, zucchini slices ("zoodles") with some shrimp, and lava cake that seemed to be just a plain brownie. That was just my portion, and drinks were $17 each but they forgot the alcohol so it was just pineapple juice and whatever they mix in it, just no rum. Sent it back and they "forgot" to remake it. All in total was $200+ for two people per their prix fixe along with two cocktails. Was more like a $40 dinner minus the drinks for what you get. So $80 for one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert. Was 1/10 Sysco food they microwaved. I didn't take a picture of the crab cakes but I have a one of the zoodles. My partner also got calamari and it was hard and rubbery. There is a bathtub with dirty water that has 10 axolotls residing in it though when you first walk in. read more

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Aquarelle might be better suited as a dinner or late-night spot, because brunch was a letdown. The menu is extremely limited, especially for seafood, and the food itself wasn't great. I tried to order the burger, the server told me, "I hate that," so I switched to something else. Despite that, the order still got mixed up, and the burger ended up going to someone else at the table who didn't even order it. Additionally the eggs were cold, and the lobster roll was burnt & the lobster in the lobster Mac was super hard...definitely over cooked. Service was chaotic, though not for lack of effort. The staff who were working genuinely tried their best, but the restaurant was severely understaffed. Our server was the only one on the floor because the bartender was late, which meant long waits even for water. When the bartender eventually arrived, he brought my friend an unsolicited birthday drink and then asked if we wanted shots - a nice gesture but unnecessary and a bit awkward. We were also told there was no cocktail menu because a private party the night before had "thrown up on them," which was... memorable. The server also mentioned there was no chef, which makes sense. Overall, the staff did what they could, but the experience just missed the mark. read more

Really sorry to say this but our experience was awful. When we ordered, the server waved us off what we wanted and told us to get a tartar because it was their specialty. The tartar came so oily and flavorless it wasn't worth eating. The branzino had a ton of bones in it even though it was butterflied which made eating it impossible, and the "creamed spinach" was literally raw spinach leaves with cream poured over it. The $17 jardin vert cocktail was not at all balanced and way overpriced. Just a bad experience. EDIT: After I gave Aquarelle 1 star, they invited me and my dining companion to come back with a $150 credit. Below is the new review. Coming back to Aquarelle was interesting. We ordered six things and two of them were actually quite good. Here is a breakdown. 1. Crabcakes: They were okay, not great. The aioli was really overpowering the the crab had no texture. 2. Hamachi Ceviche: Excellent. No notes. Perfectly citrussy, the fish was cured perfectly, and it was so fresh. 3. Grilled Calamari: I was really looking forward to this and unfortunately it was just...not great? It felt really burned, not grilled. The char tasted really bitter. 4. Seafood flatbread: This was fine? There wasnt really any finesse, but it was fine. 5. Grilled whole lobster: Really well done. Great butter sauce. Fries could have been substantially better done, but whatever, when you order the lobster you're not in it for the fries. 6. Linguine with clams: Fine? The pasta was good, the clams weren't really. Did they remember that they had given us a $150 credit? No. Did they ask us to change our reviews once they saw proof of the exchange? Yes, they did. So I write this so you all have full transparency. Overarching comments: The waitstaff needs to be better trained overall. It's a new restaurant, so of course I give them grace, but it's not Really polite for a server or bus boy to ask "all this food is for one table???" loudly in the middle of the dining room. I think the overall problem with Aquarelle is that they're trying too hard to be an influencer haunt (if you couldn't tell by decor and dishes, the plaque outside reads: "Influencers, DM to collaborate") and not hard enough at putting out good, fresh food. Would I go back? No. Should you? Sure - just go in with your eyes open about what you're getting. Try the lobster and the ceviches. read more

OMG THIS PLACE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!! The service was actually amazing (shoutout brian!!!!!) and the food DELISH!!!! I am still thinking about that feta tomato salad bc WOOF read more

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The food is great, fresh, cocktails on point. Our server was super friendly and attentive, and the restaurant itself is quite beautiful, but the ever present bongo player and violinist constantly walking around were a bit much. Maybe some people enjoy that? Not really our cup of tea. Maybe I'd go back for a musician-free evening but otherwise would skip. read more

Your reply is nicely polished, but it doesn't match what actually happened. You're saying you can't read minds, but we told three different staff members that it was my sister's birthday. The hostess heard it. The man in the brown suit heard it he couldn't even get her simple name right ( Mac ), and we had to write it down. The waiter with the nose ring and bowl haircut also heard it when he took our order right before disappearing for the rest of the night. So pretending you weren't informed is just not honest. As for comparing you to Lamia's that comment didn't come out of nowhere. The experience was slow, unorganized, and dismissive. A former restaurant being better isn't an insult it's context. A guest noticing a difference doesn't mean they're being unfair. It means your service didn't measure up. And the busboy absolutely said we had to wait because the server was "taking care of other tables." That wasn't imagined or exaggerated. That came straight from your own staff. If you want to improve, great. But rewriting what happened isn't the way. We know what we experienced, and none of what I mentioned was based on appearance or misunderstanding. It was based on your team not doing their jobs and then acting like the issue was somehow on us. Aquarelle might be a new restaurant, but basic service isn't a new concept. read more

Aquarelle - Since I don't know how to reply back to whatever this is you said here u go Matthew B of aquarelle NYC. - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

DO NOT COME HERE! ESPECIALLY POC!!! We ate here last night for my gf's birthday and were seated at 10:30pm. Food was meh. The ceviche was a pitiful joke and the lobster pasta came out lukewarm. The vibe was festive (people celebrating) so we asked for dessert and were told the kitchen was closed. Ay, maybe the waiter should have said something to us before. Oh, well! Next thing you know they sit a white couple next to us and they order filet mignon and dessert! We were super offended. I mean, you sat them right next to us and offered them the full menu? What is one left to think? I fully regretted my overpriced ($220) meal. I politely complain to the owner but he says oh its the waiter's fault. The whole tone shifts and we alllll get into a yelling argument with the whole restaurant watching us. The owner yelling out: "he makes up his own rules!" And the waiter upset with the owner. Owner kept saying to us: "you should have asked me, not him!" A circus of incompetence? A sad little display of miscommunication? Also, Aquarelle, please don't respond to this complaint w some politesse bs. Like i said when we walked out - never again! Don't come here. read more

Ricky, Why a pleasure visiting here. You made our night with amazing cocktails and even better energy. If you are looking for a good cocktail and seafood, come here. Please give Ricky a big smile. He's the best. Karl and Kurt read more

Aquarelle - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

Pretty solid seafood spot! The food is great -- whole fish branzino, raw bar, etc. What really makes this place stand out is the ambiance and the service -- the bartender, Axel, excels at not just mixology, but also in creating a fun and hospitable vibe! A great spot for date night, going out with friends, and even as a neighborhood bar. Would recommend ! read more

Aquarelle - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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I visited this restaurant for dinner and had a fairly pleasant experience. The food was served warm and looked well prepared. The flavors were balanced, though not very strong. Service was polite and the staff handled the tables efficiently. Overall, it felt like a comfortable place for a casual meal read more

my friend recommanded this place they have axolotly amazing ambiance and food was on point I want come back because of service read more

I have literally never walked out of a restaurant so hungry, angry, and with so much of my time wasted. I made a reservation. It still took an hour and 52 minutes before we were finally served. When we entered we were told "15 or 20 minute wait for a table" which eventually became "a table is leaving soon" and "they're going to pay" or "we're checking again". Unfortunately, the bartender was pleasant and the drinks were good, so we were tempted to stay. This was while our party watched people who came in 30 or so minutes after us get seated, or got to watch a party that had gotten their order taken when we entered, eat their entire meal, chit chat, pay, chit chat so more, and finally leave. All before we even got close to being seated. After being seated and watching about half the restaurant empty, we were told that our "server would be right with us" and made to wait another 20 minutes. After someone got a drink order they waited a further 20 minutes to even get their drink not to mention the delay on food. Quite honestly it felt like a bit of a scam...we were delayed and delayed and delayed until there were simply no restaurants open when we realized that our best bet was honestly just to walk out and find something else. Unfortunately, we delayed until we did get served. A wait would be acceptable if the food is good right? And yet somehow they managed to fail on almost every mark. I ordered the miso black cod and the truffle fries and with the rest of my friends I split the three tartare's and an order of fried calamari. The tartare and the calamari were simply...okay. If I had been served at a Chili's I would've been happy, but this restaurant was charging 19 dollars for a rather sad layer of calamari on a smaller side dish and 59 dollars for tartare that ended up being maybe 3 bites for each of 4 people. My main - the miso black cod would have been maybe seasoned okay if they had blended the entire dish up and served me through a straw, but as it was the spinach and carrots in the dish came in a small, pallid, cold, soggy pile next to a pathetic looking bump of cod with some thin weak sauce spilled into puddles around it. The vegetables were completely unseasoned, the cod was way oversalted. Such a shame because the texture and doneness of the cod was perfect. The truffle fries I got as a side had no discernable flavor of truffle oil and were a bit on the bland side, I did taste other items my friends ordered...the seafood risotto had a flashy presentation but was overcooked and soggy, the sea bass was good...but it felt more as a result of it being Chilean sea bass than any way that it was cooked...and frankly I was a little surprised anyone could make Chilean sea bass taste so...underwhelming. The snapper was "deboned" but I kept glancing at the twin growing piles of bones that my friends were building. The snapper was also remarkably dry. Me and the group that gathered are usually fairly passive, but the constant game of "hey you'll be served don't worry" and then trying to flag someone down after 20ish minutes had passed was getting on everyone's nerves. After complaining (and it REALLY looked like they just did not care that they had wasted almost 2 hours of our night AFTER making a reservation if we had not complained) the manager offered a 20 dollar bottle of wine (which added another wait) and 1 chocolate lava cake on the house at the end...though at that point we were so frustrated and honestly hungry at the end of our meal that we just wanted to leave. This place looks nice. Some of the dishes look very visually pleasing. The drinks are nice. It all seems like a trap to get you to spend 3.5-4 hours (only ~20% of which actually involved experiencing a restaurant) and 400-500 of your hard earned dollars on wasted produce. Lots of instagram-able features (overcooked risotto tossed in a cheese wheel, massive pepper grinder in your face, sea-themed entrance and axolotls in a bathtub), but no substance at all. Frankly, I could never go back in good conscience as it would be a waste of my time, the staff's time, the time of every person who helped transport and grow the produce, and the time the seafood took to grow and be caught. I genuinely fail to understand how anyone could be so shameless as to eat here a second time or to go back and work to provide this active waste of people's time and money. read more

We had Caesar salad, crab cake, tuna tartar, and hamachi all appetizers were excellent and the service provided was great. The decor is stunning read more

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Something is really odd with this place. My friends impression is that it's a mob front. As soon as you walk in there is this super weird modern bathtub with fake neon plants in it. The interior is modern but with odd lighting and club music. The design is all over the place. They have a lovely hostess but there is a lot of staff just standing around staring. The vibe is very off. The sommelier got type of wine and where it was from wrong. Something is amiss with this place and I can't figure out what. read more

Love this neighborhood spot with amazing bartenders, food and service I will bring all my friends here read more

Aquarelle - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

Pre fixe menu for Valentine's Day was very disgusting they had everying sitting out and pre madenor did they serve their main menu during valentine's read more

I'm really excited about Aquarelle new seafood spot in NYC! The East Village is where I want to move next, so I'm thrilled for a new adventure. They have incredible squid ink linguine and shaved Brussels sprouts that I've never tried anywhere else. I'm totally in love with it! read more

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Such a fun and funky place, not to mention very tasty and creative food. We have recommended it to our friends when they are in town.

Small portions of very good quality fish in a very noisy room. They are understaffed in waiters and you cannot get the attention that you really need. We were not offered desert. The busboys were very attentive and helpful though. Owner greets some people, does not bother to come over to other tables, it gives a rude feeling. Won't be going back. read more

Valentine's Day dinner turned into a chaotic dinner show no one asked for. The manager was loudly pacing around and seemed half-lit, interrupting everyone's attempt at a nice night. The menus had multiple mistakes and we were stuck with a tiny set-menu selection anyway. It took 35 minutes to get drinks while a roaming cameraman tried to get us to "cheers" with empty glasses. Add in someone walking around in lingerie as a "prop," and the whole vibe felt more awkward than romantic. The timing didn't improve -- food took an hour, and my salmon (ordered rare) showed up severely overcooked. Dessert was supposed to be lava cake and ice cream, but the ice cream was replaced by a sad squirt of whipped cream like a last-minute cover story. If the goal was unforgettable, they succeeded -- just for all the wrong reasons. Would not repeat unless I'm craving disappointment with a side of spectacle. read more