Aqua Restaurant

4.8

2804 Reviews

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 21, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 1 time today

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Charming

**Only in Beaufort, NC** Executive Chef Jon McGregor’s menu is created to bring you the freshest seasonal items available presented with a creative touch. Aqua’s small plates offer you an exciting array of tastes in
"just right” portions, ideal for passing around the table or enjoying two or three as a full meal. Aqua’s Big Plates feature the freshest local seafood and premier meats, as well as local produce. Aqua prides itself on offering fresh, local products and supporting our local fisherman and farmers.

Enjoy our upscale bar offerings, including specialty cocktails and expansive wine list.

Enjoy your experience in our Dining Room or on our comfortable, breezy screened-in porch. Please take care to select the dining area of your choice when making reservations.

We can’t wait to serve you soon. Cheers for now!

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Fusion / Eclectic, Seafood
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Thu 5:30 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(252) 728-7777
Website
http://www.aquaexperience.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Jon McGregor

Location
114 Middle Lane, Beaufort, NC 28516
Neighborhood
Beaufort / Morehead City
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

We welcome you to experience Aqua, where we believe dining out should be both memorable and fun. Executive Chef Jon McGregor and Chef de Cuisine Hannah Minter are proud to use local seafood, meats and produce wherever possible, including: Blue Ocean Seafood, Bogue Sound Seafood, Merrell Farms, and Harlowe Custom Micro Greens. Our wine and martini lists are created with the same focus on the unexpected. Tonight, dine with a curious spirit and experience Aqua!

tapas

french toast$9.00
Grand Marnier-vanilla bean battered, house cured bacon, chai maple syrup
tuna poke*$9.00
marinated fresh local tuna
egg roll$8.00
pulled pork, kimchi, gochujang
boursin and chevre$9.00
housemade boursin cheese, chevre croquettes, toasted lavosh, citrus-fig preserves

small plates

local catch
designed daily by our chef, market price
grilled petite filet*$28.00
CAB Beef tenderloin, veal demi glace, truffle dusted gratin potatoes
seared crab cake$26.00
lump crabmeat, citrus chili aioli, sauteed spinach, leeks, mushrooms, stewed lentils
ravioli$27.00
boursin filled house made pasta, colossal lump crab panned in butter, lobster cream
shrimp & grits provencal$26.00
roasted tomatoes, citrus beurre blanc, house cured bacon, creamy grits
seared local tuna*$26.00
rare curry seared local tuna, soba noodle salad, traditional accompaniments
stuffed trumpet mushroom$20.00
truffle duxelles, chevre, celeriac-cauliflower puree, crispy kale

big plate

sea and shore$46.00
CAB beef petite filet, veal demi glace, smoked gouda mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables. choice of local catch
seared crab cake$45.00
grilled shrimp$38.00
two large sea scallops$46.00
noodle bowl$43.00
sauteed shrimp, rare curry seared local tuna, two large sea scallops, coconut chili broth
beef bourguignon$41.00
slow braised boneless beef short rib, confit fingerlings, pearl onions, parisian carrots, roasted tomatoes

salads

saffron poached pear$13.00
arugula, chevre, whiskey-vanilla bean walnuts, fig vinaigrette
kale$13.00
kale, napa cabbage, mint, carrot, fennel, peanuts, miso-fennel vinaigrette

sweet endings

aqua’s signature crème brûlée$14.00
huge Madagascar vanilla bean crème brûlée
chocolate mousse$11.00
our pastry chef’s creation of the week
bananas foster$12.00
bananas, caramel, brown butter cake, vanilla bean ice cream
baklava$10.00
toasted nuts, crisp phyllo, caramel, tonka diplomat cream
dessert sampler$28.00
choose a sample of three of the above house made confections

add to any dish

CAB petite filet$25.00
crab cake$23.00
local catch (market)
grilled shrimp$13.00
two large sea scallops$23.00

What 2,804 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Coastal North Carolina
Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Aqua Restaurant in Beaufort is a standout dining spot with "outstanding food," "exceptional service," and a "relaxing atmosphere." Guests rave about the "amazing crème brûlée," "heavenly petite filet," and "creative craft cocktails." The attentive staff, including noted hosts like Quinton and servers like Ayesha, enhance the dining experience, making it a "favorite go-to" for many.

2,804 Reviews

B
Brenda
Wilmington
24 reviews
5.0
24 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food and service. We tried a new item being offered, the beef bourguignon. It was rich, tender, and wonderful.
Is this helpful?
J
Jeff
Wilmington
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had a date night with my beautiful wife! We enjoyed the tuna, cheese plate, pear salad, and of course… the big plates with tender steak. I chose the crab cake with mine and my wife had the grilled shrimp. We ended our delicious dinner with the creme brûlée! We live in Beaufort and always enjoy our Aqua dates!
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M
Michael
VIP
Raleigh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had the grouper special and it was delicious! And the serving size was just right!
Is this helpful?
j
jessamine
Wilmington
20 reviews
5.0
20 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Aqua is ALWAYS consistently delicious, with great service and most friendly staff and service. This is the best of Beaufort, for sure.
Is this helpful?
C
Cathy
Naples
15 reviews
4.0
15 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Although Aqua has always been one of our favorite restaurants in the area, we left feeling let down. We had been looking forward to some of the dishes we previewed on Aqua's website. Unfortunately, the majority of them were not offered on the restaurant's current, somewhat limited, menu. (Our server laughed it off and simply said the website menu was "out of date"). That said, my grouper (the seafood special) was good, although consistent with the 'small plate' offering, it is quite a small portion. The pork egg roll tapa was overcooked and a bit tough. The Seafood Noodle Bowl was truly disappointing. Small portions of scallops, shrimp, and tuna are served swimming in broth - making the dish more like a big bowl of soup than a 'noodle bowl'. Hardly worth the $41 price. Serving it with chopsticks will remain a mystery. Overall, Aqua's former excellence has been replaced by dishes that don't quite live up to their reputation and seem overpriced. In short, there are many excellent restaurants to choose from in Beaufort. It will be a while before we return to Aqua.
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L
Lynda
Charleston
20 reviews
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on January 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We LOVED our experience tonight! Husband had the Banana Bread Old Fashioned and I had The Rendezvous. Both were great! Catch of fresh grouper was scrumptious. Service from Susan was efficient and perky. Will be back!
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V
Victoria
VIP
Orlando
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful! Our server Ayesha was incredible, and the tapas were outstanding!
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M
Matthew
Raleigh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wow! This was our first time to Aqua and it did not disappoint. It is now our favorite restaurant in the area. The food was outstanding (pear salad, egg roll, French toast, crab cakes and steak…..ALL 10 out of 10), service was great and it has a very nice atmosphere. My husband had one of their specialty drinks, which was very good. With much regret, we did skip what looked to be amazing desserts and will get next visit. We can’t wait to go back!
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P
Porter
Raleigh
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 28, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
They have amazing crème brûlée and the waiters were very friendly. Definitely coming back ❤️ 💧
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J
Jeannette
Raleigh
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on December 27, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The petite filet was heavenly. Service was excellent. Good value for the price. Have eaten at three other restaurants in the area for the same price point this week and the food at Aqua is hands down the best.
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FAQs

Aqua Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (252) 728-7777.

Aqua Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 2804 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 21, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 1 time today

Order delivery or takeout

114 Middle Lane, Beaufort, NC 28516

Additional information

Neighborhood
Beaufort / Morehead City
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Thu 5:30 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Fusion / Eclectic, Seafood
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Private Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Jon McGregor
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.aquaexperience.com/
Phone number
(252) 728-7777

Aqua Restaurant

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

noodle bowl

bananas foster

seared crab cake

tapas

french toast$9.00

tuna poke*$9.00

egg roll$8.00

boursin and chevre$9.00

small plates

local catch

grilled petite filet*$28.00

seared crab cake$26.00

ravioli$27.00

shrimp & grits provencal$26.00

seared local tuna*$26.00

stuffed trumpet mushroom$20.00

big plate

sea and shore$46.00

seared crab cake$45.00

grilled shrimp$38.00

two large sea scallops$46.00

noodle bowl$43.00

beef bourguignon$41.00

salads

saffron poached pear$13.00

kale$13.00

sweet endings

aqua’s signature crème brûlée$14.00

chocolate mousse$11.00

bananas foster$12.00

baklava$10.00

dessert sampler$28.00

add to any dish

CAB petite filet$25.00

crab cake$23.00

local catch (market)

grilled shrimp$13.00

two large sea scallops$23.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Aqua Restaurant offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Aqua Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is Aqua Restaurant currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information