Aqua Restaurant

4.8

2796 Reviews

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 22, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 12 times today

Good for special occasions
Innovative
Neighborhood gem

**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–9:30 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
Catering
Limited off site catering is available.
Private party facilities
Private party / Banquet facilities available overlooking Taylor's Creek and the Beautiful Beaufort waterfront from the 3rd floor private dining room located in our sister restaurant Clawson's 1905 Restaurant & Pub. Seats up to 69

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

Cheese Plate$10.00
seared Ashe county juusto and bruleed triple cream brie
Tuna Poke*$9.00
marinated fresh local tuna
Artichoke Hearts$8.00
panko fried, citrus ginger yogurt, feta
Duck Wings$11.00
duck drummettes, 5 spice rub, gochujang, Asian slaw
Mussels$12.00
PEI mussels, coconut saffron broth, grilled baguette

Small Plates

Local Catch
designed daily by our chef
- Market Price
Grilled Petite Filet*$26.00
CAB Beef tenderloin, veal demi glace, spinach, roasted tomatoes, truffle dusted gratin potatoes
Seared Crab Cake$25.00
lump crabmeat, sauteed spinach, leeks, mushrooms, citrus chili aioli
Winter Squash$15.00
preparation varies according to local farmers products and availability
Shrimp & Grits Provencal$24.00
tomato basil relish, white balsamic beurre blanc, creamy polenta
Seared Local Tuna*$25.00
blackened rare fresh local tuna, soba noodle salad, wasabi greens, traditional accompaniments
Duck Confit$27.00
crispy leg quarter of duck, sweet potato puree, baby carrot, spinach, tomato, blood orange bigarade

Big Plate

Sea and Shore*
CAB beef petite filet, veal demi glace, yukon gold mashed potatoes, winter vegetables. Choice of
- Local Catch$43.00
- Seared Crab Cake.$43.00
- Grilled Shrimp$36.00
- Two Large Sea Scallops$43.00
Noodle Bowl*$39.00
sauteed shrimp, blackened rare fresh local tuna, two large sea scallops, coconut chili broth
Boneless Beef Short Rib$35.00
sweet potato puree, haricot verts, carrot, demi glace

Salads

add to any dish: CAB petite filet* $24, crab cake $23, local catch (market), grilled shrimp $13, two large sea scallops $23

Caesar$11.00
chopped romaine and kale, grilled focaccia, roasted tomatoes, olives, parmesan, egg
Poached Pear and Brie$11.00
saffron poached pear, baby kale, walnuts, grapes, triple cream brie, blood orange vinaigrette

Sweet Endings

Aqua's Signature Crème Brulée$13.00
huge Madagascar vanilla bean crème brulée
Chocolate Mousse$10.00
our pastry chef's creation of the week
Bananas Foster$11.00
bananas, caramel, brown butter cake, vanilla bean ice cream
Dessert Sampler$27.00
enjoy a sample of the above three house made confections

What 2,796 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
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Coastal North Carolina
Innovative
Coastal North Carolina
Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Aqua Restaurant in Beaufort is a delightful dining destination, praised for its "excellent food" and "wonderful service." Guests enjoy a creative menu with unique flavors, including standout dishes like mussels in coconut saffron broth and beautifully plated seafood options. The cozy atmosphere and attentive staff make it a "repeat-worthy" experience.

2,796 Reviews

J
John
Wilmington
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of our very favorite restaurants! But - we had never been there on wineOrama night! Great food and great wine. Can’t beat it. We were able to buy some of the wine at fantastic prices and bring it home for the holidays!!
Is this helpful?
A
Anna
Raleigh
14 reviews
5.0
14 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Aqua is one of our favorite dining spots in Beaufort. The food is always fabulous and the atmosphere is great. Quinton is an amazing host!
Is this helpful?
A
Audra
Charlotte
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on December 14, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great presentation and the service was impeccable. The foods all had an element of sweetness to them, which was surprising, but we enjoyed our meal. Our party had had butternut squash soup (had a lot of sweet maple flavor), a salad, the mussels (delicious broth that was sweet and spicy), grouper special (the purée was alittle sweet), and the crab cake with sweet potato puree which tasted like pumpkin pie.
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K
Karen
VIP
Raleigh
56 reviews
4.0
56 reviews
Dined on December 10, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
This was my third visit to Aqua and it has consistently had great seafood. The Swordfish(catch of the day) was simply divine. The Saffron soaked pear salad was a nice starter. We also enjoyed coconut-based mussels that was a little of a miss as it was TOO coconuty . The server(Jonathan) was good, except we did request a coursed out dinner and he bought both the mussels and fish at the same time which presented a little bit of a dilemma when they both should be enjoyed warm. There may have been a little confusion as two of us were sharing , nonetheless , we had a lovely dinner and appreciated the special touch of wishing my son a Happy Birthday with a card signed by the staff. It was a very nice touch. We will return to Aqua when we are again in Beaufort!
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J
Johanna
Wilmington
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 4, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food is always delicious and innovative. The craft cocktails really good and creative. It's a real event to dine at this restaurant.
Is this helpful?
B
Brenda
Wilmington
23 reviews
5.0
23 reviews
Dined on November 30, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The staff of Aqua consistently deliver outstanding service and beautifully plated food. Chef Hannah's creations never disappoint. Aqua is always on our list when we're in town.
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J
Joanne
Raleigh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 30, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A great way to spend ou anniversary - excellent service and great food
Is this helpful?
N
Nancy
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Aqua continuously serves some of the best food in the region. The menu is thoughtfully planned and prepared. The entire staff cares about the food and service they provide. Our expectations are exceeded on every visit.
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C
Cindy
Raleigh
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 23, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was delicious! Waiter was good-chef prepared fabulous food! Will be back.
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L
Lynda
Charleston
19 reviews
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on November 19, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a wonderful visit! We were visited during the course of our dinner by different staff members, who all work together to ensure service never misses a beat. Fresh catch of the evening, noodle bowl, and sea and shore were delicious! Cocktails were unique and beautifully presented, and wine list provides something for any taste. Can’t wait to return!
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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 2796 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 22, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 12 times 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–9:30 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
Catering
Limited off site catering is available.
Private party facilities
Private party / Banquet facilities available overlooking Taylor's Creek and the Beautiful Beaufort waterfront from the 3rd floor private dining room located in our sister restaurant Clawson's 1905 Restaurant & Pub. Seats up to 69

Aqua Restaurant

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Noodle Bowl

Bananas Foster

Seared Crab Cake

Tapas

Cheese Plate$10.00

Tuna Poke*$9.00

Artichoke Hearts$8.00

Duck Wings$11.00

Mussels$12.00

Small Plates

Local Catch

Grilled Petite Filet*$26.00

Seared Crab Cake$25.00

Winter Squash$15.00

Shrimp & Grits Provencal$24.00

Seared Local Tuna*$25.00

Duck Confit$27.00

Big Plate

Sea and Shore*

Noodle Bowl*$39.00

Boneless Beef Short Rib$35.00

Salads

Caesar$11.00

Poached Pear and Brie$11.00

Sweet Endings

Aqua's Signature Crème Brulée$13.00

Chocolate Mousse$10.00

Bananas Foster$11.00

Dessert Sampler$27.00

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