Perhaps my dining partner and I expected too much... Perhaps. But one thing is certain: Despite being highly recommended via a variety of sources, our recent visit to Agua Bistro proved to be something of a disappointment. Our dissatisfaction pertained neither to the restaurant's appealingly cozy ambiance nor to its spot-on personable service. Rather, it was related solely to the preparation and presentation of a portion of the cuisine; which, despite their website's pontification - "Here you will find Chef's handcrafted à la carte menu inspired by a medley of Mediterranean flavors" - fell significantly short of expectations. But let's begin on a positive note... The Fried Artichokes, which my dining partner and I shared as an appetizer, as did the other couple with whom we dined, received nothing but raves. Kissed by a balsamic glaze, caressed by Panko breadcrumbs, and pillowed on mixed greens splashed with lemon dressing, it was indeed an auspicious beginning. Desserts were also quite good... and our little group managed to sample several noteworthy possibilities. My dining partner, for example, enjoyed the Limoncello Cake while I opted for the Apple Tart with French vanilla ice cream. But by far the most interesting dessert of the evening was the Peach Melba, which was shared by the other couple. Actually, "interesting" is something of a misnomer, as the history of this famous confection is as intriguing as its checklist of ingredients is delicious. Peach Melba is a dessert of peaches, raspberry sauce, and vanilla ice cream (Agua's version also adds whipped cream). It was invented in 1892-93 by French chef Auguste Escoffier at London's Savoy Hotel to honor Australian soprano Nellie Melba. In 1892, or so the story goes, Ms. Melba was performing Wagner's opera Lohengrin at Covent Garden. At a dinner party in her honor, Escoffier presented her with a dessert of fresh peaches served over vanilla ice cream in a silver dish perched atop an ice sculpture of a swan (which is featured in the opera). Originally Escoffier called the dish Pêche au Cygne (Peach with a Swan). Several years later, however, he changed the recipe slightly by adding a topping of sweetened raspberry purée and renamed the dish Pêche Melba. Tasty fried artichokes and tempting desserts notwithstanding, it was the entrées that proved to be the kitchen's undoing... And topping the list of eminently forgettable items was my Pan Seared Atlantic Swordfish, which was overly breaded, unattractively hefty of countenance, exhibited a decidedly mushy texture, and tasted offputtingly "fishy" in spots. Ill-chosen accompaniments such as gloppy white beans, olive tapenade, and bland, under-seasoned, undercooked vegetables did absolutely nothing - either gastronomically or asthetically - to remediate this sorry state of affairs. Definitely not the kitchen's finest hour. While other entrées were not as distasteful as my swordfish, they were still nothing to write home about. My dining partner, for example, wasn't exactly thrilled with her Chicken Parmigiana. Not that it was beneath contempt... but she certainly had seen and tasted better in numerous other establishments. What was particularly telling to me was that the kitchen appeared to be rather careless with its entrée presentations. The food photos I observed on the restaurant's website were strikingly beautiful. Up close and personal, however - in the flesh, so to speak - their appearance clearly lacked a certain savoir faire. And for an establishment that seemed to posture itself as significantly above the ranks of plebeian cookery, this was an unappetizing paradox indeed. The major offender in this regard was undoubtedly the Wild Mushroom Ravioli swimming in a madeira cream sauce. Which, while a feast for the palate - at least according to the other gentleman in our party - was also famine for the eye, bearing, in my opinion, uncanny resemblance to the regurgitation of an endangered species. I don't mean to imply that each and every item placed before a diner needs to be a work of art... On the other hand, it should possess sufficient visual appeal to contribute to rather than detract from the enjoyment of an evening at table. In this instance, with just the slightest bit of effort, I think the kitchen could have made this particular presentation infinitely more pleasurable to the eye. An absolutely charming little BYOB, there is no question that Agua Bistro has all the makings of a first-rate eatery. That being said, however... for idealistic promise to become gastronomic reality, it appears that there must be a significant improvement in both the quality and the character of their entrées. read more

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Excellent food and service. Prices reasonable for the quality of the food. Being BYO was the attraction for our group. We were all glad we went. read more

Went back last night! Enjoyed the oysters, burrata, lamb chops, scallops! So good and continues to impress. read more

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Fantastic food. Great family; terrific hosts- Maria. Classically trained chef-Abde. BYOB. We've had many great times, great food, and great fun at Agua with family and friends! On a scale of 1-10, it's a 12! read more

Party of 5 for dinner. We enjoyed our meals. Our only negative was that the striped bass special was really small. Honestly three bites and it was gone. We will go back, but hopefully this was just a one time thing. read more

2/2 for Agua. So darn good. Service was amazing, vibe was perfect and is 100% better to go during the weekday. Not noisy like our last visit. The specials were amazing and it seems like the back of house is cooking like a well oiled machine. -Salamon Entree (Very flavorful and cooked perfectly) -Rack of Lamb (Always a winner at the table) -Veal Cheeks Special (SO GOOD. Fall apart amazing.) If you're in the area and haven't ventured to Auga...idk what you're waiting for. read more

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I had a great dinner at Agua Bistro! It is pricey but well worth it for a nice dinner. They have a variety of dishes from a burger and pasta to seafood dishes. They have interesting specials. The portions are decent. Staff is nice and food didn't take long to come out. It is BYOB. We all got the lobster bisque for the soup of the day which was very good, but I wished it had lumps of lobster in it. For my main dish I had the scallops and risotto, the scallops were cooked perfectly which is hard to do and complemented the risotto nicely. Other people got the short rib, crab and corn ravioli, and burger which they all liked. It is very calm and the ambiance is fine dining with a Mediterranean vibe. read more

Food was very good. Service was great. Ambience was ok.. was surprised at how many pasta dishes for a French restaurant!!! read more

Second visit last night. Wonderful! Great menu and specials. Had Savage Blond oysters from PEI. So good. Small and briny, just how I like oysters. The order was for 6, and they gave me 8! Lovely atmosphere and service. Quiet jazz music. Wish we lived closer. read more

Agustin Bistro is perfect for a romantic dinner or special occasion. They are very welcoming and always have interesting menu options that make me excited to try. Everything I've had here has been delicious read more

This was my third time dining at this special gem! The service is always on point! This time we came for a birthday celebration with the ladies. They treated us like family and brought out a complimentary dessert with candle for the birthday woman. The escargot and roasted beet salad were supreme starters. The fusilli pasta special with pesto cream sauce and shrimp was delicious. The chicken parm was also a hit. Prices are very reasonable and BYOB helps keep the costs down. I hope this place is here for years to come! read more

I can describe this place in one word...LOVELY. Twas a cloudy, chilly evening, the candles were lit, the atmosphere was warm and inviting. And with my wine of the evening in tow (BYOB), we sat down for well prepared and picturesque plated fare. The escargot resting in parsley garlic butter was tasty and mild. A little more pizazz and perfection would have been my description. I wish the mushrooms were separate from the snails, as was covered in the green butter sauce you couldn't make out which was which until it hit your tongue and chew. I hope that's not being too picky. 4 star choice I had the lamb stew special of the evening, it was divine, tender chunks of lamb, in a deep tasting, dark rich base, with seasonal vegetables which couldn't have been any more perfect. The ricotta gnocchi side was unfortunately not memorable. It was just average. 5 stars for the lamb 3 stars for the gnocchi. My friend had the branzino, so tender, so cooked perfectly except for the skin which was only partially crispy, with more than half of the skin soggy and not to my crispy-skin liking. 4 stars The pistachio cake for dessert was wonderful. Get it, you will love it. 5 stars The service was excellent. read more

Terrific place to dine! It is very charming, welcoming, and the food is always consistently delicious!

If only my online review could give this Bistro justice.... I brought my fiancé here for their 8-course tasting menu to celebrate his birthday and, to be short and sweet, I will be returning as soon as possible. If you want the tasting experience but cannot stay for a long period of time, the 6-course would be good, I was committee to experiencing the 8-course which lasted a few hours to not overwhelm or rush us. The food was phenomenal! The plated dishes were divine. The selection chosen had such a mixture of flavors and textures that we have not been able to enjoy in a very long time. I cannot express how fresh and delicious each course was and I am ashamed in myself for not capturing it. The service was excellent. Everyone, including the Owner, Maria, who greeted us at the front door of the restaurant, were so kind and attentive. I honestly felt so spoiled!! The only thing that we had to be mindful of (which they made sure to remind us about) was the temperature of the plates when each course were set for us as they were warm. The food was always warm and we could tell it was prepared timely. Courses were delivered in consideration to portion size and as the tasting progressed so we didn't feel rushed which was appreciated greatly. The ambiance was my favorite. Set in a cozy building that was staged for an experience we won't be forgetting. The pairings for the courses recommended perfectly complimented each course. It was quiet and intimate where you could truly enjoy your company without any difficulty in conversation. We attended our tasting in Formal dress which is what I'd say is on par for the quality and experience. I would give this restaurant 10 stars if I could. An amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone who loves amazing food. read more

Although we have passed this place many times since it opened, we didn't truly notice it until we saw some growing reviews on the neighborhood group. We made an appointment for Friday evening and glad that we did, pretty much all the outside seating is occupied or reserved. Anyway, the outside seating area is clean and comfortable. The hostess and servers are busy but came by several times during the meal to check on things and replacing plates/silverware. They also brought us some bread, mango puree and a freshly made strawberry drink for our daughter while our order is being prepared. For appetizers, we had the fried calamari which is well seasoned and crispy; the beets salad which is refreshingly sweet. For main dishes, we ordered linguini with clam, Mediterranean roasted chicken and fresh pappardelle lamb Bolognese. The linguini and Bolognese pretty good. The chicken is a little dry. We finished with a coconut crème brûlée for desert. Overall, it's a pretty nice BYOB restaurant with decent food and very good service. I am glad it came to our neighborhood. read more

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This place is exactly what all the reviews say. FANTASTIC! Food was great, fresh and well prepared. Meat and cheese was delicious-fresh Italian bread meats and cheese. Caesar salad was the best I've ever tasted with fresh white anchovies. We had the pork chop and red snapper. Fresh, juicy and well prepared. The service was also great. Very attentive staff and friendly. Would definitely go back. read more

I would like to start this review by saying that the food was excellent. The problem that I had was, there was no air conditioning in the front room. It was very warm yesterday when we arrived and because it was a birthday celebration, I was wearing a jacket. One of the ladies that was with us mentioned how warm it was, and the server said that she did not get a chance to put in the window air conditioner. The second problem that I had was when we walked in we brought a bottle of Veuve rosé and she opened the rosé, and I had to ask her for a Container filled with ice so we could keep the champagne cold. The servers did not pour our wine or pour our water. I will say that it was a busy night for them, but they really did not come back to the table other than to ask us if we want a dessert . We will not be coming back until the weather gets cooler. read more

Excellent BYOB! Would never guess this place was here, quaint dining room, superb food and service. The specials are always exciting but this time I decided to try the Mediterranean chicken. Generous serving, juicy chicken with bright flavors. My husband had the scallop special and thoroughly enjoyed his meal. We were showered with samples in between courses and were stuffed by the time we left. Can't wait to return! read more

Followed fellow Yelpers' advice and had birthday dinner at Aqua Bistro. Wow! Everyone's dishes were delicious: lobster ravioli, scallops, bolognese and mine, short ribs. Intimate dining room with excellent service and a chef extraordinaire. Highly recommend. read more

This delightful restaurant has the sophistication of the big city They managed to take a small porch , give it a romantic feel and present beautiful food. And it BYO What more can you need, Make a reservation and btw the service is excellent Keep this gem in business with your support, you will not regret it read more

This place is a gem. The food is gourmet and the atmosphere is cozy. I had the beef cheeks which were prepared to perfection. Five of us went for a birthday celebration and we all loved our meal. I recommend! read more

Must stop. Service, food and atmosphere all are top notch. The owner is one of the nicest human beings I've ever met and (I believe) her son is in charge of the kitchen. A great stop for a date night or a special celebration. Quiet and intimate. read more

As soon as we walked in the atmosphere was pretentious. The owner seemed less than thrilled to accommodate us. If you know the owner personally, however, you can expect excellent service. The food was expensive for average quality. One of our entées was not warm although the plate was hot, and the other had undercooked risotto. I would not recommend to a friend and would not go back. read more

Great atmosphere. staff Goes above and beyond to serve their customers. Able to hear and hold nice conversation without yelling over too much noise as at some restsurants. Food excellent. Have been there several times. Always delicious! Creative menu but still have traditional menu choices. Highly recommend! read more

Last night we had another awesome meal at Agua Bistro in Eagleville. The food there is always, without fail, superb. The staff is beyond excellent. They are friendly and always looking to be of service. The ambiance is the best of any restaurant in the area and beyond. It is our favorite!!! Tony and Mary read more

We loved everything about the place. The food, the service, the ambiance. Excellent experience here. We are adding this place to our list of go-to's! read more

Delicious! I have always heard what a wonderful spot this is and it did not disappoint. Everyone there is wonderful and the food is absolutely fantastic. I will definitely be back! read more

Great family restaurant with delicious food, great service and cozy atmosphere. BYOB too.

I rarely award 5-stars for food unless it is exceptional. In this case it was! It was truly one of the best meals I've ever had. Everything from the amuse bouche to the entree's to the desert was excellent. As a table we shared tuna tartare, fried calamari (very tender) and fried smoked mozzarella to get things rolling. Entrees included Ossobuco, Chilean sea bass, diver scallops and a pasta special. Every dish was delicious and beautifully presented. Portions were appropriate. Unusually good was the bread, a focaccia crisp on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. It's baked fresh every morning by the owner. I don't think I've ever had bread as good as this. We were warmly greeted at the door by the owner and escorted to our table. The restaurant was full with many large parties. We were a party of 9 celebrating the graduation of our granddaughter from high school. Regardless, the service was excellent and attentive. If you're looking for a fine dining experience I highly recommend Agua Bistro. read more

We came for a date night and it was absolutely amazing! We have passed by here so many times and finally decided to give it a try and we were so happy we did! We started with the burrata and the calamari and both were excellent. The calamari was so crispy and had a great garlic dipping sauce. We had steak and pork chops for dinner. They were so flavorful! The sauces were amazing. Our plates were clean when we were done. The portions are perfect! For dessert we got flourless chocolate cake and churros. Everything freshly made and so warm when it came out. The churros were filled with chocolate and so crispy. Everything was so fresh and so flavorful! We love that the specials change everyday! We will certainly be coming back again to try more of the menu. The atmosphere is casual but classy and so inviting. And the staff is so friendly! read more

Great food and experience. I came here on a Friday night with my family with a reservation and dined indoors (windows were open). Our servers were friendly, receptive, and masked the whole time. The floor manager (or hostess?) checked up on us multiple times throughout the meal and lightened the dining room atmosphere with margaritas and conversation while dimming the lights for ambiance. I wasn't hungry when I sat down, but when I took a bite of my salmon, roasted veggies and pearl pasta, I couldn't stop myself from finishing the plate. The portions were a good size and the flavoring was perfect. Not too salty. I would definitely come back again and would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a nice dinner out in the area! read more

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Update: We returned to Agua Bistro last night, and I was excited to see how they updated the outdoor dining to help with the chilly weather! There were heaters next to tables, and there was a clear plastic around the railing of the porch to help block the wind. It made it a very comfortable dining experience! The food was excellent once again, and I loved their oyster special with the vinegar dressing! I wish I remembered the name of the peanut butter dessert because it was delicious, and I highly recommend it! It was a chocolate mousse with a peanut butter fudge crust on the bottom. Overall, another great experience at Agua Bistro! read more

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Agua Bistro is Fantastic! Owners, Wait Staff, Kitchen Staff all out-do themselves! We will be back. We enthusiastically recommend Agua Bistro! read more

My husband and I finally got to try out Agua Bistro!! Usually when we have called they have been packed but tonight was a chilly Tuesday. They are BYOB so good to know for next time. We were helped by Maria who was fabulously attentive and ensured everything went perfect from start to finish. Oh and Finish, you must - The crème brûlée dessert was to die for! I got the Pork Chop which was amazing and Pablo got the Steak.. both great. I started out with the beet salad which was great. The ambiance is homey and is a great "date night" place. Looks like they are also planning something for Thanksgiving, we may have to check it out if they have room! read more

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The food is out of control delicious, from the scrumptious apps to their salads, main dishes and desserts. My wife and I arrived and were greeted by huge friendly welcoming smiles and humorous discussions with Maria, Omar and the other staff. I had the braised short ribs and my wife had the pasta special, we shared a Cesar salad and apps. It was beyond delicious. If you haven't been here you've gotta add it to your list of local BYOB restaraunts. read more

Always need a solid bistro to go too...check them out they won't disappoint you. Everyone could use black coffee

The food was very good, the service got a 4 out of 5, the ambiance was nice, very loud tho, tables were too close. I would go back based on the food/service. read more

I hate to write this review. This is northern italian, more than mediteranean. Homemade pastas. Not just some. All. OMG! We have all gone to the mom and pop pasta places. They are meh on a good night. Huge portions, no substance. This is the oposite. Perfect portion sizes. You will look forward to every bite. Even desserts are homemade. Table of six did not leave a mosel behind. Great fresh fish too! Every dish is amazing. BYO! Dinner took just under two hours which is near perfect pacing. Waiter was there when we needed him and not when we didn't. This place is way way better than anything in Philly. read more

We went on a Friday night to celebrate our anniversary. There were some high and lows of the food. They gave us a beginning taste of a crispy artichoke. I enjoyed the bite size but I was not expecting it to be warm on the inside and nice and flakey on the outside. It was a great beginning. The seafood chowder had an abundance of fresh seafood with large chucks of lobster yummy! My husband did enjoy his branzino but was unimpressed with the vegatables. I didn't like my rack of lamb because the demi glaze/sauce tasted like a plain brown gravy that came out of a packet. The beet salad was not worth $12. I son't bot recommend it. It didn't have many greens. Overall the food was good and I would come back to try something else like duck but what really left me with a sour note was the hostess asking us to finish up because they needed the table. We weren't even there 1.5 hours and I had one sip left of my wine. There were other tables there longer then us! read more

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AMAZING steak. Incredibly juicy and cooked perfectly. It came with crispy potatoe wedges on the side topped with their home made chipotle sauce that tasted amazing. We ended our night with the flourless chocolate cake and let me tell you it was delicious. The owners are so friendly and interesting to talk to and you can really tell that they take pride in their food. 10/10 would come here again. read more

Agua Bistro - Steak a la plancha - French Near Me - Lower Providence, Pennsylvania

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