We chose Aqua Restaurant for our anniversary dinner, guided by the kind of recommendations that matter most: a local in the know and a friend who never tires of Beaufort. Aqua announces itself quietly, and even our brief misstep on arrival felt intentional an elegant sign gently redirecting us around back, where we later realized there's a convenient entrance directly across from the parking lot. A small discovery we tucked away for our next visit. From the moment we stepped inside, the hospitality set the tone. The host greeted us with genuine enthusiasm and an ease that made it clear he knew exactly why we were there. His warmth felt celebratory without being performative, just right. We were led to our table and introduced to Iesha, whose presence defined the evening. Iesha guided us through the menu with confidence and care, highlighting a thoughtful anniversary tradition: a complimentary glass of champagne or crème brûlée. We happily chose both. She struck that elusive balance of attentiveness and restraint present when needed, graciously invisible when not allowing the evening to unfold at its own pace. Our table sampled a range of the menu. The rare curry-seared local tuna arrived with curry riced cauliflower and traditional accompaniments unexpected in flavor but satisfying nonetheless. The The special for that evening, was rich and comforting. Even the simplest order, the kids' shrimp and fries was met with enthusiasm from our youngest diner, always a good sign. Aqua delivers food that is thoughtful, distinctive, and well-suited for a celebration. It's the kind of place that feels special without trying too hard a reliable choice for marking a meaningful moment. And when you go, do yourself a favor and ask for Iesha. She's the kind of server who turns a good dinner into a memorable one. read more

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Visiting Beaufort, NC with friends and when we ate at Clawson's for lunch, we were told that their sister restaurant, Aqua was excellent. We dined at Aqua this evening and were not disappointed! Everything was excellent and they treated my shellfish allergy with much care and attention. The server was friendly and excited about all of the food. The small plates are a wonderful idea and although what they consider "small", the flavor and size were perfect for us. Two in our party had the small plate Filet over Truffle dusted hash browns (yummy) while another member had the clams in saffron sauce that was amazing. Another member asked to substitute the Grouper on the Crab Cake small plate which was no problem for the kitchen and wonderful tasting. We had Creme Brulee and Chocolate Mousse for dessert and both were awesome. We will definitely return to this restaurant in the future. read more

Service tonight as well as the meal were outstanding. Ieisha and the kitchen have our appreciation. Conversation was easy with Aqua's outstanding seating arrangement. So many good new and old memories from dining at Aqua over the years! read more

We enjoyed everything about our evening at Aqua. From drinks, to appetizers, dinner, dessert, the service, and the atmosphere. Highly recommend the tuna poke, the breaded cauliflower, seared tuna, and petit filet. All extremely well prepared. read more

A phenomenal eating experience in beautiful downtown Beaufort! Aqua is an artfully decorated, top quality, small plates kind of experience just one street off the main drag in the center of town. At first, you might be questioning where you're going, but sure enough you'll find Aqua tucked away next to the "Backstreet Pub" on Middle Lane. Reservations are definitely recommended, as this is not an especially large place, and the word has for sure gotten out about the incredible food you'll find here. To be up front, it's not an inexpensive place to go. But, and for those who know me that know I don't say this lightly, everything here (with rare exception) was worth it. The food is phenomenal. Everything from a simple salad, to the various small plates and mains, nothing was a let down on pure flavor or presentation. Even the complimentary Focaccia bread was something we couldn't get enough of, served with high quality olive oil and balsamic. Cocktails were also exquisite, and those that ordered them were treated to a feast of the tongue and eyes. I wanted to do the 47 Ronin, but sadly, they were out of one key ingredient! As far as small plates, we got a nice collection spread around the table. Multiple caprese salads because each couple wanted their own, a seasonal classic that didn't disappoint. Amazing hummus with chips that was also a great value, and artichoke hearts that were lightly panko fried. While that final item was delicious, it felt like a terrible value for two artichoke hearts, four would have been more appropriate. For mains, I had the shrimp and grits provencal, and this was an absolutely perfect decision. First, the grits themselves were perfectly rich and creamy, the kind of grits that if this were a person's first grit experience, they are sure to love them. I could have put back a bowl three times this size, but I felt the portion was quite good. The shrimp were large, plump, and cooked just right with a nice seasoning level. The tomato basil relish, citrus cream sauce, and bacon bits provided balance and little flavor bombs throughout. I don't think I'll be able to visit again without ordering this. My wife had the sea and shore, mainly for the shore part which was a CAB filet with a demi glaze that was spot on. For the sea part, she handed over to me her filet of red snapper, not a full filet mind you, but regardless, again, cooked to perfection. The gouda mashed potatoes that served as a bed for this delight were almost as good as my grits. The seasonal veggies were an excellent compliment. We used the bread to mop the entire plate, just like with the grits. We passed on dessert, already quite full and satisfied with the meal, plus we all had a taste for ice cream to be procured later. I would absolutely return to Aqua for future meals, and recommend it to anyone looking for a date night spot, special occasion, or just any reason to have an excellent eating experience. read more

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I loved Aqua when I dined there two years ago and expected to love it again as I made it my first restaurant to dine. After my recent experience, it left a bad taste in my mouth. When I was two bites away from finishing my meal, I was told that my table was needed for a reservation. What about my reservation? I wasn't close to the 90 minutes allotted for my meal according to the reservation email. My table was to be reserved for 90 minutes. The situation was not handled well. I was comped $10 but it disrupted my experience and was just rude and nowhere I'd return based on how they operate. read more

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Absolutely adorable retro looking restaurant. The food was amazing and the wine was a very generous pour, very generous!!! As for our waiter we had to have someone track him down twice but it was very busy. I would go back for sure. We both had the surf and turf dish and we split the Creme Brule read more

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My husband and I had our anniversary dinner here and it didn't disappoint! The service was amazing as well as the food! We had the tuna poke - amazing flavor and so tender! We also had melon and prosciutto salad - the melon is included with a sweet, but not too sweet flavor that paired so well with the meat and an amazing whipped cheese (with also went well with the bread served once seated!) My husband and I both had the sea and shore - I had the catch of the day which is the grouper - very tender and fresh and my husband had the crab cake which was full of flavor and sweet crab meat! We highly recommend this place, which got five stars for the amazing service and fresh, flavorful eats! read more

Aqua Restaurant - Melon and prosciutto salad - Seafood Near Me - Beaufort, North Carolina

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Ieisha was amazing!! Service was outstanding,food was fantastic! Great atmosphere! Sorry I don't have photos of food. We ate too fast!!!

Beyond excellent service and delicious food! Every single dish we had from tapas to big dishes were just so flavorful and delicious. And the service was just wonderful. I wish I remember her name but she was so sweet, knowledgeable and attentive. Highly recommend this place if you're in Beaufort. Try the shrimp and grits or catch of the day (grouper today). They do not disappoint. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Diablo verde - Seafood Near Me - Beaufort, North Carolina

Aqua is a fine dining experience in Beaufort. The dishes are visually appealing and very tasty. Service was excellent. A great selection of desserts. The inside ambiance is understated classy. read more

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Absolutely DIVINE. The tastes of everything here is phenomenal. I don't know why we have waited so long to finally come here, but we sure will be returning frequently. Service was quick and very friendly. We ordered the ceviche and tuna poke... plus the seafood noodle dish and the sea and land meal---WOWZA! Honestly, this may be the best prepared meals and flavor profiles we have had in a long time. The restaurant was rather cozy though it also has an outdoor covered seating area. We made reservations and got seated quickly. This is a definite eat-very-well kind of place! read more

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Our favorite restaurant to celebrate special occasions. The food is always amazing in both flavor and presentation and the service is top notch from the moment you walk in the door to the time you leave. Everything plated in that kitchen is a work of art! I highly recommend coming for Wine-o-Rama nights as they give you a generous wine flight for a very reasonable price. Bananas foster is our favorite dessert here and the crème brûlée is the biggest I've ever seen! read more

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Aqua does it right. My husband and I have been going here every time we go to Beaufort for more than 20 years and I've always had a memorable experience. They have somehow continued to elevate the dining experience and seem to have gotten through the whole COVID/mass layoff issue that all other restaurants have faced. It's a testament to the group that they can be as good as they were 20+ years ago as they are now. Aqua is built on the premise of good wine, small plates, and large plates. The menu changes and the catch is always local. You will not see salmon as the fresh catch here. On Friday nights bottles of wine are 33% off. To date myself, I remember the 50% off nights but I digress. Get a reservation and be prepared to have a lovely meal. My husband and I celebrated our 20th anniversary here. We shared the shrimp and grits and for dinner I had the petite fillet. It was served on a stack of au gratin potatoes. My husband had the sea and shore which was the local catch, Waygu beef with potatoes and an amazing roasted vegetables. The mushrooms were a bit smoky, with a red wine taste- they were amazing. The service is always fantastic and it's just a comfortable and intimate place to dine. read more

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Aqua is on my must visit when I am in the area list. Reservations are tough to get, I recommend to reserve early. I love getting small plates and sharing. This time we had fantastic duck wings, the fish of the day, crab cakes and creme brulee as big as my head! Pictures are below. Plating is an art form and taste is equally perfect A shout out to the service too. Our bartender/waiter made the best suggestions for food and drink. The old fashioned was fabulous. read more

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All aspects were outstanding. Starting with making reservations. The wait staff, menu, and comfort of seating was all of fine Quality.

Absolutely fantastic dining experience! My husband & I were passing through Beaufort, saw the reviews and decided to visit. The staff are all friendly, professional and provide excellent service. We dined inside and enjoyed the soft music and low lighting that gave the restaurant a romantic ambiance. Last, but certainly not least, the food! EVERYTHING was indisputably delicious. We shared the tuna poke (arguably the best we've ever had & we used to live in Hawaii), the sea and shore with tilefish (the local catch) and completed our meal with the bananas foster. All that, a glass of wine and tip - $100.00. Worth every single penny! read more

A fantastic dining experience. We loved the tapas and small plates. Service from the call for our reservation, arrival, and food and wine service was excellent and well informed. The food is expertly prepared and delicious. We shared a tuna tapas dish, the kale salad, seared tuna, and Cast Iron Seared Crab Cake. While every dish was fantastic, the Crab Cake was exceptional. We had hoped to have the local catch, which sounded wonderful, but they were out of the dish. Their large wine list and thoughtful advice resulted in a wine that was exactly what we wanted. This dinner stands above all our meals in Beaufort. Reservations are highly recommended. read more

This is our go to restaurant for an always stellar date night out experience! The food, staff and ambiance has been absolutely top tier for us for years! EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. It's small and very popular, so reservations are a must! I would personally say it's more adult friendly as far as the intimate seating and gourmet menu. If you get the chance, you must go! You won't be disappointed! Cheers! read more

Lovely place to dine. The staff were very friendly and the host had a classy greeting for us, upon our arrival. The menu was a little smaller selection than I would've liked for my entree choices but we throughly enjoyed our selection of Sea and Shore and Noodle Bowl with a nice variety of fresh seafood! I took pictures of my appetizer and salad but the entree smelled so delicious, I dug right in before I realized I failed to capture a visual for other possible diners. Trust me, you won't be disappointed if you like a little exotic type dishes! Enjoy! read more

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Always a good meal here! Good service too! I had the petite filet and as always the bananas foster for dessert. A little disappointed that they have changed the cake that goes with this dessert as the one in the past was quite a bit better this dessert is still delicious. read more

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Love this hidden gem in Beaufort! The ambiance is wonderful, very inviting! And the food is out of this world! Everyone is very friendly and make the experience great! Looking forward to our next visit! read more

As is par with Aqua over the years, excellent food and service EXCEPT the crab cake The "lump" crab was over mixed to mush. It was over seasoned such that you couldn't taste the crab and the breading to crab ratio... go back to your crab gratin, because your cook doesn't know crab cakes read more

Aqua Restaurant - A mushy over-seasoned "crab" cake - Seafood Near Me - Beaufort, North Carolina

There are only a few meals in my life that I was still thinking about when I woke up the next morning, but this was one of them! Everything was wonderful - the service, the atmosphere, and the food! My husband and I split the Caesar salad to begin. I forgot to take a picture, but it wasn't your usual Caesar! The dressing was homemade and it included boiled egg, roasted tomatoes, olives, and croutons. Delicious! The stars of the meal were our entrees, however! My husband ordered the Land and Sea combo of filet/scallops and asked for extra veggies instead of the mashed potatoes. Everything was cooked to perfection and seasoned perfectly. I ordered the noodle bowl at the suggestion of our waiter. If you're an adventurous eater, I highly recommend! Made with buckwheat noodles and loaded with lots of crunchy veggies like carrots, Napa cabbage, mushrooms, and ginger, it's a party for the senses! The seared tuna, scallops, and shrimp were perfect and you won't want to leave a drop of the coconut curry broth! We will definitely be returning here when we are in town again. It is the perfect place for a date night! read more

Aqua Restaurant - Noodle Bowl with shrimp, scallops, and seared tonight - in a broth so good you'll want to drink it! - Seafood Near Me - Beaufort, North Carolina

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Delicious dinner!! I had the petite filet- it was cooked perfectly. Whatever the scalloped potato thing it was served with was to die for. Also at our table was the fresh catch red drum and crab cake, which were both delicious. Ended with the bananas foster and the crème brûlée. Biggest crème brûlée I have ever seen! And the bananas foster was incredible. Also had a delicious espresso martini. Will absolutely return. read more

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Elegant and quiet, tasty tapas and excellent wine selection. Tucked in on Middle alley, IYKYK

An amazing restaurant. It has everything ...great service, fabulous food, ambience, presentation and a very accommodating staff. Even the pour is better than average. Probably the best restaurant I've eaten in in years. I am making a special detour On my way from Florida to Virginia just to eat in this restaurant again. And the best part maybe is that it won't curl the edges of your credit card. read more

Awesome restaurant. Had a great cocktail called 47 Ronin which is only found here. The duck confit is very tasty and my wife enjoyed the petite filet. Had crème brûlée for desert and it was perfect. The service was very attentive. read more

Aqua Restaurant - 47 Ronin cocktail. - Seafood Near Me - Beaufort, North Carolina

Best. Crab cakes. Ever. I came with a big group and tried everyone's dish. Every single one was excellent. The crab cakes were out of this world amazing. The shrimp and grits were really good too. The grits tasted like butter (in the best way possible) I could have eaten a gallon of them. There was a clear coconut flavor in the noodle bowl. I got the seared tuna, and was very happy with the portion size. The noodles that came with the seared tuna had a really good sauce, which added some umami tones to the tuna. The cheese plate came with the cheese serving seared, which added a lot of depth to the appetizer. Tuna poke bowl was a smaller serving than expected, but still tasted great, good quality fish, and reasonably priced. The cocktails were really well priced and excellently made. I got the blackberry herb martini, which had flavors that went together really well. The classic extra dirty martini was also decently priced. They also have gluten free options for certain dishes. The crème brûlée here comes in a nice big plate, is fresh and delicious. The chocolate mousse was high quality. It has amaretto in it I think, which I wasn't a huge fan of, but most of the people in the group liked it. We will be coming back here again! read more

Aqua Restaurant - Chocolate mousse - Seafood Near Me - Beaufort, North Carolina

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We've eaten here countless times in the past 15 years. And I should have written 5 star reviews during that time - my bad! THAT'S how good and consistent the staff, service, and food has been! During those years many people, like us, have participated in the every second Tuesday wineOrama because of the great wines made available to enjoy with your dinner. Usually it is 4, sometimes 5 wines, poured by staff and discussed by the wine distributor for a very reasonable price. These wines are then available for purchase. We find it is the perfect amount to consume with dinner, especially if driving home is more than a little distance! On this visit we enjoyed an arugula salad, a grilled petite filet, and the red drum fish special. I can honestly say we've never had anything other than an excellent meal with fresh ingredients, attentive service, and creative flair, for a reasonable fine dining price! Our server PJ was especially nice and made the evening more fun because of his excellent attitude. Support local and come out to Aqua! read more

Aqua Restaurant - Grilled petite filet - perfect preparation! - Seafood Near Me - Beaufort, North Carolina

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Great food was very fancy but somehow was able to get children to eat here as well. Beaufort is a beautiful historical town worth visiting and eating in. read more

This was a treasure. Inside seating is limited. Lots of small booths and some tables. Patio is very nice, too. The decor is upscale for a converted house. Host was very gracious and our waiter was excellent. Mojito with a soupçon of jalapeño was really good. Three of us had the special:,swordfish over a selection of veggies that included leeks. Presentation was very nice and the meal was excellent. The fourth had soba noodle bowl with shrimp, tuna and scallops with ginger and coconut milk. Definitely the best meal we've had here. read more

The food was exceptional, we were only able to get a reservation for inside dining for 4:45pm in july. Because of this, our dinner with appetizers, main course and drinks was done in 40 minutes. We love this place, but this time, we felt rushed. My advice, book early and get reservation around 6pm, to get a more paced eating experience. read more

We stumbled across this place walking around and were overly impressed. Portions are lighter but the flavors impressive. We will be back and highly recommend. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Sea and Shore will not disappoint! - Seafood Near Me - Beaufort, North Carolina

This restaurant is a MUST while in Beaufort!! I cannot sing the praises of Aqua loud enough! From the amazing maitre d, Quinton, to the knowledgeable and efficient wait staff ( especially Jonathan and Michelle) to the superb chef. I highly recommend the duck wing appetizer and DO NOT skip the Caesar salad. The fresh catch was amazing and the bananas foster cannot be missed! I want to give this restaurant 100 stars- we ate there last night and had to come back tonight- it's that good!!! To top it off, they gifted us a small bottle of Prosecco at the end of our meal for being return guests!!! Make a reservation now!!! read more

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By far one of the best restaurants we've been to. Great food, great service! Noodle Bowl was fabulous read more

June 2021 Update- This was our second time visiting Aqua. We brought some more family with us and talked it up big, to the point where I was a little nervous that the picky eaters in our group may leave disappointed. However, following our dinner, everyone absolutely raved about how much they enjoyed their meals- not to mention their desserts! We had to get the jalapeño poppers again and we also tried the fried artichoke hearts, both were delicious. My dad and I shared the Sea and Shore and the Naan Tacos. The Sea and Shore was amazing, with the Grouper daily special tasting wonderfully. The two tacos were good, they weren't the same though. I preferred the cucumber one over the tuna, but they were both good. We also tried each of the desserts (we were too excited to try to get pictures), they were all simply amazing! The crème brûlée was a huge portion and amazing! Definitely a dinner my family will talk about for a while! August 2020 (original post)- We didn't have a reservation, but were offered and seated immediately on the covered patio. The ambiance was lovely and our party noted the attention to detail. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful with all of our questions. We began with the bacon wrapped jalapeños where absolutely delicious. I had the cast iron seared crab cakes which were also amazing- the sauce was so good! The rest of our party's food was great too, notably the filet and the catch of the day which was a red snapper. One thing to have in mind was that the menu listed on Yelp appeared to be a different seasonal menu, the current menu was found on their website. All in all we had an amazing experience and hope to be back when we stop through the area next! read more

Aqua Restaurant - Cast Iron Seared Crab Cake - Seafood Near Me - Beaufort, North Carolina

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What a delicious meal we had here. Tucked behind the main drag, we were treated to a delicious fish meal. It was the special tile fish with a very tasty cream sauce and some amazing potato hash. We had the artichoke hearts as an appetizer and they were also really good. Pair this with a nice wine and it was a great experience. The staff were so nice and attentive. Definitely recommend eating on the patio if you can. It's a bit upscale, so expect to spend some money but we will come back next time we are in town. read more

Everything we had from start to finish was FIVE star delicious. We ordered a little bit of everything...crab cakes...clams...petit filet...shrimp and grits and finished with dessert sampler. AMAZING. Wine list was phenomenal and cocktail menu was exceptional. Highly recommend the gold raider. Can't wait to go back. I can't believe two chefs can crank out that high quality of food for such a busy restaurant they on point. Well done! read more

My family and I spent about 600.00 for us to eat average around 50.00 head and had no food I left hungry I had the grouper special came with 4 oz on top of some dehydration rice no salad no bread and that all I ask the waitress if that was a large plate and she said yes you get plenty of food people should help people in this time of need not gouge them I bet his total cost of food was 50,00 for 12 of us charged us 600.00 I been before and always enjoyed it but will not go back and iam a local I would not Wright this it it was not a rip off Thankyou read more