My family has been coming to the Outer Banks for 25 years and have never been to this restaurant but this year my husband and I came down for my 51st birthday and I wanted to finally try this place. We came down in the middle of April so it was off-season and we had an early dinner reservation at 5:45 so there was barely anybody in there. (which I would say is the perfect time arrive because by the time we left, it was pretty packed.) The greeter and the servers were super friendly and attentive. They really take the time and talk to their guests. We ordered drinks and then the appetizers of the warm crab dip and the truffle fries which came out like within five minutes and they were both absolutely amazing. We've devoured them. I wasn't super hungry after that so I got the shrimp Caesar salad The salad was fresh and the shrimp was good (the tails were removed. Thank God cause some places don't do that) my husband got the fish special which was the tuna which he said was amazing. We then got dessert, I got the chocolate torte, and my husband got the apple puff pastry tart. They added a candle on my dish because it was my birthday. That was a nice touch. We weren't super impressed with the desserts, but everything else was amazing. We would definitely come back and sitting by the windows to overlook the water was a plus! read more

See all

Go there on a sunny warm day so you can enjoy the outside water view. The ahi tuna poke bowl was healthy and fresh. I sampled the steak pita, which was also delicious. This place is dog friendly as the water bowl was provided for my canine buddy. Parking lot is small, so going there on a weekday is better. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Ahi tuna poke bowl, steak pita, fish and chips. - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

See all

Perched where ocean breeze meets open pasture, Aqua brings a refined touch to rustic roots. Their menu flows with the rhythm of the tides and the turning of the soil--featuring fresh-harvested produce, ethically sourced seafood, and artful plating that lets nature's beauty shine. It's farm-to-table, but make it seaside elegance. My favorite starting point is the bar patio, where the water shimmers like it's in on a secret, and the breeze carries hints of sea salt. Glasses clink softly, laughter dances in the air, while a guitarist strums in the background--easy, unhurried, like summer itself decided to sit in for a set. The cocktail menu spans from citrus-kissed spritzes to moody, barrel-aged masterpieces, every drink tells a story and they are worthy, my favorite being the Old Fashioned. The French Cut Chicken Breast isn't your everyday bird--it's a culinary showpiece. The French cut keeps the drumette attached, lending elegance and flavor while showcasing expert butchery. Pan-seared to a golden crisp, the skin crackles with every bite, giving way to tender, succulent meat. The roasted garlic potato gnocchi in the sage velouté serves as the perfect backdrop for this delicious bird. After dinner linger a little longer--the finale is worth savoring and my pick of the menu comes in the form of a Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding. Imagine if your favorite snickerdoodle got a glow-up, took a buttery bath, and moved into a cozy bread pudding loft. That's this. Golden, gooey, cinnamon-kissed decadence with warm brown butter vibes and just enough crunch on the edges to make your fork do a little happy dance. Fresh plates, waterfront views, and ambiance smoother than your last date's playlist, enjoy! Cheers!! read more

See all

Very reasonable wait time and the waiting area on the water makes time go by a lot faster. We were seated outside which was ideal given the weather but the septic system or something seemed to have an offputting smell. Some have complained about the small menu but I thought it was appropriately sized based on their expertise. Other restaurants bombard you with a massive menu like the newspaper with a million choices. I thought the food was pretty tasty and we left feeling not overly full but not still hungry. Compared to some other restaurants the pricing may be a little on the high side, but I get it. I would recommend hitting the Swellsa Duck Dive Bar after for drinks and live music. read more

See all

First time and we were not disappointed! The fried duck wings are to die for and everything was wonderful. We shared gazpacho, poke, and the fish tacos. We ran into one of the servers and asked about the smoking of flavor in the gazpacho. She took my number and is sending us their secret ingredient! read more

See all

Came here the other day for while I was in the area for a wedding. Service was normal, the restaurant itself is pretty. The lunch menu was kind of lacking, not many choices on food items. Food was good but nothing to write home about. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Creamy Warm Crab Dip and AQUA s Bangin Shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

Pre wedding family dinner and it was perfect from Start to finish ! Food and service above and beyond read more

This place has the best espresso martini in all of OBX, IMHO. Their bloody marys are also pretty solid. If you're craving seafood, their oysters on the half shell will also make you pretty happy. I mostly come to Aqua to grab a drink, sit outside and enjoy the view, which really can't be beat. They have a full bar with a robust drink selection plus plenty of beer and wine options. Service is usually pretty good, though there's one guy bartender here who's always in a bad mood, but he makes a good drink so you know, trade offs. They have live music here during the summer and a fire pit. The boardwalk outside leads to the shops and restaurants in Duck, so this is a great place to either start or end your night. The spa here is also top notch. If you have back pain a massage and a cocktail at Aqua is the remedy you need. read more

See all

I am a big fan of the food here. It is also very celiac friendly with lots of GF gluten free options. I got the shrimp and grits and was a fan. The grits came on - a squash sauce maybe? - it was an u usual combination but it worked well together. The scallop ceviche was also good but was not really a soup. We came with a 12 person group and they were able to handle us easily. The staff was cool and took my allergy seriously. I liked the place. Two thumbs up for Aqua. Side note: I swear someone handed me a large print menu but no, that is how they look here. So to all the people who wear cheaters, you are welcome at Aqua. Ha ha. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Creamy Warm Crab Dip - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

See all

Great food, allows reservations, Huge! Great place to sit and view the sound while enjoying good food and drinks. Order the steak pita. Lunch menu has limited entrees, most menu items are handhelds. read more

Another great meal at Aqua. The server who took care of us was very pleasant (as she always is) and the lunch was yummy! Next time I'm going to have th Butternut squash soup again since I didn't this time ( I wanted to try something new). I loved my tacos but the soup is divine! read more

Waterfront restaurant in Duck, and certainly one of the nicest restaurants in the area. Certainly decent views of the sound coast, and at times, even some wildlife. Parking can be a bit tough, but there's a small auxiliary lot directly across the street. Wine and cocktails at this place are pretty decent. Their wine list is quite good, and they have some wonderful selections available. Appetizer menu is also quite good. For us, we had the bangin' shrimp and the whipped goat cheese dip. The goat cheese was tremendous, and a huge portion to boot. The bangin' shrimp was also very good. I wouldn't say it was spicy at all, but the sauce was quite good, and the shrimp was perfectly cooked. the batter wasn't too heavy, and the result was a nice light crisp. I think it might be a rice flour batter. For dinner, we had the NY Strip and the saffron seafood pasta. The pasta was absolutely tremendous! Sometimes you get a seafood pasta with an almost fishy taste, but not this at all. The homemade pasta was delicious and the sauce fabulous. The steak was a bit of a different story. The sauce was pretty good, but despite ordering it medium, i received well done. Dinner took a bit of time and i was really hungry, so i didn't send it back, but honestly, for the price they charge, that's unacceptable. A well done steak is a travesty; tough, dry, and tasteless. I really do expect better from this place. Service at this place was quite good as well. Friendly staff throughout, and easy to work with for reserving an eight person table. The completely ruined steak not withstanding, this place was pretty great! It's expensive, but you get some pretty great food, and I have to assume they know how to make a proper steak and just had a moment. In fairness, this is more of a seafood restaurant, and i had considered the shrimp and grits, so perhaps i should've gone with that instead. Anyway, this place is certainly worth a shot. read more

See all

Food and drinks were delicious and service was very friendly. Portion for the shrimp pasta was a little small for my husband, so we were happy we got an appetizer. Beautiful view of the water. Would come back next time we're here! read more

The bangin shrimp is great, and I would go just for that. The tile fish was described as lobster-like but turned out quite dry, so it may have been overcooked. The mahi mahi was tough and overcooked. Waitress was super friendly and helpful. We sat outside overlooking the water, which would have been lovely except that everything outside is covered with cobwebs and spiders. The area should be cleaned if people are being sat outside. I'd come back for the bangin shrimp. read more

Great tuna steak . Delicious wine . Great view of the sound . Salads and warm bread was delicious as well

We had such a wonderful experience at Aqua! We had a party of 10. The staff worked magic to get us seated together outside. The drinks and food was EXCELLENT and the service 5 stars from the moment we walked in. JR was our server and super accommodating and great sense of humor. Definitely will be back next year! read more

See all

One of my faves in OBX! The service, food, ambiance (live music with adirondack chairs - swoon!) are all great. My most recent visit I had the bangin shrimp and salmon. Both were excellent! They have great outdoor seating overlooking the water and live music, and afterwards, or even while I'm waiting for the food, I like to go downstairs and listen to the music. Also very kid friendly! Highly recommend. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Wild Caught Scottish Salmon - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

See all

Great place, stellar service. Amazing food. The soup was phenomenal! Loved the ceviche! Only gripe I had was the restaurant allowing a large party to take up the entire bar area. There should be a maximum of 2-4 people per party to sit at the bar, not a large family of 9 with a young child. read more

Aqua Restaurant - Dirty Duck Martini , AQUA s Signature Sweet Corn and Crab Soup, Ceviche - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

Party of 8. Mixed reviews from the group. Service was very good. Our server was very attentive. My meal was good (Duck Breast), but a couple people said their meals were a little salty. Portions were a little on the small side. Price was on the high side, but in line with the other restaurants on the island. Pretty much a captive audience. Make reservations. View was excellent. Everyone enjoyed that. read more

See all

We LOVE Aqua. This time we arrived an hour early (oops, I mixed up our reservation time). They were able to seat us 30 minutes early which was great! We waited outside by the live music and had a drink. The mixed drinks were delicious. The staff was attentive made sure our evening was delightful from start to finish. Filet was cooked perfectly. read more

See all

Excellent location, but the food was extremely disappointing. The rockfish, priced at $50, was overcooked and lacked flavor. My husband had the salmon; while it wasn't bad, it was not worth the price. Overall, the food tasted comparable to what you would expect at a much cheaper restaurant. I don't recommend it. read more

Great food and impeccable service. It pricy but with good reason. The selection of wines is short but it met our needs.

Very good service, but felt rushed a bit. They called and changed our reservation by 15 min to a window table which was fine. Last year I had the best NY strip ever. My husband ordered it and it came in small pieces as if they were trying to sub it out with sirloin. It was tough and not very good. $48. The salmon was very good. My first glass of wine ( $20.) tasted old. The second was better. Nice atmosphere for the bar and casual food. Skip the formal dinner. read more

We came here for Easter brunch! We each chose a lobster roll with different options. One chose a side salad and the others chose french fries. For dessert there was chocolate ganache and raspberry sorbet. We really enjoyed our lobster roll, because it is slightly different than the New England style you would find on Cape Cod, etc. The waitress was very attentive and the ambience was springy. They were walking around the Easter bunny and giving out Easter eggs! The girls loved it. read more

Seriously the most horrible restaurant get a new hostess. You just lost over a $1000 due to your incompetent employee. I have never seen anything quite like this. Stay away from this restaurant. We tried to sit with a large party of 12 and they couldn't put two tables together. #obx #northcarolina #visitnc #outerbanks #outerbanksnc #obxlife #outerbanksedit #nagshead #beach #nc #visitnc #kittyhawk #beachlife #obxvacation #obxlocal #impossibletraveler #usatravel #usaroadtrip #adventuresofMMROBX #adventuresofMMR #ducknc #staysaltyobx #obxeats #obxfoodie #obxhiddengems read more

just had to go, fish taco no flavor, fish over done, burnt fries, small portion overpriced read more

Aqua Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

The food was amazing, the service was amazing, and the view was amazing. If we lived near here we would probably be here a lot! read more

See all

Amazing food! Great service. A perfect table in a great setting for 8 of us overlooking a beautiful view of sunset over the Chesapeake Bay

Dinner was amazing from start to finish. Service is great.overall a must try in OBX. We had the salmon .. perfectly seasoned. Appetizer whipped goat cheese.. outstanding. Well crafted cocktails as well read more

This was my favorite restaurant in Duck. The dinner I had here was amazing. The pear martini was sweet and refreshing. The duck breast was delicious - it was moist and the flavors were great. The fish was also good. I liked seeing the view of the water and the sunset while eating. The waiter was helpful and I had a great experience here overall. read more

See all

Such a great dining experience. We found a fine variety of choices. The Bang Bang shrimp is a must. I had salmon that was prepared to perfection and my wife had a chicken breast that she loved. Server Paige was very attentive and demonstrated some of the best post pandemic service we have had. Great sound views with a reasonable level of crowd noise for a place of its size. Highly recommended when in the area around Duck. read more

Make the reservation! So totally worth it. My gosh. We had the truffle French fries to start and we couldn't complain. Fiancé had pasta with bay scallops (didn't let me take a picture before he dug in, such a boy) and I had the crab cakes. Both of them were absolutely incredible - melted in your mouth, very nice, authentic flavors from each dish. Great service too. Beautiful view. Would highly recommend!!! read more

Aqua Restaurant - Truffle fries - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

See all

Lovely dinner at Aqua. Two adults and a child had a lovely dinner. We started with the Banging Shrimp (this is a MUST!) and the calamari (which was good but if deciding between two apps, go with the Banging Shrimp!). For dinner we had Shrimp & Grits (yummy, small portion), Mediterranean Seafood Pasta (was ok, pasta cooked perfectly but the flavor seemed like it was missing something) and an order of chicken bites off of the kids menu (we fought over the fries! so delish!). Nice cocktail menu too. It was POURING thanks to the effects of Tropical Storm Debby so we didn't really get to enjoy much of a view although sitting waterfront is still delightful! Staff was lovely - very attentive. read more

Wonderful restaurant with great view of the sound, terrific food and excellent service. Started with crab dip and some calamari appetizers and a Mount Gay rum and tonic with a lime. Had the very tasty tilefish for my entree. Finished with some of the best key lime pie north of Miami. Though to get reservations for a party of 13 but very worthwhile!!! read more

Aqua Restaurant - Chef's special "Tilefish" which was delicious. This is a white fish without a fishy taste, flakey and a little buttery flavor. - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

Ordered their shrimp and grits. When it arrived the temp was barely above wam, the food and the dish itself. When the waiter asked "how is everything ". I replied that it was barely warm. He seemed to take offense and rather to offer to replace with a hotter dish he said " do you want me to warm it up". Really warm up shrimp and grits which would overcook the shrimp. After much debate he took the dish back "to warm it". As I waited,waited ,and waited he returned to the table to say "they were making me another but also added" the chef was surprised it was cold that when it was take out of the pan it was hot". I stated I'm sure it could have been. Perhaps mine was cooked and then it sat while the other dish of pasta was cooked as it was very hot for the other person at my table. His reply was "No they were cooked at the same time. My fresh HOT entree was brought to the table and dropped in front of me by someone other than our waiter. After he cleared the table, dessert was suggested but no one chose dessert. Without asking " is this all on one check?" He returned and place the bill on the table. Again we asked that there be 2 separate checks, he took the bill and as he was leaving he said"really two checks I have never been asked for separate checks in this restaurant". Once the checks were presented he stood there waiting for us to pay out bills. Rude read more

Finally a restaurant we actually had time to visit. And of course we sat outside at the hottest time on the hottest day in weeks. But it was all good. The views over the water were wonderful, my fish and chips were sublime, the shrimp was plump, and the fish tacos were excellent. The cocktails we had just added to the happy feelings (though, in all honesty, they weren't great). Would we return? Come'on... read more

Aqua Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

See all

We arrived at 5:30 on a Friday night. We were seated promptly at a table right beside a window with a nice view. We were greeted by our waiter right away and informed of the soups and specials for the evening. Our drink order was taken and the bartender did a great job as both were tasty and what I believe to be a good value ( not watered down ). We ordered both soups available and shared and they were to die for. So flavorful. We then ordered the fillet and also the pistachio salmon. Both dishes were incredibly delicious and the presentation was great. To end it up we shared a sorbet which was also good. The food as well as the service was 5 star for sure. Our waiter J R was very attentive and engaging in conversation. We never felt rushed or had to ask for anything. The manager also stopped by to check on us and to be sure everything tasted good. Great view as well. We will definitely be frequenting here from now on. Added to our favorites read more

See all

Service and view were excellent, food choices were not that great, food was ho hum! Even in Duck and Southern Shores, there are better choices. read more

Everything we had was absolutely fresh and delicious to go along with the beautiful views! read more

Aqua Restaurant - Crab Cakes - Seafood Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

See all

The wait staff was understanding when we arrived 20 minutes late due to awful traffic on Duck Road. We did have to sit outside, but it ended up working out nicely - we had a great view over the sound. Food wise, the Bangin' Shrimp and Corn and Crab soup were both very tasty starters, though the entrees (Red Snapper and Shrimp and Andouille pasta) were a bit more standard fare. Our drinks were also not quite as interesting as others we had at nearby restaurants on the trip. Overall, a tasty meal and very nice staff, but we probably wouldn't go back a second time on another trip. read more