Aqua Restaurant

4.7

2812 Reviews

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Make a booking

2 people

17 Feb 2025

19:00

Booked 3 times today

Neighbourhood gem
Good for special occasions
Innovative

**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 17:30–20:30 Fri, Sat 17:30–21:00
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
Area
Beaufort / Morehead City
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Gluten-free Options

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 toastUS$9.00
Grand Marnier-vanilla bean battered, house cured bacon, chai maple syrup
tuna poke*US$9.00
marinated fresh local tuna
egg rollUS$8.00
pulled pork, kimchi, gochujang
boursin and chevreUS$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*US$28.00
CAB Beef tenderloin, veal demi glace, truffle dusted gratin potatoes
seared crab cakeUS$26.00
lump crabmeat, citrus chili aioli, sauteed spinach, leeks, mushrooms, stewed lentils
ravioliUS$27.00
boursin filled house made pasta, colossal lump crab panned in butter, lobster cream
shrimp & grits provencalUS$26.00
roasted tomatoes, citrus beurre blanc, house cured bacon, creamy grits
seared local tuna*US$26.00
rare curry seared local tuna, soba noodle salad, traditional accompaniments
stuffed trumpet mushroomUS$20.00
truffle duxelles, chevre, celeriac-cauliflower puree, crispy kale

big plate

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

salads

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

sweet endings

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

add to any dish

CAB petite filetUS$25.00
crab cakeUS$23.00
local catch (market)
grilled shrimpUS$13.00
two large sea scallopsUS$23.00

What 2,812 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

Coastal North Carolina
Innovative
Coastal North Carolina
Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Aqua Restaurant in Beaufort consistently charms diners with its "amazing" food and "friendly" service. The atmosphere is "relaxing" and the menu offers diverse and "well-prepared" dishes, from seafood to creative cocktails. Although some found the menu limited, most praised the "top-notch" dining experience, making Aqua a "favorite" for locals and visitors alike.

2,812 Reviews

C
Chris
Key West
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Aqua never disappoints! Fresh local food, great service, great wine and Cocktail list. The catch special is always worth a venture!
Is this helpful?
D
Dr. John
VIP
New York City
92 reviews
5.0
92 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
How wonderful- one of my favorite restaurants on Valentines Day! As always Quintin is there to great us with his contagious smile - the food, the service and the drinks all fabulous!!! All ending with a red carnation to go!!
Is this helpful?
L
Linda
Greensboro
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 1
We had to sit outside. I thought they had vinyl walls they could drop down in the winter to help keep in the heat (the gave 2 ceiling heaters), but they didn't. You can only get warm if you are directly beneath the Heaters. Our party of 4 were bitterly cold which made for a horrible dining experience.
Is this helpful?
R
Rosemary
VIP
Wilmington
19 reviews
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on 4 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My favorite restaurant in charming Beaufort. The ambiance is great and the food is always creative and with surprising tastes. Their every other Tuesday's Wine o Rama is a special treat of four different wines each time, to sample and purchase.
Is this helpful?
K
Kathleen
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 4 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I love dining @ Aqua! The food is always delicious . Our server Iesha was amazing !! She was friendly , professional, and attentive. Can't wait to go back!
Is this helpful?
E
Eric
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 2 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent meal, Sierra was our server and she did an outstanding job! Off season at Aqua did not disappoint. We have eaten here previously and we will certainly be back again.
Is this helpful?
c
cindyt
VIP
Orlando
19 reviews
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on 31 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything was amazing as usual! The best service in town. Entrees were big portions
Is this helpful?
E
ELKE
VIP
Raleigh
40 reviews
5.0
40 reviews
Dined on 29 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We have never been disappointed dining at the Aqua Restaurant. Last night’s dining was another great experience. The food and service was again excellent! See you soon! Thank you, Elke H.
Is this helpful?
S
Susan
Raleigh
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 25 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful experience, great waiter and delicious food.
Is this helpful?
D
Dr. John
VIP
New York City
92 reviews
5.0
92 reviews
Dined on 25 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Once again - fabulous , fabulous, fabulous!! Quentin greats us with a smile !! the food the drinks the service - all excellent!!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

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

Aqua Restaurant is rated 4.7 stars by 2812 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people

17 Feb 2025

19:00

Booked 3 times today

Order delivery or takeout

114 Middle Lane, Beaufort, NC 28516

Additional information

Area
Beaufort / Morehead City
Hours of Operation
Dinner Tue–Thu 17:30–20:30 Fri, Sat 17:30–21:00
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
Gluten-free Options

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

Aqua Restaurant

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

noodle bowl

bananas foster

seared crab cake

tapas

french toastUS$9.00

tuna poke*US$9.00

egg rollUS$8.00

boursin and chevreUS$9.00

small plates

local catch

grilled petite filet*US$28.00

seared crab cakeUS$26.00

ravioliUS$27.00

shrimp & grits provencalUS$26.00

seared local tuna*US$26.00

stuffed trumpet mushroomUS$20.00

big plate

sea and shoreUS$46.00

seared crab cakeUS$45.00

grilled shrimpUS$38.00

two large sea scallopsUS$46.00

noodle bowlUS$43.00

beef bourguignonUS$41.00

salads

saffron poached pearUS$13.00

kaleUS$13.00

sweet endings

aqua’s signature crème brûléeUS$14.00

chocolate mousseUS$11.00

bananas fosterUS$12.00

baklavaUS$10.00

dessert samplerUS$28.00

add to any dish

CAB petite filetUS$25.00

crab cakeUS$23.00

local catch (market)

grilled shrimpUS$13.00

two large sea scallopsUS$23.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Diners' Choice Awards

Review summary

FAQs

Does Aqua Restaurant offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Aqua Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is Aqua Restaurant currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information