AQUA Restaurant

Visited for lunch. We had great views of the water from our table. Great food too! We ordered the Bangin shrimp for an appetizer which was excellent. The tacos and the Banh Mi sandwich were great.

I’ve eaten at Aqua numerous times… lunch and dinner; inside and outside; with vegans and omnivores; adults-​only and with kids; etc, etc… and it has never failed to please. The food ranges from good to great, the service is almost always great, and the setting/​view are the best in the area, no doubt about it. After years of «trial and error» around Duck, Aqua has earned its place as my go-​to restaurant! Highly recommended!

A new local favorite. Really fine dining on the bay side of the banks, with great views, very well built dishes, and really great service staff. We were there in the off season and never felt rushed or that anything was shortened even though we were the last ones eating there. Loved everything about the meal.

My husband and I were very pleased with the sound view table we had, and also the generous glasses of wine we were served. We shared a starter of roasted clams, which came in a buttery onion broth, perfect for dunking the deliciously crusty garlic-​infused bread. The next course was Caesar salad with white anchovies and shaved Parmesan. Aqua serves a purist version of this classic salad and the fact they used white marinated anchovies is a real treat for us. (You can request no anchovies of course). We ended by sharing the crabcake main dish, which the kitchen split for us, a nice touch. We were perfectly satisfied with the quality and value of the entire dining experience.

The sunset is all this place has going for it. Maybe that is enough?!
The space is small and they can not accommodate a larger crowd when the weather turns fowl! I suggest covered patios outside.
Good was average but very overpriced for what you get. Aqua is a lot of hype. They really do not deliver!

Seven of us went for dinner. Upon arriving, we all noticed the noise level. We were seated immediately and Emily, our server took drink orders and went over the specials. Emily was efficient and friendly, but again, she almost had to shout because of the noise level.
Two of us had the pork chop which was very big and flavor great although a little on the tough side even though we ordered it medium. One person got the filet, one the trout special, one the crab cakes and two others the shrimp pasta. All agreed their meals were very good.
It was a pleasant evening and the food and ambiance good.

Fantastic dinner and sunset views with family! Surprisingly delicious — especially the truffle fries and chocolate decadence dessert with bananas foster ice cream! Yum! Even the kids enjoyed it! Thanks for the great service!

Our experience at Aqua was perfection. The ambiance was lovely, down to the music selection, and the restaurant sits right on the water so you have a beautiful view. We came here after the beach for apps and were so impressed we almost cancelled our dinner reservations for a few hours later. I had a special grouper ceviche, which was perfect, and my friend had the clams which were delicious also. Drinks from the bar were great — we had been looking for some decent bourbon drinks for a while and hit the jackpot. We also ordered dessert and the dishes were beautiful, light, and well executed. Our server Bryan was knowledgeable and friendly and overall the service was fast and impeccable. This was everything a hospitality experience should have been!

I do not do these online rating things often but this has to be said. STAY AWAY. Quite possibly the worst meal i have ever had terrible service and worse food. My wife and i arrived and noticed an empty table on the front deck near a really great one man band as we entered. The hostess told us it would be 45 minutes, which is not ban in Duck so we grabbed a drink and headed to the back deck to listen to some great tunes and enjoy the sunset. The bar was very slow, again typical in OBX on a Saturday evening. We noticed as we waited that there were open tables in the main dining room, on the back deck and on the front deck. About 30% of the restaurant was not seated but we still waited. At 45 minutes, out buzzer when off and we got our table… the empty one that we walked by on the way in? Was kind of funny, we joked about it and figured they must be short staffed or something. After 20 minutes, we finally got out order taken. No bread. No stopping by to see if we need drinks or anything. 40 minutes later i got up and went to the hostess stand again and asked about our meals, i noticed at this time that the restaurant was nearly empty so i was unclear how our food could be taking so long. About ten minutes later the waiter brought our food. It was really kind of a joke. I had Mahi and it was about the size of a fish sandwich at McDonalds, covered in this green olive paste with all kinds of cool looking garnishes that didn’t work well together, then sprinkled with canned bacon bits like you would get on a salad bar… fish and bacon and green olives… not exactly what the menu said and it was really terrible. Very strange. I had to scrape everything off to eat it. My wife got some sort of fancy sounding pasta that came out looking and tasting like mac n cheese with shrimp thrown in. The noodles were mushy they were so overcooked and the shrimp has no flavor remotely similar to the pasta. Like the just through it in as an afterthought instead of cooking it together to blend the flavor.
This restaurant cannot have a chef. No self respecting chef would make either of those recipes. It does not even have a good cook. I cannot believe how horribly run it is. I loved the setting, loved the band and had a great time with my wife in spite of the restaurant but in the end i hated paying the bill. I felt like they ripped us off by overpricing poor quality, poorly delivered tiny portions of inedible food and called it a high end restaurant. I will guarantee they survive on unsuspecting tourists rather than locals. Do let the rip you off too.

Totally worth getting reservations! I’d highly recommend it.
In years past we have stayed in one of the larger homes and done much of our dining at home. This year the place we stayed had a limited kitchen, so we got to eat out more. I sure am glad because we found a couple gems in Duck, one of which was this place.
Décor
The décor was likely very trendy at one point, but needs an update. Stark white walls donning some nondescript art. To be honest, the décor kind of says «we’re your parents idea of fine dining». To be fair, the restaurant does offer a breathtaking view of the sun setting over the sound. Also, the patio and front garden was super charming. So I’d call this memorable view/​forgettable décor. I’d figure out sitting outside next time.
Food
The food here seems to focus on ascetics as well as flavor. Everything from the kitchen was thoughtfully plated. We had the crab dip which was amazing. Chef certainly doesn’t skimp on the crab meat, and the peppered crustinis were a perfect compliment to the sweet, creamy crab dip. My wife and I agreed, it was easily the best crab dip we had on vacation. For main course my wife had the shrimp and grits which were also nicely prepared. This was a more refined dish, almost deconstructed. Once pulled together the dish managed a balance of spice and creaminess. I had the seared mahi which was served on a bed of forbidden rice and seasonal veggies. Beautiful plate of food that tasted as good as it looked. Well done!
Service
This is where AQUA really shines. Our son has food alergies, and the chef was amazingly accommodating. Their chicken fingers are done with an egg wash (one of the allergies) so chef dredged the chicken in buttermilk and flour and pan fried it. They really went WAY above and beyond in this case, so thanks chef! Our server was super attentive and bubbly. She interacted well with everyone at the table (including the kids). In my opinion their service is head and shoulders above ANY I’ve experienced in the OBX.
Overall
This place is rocks. Picturesque view, wonder food, warm and accommodating staff. Will be on my list to visit next trip to Duck.

Came in with my whole family (including 5 kids) for Mom’s 70^th birthday while on vacation in OBX. Experience could not have been better. Food was excellent, service absolutely top notch (thanks again, Natalie!), atmosphere was great. An important night for my family and Aqua knocked it out of the park. Highly recommended.

We just had some starters including the cheese board, corn and crab soup (the bowl is definitely big enough to share), truffle fries (could be crunchier and less brown?) and rare ahi (4 small pieces). Others had entrees and they looked good and heard no complaints. Nice patio seating — older kids loved he corn hole boards while we were waiting for our food. Another patio overlooked the water. Great service and didn’t have problems with different bills.

They were naked and afraid. Two lost souls wandering through the desert with dreams of mere survival. The heat was oppressive and the biting mites felt like bear traps clamping down on their sunburnt skin as they trudged through the white hot sand. But in the distance they thought they saw salvation. Was it water? Was it shade? As they approached closer they realized their eyes were not deceiving them as they dropped upon the cool, damp shade covered ground. Fresh vegetation grew along the cool spring that bubbled in a deep blue pool.
Our experience at AQUA was similar as we entered to escape the din of the surrounding tourist traps and donut shops. The food was great. The service was truly top notch. The view was unparalleled. While I love OBX, AQUA is a step above the usual. Highly recommend if you like things that are good.

The food here is amazing! I had the crab cakes and my husband had the tuna steak. Then we split the meals both were delicious. If you love an appetizer have the brad soup also creamy and delicious. Our served JR was awesome. If your looking for a superb meal while in Duck make sure you go to Aqua you won’t be disappointed.
I hear they have a great lunch menu maybe we will check it out

Everything was excellent! The flavors popped in everything we ordered. Such a great decision was made for our anniversary date based on pictures and reviews on Unilocal

First time dining here… Just fantastic. We had the flat iron steak and the shrimp and grits. I’m not a fan of grits but the wife’s were closer to tapioca pudding. Service on the deck was as good as I’ve seen.

Visited Aqua for Tuesday lunch on the patio. My soft shell crab sandwich was good and it was worth it to upgrade to the truffle fries as they were divine. Signature drinks were overpriced. I had the tropical pineapple with rum one and it was not worth $ 11 as the alcohol wasn’t noticeable. The crab dip appetizer wasn’t tasty and difficult to eat since the cheese on the top was broiled and hard to cut thru to get the dip. Overall, while the meal was okay, it was definitely overpriced. I’d try another place next time.

I should say the actual food in wonderful and that the service was what knocked AQUA down to a 2-​star, but the portion size brought it down another. We arrived w/​reservation and were seated outdoors in the sound side. Any place that has a band playing the Shins acoustically on the balcony is okay in our book. The view was beautiful.
Our waiter rushed us through drink order, and then had to be asked if we could order, apparently to get back to one of many drawn out conversations with the folks at the next table. We ordered three drinks, a beer and three appetizers. Those first drinks were the last we would see, including the beer, although we would order another app when we saw the size of the entrees.
Again, the food was well prepared, but the $ 34 piece of Mahi I had was smaller than the palm of my ten year olds hand… We don’t eat at places like this for huge chain goliath plates but c’mon! All entrees shared the anemic portions which we would have discussed… If we had been asked anything at all. Sharing the same sentiment, as their table was cleared, a nearby diner exclaimed «we are now ready for the main course!» Amen.
Nearing end of meal– Waters: empty, soft drinks: empty, beer: long empty, wallet:$ 165 lighter. Aqua: banned.

Came here for Easter brunch looking to go out with a bang before leaving the OBX. It did not disappoint! My sister and I split a Caesar salad for an app and its was quite good! Then, for the main course, my mom, my sister, and I had the Shrimp and Grits. They were to die for. My dad had the Crab cake eggs benedict which he said was quite good as well. I will definitely come back here when in Corolla!

Beautiful restaurant right on the sound!
We went to Aqua on a Sunday night, which is also their burger and brews night. Of course, we all had to have burgers and beer. The burgers change weekly but the ones that we had were amazing. I also had an order of sweet potato fries with my burger, also very good.
This was the first time I had tried Duck Rabbit Amber, so good. Definitely try it!
Aqua can be a little pricey but you are paying for good quality, fresh food. We will be back.