Aquagrill
“Between the three of us, we decided to start with the Chilled Fresh Maine Jonah Crab Claws and half a dozen of the Blue Point Oysters.”
“Amazing food – we had 4 different types of oysters, split a mesclun salad, cauliflower soup, and the bluefin tuna tartare rocked!”
“Seared Diver Sea Scallops with Dungeness Crabmeat Risotto and Sugar Snap Peas in a Tomato Shellfish Emulsion
MY GOODNESS!!”
Aquagrill
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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Came here for my birthday. Excellent for oysters and our waiter was fantastic- answered all our questions and recommended a great cucumber cocktail to go with the oysters. We had sea bass and salmon for dinner, and it was prepared very elegantly with interesting Spanish and Asian taste twists to it.
Wine was delicious, I just randomly picked a Pino Grigio and had to have a second glass it was so yummy- probably everything in their wine list is good. We mentioned it was my birthday very off hand- and they still came out with my chocolate dessert plate inscribed with "Happy Birthday" on it plus a little lighted candle on my little lava cake! Such a nice touch. Ambiance is quite laid back for the quality of food and service, an enjoyable evening.
After a disappointing meal, the boo and I decided to get a nitecap here. What was supposed to be a quick drink turned into a dozen west coast oyster and a dover sole entree that was surprisingly split into sharing portions for us without us even having to ask. Now that's what I call service.
Food quality was amazing here. Fresh and clean oysters just like I remembered it to be 4 yrs ago. The Dover sole was meaty and fluffy. The basil sauce that it lied in was so light and tasty. Really great stuff.
The guy behind the bar " Manny" kept us entertained with conversation bout his life and his little girl that doesn't like most food and like most kids – has a hankering for Mcdonald's nuggets lol.
Overall, this place gets really busy like all the time and well worth the wait. The only time Aquagrill shouldn't be an option for seafood is if you live half way around the world. And if that's even the case, take a plane and "gid" yo ass here.
We were meandering around this area and got a craving for seafood, so we decided to splurge on something nice. Yelp directed us to Aquagrill, and we decided to give it a try.
We walked in without reservations, and while we couldn't get a table at this packed restaurant on a Saturday night, we were seated at the bar within 10 minutes. This place is a white tablecloth joint aside from the bar. The ambience is classy and hip.
The bartender taking care of us was warm and prompt, and we found out she's been working there for 17 years. It showed in a good way.
We ordered some mussels from the raw bar (huge selection btw) to start as well as a crab claw which was a special that night. The mussels were clean, big, delicious…and I didn't get food poisoning from them :).
The bartender surprised us with some complimentary salmon tartar as an appetizer, which was totally unexpected and delish.
For our main courses, I ordered the diver scallops dinner which came with crab risotto and other goodies. The hubs got the truffle crusted cod. The entrees were AMAZING. Cooked to perfection, tasty, not overly salty.
They brought out some complimentary cookies for dessert to make a truly wonderful meal.
The prices here aren't cheap (~$30 for your entree), but by NYC standards you usually get a lot less in this price range. The attentive bartender, complimentary treats, and overall classy feel of this place made it 5 stars for sure.
Summary: Delicious seafood, great waitstaff, fair prices. Try this place!
Been here over a handful of times the past few years with the most recent visit for brunch, which was equally amazing. They probably have the most oyster varieties in NYC as they always have at least 20+ different ones on hand.
This go-around we tried the Blue Point, Potters Moon and the Shiny Seas oysters along with a half dozen cherrystones and WOW is all I have to say! Even though my crab benedict was very good, we agreed that if we could have a do over, we both would've gladly traded our brunch entrees and ordered another boatload of oysters. Clean, fresh, slightly briny finish with lots of oyster liquor. Yummm! 5/5
I also enjoyed the crab benedict and it rivaled those of some other great places I've tried before. Eggs were poached well and oozed nicely to combine with the crab meat and bread for evenly placed bites. 4/5
My daughter had the fettuccine so I got to steal a few bites and I immediately noticed that the pasta must have been prepared freshly in-house and it was cooked perfectly al dente. Highly recommend this one as well if you're craving a pasta dish. Heavy but worth it. 4.5/5
Overall, a spectacular "oldie but goody" restaurant. Always consistent and high quality. Their oysters are to die for and they will forever be in my book of rotating restaurants every time I'm in Manhattan.
We have been going to Aquagrill for years and usually sit at the bar for oysters and Champagne. At the bar you have a view of the two master shuckers working quickly to fill the constant stream of orders. The oyster selection changes daily based upon what verities are available. The menu is usually split between east and west coasts. Prices range from about $2.50 each for common blue point to more exotic species from Vancouver, BC. at $4.00 each. We normally go for an assortment of 24 with four different types. Coupled with a bottle of Champagne and a few crisps of bread, it'a nice lunch.
We have had regular entries a few times and even gone for a huge seafood tower at $150.00. All average. This place is really about the oysters. Unsure of what to order? Ask the very knowledgable and friendly bartenders.
I know that with several raw bars around the city offering "dollar oysters at the bar" it's tempting to save the money, it's not the same. Go for the real deal.
Aquagrill is the kind of restaurant you bring your parents to fulfill your duties as the diligent daughter/son, and hope they're proud enough to flaunt you to other parents.
I took my mother here for Mother's Day and from the moment I laid eyes on this restaurant, while looking at a list for reservations, it was love at first sight. It was one of the very few restaurants that didn't double their prices on such a special day, whereas most restaurants usually do. The staff members here–from making reservations to leaving me with a full stomach–were gracious. It's been awhile since I've experienced great, honest, personal service and Aquagrill restored some faith in me to believe that some restaurants don't treat you like a number.
We obligatorily started off with some fresh raw oysters and ordered at the recommendation of one of the sweet staff members. They have an excellent selection of raw oysters. Each one of them hit the spot with their crisp and juiciness–if you've never had Pacific oysters, you are truly missing out! I had the Lobster Eggs Benedict, which sounded like a drooling session waiting to happen, but didn't really hit the spot. It lacked much lobster meat and some real lobster essence. I am a huge fan of Eggs Benedict but this was very heavy in a bad way–just think of a fishy Eggs Benny. The Grilled Atlantic Salmon was much better, in my opinion–crispy skin with light, flavorful creamy broth on the bottom that complemented the salmon.
It's an excellent spot for oysters and a solid seafood spot to dine in the area. For seafood brunch, this meals were average but the service was fantastic.
Aquagrill is going to prove to be one of the hardest reviews I will have to write, which might be the reason why I have put it off for at least the last 8 years. I have been here at least several times a year and it never ceases to be an all-time consistent favorite. The seafood is of the highest quality, always fresh, and cooked to perfection. The ambiance is the borderline of casual to fine dining, not over the top with frills or extravaganza but enough to make you feel like it's a special night out without the bells and whistles. The food is exceptional and I have never had any bad or mediocre dish at Aquagrill. That said, I would recommend everything and anything.
Here's a short list of what I've had over the years:
Appetizers:
– Oysters: Any and all. Sometimes I've done a sampling of 6 or 12, sometimes I've had one of each, and sometimes I've had at least 30 in total. It's true… one night my brothers and I thought it would be a good idea to order 60 oysters as the appetizer between the three of us. I thought it was a little over the top but I had no qualms about it afterwards! All the oysters are fresh, some slightly briny, some slightly sweet, others plump, and others were delicate. Take a sampling platter and try them all!
– Fried soft shell crab: I love soft shell crab and whenever I see it on the menu I make sure to order it. It came with a slightly sweet, Asian inspired sauce with mangoes. Look, you can't go wrong with dressing up a soft shell crab but the zing you got from the sauce balanced out the fried crab perfectly.
– Stone crab claws: Like the soft shell crab, stone crab claws only come for so long when the season lasts. You should snatch up as many while they're available. They come accompanied with a slight mango, dijon mustard, a little something-something to go with the delicate sweetness of stone crabs.
– Bluefin tartare
– Tuna carpaccio
– Scallop carpaccio
– Salmon tartare
Main courses:
– Miso Glazed Chilean Seabass: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I've probably had this more times than I can count on both my hands. I tell myself, look, I've discovered I can buy chilean seabass at WholeFoods, make the miso dressing myself, and it would be less than the menu price… and yet, I still get it and I still love it. That's enough said. You can't go wrong with the buttery, flaky, chilean seabass. And whoever in Japan came up with the idea of accompanying it with the salty, sweet cut from the miso, mirin, and sugar is genius.
– Seared Diver Sea Scallops: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I love scallops when they're perfectly seared on the outside to create a brown, caramelized crust and slightly raw in middle. The scallops are absolutely scrumptious! They're delicate, light, and slightly sweet. Aquagrill perfectly pairs them with a crabmeat risotto (that really has chunks of crab meat) that's aromatic with quality parmigiano reggiano. Don't forget to sop up all of the tomato shellfish emulsion if you haven't already!
– Truffle Crusted Cod
– Bouillabaisse
Whatever you order, you can't go wrong. So don't worry about making a mistake. Aquagrill is one of those rare restaurants where the kitchen produces food so good and at such a reasonable price for "fine dining" standards, that you can always revisit again and again. For the last 8 years, I can attest that Aquagrill has always been as good as the first time. The best part is that it's not even hard to get a reservation! My boyfriend and I got a last minute reservation on a Saturday night! Perfection.
This is what I call perfection. THIS is what dining out is all about: wonderful (just attentive enough) service, fantastic food and great ambiance.
I'm always a big fan of the 'would you like a drink while you wait?' service. Yes, it's Friday. I need a drink. STAT. They even, surprisingly, had a decent sake list.
We ordered the plateau, because, well, we couldn't help ourselves. We skipped the clams and replaced it with more shrimp. In hindsight, I'd say skip the periwinkles too. The oysters were heavenly, and the two special apps were exceptional (the names escape me, I was too distracted) and the most memorable dessert ever? Pumpkin cheesecake. It made my tastebuds sing.
I'll dream of this meal…until my next visit!