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Categories: Seafood, American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Financial DistrictMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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When I last ate here as Aqua proper (not a special event) Michael Mina was the rising star with George Morrone bringing the accolades.
I luckily sat next to a vintner who supplied Aqua with wine and Chef Mina sat between us for a extended period of time.
Ahh how the times have changed....
I recently had a fabulous dinner with Laurent Manrique stepping aside for Eric Ripert to spin his Le Bernadin magic. Now Chef Manrique is no longer there, they've lost both their Michelin Stars and the Bacchus group has taken control of the restaurant.
With the takeover what will be the fate? If Bacchus can execute like they have with Spruce I have faith that the 5 stars I've given it from the old days will stand. Fingers crossed.
People thought this was:
I don't usually frequent such places, but on my last client meeting we went to this spot. I remember something about fish on my plate, it was probably good. The help was certainly attentive, but they tend to be when you're wearing a platinum three-piece suit and spinner earrings. The bar help was also nice, they filled up my cup of liquor to the brim, everytime I asked!
It was very quiet here during lunch, but that makes sense during our current economic downturn. Not everyone can throw around a corporate card with the fervor of Bateman-esque zeal. I felt bad that their restaurant was falling under difficult times, but not enough to even stop drinking for one split second. Mazel tov!
People thought this was:
As a value proposition, the new Aqua under Chef Jason Pringle is a 1 star affair. I do not know what happened here. When I first came to Aqua five or six years ago, the food was incredible. I thought nothing of spending $75 for the three course dinner, and was excited to have an opportunity to return after not visiting for a few years.
Unfortunately, my visit at Aqua last week was beyond disappointing. It's as if someone broke into the kitchen and stole all of the spices. The plates are presented beautifully, but without any further redeeming qualities, like a moronic beauty pageant contestant. The Moroccan Tuna Tartare was bland and uninspired. My Petrale Sole was flavorless with a lobster nage that was just a green soupy affair. And finally, the Chocolate Composition was artfully presented but tasted so so. Between the six dishes that my girlfriend and I had, only the apple souffle was anything that was close to Aqua's previous standard, but only just.
I will never, ever return to Aqua. What a shame.
People thought this was:
Very disappointing for such a restaurant. the service was good and attentive, the seeting was OK. However the food was lousy.
Lack of imagination. Although it was good, it is something that could have been found in much more reasonnably priced restaurant
Some dishes were way too salty, barely warm, ... The coffee was simply awful. Unless they start paying attention to what they are serving, the price cannot be justified and I cannot recommend it.
People thought this was:
Pfft. UP YOUR'S, Aqua.
While you're busy posturing to your drunk attorney and banker patrons, you should update your run-of-the-mill menu.
Until then, kiss my patootty, you egregious snots.
PS: we're in a 'market correction'! Get with it!
People thought this was:
I probably will not come back to this place. There are so many choices in San Francisco, that this place just blends in. It definitely does not compare to Gary Danko, La Folie, or even Michael Mina's.
The atmosphere is definitely a younger feel. The other places tend to be a bit more stuffy, but Aqua's is vibrant. The portions are skimpy. We ordered the a la carte with a bottle of wine, and I left feeling hungry. The meal was not memorable.
UPDATE: So I heard Aqua lost both of its Michelin Stars.
People thought this was:
I have heard all sorts of bad and good feedback for Aqua.
- The amuse bouche was very tasty, the Veal Terrine was not too exciting, but the celery soup had a ton of rich creamy celery flavor, and the corquette with lobster was super tasty.
- Wife's starter was fois gras and really, how can you go wrong? well you can a bit. It wasn't ideally prepared, the fois gras needed to be cooked at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time, because it was somewhat melted. Had great flavor, though. Needed more toast.
- My starter was a butternut squash soup that was fantastic. It had just the right amount of richness from lobster and the creme fraiche, but still stayed light. The sweetness of the butternut squash played perfect off the lobster.
- My entree was lobster, and to be honest, even though it was prepared correctly, it wasn't anything special and the bacon wrap made the lobster flavor scurry for cover. The tail was more about texture (which was spot on) than flavor, which was disappointing. The claws had a better texture and a lot of nice rich lobster flavor, which is what I wanted. neither sauce on it added much either, but the truffles on the accouterments were awesome.
- Wife's Petrale Sole was the best Sole I've ever had... I am not a particularly strong fan of Petrale Sole, but this was prepared perfectly. I wasn't sure of the details, but it tasted as if it was Sous Vide, as it was very evenly cooked and had a smooth texture to the outside, with no obvious browning. It was a surprising dish, because Sole tends to be so mild that any seasoning or sauce obliterates the delicate flavor, but this had just the right around to enhance it. Very tasty dish.
- My Peach Pavlova (peach flavor meringue and peaches) was good but tiny. Wife's Apple Souffle was one of the better souffles I've had, and I love Apple. She doesn't particular like apple and it was still really good to her. almost like a deconstructed apple pie. Light airy, with a rich taste.
- Overall, definitely not a bad meal, but fairly expensive for what it was. I'd give it a 4 for food and a 2.5 or so out of 5 for value.
I feel like this is a lame duck review, as I'm sure things are still transitioning with the departure of EC Laurent Manrique. However, we had a fantastic meal, which included several highlights from the tasting menu. We especially enjoyed the crab souffle, the veal rack, and the sturgeon with caviar. We'll have to retry it after the new EC settles in!
One other note, our party agreed that the staff was the most attractive we've seen in an SF restaurant so far. Wow!
People thought this was:
Surprisingly good, but a bit loud. The Corn Soufflé, Foie Gras and Truffle Risotto were all memorable dishes, and were as good as any we've had.
The Veal really could have been cooked more. If you listen carefully, and move your ear close to the plate, you can almost hear it mooing. This was disappointing as the dish had a lot of potential.
What really disappointed me is the noise. The bar is not in a good place, and to encourage bar patrons to be as loud as they can, music is played, forcing them all to nearly yell while talking.
Service was adequate but not as attentive as I would expect from a 2-star Michelin. Regardless, Aqua delivered and was worthy of a return visit.
People thought this was:
Great service. OK seafood. The only thing is that I wouldn't justify making it a regular place as the prices are a bit more than I would like to pay for Monsters of the Deep!!!
My visit to Aqua neatly finished my collection of the 2 star establishments in my Michelin guide to San Francisco 2007 edition. Yes, I know that Coi was promoted to 2 stars in this year's edition. Coi, you're in my sights for my next trip!
I booked for a Sunday evening and despite the surrounding FiDi streets being ghostly empty, there was a good number of diners in with a nice buzz about the place.
I like that Aqua's nautical theme extended to fish shaped door handles. The restaurant has a nice open feel with a lovely flower arrangement in the centre of the room
I was touched to be welcomed as a visitor from London with a complimentary glass of champagne! In fact, I was so touched that I didn't have the heart to tell them I don't drink but sipped at it throughout my dinner, eventually finishing it by dessert!
Adrienne, my server, was very attentive throughout the service. I was offered a warm baguette with nice home-made butter
I have been well served by my policy of eating tasting menus in fine dining restaurants as I get to sample more dishes and the chef gets to showcase his or her best work. However, I think I made the wrong choice in Aqua in going for the Shellfish Tasting Menu over the a la carte and I'll explain why at the end of this review
Shellfish tasting menu
1. Baked Kumamoto oyster, thyme, sweet garlic butter
This came as 3 small oysters in their shell with minimal flashy accompaniments to detract from their sweet briny taste
2. Geoduck clam, radish, jalapeno, red onion, caviar
This was like a ceviche but I felt it needed a bit more lime to get the balance right
3. Saute of abalone, crushed potato, fleur de sel
Being Chinese, I adore abalone and this was probably my favourite dish though the portion was small
4. Dungeness crab & cauliflower souffle, sea urchin chive butter
Technically good souffle but no sea urchin flavour in the butter.
5. Substitution. The kitchen had run out of the diver scallop & veal breast on the menu, so I got saffron risotto instead. This came with super sweet Nantucket scallop, prawns, mussels and clams
6. Grilled Maine lobster, sea been, sunchoke, red wine Bearnaise
Lovely dish. I hadn't expected Bearnaise to go so well with seafood
7. Extra intermezzo of apricot tart with honey granite
Good combination
8. Hazelnut sponge cake, poached rhubarb, creme fraiche sorbet
The sponge was light and was enhanced by its partners on the plate
Mignardines were served despite me not having coffee
So why only 4 stars? Firstly, the food came out slowly. Despite the restaurant only being half full, there was often a 15 minute gap between courses. Very unusual that I was having to eat bread as I was hungry - normally I deliberately don't eat bread as there's so much food in a tasting menu
That brings me onto why I wouldn't recommend the shellfish tasting menu. I adore shellfish but the portions here were small, emphasised by being served in small plates and bowls. I've never come out of eating a tasting menu feeling hungry
In contrast, looking at fellow diners' tables, there were some lovely looking a la carte dishes served in big portions - the cod and sturgeon both looked yummy. I also felt a little aggrieved that my more expensive tasting menu didn't come with an amuse bouche whereas the a la carte did. I spied a croquette and watermelon consomme - double disappointment as I love watermelon!!
As for the food, I suppose that it's hard to fully judge as shellfish is best when not messed about with too much. There was good food but not enough wow moments to merit the 5 stars.
Which makes me a little guilty as they did give me free champagne
People thought this was:
Went with several couples for the 7 course meal and was thoroughly impressed with the presentation and expressiveness of the flavors. Highly recommend the wine pairing as well.
Aqua will have you swimming with the fishes in no time!
My girlfriend and I decided to spend our 5th year anniversary here and I must say - Aqualicious!
Their customer service was outstanding. Very tentative and accommodating. Even though we came half an hour earlier than our reservation, they sat us right away.
The waiter was very helpful. Now, we are no expert in wine or champagne lingo but by the time our dinner was over, I felt I was just baptized and was speaking in tongue. The waiter was very knowledgeable and was able to explain the different types of champagne and wine to us.
The food was delicious! Every bite made my mouth crave for more and more! Bravo to the chefs!
The atmosphere was just perfect. The lighting and decoration is great for either dates or groups.
I was very pleased with this place and will definitely come back!
I took my girlfriend here for our anniversary seeking a nice, romantic place in the financial district. When my girlfriend saw the 75 dollar set menu pricing she almost started crying saying it was too much. Being in our 20's we were easily 30 years younger than the next youngest patrons. And were seated next to the monopoly man. The food on the whole was good. The appetizers small but satisfactory. My seared ahi was probably four stars on its own. However, her halibut was stringy, soggy and pretty much uncooked. The service was great and a high class atmosphere, but if I'm paying nearly 200 dollars for dinner I'd rather not leave with one person needing another meal...
I've been here twice and got the 7-course tasting each time. Maybe they were just "off" on both days but I really wasn't that impressed. In general, I thought the chef was a little heavy handed with the seasoning (or maybe that was his way of encouraging patrons to buy more drinks). I find it hard to believe that this restaurant has 2 Michelin stars. Considering the price, I probably wouldn't give this place a third try.
People thought this was:
The food here was only mediocre. You come to a place like this for atmosphere and environment. I believe you can find a much better atmosphere at more affordable prices elsewhere.
I don't completely rule out coming to Aqua- just will never come back on my count.
People thought this was:
Aqua used to be THE place in town. But, ever since Michael Mina left, he took some fanfare with him. That, the fierce San Francisco restaurant competition, and the limping economy probably explains why every table was not occupied when I came here Saturday evening for a business dinner. No matter, I had a wonderfully innovative meal and service was on point terrific. We all ordered the 7-course tasting menu, which was perfectly paced with sizable, albeit a bit small, portions (to compare, Gary Danko's portions are about 1.75x greater; yes, I measured).
1) Baked Kumamoto oyster with thyme and sweet garlic butter - Ever-so-lightly baked to give it a nice soft texture, this was like a raw oyster, but ten times more delicious with its tease of herbs. Fabulous start.
2) Ceviche of Geoduck clam with red onions, mint, and caviar - Despite the compelling description, this was simply okay. Not bad, but unmemorable.
3) Saute of abalone with crushed potato and fleur de sel (sea salt) - Now this rocked and I never eat abalone unless it is in Korean abalone rice porridge (which only has tidbits of it to begin with). Simple seasoning plus amazing support by the potato, the clean taste of abalone emerged and the dish hit just the right palatable note.
4) Tartare of ahi tuna with Moroccan spice, lemon confit, and fresh herbs - Quite tasty, though I would add a splash of more lemon to make it a bit more tart. No question, though--the tuna was top-notch.
5) Maine lobster with sunchoke (some type of artichoke) and red wine bearnaise - Divinely perfect bearnaise, they just had to make sure the lobster was indeed from Maine with this dish. 'Twas.
6) Seared Diver scallop and braised veal breast with green garlic, artichoke, and veal jus - Excellent, great balance to this dish. And you know a scallop is cooked right when it sprays those delicious juices. *happy dance*
7) Rose-raspberry almond tart shell filled with rose cream, raspberries, lychee granite, and pistachio creme anglaise - Oh my god, I was in love. I wanted to take everyone's plate of this dessert and make them all MINE at a separate table. One of the best desserts of recent memory (and I consume dessert like my daily vitamins), it was creamy (rose cream, pistachio creme anglaise), icy (lychee granite), crunchy (tart shell), and a kaleidoscope of creative flavors. Great palate cleanser and the ultimate ending to a seafood meal.
I must say that I was very pleased with the creativity of Aqua. Not only are the dishes examples of interesting, playful juxtapositions of ingredients, the seasonal tasting menus are a draw all by themselves. I for one am most definitely returning to try the mushroom tasting. I am a mushroom fiend, forevermore in love with truffles, chantarelles, porcino, and shiitake. The citrus tasting is next on my list. I love Asian citrus--yuzu and kaffir lime. Lastly, there is a tomato tasting. Tomatoes (and mushrooms) are the reason I eat so much pizza. Thin crust, please. 'Nuff said.
People thought this was:
Eating Ahi Tuna Tartare whie chatting at the bar bar.
You do not always have to be sitting at a table to enjoy a great meal. On days when I need to step out of the office and clear my head with potent drink and stellar food I head here to treat my stomach.
The bartenders are skilled at crafting a margarita that is not too limey and not too sweet. It's perfect in every way. They have even shared their secrets and taught me that triple sec can be your best friend.
It goes without saying that Aqua is one hec of a great seafood restaurant. I hear people often say they won't go because it's too expensive. If this happens to be your thoughts, I highly recommend stopping in and sit at the bar. The bar menu has many of the items offered on the regular menu and at lesser price point.
The service is much more causal than sitting at a table and makes for a great location for meeting new and interesting people or visiting with the bar staff and discussing grey facemasks. yes, this is an inside joke and makes no sense to you. But after drinking a few of their margaritas it won't matter anyway.
Definitely overrated. Fancy presentation of the food but not all of it amazing. Oh and they almost killed me b/c of my nut allergy. So I mention to the waiter that I am deathly allergic to nuts and asked if I was ok to order the tuna tartare and the black cod to which he says yes. So I take that as neither dish having nuts. Then they brought out a little tasting of something from the chef and I asked the server (different from the waiter) if there were nuts in it b/c i was allergic. So he and another server said they would check. They come back and say i am ok to eat. Then my tuna tartare comes out and has what appears to be almonds on the plate. So I ask the server if those are, in fact, nuts (same server who checked for me on the last dish). He says yes and looks at me like "good for you, do you want a prize?" SOOO i remind him yet again that I am deathly allergic (b/c he apparantly forgot in the last 10 min) and I need a new plate (b/c he made a comment about "taking them off" so I said he needed to make sure they don't just scrape it off b/c I will still have a reaction. Luckily the tartare comes out with each component separated and they mix at your table. Should it had already been mixed, I wouldn't have noticed and wouldn't have thought to ask since we just had this convo 10 minutes before!
Onto the food...tartare is good. The complimentary lobster/butternut squash soup was very good. My Black Cod was sooo bland tasting. I LOVE black cod and have liked it every time i have had it at other restaurants. This was the first time I didn't think it was very good.
It's been years since I dined here, but a friend of mine invited me out last night. This review is for the bar only.
Service was very attentive and just absolutely awesome. I couldn't decide what to order so the bar manager had some concoctions in mind for us...and wow, were there absolutely delightfully yummy!
Fool's Gold, Breath of Summer, and Stockholm Royale. These were what we sampled and my taste buds were sure pleased. I believe the bar manager said these aren't even on the menu yet...and will probably be added this weekend.
We also had one of their signature appetizers: Tartare of Ahi Tuna which comprised of Moroccan Spice, Lemon Confit, Fresh Herbs...absolutely exquisite!
I'd definitely be returning.
People thought this was:
Decent seafood place but not the best in SF. It's also kind of pricey. Good wine selection. I personally would go to Farrallon instead ;-)
It used to be a place that was SPECIAL. And the prices certainly suggest as much, but frankly, its become a Scoma's tarted up to appear special. Starting with the petite Asian hostess with 38DDs barely draped n a gauzy , sleeveless blouse, i thought i had accidentally waled into Centerfolds. Her short and up to there skirt hovered tenuously over her pert young bottom, and she wore 5 inch stiletto come f*** me heels. Mind you, in another setting, SMOKIN'!!!!!, but its not the vibe you want when you expect to lay out some serious coin for dinner. Ahhh, dinner....again, remember Scomas? Or if not, think Red Lobster. these guys are skating on their better past and hoping no one notices. Never again, NEVER again!!!
People thought this was:
I'm not sure I would have bothered to eat here if someone else weren't footing the bill. I had a very good meal but Aqua struck me more as a place for people who want their dining experience to be impressive and less for people who want to be impressed with their dining experience, if you catch my meaning.
Service was, of course, impeccable from start to finish. I would not have expected anything less.
We began at the bar, where we had some perfunctory Manhattans. Later that night I would have a much better one at the Tosca Cafe.
I began my meal with the Ahi Tuna Tartare with Moroccan spices and lemon confit, which was neither more nor less tasty than I've had it elsewhere. I also sampled one of my dining companion's Rose Scented Foie Gras Torchon. This was my first experience with foie gras. Having finally had the pleasure, I now know that its downright criminal that I ate every night for a week at Lion D'Or and never once tried this food miracle. Perhaps it is duck torture, I won't argue with you on that. But anyone who has tasted it surely would not object if Daffy & Donald were sent off to a black site somewhere in Eastern Europe.
After this, compliments of the chef, we were brought a fennel soup. If the gulag I mentioned in the paragraph above has a Room 101 where suspects are waterboarded using this absolutely phenomenal soup to simulate drowning, perhaps I would not object to find myself imprisoned there.
Next I had the Hawaiian Walu with zucchini carpaccio, frisee & foie gras salad and licorice. Prior to this meal I had never tried walu either but I found it to be a very good fish, firm, with some flavor. (Though the foie gras certainly did its share in contributing to this.)
For dessert I ordered the "a la minute" Millefeuille, an espresso cream pastry. Good, but not exceptional.
Overall, a very enjoyable meal but not something I would pay for. If I fell back into the habit of dating girls with very expensive tastes, though, Aqua would be a place I'd return to.
People thought this was:
Was *very* excited about going to this restaurant. Got the tasting menu with the wine pairing. To my dismay, only 3 of the 7 dishes were great (the fois gras, corn souffle and the rose-rasberry almond dessert).
Also, 4 out of the 7 were different than what their online menu said. No oyster, no scallop, no lobster (cold rack of lamb instead) and no gianduja mousse. One star for the ambiance, one for the great wine pairing and one for the 3 good dishes and presentation.
The service was disappointing, they'd come, say what they were serving (in a very low tone of voice, could barely hear what we were about to eat) and before I could open my mouth to ask them to repeat what that specific dish was, they had disappeared... as if they didn't really know what was in that dish so they'd take off before we could ask... will certainly not come back.
We had dinner here for my birthday and came away with a $250+ bill for two, a headache (probably unrelated), and not much else. Granted a good part of the bill was for one bottle of Pinot Noir that was decent but ultimately no where near worth paying $100 for a bottle for ($80 + tip + tax) - and this was one of the least expensive reds.
We selected the 3-course meal and when our appetizer arrived (shrimp) we were visually impressed and teased with Pavlovian-like mouth drooling in anticipation of things to come. I mean presentation was that good and borderline art for each dish.
The sad part came when we sank our gobblers into each dish (appetizer, main, desert), and our taste buds were - to be kind - completely underwhelmed. The flavors were bland and uninspired, a complete contrast to their appearance. At least on this Thursday night it definitely seemed like there was far more care put in the aesthetics of the dish than the taste. We'll not go back but this is one voice in over 500 reviews so you decide.
People thought this was:
This place is way too pretentious for my taste, and for its own good.
My understanding is that it's not possible to order freely off the menu. Rather, there is a set $75 charge for an appetizer, a main dish and dessert. Lots of options come with an extra cost. The problem with this set-up is that not everybody likes to eat so much in one meal. The appetizers are large enough to fill you up more than haflway. I had to take most of the main dish with me as well as the dessert.
The appetizer was good (although not exceptional). It was delivered in an impressive manner so bonus points for that. The main dish was okay. The dessert was also no better than okay.
I contemplated giving this place a 2, but perhaps I should have been more informed up front. And I certainly would not spend my own money on it (I was here for business) not with the prices they have.
This was our first time visiting Aqua while visiting SF for a few days. It was a Thursday night and we easily obtained a reservation. The menu had two choices: 3 course or 7 course. The 7 course recommended at least 2 hours to complete and we weren't that adventurous, so we chose the 3 course option. This included an appetizer, main dish and dessert. My wife started with the scallops which were divine. I had the tuna tartar, which included an uncomfortable moment as the waiter mixed my tuna pieces with the various spices in front of my face.....for about 90 seconds. It felt like he was cutting my meat for me. The tuna was delicious.
For the main dish, my wife tried the Sturgeon and I had the Black Cod. She didn't care for the carrot foam and the rest was just mediocre. With my dish I had the same waiter unwrapping my cod from a large leaf, plating in front of me and pouring the duck sauce. My dish was delicious.
For dessert we ordered the special cake with hot lava chocolate in the center and another chocolate dish. Both were good and modest portions.
The service was excellent, as would be expected for the prices (over $200 for two). The food was good but not spectacular (like Roy's near Pebble Beach).
I had one of the best meals of my life here. I am happy to say that I have had a fair number of pretty fantastic meals in my life.
Here are the reasons why it was fabulous:
Truly innovative tasting menu, with perfect portions, gorgeous presentation, and excellent wine pairings.
They have caviar service, done correctly. Nothing makes me flip my lid like caviar.
Pacing was perfect. We ate slowly, I never felt rushed, I never felt overly full, and I had time to sip my wine and chat. Service was impeccably attentive.
I can't give 5th star because:
Gold leaf on desserts is just terrifically tacky. When it showed up on the tasting menu, I almost felt offended. I mean, seriously, having an expensive special occasion meal doesn't make me the kind of idiot who is willing to sh$t gold! Really. I am a totally different kind of idiot.
It is also, as has been mentioned, too crowded. We were there for four hours, so it was less of a problem. However, for the first hour, we had to watch - up close - a totally sleazy fat dude clumsily seduce a very neurotic (brought her own food to Aqua!) younger woman.
Still worth it. Totally f**king fabulous.
People thought this was:
I heard good things about Aqua before my husband and I finally decided to try it.
For appetizers, we had tuna tartare. Quite good. No real complaints there. My entree selection was the monk fish. The flavors were muddled and the fish was tougher than expected.
The service was mediocre. Granted it was a busy night, we didn't see much of our waiter. Our experience was a little tainted because of the party sitting next to us. It was a rowdy crowd, who had a bit much to drink. For whatever reason, one of the people from the party through their napkin at us several times. It did not make for a pleasurable meal.
From the recommendations we received, Aqua seemed quite promising. However, our experience did not match that of most reviews.
People thought this was:
I love Aqua! The food was OUT OF THIS WORLD! I ordered veal cheeks with pancetta and truffles........ LOVED IT! Their sauces were yummy, service was impeccable! It was expensive but worth it.
People thought this was:
Excellent food and service was excellent. WE LOVE YOU CARL!
We had the geoduck, foie gras, lobster, and ahi. The chef is definitely creative. We just wished that the portions were larger. For the pretty penny you pay at Aqua, it is unfortunate that the morsels fly off your plate quite quickly.
People thought this was:
I've been to Aqua several times over the years, but tonight seemed to hit it out of the park for me. The company was wonderful (thank you, Isabelle), the waiter gave great suggestions, the Sancerre (the only one) on the menu was like drinking a bouquet of flowers, and the food -- their classic tartare of ahi tuna, black cod with bok choy and peking duck jus wrapped in an enormous lotus leaf, corn souffle and "chocolate composition" -- were all sublime. The room was pleasantly buzzing without feeling thronged, and we were in and out in 120 minutes. How a restaurant that has been open for 11 years can continue to deliver the goods like this in such a faddish food town is a wonder to behold. Bravo, ladies and gentlemen of Aqua.
Fantastic. Unbelievable. Really Incredible. Top 5 best meals I've ever had.
Enough superlatives?
From the Kumamoto Oysters, to the abalone, to the Lobster, scallops and veal, just incredible.
Yes, it's pricey, but totally worth it.
People thought this was:
If you like a stuffy and snobby place, then go here. Not good service, not very good food - but it's pretty expensive. Hopefully it's changed since I went there about a year ago.
I love fish and Aqua truly was outstanding. What a wonderful meal!
Review for 7 course tasting menu ONLY. The 3 course is just a terrible value.
Oyster: Baked Kumamoto Oyster, Thyme, Sweet Garlic Butter. It's like your regular raw oyster married a millionaire. Just slightly baked so the oyster still has the nice soft texture, not cooked and tough.
Geoduck Clam: Ceviche of Geoduck Clam, Red Onion, Mint, caviar. The most plain dish of all. I'm not a fan of caviar, no matter how expensive they are.
Abalone: Sauté of Abalone, Crushed Potato, Fleur De Sel. It is excellent, exceeding my expectation by far. When I was growing up, we had abalone all the time since it's considered one of the best foods in chinese culture. But here, you get the real taste of abalone, and the potato (which I hate) is amazing!
Tartare of Ahi Tuna: Moroccan Spice, Lemon Confit, Fresh Herbs. It's a little bit on the greasy side and needs a little more tartness. Still a great plate though.
Maine Lobster: Grilled Maine Lobster, Cronses, Sunchoke, Red Wine Béarnaise. Excellent. It's lobster, babe. The Bearnaise is just the right amount of flavor that accompanies the lobster yet not overpowering.
Diver Scallop: Seared Diver Scallop & Braised Veal Breast, Green Garlic, Artichoke, Veal Jus. EXCELLENT! The scallops are SO SWEET!!
Atlantic Cod: Baby Octopus, Red Pearl Onion, Pickled Bell Pepper, Garlic Jus. Great combination with the slightly salty octopus.
Hawaiian Walu: was pretty gross with a strong fishy taste and soggy texture so we sent it back.
White Sturgeon: White Grits, Pancetta, Mustard Green. Really nice texture overall, the fish is great.
Rose-Raspberry Almond Tart Shell filled with Rose Cream, Raspberries, Lychee Granité, and Pistachio Crème Anglaise. OMG!!!!! It's gotta be the best dessert I've had. It's just a great ending to a seafood meal. It's light and flavorful, creamy and crunchy, with familiar flavors yet exotic combination.
Strawberry and Rhubarb Souffle is light and refreshing which makes another great ending of the dinner.
The vanilla bean icecream/raspberry sorbet/cake thing was yet another wow dessert.
After Gary Danko the previous night, Aqua deserves 5 stars. The entire experience was marvelous, service was personal and friendly. House car provided instead of taxi at around midnight when we left was superb.
People thought this was:
So many reviews already, but I'd like to put my 2 cents in. We were seated immediately even though we were a few minutes late, and maybe it's the economy but it wasn't crowded at all. The ambiance of the place was very nice and romantic even though we were seated near an intoxicated couple celebrating their anniversary who were strangely mean to each other.
The service wasn't as warm as I expected but definitely on top of things. The sommelier noticed we weren't too excited about our wine choice so gave us a glass of another kind which we did enjoy. The trio of canapes rate 2 out of 3 for me and were pretty delicious. Overall the food was very good. It wasn't the best I've ever had but definitely enjoyable. I got to taste both my food and my date's. So I tasted the squash soup, tuna tartar, sea bass, john dory, souffle, and coconut tapioca. Enjoyed the flavors of all of them except the sea bass and souffle. Still I'm a fan.
People thought this was:
Haven't been to Aqua for years and didn't get the table I wanted (was offered a table near the service entry, which I rejected and got stuck in a cramped corner, even though other tables were apparently available), but the food and service was excellent, which is consistent with my experience in the past, and, of course, very expensive. I think Farallon is better, but you can't miss with Aqua as long as you can get better seating than we did on this occasion.
Open Table Review: 02/21/09
People thought this was:
If you work at an investment shop or law firm then you'd fit right in here. Aqua is a great place to take a client or celebrate after a deal closes, but it's not really good for much else (unless you're 45+).
I will say that the food was very good. The flavors complimented each other nicely and the dishes were well plated. The drawback for me is the formality of the place. If I wasn't wearing a suit, I'm sure the entire experience would have been much better. Having worked in Manhattan for 5 years and worn a suit to the office everyday, I'm comfortable looking sharp. What I don't like is the expectation that I have to be dressed that way to feel comfortable somewhere.
Owners at Aqua need to put on flip flops for a day and undo the top button.
People thought this was:
We took my dad here for Father's Day and the food is so NOT worth the price (we tried the tasting menu). Most of it I didn't even like. We had a good time and the staff was very very nice, but for a $600 dinner for 3 people it was NOT worth it at all.
People thought this was:
Happy Hour
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Complimentary Bottle of House…
Neighborhood: SOMA
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Union Square
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Financial District
Category: American (New)
San Francisco, CA
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Financial District
Category: American (New)
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