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Aqualis Grill - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Mediterranean Restaurants Seafood Mediterranean, Seafood [Edit]
773 Fulton St(between Oxford St & Portland Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Neighborhood: Fort Greene
(718) 797-3494
Announcement
Aqualis Grill is now offering a $25/person serving a three course menu and wine or beer. The menu is available Tuesday to Sunday 5 to 7:30pm
- Nearest Transit:
-
Lafayette Av (A, C)
Fulton St (G)
Atlantic Av (B, Q)
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Pera Soho specializes in Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, with an emphasis on a wide range of small plates, grilled seasoned meats and fastidiously… read more »
83 reviews for Aqualis Grill
Review Highlights
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"Bro got lamb chops and fries - definitely simple and nice..." In 4 reviews -
"Grilled calamari in herb olive oil." In 7 reviews -
"The complimentary baklava and yogurt (housemade." In 15 reviews
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83 reviews in English
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Review from Alysa K.
Brooklyn, NY
3/18/2012
I love Aqualis! Their food is always great, the fish is fresh, and they have great drinks. The decor is beautiful, although understated. It's close to BAM, so it's a great dinner to have right before/after a show. I recommend getting either the champagne mojito or the sangria, as both are great. Their fava dip is absolutely addictive; i find myself ordering it each time I go. I have never tried any of their meat dishes, but I would recommend getting their fish as all fish dishes I have had are perfectly cooked and delicious. Their service is a bit slow and I do NOT recommend getting delivery. I ended up getting my food an hour and a half late, and they refused to offer me any sort of compensation because all but one of my dishes was cold anyways. Not great customer service.
-
Review from Terry T.
Fort Greene, Brooklyn, NY
4/8/2012
AQUALIS GRILL IS CLOSED!!
Prospect Restaurant opens in June.
http://fort-greene.the... -
Review from Andy W.
Fair Haven, NJ
2/20/2012 Seated via OpenTable
We had dinner here last Saturday night before a performance at BAM
Overall the food was very good. It is simply prepared as you would expect for Mediterranean style food.
My wife had the $25 prix fixe menu which was a choice of a salad or spread (she had the fava bean spread which was very good) plus a main course - she chose the skirt steak (other choices were talapia or 1/2 a roasted chicken). The skirt steak was perfectly cooked and tasty. The price also includes a glass of wine.
I chose the sardines which were very tasty and well prepared and the scallops with white beans as a main course. The scallops were perfectly cooked and the dish was excellent.
The service is slow but pleasant. There was only one waiter. There were a number of diners trying make the same 7:30 performance and that led to a bit of frustration. Lesson learned - get here by at least 5:30 to make a 7:30 BAM show -
Review from Leah E.
Brooklyn, NY
2/23/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
I was underwhelmed! I brought the in-laws there for dinner and I was excited - as it seemed from reading other reviews that it would good option for fish. However the dishes were forgetful.
Positive notes - cozy atmosphere and nice washroom facilities. -
Review from Ava E.
9/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you're looking for a spot to eat fish, you've stumbled onto a goldmine.
If you're looking for a spot to eat a whole fish de-boned(upon request), you've stumbled onto a goldmine.
Date night is always great, but a date night with good food is even better. I enjoyed the evening's special of pan roasted porgy with vegetable lentil salad and arugula. We shared the honey laden baklava which was a tad sweet but good. Although we weren't in the mood for drinks, the waiter gave us a sample of red sangria with lime on the house! Tasty. -
Review from Roberta N.
Brooklyn, NY
2/23/2012
I have no idea whether or not the food was good, since I never got to eat anything. I arrived for a pre-BAM dinner. My curtain was at 7:30, and I got there at 6. My order wasn't even taken until 6:30, and there was no bread on the table until 6:45. Needless to say, I left.
I will not attempt to eat here again, because, really, why should I?
The star is for the nice atmosphere.
In a related story, the pizza at "Not Rays," across the street, if not spectacular, is hot. Also, I actually got to eat it. -
Review from g g.
Brooklyn, NY
10/9/2011
In one word... bland. I hate to leave bad reviews, but no choice here. I am quite surprised this place is getting 4 stars average. went there last week, my first time under the new name (and new owners?). I will give them 1 star for the cozy atmosphere.
the blond waiter who served us recommended a really bad/cheap-tasting wine and got visibly annoyed when I asked to exchange it. sorry dude, I refuse to have bad wine nowadays. I did expect the food to be good, as since I lost a ton of weight, fish is my usual to go food and the menu looked interesting. the scallops we ordered were a joke. $22+ for 3 pieces (yes, 3!). and they were bland, as was the orzo side dish. garlic spinach was okay, but is there any food that doesn't taste good with a ton of garlic?
these guys lost a great chance to have a successful restaurant, as certainly the people in this neighborhood can appreciate good food - just check nearby Olea which is always packed at night.
definitely not going back. not for the wine, not for the annoying waiter and not for the bland, overpriced food. -
Review from Alex R.
Southington, CT
11/23/2011
Not sure where the great reviews are coming from here....
Went based off Yelp reviews-should have listened to the more negative ones. There is nothing "wrong" with this place-it just has mediocre food and not much else going for it. I agree with g.g. who summed it up as "bland."
We started with a seafood app special. It was mussels, shrimp and whitefish mixed in with tomato. The seafood tasted off-I think it was the strong cheese that was in it. It looked great when it was brought out but my friend and I both could not get ourselves to like it.
My friend got the swordfish. It was okay-nothing one could not whip up at home with a grill and salt and pepper. The sauteed escarole it came with was just that-but a nice touch. The meal did not do it for her.
I ordered the sea scallops. They were the smallest sea scallops I've ever eaten at a restaurant-no means bay scallops-just ubber small. They were pan seared and tasty. The best part of the meal was the celery and white bean sautee that was the base for my dish. It was very tasty and was the one thing I really enjoyed.
Service was very slow-especially given the few table in the place. Prices were fair if the food was great- but I cannot see paying the prices they charge for subpar food. -
Review from Kate D.
9/3/2011
My boyfriend and I went here a few weeks ago. We wanted to go to a place that had good seafood and outdoor seating, and Aqualis sounded like a good fit.
We ordered the eggplant spread as an appetizer. It was exceedingly bland, and the bread that came with it was very oily and buttery. My boyfriend enjoyed it, but I didn't.
I ordered the tilapia filet, with a side of steamed veggies, as my entree. First off, when the server delivered our food, he took a good three minutes rearranging our table over and over again. It wasn't so much that everything couldn't fit (all the plates and such could fit just fine), but it was like he didn't like where I had placed my water glass and wine glass and moved it away from me, for example. Very strange. It was like table tetris!
The food itself was AWFUL. Just awful. The tilapia was tasteless and very heavily fried and unpleasant - the menu, I believe, said "lightly pan-fried" or some such. But no appreciable seasoning whatsoever on any of it. The tilapia also came with beets and spinach, both of which were SOAKED in butter. I pretty much had to blot my food before I could eat it because the amount of butter used was destroying the taste of the food! Not to mention how unhealthy that amount of butter must be. I ate maybe a third of my plate, and I'm notorious for being a member of the clean plate club.
The "steamed veggies" were also soaked in a huge puddle of oil and butter. I was furious! Nowhere in the menu did it state that the steamed veggies (or sauteed spinach and roasted beets, with the tilapia) came with butter, or a butter sauce, or anything.
And when it finally came time for the check, the waiter took a good twenty minutes with it, while I watched him clear plates and deliver checks to other tables. I pointedly complained about the meal and service to him, and he comped the tilapia (hence why I didn't give this place one star), but I was entirely disappointed with my meal. The food wasn't truthful to the menu, and tasted bad, to boot. Both my boyfriend and I got sick later in the evening, thanks to the oily, buttery food.
Not pleasant, and never going back.Listed in: Once Was Enough
-
Review from Spence B.
Flushing, NY
8/19/2011
For 10 bucks, the Mussels app knocked it outta the park. The portion size and flavor were rediculous. I think we ordered like 3 rounds of the complimentary bread just to finish the SAUCE! (Epic Meal Time Voice)
For the entree I had the swordfish steak and mashed on the side, which was really good but a little pricey. I don't think this would have filled me up if I didn't have all the bread and the appitizer.
Still, I would deffinitly go back here again in the near future. -
Review from Andrew A.
8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
While on the way to BAM - my friend and I had about an hour and a half to kill and get food - we stumbled upon Aqualis Grill. The place is more upscale than the typical place i go to - and probably too swanky for my unsophisticated demeanor but we ventured in all the same. For appetizer we order the mussels which came in a spicy red sauce with tomatoes, onions and chick peas - man, the mussels were awesome but the sauce it came in was even better! i think we finished off the sauce without finishing the mussels - can you believe that?? For entree i had the sword fish steak - so good, i can't recall what i had on the side but i enjoyed it all the same.
I would definitely recommend this as a date place when you're trying to impress a chick rather than a spot to go with your buddy - but in any case definitely worth checking out. -
Review from Anna D.
Brooklyn, NY
8/22/2011
I am really surprised by all of the rave reviews. I made reservations for 5 people on a Saturday night and should have known it wasn't going to be great based on the fact that there were lots of empty tables in this small restaurant and the first glasses of wine we ordered were so atrocious. At $9-11 per glass at a 'nice' restaurant, that's not acceptable.
You know it's a bad restaurant experience when all of your guests are saying let's not order any more and just get out of here. Service was terrible - our waiter was a nice guy but it just seemed that the restaurant was poorly run and he couldn't do a good job. The food was perfectly mediocre, with super small portions, and was terribly overpriced. Case in point: $22 entree for 3 very bland sea scallops and sauteed spinach. That's it. Nothing else on the plate. We actually returned one of the dishes (fisherman's stew) because it was that disappointing and no one was eating it.
I really wouldn't go here. There are much better places for your money. I hate leaving bad reviews but when you're still thinking about the $200+ bill for a terrible night out that left some of your guests hungry, well, there you go.
Maybe they were good at some point, but not any more. They need to refocus on their food and management. -
Review from Jennifer N.
Washington, DC
9/10/2011
We were a little nervous after reading some of the recent Yelp reviews- but we ended up having a lovely evening at Aqualis. This is clearly a place that has mastered the neighborhood bistro concept - the space is charming and cozy, and on a warm evening with the doors open, the room just shimmers. Somehow, this place manages to be both incredibly relaxed and elegant.
The fairly limited menu covers all the bases (shrimp, steak, chicken, ample fish choices) though fish is definitely the strongest of the offerings - the tilapia ($19 served with delectable beets and spinach) was absolutely perfect, and the grilled shrimp with veggies and orzo ($22) was also remarkable - the shrimp were grilled to absolute perfection, and the orzo had just the right mix of in-season tomatoes to contrast with the shrimp. Our fava bean dip appetizer ($5) served with warm pita was a good start to the meal, but it wasn't exciting enough to warrant a recommendation.
The one down-side to Aqualis, though, is that the restaurant seems to run out of a lot of dishes - when we got there, we were told the sardines and branzino were both out (I wasn't that upset about the sardines, but I had actually been looking forward to branzino ) and then when we ordered dessert, we learned that they were also out of creme brulee. The baklava was a pleasant-enough dessert option, but I was surprised to learn that so much of the menu was unavailable at 7pm on a Saturday evening. The only other down-side is that the service is spotty. Our waiter was lovely and attentive, but as the evening progressed and the restaurant filled up, he seemed stretched thin. So we ended up waiting a while for our drinks, and a very long while for the check. He was apologetic and kind, so I don't hold it against him, but this wouldn't be the place to go if you're in a hurry. -
Review from Rob V.
Brooklyn, NY
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
The seafood here was really delicious but wow, the service here was one of the worst I've experienced anywhere.
We waited close to a half an hour just to get a menu. Once we ordered, you could tell the waiter was not listening...repeatedly coming back to verify our order. He then continued to bring the entire order at once (appetizers, entrees).
It was by far an awkward and irritating experience. The only saving grace was that the food was quite delicious. Even with that said, I'm not sure I would return for another meal. -
Review from Matt R.
New York, NY
6/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
I knew we should've been concerned when we were seated, and then had to wait 20 minutes before a waiter acknowledged us. After taking our order, he kept repeating it to us because he didn't have a pad and pen. He came back five minutes later and repeated it again. Guess he hadn't put the order in yet!
I order an appetizer for the table, a salad and a main course. Everything proceeded to arrive at exactly the same time. Mind you, the tables outside are quite small.
When we finished our meal, we sat and waited for the waiter to return. 20 minutes later, he arrived. Knowing how slow the service was, I immediately asked for the check. Another 20 minutes go by. Nothing. I see a different waiter and flag him down asking for the check. Another ten minutes. Nothing. I finally go inside and ask again. We get the check.
The food here is absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere is great. It's too bad the disorganized and painfully slow service is bringing this whole place down. The three stars are solely for the food. -
Review from Chaya M.
Greensboro, NC
7/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went there for a groupon deal I purchased and was pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious! The server was nice but he was overwhelmed serving to all of the tables.
I had the drink of the day which was a champagne mojito, it was my favorite drink!!
The portion sizes aren't really big so guys be aware if you're really hungry.
The bread they serve when seated is really tasty and they bring some seasoned olive oil with it. -
Review from Stephanie W.
Brooklyn, NY
1/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My new date night spot : )
Came upon it randomly last night while looking for a dinner spot. We were lucky - our first time we hit the jackpot with their Wednesday $15 lobster special. The skirt steak was great... cooked just right, great flavor. Spinach was exceptional!! Crabcakes were meaty and had great scallion flavor. The mashed potatoes were so unique... but the cheese really added a lot of flavor.
If you like prosecco, they serve one kind by the glass. I'd recommend you try it.
Bill came, with drinks, lobster, steak, app, extra side, and dessert - came to $68 bucks. It doesn't get much better than that. -
Review from Cristina B.
Brooklyn, NY
1/29/2011
I was very excited to read all the great reviews of this place on Yelp. I love this space and have patiently waited while several restaurants came and went, hoping a good one would be next. So, excited to hear the great reviews we went.
First, it is NOT kid friendly. Yes, they have high chairs, but the stares we got from patrons when we wheeled in our stroller, the fact that we had to ask for everything for her (she'd like a napkin, she'd like utensils, she'd like water, too), and that they only serve water in these very tall glass glasses were not good signs. They didn't even ask for her order!
Second, the space is lovely, but it's a bit of a struggle to enjoy when the music from the kitchen is louder than the music in the dining room. (now, the music in the kitchen was better than the music in the dining room, so let's hope the kitchen wins that struggle.)
Third, the prices on the actual menu are a full 50% higher than the ones on the online menu. (Steak not 13 but 19 bucks).
Lastly, and most importantly, is seasoning. Yes, I love salt, but the steak and potatoes were too salty even for me! The fava bean spread was lovely except for the mass quantities of raw, grated garlic which overpowered it (and again, I think most food is just a vehicle for garlic, so this is a statement for me). Parts of the meal were really tasty, other parts overdone.
Overall, still waiting for a great restaurant to fill that wonderful space. Better luck next time. -
Review from Kimberly L.
New York, NY
I love Aqualis Grill! As soon as we walked in we were immediately welcomed by one of the owners, Eddie. The restaurant was very warm and dimly lit. It had an open feeling although the kitchen was partly visible from the front of the restaurant, you could smell the delicious food from the moment you stepped inside!
We started out with the peasant salad and the calamari. Both were delicious. The calamari was really light and the dipping sauce had capers and more flavor than a plain tomato dipping sauce.
For my entree I went with the skirt steak, I also tasted some of the branzino - it was probably one of the best fishes I've ever tasted. It seems like the seafood dishes are the best but the steak was also amazing.
When the bill came, 15% off from YELP = ) = )
Awesome Awesome Awesome experience, I will be back.
I wish they delivered to where I live.... -
Review from Evmorfea M.
North Brunswick Township, NJ
4/18/2011
What a cute spot!!! We wanted Greek food ... but didn't want to pay the hefty prices in the city...
Well we were pleasantly surprised! We ordered the peasant's salad, grilled calamari, shrimp saganaki, grilled octopus and veggie chips. Everything was SUPER fresh and amazing!! I really love that they kept to their greek roots and used only fresh ingredients and only a few ingredients. I have absolutely no complaints. I look forward to coming here again, and again! -
Review from Greg A.
Brooklyn, NY
6/3/2011
Been to Aqualis a few times and it has always been a great experience. Went here again this week and they never seem to disappoint.
We got there around 4:30 beating the after work rush. It was empty and we greeted by the staff and seated.
Plain and simple the food here is AMAZING!! The bread the bring out is incredible with the herb infused olive oil they serve it with (seriously i could eat that alone and be happy)
For apps we got the grilled calamari and the vegetable chips (Both of which were excellent). Four our main course we both got the lamb chops which were cooked perfectly. Super moist and extremely flavorful.
Aqualis is one of my favorite places in Brooklyn and will definitely be coming here more again. If your in Fort Greene definitely make a trip here! -
Review from Jen M.
Brooklyn, NY
9/5/2011
The octopus salad is really quite delicious, the service is pleasant, and the bread was good too. That being sad our entrees were okay, but just that. The steamed greens were sadly overcooked. A tad over-priced but it's Fort Greene, so not unexpected.
-
Review from Kevin Q.
Brooklyn, NY
12/18/2011
Shared the trout, had the eggplant spread for an appetizer, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies for sides. Food quality would get 4 stars, but the service / atmosphere takes it down a bit.
Areas for improvement:
1) Waiter was trying hard, but his timing was really bad. Waiting forever to order, wine comes halfway through appetizer, can't get the check. There were only a couple other tables occupied.
2) The dishes are not thought out when it comes to actually eating. The plates, sides, glasses and etc. don't actually fit on the table.
3) The kitchen music was competing with dining room music.
They could fix all of this in two weeks and have a way better restaurant. But even as it is, I will probably still go back. The food was really great. -
Review from Jim P.
9/28/2010
This place was really great. Was surprisingly not crowded for a Thursday evening. Started with an average and small, crab cake appetizer.
I had the skirt steak, an it was cooked to perfection and was a good portion. Asparagus as the side, and that completed the meal. Very good service. The app took a little long, and ...whoops... no free wireless here. -
Review from Bianca B.
2/10/2011
Yum yum yum! And we only had apps and side dishes.
Lightly fried tilapia with walnut garlic spread?? Whaaaaaat. SO GOOD.
Grilled calamari in herb olive oil?? Mmmmmmmmmmm!
Mashed potatoes with some kind of delicious cheese that switches up the flavor a bit?? Oh yeeeeesssss.
My favorites.
Not sure why the menu online has cheaper prices than the menu at the restaurant, but it's easy to make a meal out of appetizers.
Lovely lighting. Relaxed waiter. Wintery Fort Greene out the window.
Will definitely be back to try more! -
Review from Bianca R.
New York, NY
2/28/2011
Arrived early at 5:45pm to dine before a play (Diary of a Madman with Geoffry Rush) at BAM and the place was unexpectedly crowded! Classy atmosphere. A large party was on their way out, but we were quickly seated. We were served warm bread with olive oil as a complimentary starter. The chenin blanc I selected by the glass was amiss and disappointing, but my friend ordered a great cote du rhone. I had the grilled Branzino with a side of golden beet salad and everything was seasoned to perfection. Very light and delicate flavors. The fish was amazing (ask for it to be de-boned). My companion had the lamb chops medium rare with fries and loved the lamb. Fries were a bit limp and soggy and not so great. Should have asked to subsitute with their mashed potatoes!
All in all, I would return here for a meal with friends or a date. Not too expensive and high quality seafood. Much better than Brooklyn Fish Camp. It is a lovely addition to the Fort Greene area and super close to BAM. -
Review from Athena C.
Wow that is all I have to say. I have always loved Mediterranean food and Aqualis really impressed me.
From their bread with olive oil and olives to the dessert, everything is just amazing. I tried the grilled octopus and it was grilled just right paired with great refreshing sauce.
For entree, I decided to go with the sea scallops and my boyfriend got their lamb chops and man was I in heaven. Scallops were seasoned perfectly and they were so fresh. The lamb chops dish is huge and the lamb was tender and juicy.
We were totally satisfied after entree and guess what? They gave us complimentary dessert! Sweet baklava with their Greek Yogurt with honey! I was shocked!
I wish I live closer to Brooklyn... -
Review from Stina I.
Brooklyn, NY
1/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I read all the reviews about this place, saying it was amazing, that they LOVED it, that it was a great addition to the neighborhood. When I got my dinner, my thoughts were "if this is a great addition to the neighborhood, what have you all been eating before this place came around?!"
It was ok, but not "all that and a bag of potato chips". I got the sauteed spinach and the half roasted chicken with mashed potatoes. Again, it was OK. The chicken was a little dry. My husband got the octopus and the lambchops.
Something was just OFF about the food. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't on. So I wasn't that impressed.
On the good side, it was not busy. There were only 6 tables (including us). -
Review from Jeb S.
Brooklyn, NY
2/18/2012
I rarely take the time to draft negative reviews. But I wish I could have given it zero stars. Absolutely bottom of the barrel experience. We went before going to a show at BAM. Arrived two hours before show and barely made the show. We waited two hours for quite subpar food. We told the staff that other ppl.were served before us despite arriving after us. They barely pretended to care. The owner has no clue how to run a restaurant. In Fort Greene's growing food scene, the market should put this place out of business quickly.
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Review from Isabella W.
Brooklyn, NY
11/25/2009
We were heading out to Olea for dinner tonight but it was too packed. M. was too hungry to wait for 20 minutes for a table. As faithful yelpers, we took out our blackberry and worked hard (mainly M. because he is the man) on finding another place around the area. Aqualis Grill came up in the search, it was packed with praised thus we marched towards our plan B.
When we arrived, there were nobody except two guests at the bar. Odd. Then I smelled fish... like I were in a seafood market. Hmmmm. I was starting to wonder about this place....
The decor is pretty. Exposed bricks walls, hanging light bulb fixtures and candle vases on the wall shelves. Nice ambiance, not too dark that you need a light to read the menu, nor too bright. The menu offers a good variety of grilled whole fish plus a dish of Lamb, Chicken, Hanger Steak for those who aren't into creatures that breath under water.
We ordered Branzino w/ side of mash potatoes (m/p $25) and one of the catch of the day fish which name starts with P but I forgot (m/p $26) w/ side of sauteed spinach. We also had the Reisling and a glass of Rose. Delicious!
Our waiter was informative and very attentive . The last adjective was earned because our visit had to be abruptly ended a little while after he served us the tasty bread (moist! not those teeth pulling hard bread!) and a plate of olives (yay!). My sudden onset of tear-jerking level of toothache robbed me of my willingness to sit properly and gave me a strong desire to bang my head on the table, continously. M. detected that I needed to go back home in order to cry on the bed so he asked for our food to be packed to go and asked our waiter for Tylenol, if they had any.
Our waiter couldn't find any so he came back to us offering to go pick some up around the corner at a bodega. We declined but we were certainly touched by his offer. When he gave us our "to go" pack, the waiter informed us that he gave us some baklava as complimentary dessert and hoped that I feel better soon. Aw, nice touch.
Back at our apt, M. eagerly started to fest on our cooled down dinner. It smelled wonderful and it was delicious. The fish were grilled to perfection. Succulent meat with hints of smoke, perfectly seasoned after you squeeze some lemon on it. Also, the portions of the side dishes were more than generous. The food was delicious as I had them cold, imagine how good they must be when they were hot!
We will definably go back there, after I pay a visit to the dentist.... *sobs* -
Review from Olivia S.
New York, NY
3/7/2011
I'm rating this 4 stars but honestly it's more like 3.5 stars. While we had a very pleasant meal there was just nothing really awesome about the place considering the price.
We walked in on a Friday night around 8pm and only 4 tables were seated so they let us take our pick. No other tables came in while we were there which I was surprised by. The service was good/attentive, but when there are legit no other people in the restaurant that should be standard. We got bread immediately that was delicious in my eyes, hot, homemade foccacia.
I ordered a glass of wine and I will say, I think it's frustrating when you hit a "neighborhood" joint and there is not a single glass of wine below $9. I get it when I'm in the Meatpacking District but I digress...The appetizer, veggie chips with a yogurt dipping sauce, were amazing. The portion was huge but I was starving and happy to eat every bite. The yogurt sauce was especially delicious.
My boyfriend had the paella special and I had the rainbow trout special. The paella was good, but considering that it was a special I thought there would be more saefood and less big chunks of chicken. The Rainbow trout was fabulous. It came out whole and cooked perfectly. There were definitely more than a few bones but all in all delicious. The side of beets that it came with was also delicious.
We passed on dessert and asked for the check. Now, if the Paella had been about $18-20 and the Rainbow trout $24 that would have seemed fair, but the Paella was $24 and the trout $28 which just seemed too expensive. Considering that we didn't LOVE the food we thought that the place was just generally overpriced.
All in all, a very "fine" experience for almost $100 for 2 people.... -
Review from Marcella G.
Brooklyn, NY
10/3/2009
I had avoided going here when they first opened because it looked like the kind of place I would drop $100 and leave hungry and feeling like a sucker, because really how good can it be?....Quite the opposite.
Their food is gloriously greek and the fish is so tender and lovely...I always get the 'catch of the day' and its always cooked perfectly, grilled until it has that beautiful charred flavor, all it need is lemon. And the chef knows it!
Their octopus appetizer is spectacular. My husband, who won't go to an italian restaurant outside of Italy and is hyper-critical about most restaurants, loves their octopus. I wish you the reader could understand the gravity of that sentence.
Their wonderful food topped off by their fantastic service, with the sweetest, youngest??, servers ever, make me happily drop $100 on dinner. And you know what? Here's another $20. Thanks. -
Review from Grace P.
Manhattan, NY
12/26/2010
I love love love Aqualis. It has never been ridiculously crowded and they don't squeeze the tables so close together you have neighbors brushing their rears against your water glass.
Their calamari and octopus apps are amazing and I always get the peasant salad and the mashed potatoes, which is served in a big bowl and are nice and lumpy!
I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Liz H.
7/10/2009 1 photo
The salmon carpaccio was PERFECTION. The grilled swordfish kebab was equally amazing. My friend and I also ordered the feta and roasted pepper spread, which was served with freshly baked pita bread.
The ambiance is wonderful, the music is great, and the waiters are hot. Without a doubt best Mediterranean fare this side of Athens. -
Review from emily h.
Brooklyn, NY
10/12/2009
Um, delicious. Absolutely so. I got scallops with bean salad and it was so yummy. The scallops could have used a bit more color, but the ragout of beans was divine. Nicely cooked (not at all mushy) beans, still firm but cooked zucchini and carrots, a nice, light 'sauce'. Bro got lamb chops and fries - definitely simple and nice, great house cut fries. Starters - Deeeelicious tzatziki - nice chunky cucumber, thick yogurt, fluffy pita. The grilled octopus was a nice, tangy (vinegary) appetizer and the fritto misto was a giant pile of fried clams and a few shrimp with a yummy fresh tomato sauce.
Also, at the end, the absolutely perfect touch? FREE dessert! Housemade yogurt, housemade fig preserves and a nice drizzle of honey. The yogurt was thick and tart, the preserves fresh, sweet, but not cloying, the honey added a nice touch. The staff was very friendly without being overbearing. I highly, highly recommend this new joint on Fulton. -
Review from Tiffanie W.
Brooklyn, NY
3/23/2011
Nice atmosphere, good food. Before yesterday I would have raved about this place until I saw the waiter chasing a water bug alongside the shelves...Disgusting.
I know NY has them but I don't want water bugs joining me for dinner. -
Review from Richard B.
Brooklyn, NY
11/15/2009
A bit on the pricey side, but worth it for the service, ambiance, and free olives and olive bread!
Our meals were delicious, my gf had salmon with spinach, which I tried and loved more than my grilled seabass. My grilled sea bass looked like a little baby fish, not a nice chunk of white fillet i was expecting. I knew it would be a whole grilled fish, but I guess I was expected a striped bass size fish to appear before me. It was a little tough to watch out for bones and whatnot, but I still devoured it and haven't had a nice whole grilled fish like that in a while. It was slightly burned/blackened on the skin, which I love. I want to give this place 4 and 2/3 stars.Listed in: Seafood Selections
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Review from Rachel P.
Brooklyn, NY
9/26/2011 Seated via OpenTable
After moving and work travel, we were up for a nice, take care of ourselves date night. Beautiful place, great ambiance, and beautifully plated food - 4 or 5 star worthy. The veggie, lentils & greens "bed" for the fish was surprisingly yummy! That said, I think it was a bit pricey for what we got, and not as flavorful as I expected, hence the downgrade. Maybe I'll/we'll go back and try other dishes.
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Review from Daisy O.
Brooklyn, NY
3/13/2010
After my third and consistently fabulous experience here last night, I was motivated to give them some well-deserved props but given the nearly 5 star rating they have, looks like plenty has already been said so I'll make it short: this place is a gem. Great service, relaxing atmosphere and food worth raving about. The price is reasonable for the quality and, did I mention, REALLY GOOD FOOD?
Great for vegetarians: us gals had the fava bean puree, zucchini chips and a very simple spinach salad (which was basically just spinach and mushrooms so how good could it be? Well the shallot dressing made it scrumptious as a piece of cheesecake, and I'm afraid to know what fattening ingredients did this trick). The boys had meat dishes which they raved over. And don't forget the baklava. Something for everyone. Get up and go! -
Review from Bret H.
11/28/2009
A nearly perfect experience. Loved the gently nautical/Mediterranean decor, service was great. Food was almost uniformly fantastic. Grilled calamari stood out, the char blending wonderfully with a light lemon dressing. Sides the cod came with were also fantastic. The cod itself however was a total disaster, probably the toughest, most rubbery piece of fish I've ever had. I went with it though. Afterwards, companion said to me, "You know, this is probably the kind of place where if you sent it back, they'd be completely happy to fix the problem," but I'm just not the type.
Free dessert was a little odd, though very gracious... I don't really like baklava, but there I was eating one. Can't really complain I guess!
Bottom line, this is an excellent restaurant. I'm sure the cod was a one-time mistake. I'm sure I'll be back.
