Aquagrill
(212) 274-0505
210 Spring St
New York,
NY
10012
40.7253
-74.0038
Neighborhoods: Downtown, SoHo
What People Are Saying About Aquagrill
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
Since it flung open its floor-to-ceiling windows in 1996, this sophisticated corner seafood spot has been one of Soho's quintessential neighborhood restaurants. Its pillow-strewn lounge is perpetually packed with unwinding professionals; the long bar manned by oyster shuckers and friendly bartenders; and the elegant (though clamorous) dining room, managed by a smart set of attentive servers.
The Food
When it comes to inventive seafood and stellar oysters, this international and surprisingly affordable menu is one of the city's most popular. Signatures like falafel-crusted salmon and sweet stone crab claws with jicama-jalapeno slaw are buoyed by seasonally changing dishes. Start with meaty, flash-fried soft-shell crab simply paired with citrus vinaigrette, or super-fresh raw sea bass wrapped around wasabi-slathered avocado. For entree fish, pick your own roasted or grilled, or rest assured in creative compositions, like rich John Dory offset with sweet-corn risotto. The house-made chocolate truffles are an ideal denouement.
User Reviews
aldo2002
May 29, 2009
The ambiance and decor inside is very appealing. Slightly congested dining area but comfy NY elbow dunting norm. Strong and tasty G and T opener followed by very delish Oysters (they have various types from all over, while they tasted rather similar, gooey seawater with nice little perky sauce, washed down with a cheeky sauvingnon blanc, everyone's happy). Crab cake app was a bit of a fishy fried doughball, over cooked. The other chaps seemed happy with their apps. The three of us had the salmon, scallops and the halibut special, the two fish dishes were great but muggins here had the scallops, not the freshest and the sauce was really bad - not sure if the cook dropped the salt shaker or some of the capers fell in there but i was struggling to force it down - eventually sharing with my buddies that it was pretty damn poor. They had a bite and concurred. When we mentioned it the lady was great, got rid, took it off the check and brought out another salmon - which was sublime. Brought two platters of shared deserts - little stuff but very kind. My friend is a regular which would explain the great service and make up calls. Not complaining (sorta). I'll be back - HAVE THE SALMON - its crazy! Halibut Special my other pal order was also first class. Overall, well done.
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justaddwater
November 12, 2008
If you like oysters, this is the place. They carried something crazy like 30 varieties the night we went - some were local, some flown in from overseas. We tried 8 or 9 kinds. All were very fresh and tasty. Everything else we ordered was also expertly prepared (although less memorable than the oysters). I really liked the unpretentious but professional atmosphere of the restaurant.
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yizyaz
October 23, 2008
I went with my sister tonight to aquagrill (a thursday night). Initially, the maitre'd was very odd and talked to us about Johnny depp sitting with us, as a joke we presume, but we really have no idea what he was talking about. He continued this "joke" throughout the course of our dinner. Upon sitting, we had great service and enjoyed the oysters and florida stone crab legs immensely. However, our bouillabaisse was sub par and lacked the saffron described in the menu. Moreover, we ordered the red drum fish, and they assured us that although there was only one left they would give it to us; after ordering, they said they had made a mistake but could put the similar barramundi in the same sauce; we agreed. When they served the fish, we realized they served the barramundi in the turbot sauce, not the red drum fish sauce, and the waiter realized and quickly apologized. He offered to change it, but we decided to forgive because it was already so late in the evening. After declining the dessert menu, we assumed that the restaurant would at least take off our champagne apertif as redemption for their mistake as well as for our forgiveness. However, they offered us a pumpkin dessert (clearly a leftover at 11:30 in the evening) and particularly unwanting as one of us is allergic to pumpkin. We politely declined the dessert but thanked them for their generosity and beautiful presentation (stretching the truth a little). after that display, we expected a little compensation for our efforts as well as their failing lack of effort, and yet, nothing was removed from the bill. We left a 20% tip and our comments about the evening. overall, despite our experience, the food was not as good as we expected, and in these economic times, not worth your dime. good luck if you try it, but your best bet is getting some drinks and oysters at the bar. At least, that's all we'll ever do in the future.
read full reviewThe Details on Aquagrill
The Extras:
On any given day, the oyster list features dozens of international offerings, from New Zealand Coromandels to British Columbia Malaspinas.
What to Drink:
The wine list has plenty of bargains, indicated as "specials." Pinot blancs and reislings pair beautifully with the food.
Where to Sit:
The outdoor terrazzo tables are preferred during warm weather, especially at brunch, and smoking is permitted.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Brunch, Outdoor Dining, People Watching, Lunch Spot, Business Dining
