Aquagrill Review: For Seafood Lovers Only

Note: Sadly, Aquagrill closed permanently in 2020, but I’ve decided to leave this blog post up as a dedication to a truly great restaurant that I truly miss.

Aquagrill is a seafood restaurant located in SoHo, right on the corner of Spring St. and 6th Ave (across the street from the Spring St. C & E subway station). The menu highlights include their amazing raw bar, an extensive wine list, and a selection of both curated entrees and a la carte offerings that you can pair with your choice of side dishes. While the food is consistently delicious, it's the entire experience of dining at Aquagrill that makes it worth the visit. Here’s what makes Aquagrill stand out among all the other great restaurants in New York City.

Great Service

While good service isn’t too hard to find, exceptional service can be difficult to come by, especially in a city like New York, where the restaurants are often crowded and the customers are not always easy to please. That’s not the case at Aquagrill. From the moment I walk in, I feel like a VIP guest. The host/hostess is always pleasant, and as long as I make a reservation in advance, my table is always ready when I get there. On one occasion, the hostess overheard that it was my birthday and discreetly let our waiter know, who then surprised me with a delicious mango tart for dessert. The staff is not only courteous, but they also know the menu very, very well. Just tell your waiter what you like, and he'll be able to recommend a dish. If you need a wine pairing recommendation, the staff can help you with that too: and they don’t just try to upsell you by recommending the most expensive bottles on the menu, which I appreciate.

Oysters!

I always start every meal at Aquagrill with oysters; it would be a sin not to because their oysters are amazing. The oyster menu changes daily, but there is always a nice selection of both East and West coast oysters, and the waiters are familiar with them all. Do you prefer oysters with more of a creamy texture? Sweet? Briny? Your waiter will be able to point you in the right direction. My personal favorites are the Kumamoto oysters: they’re the perfect way to start (and end) a meal. In fact, I get so excited about the oysters that I forget to take photos of them every time I'm there! But I promise I'll get a few shots during my next visit to Aquagrill.

Starters

It’s hard not to order everything on the menu whenever I dine at Aquagrill, so I usually try to pace myself by splitting a dozen or so oysters with my dining partner, then ordering one or two appetizers to share. During my last visit, for my partner Reggie’s birthday, we ordered the crispy octopus salad which was unbelievably crisp on the outside and tender and meaty on the inside, and the scallop ceviche (pictured at the very top) which was hands down the most unique ceviche we’ve ever had. I don’t know how they do it, but the scallops were perfectly tender and flavorful.

Entrees

Seared Scallops With Dungeness Crab Meat Risotto

It’s always difficult to decide on an entree, because they all have something a little different to offer: it really depends on what you’re in the mood for. There are steak and chicken options on the menu, and I’m sure they’re tasty, but with all the fresh, delicious seafood options, I can’t imagine ever ordering either one. Reggie almost always ends up ordering the yellowfin tuna, and it always tastes amazing. But the seared sea scallops with Dungeness crab meat risotto is possibly my favorite entree to date. The scallops are perfectly seared on the outside and tender on the inside. The crab meat risotto is the perfect accompaniment: so savory and so creamy, it practically melts in your mouth. Ordering scallops or shrimp at any seafood restaurant is always a gamble because they tend to be less filling than say a fish fillet. However, that’s not the case with this dish.

I’m usually too stuffed for dessert, but if that mango tart is any indication, Aquagrill knocks it out of the park in that arena too. So the next time you’re in the mood for good seafood, head over to Aquagrill. If you happen to see me there, stuffing my face with oysters, don’t be afraid to say hi.

Aquagrill is located at 210 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012