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Aqua
3.7200/5 (48 reviews)

252 California St.
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 956-9662

Category: Seafood

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48 Reviews
REVIEW #1 mike S.
Rating: 		July 8, 2009
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
The tuna tartare is the initial and featured dish. It was wonderful. I didn't care for the fatty foie gras, but that's just personal taste. The scottish salmon was very good. The scallop and short rib was not only excellent, but showed a creativity in the coupling. The star of lunch was the citrus torte with a presentation fit for a king. All in all, a superb lunch.

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REVIEW #2 j T.
Avg. Entree: $10-15
Rating: 		November 18, 2008
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Awesome seafood here. The shrimp and lobster are always my personal favorites, and it was excellnt with butter sauce at this place. Nice atmosphere and excellent service

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REVIEW #3 D R.
Rating: 		March 26, 2008
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is the place for the fish lover! Great food, great service...head on over and enjoy!

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REVIEW #4 bill Y.
Rating: 		April 3, 2007
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is a wonderful place for dinner..don't miss the tuna tartar...I had a great stipped bass cooked with skin on (grilled lightly)...served with a nice white Burgundy (a Montrachet from 1989)./..desert was a small port with cookies

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REVIEW #5 Haute C.
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		May 12, 2006
0 of 3 people found this review helpful
We had lunch at Aqua and ordered the tasting menu comprising five dishes. The tuna tartare is the initial and featured dish. It was wonderful. I didn't care for the fatty foie gras, but that's just personal taste. The scottish salmon was very good. The scallop and short rib was not only excellent, but showed a creativity in the coupling. The star of lunch was the citrus torte with a presentation fit for a king. All in all, a superb lunch.

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REVIEW #6 John B.
Avg. Entree: $5-10
Rating: 		April 25, 2006
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
Aces A++ great I loved the service! It was friendly and clean, all went well, next time i fly I will definatley stop by!

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REVIEW #7 mike S.
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		November 11, 2005
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
Best seafood in the Bay Area. Excellent combinations, chef Michael Mina has really done it this time. Haven't been to the one in Las Vegas but i'm sure its just as good as the one in the financial district. Go for the sampler with the wine sampler as well...save some money, but it will be well worth it.

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REVIEW #8 CD P.
Avg. Entree: $20-30
Rating: 		September 26, 2005
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Busy, and in fact, too busy most of the time. Bar is a bit narrow, and gets crowded fast. Neat atmosphere, however, and concerned wait staff. Also knowledgeable about the menu and the wines. We had a wonderful dinner, great wines, and fun with the waiter. Desserts were spectacular. Nothing failed, and we will go back.

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REVIEW #9 Robert C.
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		January 15, 2005
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
Good service but food was not so great. If you ask me, I prefer better food for the price.

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REVIEW #10 Matthew D.
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		October 27, 2004
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
The seafood is great, the prices were high, but comparable to other places with less than better food. Waitstaff was good, as expected in such a place. Overall, eat here only on special occasion, otherwise you won't feel like you spent your money well.

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REVIEW #11 gianni F.
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		August 30, 2004
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The soup was something like apple curry...we liked it, but it also had something else in it that made it special. It was served in these small metal cups. Next we had the black mussel souflee (how do you spell this again?). Cafe Jacqueline was fun, but this dish will make you squirm in your seat from how good it tasted...the texture was so soft but still had enough body--hard to describe. Then the foie gras...WOW!!! She's never had this before and I'm not too keen on this---we both loved it!! BUTTERY SMOOTH and oh-so-good! The reduction sauce was also brilliant. I think the mains were ahi tuna and scallops. I'm trying to remember exactly what each dish had, but we were all smiles for a good hour and a half. The food kept coming and the people sitting on either sides commented that we had not stopped eating for what seemed like an eternity. What sumptuous fun!!! Seafood has absolutely no idea what is supposed to be unless it's served here! We also had the dessert sampler...somewhat different in choices from what others had, but definitely included the root beer float. I can honestly say that this platter should be mounted on my wall as a fine piece of art--simply beautiful. The sorbets were delicious and everything else was gobbled up quickly.

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REVIEW #12 Johnathan W.
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		December 28, 2003
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Can you say "expensive"? Everything was really good but what a big check! The service was what I would expect from a place like this and so was the food. Because of the high prices, I would suggest it but only for really special events.

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REVIEW #13 russell B.
Rating: Unknown 		September 14, 2003
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I say, kick them out of there and LET ME LIVE THERE, great ceilings!! I love seafood, I worked for 5 years in Alaska on A Crab boat and also on a Salomn boat which gives me the unique opportunity of being an out and out FISH SNOB!! (that's right, I make the best Salmon in the Bay Area, don't believe me??Write me!!) Here's the bottom line on Aqua, pretty decent prep and actually above average catch but for the price they charge I would not recommend it unless you happen to be in a situation where you NEED TO BE SEEN spending money, I've been in this situation for work, if this is the case and your guests like seafood then take them here. The staff is appropriately standoffish (gave me that "Remainds of the day" buttle type feeling, which I actually like when I'm spending oodles of money. I live in Central Europe 6 months ou of the years and I HAVE A BETTER Wine sellection than they do and I'll only charge you a quarter of the price to come try it out with me, HA!

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REVIEW #14
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		August 11, 2001
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
Best seafood in the Bay Area. Excellent combinations, chef Michael Mina has really done it this time. Haven't been to the one in Las Vegas but i'm sure its just as good as the one in the financial district. Go for the sampler with the wine sampler as well...save some money, but it will be well worth it.

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REVIEW #15
Avg. Entree: $20-30
Rating: 		August 5, 2001
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Definitely overrated. Pretentious atmosphere and pushy, obtrusive service. My entree (the striped bass) was a disappointment.



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REVIEW #16 Bart B.
Avg. Entree: $20-30
Rating: 		March 10, 2001
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Ok. So first we waited in the bar for 90 mintues to get a table. We didn't have a reservation and the hostess indicated that it woudl be 30 minutes when we arrived and then kept extending things... So, when we were seated, we were tired and famished. Not the best way to start a meal. This being said, the food was excellent and Aqua provided us with soup and a couple of appetizers on the house. I can be easily plied with world class food! By the end of the meal all was well again. The bean and lobster bisque was excellent. I had the "surf and turf" which was less so. I wasn't such a big fan of the lobster polenta with a bacon wrapper and the rabbit was a bit odd. On the whole, the food was excellent (especially the crab cakes). I was here for a business meal. I'm not sure that I would recommend this restaurant for someone not on an expense account. $60 per person is the starting point with a glass of wine.



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REVIEW #17
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		July 10, 2000
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
My friend and I ordered a vegetarian prix fixe tasting menu, and the regular prix fixe tasting menu. The waitress continually got the plates mixed up, and actually grabbed an oyster out of my hand. Our reservations were for 8:30 p.m. on Friday, and although we were seated without a wait, we were hurried through the courses as if they were going to use the table again that night. The restaurant was very loud, and our table was only six inches from either of our neighbors, so much so that we ended up talking for several courses with our neighbors who could well have been sitting at our table. At the end of the meal, I still had wine and requested some break time in between the entree and dessert and was told no. The dessert taster was all cold food, and there was no reason, there couldn't have been time granted. The food was excellent, however the service and atmosphere was so bad, that I could never recommend the restaurant to anyone. For the price there are numerous great restaurants in SF. The corking fee was outrageous, and we were charged for both bottles of wine. My experience is that when good wine is brought to the restaurant, the fee for the second bottle is generally waived. My overall feeling about this restaurant was horrible and my friend agreed with me.

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REVIEW #18 Richard L.
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		June 17, 2000
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
This may not be a fair review since we haven't eaten here but my brother who is a chief in New Orleans did. In fact he couldn't wait to eat here because of it's reputation. To say he was disappointed is an under statement. "Salty Boring Food" was the best thing he had to say. Thank goodness for French Laundry the next evening. If you are up for a $100. bucks a person go there and be thrilled.



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REVIEW #19 Robyn G.
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		June 14, 2000
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
I have been to Aqua a couple of times for lunch. I thought it was really good. I do agree that they have crammed in to many tables in such a small place, so getting around is a pain - a little tacky for such a pretensous place. The food is great but the cost is a bit high for the portions. I had the tuna, I thought it was excellent. I liked the atmosphere overall and would return for a special occasion. I think this restaurant is totally representative of the San Francisco Gourmet food and think that everyone should experience it. Thanks, Robyn

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REVIEW #20 Josh R.
Avg. Entree: $30-40
Rating: 		June 13, 2000
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
Aqua is a wonderful upscale restaurant that had excellent fish dishes as well as an amazing wine list.

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