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Joinus on the waterfront

Delight in our seasonal creations, exquisite wines, specialty cocktails & scenic views year-round

Now in our 10th season, we applaud our outstanding team of chefs and service staff for their commitment to provide an exceptional culinary experience in our casual setting you’re sure to be comfortable relaxing in. Gorgeous sunsets, live music, and good times with friends and family make AQUA the place to be; the place where delicious food and beautiful memories happen.

What'sHappening

Italian Wine Dinner on Saturday, January 12th: Celebrating the Flavors and Wines of Italy. Chase away those post-holiday blues and join us for an evening of great food prepared by AQUA’s culinary team and fine wines selected by Mims Distributing. Call to reserve your seat today! See the menu here…

Mondays, lunch & dinner: Steak Out benefits Outer Banks Relief – 8 oz Flat Iron Steak, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Ice Tea or Soda, $14 View menu & add-ons here…
Wednesdays, lunch & dinner: Wine Down – 1/2 price on all bottles $100 or less, dine in only
Thursdays, dinner: Oyster Night – 1 doz Fried Oysters, Coleslaw, Hand cut Fries for $18
Fridays, live music: Monte; high energy rock 6pm in the bar
Saturdays, live music: BC; reggae style rock 6pm in the bar
Sundays, dinner: Surf & Turf – Meyer Farm Ribeye Dinner $34 add your surf at no charge, crab cake, lump crab meat, shrimp, or fried oysters
Daily at the bar: Happy hour appetizers from 3 to 6 pm and all day drink specials

FreshRegional Cuisine

Our mission is to create delicious regionally inspired culinary masterpieces using locally caught fish and seafood, locally farmed ingredients, and all natural meats

For lunch, our menu has something for everyone including soups, salads, sandwiches, seafood and more. At dinner, our Chef creates exquisite specialty dishes using fresh local seasonal ingredients to complement our local seafood and natural meat selections. Both menus always offer both vegan and gluten free options.

Carefully chosen innovative wine, craft beer and cocktail lists perfectly complement Chef’s savory creations. All of our tasty desserts are hand made in house with every sweet tooth in mind, the ultimate ending to every meal!

Roasted Natural Chicken Breast Fall 2018 AQUA Restaurant Duck NC

FeaturedSelections

Turkey Panini & Mixed Green Salad

Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast

Shrimp & Grits

Wild Mushroom Quinoa Bowl

Fruits de Mer Pappardelle Pasta

Beet Salad

Mussels

Meyer Farm Angus Ribeye

Crab Cakes

Spinach & Artichoke Spread

Grilled Steak Frites

Braised Meyer Farm Short Ribs

see more featured selections

click for our menus

Reserve Your Table

252.261.9700
online reservations powered by OpenTable

A+ service, food and atmosphere. Off season able to seat us right away without a reservation. Our server was fantastic- suggested wine pairings, guided entree selections, even offered to move us to a quieter table when a large party came in. Shrimp and grits, mussels, and pork belly special all excellent, but you MUST save room the decadent flourless chocolate cake. Will absolutely come back on our next trip!
PPS, out of town visitor
What an awesome experience! The food was OUTSTANDING. I started with a roasted beet salad with toasted pecans. That alone could have been my dinner and I wound up sharing with my husband. My husband ordered a dozen oysters and devoured them quickly. I had the black bean quinoa cakes. Everything was fresh and the flavors meshed beautifully. My husband had the fruit de mer pasta. My husband ate everything and kept raving about how good it was. We finished our meal with sorbet (homemade) and he had a fancy cheesecake. Our server was wonderful--bringing out olive oil instead of butter for the homemade bread. I didn't ask--she was attentive and thoughtful.
TJ, Cape May, NJ
Perfect lunch spot. We were delightfully surprised when we had lunch here. Lovely location with great views of the Currituck Sound. We started with the pimento cheese appetizer which was excellent and gluten free. Our main course was mahi mahi that was very good. The restaurant is a quiet and lovely place with great food and excellent service.
CL, Mundelein, Illinois
Wow o Wow! We went here upon a local person's recommendation. It was absolutely wonderful. The four of us had different items from the menu. One of our favorite items was a Smoked Tomato Bisque with dill. It was so good. Our table had coconut curry shrimp, fish tacos and the special of the day. This would be a good place to celebrate a special occasion.
SN, Columbia, MS
A Very Pleasant Dining Experience. There were very few restaurants open in January in Duck/Corolla; therefore, we were so glad we were able to find the Aqua Restaurant open. The service was friendly, attentive and prompt. The view from our dining table of the swan in the sound was lovely. The hand-cut fries were the best we have eaten! The oysters on the half shell were plump, succulent and tasty. The NC shrimp on the salad were fresh and delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience at the Aqua Restaurant and will definitely return.
LY, Virginia Beach, VA
We had not been here in a while, and decided it was such a pretty day, we would enjoy the sound front view and have lunch. wonderful. We sat inside, upper deck, window view, and watched the Ducks and Geese flying south, over Mahi tacos, done traditional and asian. Super. Then we had the flour less chocolate torte with Pistachio ice cream. I really like their menu, the service is on point and friendly. You need to check them out, it's off season, so no crowds, Always lively at night, great bar.
JB, Southern Shores, NC
Exemplary! No warning except GO! Delicious food plus the staff was friendly, engaging and attentive to our every whim. Can't wait to return!
PC, Gloucester, VA
Great food, great views! First, the restaurant was very accommodating to my wife and I as we did not have reservations upon arrival. They sat us quickly outside on the waterfront. We started off with the bangin shrimp appetizer, which was delicious with the Asian slaw! We went with steak for our entrees, which was also a great choice. The service was superb as we were checked on frequently by our server. Finally, the sunset view from the waterfront was beautiful while we finished off our food and drinks.
WG, Greenville, NC
Beautiful sunset on the deck. We enjoyed a delicious meal on the deck, with the added benefit of a gorgeous sunset. The food was great, the service was excellent, and the sunset view was fantastic.
WH, Buffalo, NY
This restaurant is very good! We were all happy with our meals. Our waiter was excellent. The service was fantastic all around. The food came out in a timely fashion and was prepared as described in the menu. Good job Aqua from some avid foodies!!!
MM, Jamesport, NY
Great service, perfect setting and well prepared and presented food that tastes delicious. Bonus is gorgeous sunsets over Currituck Sound. Filet Mignon was as tender as butter and so tasty. Duck was also delicious. Go here.
DP, Lancaster, PA
Absolutely outstanding. Had lunch with family at this wonderful place, the special for lunch was pan fried flounder with grilled vegetables, peppers, mushrooms, etc, with the most wonderful sauces , the flounder was pan seared to perfection, the flavours outstanding, the soup to die for, crab and fresh corn, broth amazing, and the finish of a touch of white truffle oil. a gourmet journey, Thank you Aqua.
AE, Kincardine, Canada

RecentPosts

Last Oyster Night

January 10, 2019 In Dinner Read More

This Thursday will be our last oyster night of January. We have really enjoyed having our friends and neighbors...

Last chance for half-off wine

January 9, 2019 In Events Read More

Every Wednesday we have offer half-off bottles of wine. But this Wednesday is the last chance to take advantage...

January Wine Dinner

January 8, 2019 In Events Read More

We are pleased to invite our friends and neighbors to our January wine dinner. Of course, we will still offer...

The last Steak out for Charity in January

January 7, 2019 In Dinner Read More

Tonight is your chance to do something kind while enjoying a great meal. For the price of $14 we offer a tasty...

Surf ‘n Turf Sunday

January 6, 2019 In Dinner Read More

Every Sunday we have our awesome Surf 'n Turf deal. With any ribeye we will include your choice of seafood...

Open all weekend

January 5, 2019 In Live Music Read More

AQUA is the place to be this weekend. We will be here for lunch, dinner and happy hour. Saturday night we have...

OurTeam

Brandon Clark

Executive Chef

"I've spent my entire life near the ocean with a passion for food sparked as a young boy helping my parents cater events. My zeal for culinary arts grew cooking at a popular Wilmington local seafood restaurant. I sharpened my skills attending Cape Fear Culinary school and gained vast experience as the Wilmington Sharks baseball team Concession's Manager, the Sous Chef for Porter’s Neck Plantation and as Executive Chef for the Green Onion in Norfolk. My flair for fusion cuisine was awarded in competitions including the 2008, 2009, and 2010 local Chef’s Challenge and as a five-time winner of the NC Potato Festival "anything but fries" event. My culinary passion thrives at AQUA where fresh local cuisine inspires my creations that are perfectly complemented with good friends and beautiful sunsets over the water."

Judy Fisher

General Manager

"I began managing at AQUA in 2008 and truly love the Town of Duck and the community of people who make it so special. I first worked in restaurants while attending VCU where I received a Bachelors Degree in Business. Loving restaurants' fast paced and fun atmosphere, I moved to Washington, DC in 1990 to become Cafe Heartland's general manager. My fondness for the Outer Banks from vacationing here year after year quickly had me craving beach life, so I moved here to wait tables and manage at Goombays. I then partnered with two friends to open Quagmires in 1996. After a successful 10 years, we each wanted to experience something new, mine to have a child of my own to enjoy the Outer Banks with. I took some time off to just be a mom and when ready to work again found AQUA, the perfect career fit for me."

Shelly Rowles

Restaurant Manager

"I joined AQUA in 2009, bringing a dedicated passion of enjoying wine with food and valuable experience in how they complement one another. Being the daughter of a Graduated Chef of the Culinary Institute of America, I developed an early desire to become specialized in hospitality while working in his restaurant Finely Ron's, an Outer Banks favorite for many years. While attending UNC Chapel Hill and living in Raleigh, I worked at Angus Barn where I gained management experience prior to returning home to work at the Left Bank. Now at AQUA, I join my wine complements food passion to Chef's passion of creating delicious locally inspired cuisine, and with a sincere commitment to a memorable culinary experience for everyone who visits our gorgeous restaurant in this beautiful waterfront location."

Lucy LaFountaine

Bar Manager

"My philosophy is the bar is an extension of my own living room, with good food, wine, drinks, and conversation. It's been wonderful making that happen at the AQUA bar, such a fun place to be while visiting Duck. After bartending for the first time at the age of 18 in a family owned pub in New Jersey, I relocated to the Outer Banks where I became known as an “old school” bartender at Sound Side in Kitty Hawk before liquor was available by the drink. I bartended at Sam & Omie’s, opened J. Fleming Munde’s and then RV’s on the Causeway. I became a local’s favorite bartender at the Whaling Station and then for 13 years at Black Pelican before joining the AQUA team in 2008."

CJ Powell

Restaurant Supervisor

"I've been with AQUA since 2011 working as a waiter, bartender and manager on duty. Growing up in the restaurant industry and spending summers working at my family's Outer Banks restaurant sparked an interest that I continue to foster through the advancement of my food, wine and spirits knowledge. While attending Old Dominion University, I learned from some of downtown Norfolk's best Chefs and Sommeliers, gaining experience in wine and cuisine at fine dining steak houses, bistros, and tapas bars. Working at the Gastro Pub is where I learned to appreciate craft beers and spirits. I bring a genuine appreciation of the culinary arts and fine dining to the AQUA team."