Third time's the charm! After a year, we decided to give Aqua another try. We figured that they must have changed something to still be open. I'm glad we went back, because everything is much improved.
The beer selection is excellent and reasonably priced, which was a surprise. For an appetizer we had the wings. They were good but not as described. Instead of being tossed in buffalo sauce, the sauce was served on the side, which I thought was a bit weird. The wings were big and crispy, but I like them a bit messier. I had the Cajun catfish sandwich. It had a nice zing to it and was big enough to eat the leftovers the next day (bonus!). My husband had the jambalaya and it was tasty, but inexplicably served over pasta instead of rice. If they just offered the option to serve it with rice I think it would be perfect.
The service was much improved, and so was the food. The chef even came out and talked to us, and seems excited about the changes they've made. If you were disappointed in Aqua as it used to be, I suggest giving it another try. I look forward to the continued improvements.
Right next door and I'd never been there. Bought a groupon and there you go. What a great find! The food was Wonderful! I had the Tilapia with sauteed vegetables and roasted potatoes. It was Grand! My girlfriend had the shrimp and pasta which was also wonderful. It takes a while, as everything is cooked fresh, but it is so worth it. Plus they have a great offerering of craft beers so idling a while is very enjoyable. Service was attentive but not overdone and as a nice touch the Chef came out at the end to see if evreything had been to our liking and to wish us a nice evening. So happy we found this place hidden off Sheridan. Â We wii return!
Review Source:i wanted to update that I received a phone call from the Chef soon after my posting. Â he apologized and invited me to dine there with a guest. while i did not proceed with the invitation - i definitely appreciated the effort. Â I'm not in a place where i would go back (yet), but its not on my banned list. I do really appreciate the call. Mistakes are mistakes and owning up to them as a service provider makes a big difference.
Review Source:My boyfriend and I dined here last night. Â It's very close to our new home and we were in the mood for seafood. Â The reviews were mixed, but we are self-proclaimed foodies and supporters of local businesses so wanted to give Aqua Bar & Grill a try.
We entered Aqua on a Saturday night about 9pm it wasnt very busy and we were greeted by a very friendly bartender. Â Who would also be our server.
The special was $4 glasses of house wines, so I started with a Cab Sauv, my boyfriend ordered and Island Beach Rum we looked over the menu and couldnt decide. Â
The prices were a little high for the neighborhood bar feel of the place, but the seafood and chef said the fish was fresh.
We ordered our meals and my boyfriend walked past the bar area he saw an order of chicken wings that looked really good. Â They were on special .50 and even though the special had ended at 8pm. Â The server extended the special to us. Â They were very good wings, sauce on the side.
My boyfriend ordered the jumbalya and I had the Cuban Roll at the servers recommendation. Â
The jumbalaya was good, spicy and had nice big pieces of shrimp and chicken and italian sausage.
My pork wrap was good, served with a cilantro lime pesto. Â The sandwich was cold, which I wish I would have known first. Â By the description I pictured a warm sandwich.
Overall, the meal was really good, the service was great. Â The chef came to our table which was very nice.
We will definitely go back.
I went here about a month ago on a Groupon and was quite impressed. The atmosphere is great, it is really a beautiful space. Service was very good as well (it was not at all crowded so I should hope it would be), the server was super-friendly in almost a suburban chain restaurant sort of way that actually was a little refreshing compared to what i am used to in Chicago.
We started with the jerk flatbread which was literally one of the most amazing things i have ever eaten. I got the coconut shrimp appetizer for my entree and it turned out i wasn't really in the mood for something fried so my fault, not theirs, but they were still very good. Only negative thing was that when my girlfriend attempted to order the butternut squash ravioli, it turned out they were out of it and when she attempted to order the other vegetarian entree it turned out they were out of that too. They totally made up for it though because the chef came out to our table and discussed with her the other entrees he could make vegetarian and she ended up getting the macaroni and cheese which was excellent. I don't even usually like macaroni and cheese but i kept stealing bites since it turned out i wasn't in the mood for shrimp.
I really was impressed with this place and i hope it survives despite all of these bad reviews. Someone on here said they got a new chef a few months ago so I really hope some of the people who have had bad experiences try it again. I really get the feeling that this place is making an effort to correct the problems they have had. I bought another Groupon so definitely will be back soon though the food was good enough i will for sure be back without a Groupon as well.
I really wanted to like this place because this is my hood but my dinner here was so awkward. The manager/owner/server was so uptight  and run around the restaurant,  yet was forgetting the simplest things such as napkins and forks. I just could not relax. On the other hand, the real waitress picked up my plates without ever speaking to me. Very strange.
The wine list is pretty horrific, did not taste good and gave me a horrible headache the next day.
One nice thing is that the chef came and introduced himself. That was really nice and the food he prepared was good but the staff just sucked taking away from the whole experience.
Not for me.
I went in with my boyfriend on a Tuesday night and we were the ONLY table. Kinda weird, but we ordered a bottle of wine and the seafood trio which was crab legs, salmon ( the glaze was delicious) and coconut shrimp with seasonal veggies ( also delicious) and an order of crab cakes. We were shocked at how good everything was. Not that we expected it to be bad but given some previous reviews and lack of customers I was a little nervous... But everything was absolutely devine! The chef came out and asked us how everything was ( honestly I would have preferred the chef wait on us, our server was not the best) and we could not rave enough. If the food was not so great and the chef so charming I probably would have given them less stars for our service. But if you're in the neighborhood I definitely recommend stopping by. This place is for sure going to be a new spot for us.
Review Source:Just got back from the 24.95 All You Can Eat crab dinner and it was great. Â You get salad and potatoes with your first round of crab. Â It's a lot of snow crab. Â I was delighted. Â I also made a mess and had to ask for extra napkins. Â I brought a book and made an evening out of it.
Just get in at 6 (that's when the crab special starts) and relax. Â The Chef will probably come out - he's very amiable and straightforward. Â As for everything else on the menu, it's all made to order. Â It's a good place. Â Really pretty. Â So come and see it! Â
I talked to them about catering and they said they probably will do it. Â At least that is the gist I got. Â They have a nice big pool table and one of their nights is dollar tacos. Â Loyola students get a 20% discount. Â That makes it a great place to study.
Beautiful bathrooms, nice decor, pretty light fixtures, and glam art all combine to make this a snazzy place. Â My only beef was that the dining room floor was dirty. Â They were operating with a skeleton crew, though, so I forgive it. Â The lighting was really low. Â I only noticed it because I'm a nerd that way, and their flooring is beautiful stonework that should be shiny and beautiful. Â I won't take a star off for it because it's an easy fix. Â
Anyway, I'll be back. Â With friends. Â You should go, too.
Was nervous with all the bad reviews but I had a $10 for $20 groupon and live right around the corner.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Food was fantastic. The crab stuffed mushrooms were excellent. The cuban sandwich was slightly above average- I was satisfied but probably wouldn't get it again. The fries were PERFECT.
Service was decent. Our waiter was great, but the woman other reviewers mention did our drinks and was pretty rude. The chef came out to see how things were and was great.
I will definitely go back in the future.
I was skeptical because I'd heard it was not managed well and it was closed on some nights when they are advertised as being open, but I finally gave Aqua a chance and I really liked it and came back a few nights later. Â I think they have their shit together now.
The butternut squash raviolli is a new Fall thing and it was quite good. They offer a side of veggies instead of bread or potatoes with entrees and it was better than most places that would just throw some frozen brocoli down and call it a side. It was a nice array of fresh veggies in a good seasoning, not too oily. The tuna is pretty good too.
I think they need a piano with a singer on the weekends and then it will be a great neighborhood hangout.
Chris, who is the new Chef is gr8! Chris put together an excellent Octoberfest Meal and beer tasting. Now, Aqua needs to afford a wait staff/owner to level up! The beer list is worthy including 3 Floyd's Alpha King. The challenge 'this location,' not just Aqua, has over the years is parking, It was worth the effort last Friday. We found parking quicker that evening by Leona's. With food like this, there should be a waitlist!
Review Source:I went to aqua bar on Friday before a movie @ 400 theaters...loved it. The crowd was sparce but the food was great with a decent beer list. I had been by before but it was always closed until 5:00. I think this would be a decent sports bar but it looks too up scale. I will go back...just wish the hours were my favorable.
Review Source:Stopped in a couple of times and marveled at the beautiful, airy feel of the main dining room interior. Bartender made us terrific $5 mojitos. We tried pizza tonight and loved the crust and grilled vegetable topping (though it was a little on the sweet side). Got a good estimate for a group party from the manager. Hoping that this place can find its way. We'll report back soon when we try it again.
Review Source:I've been here before and wasn't impressed, but since they were fairly new the last time I was in, I decided to give it another chance since I live in the neighborhood. I am so glad I did...what a pleasant surprise! They have a new Chef (in the past month) and the food was amazing! We had the Jerk Flatbread which was being offered as a free appetizer with a drink purchase. It was Yummy and the spices were just right. For my meal I had the Bourbonnais Mac & Cheese with bacon, chicken and mushrooms. It was delicious and between myself and my friend we just about licked the plate clean. My friend ordered the Ribeye steak which was cooked perfect and tasted just as good. The chef actually came out of the kitchen and asked how we were enjoying our meals. My friend and I were both impressed with this and we will definitely be back. After so many not-so-good reviews, I would highly reccommend giving this place another try  and I  wish them the best in making a comeback.
Very happy to have someplace good to eat in the neighborhood!
The reviews from everyone are spot-on! Â Especially J S.'s review.
My boyfriend and I stopped in for some food & drink, the menu looked good and interesting-- Regarding the food, it was obvious they were cutting many corners on the food and the drinks. Regarding the service, we felt it was all very unorganized, the staff was clueless. So slow, we felt abandoned and ignored. Â Regarding the attitude, the Eastern European woman who was 'part owner' (we were told the main owner/investor is a silent partner) was rude and very unprofessional when we asked for her to come over to our table to explain what the problem was. Â She actually started arguing with us!! Â
As we both work in the service industry, we were shocked. Â It was VERY clear to us that she is the backbone that is breaking this place. Â The waitress stated that the staff keeps quitting because she doesn't want to pay them. Â We were surprised she shared that with us, being mere patrons--but she was clearly depressed & frustrated. Â It was obvious the staff was very stressed and not happy, even though the place was practically empty. Â It seemed to all come down to the owner(s), who we were told had never opened a restaurant or bar before. THAT....was obvious. Â We left with a bad taste in our mouth, literally and figuratively. Â We couldn't wait to get out of there, the energy in there wasn't good. It's a shame, and it's an insult to Rogers Park.
Save your money. Hit the McDonalds.
Why oh why did I not read reviews before ordering?? Â I placed a delivery order from here, and despite the fact that the restaurant is only a few blocks from my house, it took close to an hour. Â When the food arrived it was disgusting. Â The fries were cold and soggy, and the sandwich was soggy and practically 2 slices of bread with nothing else. Â The delivery driver gave me attitude when I asked where the fruit punch was that I had ordered. Â Apparently I didn't get the memo that restaurants started delivering drinks in bowls now. Â Never. Ever. Again.
Review Source:I never went to Aqua before the new chef arrived, so I can't speak to what it was like before, but now it is AWESOME! The chef comes from New Orleans and the menu has an really tasty cajun influence. We had the Jerk Chicken wings, the steak, and the boar ribs. Everything was really well made. Even the greens that came with the ribs were great. I'm really happy to have such a great place with in walking distance. AND they make a kick ass Sazerac!
Review Source:I've been here two times, my experiences have been okay. I live right by Aqua so I am really hoping this place improves and management starts taking hints (it baffles me why they don't read their Yelp and Foursquare reviews??)
The first time I went to Aqua was about two weeks ago. The waitress had informed us that management had completely fired all of the previous waiters and hired new staff, and judging previous reviews, that was a good move. Both times we had great waitresses, and even though they were new they were definitely working hard to give us great service. We ordered the Calamari appetizer, which was good and a nice portion, and also the chicken sandwich. The sandwich was good as well and a little pricy, but given the location, I figured their food would cost more since the rent is probably higher for them.
The second time I want, we just ordered the fish tacos to share. That was a bad idea, as it was $12 and you only get 3 tacos, with shrimp that was clearly frozen with hardly any seasoning. I would not suggest ordering the shrimp taco appetizer.
I am realizing that Aqua is more of a drinking place than an eating place. Both visits we had good drinks, and reasonable prices compared to the location ($5 mojitos on Saturdays!). The music is too loud in there, the atmosphere and decor could use some serious work, and they really do need to re-think their food pricing or portions. I urge people to give this place a try though... maybe with enough reviews they will start listening to us????
Rogers Park is in real need of good restaurants, and I was hoping that this new cajun restaurant would provide that. Â and sadly it doesn't. Â I ordered four items from their menu to go. Â
1- Grilled Calamari: other than the spicy sauce was just not well presented or cooked
2- mushrooms:salty and unedible. Also the portion was small and rather burnt than cooked
3- Jerk chicken with coconut rice: it was neither bad nor good. Â More like what you would get at a mall than a restaurant
4- Blackened salmon: The sweet potatoes or whatever it was were horrid and unedible. The fish was something that anyone can cook with off the shelf rub.
This place simply needs a chef, why bother opening a restaurant without one? Â I would have been happy to come back but to what? I would rate this restaurant lower than a McDonalds with 3 times the cost. Â Sad for the owners and the neighborhood
Tried this place last night, and was pleasantly surprised. I had a burger, and it was prepared to order, and, while not mind-blowing, was quite good. The fries that accompanied it were crisp and good as well. Everyone else enjoyed their food, including fish tacos and some other entrees. I ordered a Sazerac from the bar, and it was alright. I've had better recently at a few fancier places, but this one was pretty good. Contrary to many of the reviews here, our service was attentive and pleasant, and they were training another woman who seemed pleasant as well. The space is pretty nice, with big windows that open to let the air in on summery nights.
It was the first time I had been there, and I would certainly go there again. The place is relatively new, I think, so maybe they are finally getting their legs under them. I'd say it's at least worth a shot if you live in or find yourself in the neighborhood.
I hate to give a bad rating because the place has potential but it just misses the mark on so many levels.
My wife and I came in around 1:30 pm, and only one other table had anyone there. Figured it was after lunch, no big deal.
However service was insanely slow. There was only one other table, so I don't get it. We ordered a Bloody Mary and Mimosa which took 10 minutes to arrive. The Bloody Mary was just store bought pre-mix and the Mimosa was watered down OJ with a splash of champagne. Â We then put in our order, but we're denied a pizza because they did not have any dough. Odd. Â So we ordered fish and chips and an appetizer of fish tacos. Â It took 30 minutes to arrive luke warm - I have no idea why, there was only one other table.
The fish and chips were falling apart - it was more a mess of breading and some fish hidden in it. It lacked flavor but at least the dipping sauce helped.
The fish tacos were not any better. They were barely warm and very greasy for some reason.
Overall definitely not worth the $40 price tag. Service was slow, food sub-par, and just a very disappointing visit. Â The only reason for the second star is how it looks on the inside and proximity to the beach.
Sadly, we will not be coming back - shame because the place has potential.
My wife and two rowdy toddlers went for early dinner last Friday. The place was large and clean. Â The beer menu is outstanding, although I think they should crank up the thermostat, as not all beers served just above room temperature taste right.
The waitstaff was attentive and courteous.
For starters, we had the truffle fries. The grated cheese seemed like an afterthought, but provided a nice balance to the truffle.
My wife had the shrimp avocado mango salad, which came with just the right amount of seasoning.
We ordered the margharita pizza for the kids. This was probably the highlight of the meal. The cheese was outstanding, the sauce was fresh, and the dough was perfectly charred.
I was excited to order the Jambalaya. The restaurant had been touting their new Chef from the Big Easy, and this dish was front and center on the menu, so I thought this was a sure bet.
The menu description promised Chicken, Shrimp, Calamari, Crawfish, and Sausage cooked in tasty rice. Â Instead, I got about 6 strips of grilled chicken, and undercooked rice with diced onions and peppers, but absolutely NO SHELLFISH OR SAUSAGE.
Admittedly, I should have pointed this out to the waitstaff. However, with two restless kids and an empty stomach, I overlooked this.
The dessert was good. Molten chocolate cake, finished with a splash of bourbon, then served with the flame still going. The cake was well balanced, although it was clear that whoever poured was a little too overzealous, or nervous.
It is my understanding that the grand opening is tomorrow (there was a typo on the announcements printed and left on each table). I hope that by then, the recipe for one of the main dishes will be adjusted to include what it advertized.
Good luck on this new addition to the neighborhood.
Well I was really rallying for this place. Â I love the location to the beach and the space, but the constant bad music and sssllllooooowwww service have them doomed. Â Unfortunately, we stopped in again after a couple months and it seems to be all down hill. Â We stopped in a handful of times and the food was always good. I thought the chef put out some creative combinations and the pizza was always descent. Â They just could never get it together with the service or bartending. Â The place is always empty and who wants to hang out in an empty restaurant. Â Our last stop we learned the chef is now gone too. Â If anyone knows where Zach went - yelp it here. Â I'd check him out at his next eatery, but the future isn't looking too good for Aqua.
Review Source:I have been here a half dozen times, and none of them have been good, let alone great. Either the Service was terrible and the food was OK (just OK) or the food was terrible and the only redeeming quality was the service. Â Ironically, the best experience that I had here was my first one, when they had only been open less than a week.
I don't really like writing bad reviews, because I know how damaging they can be to the restaurants, and I really do want this place to work out, mostly because it is so close to my house. Â my experience last night though was the nail in the coffin, and I won't be going back until either the Chef and or owner contacts me personally to tell me things have changed, or until it closes and reopens as something else, which if they don't change will be in the next couple of months. Â I sincerely hope that someone who works there will read this review from someone who has been working in the restaurant industry their whole life, and take it to heart. Let me describe my night for you last night.
There was a group of seven of us, and when we walking in there were maybe four other tables of customers. The bartender/lone server yelled at us from behind the bar telling us there was a table over there that would seat all of us, so we went there. Sat there for about 5 minutes then the server came over to get drink orders, and we asked for drink menus, which she brought us. In another 5 minutes she came back and took our drink order, and then 5 more minutes before drinks arrive, then she brings us food menus and waits 20 minutes to come back and take our order. So now we've already been there for 30 minutes and hadn't even ordered food yet.
Once we finally placed our food order the food took well over an hour to come out. I stopped keeping track of time, but I know that it was over an hour. Â There were only 4 other tables of diners in the restaurant. Â When our food did come out, our server didn't realize that the pizza that one person at our table had ordered actually wasn't ready yet, and that pizza didn't come out until after everyone was done eating, and it still was underdone.
Everyone at the table gave mixed reviews of their food, some peoples food wasn't cooked how they wanted, and some peoples food was mediocre, but I think most people were just happy that they had food (Except the pizza). Â My food on the other had was awful in every possible way. I had ordered the aqua burger, which is a burger, brioche bun, fried egg, bacon and cheddar. Â I had asked for the burger to be cooked medium, it was beyond well done, there was no bacon, and there was no cheddar cheese, and instead of an over easy egg on top, I had scrambled eggs. To top it all off, the bun, which wasn't brioche, was clearly not proofed long enough, it was dense, chewy, and hard. Â I am not one to send food back, but there was no way I was going to pay the twelve dollars for this mess. Â The server asked me if I wanted something else, on them, and I said no, that I had no confidence that it would be any better than that burger, and I didn't have an additional half hour to wait for it. So I just got another drink.
The server told us all sorts of things about how there was only one person in the kitchen, which I believe, and there was clearly only one server who was also the bartender, although there appeared to be another server sitting at the bar who was either not working that night, or felt she didn't need to work. Â The server also mentioned that this was a new menu that just came out that day, it looked exactly like all the previous menus I had seen except that the prices went up. She also said it was a new chef, and that the food came in at 4:45 and they open at five. I don't really care if he was new or not, that food was unacceptable, and that chef needs to go, also if your food is coming in at 4:45 and you open at 5:00, you clearly need to get an earlier food delivery.
All I am saying here, is that lots of excuses were made, and it was just an unacceptable evening all around, with fault lying with the service staff, the kitchen, and I am sure manager/ownership as well. Every time that I have gone here all that I have noticed is that the quality of food and service has gone down, while the prices have gone up. Â If this place doesn't fix these problem, they will be closed in 2 months, if you want a professional restaurant consultant, let me know, I would be happy to help out.
So disappointed! I left the restaurant and joined yelp just to write a review. It's not surprising at all to see other "less than perfect" descriptions. My party of three walked in excited and left deflated. I tried to order the sliders and was told they were out. The lackluster waitress/bartender suggested I could get a salad instead...hun, if I wanted sliders, what makes u think I would want a salad. I wanted good bar food and good liquor. Period. I ended up ordering the aqua burger which I thought was just okay, especially considering the price. The patty was thick, but much smaller in diameter than the really thick buns. I ultimately ended up removing the bread. The sandwich came with nothing on it. I think a spicy mayo was supposed to come with it but when we asked for it, we were told it had to be made. Ms. Lackluster brought two empty bottles of ketchup to the table. We had to ask for a bottle that actually had something in it. There were soooo many things wrong, that I don't want to nit-pick. I DO wanna say that there was another waitress that was very nice and attentive. She totally made up for the obvious disinterest of Ms. "Personality-less" Lackluster. One person in my party ordered the same sandwich and his meat was raw. He was actually asked how he wanted it cooked, I wasn't. I had such high hopes because I wasn't able to check out the previous establishment and vowed I would check this one out...never again!
Review Source:Awful. Stay away. That's the bottom line.
In more detail. Crappy eastern European techno on the speakers, empty house, terrible service (slow, disinterested, incompetent). Ordered chicken wings, which showed up raw. Had to specifically ask for every shred of service: please can I have a napkin? please can I have utensils? please can you take a drink order? please can you return this raw chicken? please can I pay the bill? please can I give you my card? There was a manager on duty who comped me an enormous piece of red velvet cake on my way out (how about take the raw chicken off the bill instead of giving a guy who showed up for beer & wings a big chunk of sugar fluff?). All I wanted was a beer & chicken wings. How do you screw that up?
Don't take this as an ornery, one-off yelp trouncing. I worked in restaurants for a decade. I know a dog when I see it. Aqua Bar is a dog and it needs to be put down. I won't be going back, but you've figured that out already.
Their menu is rather confusing. If there are two types of ribs (one spicy and one sweet) and I order the sweet, I don't WANT to have super spicy ones. I had to send my food back, and I never do that. The food is overpriced, as well. One thing that REALLY irked me was that I was splitting the bill with a friend and we told the waitress how much to put on each. She came back and told me she put more on mine than we said to because she couldn't put it on my friends (WHAT?). I left so mad, and I don't plan on going back.
If you go, get the truffle fries but nothing else- nothing else deserves your hard-earned cash.
cannot really honestly rate their food nor drinks as i  left shortly after entering. was looking for a rather romantic place to take my date. it's more of a sports bar. billads in the side room and 2 or 3 big screens and about 5 people there with no one paying any attention to them. no music although the waiter or manager did offer to turn them off and put on some music but the atmosphere was not for me.
might be the wrong place or neighborhood for that type of setup.
I don't really know if my review will be accurate of how this restaurant really is now. I went here after the place had been open only a week, there was of course no one in the restaurant other than a woman and her daughter who seemed to know the chef.
Our waiter was very friendly and put in a good effort despite being uncertain with some of their menu items.
We ordered a cheese plate that came with some sort of fig jam and cracker things that was extremely tasty. I dont know if this is still on the menu since I've read reviews that there have been menu changes.
We also ordered a pizza, it may have been the Head to Toe, I think it had pepperoni and sausage but it wasn't your boring meat lovers. I remember it was very good, the crust was extra tasty. It was a little greasy though. The chef did say he spent a lot of time perfecting the dough, going through six I believe different recipes.
The service was a little slow but with apologies. We had a nice time regardless. We chatted with the chef only a little but he seemed excited and eager to please. Offered to make us any dessert that we'd like but we turned it down being so full from the pizza.
I wouldn't be surprised though if this place was still pretty much dead, I would go back for a pizza and see if it is still good but it's never much fun to sit in an empty restaurant, especially if it takes a really long time.
We went here hoping for the best since we liked Ropa alot. The food is pretty much bar fare - had the burger with bacon - and the bacon was nearly raw. French fries were cold. I miss Ropa! The new owners have put in more TVs, cheesy video machines - and the service and food were really lacking. Will not go back.
Review Source:Aqua is still has the feelers out and is trying to establish an identity. Â
That said, what they feature on the menu that I have tried is damn good. Â The burger is composed of grass-fed beef, which makes all of the difference in the world. Â The pizza is good, but I wouldn't call this a pizza joint. Â The menu seems fairly sophisticated for a place that sports a juke box, pool table, and all of the TVs, but like I said...they are trying to find their audience.
Try it out.
Stopped in for a late night dinner and was impressed with the food. I split the Head to Toe thin crust pizza, which tastes like it's right off the streets of Rome with a mount of smoked bacon, pancetta and pepperoni.
We also split the Fish tacos with queso fresco, pico de gallo, and avocado. The taco were a great twist. Never thought of the combination, but the flavors complement each other very well.
Also $2 miller lites on Sunday nights and daily drink specials. Stop by the bar and chat with Stacey to hear a good story.
Last night at the Aqua Bar & Grill marks the first time I've ever sent back a dish in my life, let alone a full table of food.
My fiance and I, along with another couple, were the only people in the place, except for one other table and the waiter/bartender, but it took a full hour for our food to come out. Once it came, three of the four dishes were so salty that they were inedible, and the fourth was a pizza with enough flour on the bottom that my friend was coughing up clouds of it.
Eventually we decided that the embarrassment of sending back food was preferable to getting sick. The waiter went and got the manager, who responded to our complaints and apologies by angrily arguing with us for several minutes. Eventually he accepted that we just wanted to leave, but I've never felt so insulted. Needless to say, we won't be going back.
This place is getting better, so I hope people try it again. I have been four times and it has been better each time.
SERVICE: Â Like other reviews say, I have experienced the bartender/waitress who knows nothing about the menu and never smiles. Â She also took a few minutes to take our drink orders even after we told her we were ready and there was only two other small parties in the place. Â She had the same lackluster attitude when my friend and I stopped by the day of opening. Â
However, I have found her to be the exception. Â That same opening day we met another gentleman (maybe owner?) who was eager to show us the menu and talk about the business. Â The third time I went there a different gentleman served us some strong and tasty martinis and long islands. Â There was also a friendlier woman the last two times I went who took our order and seemed to know more about the menu. Â Although, the less friendly lady is still there and her demeanor has not changed, I have found the rest of the staff to be more knowledgeable and eager to please. Â
FOOD: Â The food was pretty bad my first two times but the menu changes have been spot on! Â Friend ordered marrow pizza--chef seemed excited about it--came out way too greasy and bland (according to her). Â That's now off the menu. Â I ordered pickled fish sandwich--came out unexpectedly cold and too sour. Â That's now off the menu. Â Friend ordered the all meat pizza and enjoyed that--it's still on the menu. Â I've had the truffle parmesan fries and swiss burger (new menu items). Â Both solid!
Overall the menu selection is awesome--better than most restaurants in this area. Â The food quality is improving---they quickly remove the stuff that isn't good. Â The drink specials mixing beers with hard liquors (e.g. martinis, long islands) have always been great.
Recently moved to Rogers Park and was excited to try out Aqua since their sign was so inviting. Turns out it's the only thing. Â The inside looked promising but we had an odd welcome from the bartender. Â The place wasn't busy save for 3 people at the bar. Â The bartender/waitress couldn't answer a simple question about an appetizer. Â We only ordered beef sliders and truffle fries. Â The $6 fries came out cold, tough, no hint of truffle, no condiments except for a bottle of ketchup. Â Then the 3 sliders served on a big empty plate came with nothing else. Â I had to take the buns off to see if there was anything in between 2 of them. Â It seemed like the 3 came in big, medium and small. Â The 3rd seemed like the beef on the bun was an after thought. Â Then one of them was sprinkled with shredded cheddar but not the other two. Â On top of it the service was slow---even though there were only 3 people in there. Â To sum up, bad food, bad service, expensive, left hungry.
Review Source:We visited Aqua for the first time most hopeful of  a good experience and many returns. We brought some family, and our son, and left after 1 drink. The staff (including the owners, who were on the floor) acted as if it was their first day working in the service industry. When I asked about red wines by the glass, the owner disappeared for 5 minutes and returned with the names of 3 wines hand written on a torn piece of receipt paper. We had to ask for everything- water, a highchair (!) and attention. My husband went to use the restroom and upon return insisted we leave after having seen the kitchen & prep areas very dirty. I very kindly approached the owners and shared how disappointed we were and they just stared at me.
Review Source:New neighborhood place, has promise. Still has a trial menu. What we liked: service was attentive,  hubbie had a steak with bone marrow butter( yes, he shared-yum!), expertly made mashed potatoes, asian slaw, nice beer selection. What needs work: music just a bit too loud for easy conversation ( esp since @ 6p early bird hour), no blue cheese for an otherwise perfectly shaken martini, then usual timing kinks with a new place. Will definitely give it another  shot.
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