Acqua Restaurant & Bar

Came for dine out Vancouver 2024! There weren't too many restaurants that stood out this year, so we picked a random one. We went with Acqua and it did not disappoint!!

First off, their customer service was great! The waitress we had for tentative, patient and personable. She even asked us if we wanted a picture menu because the names of the dishes doesn't tell us much!

When I checked in on yelp, I got a 10% off couple that says I could use either this time or next time, but was told that they don't collaborate with anyone so I couldn't use the coupon.

I don't have the exact names of the dishes, but here goes nothing.

Pre-appetizer (is there a name for this??)
- tuna tartare: didn't taste that fresh, but it paired very well with the sauce. The pieces were a bit too mushy for my liking.

- appetizer: we both got the soft shell crab tempura over the lamb mini burgers. The batter was much thicker than the crab, and the crab was too mushy. Wasn't the biggest fan. However, the sauce and the salad paired well with it. This was probably my least favourite dish the entire meal.

- entree:

Fish-- I forgot the name (even our waitress said no one knows what it really is), but it's quite similar to a sea bass! It was super fresh and the lemon flavour was very well infused!

Steak-- good portions and tender. I loved this!!! Demolished it in five minutes!! Their sauce.. (cranberry?) elevated the entire dish! I loved the abundance of vegetable they included.

Dessert:

South East Asian donut paired with mango ice cream: the donut was infused with rose water, which I LOVED. Take a bite of the donut and a big bite of mango ice cream.. you can't go wrong!!

Chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream: the chocolate cake was a little too sweet for my liking, but it paired well with the vanilla ice cream. It was a good balance.

Overall: $45 for dine out was so worth it! I've had way more expensive dine out menus for a fraction of the portion and tastes no where near as good.

Happy hour drinks from 2PM-6PM!!

I cannot testify for their regular food items, but if their standard is similar to their dine out dishes, I can guarantee it's good!

** don't pay for parking!! Go in and register :)

I cannot wait to come back and try their regular menu :)

Nice happy hour with great prices and wonderful cocktails and culinary .

The professional service offered by Naang was outstanding .
Naang is very friendly and very customer service oriented.
Was great to chat with her.

As usually the ambience is very cozy and even the manager is very hospitable .
All menu is great and prices for wine and cocktails are very affordable .

This restaurant was nice and has a good size patio. It was a little chilly so we decided to sit inside.

Our waitress was really nice and accommodating.

We went at 4pm and were able to catch happy hour. We ordered the lager on special as well as nachos and calamari.

The nachos were just ok. I don't like it when there's on cheese at the top and nowhere else. Also, I found the toppings sparse. The guac was not thick, it was an odd consistency. The calamari was very good. The dip it came with was so good. It wasn't tzatziki but a garlicy mayo.

I wouldn't mind coming back but I'm not going to go out of my way.

What got us attracted to this place was there beautiful patio seating! An amazing spot for summer brunch!!

This establishment currently has The Bite of Burnaby fest where you can get a 3-course meal for $40. Definitely worth it! The staff were very friendly and made an exception to their menu based on dietary restrictions.

The Goat Cheese Ravioli and Chocolate Torte were the biggest highlights of the menu for me.

A must try place :)

I really like this place! It was quiet when we were here and I liked it that way. Several tables were here celebrating birthdays like us. Staff would bring out a complimentary slice of cake and sing happy birthday. Totally unexpected but appreciated.

We were here during happy hours and it seemed like this place still has affordable happy hour drinks. $5 for beer, wine and highballs. Cocktails and daily special are $8. The happy hour food prices have crept up though.

I was more interested in the feature set menu which changes regularly. I chose a 2-course for $30 and followed the staff recommendation of getting the salad and salmon. He was spot on. My friend also liked his recommendation on beer.

I requested my sangria to be sweeter and they got it right. I also discovered I got sleepy after eating the fruits in the sangria. I was told they were alcohol infused. Duh. I don't drink much after all so this is new to me.

The beet, orange and goat cheese salad was refreshing and light. The west coast blacken salmon was superb! The salmon was so tender and not dry or hard at all. It was cooked very nicely and the sides complemented it very well. I am still thinking about the salmon.

I also tried my friend's steak frites and the meat very very juicy and flavorful. Again, done very nicely. Another friend had the burger and onion rings from the HH menu and they were equally good too.

I think we found our new hang out place, especially for happy hour. It has free parking which is always a huge thing.

The staff are friendly and helpful in making recommendations. Awesome place.

We will definitely be back often.

Really decent and underrated hotel lobby restaurant near Brentwood.

Parking is available in the lot in front of the building. Be sure to register one's license plate at the front desk.

The venue consists of a dining room as well as a large S facing outside patio. I imagine it would be nice sitting outside as long as the sun isn't shining in one's face. The tables do have large umbrellas though.

The staff are very friendly and professional and courteous. Special mention.

As of the time of writing, there was 2-3 course feature menu which is constantly changing. Probably one of the better deals.

Beet, orange, & goat cheese salad - quite tasty and pretty to look at. Just the right amount of dressing.

Steak frites - decent with that home cooked feel. Served with sauteed onions and mushrooms. Fries are the standard thicker type.

The cheesecake is also quite tasty. Worth a try if one has a sweet tooth.

This place also has some happy hour specials, and unlike the nearby Cactus Club, the evening special runs all 7 days. Had to try those too.

Wings - actually done quite well I must say. Crispy yet juice. Most other places are usually one or the other.

Nachos - decent portion, though the guacamole and meat are an extra charge and bring the price up quite a bit. Nice layering and a decent amount of meat.

Definitely worth checking out if one is in the area. Recommended.

**HAPPY HOUR REVIEW**
Located inside the Executive Hotel, this little restaurant is quite nice for patio and indoor dining. We came by happy hour time and they have food and drinks on special. The service was friendly and helpful. We will definitely come back again.

Stayed in the hotel and ordered in room service one evening. The food is fine but nothing I would call great or would tell anyone to go to get if they are not staying in the hotel. Prices are a bit high for the quality. All staff were very nice and professional and the food came quickly.

We enjoyed a great dinner at Acqua Restaurant & Bar! We came shortly after happy hour for a dinner out and we decided to try this place out.

It is located inside a hotel. We were greeted by staff upon arrival and we were attended right away. I really like that the restaurant was almost full but it was quiet, which I prefer.

The staff here is wonderful, and actually so were the guests, haha!! We had some conversations with the table beside ours, and it was nice!

The food was so delicious, but I wish I ordered wine with my pasta, as it would have paired well!

I'll be back again!

Never noticed this restaurant but definitely a great spot with plenty of parking and tons of sunlight. Great view and very spacious.

The food was alright and portions were very generous. We got the duck, while it was cooked more well done it was still juicy. The jus and veggies were good complements but probably they can skip the cherries. While the seafood pasta had a nice creamy and tangy sauce and glad they provided garlic bread to soak up all the sauce.

The happy hour food/drink menu looks like a great deal so will definitely check out some of their other offerings.