Food was fantastic! Staff was GREAT! Just a wonderful place. Went here while one vacation to celebrate our wedding Ann. Everything was awesome
(5)
Davin D.
We've been wanting to go to Acqua since reading about it in January. Definitely wanted to sit dockside, so definitely had to wait until the snow melted. A big birthday came along, so off to Acqua we go. When you wait so long to go somewhere, you almost kind of set the restaurant up for failure because your expectations are so high. Well, I'm glad to say, Acqua did not disappoint! We had the three course tasting menu, which was not a tasting menu at all, but rather consisted of full sized portions, and then some. Here's what we had: Caprese salad - beautifully presented...offset layers of yellow heirlooms and mozzarella on a bed of arugula and basil, drizzled with some balsamic reduction. Flavors were well balanced. My only complaint is that the mozzarella didn't have much flavor...then again, I have never had good mozzarella in the US. Roasted Beet Salad - another yum salad. Fried goat cheese was tasty and the roasted beets were excellent. Ossobuco - I moved the bone and the meat fell off. The cut was actually twice as big as I was expecting. Sweet potato puree was intensely flavored. It could have used a touch more sauce. Roasted Chicken Salmoriglio - perfectly cooked...right at that point where the meat turns from pink to white. Peach crisp - Very nice peach flavor...Sysco peaches have never tasted so pure. The Izzy's cinnamon ice cream was insanely good, but could have been more frozen. Molten Chocolate Lava Cake - nicely prepared, perfectly runny in the middle. Again, the ice cream could've been more frozen. All in all, the food flavors and preparation was spot on. Hats off to the kitchen. The service was also top-notch. JJ knew his stuff and was attentive without being intrusive. We brought our own wine and I was pleased to see that they provided the proper Riedel glasses for the varietal. All in all, probably the best food and dining experience in the Twin Cities. Comparing to all restaurants I ever been to in any city, it would still get 4 stars.
(5)
Tabby C.
Acqua is a wonderful place to go when you feel like being wined and dined! Spectacular food, including the desserts! Fabulous wine and cocktails . My only complaint is how they up the cost of the wine( but what place doesn't?) would defiantly recommend it to anyone!
(5)
Tiffiny C.
My parents took me here in April for dinner, and I was surprised by how great it was. I think this was my best fine dining experience in White Bear Lake to date, and I grew up here. I started with this tasty blackberry/gin drink. AWESOME drink, strong, and a specialty drink on their menu. For a starter we shared a flatbread pizza. It was ok. Nothing to write home about, but tasty. I ordered a salmon roulade with orzo pasta for my entree. Perfectly baked and the orzo was perfectly cooked as well. It could have used a wee more spice, but I like more spice/heat than the average Minnesotan. My step-dad had the veal ragu pasta dish. That hearty red sauce was divine. Small, classic, clean space (accessible entrance in back). Service was a bit slow, but it was really good at the same time. Looking forward to going back this summer to sit on the patio with the view of the lake!
(4)
Mike C.
The reason for the update is that I love this place. Service is always good and the food is always consistent which is important to me. The menu is simple but well executed (I think that is the problem with some restauarants with a large menu). We had a great night celebrating my birthday. The Ragu alla Bolgnese is always a treat. Please read my previous review.
(5)
Angel S.
If you want a nice restaurant in White Bear Lake, on the water even, check out Acqua - it's a nice place. They have seafood, chops, vegetarian risotto, and they have a tasting menu. You can find something for $18 - $40 (3-course tasting menu). The cocktails are lovely too - I enjoyed the cucumber margarita. If you get to sit on the lake it's wonderful. We sat inside, and it was fine, but feel it will be better when the weather is cold/bad because we prefer to sit on the lake when it's nice out. We did have our 15 month old, and they accommodated us well, but next time we will try a romantic dinner or night out with friends to not feel as rushed. Reservations are recommended.
(4)
Leo S.
One of our favorite places in White Bear and it is hard to beat on a nice evening. The food is usually pretty good and they gave a nice selection of beers and wines.
(5)
Kristie K.
Love, Love, Love. Food was excellent. I had family in town from Florida and he is vegan and they were very accommodating. The service is always excellent.
(5)
Erin T.
The food is delicious and great atmosphere. Must have the spicy Chile drink they have on their menu!!
(4)
Christian K.
Food was fantastic! Staff was GREAT! Just a wonderful place. Went here while one vacation to celebrate our wedding Ann. Everything was awesome
(5)
Jonathan B.
Acqua is a hidden treasure in the northern suburbs! The food is amazing, the service impeccable, any experience unforgettable. Acqua continues to impress me time and time again. The goat cheese beet salad is hands-down, my favorite salad in the entire world. Their menu changes often, so be sure to visit often. The salted prime rib is always a hit, the Oso Buco is always delicious, but their fish selections are out of this world! I've been visiting this restaurant for many years, and the service is always been exceptional. No matter what the occasion, whether casual dining, or formal affair, this restaurant will impress. Don't forget dessert! They generally have a great selection of ice cream, torts and the caramel bundino mousse is a must! The restaurant is small, so make sure to book a reservation. They also have outdoor seating in the summer, right on White Bear Lake. You can also arrive by boat!
(5)
Kathy K.
Nice views of White Bear Lake but my food was disappointing. Starting with the beet salad with very nice fried goat cheese, however the beets were limp and old and the dressing was not well balanced. I had the snapper with orzo. Not a good choice as the fish was dry and overcooked, the sauce was acidic and bland. It needed some garlic or pepper to liven it up. Just a boring entree and overpriced for the area. My friends had some entrees with scallops and shrimp that looked much better. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. The service was excellent however.
(3)
Stella H.
I went to Acqua on a Saturday night with 3 friends to celebrate a birthday. Acqua is a quaint building across from WBL. It's cute and the staff and owner are terrific. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Their margaritas are very, very good. My friends love the Jamedon and ginger cocktail, which was tasty, I just don't like dark liquors. The menu looked great, it was tough making a decision. I ordered the scallops on the small plate menu - added one extra scallop for $4 as only two come in an order. OMG! Order these! The sauce was amazing and it was very rich - if you have heart troubles, choose a salad! I had the best and fried goat cheese salad - very good. They should just have a friend goat cheese appetizer as those were fantastic. I also ordered the brussel sprouts to share - they were a bit tough. Not as tasty as other place dive tried (to this day, Bank DT Mpls has the BEST brussel sprouts!) One friend ordered the salmon and loved it, one ordered the mussels and I tried a few, they were great. One had the pink snapper and that was very good as well! We all split a piece of cheesecake which was super light and airy, odd for a cheesecake. But it was great. The wine we ordered was wonderful as well. Cabernet first and Shiraz second. A lovely night, great food and wonderful service! Give it a go if you happen to be up this way. Tip: try the tasting menu. For $40 you get a salad, entree and dessert and all portions are regular serving size! Terrific bargain.
(4)
Sharon B.
We stumbled upon this restaurant and were delighted with a wonderful balcony table upstairs with a great view of White Bear Lake. We split the 3 course option - just enough food. The Caprese salad was wonderful, with the buffalo mozzarella just right. The Tiger Shrimp Scampi was excellent, and the New York style cheesecake topped the meal perfectly. Great service, great food and a great view makes this place a new favorite when we're visiting the cities.
(5)
Phillip Y.
We came here last week during restaurant week. I had the shrimp scampi and my significant other had the Ragu alla Bolognese. The shrimp scampi was just the right proportion but the Ragu alla Bolognese was huge. For starter, I had the field green and cucumber salad and my significant other had the wild mushroom soup which was creamy but good. For dessert, I had the chocolate soufle and she had the Izzy's trio ice cream (butter pecan, chocolate chip, pumpkin). Our favorite was the butter pecan. I had graham cracker ice cream with my soufle with homemade marshmallow. Overall, reasonable price at $30 per person for restaurant week. We went to see a movie afterwards at Oakdale Marcus so it was a nice dinner and movie date night. Parking was not adequate but free valet parking so don't let the attendant scare you off. Otherwise, park at the very end near the VFW lot.
(5)
Andrew T.
I mean, the hype for this place is high, so I gave it a go despite the prices. A great place if you like good wine and cocktails. The salmon was one of the cheaper entrees at 26 bucks. It came with the purple kind of potatoes, some greens, and orange slices. It was quite good, but could have used some more exciting seasoning. Again, the wine is great. Try this place out.
(4)
Leah S.
I really wanted to like this place, it is my mom and step-dad's favorite restaurant and when they took us here we were excited to see what this place has to offer! I don't get out of Minneapolis or St. Paul much to try restaurants so I was excited to see what the burbs have in store :) Let's start with the good stuff: It is located close to white bear lake, so you can get a view of the lake! The wine list is good,not amazing but good They have a prix fixe menu The dessert was really good, but not $9 good What didn't thrill me: The prices! $40 for a prix fixe menu is a little absurd especially if you aren't downtown or a James beard award winner The food was okay at best. I had the watermelon salad for my first course and the watermelon had started to go bad, it wasn't fresh. I had the salmon for my main course, nothing phenomenal. The service was okay So overall, okay food at high prices. If you live in the area try it out but don't go out of your way to go there!
(3)
K S.
Fabulous food, great service and the outdoor patio is White Bear's best. Walleye is very good. Creative tasting menu is always available. A must try!
(5)
Liz M.
We took my bfs parents here for Father's Day and everything was AMAZING! We had a great server as well. From the homemade ginger ale and lemonade to our main courses. We had the Brussels sprouts and bruschetta, they were both good, but sprouts are the clear winner. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. We had 3 fish dishes and one chicken and everyone was extremely happy with presentation and flavor.
(5)
Jen W.
I've been hearing about this place for a long time and put it on my list of places to try years ago. Then I realized it was in White Bear Lake so I took it off my list of places to try. But a friend with a gift certificate convinced me to go. I was pretty excited to finally see what the buzz was about, but also apprehensive and worried that it isn't necessarily "good" as much as it is "good for White Bear Lake". But we hauled our a$$es up to WBL ready to find out. My first thought walking in was "oh my god, I'm totally overdressed" as the ambience leaves a bit to be desired. And the chairs are uber uncomfortable. So right off the bat I was let down and ready to be disappointed. But fortunately, that's where the disappointment ended. I did the 3 for $40 tasting menu and the $20 paired wine flight, started with the much-raved about beet salad which did not disappoint, nor did the pinot grigio it was paired with which cut the acidity of the dressing beautifully. There is no vegetarian entree on the tasting menu, but when I asked if I could get one they offered eggplant parmesan or vegetable risotto. I opted for the former even though I'm not a big fan of eggplant. It was delicious. The sauce was slightly smoky and slightly spicy and and with the paired merlot (yes folks, merlot) it was fantastic. Ended with the chocolate souffle cake w/ graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream served with port and nearly died. My friend also did the 3 for $40 but added an appetizer. Don't do this. It was way too much food. The calamari which he ordered was boring and blah but the server noted that he hadn't touched much and suggested that she'd bring him the mussels instead which she swore he'd love. He did. It was all quite delicious. That said, I wouldn't drive to White Bear Lake for it again as there are restaurants much closer with the same quality. But if you happen to live in the northern 'burbs, I'd definitely put this on the short list.
(4)
Annie L.
My girlfriends and I had a wonderful dinner and experience at Acqua the other night. We had a table on the second floor, which gives off a totally different vibe than the main floor, which looks more dated. The atmosphere was beautiful and spacious. The food was outstanding (bruschetta appetizer, cheese plate, apple/manchego salad, beet/goat cheese salad, sea bass, butternut ravioli, butterscotch budino, chocolate torte with graham cracker and marshmallow)! To be honest, it was better than we expected. The wine recommendation that Thomas (our waiter) had was spot on and exactly what we were looking for. Overall, a great experience. Too bad we all live almost an hour away or this would be a "go to" place.
(4)
Angela S.
We dined here with two other couples in December. This place is very unique being that it is an old house converted into a restaurant. With that being said, it is very small and cramped so be prepared for some bumping into people as well struggling to find a place to stand around the bar enjoying a drink waiting for your table. Regardless, the food and service were amazing. I ordered what the server recommended as a staff favorite, the Gamberi. This is a scallop and shrimp plate and it was fantastic. Everyone else in my group were completely satisfied with their meals as well and we all agreed we would return. Free Valet parking is a bonus here too. Even though it's in WBL, the parking is not good.
(5)
Krystle R.
What i enjoyed most about the place is your not rushed to eat, everything is coursed out. I had the pork shank which was fantastic! The service was great , the servers are very attentive there . Highly recommended this place !!
(5)
Vishal S.
This place is the bomb! I've been here a couple times now and both times it has been excellent service and phenomenal food. Small cozy quarters tucked in nicely by the lake, I had the lobster dish and it was the best, full of flavor and sweet!!!
(5)
Brian H.
I came here with my wife for dessert and coffee. We shared the Chocolate Souffle Cake, Toasted Marshmallow & Graham Cracker Ice Cream dessert. It was very good, especially the ice cream, very unique and yummy, and the service was prompt and friendly. My main complaint is the building. It is in a very narrow and cramped space. We sat inside on the main level and it was way too tight in there. The patio by the lake seems like it would be pretty nice, but it was too cold when we were there. If I knew I would be sat in the same space, I would not go back, but to sit outside I would try it again to try the food menu.
(3)
Phyllis L.
I would give Acqua 3 1/2 stars. The food was good but not phenomenal . My husband had lamb chops a special for the night. He said they were good but small and has had better. I had the pork ribeye, I thought it was good but I wasn't overWhelmed. We shared the beet salad the greens were chicory which are quite bitter in my opinion. It had very little dressing on it. The beets were cut in small strips. I did think the desserts were quite good, everyone had something different.The service was also just good. We were seated upstairs and it is quite loud with high ceilings. Not sure I would rush back for the money we paid.
(3)
Ann Marie F.
Perfect spot for a date! Got there shortly after rain, so staff was urgently getting patios ready for guests. Wait was no problem. Had 2 signature cocktails, delish! Ordered roasted beet salad and duck bacon with arugula. Both good, nothing overwhelming. Although, duck bacon tasted just like regular bacon. Had the seared Ahi tuna... not seared. .. WELL done. It was saved by the delicious sauce and potatoes. Date had sea bass, which was amazing. It's a fabulous spot! Give it a try!
(4)
Crystal M.
Parking was a bit tricky as it was quite busy in that area but our table was ready for our reservation, food was fantastic, drinks were delicious. We did not feel rushed and would definitely recommend this restaurant to others.
(5)
Kathy M.
This is one of our favorite Minnesota restaurants for many reasons.... The food and the drinks are always exceptional! (I can personally speak for the Jameson!) They offer a 3 course menu for $40 which is a great way to sample their menu - it can be too easy to turn down the starters or desserts and I think their mushroom soup should never be missed! My hubby says that their Osso Bucco is the best he's ever had! The owner and wait staff are very professional and personable. It is in a quaint little house overlooking a lake and I'm told that in beautiful weather, it is very nice having dinner out on their patio by the lake.
(5)
Leslie a.
We have always had fantastic meals at Acqua . The service is first rate . Our favorite place to go . Never a bad thing to say about them . Hope that they keep up the GREAT work !
(5)
Doug D.
Finally made it to Acqua for dinner. We were seated upstairs in a very quaint room. They have a small bar area with a few tables and there is also a patio across the driveway near the lake that looks like it would be nice if we didn't have 4-6 inches of snow on the ground at the end of April! Very nice wine selections. The salads, beet salad, fennel-apple salad, were excellent. We also had the bruschetta which was wonderful. Our table had the Walleye dinner, Osso Bucco and the Bone In Rib Eye. Everything was prepared very well, the Osso Bucco was the best I've ever had. I tasted the walleye and rib eye and they, too were excellent. We had four different desserts and everyone tasted all of them, all getting very positive reviews. Everyone in our group was very pleased with their experience here. Fairly priced menu. Professional service, very knowledgeable. We look forward to a return visit.
(5)
Suze S.
Bar none, this is my current favorite restaurant for Dining Out right now. (The capital letters mean dining out in nice places, not just Going Out, which would be, like, Olive Garden or something.) The atmosphere is nice but not stuffy or pretentious, same for the staff. Love the "patio" section down by the lake, the rooftop is nice too, but gets a little breezy. The restaurant is in an old, renovated house, so the inside dining room is reminiscent of Forepaugh's, but more intimate. Excellent wine selection, and the servers are very helpful in choosing. They have a Dinner menu and a prix fixe Tasting menu with a salad/entree/dessert. With your drinks comes some pre-dinner bread and the MOST amazing butter I've every had. Sweet, creamy, with a touch of honey. I may or may not have licked the butter knife. The first time we went I was just meeting a friend, I just had the chilled soup and we split the Creme Brulee. The chilled soup was, I think, cantaloupe-strawberry and honeydew-mint? It was interesting. It was plated beautifully, with the cantaloupe puree on one half of the bowl, and the honeydew on the other, with a beautiful design of what I think was creme fraiche separating them. The taste was sweeter than I expected, and the texture was a little unusual, not sure it's something I'd get again, but I'm glad I tried it. The creme brulee was done well, tasted like creme brulee. Our second visit we came hungry and both ordered from the Tasting menu. I wish our timing was better, because the Wine Flight matched with the menu sounded great, and not too steep at $20, but I had to work later. Our server was great about letting the uber picky Man make some small changes/substitutions to the Tasting menu. I'm not nearly as fussy. I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad- the fried Lemon-Honey goat cheese was Ah. Mah. Zing. For the main course I ordered the Ossobucco. Delicious. Huge. Tender. Falling off the bone. Sweet but also savory. And the white sweet potato mash was a perfect combination, soaking up the extra sauce, providing a smooth contrast to all that meat. For dessert I had the Butterscotch Budino with Whipped Cream, Caramel and Sea Salt. Next time, I'm ordering this first. Screw the rest of the meal. Seriously, it's a smooth, mild butterscotch custard with puffs of whipped cream, drizzled in caramel and sprinkled with sea salt. I thought I had died and gone to dessert heaven. I'm a huge fan of pudding/custard desserts, and it's hard to find one that isn't chocolate or is more of a mousse than custard texture. This goes on the list of Things to Eat at my Last Meal for SURE. Prices? Yeah, it's a little pricey. $40 for the Tasting Menu, most entrees in the $20-$30 range. But so worth it. Great place to take people you want to linger over dinner with, savor some good flavor and enjoy a classy but relaxing atmosphere.
(5)
Leroy S.
Service was great. Valet is a good thing. I had the calamari. They were good. Had the scallops and shrimp. Scallops cooked perfectly but not phenomenal flavor, just good. I've had better tasting shrimp and scallops elsewhere which is why only 4 stars.
(4)
Lisa M.
Great meal! This actually could have been a 5 star place.... I've been wanting to try this place forever and we finally got the chance. We went with some friends on a recent Saturday evening. They are regulars there and I kind of felt like I was with celebrities. Everyone knew them and the friends knew everything we had to try on the menu. We were seated upstairs at a quaint table not far from the water station. We were kind of in the main thoroughfare, but it was fine with me. I started with the Italian Basil Mojito. It was quite refreshing and delicious. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails. We also had the bruschetta and the calamari. I enjoyed the crunch of the crostini and the tang of the red wine vinegar. I wanted to try everything on the menu, so I went with the tasting menu. I had the Field Greens Salad, the Roast Chicken and the Butterscotch Bundino. My dining companion also went with the tasting menu, but had the Beet Salad, the Walleye and the chocolate souffle. The salad was great! I loved everything about it. The egg was especially delicious! I had a piece of his fried goat cheese from his salad and it was great as well. I cannot resist fried goat cheese! Here is where they lose a star - we got our food and waited for quite some time for our bottle of wine to be delivered. By quite some time, I mean all of us were about 1/3 done with our entrees. It was a little disappointing because up until then and after that, service and food could not have been better. My chicken was stuffed with Fontina Cheese and was cut all fancy. It was upon a bed of basil pesto risotto and had a pan sauce. I liked it because when I cut into the chicken, the cheese oozed out. The pan sauce was a little salty for my taste, but good otherwise. I tried the fingerling potatoes under his walleye and they were great as well. I literally couldn't decided on dessert since everything sounded good. I told her to surprise us - she came with the Butterscotch and the Souffle. Oh, wow! Now, I'm not even a huge butterscotch fan, but this was so freaking good! The sweetness of the butterscotch worked so well with the saltiness on top. Whoa! Now, I *have* to try the one at 112. I wasn't crazy about the actual chocolate souffle, but I loved the graham cracker ice cream that came with it. This is a 5 star place, but even a couple weeks later, I'm still thinking about how the wine came so long after we started eating. I'll give them pass on it and most definitely try it again!
(4)
Kelly O.
Why won't Yelp let me do half stars? I would give Acqua a 4.5 instead. Eating outside, overlooking the lake is a beautiful way to spend a summer evening. Inside is more cramped and a less ideal way to enjoy this restaurant. I had the tasting menu which is a wonderful value for the quality and amount of food you get. Our waiter was friendly and had a good knowledge of wine pairings to go with our meals. A little bit more expensive than most restaurants in White Bear Lake, but a more gourmet experience awaits you.
(4)
Master A.
I usually don't give out 5 stars, but this small place was worth it. They went out of their way to get my wife and I seating outside by the boat docks. The server was very friendly and fast. The food was priced just right. I had the rib eye steak. I'm a pretty big eater, but I could only finish half. The steak was huge and well worth the money. The atmosphere was wonderful. I really felt like I was a king when I was here. I will definitely return. The only thing that might be a con for this place is that it is too small. If you have a large party, good luck. This place looks like it was an old duplex from back in the day, but it looks really nice.
(5)
Mange T.
3 1/2 stars. 3 stars for the food. An additional 0.5 for above average service and what I presume is a good location in the summer (I can only speak to the experience in the dead of winter--by that I mean March 2013). The host was kind enough to give us seats right near the oversized window with a lakeside view, where we could potentially "watch a car or two sink." I ordered wine per the waitress's suggestion, which was delightful, although the restaurant seems very proud of its cocktail offerings. Our waitress was courteous and willing to give advice on the menu, although she did recommend one steak in particular "because the side potato mash is ah-Mazing", with no commentary on the rest of the dish. While I enjoy a plate of stellar mashed taters as much as the next individual, I don't typically seek them out in $40 supporting roles. Just saying. Ordered the crab-encrusted sea bass with broccolini. Also sampled the bruschetta, roasted beet salad, walleye, chocolate souffle, and butterscotch budino. Ingredients were high quality, and my entree was solid; it just didn't have that "wow" factor, that harmony of flavors and textures that separates a good meal from a truly exceptional one. Nothing was bad--it just wasn't all that great. With a fish that practically melts in your mouth to begin with, beurre blanc seemed redundant, even a bit lazy. A sauce that complemented, rather than imitated that buttery quality, would've been more unique and definitely more memorable. Ps the beets in the beet salad were canned. Unexpected and disappointing. Given this restaurant's 30+ 5-star reviews, I expected something mind-blowing. Acqua turned out to be a pretty, upscale steakhouse in the nor-eastern 'burbs masquerading as "Italian". Yep, I know they offer pasta, and a few overtly Italian items in the menu--but they catered primarily (and perhaps appropriately so) to the prototypical Midwestern meat-and-potatoes leanings. I would've liked to see their menu push the envelope a bit more, or at least bring a bit more dimension and inspiration to items already offered.
(3)
Heather K.
I love this place! I have never had a bad meal; I have tried items that were a little out of our comfort zone but LOVED all of the dishes. The sour chili drink is AMAZING!
(5)
Shelby M.
Excellent mussels! Great fries. I only wish this location was as nice as the one in forest lake. I've visited the other location before the Wbl location and have to say that I was unimpressed. The service is great and food is fantastic. But I sort of felt like some renovations needed to be done to the bar. The frog in the aquarium on the bar is cool but it was ruining my appetite as I was nibbling on your delicious fries.
(5)
Colleen C.
Service was great - food excellent - seating by the lake wonderful. Enjoyable evening.
(5)
Damon B.
This our favorite restaurant to go to. We look for any occasion to get here. The food is second to none, the atmosphere is great for adults, and the wine/beer selection is great! We have been here many times and we have never had a bad meal or experience! It is the best of the best in the Twin Cities!!
(5)
Michael F.
We were looking for a nice dinner near an event we were going to in White Bear Lake; a town a good 45 minutes from our home. We were more than happy to have found Acqua. This Italian based menu is not some suburban red-sauce joint; you'd have a hard time finding this level in most serious cities. Tried the mushroom soup and the osso buco, both of which are on the tasting menu ($40). The $20 wine flight that went with that was three well paired rounds (and not skimpy portions!); the last round of wine was a mellow tawny port that went great with the butterscotch budino (pudding) with caramel sauce, which alone is worth the drive. The others at our table tried the walleye, a steak, and a carbonara with pulled pork; Everyone raved. The server was very kind and attentive, and showed his enthusiasm for the menu. The kitchen did some small tweaks to accommodate some food needs (like a youngster who didn't want the sauce on her entree). I really hope to get back here, hopefully on a warm summer night by the lake!
(5)
Amy H.
Came here for a birthday dinner on the recommendation of some coworkers and it was a fantastic choice. I think the highlight of the feast was actually our cocktail choice - the Black Cherry Collins. It's a gin-based drink, but it did not taste overly "ginny" at all. Smooth and delicious. Moving along... Appetizers: Calamari was sublime. Shrimp Caesar salads were divine - dressing was not too heavy, yet carried a very bold flavor. Entree: I had the pork shank and I would highly recommend that to anyone. Dessert: I went with the ice cream trio because I wanted ice cream, but I think all the other offerings are fancier and maybe tastier. I still liked my ice cream. We made a reservation for 8pm on a Sunday night and were very glad we did - it was totally full when we got there. Definitely plan ahead for any night you go! This is a great special occasion choice.
(5)
Karyn P.
Wow, that's all I can say. The service is greAT the food.even better. All I can say is they change the menu and go eat there. It's amazing.
(5)
Sam M.
My wife always likes to get wine when we go to a place like Acqua. Not tonight. We decided to sample some of the novel cocktails they had on offer. A Pepper infused bourbon with passion fruit for me. My wife had a cucumber margarita. They bourbon was quite snappy and was well complemented by the sweet fruit taste. The cucumber was more subtle and light. Acqua is a repurposed house on the shore of White Bear Lake. It overlooks the harbor and features a patio for summer dining. The atmosphere is casual, but the dining room lends an air of elegance to the place. It is an enjoyable place to have a quiet conversation. We were promptly seated for our reservation, our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly. A nice crusty loaf accompanied by a lightly honeyed butter was more than welcome. We selected the three course meal. My wife picked spring greens. I picked spinach with prosciutto/apple/pear. Both were great with subtle flavoring. We both had the walleye as a main course. Tender- not overcooked at all. I am not a fish guy, but I found it intriguing. Dessert was creme brulee for me and butterscotch pudding (with sea salt) for my wife. Both were a nice way to wrap up the meal.
(5)
matt k.
Acqua is run be people with years of experience in fine dining restaurants located in and around Minneapolis and the service and food definitely reflects that. With its fresh ingredients to sea food flown in daily, you can definitely tell that care is put into the unique dishes served. The items we ordered for our meal were: Calamari Caprese Salad Mussels Saltimbocca del Pollo Ossobuco di Porco Trio of Izzy's Ice Cream Double Chocolate Brownie with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache and Almond Whipped Cream All phenomenal. But the Mussels ( twitpic.com/i85is ) were exceptional and the broth they're served in might as well be served as a soup it was so tasty. The chicken breast was moist and flavorful and the risotto done very well. The pork shank fell off the bone - it was all great and a great experience. We sat outside on the porch overlooking White Bear Lake. This was our view, twitpic.com/i801r Give it a shot. Seriously. You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Katie F.
Best valentine's date ever. Incredible food and ambiance.
(5)
Karin M.
I must admit that with a Yelp 5 star rating and 16 reviews we had extremely high expectations for our visit at Acqua. Wow, not only did they meet those expectations we were all planning our next visit before we even left the restaurant. Reservations are a must, at least for a Saturday night. The only dim spot was when we walked in (use the entrance on the side of the building) and had to wait a few minutes for our table...it was a little crowded and awkward without a very big waiting space/entry. Once seated, perfection began. The wait staff works together so very well it is simply a joy. All four of us had something different and all four were more than pleased with the offerings. Our friends shared the scallop small plate which looked divine. Hubbs and I shared the cured meat plate which was outstanding. Dinner was Ossobuco for me, a featured pork entree with figs for hubbs, scallops/shrimp with the purple potatoes and the filet with crab for our friends. It looked like our friend licked his plate clean, it was that good. Desserts were the butterscotch bundino, the chocolate cake with graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream (combining the flavors was like eating a s'more, and the banana's foster cheesecake. Once again, all delish! Can't wait to go back...this is one place where I would love to become a regular at.
(5)
Jeremy C.
My wife and I went here for our anniversary. Had been meaning to go for some time and now wish we would have gone sooner. I had a steak that was one of the best I've ever had. Service was great. Love the outdoor patio. Wine selection and drinks were good. Expensive evening meal but very worth it for a special occasion.
(5)
Phil H.
There are only so many places I've eaten in the Twin Cities that I would confidently put up against the best places in the major cities (Heartland and 112 Eatery come to mind). Well, this is one of them. This place is legit. The attention to flavors is major league. My wife and I had some great calamari to start, different seafood dishes for dinner (mine was a special) and one of the best desserts I've ever eaten. The prices for a meal like this are reasonable and a great value. Do yourself a favor and get here as soon as you can...just make sure to make a reservation. My wife and I can't wait to go back. Well done.
(5)
Alex C.
When I think of fancy meal places, I think of downtown Minneapolis or right around there. There are of fine dining joints other places....St. Paul (Meritage, Heartland) but I was shocked to hear the rumblings about Acqua over my neck of the woods in White Bear Lake. This place is amazing. The other reviews were right. This has got to be the best kept secret for amazing fine dining in the Twin Cities. They have a $40 every day tasting menu but for restaurant week they had a $30 tasting menu with a few less options. I started off with one of the best calamari I've ever had. Perfectly crispy, not oily and extremely tender. I can explain the mayo but I would have eaten it with a spoon if I didn't think people would stare. My tasting menu started with the honeydew and cantaloupe puree. This was an amazing cold soup and the honey dew side had a bit of tang to it. It looked as amazing as it tasted. Very refreshing on a bit of a muggy day. My wife, who loves beat salads and orders them everywhere we go, said hands down, this was the best beat salad she had every had. (The salad came with a fried goat cheese and there was something on the beats that made them a little crispy). I'll have to take her word for it because she wasn't sharing. For my main course I had the ragu which was probably the best spaghetti type noodle dish I have ever had. Our friend had the osso buco which looked amazing. It was the largest most tender portion of osso bucco that I had ever seen. It was served with a white mashed sweet potato (white? who knew?) I only tried a bite, but it was amazing and I'm coming back for it. For dessert, I had a deconstructed smore (graham cracker ice cream, homemade marshmallow and a molten lava cake....they called it a souffle...it was good regardless). It was tasty but everyone recommends the budino. I can see why. It beat the snot out of the 112 version...a tough thing to do but wow, this thing was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. Also, I was amazed by the awesome service. I doubt my glass even got half empty. Our waiter was very helpful and his recommendations were perfect. This is a pricier joint but you are paying for some amazing food and service. If you're looking for a great fancy meal, then you should strongly consider coming here. You definitely need to call ahead, especially a week or two in advance for weekend reservations. I hope this place doesn't blow up too big (like Travail) otherwise it'll be a pain getting back in here.
(5)
Dan R.
Last night we went to Acqua to have great food and eat on their patio. Unfortunately, the breeze coming off the lake was just a little too strong/cold! Although we couldn't sit on the patio (they would let us if we wanted to), we still had a great time and excellent food. This was our second time here and both times we had great food. This time they had a 50% special on all bottles of wine! They always have a tasting menu with three courses for $30. I had the pork shank with sweet potato puree which was excellent. For dessert, we shared the Butterscotch Budino with caramel which was topped with whipped cream and a little sea salt. The sea salt added a little depth to the dessert. Although this was tasty, next time I'm going to try the Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake with Graham Cracker Ice Cream and Marshmallow! We'll go back to sit on the patio again, but might have to wait until July!
(4)
Kathy P.
Just had to share this. Yelps description says beer and wine only. Acqua has some of the best cocktails ever. The cucumber margarita is light and refreshing. The black cherry gin drink, can't think of the name is to die for. Everything is wonderful!
Great food, quiet atmos & service! During the summer enjoy outdoors on their patio viewing White Bear Lake. I have been there 3x always very good
(5)
Olive S.
Best dinner in White Bear, and it beats a lot of Twin City restaurants too. Who says the suburbs can't keep it classy? Great spot, great food. Romantic. I'd eat here every week if I could.
(5)
Frank S.
Definitely the best dining spot in the Twin Cities' northern suburbs. The food was excellent. Our server, Ryan Smith, was very knowledgeable, and friendly, but professional. Our table on the second floor was comfortable. The second floor is a long spacious area with quite a few tables (maybe 15?) but they are well spaced, and the area is not crowded. Also there appeared to be 5 or 6 wait staff working the area so each table was well attended (but not intrusive). We also appreciated that the noise level was fairly low. We could actually hear each other while speaking in a low volume. We only passed thru the first floor, where the bar and a number of tables are located, but it appeared to be more crowded. The outside tables at dockside were not available as it was cool and raining. I suggest making reservations. While this is not a large restaurant, and there are quite a few tables, but it's the only place like it for many miles and appears to have quite a draw. The food: For an appetizer we had Patate Fritte: malt vinegar fries with tarragon aioli and fresno chili ketchup. A single order was generous, enough for two. The aioli with the fries is superb. We split a Mela Parmigiano salad: matchstick apple and manchego cheese with olio verde, chive and cracked black pepper. Again, it was enough for two and very tasty. My wife had Pollo Saltimbocca: roasted chicken breast with prosciutto ham, sage, basil pesto risotto and fontina cream sauce. I had the Ossobuco: braised pork shank with white sweet potato puree and port demi-glace. It was all well presented, and delicious. I particularly enjoy "lesser cuts", such as pork shank, which are brought to a new level thru expert preparation. They can do that at Acqua.
(5)
Kim R.
We stopped by Acqua for the second time last night and the food wowed us again! This place just can't go wrong in my book. Everything we've tried here has been top knotch. I ordered the crab ravioli and it had the best tomato sauce I have ever tasted. I could have just ordered a bowl of the sauce and eaten it with a spoon. It had such a warm, rich flavor. I wish I could replicate it at home. I think I might just dream about that sauce for weeks to come. For dessert we ordered the butterscotch budino. I was intrigued by this dessert after reading a few Yelp reviews that raved about it. I'm not usually a fan of pudding and like a little more substance to my desserts, like cake or brownies. But this dessert was definitely tasty. It started with a layer of creamy butterscotch pudding that was spiked with rum and was topped with a layer of salted vanilla bean caramel. On top of that was fresh whipped cream and a bit of sea salt. While this was a good dessert, I can't say that I would order it again. If you like tasting menus, this is the place for you! Every night they have a three course menu for $30, such a great value.
(5)
Paul K.
I was not impressed with the Panko Walleye, however the Yukon gold potatoes where excellent. The Butterscotch Budino with Caramel just tasted like eating pure sugar. They had a great beer selection which cannot be found at many resturants.
(3)
Jennell E.
I thought everything was very good - but none of them were spectacular to me. I would certainly go back though to try other things off the menu as I could have just ordered the wrong things. Caprese Salad - Best dish of the night - so fresh and yummy! Calamari - heavily seasoned and had some chewy pieces Ragu - loved the fresh noodles, sauce was "eh" for me Peach cobbler - This is strange but did anyone else taste candle wax? You know when you were a kid and you had a ton of candles and some dripped on to the cake? I swear that is how it tasted to me but there were no candles in sight! Server was EXCELLENT - I was surprised because the staff is very young but super attentive and knowlegeable.
Great Food, Great Service, and a Great Atmosphere!! Will definitely be back again...
(5)
Martin L.
Such good food, and a great Elderflower Martini.
(5)
Dan P.
Outstanding food and service. Their walleye is the best.
(5)
Natalia C.
Hands down one of my all time favorite meals was at this charming, little spot! They have everything right . . . the service, wine, ambiance and food is all incredible!
(5)
Mollee F.
You won't regret making the drive to White Bear Lake for this restaurant. Service is top notch. Setting is both scenic and intimate. And the food is the among the best the metro has to offer (down to the butter). Ragu bolognese is lick-the-bowl good. Great place to impress out-of-town guests with.
(5)
Lael B.
You've got to go, that's all I'm going to say.
(5)
Jacque U.
5 Stars, 10 Stars if I could! We had the most amazing time Saturday night. We arrived early for our reservation and had to wait, but we had at least 2 people (neither of whom ended up being our server) offer to get us drinks and look at the menu. We were seated and our server brought us each a glass of champagne when she found out were were celebrating. We both ordered from the tasting menu (what an amazing deal, the quality far exceeds the price) but we split the duck confit pizza as our starter instead of individual starters. Pizza was SO good. The combination of flavors with the pear, Gorgonzola, champagne grapes, and the duck blew me away. The duck was slightly crispy and the crust of the pizza was just about perfect. Thin but still doughy, Mains were the ossobucco di porcco (I think I spelled that right - pork shank) with sweet potato mash for him and the handmade spinach ravioli for me. He was sold on the osso as soon as it was described as braised for 2+ hours with a 2 days sauce. And it was extremely flavorful and delicious. His only complaint was that he wanted more sauce. I was sure that my ravioli wouldn't hold up to the osso but they definitely held their own. The artichoke hearts with tomatoes and garlic and the lemon sauce was so bright and the flavors exploded in my mouth. Delicious. Dessert. OMG, dessert. I know I've been raving about the food but dessert was amazing. We had the chocolate souffle cake with graham cracker ice cream which was a 7/10 but the budino... sweet heaven the budino. The salted caramel topping was amazing. It was salted just right to complement the sweetness and the creamy pudding (is it pudding? custard?) underneath, bliss. I had the accompanying wines with mine and all were good. The riesling at the end wasn't as good as I hoped but both reds were excellent. I should have written down the names, I would absolutely buy them for home. Amazing food, definitely worth the money, great service, GO NOW. What are you waiting for?
(5)
Kathy K.
Nice views of White Bear Lake but my food was disappointing. Starting with the beet salad with very nice fried goat cheese, however the beets were limp and old and the dressing was not well balanced. I had the snapper with orzo. Not a good choice as the fish was dry and overcooked, the sauce was acidic and bland. It needed some garlic or pepper to liven it up. Just a boring entree and overpriced for the area. My friends had some entrees with scallops and shrimp that looked much better. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. The service was excellent however.
(3)
Jonathan B.
Acqua is a hidden treasure in the northern suburbs! The food is amazing, the service impeccable, any experience unforgettable. Acqua continues to impress me time and time again. The goat cheese beet salad is hands-down, my favorite salad in the entire world. Their menu changes often, so be sure to visit often. The salted prime rib is always a hit, the Oso Buco is always delicious, but their fish selections are out of this world! I've been visiting this restaurant for many years, and the service is always been exceptional. No matter what the occasion, whether casual dining, or formal affair, this restaurant will impress. Don't forget dessert! They generally have a great selection of ice cream, torts and the caramel bundino mousse is a must! The restaurant is small, so make sure to book a reservation. They also have outdoor seating in the summer, right on White Bear Lake. You can also arrive by boat!
(5)
Stella H.
I went to Acqua on a Saturday night with 3 friends to celebrate a birthday. Acqua is a quaint building across from WBL. It's cute and the staff and owner are terrific. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Their margaritas are very, very good. My friends love the Jamedon and ginger cocktail, which was tasty, I just don't like dark liquors. The menu looked great, it was tough making a decision. I ordered the scallops on the small plate menu - added one extra scallop for $4 as only two come in an order. OMG! Order these! The sauce was amazing and it was very rich - if you have heart troubles, choose a salad! I had the best and fried goat cheese salad - very good. They should just have a friend goat cheese appetizer as those were fantastic. I also ordered the brussel sprouts to share - they were a bit tough. Not as tasty as other place dive tried (to this day, Bank DT Mpls has the BEST brussel sprouts!) One friend ordered the salmon and loved it, one ordered the mussels and I tried a few, they were great. One had the pink snapper and that was very good as well! We all split a piece of cheesecake which was super light and airy, odd for a cheesecake. But it was great. The wine we ordered was wonderful as well. Cabernet first and Shiraz second. A lovely night, great food and wonderful service! Give it a go if you happen to be up this way. Tip: try the tasting menu. For $40 you get a salad, entree and dessert and all portions are regular serving size! Terrific bargain.
(4)
Sharon B.
We stumbled upon this restaurant and were delighted with a wonderful balcony table upstairs with a great view of White Bear Lake. We split the 3 course option - just enough food. The Caprese salad was wonderful, with the buffalo mozzarella just right. The Tiger Shrimp Scampi was excellent, and the New York style cheesecake topped the meal perfectly. Great service, great food and a great view makes this place a new favorite when we're visiting the cities.
(5)
Angel S.
If you want a nice restaurant in White Bear Lake, on the water even, check out Acqua - it's a nice place. They have seafood, chops, vegetarian risotto, and they have a tasting menu. You can find something for $18 - $40 (3-course tasting menu). The cocktails are lovely too - I enjoyed the cucumber margarita. If you get to sit on the lake it's wonderful. We sat inside, and it was fine, but feel it will be better when the weather is cold/bad because we prefer to sit on the lake when it's nice out. We did have our 15 month old, and they accommodated us well, but next time we will try a romantic dinner or night out with friends to not feel as rushed. Reservations are recommended.
(4)
Leo S.
One of our favorite places in White Bear and it is hard to beat on a nice evening. The food is usually pretty good and they gave a nice selection of beers and wines.
(5)
Kristie K.
Love, Love, Love. Food was excellent. I had family in town from Florida and he is vegan and they were very accommodating. The service is always excellent.
(5)
Erin T.
The food is delicious and great atmosphere. Must have the spicy Chile drink they have on their menu!!
(4)
Olive S.
Best dinner in White Bear, and it beats a lot of Twin City restaurants too. Who says the suburbs can't keep it classy? Great spot, great food. Romantic. I'd eat here every week if I could.
(5)
Tracy D.
This place is phenomenal, service is excellent, foods is to die for. Make reservations, because this place is always busy. One of the best meals I have ever had, make this a must of your bucket list, you will not regret it.
(5)
Melanie M.
My husband took me here this summer for my Birthday dinner and the food was amazingly good and the service was stellar! We like to to order items that we both want to try and then share. We started with the Calamari which was cooked perfectly=golden crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned and tender on the inside. We also split a great salad made with feta, kalamata olives, red onion, and sun dried tomatoes with an herb vinaigrette which was very tasty and refreshing on a hot night. For our entrees, I had the Oso Buco and my husband had the Pasta Bolognese. The bolognese was very good but the pork shank oso buco was the star! The meat's exterior had almost a crusty texture but the interior was moist and fall-apart tender then covered with one of the richest most delicious demi-glace sauces I've ever tasted! It was served with the perfect accompaniment to soak up all that fabulous sauce, a mashed yellow sweet potato the menu said was from New Jersey. I am a chocoholic so I had to order the chocolate mousse cake that was a play on a s'more, a molton type chocolate cake with bruleed marshmallow creme served with graham cracker ice cream. This was a delicious dessert but on the recommendation of our server we also ordered the Butterscotch Budino, a homemade butterscotch pudding topped with a caramel sauce and sea salt. This was absolute heaven! One of the best desserts I've ever had! If you enjoy sea salted caramel ice cream, you must try it-the perfect balance of salty and sweet! This is my new favorite special occasion restaurant-you have to check it out!
(5)
Kevin P.
Made it to Acqua tonight, good food and a nice experience. I chose from the 3-course tasting menu, for the starter they allowed me to substitute a very nice hen-of-the-woods mushroom soup that was a special. The soup was nicely balanced, creamy and tasty. Then came the Braised Pork Shank with Golden Sweet Potato Puree. The pork was cooked perfectly, tender enough that I was able to pull it apart with my fork. Very good, and a good sized portion. To finish I had the Peach Cobbler with ice cream and a cup of coffee. A perfect end to my meal. The waiter was attentive but not obtrusive the service was excellent. Worth the trip, I'll be going back.
(5)
Phillip Y.
We came here last week during restaurant week. I had the shrimp scampi and my significant other had the Ragu alla Bolognese. The shrimp scampi was just the right proportion but the Ragu alla Bolognese was huge. For starter, I had the field green and cucumber salad and my significant other had the wild mushroom soup which was creamy but good. For dessert, I had the chocolate soufle and she had the Izzy's trio ice cream (butter pecan, chocolate chip, pumpkin). Our favorite was the butter pecan. I had graham cracker ice cream with my soufle with homemade marshmallow. Overall, reasonable price at $30 per person for restaurant week. We went to see a movie afterwards at Oakdale Marcus so it was a nice dinner and movie date night. Parking was not adequate but free valet parking so don't let the attendant scare you off. Otherwise, park at the very end near the VFW lot.
(5)
Andrew T.
I mean, the hype for this place is high, so I gave it a go despite the prices. A great place if you like good wine and cocktails. The salmon was one of the cheaper entrees at 26 bucks. It came with the purple kind of potatoes, some greens, and orange slices. It was quite good, but could have used some more exciting seasoning. Again, the wine is great. Try this place out.
(4)
Leah S.
I really wanted to like this place, it is my mom and step-dad's favorite restaurant and when they took us here we were excited to see what this place has to offer! I don't get out of Minneapolis or St. Paul much to try restaurants so I was excited to see what the burbs have in store :) Let's start with the good stuff: It is located close to white bear lake, so you can get a view of the lake! The wine list is good,not amazing but good They have a prix fixe menu The dessert was really good, but not $9 good What didn't thrill me: The prices! $40 for a prix fixe menu is a little absurd especially if you aren't downtown or a James beard award winner The food was okay at best. I had the watermelon salad for my first course and the watermelon had started to go bad, it wasn't fresh. I had the salmon for my main course, nothing phenomenal. The service was okay So overall, okay food at high prices. If you live in the area try it out but don't go out of your way to go there!
(3)
K S.
Fabulous food, great service and the outdoor patio is White Bear's best. Walleye is very good. Creative tasting menu is always available. A must try!
(5)
Liz M.
We took my bfs parents here for Father's Day and everything was AMAZING! We had a great server as well. From the homemade ginger ale and lemonade to our main courses. We had the Brussels sprouts and bruschetta, they were both good, but sprouts are the clear winner. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. We had 3 fish dishes and one chicken and everyone was extremely happy with presentation and flavor.
(5)
Frank S.
Definitely the best dining spot in the Twin Cities' northern suburbs. The food was excellent. Our server, Ryan Smith, was very knowledgeable, and friendly, but professional. Our table on the second floor was comfortable. The second floor is a long spacious area with quite a few tables (maybe 15?) but they are well spaced, and the area is not crowded. Also there appeared to be 5 or 6 wait staff working the area so each table was well attended (but not intrusive). We also appreciated that the noise level was fairly low. We could actually hear each other while speaking in a low volume. We only passed thru the first floor, where the bar and a number of tables are located, but it appeared to be more crowded. The outside tables at dockside were not available as it was cool and raining. I suggest making reservations. While this is not a large restaurant, and there are quite a few tables, but it's the only place like it for many miles and appears to have quite a draw. The food: For an appetizer we had Patate Fritte: malt vinegar fries with tarragon aioli and fresno chili ketchup. A single order was generous, enough for two. The aioli with the fries is superb. We split a Mela Parmigiano salad: matchstick apple and manchego cheese with olio verde, chive and cracked black pepper. Again, it was enough for two and very tasty. My wife had Pollo Saltimbocca: roasted chicken breast with prosciutto ham, sage, basil pesto risotto and fontina cream sauce. I had the Ossobuco: braised pork shank with white sweet potato puree and port demi-glace. It was all well presented, and delicious. I particularly enjoy "lesser cuts", such as pork shank, which are brought to a new level thru expert preparation. They can do that at Acqua.
(5)
Kim R.
We stopped by Acqua for the second time last night and the food wowed us again! This place just can't go wrong in my book. Everything we've tried here has been top knotch. I ordered the crab ravioli and it had the best tomato sauce I have ever tasted. I could have just ordered a bowl of the sauce and eaten it with a spoon. It had such a warm, rich flavor. I wish I could replicate it at home. I think I might just dream about that sauce for weeks to come. For dessert we ordered the butterscotch budino. I was intrigued by this dessert after reading a few Yelp reviews that raved about it. I'm not usually a fan of pudding and like a little more substance to my desserts, like cake or brownies. But this dessert was definitely tasty. It started with a layer of creamy butterscotch pudding that was spiked with rum and was topped with a layer of salted vanilla bean caramel. On top of that was fresh whipped cream and a bit of sea salt. While this was a good dessert, I can't say that I would order it again. If you like tasting menus, this is the place for you! Every night they have a three course menu for $30, such a great value.
(5)
Paul K.
I was not impressed with the Panko Walleye, however the Yukon gold potatoes where excellent. The Butterscotch Budino with Caramel just tasted like eating pure sugar. They had a great beer selection which cannot be found at many resturants.
(3)
Kathy M.
This is one of our favorite Minnesota restaurants for many reasons.... The food and the drinks are always exceptional! (I can personally speak for the Jameson!) They offer a 3 course menu for $40 which is a great way to sample their menu - it can be too easy to turn down the starters or desserts and I think their mushroom soup should never be missed! My hubby says that their Osso Bucco is the best he's ever had! The owner and wait staff are very professional and personable. It is in a quaint little house overlooking a lake and I'm told that in beautiful weather, it is very nice having dinner out on their patio by the lake.
(5)
Damon B.
This our favorite restaurant to go to. We look for any occasion to get here. The food is second to none, the atmosphere is great for adults, and the wine/beer selection is great! We have been here many times and we have never had a bad meal or experience! It is the best of the best in the Twin Cities!!
(5)
Jen W.
I've been hearing about this place for a long time and put it on my list of places to try years ago. Then I realized it was in White Bear Lake so I took it off my list of places to try. But a friend with a gift certificate convinced me to go. I was pretty excited to finally see what the buzz was about, but also apprehensive and worried that it isn't necessarily "good" as much as it is "good for White Bear Lake". But we hauled our a$$es up to WBL ready to find out. My first thought walking in was "oh my god, I'm totally overdressed" as the ambience leaves a bit to be desired. And the chairs are uber uncomfortable. So right off the bat I was let down and ready to be disappointed. But fortunately, that's where the disappointment ended. I did the 3 for $40 tasting menu and the $20 paired wine flight, started with the much-raved about beet salad which did not disappoint, nor did the pinot grigio it was paired with which cut the acidity of the dressing beautifully. There is no vegetarian entree on the tasting menu, but when I asked if I could get one they offered eggplant parmesan or vegetable risotto. I opted for the former even though I'm not a big fan of eggplant. It was delicious. The sauce was slightly smoky and slightly spicy and and with the paired merlot (yes folks, merlot) it was fantastic. Ended with the chocolate souffle cake w/ graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream served with port and nearly died. My friend also did the 3 for $40 but added an appetizer. Don't do this. It was way too much food. The calamari which he ordered was boring and blah but the server noted that he hadn't touched much and suggested that she'd bring him the mussels instead which she swore he'd love. He did. It was all quite delicious. That said, I wouldn't drive to White Bear Lake for it again as there are restaurants much closer with the same quality. But if you happen to live in the northern 'burbs, I'd definitely put this on the short list.
(4)
Annie L.
My girlfriends and I had a wonderful dinner and experience at Acqua the other night. We had a table on the second floor, which gives off a totally different vibe than the main floor, which looks more dated. The atmosphere was beautiful and spacious. The food was outstanding (bruschetta appetizer, cheese plate, apple/manchego salad, beet/goat cheese salad, sea bass, butternut ravioli, butterscotch budino, chocolate torte with graham cracker and marshmallow)! To be honest, it was better than we expected. The wine recommendation that Thomas (our waiter) had was spot on and exactly what we were looking for. Overall, a great experience. Too bad we all live almost an hour away or this would be a "go to" place.
(4)
Angela S.
We dined here with two other couples in December. This place is very unique being that it is an old house converted into a restaurant. With that being said, it is very small and cramped so be prepared for some bumping into people as well struggling to find a place to stand around the bar enjoying a drink waiting for your table. Regardless, the food and service were amazing. I ordered what the server recommended as a staff favorite, the Gamberi. This is a scallop and shrimp plate and it was fantastic. Everyone else in my group were completely satisfied with their meals as well and we all agreed we would return. Free Valet parking is a bonus here too. Even though it's in WBL, the parking is not good.
(5)
Krystle R.
What i enjoyed most about the place is your not rushed to eat, everything is coursed out. I had the pork shank which was fantastic! The service was great , the servers are very attentive there . Highly recommended this place !!
(5)
Vishal S.
This place is the bomb! I've been here a couple times now and both times it has been excellent service and phenomenal food. Small cozy quarters tucked in nicely by the lake, I had the lobster dish and it was the best, full of flavor and sweet!!!
(5)
Brian H.
I came here with my wife for dessert and coffee. We shared the Chocolate Souffle Cake, Toasted Marshmallow & Graham Cracker Ice Cream dessert. It was very good, especially the ice cream, very unique and yummy, and the service was prompt and friendly. My main complaint is the building. It is in a very narrow and cramped space. We sat inside on the main level and it was way too tight in there. The patio by the lake seems like it would be pretty nice, but it was too cold when we were there. If I knew I would be sat in the same space, I would not go back, but to sit outside I would try it again to try the food menu.
(3)
Phyllis L.
I would give Acqua 3 1/2 stars. The food was good but not phenomenal . My husband had lamb chops a special for the night. He said they were good but small and has had better. I had the pork ribeye, I thought it was good but I wasn't overWhelmed. We shared the beet salad the greens were chicory which are quite bitter in my opinion. It had very little dressing on it. The beets were cut in small strips. I did think the desserts were quite good, everyone had something different.The service was also just good. We were seated upstairs and it is quite loud with high ceilings. Not sure I would rush back for the money we paid.
(3)
Ann Marie F.
Perfect spot for a date! Got there shortly after rain, so staff was urgently getting patios ready for guests. Wait was no problem. Had 2 signature cocktails, delish! Ordered roasted beet salad and duck bacon with arugula. Both good, nothing overwhelming. Although, duck bacon tasted just like regular bacon. Had the seared Ahi tuna... not seared. .. WELL done. It was saved by the delicious sauce and potatoes. Date had sea bass, which was amazing. It's a fabulous spot! Give it a try!
(4)
Crystal M.
Parking was a bit tricky as it was quite busy in that area but our table was ready for our reservation, food was fantastic, drinks were delicious. We did not feel rushed and would definitely recommend this restaurant to others.
(5)
matt k.
Acqua is run be people with years of experience in fine dining restaurants located in and around Minneapolis and the service and food definitely reflects that. With its fresh ingredients to sea food flown in daily, you can definitely tell that care is put into the unique dishes served. The items we ordered for our meal were: Calamari Caprese Salad Mussels Saltimbocca del Pollo Ossobuco di Porco Trio of Izzy's Ice Cream Double Chocolate Brownie with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache and Almond Whipped Cream All phenomenal. But the Mussels ( twitpic.com/i85is ) were exceptional and the broth they're served in might as well be served as a soup it was so tasty. The chicken breast was moist and flavorful and the risotto done very well. The pork shank fell off the bone - it was all great and a great experience. We sat outside on the porch overlooking White Bear Lake. This was our view, twitpic.com/i801r Give it a shot. Seriously. You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Katie F.
Best valentine's date ever. Incredible food and ambiance.
(5)
Kevin P.
Made it to Acqua tonight, good food and a nice experience. I chose from the 3-course tasting menu, for the starter they allowed me to substitute a very nice hen-of-the-woods mushroom soup that was a special. The soup was nicely balanced, creamy and tasty. Then came the Braised Pork Shank with Golden Sweet Potato Puree. The pork was cooked perfectly, tender enough that I was able to pull it apart with my fork. Very good, and a good sized portion. To finish I had the Peach Cobbler with ice cream and a cup of coffee. A perfect end to my meal. The waiter was attentive but not obtrusive the service was excellent. Worth the trip, I'll be going back.
(5)
Natalia C.
Hands down one of my all time favorite meals was at this charming, little spot! They have everything right . . . the service, wine, ambiance and food is all incredible!
(5)
Mollee F.
You won't regret making the drive to White Bear Lake for this restaurant. Service is top notch. Setting is both scenic and intimate. And the food is the among the best the metro has to offer (down to the butter). Ragu bolognese is lick-the-bowl good. Great place to impress out-of-town guests with.
(5)
Suze S.
Bar none, this is my current favorite restaurant for Dining Out right now. (The capital letters mean dining out in nice places, not just Going Out, which would be, like, Olive Garden or something.) The atmosphere is nice but not stuffy or pretentious, same for the staff. Love the "patio" section down by the lake, the rooftop is nice too, but gets a little breezy. The restaurant is in an old, renovated house, so the inside dining room is reminiscent of Forepaugh's, but more intimate. Excellent wine selection, and the servers are very helpful in choosing. They have a Dinner menu and a prix fixe Tasting menu with a salad/entree/dessert. With your drinks comes some pre-dinner bread and the MOST amazing butter I've every had. Sweet, creamy, with a touch of honey. I may or may not have licked the butter knife. The first time we went I was just meeting a friend, I just had the chilled soup and we split the Creme Brulee. The chilled soup was, I think, cantaloupe-strawberry and honeydew-mint? It was interesting. It was plated beautifully, with the cantaloupe puree on one half of the bowl, and the honeydew on the other, with a beautiful design of what I think was creme fraiche separating them. The taste was sweeter than I expected, and the texture was a little unusual, not sure it's something I'd get again, but I'm glad I tried it. The creme brulee was done well, tasted like creme brulee. Our second visit we came hungry and both ordered from the Tasting menu. I wish our timing was better, because the Wine Flight matched with the menu sounded great, and not too steep at $20, but I had to work later. Our server was great about letting the uber picky Man make some small changes/substitutions to the Tasting menu. I'm not nearly as fussy. I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad- the fried Lemon-Honey goat cheese was Ah. Mah. Zing. For the main course I ordered the Ossobucco. Delicious. Huge. Tender. Falling off the bone. Sweet but also savory. And the white sweet potato mash was a perfect combination, soaking up the extra sauce, providing a smooth contrast to all that meat. For dessert I had the Butterscotch Budino with Whipped Cream, Caramel and Sea Salt. Next time, I'm ordering this first. Screw the rest of the meal. Seriously, it's a smooth, mild butterscotch custard with puffs of whipped cream, drizzled in caramel and sprinkled with sea salt. I thought I had died and gone to dessert heaven. I'm a huge fan of pudding/custard desserts, and it's hard to find one that isn't chocolate or is more of a mousse than custard texture. This goes on the list of Things to Eat at my Last Meal for SURE. Prices? Yeah, it's a little pricey. $40 for the Tasting Menu, most entrees in the $20-$30 range. But so worth it. Great place to take people you want to linger over dinner with, savor some good flavor and enjoy a classy but relaxing atmosphere.
(5)
Leroy S.
Service was great. Valet is a good thing. I had the calamari. They were good. Had the scallops and shrimp. Scallops cooked perfectly but not phenomenal flavor, just good. I've had better tasting shrimp and scallops elsewhere which is why only 4 stars.
(4)
Lisa M.
Great meal! This actually could have been a 5 star place.... I've been wanting to try this place forever and we finally got the chance. We went with some friends on a recent Saturday evening. They are regulars there and I kind of felt like I was with celebrities. Everyone knew them and the friends knew everything we had to try on the menu. We were seated upstairs at a quaint table not far from the water station. We were kind of in the main thoroughfare, but it was fine with me. I started with the Italian Basil Mojito. It was quite refreshing and delicious. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails. We also had the bruschetta and the calamari. I enjoyed the crunch of the crostini and the tang of the red wine vinegar. I wanted to try everything on the menu, so I went with the tasting menu. I had the Field Greens Salad, the Roast Chicken and the Butterscotch Bundino. My dining companion also went with the tasting menu, but had the Beet Salad, the Walleye and the chocolate souffle. The salad was great! I loved everything about it. The egg was especially delicious! I had a piece of his fried goat cheese from his salad and it was great as well. I cannot resist fried goat cheese! Here is where they lose a star - we got our food and waited for quite some time for our bottle of wine to be delivered. By quite some time, I mean all of us were about 1/3 done with our entrees. It was a little disappointing because up until then and after that, service and food could not have been better. My chicken was stuffed with Fontina Cheese and was cut all fancy. It was upon a bed of basil pesto risotto and had a pan sauce. I liked it because when I cut into the chicken, the cheese oozed out. The pan sauce was a little salty for my taste, but good otherwise. I tried the fingerling potatoes under his walleye and they were great as well. I literally couldn't decided on dessert since everything sounded good. I told her to surprise us - she came with the Butterscotch and the Souffle. Oh, wow! Now, I'm not even a huge butterscotch fan, but this was so freaking good! The sweetness of the butterscotch worked so well with the saltiness on top. Whoa! Now, I *have* to try the one at 112. I wasn't crazy about the actual chocolate souffle, but I loved the graham cracker ice cream that came with it. This is a 5 star place, but even a couple weeks later, I'm still thinking about how the wine came so long after we started eating. I'll give them pass on it and most definitely try it again!
(4)
Kelly O.
Why won't Yelp let me do half stars? I would give Acqua a 4.5 instead. Eating outside, overlooking the lake is a beautiful way to spend a summer evening. Inside is more cramped and a less ideal way to enjoy this restaurant. I had the tasting menu which is a wonderful value for the quality and amount of food you get. Our waiter was friendly and had a good knowledge of wine pairings to go with our meals. A little bit more expensive than most restaurants in White Bear Lake, but a more gourmet experience awaits you.
(4)
Master A.
I usually don't give out 5 stars, but this small place was worth it. They went out of their way to get my wife and I seating outside by the boat docks. The server was very friendly and fast. The food was priced just right. I had the rib eye steak. I'm a pretty big eater, but I could only finish half. The steak was huge and well worth the money. The atmosphere was wonderful. I really felt like I was a king when I was here. I will definitely return. The only thing that might be a con for this place is that it is too small. If you have a large party, good luck. This place looks like it was an old duplex from back in the day, but it looks really nice.
(5)
Mange T.
3 1/2 stars. 3 stars for the food. An additional 0.5 for above average service and what I presume is a good location in the summer (I can only speak to the experience in the dead of winter--by that I mean March 2013). The host was kind enough to give us seats right near the oversized window with a lakeside view, where we could potentially "watch a car or two sink." I ordered wine per the waitress's suggestion, which was delightful, although the restaurant seems very proud of its cocktail offerings. Our waitress was courteous and willing to give advice on the menu, although she did recommend one steak in particular "because the side potato mash is ah-Mazing", with no commentary on the rest of the dish. While I enjoy a plate of stellar mashed taters as much as the next individual, I don't typically seek them out in $40 supporting roles. Just saying. Ordered the crab-encrusted sea bass with broccolini. Also sampled the bruschetta, roasted beet salad, walleye, chocolate souffle, and butterscotch budino. Ingredients were high quality, and my entree was solid; it just didn't have that "wow" factor, that harmony of flavors and textures that separates a good meal from a truly exceptional one. Nothing was bad--it just wasn't all that great. With a fish that practically melts in your mouth to begin with, beurre blanc seemed redundant, even a bit lazy. A sauce that complemented, rather than imitated that buttery quality, would've been more unique and definitely more memorable. Ps the beets in the beet salad were canned. Unexpected and disappointing. Given this restaurant's 30+ 5-star reviews, I expected something mind-blowing. Acqua turned out to be a pretty, upscale steakhouse in the nor-eastern 'burbs masquerading as "Italian". Yep, I know they offer pasta, and a few overtly Italian items in the menu--but they catered primarily (and perhaps appropriately so) to the prototypical Midwestern meat-and-potatoes leanings. I would've liked to see their menu push the envelope a bit more, or at least bring a bit more dimension and inspiration to items already offered.
(3)
Heather K.
I love this place! I have never had a bad meal; I have tried items that were a little out of our comfort zone but LOVED all of the dishes. The sour chili drink is AMAZING!
(5)
Shelby M.
Excellent mussels! Great fries. I only wish this location was as nice as the one in forest lake. I've visited the other location before the Wbl location and have to say that I was unimpressed. The service is great and food is fantastic. But I sort of felt like some renovations needed to be done to the bar. The frog in the aquarium on the bar is cool but it was ruining my appetite as I was nibbling on your delicious fries.
(5)
Colleen C.
Service was great - food excellent - seating by the lake wonderful. Enjoyable evening.
(5)
Corie B.
Great food, quiet atmos & service! During the summer enjoy outdoors on their patio viewing White Bear Lake. I have been there 3x always very good
(5)
Michael F.
We were looking for a nice dinner near an event we were going to in White Bear Lake; a town a good 45 minutes from our home. We were more than happy to have found Acqua. This Italian based menu is not some suburban red-sauce joint; you'd have a hard time finding this level in most serious cities. Tried the mushroom soup and the osso buco, both of which are on the tasting menu ($40). The $20 wine flight that went with that was three well paired rounds (and not skimpy portions!); the last round of wine was a mellow tawny port that went great with the butterscotch budino (pudding) with caramel sauce, which alone is worth the drive. The others at our table tried the walleye, a steak, and a carbonara with pulled pork; Everyone raved. The server was very kind and attentive, and showed his enthusiasm for the menu. The kitchen did some small tweaks to accommodate some food needs (like a youngster who didn't want the sauce on her entree). I really hope to get back here, hopefully on a warm summer night by the lake!
(5)
Amy H.
Came here for a birthday dinner on the recommendation of some coworkers and it was a fantastic choice. I think the highlight of the feast was actually our cocktail choice - the Black Cherry Collins. It's a gin-based drink, but it did not taste overly "ginny" at all. Smooth and delicious. Moving along... Appetizers: Calamari was sublime. Shrimp Caesar salads were divine - dressing was not too heavy, yet carried a very bold flavor. Entree: I had the pork shank and I would highly recommend that to anyone. Dessert: I went with the ice cream trio because I wanted ice cream, but I think all the other offerings are fancier and maybe tastier. I still liked my ice cream. We made a reservation for 8pm on a Sunday night and were very glad we did - it was totally full when we got there. Definitely plan ahead for any night you go! This is a great special occasion choice.
(5)
Karyn P.
Wow, that's all I can say. The service is greAT the food.even better. All I can say is they change the menu and go eat there. It's amazing.
(5)
Sam M.
My wife always likes to get wine when we go to a place like Acqua. Not tonight. We decided to sample some of the novel cocktails they had on offer. A Pepper infused bourbon with passion fruit for me. My wife had a cucumber margarita. They bourbon was quite snappy and was well complemented by the sweet fruit taste. The cucumber was more subtle and light. Acqua is a repurposed house on the shore of White Bear Lake. It overlooks the harbor and features a patio for summer dining. The atmosphere is casual, but the dining room lends an air of elegance to the place. It is an enjoyable place to have a quiet conversation. We were promptly seated for our reservation, our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly. A nice crusty loaf accompanied by a lightly honeyed butter was more than welcome. We selected the three course meal. My wife picked spring greens. I picked spinach with prosciutto/apple/pear. Both were great with subtle flavoring. We both had the walleye as a main course. Tender- not overcooked at all. I am not a fish guy, but I found it intriguing. Dessert was creme brulee for me and butterscotch pudding (with sea salt) for my wife. Both were a nice way to wrap up the meal.
(5)
Karin M.
I must admit that with a Yelp 5 star rating and 16 reviews we had extremely high expectations for our visit at Acqua. Wow, not only did they meet those expectations we were all planning our next visit before we even left the restaurant. Reservations are a must, at least for a Saturday night. The only dim spot was when we walked in (use the entrance on the side of the building) and had to wait a few minutes for our table...it was a little crowded and awkward without a very big waiting space/entry. Once seated, perfection began. The wait staff works together so very well it is simply a joy. All four of us had something different and all four were more than pleased with the offerings. Our friends shared the scallop small plate which looked divine. Hubbs and I shared the cured meat plate which was outstanding. Dinner was Ossobuco for me, a featured pork entree with figs for hubbs, scallops/shrimp with the purple potatoes and the filet with crab for our friends. It looked like our friend licked his plate clean, it was that good. Desserts were the butterscotch bundino, the chocolate cake with graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream (combining the flavors was like eating a s'more, and the banana's foster cheesecake. Once again, all delish! Can't wait to go back...this is one place where I would love to become a regular at.
(5)
Jeremy C.
My wife and I went here for our anniversary. Had been meaning to go for some time and now wish we would have gone sooner. I had a steak that was one of the best I've ever had. Service was great. Love the outdoor patio. Wine selection and drinks were good. Expensive evening meal but very worth it for a special occasion.
(5)
Phil H.
There are only so many places I've eaten in the Twin Cities that I would confidently put up against the best places in the major cities (Heartland and 112 Eatery come to mind). Well, this is one of them. This place is legit. The attention to flavors is major league. My wife and I had some great calamari to start, different seafood dishes for dinner (mine was a special) and one of the best desserts I've ever eaten. The prices for a meal like this are reasonable and a great value. Do yourself a favor and get here as soon as you can...just make sure to make a reservation. My wife and I can't wait to go back. Well done.
(5)
Leslie a.
We have always had fantastic meals at Acqua . The service is first rate . Our favorite place to go . Never a bad thing to say about them . Hope that they keep up the GREAT work !
(5)
Doug D.
Finally made it to Acqua for dinner. We were seated upstairs in a very quaint room. They have a small bar area with a few tables and there is also a patio across the driveway near the lake that looks like it would be nice if we didn't have 4-6 inches of snow on the ground at the end of April! Very nice wine selections. The salads, beet salad, fennel-apple salad, were excellent. We also had the bruschetta which was wonderful. Our table had the Walleye dinner, Osso Bucco and the Bone In Rib Eye. Everything was prepared very well, the Osso Bucco was the best I've ever had. I tasted the walleye and rib eye and they, too were excellent. We had four different desserts and everyone tasted all of them, all getting very positive reviews. Everyone in our group was very pleased with their experience here. Fairly priced menu. Professional service, very knowledgeable. We look forward to a return visit.
(5)
Alex C.
When I think of fancy meal places, I think of downtown Minneapolis or right around there. There are of fine dining joints other places....St. Paul (Meritage, Heartland) but I was shocked to hear the rumblings about Acqua over my neck of the woods in White Bear Lake. This place is amazing. The other reviews were right. This has got to be the best kept secret for amazing fine dining in the Twin Cities. They have a $40 every day tasting menu but for restaurant week they had a $30 tasting menu with a few less options. I started off with one of the best calamari I've ever had. Perfectly crispy, not oily and extremely tender. I can explain the mayo but I would have eaten it with a spoon if I didn't think people would stare. My tasting menu started with the honeydew and cantaloupe puree. This was an amazing cold soup and the honey dew side had a bit of tang to it. It looked as amazing as it tasted. Very refreshing on a bit of a muggy day. My wife, who loves beat salads and orders them everywhere we go, said hands down, this was the best beat salad she had every had. (The salad came with a fried goat cheese and there was something on the beats that made them a little crispy). I'll have to take her word for it because she wasn't sharing. For my main course I had the ragu which was probably the best spaghetti type noodle dish I have ever had. Our friend had the osso buco which looked amazing. It was the largest most tender portion of osso bucco that I had ever seen. It was served with a white mashed sweet potato (white? who knew?) I only tried a bite, but it was amazing and I'm coming back for it. For dessert, I had a deconstructed smore (graham cracker ice cream, homemade marshmallow and a molten lava cake....they called it a souffle...it was good regardless). It was tasty but everyone recommends the budino. I can see why. It beat the snot out of the 112 version...a tough thing to do but wow, this thing was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. Also, I was amazed by the awesome service. I doubt my glass even got half empty. Our waiter was very helpful and his recommendations were perfect. This is a pricier joint but you are paying for some amazing food and service. If you're looking for a great fancy meal, then you should strongly consider coming here. You definitely need to call ahead, especially a week or two in advance for weekend reservations. I hope this place doesn't blow up too big (like Travail) otherwise it'll be a pain getting back in here.
(5)
Dan R.
Last night we went to Acqua to have great food and eat on their patio. Unfortunately, the breeze coming off the lake was just a little too strong/cold! Although we couldn't sit on the patio (they would let us if we wanted to), we still had a great time and excellent food. This was our second time here and both times we had great food. This time they had a 50% special on all bottles of wine! They always have a tasting menu with three courses for $30. I had the pork shank with sweet potato puree which was excellent. For dessert, we shared the Butterscotch Budino with caramel which was topped with whipped cream and a little sea salt. The sea salt added a little depth to the dessert. Although this was tasty, next time I'm going to try the Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake with Graham Cracker Ice Cream and Marshmallow! We'll go back to sit on the patio again, but might have to wait until July!
(4)
Kathy P.
Just had to share this. Yelps description says beer and wine only. Acqua has some of the best cocktails ever. The cucumber margarita is light and refreshing. The black cherry gin drink, can't think of the name is to die for. Everything is wonderful!
We've been wanting to go to Acqua since reading about it in January. Definitely wanted to sit dockside, so definitely had to wait until the snow melted. A big birthday came along, so off to Acqua we go. When you wait so long to go somewhere, you almost kind of set the restaurant up for failure because your expectations are so high. Well, I'm glad to say, Acqua did not disappoint! We had the three course tasting menu, which was not a tasting menu at all, but rather consisted of full sized portions, and then some. Here's what we had: Caprese salad - beautifully presented...offset layers of yellow heirlooms and mozzarella on a bed of arugula and basil, drizzled with some balsamic reduction. Flavors were well balanced. My only complaint is that the mozzarella didn't have much flavor...then again, I have never had good mozzarella in the US. Roasted Beet Salad - another yum salad. Fried goat cheese was tasty and the roasted beets were excellent. Ossobuco - I moved the bone and the meat fell off. The cut was actually twice as big as I was expecting. Sweet potato puree was intensely flavored. It could have used a touch more sauce. Roasted Chicken Salmoriglio - perfectly cooked...right at that point where the meat turns from pink to white. Peach crisp - Very nice peach flavor...Sysco peaches have never tasted so pure. The Izzy's cinnamon ice cream was insanely good, but could have been more frozen. Molten Chocolate Lava Cake - nicely prepared, perfectly runny in the middle. Again, the ice cream could've been more frozen. All in all, the food flavors and preparation was spot on. Hats off to the kitchen. The service was also top-notch. JJ knew his stuff and was attentive without being intrusive. We brought our own wine and I was pleased to see that they provided the proper Riedel glasses for the varietal. All in all, probably the best food and dining experience in the Twin Cities. Comparing to all restaurants I ever been to in any city, it would still get 4 stars.
(5)
Tabby C.
Acqua is a wonderful place to go when you feel like being wined and dined! Spectacular food, including the desserts! Fabulous wine and cocktails . My only complaint is how they up the cost of the wine( but what place doesn't?) would defiantly recommend it to anyone!
(5)
Lael B.
You've got to go, that's all I'm going to say.
(5)
Tiffiny C.
My parents took me here in April for dinner, and I was surprised by how great it was. I think this was my best fine dining experience in White Bear Lake to date, and I grew up here. I started with this tasty blackberry/gin drink. AWESOME drink, strong, and a specialty drink on their menu. For a starter we shared a flatbread pizza. It was ok. Nothing to write home about, but tasty. I ordered a salmon roulade with orzo pasta for my entree. Perfectly baked and the orzo was perfectly cooked as well. It could have used a wee more spice, but I like more spice/heat than the average Minnesotan. My step-dad had the veal ragu pasta dish. That hearty red sauce was divine. Small, classic, clean space (accessible entrance in back). Service was a bit slow, but it was really good at the same time. Looking forward to going back this summer to sit on the patio with the view of the lake!
(4)
Mike C.
The reason for the update is that I love this place. Service is always good and the food is always consistent which is important to me. The menu is simple but well executed (I think that is the problem with some restauarants with a large menu). We had a great night celebrating my birthday. The Ragu alla Bolgnese is always a treat. Please read my previous review.
(5)
Melanie M.
My husband took me here this summer for my Birthday dinner and the food was amazingly good and the service was stellar! We like to to order items that we both want to try and then share. We started with the Calamari which was cooked perfectly=golden crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned and tender on the inside. We also split a great salad made with feta, kalamata olives, red onion, and sun dried tomatoes with an herb vinaigrette which was very tasty and refreshing on a hot night. For our entrees, I had the Oso Buco and my husband had the Pasta Bolognese. The bolognese was very good but the pork shank oso buco was the star! The meat's exterior had almost a crusty texture but the interior was moist and fall-apart tender then covered with one of the richest most delicious demi-glace sauces I've ever tasted! It was served with the perfect accompaniment to soak up all that fabulous sauce, a mashed yellow sweet potato the menu said was from New Jersey. I am a chocoholic so I had to order the chocolate mousse cake that was a play on a s'more, a molton type chocolate cake with bruleed marshmallow creme served with graham cracker ice cream. This was a delicious dessert but on the recommendation of our server we also ordered the Butterscotch Budino, a homemade butterscotch pudding topped with a caramel sauce and sea salt. This was absolute heaven! One of the best desserts I've ever had! If you enjoy sea salted caramel ice cream, you must try it-the perfect balance of salty and sweet! This is my new favorite special occasion restaurant-you have to check it out!
(5)
Tracy D.
This place is phenomenal, service is excellent, foods is to die for. Make reservations, because this place is always busy. One of the best meals I have ever had, make this a must of your bucket list, you will not regret it.
(5)
Jacque U.
5 Stars, 10 Stars if I could! We had the most amazing time Saturday night. We arrived early for our reservation and had to wait, but we had at least 2 people (neither of whom ended up being our server) offer to get us drinks and look at the menu. We were seated and our server brought us each a glass of champagne when she found out were were celebrating. We both ordered from the tasting menu (what an amazing deal, the quality far exceeds the price) but we split the duck confit pizza as our starter instead of individual starters. Pizza was SO good. The combination of flavors with the pear, Gorgonzola, champagne grapes, and the duck blew me away. The duck was slightly crispy and the crust of the pizza was just about perfect. Thin but still doughy, Mains were the ossobucco di porcco (I think I spelled that right - pork shank) with sweet potato mash for him and the handmade spinach ravioli for me. He was sold on the osso as soon as it was described as braised for 2+ hours with a 2 days sauce. And it was extremely flavorful and delicious. His only complaint was that he wanted more sauce. I was sure that my ravioli wouldn't hold up to the osso but they definitely held their own. The artichoke hearts with tomatoes and garlic and the lemon sauce was so bright and the flavors exploded in my mouth. Delicious. Dessert. OMG, dessert. I know I've been raving about the food but dessert was amazing. We had the chocolate souffle cake with graham cracker ice cream which was a 7/10 but the budino... sweet heaven the budino. The salted caramel topping was amazing. It was salted just right to complement the sweetness and the creamy pudding (is it pudding? custard?) underneath, bliss. I had the accompanying wines with mine and all were good. The riesling at the end wasn't as good as I hoped but both reds were excellent. I should have written down the names, I would absolutely buy them for home. Amazing food, definitely worth the money, great service, GO NOW. What are you waiting for?
(5)
Jennell E.
I thought everything was very good - but none of them were spectacular to me. I would certainly go back though to try other things off the menu as I could have just ordered the wrong things. Caprese Salad - Best dish of the night - so fresh and yummy! Calamari - heavily seasoned and had some chewy pieces Ragu - loved the fresh noodles, sauce was "eh" for me Peach cobbler - This is strange but did anyone else taste candle wax? You know when you were a kid and you had a ton of candles and some dripped on to the cake? I swear that is how it tasted to me but there were no candles in sight! Server was EXCELLENT - I was surprised because the staff is very young but super attentive and knowlegeable.
Great Food, Great Service, and a Great Atmosphere!! Will definitely be back again...
(5)
Martin L.
Such good food, and a great Elderflower Martini.
(5)
Dan P.
Outstanding food and service. Their walleye is the best.
(5)
Ann Marie F.
Perfect spot for a date! Got there shortly after rain, so staff was urgently getting patios ready for guests. Wait was no problem. Had 2 signature cocktails, delish! Ordered roasted beet salad and duck bacon with arugula. Both good, nothing overwhelming. Although, duck bacon tasted just like regular bacon. Had the seared Ahi tuna... not seared. .. WELL done. It was saved by the delicious sauce and potatoes. Date had sea bass, which was amazing. It's a fabulous spot! Give it a try!
(4)
Crystal M.
Parking was a bit tricky as it was quite busy in that area but our table was ready for our reservation, food was fantastic, drinks were delicious. We did not feel rushed and would definitely recommend this restaurant to others.
(5)
Liz M.
We took my bfs parents here for Father's Day and everything was AMAZING! We had a great server as well. From the homemade ginger ale and lemonade to our main courses. We had the Brussels sprouts and bruschetta, they were both good, but sprouts are the clear winner. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. We had 3 fish dishes and one chicken and everyone was extremely happy with presentation and flavor.
(5)
Jonathan B.
Acqua is a hidden treasure in the northern suburbs! The food is amazing, the service impeccable, any experience unforgettable. Acqua continues to impress me time and time again. The goat cheese beet salad is hands-down, my favorite salad in the entire world. Their menu changes often, so be sure to visit often. The salted prime rib is always a hit, the Oso Buco is always delicious, but their fish selections are out of this world! I've been visiting this restaurant for many years, and the service is always been exceptional. No matter what the occasion, whether casual dining, or formal affair, this restaurant will impress. Don't forget dessert! They generally have a great selection of ice cream, torts and the caramel bundino mousse is a must! The restaurant is small, so make sure to book a reservation. They also have outdoor seating in the summer, right on White Bear Lake. You can also arrive by boat!
(5)
Kathy K.
Nice views of White Bear Lake but my food was disappointing. Starting with the beet salad with very nice fried goat cheese, however the beets were limp and old and the dressing was not well balanced. I had the snapper with orzo. Not a good choice as the fish was dry and overcooked, the sauce was acidic and bland. It needed some garlic or pepper to liven it up. Just a boring entree and overpriced for the area. My friends had some entrees with scallops and shrimp that looked much better. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. The service was excellent however.
(3)
Phyllis L.
I would give Acqua 3 1/2 stars. The food was good but not phenomenal . My husband had lamb chops a special for the night. He said they were good but small and has had better. I had the pork ribeye, I thought it was good but I wasn't overWhelmed. We shared the beet salad the greens were chicory which are quite bitter in my opinion. It had very little dressing on it. The beets were cut in small strips. I did think the desserts were quite good, everyone had something different.The service was also just good. We were seated upstairs and it is quite loud with high ceilings. Not sure I would rush back for the money we paid.
(3)
Erin T.
The food is delicious and great atmosphere. Must have the spicy Chile drink they have on their menu!!
(4)
Brian H.
I came here with my wife for dessert and coffee. We shared the Chocolate Souffle Cake, Toasted Marshmallow & Graham Cracker Ice Cream dessert. It was very good, especially the ice cream, very unique and yummy, and the service was prompt and friendly. My main complaint is the building. It is in a very narrow and cramped space. We sat inside on the main level and it was way too tight in there. The patio by the lake seems like it would be pretty nice, but it was too cold when we were there. If I knew I would be sat in the same space, I would not go back, but to sit outside I would try it again to try the food menu.
(3)
Stella H.
I went to Acqua on a Saturday night with 3 friends to celebrate a birthday. Acqua is a quaint building across from WBL. It's cute and the staff and owner are terrific. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Their margaritas are very, very good. My friends love the Jamedon and ginger cocktail, which was tasty, I just don't like dark liquors. The menu looked great, it was tough making a decision. I ordered the scallops on the small plate menu - added one extra scallop for $4 as only two come in an order. OMG! Order these! The sauce was amazing and it was very rich - if you have heart troubles, choose a salad! I had the best and fried goat cheese salad - very good. They should just have a friend goat cheese appetizer as those were fantastic. I also ordered the brussel sprouts to share - they were a bit tough. Not as tasty as other place dive tried (to this day, Bank DT Mpls has the BEST brussel sprouts!) One friend ordered the salmon and loved it, one ordered the mussels and I tried a few, they were great. One had the pink snapper and that was very good as well! We all split a piece of cheesecake which was super light and airy, odd for a cheesecake. But it was great. The wine we ordered was wonderful as well. Cabernet first and Shiraz second. A lovely night, great food and wonderful service! Give it a go if you happen to be up this way. Tip: try the tasting menu. For $40 you get a salad, entree and dessert and all portions are regular serving size! Terrific bargain.
(4)
Sharon B.
We stumbled upon this restaurant and were delighted with a wonderful balcony table upstairs with a great view of White Bear Lake. We split the 3 course option - just enough food. The Caprese salad was wonderful, with the buffalo mozzarella just right. The Tiger Shrimp Scampi was excellent, and the New York style cheesecake topped the meal perfectly. Great service, great food and a great view makes this place a new favorite when we're visiting the cities.
(5)
Christian K.
Food was fantastic! Staff was GREAT! Just a wonderful place. Went here while one vacation to celebrate our wedding Ann. Everything was awesome
(5)
Angel S.
If you want a nice restaurant in White Bear Lake, on the water even, check out Acqua - it's a nice place. They have seafood, chops, vegetarian risotto, and they have a tasting menu. You can find something for $18 - $40 (3-course tasting menu). The cocktails are lovely too - I enjoyed the cucumber margarita. If you get to sit on the lake it's wonderful. We sat inside, and it was fine, but feel it will be better when the weather is cold/bad because we prefer to sit on the lake when it's nice out. We did have our 15 month old, and they accommodated us well, but next time we will try a romantic dinner or night out with friends to not feel as rushed. Reservations are recommended.
(4)
Leo S.
One of our favorite places in White Bear and it is hard to beat on a nice evening. The food is usually pretty good and they gave a nice selection of beers and wines.
(5)
Kristie K.
Love, Love, Love. Food was excellent. I had family in town from Florida and he is vegan and they were very accommodating. The service is always excellent.
(5)
Phillip Y.
We came here last week during restaurant week. I had the shrimp scampi and my significant other had the Ragu alla Bolognese. The shrimp scampi was just the right proportion but the Ragu alla Bolognese was huge. For starter, I had the field green and cucumber salad and my significant other had the wild mushroom soup which was creamy but good. For dessert, I had the chocolate soufle and she had the Izzy's trio ice cream (butter pecan, chocolate chip, pumpkin). Our favorite was the butter pecan. I had graham cracker ice cream with my soufle with homemade marshmallow. Overall, reasonable price at $30 per person for restaurant week. We went to see a movie afterwards at Oakdale Marcus so it was a nice dinner and movie date night. Parking was not adequate but free valet parking so don't let the attendant scare you off. Otherwise, park at the very end near the VFW lot.
(5)
Andrew T.
I mean, the hype for this place is high, so I gave it a go despite the prices. A great place if you like good wine and cocktails. The salmon was one of the cheaper entrees at 26 bucks. It came with the purple kind of potatoes, some greens, and orange slices. It was quite good, but could have used some more exciting seasoning. Again, the wine is great. Try this place out.
(4)
Leah S.
I really wanted to like this place, it is my mom and step-dad's favorite restaurant and when they took us here we were excited to see what this place has to offer! I don't get out of Minneapolis or St. Paul much to try restaurants so I was excited to see what the burbs have in store :) Let's start with the good stuff: It is located close to white bear lake, so you can get a view of the lake! The wine list is good,not amazing but good They have a prix fixe menu The dessert was really good, but not $9 good What didn't thrill me: The prices! $40 for a prix fixe menu is a little absurd especially if you aren't downtown or a James beard award winner The food was okay at best. I had the watermelon salad for my first course and the watermelon had started to go bad, it wasn't fresh. I had the salmon for my main course, nothing phenomenal. The service was okay So overall, okay food at high prices. If you live in the area try it out but don't go out of your way to go there!
(3)
Krystle R.
What i enjoyed most about the place is your not rushed to eat, everything is coursed out. I had the pork shank which was fantastic! The service was great , the servers are very attentive there . Highly recommended this place !!
(5)
Vishal S.
This place is the bomb! I've been here a couple times now and both times it has been excellent service and phenomenal food. Small cozy quarters tucked in nicely by the lake, I had the lobster dish and it was the best, full of flavor and sweet!!!
(5)
Jen W.
I've been hearing about this place for a long time and put it on my list of places to try years ago. Then I realized it was in White Bear Lake so I took it off my list of places to try. But a friend with a gift certificate convinced me to go. I was pretty excited to finally see what the buzz was about, but also apprehensive and worried that it isn't necessarily "good" as much as it is "good for White Bear Lake". But we hauled our a$$es up to WBL ready to find out. My first thought walking in was "oh my god, I'm totally overdressed" as the ambience leaves a bit to be desired. And the chairs are uber uncomfortable. So right off the bat I was let down and ready to be disappointed. But fortunately, that's where the disappointment ended. I did the 3 for $40 tasting menu and the $20 paired wine flight, started with the much-raved about beet salad which did not disappoint, nor did the pinot grigio it was paired with which cut the acidity of the dressing beautifully. There is no vegetarian entree on the tasting menu, but when I asked if I could get one they offered eggplant parmesan or vegetable risotto. I opted for the former even though I'm not a big fan of eggplant. It was delicious. The sauce was slightly smoky and slightly spicy and and with the paired merlot (yes folks, merlot) it was fantastic. Ended with the chocolate souffle cake w/ graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream served with port and nearly died. My friend also did the 3 for $40 but added an appetizer. Don't do this. It was way too much food. The calamari which he ordered was boring and blah but the server noted that he hadn't touched much and suggested that she'd bring him the mussels instead which she swore he'd love. He did. It was all quite delicious. That said, I wouldn't drive to White Bear Lake for it again as there are restaurants much closer with the same quality. But if you happen to live in the northern 'burbs, I'd definitely put this on the short list.
(4)
K S.
Fabulous food, great service and the outdoor patio is White Bear's best. Walleye is very good. Creative tasting menu is always available. A must try!
(5)
Annie L.
My girlfriends and I had a wonderful dinner and experience at Acqua the other night. We had a table on the second floor, which gives off a totally different vibe than the main floor, which looks more dated. The atmosphere was beautiful and spacious. The food was outstanding (bruschetta appetizer, cheese plate, apple/manchego salad, beet/goat cheese salad, sea bass, butternut ravioli, butterscotch budino, chocolate torte with graham cracker and marshmallow)! To be honest, it was better than we expected. The wine recommendation that Thomas (our waiter) had was spot on and exactly what we were looking for. Overall, a great experience. Too bad we all live almost an hour away or this would be a "go to" place.
(4)
Angela S.
We dined here with two other couples in December. This place is very unique being that it is an old house converted into a restaurant. With that being said, it is very small and cramped so be prepared for some bumping into people as well struggling to find a place to stand around the bar enjoying a drink waiting for your table. Regardless, the food and service were amazing. I ordered what the server recommended as a staff favorite, the Gamberi. This is a scallop and shrimp plate and it was fantastic. Everyone else in my group were completely satisfied with their meals as well and we all agreed we would return. Free Valet parking is a bonus here too. Even though it's in WBL, the parking is not good.
(5)
Kathy M.
This is one of our favorite Minnesota restaurants for many reasons.... The food and the drinks are always exceptional! (I can personally speak for the Jameson!) They offer a 3 course menu for $40 which is a great way to sample their menu - it can be too easy to turn down the starters or desserts and I think their mushroom soup should never be missed! My hubby says that their Osso Bucco is the best he's ever had! The owner and wait staff are very professional and personable. It is in a quaint little house overlooking a lake and I'm told that in beautiful weather, it is very nice having dinner out on their patio by the lake.
(5)
Damon B.
This our favorite restaurant to go to. We look for any occasion to get here. The food is second to none, the atmosphere is great for adults, and the wine/beer selection is great! We have been here many times and we have never had a bad meal or experience! It is the best of the best in the Twin Cities!!
(5)
matt k.
Acqua is run be people with years of experience in fine dining restaurants located in and around Minneapolis and the service and food definitely reflects that. With its fresh ingredients to sea food flown in daily, you can definitely tell that care is put into the unique dishes served. The items we ordered for our meal were: Calamari Caprese Salad Mussels Saltimbocca del Pollo Ossobuco di Porco Trio of Izzy's Ice Cream Double Chocolate Brownie with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache and Almond Whipped Cream All phenomenal. But the Mussels ( twitpic.com/i85is ) were exceptional and the broth they're served in might as well be served as a soup it was so tasty. The chicken breast was moist and flavorful and the risotto done very well. The pork shank fell off the bone - it was all great and a great experience. We sat outside on the porch overlooking White Bear Lake. This was our view, twitpic.com/i801r Give it a shot. Seriously. You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Katie F.
Best valentine's date ever. Incredible food and ambiance.
(5)
Frank S.
Definitely the best dining spot in the Twin Cities' northern suburbs. The food was excellent. Our server, Ryan Smith, was very knowledgeable, and friendly, but professional. Our table on the second floor was comfortable. The second floor is a long spacious area with quite a few tables (maybe 15?) but they are well spaced, and the area is not crowded. Also there appeared to be 5 or 6 wait staff working the area so each table was well attended (but not intrusive). We also appreciated that the noise level was fairly low. We could actually hear each other while speaking in a low volume. We only passed thru the first floor, where the bar and a number of tables are located, but it appeared to be more crowded. The outside tables at dockside were not available as it was cool and raining. I suggest making reservations. While this is not a large restaurant, and there are quite a few tables, but it's the only place like it for many miles and appears to have quite a draw. The food: For an appetizer we had Patate Fritte: malt vinegar fries with tarragon aioli and fresno chili ketchup. A single order was generous, enough for two. The aioli with the fries is superb. We split a Mela Parmigiano salad: matchstick apple and manchego cheese with olio verde, chive and cracked black pepper. Again, it was enough for two and very tasty. My wife had Pollo Saltimbocca: roasted chicken breast with prosciutto ham, sage, basil pesto risotto and fontina cream sauce. I had the Ossobuco: braised pork shank with white sweet potato puree and port demi-glace. It was all well presented, and delicious. I particularly enjoy "lesser cuts", such as pork shank, which are brought to a new level thru expert preparation. They can do that at Acqua.
(5)
Kim R.
We stopped by Acqua for the second time last night and the food wowed us again! This place just can't go wrong in my book. Everything we've tried here has been top knotch. I ordered the crab ravioli and it had the best tomato sauce I have ever tasted. I could have just ordered a bowl of the sauce and eaten it with a spoon. It had such a warm, rich flavor. I wish I could replicate it at home. I think I might just dream about that sauce for weeks to come. For dessert we ordered the butterscotch budino. I was intrigued by this dessert after reading a few Yelp reviews that raved about it. I'm not usually a fan of pudding and like a little more substance to my desserts, like cake or brownies. But this dessert was definitely tasty. It started with a layer of creamy butterscotch pudding that was spiked with rum and was topped with a layer of salted vanilla bean caramel. On top of that was fresh whipped cream and a bit of sea salt. While this was a good dessert, I can't say that I would order it again. If you like tasting menus, this is the place for you! Every night they have a three course menu for $30, such a great value.
(5)
Paul K.
I was not impressed with the Panko Walleye, however the Yukon gold potatoes where excellent. The Butterscotch Budino with Caramel just tasted like eating pure sugar. They had a great beer selection which cannot be found at many resturants.
(3)
Suze S.
Bar none, this is my current favorite restaurant for Dining Out right now. (The capital letters mean dining out in nice places, not just Going Out, which would be, like, Olive Garden or something.) The atmosphere is nice but not stuffy or pretentious, same for the staff. Love the "patio" section down by the lake, the rooftop is nice too, but gets a little breezy. The restaurant is in an old, renovated house, so the inside dining room is reminiscent of Forepaugh's, but more intimate. Excellent wine selection, and the servers are very helpful in choosing. They have a Dinner menu and a prix fixe Tasting menu with a salad/entree/dessert. With your drinks comes some pre-dinner bread and the MOST amazing butter I've every had. Sweet, creamy, with a touch of honey. I may or may not have licked the butter knife. The first time we went I was just meeting a friend, I just had the chilled soup and we split the Creme Brulee. The chilled soup was, I think, cantaloupe-strawberry and honeydew-mint? It was interesting. It was plated beautifully, with the cantaloupe puree on one half of the bowl, and the honeydew on the other, with a beautiful design of what I think was creme fraiche separating them. The taste was sweeter than I expected, and the texture was a little unusual, not sure it's something I'd get again, but I'm glad I tried it. The creme brulee was done well, tasted like creme brulee. Our second visit we came hungry and both ordered from the Tasting menu. I wish our timing was better, because the Wine Flight matched with the menu sounded great, and not too steep at $20, but I had to work later. Our server was great about letting the uber picky Man make some small changes/substitutions to the Tasting menu. I'm not nearly as fussy. I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad- the fried Lemon-Honey goat cheese was Ah. Mah. Zing. For the main course I ordered the Ossobucco. Delicious. Huge. Tender. Falling off the bone. Sweet but also savory. And the white sweet potato mash was a perfect combination, soaking up the extra sauce, providing a smooth contrast to all that meat. For dessert I had the Butterscotch Budino with Whipped Cream, Caramel and Sea Salt. Next time, I'm ordering this first. Screw the rest of the meal. Seriously, it's a smooth, mild butterscotch custard with puffs of whipped cream, drizzled in caramel and sprinkled with sea salt. I thought I had died and gone to dessert heaven. I'm a huge fan of pudding/custard desserts, and it's hard to find one that isn't chocolate or is more of a mousse than custard texture. This goes on the list of Things to Eat at my Last Meal for SURE. Prices? Yeah, it's a little pricey. $40 for the Tasting Menu, most entrees in the $20-$30 range. But so worth it. Great place to take people you want to linger over dinner with, savor some good flavor and enjoy a classy but relaxing atmosphere.
(5)
Leroy S.
Service was great. Valet is a good thing. I had the calamari. They were good. Had the scallops and shrimp. Scallops cooked perfectly but not phenomenal flavor, just good. I've had better tasting shrimp and scallops elsewhere which is why only 4 stars.
(4)
Lisa M.
Great meal! This actually could have been a 5 star place.... I've been wanting to try this place forever and we finally got the chance. We went with some friends on a recent Saturday evening. They are regulars there and I kind of felt like I was with celebrities. Everyone knew them and the friends knew everything we had to try on the menu. We were seated upstairs at a quaint table not far from the water station. We were kind of in the main thoroughfare, but it was fine with me. I started with the Italian Basil Mojito. It was quite refreshing and delicious. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails. We also had the bruschetta and the calamari. I enjoyed the crunch of the crostini and the tang of the red wine vinegar. I wanted to try everything on the menu, so I went with the tasting menu. I had the Field Greens Salad, the Roast Chicken and the Butterscotch Bundino. My dining companion also went with the tasting menu, but had the Beet Salad, the Walleye and the chocolate souffle. The salad was great! I loved everything about it. The egg was especially delicious! I had a piece of his fried goat cheese from his salad and it was great as well. I cannot resist fried goat cheese! Here is where they lose a star - we got our food and waited for quite some time for our bottle of wine to be delivered. By quite some time, I mean all of us were about 1/3 done with our entrees. It was a little disappointing because up until then and after that, service and food could not have been better. My chicken was stuffed with Fontina Cheese and was cut all fancy. It was upon a bed of basil pesto risotto and had a pan sauce. I liked it because when I cut into the chicken, the cheese oozed out. The pan sauce was a little salty for my taste, but good otherwise. I tried the fingerling potatoes under his walleye and they were great as well. I literally couldn't decided on dessert since everything sounded good. I told her to surprise us - she came with the Butterscotch and the Souffle. Oh, wow! Now, I'm not even a huge butterscotch fan, but this was so freaking good! The sweetness of the butterscotch worked so well with the saltiness on top. Whoa! Now, I *have* to try the one at 112. I wasn't crazy about the actual chocolate souffle, but I loved the graham cracker ice cream that came with it. This is a 5 star place, but even a couple weeks later, I'm still thinking about how the wine came so long after we started eating. I'll give them pass on it and most definitely try it again!
(4)
Kelly O.
Why won't Yelp let me do half stars? I would give Acqua a 4.5 instead. Eating outside, overlooking the lake is a beautiful way to spend a summer evening. Inside is more cramped and a less ideal way to enjoy this restaurant. I had the tasting menu which is a wonderful value for the quality and amount of food you get. Our waiter was friendly and had a good knowledge of wine pairings to go with our meals. A little bit more expensive than most restaurants in White Bear Lake, but a more gourmet experience awaits you.
(4)
Master A.
I usually don't give out 5 stars, but this small place was worth it. They went out of their way to get my wife and I seating outside by the boat docks. The server was very friendly and fast. The food was priced just right. I had the rib eye steak. I'm a pretty big eater, but I could only finish half. The steak was huge and well worth the money. The atmosphere was wonderful. I really felt like I was a king when I was here. I will definitely return. The only thing that might be a con for this place is that it is too small. If you have a large party, good luck. This place looks like it was an old duplex from back in the day, but it looks really nice.
(5)
Mange T.
3 1/2 stars. 3 stars for the food. An additional 0.5 for above average service and what I presume is a good location in the summer (I can only speak to the experience in the dead of winter--by that I mean March 2013). The host was kind enough to give us seats right near the oversized window with a lakeside view, where we could potentially "watch a car or two sink." I ordered wine per the waitress's suggestion, which was delightful, although the restaurant seems very proud of its cocktail offerings. Our waitress was courteous and willing to give advice on the menu, although she did recommend one steak in particular "because the side potato mash is ah-Mazing", with no commentary on the rest of the dish. While I enjoy a plate of stellar mashed taters as much as the next individual, I don't typically seek them out in $40 supporting roles. Just saying. Ordered the crab-encrusted sea bass with broccolini. Also sampled the bruschetta, roasted beet salad, walleye, chocolate souffle, and butterscotch budino. Ingredients were high quality, and my entree was solid; it just didn't have that "wow" factor, that harmony of flavors and textures that separates a good meal from a truly exceptional one. Nothing was bad--it just wasn't all that great. With a fish that practically melts in your mouth to begin with, beurre blanc seemed redundant, even a bit lazy. A sauce that complemented, rather than imitated that buttery quality, would've been more unique and definitely more memorable. Ps the beets in the beet salad were canned. Unexpected and disappointing. Given this restaurant's 30+ 5-star reviews, I expected something mind-blowing. Acqua turned out to be a pretty, upscale steakhouse in the nor-eastern 'burbs masquerading as "Italian". Yep, I know they offer pasta, and a few overtly Italian items in the menu--but they catered primarily (and perhaps appropriately so) to the prototypical Midwestern meat-and-potatoes leanings. I would've liked to see their menu push the envelope a bit more, or at least bring a bit more dimension and inspiration to items already offered.
(3)
Heather K.
I love this place! I have never had a bad meal; I have tried items that were a little out of our comfort zone but LOVED all of the dishes. The sour chili drink is AMAZING!
(5)
Shelby M.
Excellent mussels! Great fries. I only wish this location was as nice as the one in forest lake. I've visited the other location before the Wbl location and have to say that I was unimpressed. The service is great and food is fantastic. But I sort of felt like some renovations needed to be done to the bar. The frog in the aquarium on the bar is cool but it was ruining my appetite as I was nibbling on your delicious fries.
(5)
Colleen C.
Service was great - food excellent - seating by the lake wonderful. Enjoyable evening.
(5)
Corie B.
Great food, quiet atmos & service! During the summer enjoy outdoors on their patio viewing White Bear Lake. I have been there 3x always very good
(5)
Michael F.
We were looking for a nice dinner near an event we were going to in White Bear Lake; a town a good 45 minutes from our home. We were more than happy to have found Acqua. This Italian based menu is not some suburban red-sauce joint; you'd have a hard time finding this level in most serious cities. Tried the mushroom soup and the osso buco, both of which are on the tasting menu ($40). The $20 wine flight that went with that was three well paired rounds (and not skimpy portions!); the last round of wine was a mellow tawny port that went great with the butterscotch budino (pudding) with caramel sauce, which alone is worth the drive. The others at our table tried the walleye, a steak, and a carbonara with pulled pork; Everyone raved. The server was very kind and attentive, and showed his enthusiasm for the menu. The kitchen did some small tweaks to accommodate some food needs (like a youngster who didn't want the sauce on her entree). I really hope to get back here, hopefully on a warm summer night by the lake!
(5)
Amy H.
Came here for a birthday dinner on the recommendation of some coworkers and it was a fantastic choice. I think the highlight of the feast was actually our cocktail choice - the Black Cherry Collins. It's a gin-based drink, but it did not taste overly "ginny" at all. Smooth and delicious. Moving along... Appetizers: Calamari was sublime. Shrimp Caesar salads were divine - dressing was not too heavy, yet carried a very bold flavor. Entree: I had the pork shank and I would highly recommend that to anyone. Dessert: I went with the ice cream trio because I wanted ice cream, but I think all the other offerings are fancier and maybe tastier. I still liked my ice cream. We made a reservation for 8pm on a Sunday night and were very glad we did - it was totally full when we got there. Definitely plan ahead for any night you go! This is a great special occasion choice.
(5)
Karyn P.
Wow, that's all I can say. The service is greAT the food.even better. All I can say is they change the menu and go eat there. It's amazing.
(5)
Sam M.
My wife always likes to get wine when we go to a place like Acqua. Not tonight. We decided to sample some of the novel cocktails they had on offer. A Pepper infused bourbon with passion fruit for me. My wife had a cucumber margarita. They bourbon was quite snappy and was well complemented by the sweet fruit taste. The cucumber was more subtle and light. Acqua is a repurposed house on the shore of White Bear Lake. It overlooks the harbor and features a patio for summer dining. The atmosphere is casual, but the dining room lends an air of elegance to the place. It is an enjoyable place to have a quiet conversation. We were promptly seated for our reservation, our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly. A nice crusty loaf accompanied by a lightly honeyed butter was more than welcome. We selected the three course meal. My wife picked spring greens. I picked spinach with prosciutto/apple/pear. Both were great with subtle flavoring. We both had the walleye as a main course. Tender- not overcooked at all. I am not a fish guy, but I found it intriguing. Dessert was creme brulee for me and butterscotch pudding (with sea salt) for my wife. Both were a nice way to wrap up the meal.
(5)
Karin M.
I must admit that with a Yelp 5 star rating and 16 reviews we had extremely high expectations for our visit at Acqua. Wow, not only did they meet those expectations we were all planning our next visit before we even left the restaurant. Reservations are a must, at least for a Saturday night. The only dim spot was when we walked in (use the entrance on the side of the building) and had to wait a few minutes for our table...it was a little crowded and awkward without a very big waiting space/entry. Once seated, perfection began. The wait staff works together so very well it is simply a joy. All four of us had something different and all four were more than pleased with the offerings. Our friends shared the scallop small plate which looked divine. Hubbs and I shared the cured meat plate which was outstanding. Dinner was Ossobuco for me, a featured pork entree with figs for hubbs, scallops/shrimp with the purple potatoes and the filet with crab for our friends. It looked like our friend licked his plate clean, it was that good. Desserts were the butterscotch bundino, the chocolate cake with graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream (combining the flavors was like eating a s'more, and the banana's foster cheesecake. Once again, all delish! Can't wait to go back...this is one place where I would love to become a regular at.
(5)
Jeremy C.
My wife and I went here for our anniversary. Had been meaning to go for some time and now wish we would have gone sooner. I had a steak that was one of the best I've ever had. Service was great. Love the outdoor patio. Wine selection and drinks were good. Expensive evening meal but very worth it for a special occasion.
(5)
Phil H.
There are only so many places I've eaten in the Twin Cities that I would confidently put up against the best places in the major cities (Heartland and 112 Eatery come to mind). Well, this is one of them. This place is legit. The attention to flavors is major league. My wife and I had some great calamari to start, different seafood dishes for dinner (mine was a special) and one of the best desserts I've ever eaten. The prices for a meal like this are reasonable and a great value. Do yourself a favor and get here as soon as you can...just make sure to make a reservation. My wife and I can't wait to go back. Well done.
(5)
Leslie a.
We have always had fantastic meals at Acqua . The service is first rate . Our favorite place to go . Never a bad thing to say about them . Hope that they keep up the GREAT work !
(5)
Doug D.
Finally made it to Acqua for dinner. We were seated upstairs in a very quaint room. They have a small bar area with a few tables and there is also a patio across the driveway near the lake that looks like it would be nice if we didn't have 4-6 inches of snow on the ground at the end of April! Very nice wine selections. The salads, beet salad, fennel-apple salad, were excellent. We also had the bruschetta which was wonderful. Our table had the Walleye dinner, Osso Bucco and the Bone In Rib Eye. Everything was prepared very well, the Osso Bucco was the best I've ever had. I tasted the walleye and rib eye and they, too were excellent. We had four different desserts and everyone tasted all of them, all getting very positive reviews. Everyone in our group was very pleased with their experience here. Fairly priced menu. Professional service, very knowledgeable. We look forward to a return visit.
(5)
Alex C.
When I think of fancy meal places, I think of downtown Minneapolis or right around there. There are of fine dining joints other places....St. Paul (Meritage, Heartland) but I was shocked to hear the rumblings about Acqua over my neck of the woods in White Bear Lake. This place is amazing. The other reviews were right. This has got to be the best kept secret for amazing fine dining in the Twin Cities. They have a $40 every day tasting menu but for restaurant week they had a $30 tasting menu with a few less options. I started off with one of the best calamari I've ever had. Perfectly crispy, not oily and extremely tender. I can explain the mayo but I would have eaten it with a spoon if I didn't think people would stare. My tasting menu started with the honeydew and cantaloupe puree. This was an amazing cold soup and the honey dew side had a bit of tang to it. It looked as amazing as it tasted. Very refreshing on a bit of a muggy day. My wife, who loves beat salads and orders them everywhere we go, said hands down, this was the best beat salad she had every had. (The salad came with a fried goat cheese and there was something on the beats that made them a little crispy). I'll have to take her word for it because she wasn't sharing. For my main course I had the ragu which was probably the best spaghetti type noodle dish I have ever had. Our friend had the osso buco which looked amazing. It was the largest most tender portion of osso bucco that I had ever seen. It was served with a white mashed sweet potato (white? who knew?) I only tried a bite, but it was amazing and I'm coming back for it. For dessert, I had a deconstructed smore (graham cracker ice cream, homemade marshmallow and a molten lava cake....they called it a souffle...it was good regardless). It was tasty but everyone recommends the budino. I can see why. It beat the snot out of the 112 version...a tough thing to do but wow, this thing was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. Also, I was amazed by the awesome service. I doubt my glass even got half empty. Our waiter was very helpful and his recommendations were perfect. This is a pricier joint but you are paying for some amazing food and service. If you're looking for a great fancy meal, then you should strongly consider coming here. You definitely need to call ahead, especially a week or two in advance for weekend reservations. I hope this place doesn't blow up too big (like Travail) otherwise it'll be a pain getting back in here.
(5)
Dan R.
Last night we went to Acqua to have great food and eat on their patio. Unfortunately, the breeze coming off the lake was just a little too strong/cold! Although we couldn't sit on the patio (they would let us if we wanted to), we still had a great time and excellent food. This was our second time here and both times we had great food. This time they had a 50% special on all bottles of wine! They always have a tasting menu with three courses for $30. I had the pork shank with sweet potato puree which was excellent. For dessert, we shared the Butterscotch Budino with caramel which was topped with whipped cream and a little sea salt. The sea salt added a little depth to the dessert. Although this was tasty, next time I'm going to try the Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake with Graham Cracker Ice Cream and Marshmallow! We'll go back to sit on the patio again, but might have to wait until July!
(4)
Kathy P.
Just had to share this. Yelps description says beer and wine only. Acqua has some of the best cocktails ever. The cucumber margarita is light and refreshing. The black cherry gin drink, can't think of the name is to die for. Everything is wonderful!
We've been wanting to go to Acqua since reading about it in January. Definitely wanted to sit dockside, so definitely had to wait until the snow melted. A big birthday came along, so off to Acqua we go. When you wait so long to go somewhere, you almost kind of set the restaurant up for failure because your expectations are so high. Well, I'm glad to say, Acqua did not disappoint! We had the three course tasting menu, which was not a tasting menu at all, but rather consisted of full sized portions, and then some. Here's what we had: Caprese salad - beautifully presented...offset layers of yellow heirlooms and mozzarella on a bed of arugula and basil, drizzled with some balsamic reduction. Flavors were well balanced. My only complaint is that the mozzarella didn't have much flavor...then again, I have never had good mozzarella in the US. Roasted Beet Salad - another yum salad. Fried goat cheese was tasty and the roasted beets were excellent. Ossobuco - I moved the bone and the meat fell off. The cut was actually twice as big as I was expecting. Sweet potato puree was intensely flavored. It could have used a touch more sauce. Roasted Chicken Salmoriglio - perfectly cooked...right at that point where the meat turns from pink to white. Peach crisp - Very nice peach flavor...Sysco peaches have never tasted so pure. The Izzy's cinnamon ice cream was insanely good, but could have been more frozen. Molten Chocolate Lava Cake - nicely prepared, perfectly runny in the middle. Again, the ice cream could've been more frozen. All in all, the food flavors and preparation was spot on. Hats off to the kitchen. The service was also top-notch. JJ knew his stuff and was attentive without being intrusive. We brought our own wine and I was pleased to see that they provided the proper Riedel glasses for the varietal. All in all, probably the best food and dining experience in the Twin Cities. Comparing to all restaurants I ever been to in any city, it would still get 4 stars.
(5)
Tabby C.
Acqua is a wonderful place to go when you feel like being wined and dined! Spectacular food, including the desserts! Fabulous wine and cocktails . My only complaint is how they up the cost of the wine( but what place doesn't?) would defiantly recommend it to anyone!
(5)
Tiffiny C.
My parents took me here in April for dinner, and I was surprised by how great it was. I think this was my best fine dining experience in White Bear Lake to date, and I grew up here. I started with this tasty blackberry/gin drink. AWESOME drink, strong, and a specialty drink on their menu. For a starter we shared a flatbread pizza. It was ok. Nothing to write home about, but tasty. I ordered a salmon roulade with orzo pasta for my entree. Perfectly baked and the orzo was perfectly cooked as well. It could have used a wee more spice, but I like more spice/heat than the average Minnesotan. My step-dad had the veal ragu pasta dish. That hearty red sauce was divine. Small, classic, clean space (accessible entrance in back). Service was a bit slow, but it was really good at the same time. Looking forward to going back this summer to sit on the patio with the view of the lake!
(4)
Mike C.
The reason for the update is that I love this place. Service is always good and the food is always consistent which is important to me. The menu is simple but well executed (I think that is the problem with some restauarants with a large menu). We had a great night celebrating my birthday. The Ragu alla Bolgnese is always a treat. Please read my previous review.
(5)
Melanie M.
My husband took me here this summer for my Birthday dinner and the food was amazingly good and the service was stellar! We like to to order items that we both want to try and then share. We started with the Calamari which was cooked perfectly=golden crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned and tender on the inside. We also split a great salad made with feta, kalamata olives, red onion, and sun dried tomatoes with an herb vinaigrette which was very tasty and refreshing on a hot night. For our entrees, I had the Oso Buco and my husband had the Pasta Bolognese. The bolognese was very good but the pork shank oso buco was the star! The meat's exterior had almost a crusty texture but the interior was moist and fall-apart tender then covered with one of the richest most delicious demi-glace sauces I've ever tasted! It was served with the perfect accompaniment to soak up all that fabulous sauce, a mashed yellow sweet potato the menu said was from New Jersey. I am a chocoholic so I had to order the chocolate mousse cake that was a play on a s'more, a molton type chocolate cake with bruleed marshmallow creme served with graham cracker ice cream. This was a delicious dessert but on the recommendation of our server we also ordered the Butterscotch Budino, a homemade butterscotch pudding topped with a caramel sauce and sea salt. This was absolute heaven! One of the best desserts I've ever had! If you enjoy sea salted caramel ice cream, you must try it-the perfect balance of salty and sweet! This is my new favorite special occasion restaurant-you have to check it out!
(5)
Tracy D.
This place is phenomenal, service is excellent, foods is to die for. Make reservations, because this place is always busy. One of the best meals I have ever had, make this a must of your bucket list, you will not regret it.
(5)
Kevin P.
Made it to Acqua tonight, good food and a nice experience. I chose from the 3-course tasting menu, for the starter they allowed me to substitute a very nice hen-of-the-woods mushroom soup that was a special. The soup was nicely balanced, creamy and tasty. Then came the Braised Pork Shank with Golden Sweet Potato Puree. The pork was cooked perfectly, tender enough that I was able to pull it apart with my fork. Very good, and a good sized portion. To finish I had the Peach Cobbler with ice cream and a cup of coffee. A perfect end to my meal. The waiter was attentive but not obtrusive the service was excellent. Worth the trip, I'll be going back.
(5)
Natalia C.
Hands down one of my all time favorite meals was at this charming, little spot! They have everything right . . . the service, wine, ambiance and food is all incredible!
(5)
Mollee F.
You won't regret making the drive to White Bear Lake for this restaurant. Service is top notch. Setting is both scenic and intimate. And the food is the among the best the metro has to offer (down to the butter). Ragu bolognese is lick-the-bowl good. Great place to impress out-of-town guests with.
(5)
Lael B.
You've got to go, that's all I'm going to say.
(5)
Olive S.
Best dinner in White Bear, and it beats a lot of Twin City restaurants too. Who says the suburbs can't keep it classy? Great spot, great food. Romantic. I'd eat here every week if I could.
(5)
Jacque U.
5 Stars, 10 Stars if I could! We had the most amazing time Saturday night. We arrived early for our reservation and had to wait, but we had at least 2 people (neither of whom ended up being our server) offer to get us drinks and look at the menu. We were seated and our server brought us each a glass of champagne when she found out were were celebrating. We both ordered from the tasting menu (what an amazing deal, the quality far exceeds the price) but we split the duck confit pizza as our starter instead of individual starters. Pizza was SO good. The combination of flavors with the pear, Gorgonzola, champagne grapes, and the duck blew me away. The duck was slightly crispy and the crust of the pizza was just about perfect. Thin but still doughy, Mains were the ossobucco di porcco (I think I spelled that right - pork shank) with sweet potato mash for him and the handmade spinach ravioli for me. He was sold on the osso as soon as it was described as braised for 2+ hours with a 2 days sauce. And it was extremely flavorful and delicious. His only complaint was that he wanted more sauce. I was sure that my ravioli wouldn't hold up to the osso but they definitely held their own. The artichoke hearts with tomatoes and garlic and the lemon sauce was so bright and the flavors exploded in my mouth. Delicious. Dessert. OMG, dessert. I know I've been raving about the food but dessert was amazing. We had the chocolate souffle cake with graham cracker ice cream which was a 7/10 but the budino... sweet heaven the budino. The salted caramel topping was amazing. It was salted just right to complement the sweetness and the creamy pudding (is it pudding? custard?) underneath, bliss. I had the accompanying wines with mine and all were good. The riesling at the end wasn't as good as I hoped but both reds were excellent. I should have written down the names, I would absolutely buy them for home. Amazing food, definitely worth the money, great service, GO NOW. What are you waiting for?
(5)
Jennell E.
I thought everything was very good - but none of them were spectacular to me. I would certainly go back though to try other things off the menu as I could have just ordered the wrong things. Caprese Salad - Best dish of the night - so fresh and yummy! Calamari - heavily seasoned and had some chewy pieces Ragu - loved the fresh noodles, sauce was "eh" for me Peach cobbler - This is strange but did anyone else taste candle wax? You know when you were a kid and you had a ton of candles and some dripped on to the cake? I swear that is how it tasted to me but there were no candles in sight! Server was EXCELLENT - I was surprised because the staff is very young but super attentive and knowlegeable.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Happy Hour : Yes Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Christian K.
Food was fantastic! Staff was GREAT! Just a wonderful place. Went here while one vacation to celebrate our wedding Ann. Everything was awesome
(5)Davin D.
We've been wanting to go to Acqua since reading about it in January. Definitely wanted to sit dockside, so definitely had to wait until the snow melted. A big birthday came along, so off to Acqua we go. When you wait so long to go somewhere, you almost kind of set the restaurant up for failure because your expectations are so high. Well, I'm glad to say, Acqua did not disappoint! We had the three course tasting menu, which was not a tasting menu at all, but rather consisted of full sized portions, and then some. Here's what we had: Caprese salad - beautifully presented...offset layers of yellow heirlooms and mozzarella on a bed of arugula and basil, drizzled with some balsamic reduction. Flavors were well balanced. My only complaint is that the mozzarella didn't have much flavor...then again, I have never had good mozzarella in the US. Roasted Beet Salad - another yum salad. Fried goat cheese was tasty and the roasted beets were excellent. Ossobuco - I moved the bone and the meat fell off. The cut was actually twice as big as I was expecting. Sweet potato puree was intensely flavored. It could have used a touch more sauce. Roasted Chicken Salmoriglio - perfectly cooked...right at that point where the meat turns from pink to white. Peach crisp - Very nice peach flavor...Sysco peaches have never tasted so pure. The Izzy's cinnamon ice cream was insanely good, but could have been more frozen. Molten Chocolate Lava Cake - nicely prepared, perfectly runny in the middle. Again, the ice cream could've been more frozen. All in all, the food flavors and preparation was spot on. Hats off to the kitchen. The service was also top-notch. JJ knew his stuff and was attentive without being intrusive. We brought our own wine and I was pleased to see that they provided the proper Riedel glasses for the varietal. All in all, probably the best food and dining experience in the Twin Cities. Comparing to all restaurants I ever been to in any city, it would still get 4 stars.
(5)Tabby C.
Acqua is a wonderful place to go when you feel like being wined and dined! Spectacular food, including the desserts! Fabulous wine and cocktails . My only complaint is how they up the cost of the wine( but what place doesn't?) would defiantly recommend it to anyone!
(5)Tiffiny C.
My parents took me here in April for dinner, and I was surprised by how great it was. I think this was my best fine dining experience in White Bear Lake to date, and I grew up here. I started with this tasty blackberry/gin drink. AWESOME drink, strong, and a specialty drink on their menu. For a starter we shared a flatbread pizza. It was ok. Nothing to write home about, but tasty. I ordered a salmon roulade with orzo pasta for my entree. Perfectly baked and the orzo was perfectly cooked as well. It could have used a wee more spice, but I like more spice/heat than the average Minnesotan. My step-dad had the veal ragu pasta dish. That hearty red sauce was divine. Small, classic, clean space (accessible entrance in back). Service was a bit slow, but it was really good at the same time. Looking forward to going back this summer to sit on the patio with the view of the lake!
(4)Mike C.
The reason for the update is that I love this place. Service is always good and the food is always consistent which is important to me. The menu is simple but well executed (I think that is the problem with some restauarants with a large menu). We had a great night celebrating my birthday. The Ragu alla Bolgnese is always a treat. Please read my previous review.
(5)Angel S.
If you want a nice restaurant in White Bear Lake, on the water even, check out Acqua - it's a nice place. They have seafood, chops, vegetarian risotto, and they have a tasting menu. You can find something for $18 - $40 (3-course tasting menu). The cocktails are lovely too - I enjoyed the cucumber margarita. If you get to sit on the lake it's wonderful. We sat inside, and it was fine, but feel it will be better when the weather is cold/bad because we prefer to sit on the lake when it's nice out. We did have our 15 month old, and they accommodated us well, but next time we will try a romantic dinner or night out with friends to not feel as rushed. Reservations are recommended.
(4)Leo S.
One of our favorite places in White Bear and it is hard to beat on a nice evening. The food is usually pretty good and they gave a nice selection of beers and wines.
(5)Kristie K.
Love, Love, Love. Food was excellent. I had family in town from Florida and he is vegan and they were very accommodating. The service is always excellent.
(5)Erin T.
The food is delicious and great atmosphere. Must have the spicy Chile drink they have on their menu!!
(4)Christian K.
Food was fantastic! Staff was GREAT! Just a wonderful place. Went here while one vacation to celebrate our wedding Ann. Everything was awesome
(5)Jonathan B.
Acqua is a hidden treasure in the northern suburbs! The food is amazing, the service impeccable, any experience unforgettable. Acqua continues to impress me time and time again. The goat cheese beet salad is hands-down, my favorite salad in the entire world. Their menu changes often, so be sure to visit often. The salted prime rib is always a hit, the Oso Buco is always delicious, but their fish selections are out of this world! I've been visiting this restaurant for many years, and the service is always been exceptional. No matter what the occasion, whether casual dining, or formal affair, this restaurant will impress. Don't forget dessert! They generally have a great selection of ice cream, torts and the caramel bundino mousse is a must! The restaurant is small, so make sure to book a reservation. They also have outdoor seating in the summer, right on White Bear Lake. You can also arrive by boat!
(5)Kathy K.
Nice views of White Bear Lake but my food was disappointing. Starting with the beet salad with very nice fried goat cheese, however the beets were limp and old and the dressing was not well balanced. I had the snapper with orzo. Not a good choice as the fish was dry and overcooked, the sauce was acidic and bland. It needed some garlic or pepper to liven it up. Just a boring entree and overpriced for the area. My friends had some entrees with scallops and shrimp that looked much better. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. The service was excellent however.
(3)Stella H.
I went to Acqua on a Saturday night with 3 friends to celebrate a birthday. Acqua is a quaint building across from WBL. It's cute and the staff and owner are terrific. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Their margaritas are very, very good. My friends love the Jamedon and ginger cocktail, which was tasty, I just don't like dark liquors. The menu looked great, it was tough making a decision. I ordered the scallops on the small plate menu - added one extra scallop for $4 as only two come in an order. OMG! Order these! The sauce was amazing and it was very rich - if you have heart troubles, choose a salad! I had the best and fried goat cheese salad - very good. They should just have a friend goat cheese appetizer as those were fantastic. I also ordered the brussel sprouts to share - they were a bit tough. Not as tasty as other place dive tried (to this day, Bank DT Mpls has the BEST brussel sprouts!) One friend ordered the salmon and loved it, one ordered the mussels and I tried a few, they were great. One had the pink snapper and that was very good as well! We all split a piece of cheesecake which was super light and airy, odd for a cheesecake. But it was great. The wine we ordered was wonderful as well. Cabernet first and Shiraz second. A lovely night, great food and wonderful service! Give it a go if you happen to be up this way. Tip: try the tasting menu. For $40 you get a salad, entree and dessert and all portions are regular serving size! Terrific bargain.
(4)Sharon B.
We stumbled upon this restaurant and were delighted with a wonderful balcony table upstairs with a great view of White Bear Lake. We split the 3 course option - just enough food. The Caprese salad was wonderful, with the buffalo mozzarella just right. The Tiger Shrimp Scampi was excellent, and the New York style cheesecake topped the meal perfectly. Great service, great food and a great view makes this place a new favorite when we're visiting the cities.
(5)Phillip Y.
We came here last week during restaurant week. I had the shrimp scampi and my significant other had the Ragu alla Bolognese. The shrimp scampi was just the right proportion but the Ragu alla Bolognese was huge. For starter, I had the field green and cucumber salad and my significant other had the wild mushroom soup which was creamy but good. For dessert, I had the chocolate soufle and she had the Izzy's trio ice cream (butter pecan, chocolate chip, pumpkin). Our favorite was the butter pecan. I had graham cracker ice cream with my soufle with homemade marshmallow. Overall, reasonable price at $30 per person for restaurant week. We went to see a movie afterwards at Oakdale Marcus so it was a nice dinner and movie date night. Parking was not adequate but free valet parking so don't let the attendant scare you off. Otherwise, park at the very end near the VFW lot.
(5)Andrew T.
I mean, the hype for this place is high, so I gave it a go despite the prices. A great place if you like good wine and cocktails. The salmon was one of the cheaper entrees at 26 bucks. It came with the purple kind of potatoes, some greens, and orange slices. It was quite good, but could have used some more exciting seasoning. Again, the wine is great. Try this place out.
(4)Leah S.
I really wanted to like this place, it is my mom and step-dad's favorite restaurant and when they took us here we were excited to see what this place has to offer! I don't get out of Minneapolis or St. Paul much to try restaurants so I was excited to see what the burbs have in store :) Let's start with the good stuff: It is located close to white bear lake, so you can get a view of the lake! The wine list is good,not amazing but good They have a prix fixe menu The dessert was really good, but not $9 good What didn't thrill me: The prices! $40 for a prix fixe menu is a little absurd especially if you aren't downtown or a James beard award winner The food was okay at best. I had the watermelon salad for my first course and the watermelon had started to go bad, it wasn't fresh. I had the salmon for my main course, nothing phenomenal. The service was okay So overall, okay food at high prices. If you live in the area try it out but don't go out of your way to go there!
(3)K S.
Fabulous food, great service and the outdoor patio is White Bear's best. Walleye is very good. Creative tasting menu is always available. A must try!
(5)Liz M.
We took my bfs parents here for Father's Day and everything was AMAZING! We had a great server as well. From the homemade ginger ale and lemonade to our main courses. We had the Brussels sprouts and bruschetta, they were both good, but sprouts are the clear winner. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. We had 3 fish dishes and one chicken and everyone was extremely happy with presentation and flavor.
(5)Jen W.
I've been hearing about this place for a long time and put it on my list of places to try years ago. Then I realized it was in White Bear Lake so I took it off my list of places to try. But a friend with a gift certificate convinced me to go. I was pretty excited to finally see what the buzz was about, but also apprehensive and worried that it isn't necessarily "good" as much as it is "good for White Bear Lake". But we hauled our a$$es up to WBL ready to find out. My first thought walking in was "oh my god, I'm totally overdressed" as the ambience leaves a bit to be desired. And the chairs are uber uncomfortable. So right off the bat I was let down and ready to be disappointed. But fortunately, that's where the disappointment ended. I did the 3 for $40 tasting menu and the $20 paired wine flight, started with the much-raved about beet salad which did not disappoint, nor did the pinot grigio it was paired with which cut the acidity of the dressing beautifully. There is no vegetarian entree on the tasting menu, but when I asked if I could get one they offered eggplant parmesan or vegetable risotto. I opted for the former even though I'm not a big fan of eggplant. It was delicious. The sauce was slightly smoky and slightly spicy and and with the paired merlot (yes folks, merlot) it was fantastic. Ended with the chocolate souffle cake w/ graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream served with port and nearly died. My friend also did the 3 for $40 but added an appetizer. Don't do this. It was way too much food. The calamari which he ordered was boring and blah but the server noted that he hadn't touched much and suggested that she'd bring him the mussels instead which she swore he'd love. He did. It was all quite delicious. That said, I wouldn't drive to White Bear Lake for it again as there are restaurants much closer with the same quality. But if you happen to live in the northern 'burbs, I'd definitely put this on the short list.
(4)Annie L.
My girlfriends and I had a wonderful dinner and experience at Acqua the other night. We had a table on the second floor, which gives off a totally different vibe than the main floor, which looks more dated. The atmosphere was beautiful and spacious. The food was outstanding (bruschetta appetizer, cheese plate, apple/manchego salad, beet/goat cheese salad, sea bass, butternut ravioli, butterscotch budino, chocolate torte with graham cracker and marshmallow)! To be honest, it was better than we expected. The wine recommendation that Thomas (our waiter) had was spot on and exactly what we were looking for. Overall, a great experience. Too bad we all live almost an hour away or this would be a "go to" place.
(4)Angela S.
We dined here with two other couples in December. This place is very unique being that it is an old house converted into a restaurant. With that being said, it is very small and cramped so be prepared for some bumping into people as well struggling to find a place to stand around the bar enjoying a drink waiting for your table. Regardless, the food and service were amazing. I ordered what the server recommended as a staff favorite, the Gamberi. This is a scallop and shrimp plate and it was fantastic. Everyone else in my group were completely satisfied with their meals as well and we all agreed we would return. Free Valet parking is a bonus here too. Even though it's in WBL, the parking is not good.
(5)Krystle R.
What i enjoyed most about the place is your not rushed to eat, everything is coursed out. I had the pork shank which was fantastic! The service was great , the servers are very attentive there . Highly recommended this place !!
(5)Vishal S.
This place is the bomb! I've been here a couple times now and both times it has been excellent service and phenomenal food. Small cozy quarters tucked in nicely by the lake, I had the lobster dish and it was the best, full of flavor and sweet!!!
(5)Brian H.
I came here with my wife for dessert and coffee. We shared the Chocolate Souffle Cake, Toasted Marshmallow & Graham Cracker Ice Cream dessert. It was very good, especially the ice cream, very unique and yummy, and the service was prompt and friendly. My main complaint is the building. It is in a very narrow and cramped space. We sat inside on the main level and it was way too tight in there. The patio by the lake seems like it would be pretty nice, but it was too cold when we were there. If I knew I would be sat in the same space, I would not go back, but to sit outside I would try it again to try the food menu.
(3)Phyllis L.
I would give Acqua 3 1/2 stars. The food was good but not phenomenal . My husband had lamb chops a special for the night. He said they were good but small and has had better. I had the pork ribeye, I thought it was good but I wasn't overWhelmed. We shared the beet salad the greens were chicory which are quite bitter in my opinion. It had very little dressing on it. The beets were cut in small strips. I did think the desserts were quite good, everyone had something different.The service was also just good. We were seated upstairs and it is quite loud with high ceilings. Not sure I would rush back for the money we paid.
(3)Ann Marie F.
Perfect spot for a date! Got there shortly after rain, so staff was urgently getting patios ready for guests. Wait was no problem. Had 2 signature cocktails, delish! Ordered roasted beet salad and duck bacon with arugula. Both good, nothing overwhelming. Although, duck bacon tasted just like regular bacon. Had the seared Ahi tuna... not seared. .. WELL done. It was saved by the delicious sauce and potatoes. Date had sea bass, which was amazing. It's a fabulous spot! Give it a try!
(4)Crystal M.
Parking was a bit tricky as it was quite busy in that area but our table was ready for our reservation, food was fantastic, drinks were delicious. We did not feel rushed and would definitely recommend this restaurant to others.
(5)Kathy M.
This is one of our favorite Minnesota restaurants for many reasons.... The food and the drinks are always exceptional! (I can personally speak for the Jameson!) They offer a 3 course menu for $40 which is a great way to sample their menu - it can be too easy to turn down the starters or desserts and I think their mushroom soup should never be missed! My hubby says that their Osso Bucco is the best he's ever had! The owner and wait staff are very professional and personable. It is in a quaint little house overlooking a lake and I'm told that in beautiful weather, it is very nice having dinner out on their patio by the lake.
(5)Leslie a.
We have always had fantastic meals at Acqua . The service is first rate . Our favorite place to go . Never a bad thing to say about them . Hope that they keep up the GREAT work !
(5)Doug D.
Finally made it to Acqua for dinner. We were seated upstairs in a very quaint room. They have a small bar area with a few tables and there is also a patio across the driveway near the lake that looks like it would be nice if we didn't have 4-6 inches of snow on the ground at the end of April! Very nice wine selections. The salads, beet salad, fennel-apple salad, were excellent. We also had the bruschetta which was wonderful. Our table had the Walleye dinner, Osso Bucco and the Bone In Rib Eye. Everything was prepared very well, the Osso Bucco was the best I've ever had. I tasted the walleye and rib eye and they, too were excellent. We had four different desserts and everyone tasted all of them, all getting very positive reviews. Everyone in our group was very pleased with their experience here. Fairly priced menu. Professional service, very knowledgeable. We look forward to a return visit.
(5)Suze S.
Bar none, this is my current favorite restaurant for Dining Out right now. (The capital letters mean dining out in nice places, not just Going Out, which would be, like, Olive Garden or something.) The atmosphere is nice but not stuffy or pretentious, same for the staff. Love the "patio" section down by the lake, the rooftop is nice too, but gets a little breezy. The restaurant is in an old, renovated house, so the inside dining room is reminiscent of Forepaugh's, but more intimate. Excellent wine selection, and the servers are very helpful in choosing. They have a Dinner menu and a prix fixe Tasting menu with a salad/entree/dessert. With your drinks comes some pre-dinner bread and the MOST amazing butter I've every had. Sweet, creamy, with a touch of honey. I may or may not have licked the butter knife. The first time we went I was just meeting a friend, I just had the chilled soup and we split the Creme Brulee. The chilled soup was, I think, cantaloupe-strawberry and honeydew-mint? It was interesting. It was plated beautifully, with the cantaloupe puree on one half of the bowl, and the honeydew on the other, with a beautiful design of what I think was creme fraiche separating them. The taste was sweeter than I expected, and the texture was a little unusual, not sure it's something I'd get again, but I'm glad I tried it. The creme brulee was done well, tasted like creme brulee. Our second visit we came hungry and both ordered from the Tasting menu. I wish our timing was better, because the Wine Flight matched with the menu sounded great, and not too steep at $20, but I had to work later. Our server was great about letting the uber picky Man make some small changes/substitutions to the Tasting menu. I'm not nearly as fussy. I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad- the fried Lemon-Honey goat cheese was Ah. Mah. Zing. For the main course I ordered the Ossobucco. Delicious. Huge. Tender. Falling off the bone. Sweet but also savory. And the white sweet potato mash was a perfect combination, soaking up the extra sauce, providing a smooth contrast to all that meat. For dessert I had the Butterscotch Budino with Whipped Cream, Caramel and Sea Salt. Next time, I'm ordering this first. Screw the rest of the meal. Seriously, it's a smooth, mild butterscotch custard with puffs of whipped cream, drizzled in caramel and sprinkled with sea salt. I thought I had died and gone to dessert heaven. I'm a huge fan of pudding/custard desserts, and it's hard to find one that isn't chocolate or is more of a mousse than custard texture. This goes on the list of Things to Eat at my Last Meal for SURE. Prices? Yeah, it's a little pricey. $40 for the Tasting Menu, most entrees in the $20-$30 range. But so worth it. Great place to take people you want to linger over dinner with, savor some good flavor and enjoy a classy but relaxing atmosphere.
(5)Leroy S.
Service was great. Valet is a good thing. I had the calamari. They were good. Had the scallops and shrimp. Scallops cooked perfectly but not phenomenal flavor, just good. I've had better tasting shrimp and scallops elsewhere which is why only 4 stars.
(4)Lisa M.
Great meal! This actually could have been a 5 star place.... I've been wanting to try this place forever and we finally got the chance. We went with some friends on a recent Saturday evening. They are regulars there and I kind of felt like I was with celebrities. Everyone knew them and the friends knew everything we had to try on the menu. We were seated upstairs at a quaint table not far from the water station. We were kind of in the main thoroughfare, but it was fine with me. I started with the Italian Basil Mojito. It was quite refreshing and delicious. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails. We also had the bruschetta and the calamari. I enjoyed the crunch of the crostini and the tang of the red wine vinegar. I wanted to try everything on the menu, so I went with the tasting menu. I had the Field Greens Salad, the Roast Chicken and the Butterscotch Bundino. My dining companion also went with the tasting menu, but had the Beet Salad, the Walleye and the chocolate souffle. The salad was great! I loved everything about it. The egg was especially delicious! I had a piece of his fried goat cheese from his salad and it was great as well. I cannot resist fried goat cheese! Here is where they lose a star - we got our food and waited for quite some time for our bottle of wine to be delivered. By quite some time, I mean all of us were about 1/3 done with our entrees. It was a little disappointing because up until then and after that, service and food could not have been better. My chicken was stuffed with Fontina Cheese and was cut all fancy. It was upon a bed of basil pesto risotto and had a pan sauce. I liked it because when I cut into the chicken, the cheese oozed out. The pan sauce was a little salty for my taste, but good otherwise. I tried the fingerling potatoes under his walleye and they were great as well. I literally couldn't decided on dessert since everything sounded good. I told her to surprise us - she came with the Butterscotch and the Souffle. Oh, wow! Now, I'm not even a huge butterscotch fan, but this was so freaking good! The sweetness of the butterscotch worked so well with the saltiness on top. Whoa! Now, I *have* to try the one at 112. I wasn't crazy about the actual chocolate souffle, but I loved the graham cracker ice cream that came with it. This is a 5 star place, but even a couple weeks later, I'm still thinking about how the wine came so long after we started eating. I'll give them pass on it and most definitely try it again!
(4)Kelly O.
Why won't Yelp let me do half stars? I would give Acqua a 4.5 instead. Eating outside, overlooking the lake is a beautiful way to spend a summer evening. Inside is more cramped and a less ideal way to enjoy this restaurant. I had the tasting menu which is a wonderful value for the quality and amount of food you get. Our waiter was friendly and had a good knowledge of wine pairings to go with our meals. A little bit more expensive than most restaurants in White Bear Lake, but a more gourmet experience awaits you.
(4)Master A.
I usually don't give out 5 stars, but this small place was worth it. They went out of their way to get my wife and I seating outside by the boat docks. The server was very friendly and fast. The food was priced just right. I had the rib eye steak. I'm a pretty big eater, but I could only finish half. The steak was huge and well worth the money. The atmosphere was wonderful. I really felt like I was a king when I was here. I will definitely return. The only thing that might be a con for this place is that it is too small. If you have a large party, good luck. This place looks like it was an old duplex from back in the day, but it looks really nice.
(5)Mange T.
3 1/2 stars. 3 stars for the food. An additional 0.5 for above average service and what I presume is a good location in the summer (I can only speak to the experience in the dead of winter--by that I mean March 2013). The host was kind enough to give us seats right near the oversized window with a lakeside view, where we could potentially "watch a car or two sink." I ordered wine per the waitress's suggestion, which was delightful, although the restaurant seems very proud of its cocktail offerings. Our waitress was courteous and willing to give advice on the menu, although she did recommend one steak in particular "because the side potato mash is ah-Mazing", with no commentary on the rest of the dish. While I enjoy a plate of stellar mashed taters as much as the next individual, I don't typically seek them out in $40 supporting roles. Just saying. Ordered the crab-encrusted sea bass with broccolini. Also sampled the bruschetta, roasted beet salad, walleye, chocolate souffle, and butterscotch budino. Ingredients were high quality, and my entree was solid; it just didn't have that "wow" factor, that harmony of flavors and textures that separates a good meal from a truly exceptional one. Nothing was bad--it just wasn't all that great. With a fish that practically melts in your mouth to begin with, beurre blanc seemed redundant, even a bit lazy. A sauce that complemented, rather than imitated that buttery quality, would've been more unique and definitely more memorable. Ps the beets in the beet salad were canned. Unexpected and disappointing. Given this restaurant's 30+ 5-star reviews, I expected something mind-blowing. Acqua turned out to be a pretty, upscale steakhouse in the nor-eastern 'burbs masquerading as "Italian". Yep, I know they offer pasta, and a few overtly Italian items in the menu--but they catered primarily (and perhaps appropriately so) to the prototypical Midwestern meat-and-potatoes leanings. I would've liked to see their menu push the envelope a bit more, or at least bring a bit more dimension and inspiration to items already offered.
(3)Heather K.
I love this place! I have never had a bad meal; I have tried items that were a little out of our comfort zone but LOVED all of the dishes. The sour chili drink is AMAZING!
(5)Shelby M.
Excellent mussels! Great fries. I only wish this location was as nice as the one in forest lake. I've visited the other location before the Wbl location and have to say that I was unimpressed. The service is great and food is fantastic. But I sort of felt like some renovations needed to be done to the bar. The frog in the aquarium on the bar is cool but it was ruining my appetite as I was nibbling on your delicious fries.
(5)Colleen C.
Service was great - food excellent - seating by the lake wonderful. Enjoyable evening.
(5)Damon B.
This our favorite restaurant to go to. We look for any occasion to get here. The food is second to none, the atmosphere is great for adults, and the wine/beer selection is great! We have been here many times and we have never had a bad meal or experience! It is the best of the best in the Twin Cities!!
(5)Michael F.
We were looking for a nice dinner near an event we were going to in White Bear Lake; a town a good 45 minutes from our home. We were more than happy to have found Acqua. This Italian based menu is not some suburban red-sauce joint; you'd have a hard time finding this level in most serious cities. Tried the mushroom soup and the osso buco, both of which are on the tasting menu ($40). The $20 wine flight that went with that was three well paired rounds (and not skimpy portions!); the last round of wine was a mellow tawny port that went great with the butterscotch budino (pudding) with caramel sauce, which alone is worth the drive. The others at our table tried the walleye, a steak, and a carbonara with pulled pork; Everyone raved. The server was very kind and attentive, and showed his enthusiasm for the menu. The kitchen did some small tweaks to accommodate some food needs (like a youngster who didn't want the sauce on her entree). I really hope to get back here, hopefully on a warm summer night by the lake!
(5)Amy H.
Came here for a birthday dinner on the recommendation of some coworkers and it was a fantastic choice. I think the highlight of the feast was actually our cocktail choice - the Black Cherry Collins. It's a gin-based drink, but it did not taste overly "ginny" at all. Smooth and delicious. Moving along... Appetizers: Calamari was sublime. Shrimp Caesar salads were divine - dressing was not too heavy, yet carried a very bold flavor. Entree: I had the pork shank and I would highly recommend that to anyone. Dessert: I went with the ice cream trio because I wanted ice cream, but I think all the other offerings are fancier and maybe tastier. I still liked my ice cream. We made a reservation for 8pm on a Sunday night and were very glad we did - it was totally full when we got there. Definitely plan ahead for any night you go! This is a great special occasion choice.
(5)Karyn P.
Wow, that's all I can say. The service is greAT the food.even better. All I can say is they change the menu and go eat there. It's amazing.
(5)Sam M.
My wife always likes to get wine when we go to a place like Acqua. Not tonight. We decided to sample some of the novel cocktails they had on offer. A Pepper infused bourbon with passion fruit for me. My wife had a cucumber margarita. They bourbon was quite snappy and was well complemented by the sweet fruit taste. The cucumber was more subtle and light. Acqua is a repurposed house on the shore of White Bear Lake. It overlooks the harbor and features a patio for summer dining. The atmosphere is casual, but the dining room lends an air of elegance to the place. It is an enjoyable place to have a quiet conversation. We were promptly seated for our reservation, our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly. A nice crusty loaf accompanied by a lightly honeyed butter was more than welcome. We selected the three course meal. My wife picked spring greens. I picked spinach with prosciutto/apple/pear. Both were great with subtle flavoring. We both had the walleye as a main course. Tender- not overcooked at all. I am not a fish guy, but I found it intriguing. Dessert was creme brulee for me and butterscotch pudding (with sea salt) for my wife. Both were a nice way to wrap up the meal.
(5)matt k.
Acqua is run be people with years of experience in fine dining restaurants located in and around Minneapolis and the service and food definitely reflects that. With its fresh ingredients to sea food flown in daily, you can definitely tell that care is put into the unique dishes served. The items we ordered for our meal were: Calamari Caprese Salad Mussels Saltimbocca del Pollo Ossobuco di Porco Trio of Izzy's Ice Cream Double Chocolate Brownie with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache and Almond Whipped Cream All phenomenal. But the Mussels ( twitpic.com/i85is ) were exceptional and the broth they're served in might as well be served as a soup it was so tasty. The chicken breast was moist and flavorful and the risotto done very well. The pork shank fell off the bone - it was all great and a great experience. We sat outside on the porch overlooking White Bear Lake. This was our view, twitpic.com/i801r Give it a shot. Seriously. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Katie F.
Best valentine's date ever. Incredible food and ambiance.
(5)Karin M.
I must admit that with a Yelp 5 star rating and 16 reviews we had extremely high expectations for our visit at Acqua. Wow, not only did they meet those expectations we were all planning our next visit before we even left the restaurant. Reservations are a must, at least for a Saturday night. The only dim spot was when we walked in (use the entrance on the side of the building) and had to wait a few minutes for our table...it was a little crowded and awkward without a very big waiting space/entry. Once seated, perfection began. The wait staff works together so very well it is simply a joy. All four of us had something different and all four were more than pleased with the offerings. Our friends shared the scallop small plate which looked divine. Hubbs and I shared the cured meat plate which was outstanding. Dinner was Ossobuco for me, a featured pork entree with figs for hubbs, scallops/shrimp with the purple potatoes and the filet with crab for our friends. It looked like our friend licked his plate clean, it was that good. Desserts were the butterscotch bundino, the chocolate cake with graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream (combining the flavors was like eating a s'more, and the banana's foster cheesecake. Once again, all delish! Can't wait to go back...this is one place where I would love to become a regular at.
(5)Jeremy C.
My wife and I went here for our anniversary. Had been meaning to go for some time and now wish we would have gone sooner. I had a steak that was one of the best I've ever had. Service was great. Love the outdoor patio. Wine selection and drinks were good. Expensive evening meal but very worth it for a special occasion.
(5)Phil H.
There are only so many places I've eaten in the Twin Cities that I would confidently put up against the best places in the major cities (Heartland and 112 Eatery come to mind). Well, this is one of them. This place is legit. The attention to flavors is major league. My wife and I had some great calamari to start, different seafood dishes for dinner (mine was a special) and one of the best desserts I've ever eaten. The prices for a meal like this are reasonable and a great value. Do yourself a favor and get here as soon as you can...just make sure to make a reservation. My wife and I can't wait to go back. Well done.
(5)Alex C.
When I think of fancy meal places, I think of downtown Minneapolis or right around there. There are of fine dining joints other places....St. Paul (Meritage, Heartland) but I was shocked to hear the rumblings about Acqua over my neck of the woods in White Bear Lake. This place is amazing. The other reviews were right. This has got to be the best kept secret for amazing fine dining in the Twin Cities. They have a $40 every day tasting menu but for restaurant week they had a $30 tasting menu with a few less options. I started off with one of the best calamari I've ever had. Perfectly crispy, not oily and extremely tender. I can explain the mayo but I would have eaten it with a spoon if I didn't think people would stare. My tasting menu started with the honeydew and cantaloupe puree. This was an amazing cold soup and the honey dew side had a bit of tang to it. It looked as amazing as it tasted. Very refreshing on a bit of a muggy day. My wife, who loves beat salads and orders them everywhere we go, said hands down, this was the best beat salad she had every had. (The salad came with a fried goat cheese and there was something on the beats that made them a little crispy). I'll have to take her word for it because she wasn't sharing. For my main course I had the ragu which was probably the best spaghetti type noodle dish I have ever had. Our friend had the osso buco which looked amazing. It was the largest most tender portion of osso bucco that I had ever seen. It was served with a white mashed sweet potato (white? who knew?) I only tried a bite, but it was amazing and I'm coming back for it. For dessert, I had a deconstructed smore (graham cracker ice cream, homemade marshmallow and a molten lava cake....they called it a souffle...it was good regardless). It was tasty but everyone recommends the budino. I can see why. It beat the snot out of the 112 version...a tough thing to do but wow, this thing was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. Also, I was amazed by the awesome service. I doubt my glass even got half empty. Our waiter was very helpful and his recommendations were perfect. This is a pricier joint but you are paying for some amazing food and service. If you're looking for a great fancy meal, then you should strongly consider coming here. You definitely need to call ahead, especially a week or two in advance for weekend reservations. I hope this place doesn't blow up too big (like Travail) otherwise it'll be a pain getting back in here.
(5)Dan R.
Last night we went to Acqua to have great food and eat on their patio. Unfortunately, the breeze coming off the lake was just a little too strong/cold! Although we couldn't sit on the patio (they would let us if we wanted to), we still had a great time and excellent food. This was our second time here and both times we had great food. This time they had a 50% special on all bottles of wine! They always have a tasting menu with three courses for $30. I had the pork shank with sweet potato puree which was excellent. For dessert, we shared the Butterscotch Budino with caramel which was topped with whipped cream and a little sea salt. The sea salt added a little depth to the dessert. Although this was tasty, next time I'm going to try the Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake with Graham Cracker Ice Cream and Marshmallow! We'll go back to sit on the patio again, but might have to wait until July!
(4)Kathy P.
Just had to share this. Yelps description says beer and wine only. Acqua has some of the best cocktails ever. The cucumber margarita is light and refreshing. The black cherry gin drink, can't think of the name is to die for. Everything is wonderful!
(5)Frank M.
This was the second time I've been to Acqua, and both times my girl friend and I have had a great experience! We had reservations for dinner and when we arrived we were warmly greeted and asked if they could take our jackets and hang them for us. Our previous visit we sat on the main floor in a room towards the back and right next to a nice fire place. This time we were brought up stairs (which wasn't open our previous visit) into a room with a beautiful view of White Bear Lake. Even though it was winter the view was still nice and I can only imagine how much nicer it'd be in the summer. Once again we were sat next to a fire place. It was very cozy and kept us at a perfect temperature. We decided to each get the 3 course meal for $30. We were more than pleased our previous visit with this deal so we decided for it again. We also got a nice bottle of white wine which was very good. I highly recommend the chili for your starter. We both got it and thought it was amazing. For my Entrée I went with the Ragu alla Bolgnese (pasta). My girl friend got the Ossobuco di Porco (pork shank). We both shared our food and thought they were each delicious in their own ways. The bolgnese is a ton of food so be prepared to eat a lot. I also thought the mashed potatoes that came with the pork shank were extra amazing. I'm not sure what was different about them, but I suspect there was a lot of butter and possibly honey in them! For desert I got the apple crisp and she got the Pistachio Semifreddo with Warm Dark Chocolate Ganache. Both were once again very good, but the apple crisp was my favorite. But I do love apple deserts so I am biased. After being there for 2 hours and enjoying a bottle of wine, a 3 course meal, great service, and great atmosphere, we couldn't have been much happier. The location is very nice being that it over looks White Bear Lake. The restaurant itself is an old house that was nicely renovated with multiple fireplaces and hard wood floors and warmly decorated with lots of candles and chandeliers. Acqua is a bit pricely (our bill was over $100 after tip both occasions) but well worth it for special occasions.
(5)Corie B.
Great food, quiet atmos & service! During the summer enjoy outdoors on their patio viewing White Bear Lake. I have been there 3x always very good
(5)Olive S.
Best dinner in White Bear, and it beats a lot of Twin City restaurants too. Who says the suburbs can't keep it classy? Great spot, great food. Romantic. I'd eat here every week if I could.
(5)Frank S.
Definitely the best dining spot in the Twin Cities' northern suburbs. The food was excellent. Our server, Ryan Smith, was very knowledgeable, and friendly, but professional. Our table on the second floor was comfortable. The second floor is a long spacious area with quite a few tables (maybe 15?) but they are well spaced, and the area is not crowded. Also there appeared to be 5 or 6 wait staff working the area so each table was well attended (but not intrusive). We also appreciated that the noise level was fairly low. We could actually hear each other while speaking in a low volume. We only passed thru the first floor, where the bar and a number of tables are located, but it appeared to be more crowded. The outside tables at dockside were not available as it was cool and raining. I suggest making reservations. While this is not a large restaurant, and there are quite a few tables, but it's the only place like it for many miles and appears to have quite a draw. The food: For an appetizer we had Patate Fritte: malt vinegar fries with tarragon aioli and fresno chili ketchup. A single order was generous, enough for two. The aioli with the fries is superb. We split a Mela Parmigiano salad: matchstick apple and manchego cheese with olio verde, chive and cracked black pepper. Again, it was enough for two and very tasty. My wife had Pollo Saltimbocca: roasted chicken breast with prosciutto ham, sage, basil pesto risotto and fontina cream sauce. I had the Ossobuco: braised pork shank with white sweet potato puree and port demi-glace. It was all well presented, and delicious. I particularly enjoy "lesser cuts", such as pork shank, which are brought to a new level thru expert preparation. They can do that at Acqua.
(5)Kim R.
We stopped by Acqua for the second time last night and the food wowed us again! This place just can't go wrong in my book. Everything we've tried here has been top knotch. I ordered the crab ravioli and it had the best tomato sauce I have ever tasted. I could have just ordered a bowl of the sauce and eaten it with a spoon. It had such a warm, rich flavor. I wish I could replicate it at home. I think I might just dream about that sauce for weeks to come. For dessert we ordered the butterscotch budino. I was intrigued by this dessert after reading a few Yelp reviews that raved about it. I'm not usually a fan of pudding and like a little more substance to my desserts, like cake or brownies. But this dessert was definitely tasty. It started with a layer of creamy butterscotch pudding that was spiked with rum and was topped with a layer of salted vanilla bean caramel. On top of that was fresh whipped cream and a bit of sea salt. While this was a good dessert, I can't say that I would order it again. If you like tasting menus, this is the place for you! Every night they have a three course menu for $30, such a great value.
(5)Paul K.
I was not impressed with the Panko Walleye, however the Yukon gold potatoes where excellent. The Butterscotch Budino with Caramel just tasted like eating pure sugar. They had a great beer selection which cannot be found at many resturants.
(3)Jennell E.
I thought everything was very good - but none of them were spectacular to me. I would certainly go back though to try other things off the menu as I could have just ordered the wrong things. Caprese Salad - Best dish of the night - so fresh and yummy! Calamari - heavily seasoned and had some chewy pieces Ragu - loved the fresh noodles, sauce was "eh" for me Peach cobbler - This is strange but did anyone else taste candle wax? You know when you were a kid and you had a ton of candles and some dripped on to the cake? I swear that is how it tasted to me but there were no candles in sight! Server was EXCELLENT - I was surprised because the staff is very young but super attentive and knowlegeable.
(4)Sharon O.
Incredible food, impeccable service. Osso Buco with sweet potato purée was soooo good. Beet salad with goat cheese is another one of my favorites.
(5)Garrett L.
Great Food, Great Service, and a Great Atmosphere!! Will definitely be back again...
(5)Martin L.
Such good food, and a great Elderflower Martini.
(5)Dan P.
Outstanding food and service. Their walleye is the best.
(5)Natalia C.
Hands down one of my all time favorite meals was at this charming, little spot! They have everything right . . . the service, wine, ambiance and food is all incredible!
(5)Mollee F.
You won't regret making the drive to White Bear Lake for this restaurant. Service is top notch. Setting is both scenic and intimate. And the food is the among the best the metro has to offer (down to the butter). Ragu bolognese is lick-the-bowl good. Great place to impress out-of-town guests with.
(5)Lael B.
You've got to go, that's all I'm going to say.
(5)Jacque U.
5 Stars, 10 Stars if I could! We had the most amazing time Saturday night. We arrived early for our reservation and had to wait, but we had at least 2 people (neither of whom ended up being our server) offer to get us drinks and look at the menu. We were seated and our server brought us each a glass of champagne when she found out were were celebrating. We both ordered from the tasting menu (what an amazing deal, the quality far exceeds the price) but we split the duck confit pizza as our starter instead of individual starters. Pizza was SO good. The combination of flavors with the pear, Gorgonzola, champagne grapes, and the duck blew me away. The duck was slightly crispy and the crust of the pizza was just about perfect. Thin but still doughy, Mains were the ossobucco di porcco (I think I spelled that right - pork shank) with sweet potato mash for him and the handmade spinach ravioli for me. He was sold on the osso as soon as it was described as braised for 2+ hours with a 2 days sauce. And it was extremely flavorful and delicious. His only complaint was that he wanted more sauce. I was sure that my ravioli wouldn't hold up to the osso but they definitely held their own. The artichoke hearts with tomatoes and garlic and the lemon sauce was so bright and the flavors exploded in my mouth. Delicious. Dessert. OMG, dessert. I know I've been raving about the food but dessert was amazing. We had the chocolate souffle cake with graham cracker ice cream which was a 7/10 but the budino... sweet heaven the budino. The salted caramel topping was amazing. It was salted just right to complement the sweetness and the creamy pudding (is it pudding? custard?) underneath, bliss. I had the accompanying wines with mine and all were good. The riesling at the end wasn't as good as I hoped but both reds were excellent. I should have written down the names, I would absolutely buy them for home. Amazing food, definitely worth the money, great service, GO NOW. What are you waiting for?
(5)Kathy K.
Nice views of White Bear Lake but my food was disappointing. Starting with the beet salad with very nice fried goat cheese, however the beets were limp and old and the dressing was not well balanced. I had the snapper with orzo. Not a good choice as the fish was dry and overcooked, the sauce was acidic and bland. It needed some garlic or pepper to liven it up. Just a boring entree and overpriced for the area. My friends had some entrees with scallops and shrimp that looked much better. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. The service was excellent however.
(3)Jonathan B.
Acqua is a hidden treasure in the northern suburbs! The food is amazing, the service impeccable, any experience unforgettable. Acqua continues to impress me time and time again. The goat cheese beet salad is hands-down, my favorite salad in the entire world. Their menu changes often, so be sure to visit often. The salted prime rib is always a hit, the Oso Buco is always delicious, but their fish selections are out of this world! I've been visiting this restaurant for many years, and the service is always been exceptional. No matter what the occasion, whether casual dining, or formal affair, this restaurant will impress. Don't forget dessert! They generally have a great selection of ice cream, torts and the caramel bundino mousse is a must! The restaurant is small, so make sure to book a reservation. They also have outdoor seating in the summer, right on White Bear Lake. You can also arrive by boat!
(5)Stella H.
I went to Acqua on a Saturday night with 3 friends to celebrate a birthday. Acqua is a quaint building across from WBL. It's cute and the staff and owner are terrific. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Their margaritas are very, very good. My friends love the Jamedon and ginger cocktail, which was tasty, I just don't like dark liquors. The menu looked great, it was tough making a decision. I ordered the scallops on the small plate menu - added one extra scallop for $4 as only two come in an order. OMG! Order these! The sauce was amazing and it was very rich - if you have heart troubles, choose a salad! I had the best and fried goat cheese salad - very good. They should just have a friend goat cheese appetizer as those were fantastic. I also ordered the brussel sprouts to share - they were a bit tough. Not as tasty as other place dive tried (to this day, Bank DT Mpls has the BEST brussel sprouts!) One friend ordered the salmon and loved it, one ordered the mussels and I tried a few, they were great. One had the pink snapper and that was very good as well! We all split a piece of cheesecake which was super light and airy, odd for a cheesecake. But it was great. The wine we ordered was wonderful as well. Cabernet first and Shiraz second. A lovely night, great food and wonderful service! Give it a go if you happen to be up this way. Tip: try the tasting menu. For $40 you get a salad, entree and dessert and all portions are regular serving size! Terrific bargain.
(4)Sharon B.
We stumbled upon this restaurant and were delighted with a wonderful balcony table upstairs with a great view of White Bear Lake. We split the 3 course option - just enough food. The Caprese salad was wonderful, with the buffalo mozzarella just right. The Tiger Shrimp Scampi was excellent, and the New York style cheesecake topped the meal perfectly. Great service, great food and a great view makes this place a new favorite when we're visiting the cities.
(5)Angel S.
If you want a nice restaurant in White Bear Lake, on the water even, check out Acqua - it's a nice place. They have seafood, chops, vegetarian risotto, and they have a tasting menu. You can find something for $18 - $40 (3-course tasting menu). The cocktails are lovely too - I enjoyed the cucumber margarita. If you get to sit on the lake it's wonderful. We sat inside, and it was fine, but feel it will be better when the weather is cold/bad because we prefer to sit on the lake when it's nice out. We did have our 15 month old, and they accommodated us well, but next time we will try a romantic dinner or night out with friends to not feel as rushed. Reservations are recommended.
(4)Leo S.
One of our favorite places in White Bear and it is hard to beat on a nice evening. The food is usually pretty good and they gave a nice selection of beers and wines.
(5)Kristie K.
Love, Love, Love. Food was excellent. I had family in town from Florida and he is vegan and they were very accommodating. The service is always excellent.
(5)Erin T.
The food is delicious and great atmosphere. Must have the spicy Chile drink they have on their menu!!
(4)Olive S.
Best dinner in White Bear, and it beats a lot of Twin City restaurants too. Who says the suburbs can't keep it classy? Great spot, great food. Romantic. I'd eat here every week if I could.
(5)Tracy D.
This place is phenomenal, service is excellent, foods is to die for. Make reservations, because this place is always busy. One of the best meals I have ever had, make this a must of your bucket list, you will not regret it.
(5)Melanie M.
My husband took me here this summer for my Birthday dinner and the food was amazingly good and the service was stellar! We like to to order items that we both want to try and then share. We started with the Calamari which was cooked perfectly=golden crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned and tender on the inside. We also split a great salad made with feta, kalamata olives, red onion, and sun dried tomatoes with an herb vinaigrette which was very tasty and refreshing on a hot night. For our entrees, I had the Oso Buco and my husband had the Pasta Bolognese. The bolognese was very good but the pork shank oso buco was the star! The meat's exterior had almost a crusty texture but the interior was moist and fall-apart tender then covered with one of the richest most delicious demi-glace sauces I've ever tasted! It was served with the perfect accompaniment to soak up all that fabulous sauce, a mashed yellow sweet potato the menu said was from New Jersey. I am a chocoholic so I had to order the chocolate mousse cake that was a play on a s'more, a molton type chocolate cake with bruleed marshmallow creme served with graham cracker ice cream. This was a delicious dessert but on the recommendation of our server we also ordered the Butterscotch Budino, a homemade butterscotch pudding topped with a caramel sauce and sea salt. This was absolute heaven! One of the best desserts I've ever had! If you enjoy sea salted caramel ice cream, you must try it-the perfect balance of salty and sweet! This is my new favorite special occasion restaurant-you have to check it out!
(5)Kevin P.
Made it to Acqua tonight, good food and a nice experience. I chose from the 3-course tasting menu, for the starter they allowed me to substitute a very nice hen-of-the-woods mushroom soup that was a special. The soup was nicely balanced, creamy and tasty. Then came the Braised Pork Shank with Golden Sweet Potato Puree. The pork was cooked perfectly, tender enough that I was able to pull it apart with my fork. Very good, and a good sized portion. To finish I had the Peach Cobbler with ice cream and a cup of coffee. A perfect end to my meal. The waiter was attentive but not obtrusive the service was excellent. Worth the trip, I'll be going back.
(5)Phillip Y.
We came here last week during restaurant week. I had the shrimp scampi and my significant other had the Ragu alla Bolognese. The shrimp scampi was just the right proportion but the Ragu alla Bolognese was huge. For starter, I had the field green and cucumber salad and my significant other had the wild mushroom soup which was creamy but good. For dessert, I had the chocolate soufle and she had the Izzy's trio ice cream (butter pecan, chocolate chip, pumpkin). Our favorite was the butter pecan. I had graham cracker ice cream with my soufle with homemade marshmallow. Overall, reasonable price at $30 per person for restaurant week. We went to see a movie afterwards at Oakdale Marcus so it was a nice dinner and movie date night. Parking was not adequate but free valet parking so don't let the attendant scare you off. Otherwise, park at the very end near the VFW lot.
(5)Andrew T.
I mean, the hype for this place is high, so I gave it a go despite the prices. A great place if you like good wine and cocktails. The salmon was one of the cheaper entrees at 26 bucks. It came with the purple kind of potatoes, some greens, and orange slices. It was quite good, but could have used some more exciting seasoning. Again, the wine is great. Try this place out.
(4)Leah S.
I really wanted to like this place, it is my mom and step-dad's favorite restaurant and when they took us here we were excited to see what this place has to offer! I don't get out of Minneapolis or St. Paul much to try restaurants so I was excited to see what the burbs have in store :) Let's start with the good stuff: It is located close to white bear lake, so you can get a view of the lake! The wine list is good,not amazing but good They have a prix fixe menu The dessert was really good, but not $9 good What didn't thrill me: The prices! $40 for a prix fixe menu is a little absurd especially if you aren't downtown or a James beard award winner The food was okay at best. I had the watermelon salad for my first course and the watermelon had started to go bad, it wasn't fresh. I had the salmon for my main course, nothing phenomenal. The service was okay So overall, okay food at high prices. If you live in the area try it out but don't go out of your way to go there!
(3)K S.
Fabulous food, great service and the outdoor patio is White Bear's best. Walleye is very good. Creative tasting menu is always available. A must try!
(5)Liz M.
We took my bfs parents here for Father's Day and everything was AMAZING! We had a great server as well. From the homemade ginger ale and lemonade to our main courses. We had the Brussels sprouts and bruschetta, they were both good, but sprouts are the clear winner. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. We had 3 fish dishes and one chicken and everyone was extremely happy with presentation and flavor.
(5)Frank S.
Definitely the best dining spot in the Twin Cities' northern suburbs. The food was excellent. Our server, Ryan Smith, was very knowledgeable, and friendly, but professional. Our table on the second floor was comfortable. The second floor is a long spacious area with quite a few tables (maybe 15?) but they are well spaced, and the area is not crowded. Also there appeared to be 5 or 6 wait staff working the area so each table was well attended (but not intrusive). We also appreciated that the noise level was fairly low. We could actually hear each other while speaking in a low volume. We only passed thru the first floor, where the bar and a number of tables are located, but it appeared to be more crowded. The outside tables at dockside were not available as it was cool and raining. I suggest making reservations. While this is not a large restaurant, and there are quite a few tables, but it's the only place like it for many miles and appears to have quite a draw. The food: For an appetizer we had Patate Fritte: malt vinegar fries with tarragon aioli and fresno chili ketchup. A single order was generous, enough for two. The aioli with the fries is superb. We split a Mela Parmigiano salad: matchstick apple and manchego cheese with olio verde, chive and cracked black pepper. Again, it was enough for two and very tasty. My wife had Pollo Saltimbocca: roasted chicken breast with prosciutto ham, sage, basil pesto risotto and fontina cream sauce. I had the Ossobuco: braised pork shank with white sweet potato puree and port demi-glace. It was all well presented, and delicious. I particularly enjoy "lesser cuts", such as pork shank, which are brought to a new level thru expert preparation. They can do that at Acqua.
(5)Kim R.
We stopped by Acqua for the second time last night and the food wowed us again! This place just can't go wrong in my book. Everything we've tried here has been top knotch. I ordered the crab ravioli and it had the best tomato sauce I have ever tasted. I could have just ordered a bowl of the sauce and eaten it with a spoon. It had such a warm, rich flavor. I wish I could replicate it at home. I think I might just dream about that sauce for weeks to come. For dessert we ordered the butterscotch budino. I was intrigued by this dessert after reading a few Yelp reviews that raved about it. I'm not usually a fan of pudding and like a little more substance to my desserts, like cake or brownies. But this dessert was definitely tasty. It started with a layer of creamy butterscotch pudding that was spiked with rum and was topped with a layer of salted vanilla bean caramel. On top of that was fresh whipped cream and a bit of sea salt. While this was a good dessert, I can't say that I would order it again. If you like tasting menus, this is the place for you! Every night they have a three course menu for $30, such a great value.
(5)Paul K.
I was not impressed with the Panko Walleye, however the Yukon gold potatoes where excellent. The Butterscotch Budino with Caramel just tasted like eating pure sugar. They had a great beer selection which cannot be found at many resturants.
(3)Kathy M.
This is one of our favorite Minnesota restaurants for many reasons.... The food and the drinks are always exceptional! (I can personally speak for the Jameson!) They offer a 3 course menu for $40 which is a great way to sample their menu - it can be too easy to turn down the starters or desserts and I think their mushroom soup should never be missed! My hubby says that their Osso Bucco is the best he's ever had! The owner and wait staff are very professional and personable. It is in a quaint little house overlooking a lake and I'm told that in beautiful weather, it is very nice having dinner out on their patio by the lake.
(5)Damon B.
This our favorite restaurant to go to. We look for any occasion to get here. The food is second to none, the atmosphere is great for adults, and the wine/beer selection is great! We have been here many times and we have never had a bad meal or experience! It is the best of the best in the Twin Cities!!
(5)Jen W.
I've been hearing about this place for a long time and put it on my list of places to try years ago. Then I realized it was in White Bear Lake so I took it off my list of places to try. But a friend with a gift certificate convinced me to go. I was pretty excited to finally see what the buzz was about, but also apprehensive and worried that it isn't necessarily "good" as much as it is "good for White Bear Lake". But we hauled our a$$es up to WBL ready to find out. My first thought walking in was "oh my god, I'm totally overdressed" as the ambience leaves a bit to be desired. And the chairs are uber uncomfortable. So right off the bat I was let down and ready to be disappointed. But fortunately, that's where the disappointment ended. I did the 3 for $40 tasting menu and the $20 paired wine flight, started with the much-raved about beet salad which did not disappoint, nor did the pinot grigio it was paired with which cut the acidity of the dressing beautifully. There is no vegetarian entree on the tasting menu, but when I asked if I could get one they offered eggplant parmesan or vegetable risotto. I opted for the former even though I'm not a big fan of eggplant. It was delicious. The sauce was slightly smoky and slightly spicy and and with the paired merlot (yes folks, merlot) it was fantastic. Ended with the chocolate souffle cake w/ graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream served with port and nearly died. My friend also did the 3 for $40 but added an appetizer. Don't do this. It was way too much food. The calamari which he ordered was boring and blah but the server noted that he hadn't touched much and suggested that she'd bring him the mussels instead which she swore he'd love. He did. It was all quite delicious. That said, I wouldn't drive to White Bear Lake for it again as there are restaurants much closer with the same quality. But if you happen to live in the northern 'burbs, I'd definitely put this on the short list.
(4)Annie L.
My girlfriends and I had a wonderful dinner and experience at Acqua the other night. We had a table on the second floor, which gives off a totally different vibe than the main floor, which looks more dated. The atmosphere was beautiful and spacious. The food was outstanding (bruschetta appetizer, cheese plate, apple/manchego salad, beet/goat cheese salad, sea bass, butternut ravioli, butterscotch budino, chocolate torte with graham cracker and marshmallow)! To be honest, it was better than we expected. The wine recommendation that Thomas (our waiter) had was spot on and exactly what we were looking for. Overall, a great experience. Too bad we all live almost an hour away or this would be a "go to" place.
(4)Angela S.
We dined here with two other couples in December. This place is very unique being that it is an old house converted into a restaurant. With that being said, it is very small and cramped so be prepared for some bumping into people as well struggling to find a place to stand around the bar enjoying a drink waiting for your table. Regardless, the food and service were amazing. I ordered what the server recommended as a staff favorite, the Gamberi. This is a scallop and shrimp plate and it was fantastic. Everyone else in my group were completely satisfied with their meals as well and we all agreed we would return. Free Valet parking is a bonus here too. Even though it's in WBL, the parking is not good.
(5)Krystle R.
What i enjoyed most about the place is your not rushed to eat, everything is coursed out. I had the pork shank which was fantastic! The service was great , the servers are very attentive there . Highly recommended this place !!
(5)Vishal S.
This place is the bomb! I've been here a couple times now and both times it has been excellent service and phenomenal food. Small cozy quarters tucked in nicely by the lake, I had the lobster dish and it was the best, full of flavor and sweet!!!
(5)Brian H.
I came here with my wife for dessert and coffee. We shared the Chocolate Souffle Cake, Toasted Marshmallow & Graham Cracker Ice Cream dessert. It was very good, especially the ice cream, very unique and yummy, and the service was prompt and friendly. My main complaint is the building. It is in a very narrow and cramped space. We sat inside on the main level and it was way too tight in there. The patio by the lake seems like it would be pretty nice, but it was too cold when we were there. If I knew I would be sat in the same space, I would not go back, but to sit outside I would try it again to try the food menu.
(3)Phyllis L.
I would give Acqua 3 1/2 stars. The food was good but not phenomenal . My husband had lamb chops a special for the night. He said they were good but small and has had better. I had the pork ribeye, I thought it was good but I wasn't overWhelmed. We shared the beet salad the greens were chicory which are quite bitter in my opinion. It had very little dressing on it. The beets were cut in small strips. I did think the desserts were quite good, everyone had something different.The service was also just good. We were seated upstairs and it is quite loud with high ceilings. Not sure I would rush back for the money we paid.
(3)Ann Marie F.
Perfect spot for a date! Got there shortly after rain, so staff was urgently getting patios ready for guests. Wait was no problem. Had 2 signature cocktails, delish! Ordered roasted beet salad and duck bacon with arugula. Both good, nothing overwhelming. Although, duck bacon tasted just like regular bacon. Had the seared Ahi tuna... not seared. .. WELL done. It was saved by the delicious sauce and potatoes. Date had sea bass, which was amazing. It's a fabulous spot! Give it a try!
(4)Crystal M.
Parking was a bit tricky as it was quite busy in that area but our table was ready for our reservation, food was fantastic, drinks were delicious. We did not feel rushed and would definitely recommend this restaurant to others.
(5)matt k.
Acqua is run be people with years of experience in fine dining restaurants located in and around Minneapolis and the service and food definitely reflects that. With its fresh ingredients to sea food flown in daily, you can definitely tell that care is put into the unique dishes served. The items we ordered for our meal were: Calamari Caprese Salad Mussels Saltimbocca del Pollo Ossobuco di Porco Trio of Izzy's Ice Cream Double Chocolate Brownie with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache and Almond Whipped Cream All phenomenal. But the Mussels ( twitpic.com/i85is ) were exceptional and the broth they're served in might as well be served as a soup it was so tasty. The chicken breast was moist and flavorful and the risotto done very well. The pork shank fell off the bone - it was all great and a great experience. We sat outside on the porch overlooking White Bear Lake. This was our view, twitpic.com/i801r Give it a shot. Seriously. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Katie F.
Best valentine's date ever. Incredible food and ambiance.
(5)Kevin P.
Made it to Acqua tonight, good food and a nice experience. I chose from the 3-course tasting menu, for the starter they allowed me to substitute a very nice hen-of-the-woods mushroom soup that was a special. The soup was nicely balanced, creamy and tasty. Then came the Braised Pork Shank with Golden Sweet Potato Puree. The pork was cooked perfectly, tender enough that I was able to pull it apart with my fork. Very good, and a good sized portion. To finish I had the Peach Cobbler with ice cream and a cup of coffee. A perfect end to my meal. The waiter was attentive but not obtrusive the service was excellent. Worth the trip, I'll be going back.
(5)Natalia C.
Hands down one of my all time favorite meals was at this charming, little spot! They have everything right . . . the service, wine, ambiance and food is all incredible!
(5)Mollee F.
You won't regret making the drive to White Bear Lake for this restaurant. Service is top notch. Setting is both scenic and intimate. And the food is the among the best the metro has to offer (down to the butter). Ragu bolognese is lick-the-bowl good. Great place to impress out-of-town guests with.
(5)Suze S.
Bar none, this is my current favorite restaurant for Dining Out right now. (The capital letters mean dining out in nice places, not just Going Out, which would be, like, Olive Garden or something.) The atmosphere is nice but not stuffy or pretentious, same for the staff. Love the "patio" section down by the lake, the rooftop is nice too, but gets a little breezy. The restaurant is in an old, renovated house, so the inside dining room is reminiscent of Forepaugh's, but more intimate. Excellent wine selection, and the servers are very helpful in choosing. They have a Dinner menu and a prix fixe Tasting menu with a salad/entree/dessert. With your drinks comes some pre-dinner bread and the MOST amazing butter I've every had. Sweet, creamy, with a touch of honey. I may or may not have licked the butter knife. The first time we went I was just meeting a friend, I just had the chilled soup and we split the Creme Brulee. The chilled soup was, I think, cantaloupe-strawberry and honeydew-mint? It was interesting. It was plated beautifully, with the cantaloupe puree on one half of the bowl, and the honeydew on the other, with a beautiful design of what I think was creme fraiche separating them. The taste was sweeter than I expected, and the texture was a little unusual, not sure it's something I'd get again, but I'm glad I tried it. The creme brulee was done well, tasted like creme brulee. Our second visit we came hungry and both ordered from the Tasting menu. I wish our timing was better, because the Wine Flight matched with the menu sounded great, and not too steep at $20, but I had to work later. Our server was great about letting the uber picky Man make some small changes/substitutions to the Tasting menu. I'm not nearly as fussy. I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad- the fried Lemon-Honey goat cheese was Ah. Mah. Zing. For the main course I ordered the Ossobucco. Delicious. Huge. Tender. Falling off the bone. Sweet but also savory. And the white sweet potato mash was a perfect combination, soaking up the extra sauce, providing a smooth contrast to all that meat. For dessert I had the Butterscotch Budino with Whipped Cream, Caramel and Sea Salt. Next time, I'm ordering this first. Screw the rest of the meal. Seriously, it's a smooth, mild butterscotch custard with puffs of whipped cream, drizzled in caramel and sprinkled with sea salt. I thought I had died and gone to dessert heaven. I'm a huge fan of pudding/custard desserts, and it's hard to find one that isn't chocolate or is more of a mousse than custard texture. This goes on the list of Things to Eat at my Last Meal for SURE. Prices? Yeah, it's a little pricey. $40 for the Tasting Menu, most entrees in the $20-$30 range. But so worth it. Great place to take people you want to linger over dinner with, savor some good flavor and enjoy a classy but relaxing atmosphere.
(5)Leroy S.
Service was great. Valet is a good thing. I had the calamari. They were good. Had the scallops and shrimp. Scallops cooked perfectly but not phenomenal flavor, just good. I've had better tasting shrimp and scallops elsewhere which is why only 4 stars.
(4)Lisa M.
Great meal! This actually could have been a 5 star place.... I've been wanting to try this place forever and we finally got the chance. We went with some friends on a recent Saturday evening. They are regulars there and I kind of felt like I was with celebrities. Everyone knew them and the friends knew everything we had to try on the menu. We were seated upstairs at a quaint table not far from the water station. We were kind of in the main thoroughfare, but it was fine with me. I started with the Italian Basil Mojito. It was quite refreshing and delicious. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails. We also had the bruschetta and the calamari. I enjoyed the crunch of the crostini and the tang of the red wine vinegar. I wanted to try everything on the menu, so I went with the tasting menu. I had the Field Greens Salad, the Roast Chicken and the Butterscotch Bundino. My dining companion also went with the tasting menu, but had the Beet Salad, the Walleye and the chocolate souffle. The salad was great! I loved everything about it. The egg was especially delicious! I had a piece of his fried goat cheese from his salad and it was great as well. I cannot resist fried goat cheese! Here is where they lose a star - we got our food and waited for quite some time for our bottle of wine to be delivered. By quite some time, I mean all of us were about 1/3 done with our entrees. It was a little disappointing because up until then and after that, service and food could not have been better. My chicken was stuffed with Fontina Cheese and was cut all fancy. It was upon a bed of basil pesto risotto and had a pan sauce. I liked it because when I cut into the chicken, the cheese oozed out. The pan sauce was a little salty for my taste, but good otherwise. I tried the fingerling potatoes under his walleye and they were great as well. I literally couldn't decided on dessert since everything sounded good. I told her to surprise us - she came with the Butterscotch and the Souffle. Oh, wow! Now, I'm not even a huge butterscotch fan, but this was so freaking good! The sweetness of the butterscotch worked so well with the saltiness on top. Whoa! Now, I *have* to try the one at 112. I wasn't crazy about the actual chocolate souffle, but I loved the graham cracker ice cream that came with it. This is a 5 star place, but even a couple weeks later, I'm still thinking about how the wine came so long after we started eating. I'll give them pass on it and most definitely try it again!
(4)Kelly O.
Why won't Yelp let me do half stars? I would give Acqua a 4.5 instead. Eating outside, overlooking the lake is a beautiful way to spend a summer evening. Inside is more cramped and a less ideal way to enjoy this restaurant. I had the tasting menu which is a wonderful value for the quality and amount of food you get. Our waiter was friendly and had a good knowledge of wine pairings to go with our meals. A little bit more expensive than most restaurants in White Bear Lake, but a more gourmet experience awaits you.
(4)Master A.
I usually don't give out 5 stars, but this small place was worth it. They went out of their way to get my wife and I seating outside by the boat docks. The server was very friendly and fast. The food was priced just right. I had the rib eye steak. I'm a pretty big eater, but I could only finish half. The steak was huge and well worth the money. The atmosphere was wonderful. I really felt like I was a king when I was here. I will definitely return. The only thing that might be a con for this place is that it is too small. If you have a large party, good luck. This place looks like it was an old duplex from back in the day, but it looks really nice.
(5)Mange T.
3 1/2 stars. 3 stars for the food. An additional 0.5 for above average service and what I presume is a good location in the summer (I can only speak to the experience in the dead of winter--by that I mean March 2013). The host was kind enough to give us seats right near the oversized window with a lakeside view, where we could potentially "watch a car or two sink." I ordered wine per the waitress's suggestion, which was delightful, although the restaurant seems very proud of its cocktail offerings. Our waitress was courteous and willing to give advice on the menu, although she did recommend one steak in particular "because the side potato mash is ah-Mazing", with no commentary on the rest of the dish. While I enjoy a plate of stellar mashed taters as much as the next individual, I don't typically seek them out in $40 supporting roles. Just saying. Ordered the crab-encrusted sea bass with broccolini. Also sampled the bruschetta, roasted beet salad, walleye, chocolate souffle, and butterscotch budino. Ingredients were high quality, and my entree was solid; it just didn't have that "wow" factor, that harmony of flavors and textures that separates a good meal from a truly exceptional one. Nothing was bad--it just wasn't all that great. With a fish that practically melts in your mouth to begin with, beurre blanc seemed redundant, even a bit lazy. A sauce that complemented, rather than imitated that buttery quality, would've been more unique and definitely more memorable. Ps the beets in the beet salad were canned. Unexpected and disappointing. Given this restaurant's 30+ 5-star reviews, I expected something mind-blowing. Acqua turned out to be a pretty, upscale steakhouse in the nor-eastern 'burbs masquerading as "Italian". Yep, I know they offer pasta, and a few overtly Italian items in the menu--but they catered primarily (and perhaps appropriately so) to the prototypical Midwestern meat-and-potatoes leanings. I would've liked to see their menu push the envelope a bit more, or at least bring a bit more dimension and inspiration to items already offered.
(3)Heather K.
I love this place! I have never had a bad meal; I have tried items that were a little out of our comfort zone but LOVED all of the dishes. The sour chili drink is AMAZING!
(5)Shelby M.
Excellent mussels! Great fries. I only wish this location was as nice as the one in forest lake. I've visited the other location before the Wbl location and have to say that I was unimpressed. The service is great and food is fantastic. But I sort of felt like some renovations needed to be done to the bar. The frog in the aquarium on the bar is cool but it was ruining my appetite as I was nibbling on your delicious fries.
(5)Colleen C.
Service was great - food excellent - seating by the lake wonderful. Enjoyable evening.
(5)Corie B.
Great food, quiet atmos & service! During the summer enjoy outdoors on their patio viewing White Bear Lake. I have been there 3x always very good
(5)Michael F.
We were looking for a nice dinner near an event we were going to in White Bear Lake; a town a good 45 minutes from our home. We were more than happy to have found Acqua. This Italian based menu is not some suburban red-sauce joint; you'd have a hard time finding this level in most serious cities. Tried the mushroom soup and the osso buco, both of which are on the tasting menu ($40). The $20 wine flight that went with that was three well paired rounds (and not skimpy portions!); the last round of wine was a mellow tawny port that went great with the butterscotch budino (pudding) with caramel sauce, which alone is worth the drive. The others at our table tried the walleye, a steak, and a carbonara with pulled pork; Everyone raved. The server was very kind and attentive, and showed his enthusiasm for the menu. The kitchen did some small tweaks to accommodate some food needs (like a youngster who didn't want the sauce on her entree). I really hope to get back here, hopefully on a warm summer night by the lake!
(5)Amy H.
Came here for a birthday dinner on the recommendation of some coworkers and it was a fantastic choice. I think the highlight of the feast was actually our cocktail choice - the Black Cherry Collins. It's a gin-based drink, but it did not taste overly "ginny" at all. Smooth and delicious. Moving along... Appetizers: Calamari was sublime. Shrimp Caesar salads were divine - dressing was not too heavy, yet carried a very bold flavor. Entree: I had the pork shank and I would highly recommend that to anyone. Dessert: I went with the ice cream trio because I wanted ice cream, but I think all the other offerings are fancier and maybe tastier. I still liked my ice cream. We made a reservation for 8pm on a Sunday night and were very glad we did - it was totally full when we got there. Definitely plan ahead for any night you go! This is a great special occasion choice.
(5)Karyn P.
Wow, that's all I can say. The service is greAT the food.even better. All I can say is they change the menu and go eat there. It's amazing.
(5)Sam M.
My wife always likes to get wine when we go to a place like Acqua. Not tonight. We decided to sample some of the novel cocktails they had on offer. A Pepper infused bourbon with passion fruit for me. My wife had a cucumber margarita. They bourbon was quite snappy and was well complemented by the sweet fruit taste. The cucumber was more subtle and light. Acqua is a repurposed house on the shore of White Bear Lake. It overlooks the harbor and features a patio for summer dining. The atmosphere is casual, but the dining room lends an air of elegance to the place. It is an enjoyable place to have a quiet conversation. We were promptly seated for our reservation, our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly. A nice crusty loaf accompanied by a lightly honeyed butter was more than welcome. We selected the three course meal. My wife picked spring greens. I picked spinach with prosciutto/apple/pear. Both were great with subtle flavoring. We both had the walleye as a main course. Tender- not overcooked at all. I am not a fish guy, but I found it intriguing. Dessert was creme brulee for me and butterscotch pudding (with sea salt) for my wife. Both were a nice way to wrap up the meal.
(5)Karin M.
I must admit that with a Yelp 5 star rating and 16 reviews we had extremely high expectations for our visit at Acqua. Wow, not only did they meet those expectations we were all planning our next visit before we even left the restaurant. Reservations are a must, at least for a Saturday night. The only dim spot was when we walked in (use the entrance on the side of the building) and had to wait a few minutes for our table...it was a little crowded and awkward without a very big waiting space/entry. Once seated, perfection began. The wait staff works together so very well it is simply a joy. All four of us had something different and all four were more than pleased with the offerings. Our friends shared the scallop small plate which looked divine. Hubbs and I shared the cured meat plate which was outstanding. Dinner was Ossobuco for me, a featured pork entree with figs for hubbs, scallops/shrimp with the purple potatoes and the filet with crab for our friends. It looked like our friend licked his plate clean, it was that good. Desserts were the butterscotch bundino, the chocolate cake with graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream (combining the flavors was like eating a s'more, and the banana's foster cheesecake. Once again, all delish! Can't wait to go back...this is one place where I would love to become a regular at.
(5)Jeremy C.
My wife and I went here for our anniversary. Had been meaning to go for some time and now wish we would have gone sooner. I had a steak that was one of the best I've ever had. Service was great. Love the outdoor patio. Wine selection and drinks were good. Expensive evening meal but very worth it for a special occasion.
(5)Phil H.
There are only so many places I've eaten in the Twin Cities that I would confidently put up against the best places in the major cities (Heartland and 112 Eatery come to mind). Well, this is one of them. This place is legit. The attention to flavors is major league. My wife and I had some great calamari to start, different seafood dishes for dinner (mine was a special) and one of the best desserts I've ever eaten. The prices for a meal like this are reasonable and a great value. Do yourself a favor and get here as soon as you can...just make sure to make a reservation. My wife and I can't wait to go back. Well done.
(5)Leslie a.
We have always had fantastic meals at Acqua . The service is first rate . Our favorite place to go . Never a bad thing to say about them . Hope that they keep up the GREAT work !
(5)Doug D.
Finally made it to Acqua for dinner. We were seated upstairs in a very quaint room. They have a small bar area with a few tables and there is also a patio across the driveway near the lake that looks like it would be nice if we didn't have 4-6 inches of snow on the ground at the end of April! Very nice wine selections. The salads, beet salad, fennel-apple salad, were excellent. We also had the bruschetta which was wonderful. Our table had the Walleye dinner, Osso Bucco and the Bone In Rib Eye. Everything was prepared very well, the Osso Bucco was the best I've ever had. I tasted the walleye and rib eye and they, too were excellent. We had four different desserts and everyone tasted all of them, all getting very positive reviews. Everyone in our group was very pleased with their experience here. Fairly priced menu. Professional service, very knowledgeable. We look forward to a return visit.
(5)Alex C.
When I think of fancy meal places, I think of downtown Minneapolis or right around there. There are of fine dining joints other places....St. Paul (Meritage, Heartland) but I was shocked to hear the rumblings about Acqua over my neck of the woods in White Bear Lake. This place is amazing. The other reviews were right. This has got to be the best kept secret for amazing fine dining in the Twin Cities. They have a $40 every day tasting menu but for restaurant week they had a $30 tasting menu with a few less options. I started off with one of the best calamari I've ever had. Perfectly crispy, not oily and extremely tender. I can explain the mayo but I would have eaten it with a spoon if I didn't think people would stare. My tasting menu started with the honeydew and cantaloupe puree. This was an amazing cold soup and the honey dew side had a bit of tang to it. It looked as amazing as it tasted. Very refreshing on a bit of a muggy day. My wife, who loves beat salads and orders them everywhere we go, said hands down, this was the best beat salad she had every had. (The salad came with a fried goat cheese and there was something on the beats that made them a little crispy). I'll have to take her word for it because she wasn't sharing. For my main course I had the ragu which was probably the best spaghetti type noodle dish I have ever had. Our friend had the osso buco which looked amazing. It was the largest most tender portion of osso bucco that I had ever seen. It was served with a white mashed sweet potato (white? who knew?) I only tried a bite, but it was amazing and I'm coming back for it. For dessert, I had a deconstructed smore (graham cracker ice cream, homemade marshmallow and a molten lava cake....they called it a souffle...it was good regardless). It was tasty but everyone recommends the budino. I can see why. It beat the snot out of the 112 version...a tough thing to do but wow, this thing was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. Also, I was amazed by the awesome service. I doubt my glass even got half empty. Our waiter was very helpful and his recommendations were perfect. This is a pricier joint but you are paying for some amazing food and service. If you're looking for a great fancy meal, then you should strongly consider coming here. You definitely need to call ahead, especially a week or two in advance for weekend reservations. I hope this place doesn't blow up too big (like Travail) otherwise it'll be a pain getting back in here.
(5)Dan R.
Last night we went to Acqua to have great food and eat on their patio. Unfortunately, the breeze coming off the lake was just a little too strong/cold! Although we couldn't sit on the patio (they would let us if we wanted to), we still had a great time and excellent food. This was our second time here and both times we had great food. This time they had a 50% special on all bottles of wine! They always have a tasting menu with three courses for $30. I had the pork shank with sweet potato puree which was excellent. For dessert, we shared the Butterscotch Budino with caramel which was topped with whipped cream and a little sea salt. The sea salt added a little depth to the dessert. Although this was tasty, next time I'm going to try the Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake with Graham Cracker Ice Cream and Marshmallow! We'll go back to sit on the patio again, but might have to wait until July!
(4)Kathy P.
Just had to share this. Yelps description says beer and wine only. Acqua has some of the best cocktails ever. The cucumber margarita is light and refreshing. The black cherry gin drink, can't think of the name is to die for. Everything is wonderful!
(5)Frank M.
This was the second time I've been to Acqua, and both times my girl friend and I have had a great experience! We had reservations for dinner and when we arrived we were warmly greeted and asked if they could take our jackets and hang them for us. Our previous visit we sat on the main floor in a room towards the back and right next to a nice fire place. This time we were brought up stairs (which wasn't open our previous visit) into a room with a beautiful view of White Bear Lake. Even though it was winter the view was still nice and I can only imagine how much nicer it'd be in the summer. Once again we were sat next to a fire place. It was very cozy and kept us at a perfect temperature. We decided to each get the 3 course meal for $30. We were more than pleased our previous visit with this deal so we decided for it again. We also got a nice bottle of white wine which was very good. I highly recommend the chili for your starter. We both got it and thought it was amazing. For my Entrée I went with the Ragu alla Bolgnese (pasta). My girl friend got the Ossobuco di Porco (pork shank). We both shared our food and thought they were each delicious in their own ways. The bolgnese is a ton of food so be prepared to eat a lot. I also thought the mashed potatoes that came with the pork shank were extra amazing. I'm not sure what was different about them, but I suspect there was a lot of butter and possibly honey in them! For desert I got the apple crisp and she got the Pistachio Semifreddo with Warm Dark Chocolate Ganache. Both were once again very good, but the apple crisp was my favorite. But I do love apple deserts so I am biased. After being there for 2 hours and enjoying a bottle of wine, a 3 course meal, great service, and great atmosphere, we couldn't have been much happier. The location is very nice being that it over looks White Bear Lake. The restaurant itself is an old house that was nicely renovated with multiple fireplaces and hard wood floors and warmly decorated with lots of candles and chandeliers. Acqua is a bit pricely (our bill was over $100 after tip both occasions) but well worth it for special occasions.
(5)Davin D.
We've been wanting to go to Acqua since reading about it in January. Definitely wanted to sit dockside, so definitely had to wait until the snow melted. A big birthday came along, so off to Acqua we go. When you wait so long to go somewhere, you almost kind of set the restaurant up for failure because your expectations are so high. Well, I'm glad to say, Acqua did not disappoint! We had the three course tasting menu, which was not a tasting menu at all, but rather consisted of full sized portions, and then some. Here's what we had: Caprese salad - beautifully presented...offset layers of yellow heirlooms and mozzarella on a bed of arugula and basil, drizzled with some balsamic reduction. Flavors were well balanced. My only complaint is that the mozzarella didn't have much flavor...then again, I have never had good mozzarella in the US. Roasted Beet Salad - another yum salad. Fried goat cheese was tasty and the roasted beets were excellent. Ossobuco - I moved the bone and the meat fell off. The cut was actually twice as big as I was expecting. Sweet potato puree was intensely flavored. It could have used a touch more sauce. Roasted Chicken Salmoriglio - perfectly cooked...right at that point where the meat turns from pink to white. Peach crisp - Very nice peach flavor...Sysco peaches have never tasted so pure. The Izzy's cinnamon ice cream was insanely good, but could have been more frozen. Molten Chocolate Lava Cake - nicely prepared, perfectly runny in the middle. Again, the ice cream could've been more frozen. All in all, the food flavors and preparation was spot on. Hats off to the kitchen. The service was also top-notch. JJ knew his stuff and was attentive without being intrusive. We brought our own wine and I was pleased to see that they provided the proper Riedel glasses for the varietal. All in all, probably the best food and dining experience in the Twin Cities. Comparing to all restaurants I ever been to in any city, it would still get 4 stars.
(5)Tabby C.
Acqua is a wonderful place to go when you feel like being wined and dined! Spectacular food, including the desserts! Fabulous wine and cocktails . My only complaint is how they up the cost of the wine( but what place doesn't?) would defiantly recommend it to anyone!
(5)Lael B.
You've got to go, that's all I'm going to say.
(5)Tiffiny C.
My parents took me here in April for dinner, and I was surprised by how great it was. I think this was my best fine dining experience in White Bear Lake to date, and I grew up here. I started with this tasty blackberry/gin drink. AWESOME drink, strong, and a specialty drink on their menu. For a starter we shared a flatbread pizza. It was ok. Nothing to write home about, but tasty. I ordered a salmon roulade with orzo pasta for my entree. Perfectly baked and the orzo was perfectly cooked as well. It could have used a wee more spice, but I like more spice/heat than the average Minnesotan. My step-dad had the veal ragu pasta dish. That hearty red sauce was divine. Small, classic, clean space (accessible entrance in back). Service was a bit slow, but it was really good at the same time. Looking forward to going back this summer to sit on the patio with the view of the lake!
(4)Mike C.
The reason for the update is that I love this place. Service is always good and the food is always consistent which is important to me. The menu is simple but well executed (I think that is the problem with some restauarants with a large menu). We had a great night celebrating my birthday. The Ragu alla Bolgnese is always a treat. Please read my previous review.
(5)Melanie M.
My husband took me here this summer for my Birthday dinner and the food was amazingly good and the service was stellar! We like to to order items that we both want to try and then share. We started with the Calamari which was cooked perfectly=golden crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned and tender on the inside. We also split a great salad made with feta, kalamata olives, red onion, and sun dried tomatoes with an herb vinaigrette which was very tasty and refreshing on a hot night. For our entrees, I had the Oso Buco and my husband had the Pasta Bolognese. The bolognese was very good but the pork shank oso buco was the star! The meat's exterior had almost a crusty texture but the interior was moist and fall-apart tender then covered with one of the richest most delicious demi-glace sauces I've ever tasted! It was served with the perfect accompaniment to soak up all that fabulous sauce, a mashed yellow sweet potato the menu said was from New Jersey. I am a chocoholic so I had to order the chocolate mousse cake that was a play on a s'more, a molton type chocolate cake with bruleed marshmallow creme served with graham cracker ice cream. This was a delicious dessert but on the recommendation of our server we also ordered the Butterscotch Budino, a homemade butterscotch pudding topped with a caramel sauce and sea salt. This was absolute heaven! One of the best desserts I've ever had! If you enjoy sea salted caramel ice cream, you must try it-the perfect balance of salty and sweet! This is my new favorite special occasion restaurant-you have to check it out!
(5)Tracy D.
This place is phenomenal, service is excellent, foods is to die for. Make reservations, because this place is always busy. One of the best meals I have ever had, make this a must of your bucket list, you will not regret it.
(5)Jacque U.
5 Stars, 10 Stars if I could! We had the most amazing time Saturday night. We arrived early for our reservation and had to wait, but we had at least 2 people (neither of whom ended up being our server) offer to get us drinks and look at the menu. We were seated and our server brought us each a glass of champagne when she found out were were celebrating. We both ordered from the tasting menu (what an amazing deal, the quality far exceeds the price) but we split the duck confit pizza as our starter instead of individual starters. Pizza was SO good. The combination of flavors with the pear, Gorgonzola, champagne grapes, and the duck blew me away. The duck was slightly crispy and the crust of the pizza was just about perfect. Thin but still doughy, Mains were the ossobucco di porcco (I think I spelled that right - pork shank) with sweet potato mash for him and the handmade spinach ravioli for me. He was sold on the osso as soon as it was described as braised for 2+ hours with a 2 days sauce. And it was extremely flavorful and delicious. His only complaint was that he wanted more sauce. I was sure that my ravioli wouldn't hold up to the osso but they definitely held their own. The artichoke hearts with tomatoes and garlic and the lemon sauce was so bright and the flavors exploded in my mouth. Delicious. Dessert. OMG, dessert. I know I've been raving about the food but dessert was amazing. We had the chocolate souffle cake with graham cracker ice cream which was a 7/10 but the budino... sweet heaven the budino. The salted caramel topping was amazing. It was salted just right to complement the sweetness and the creamy pudding (is it pudding? custard?) underneath, bliss. I had the accompanying wines with mine and all were good. The riesling at the end wasn't as good as I hoped but both reds were excellent. I should have written down the names, I would absolutely buy them for home. Amazing food, definitely worth the money, great service, GO NOW. What are you waiting for?
(5)Jennell E.
I thought everything was very good - but none of them were spectacular to me. I would certainly go back though to try other things off the menu as I could have just ordered the wrong things. Caprese Salad - Best dish of the night - so fresh and yummy! Calamari - heavily seasoned and had some chewy pieces Ragu - loved the fresh noodles, sauce was "eh" for me Peach cobbler - This is strange but did anyone else taste candle wax? You know when you were a kid and you had a ton of candles and some dripped on to the cake? I swear that is how it tasted to me but there were no candles in sight! Server was EXCELLENT - I was surprised because the staff is very young but super attentive and knowlegeable.
(4)Sharon O.
Incredible food, impeccable service. Osso Buco with sweet potato purée was soooo good. Beet salad with goat cheese is another one of my favorites.
(5)Garrett L.
Great Food, Great Service, and a Great Atmosphere!! Will definitely be back again...
(5)Martin L.
Such good food, and a great Elderflower Martini.
(5)Dan P.
Outstanding food and service. Their walleye is the best.
(5)Ann Marie F.
Perfect spot for a date! Got there shortly after rain, so staff was urgently getting patios ready for guests. Wait was no problem. Had 2 signature cocktails, delish! Ordered roasted beet salad and duck bacon with arugula. Both good, nothing overwhelming. Although, duck bacon tasted just like regular bacon. Had the seared Ahi tuna... not seared. .. WELL done. It was saved by the delicious sauce and potatoes. Date had sea bass, which was amazing. It's a fabulous spot! Give it a try!
(4)Crystal M.
Parking was a bit tricky as it was quite busy in that area but our table was ready for our reservation, food was fantastic, drinks were delicious. We did not feel rushed and would definitely recommend this restaurant to others.
(5)Liz M.
We took my bfs parents here for Father's Day and everything was AMAZING! We had a great server as well. From the homemade ginger ale and lemonade to our main courses. We had the Brussels sprouts and bruschetta, they were both good, but sprouts are the clear winner. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. We had 3 fish dishes and one chicken and everyone was extremely happy with presentation and flavor.
(5)Jonathan B.
Acqua is a hidden treasure in the northern suburbs! The food is amazing, the service impeccable, any experience unforgettable. Acqua continues to impress me time and time again. The goat cheese beet salad is hands-down, my favorite salad in the entire world. Their menu changes often, so be sure to visit often. The salted prime rib is always a hit, the Oso Buco is always delicious, but their fish selections are out of this world! I've been visiting this restaurant for many years, and the service is always been exceptional. No matter what the occasion, whether casual dining, or formal affair, this restaurant will impress. Don't forget dessert! They generally have a great selection of ice cream, torts and the caramel bundino mousse is a must! The restaurant is small, so make sure to book a reservation. They also have outdoor seating in the summer, right on White Bear Lake. You can also arrive by boat!
(5)Kathy K.
Nice views of White Bear Lake but my food was disappointing. Starting with the beet salad with very nice fried goat cheese, however the beets were limp and old and the dressing was not well balanced. I had the snapper with orzo. Not a good choice as the fish was dry and overcooked, the sauce was acidic and bland. It needed some garlic or pepper to liven it up. Just a boring entree and overpriced for the area. My friends had some entrees with scallops and shrimp that looked much better. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. The service was excellent however.
(3)Phyllis L.
I would give Acqua 3 1/2 stars. The food was good but not phenomenal . My husband had lamb chops a special for the night. He said they were good but small and has had better. I had the pork ribeye, I thought it was good but I wasn't overWhelmed. We shared the beet salad the greens were chicory which are quite bitter in my opinion. It had very little dressing on it. The beets were cut in small strips. I did think the desserts were quite good, everyone had something different.The service was also just good. We were seated upstairs and it is quite loud with high ceilings. Not sure I would rush back for the money we paid.
(3)Erin T.
The food is delicious and great atmosphere. Must have the spicy Chile drink they have on their menu!!
(4)Brian H.
I came here with my wife for dessert and coffee. We shared the Chocolate Souffle Cake, Toasted Marshmallow & Graham Cracker Ice Cream dessert. It was very good, especially the ice cream, very unique and yummy, and the service was prompt and friendly. My main complaint is the building. It is in a very narrow and cramped space. We sat inside on the main level and it was way too tight in there. The patio by the lake seems like it would be pretty nice, but it was too cold when we were there. If I knew I would be sat in the same space, I would not go back, but to sit outside I would try it again to try the food menu.
(3)Stella H.
I went to Acqua on a Saturday night with 3 friends to celebrate a birthday. Acqua is a quaint building across from WBL. It's cute and the staff and owner are terrific. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Their margaritas are very, very good. My friends love the Jamedon and ginger cocktail, which was tasty, I just don't like dark liquors. The menu looked great, it was tough making a decision. I ordered the scallops on the small plate menu - added one extra scallop for $4 as only two come in an order. OMG! Order these! The sauce was amazing and it was very rich - if you have heart troubles, choose a salad! I had the best and fried goat cheese salad - very good. They should just have a friend goat cheese appetizer as those were fantastic. I also ordered the brussel sprouts to share - they were a bit tough. Not as tasty as other place dive tried (to this day, Bank DT Mpls has the BEST brussel sprouts!) One friend ordered the salmon and loved it, one ordered the mussels and I tried a few, they were great. One had the pink snapper and that was very good as well! We all split a piece of cheesecake which was super light and airy, odd for a cheesecake. But it was great. The wine we ordered was wonderful as well. Cabernet first and Shiraz second. A lovely night, great food and wonderful service! Give it a go if you happen to be up this way. Tip: try the tasting menu. For $40 you get a salad, entree and dessert and all portions are regular serving size! Terrific bargain.
(4)Sharon B.
We stumbled upon this restaurant and were delighted with a wonderful balcony table upstairs with a great view of White Bear Lake. We split the 3 course option - just enough food. The Caprese salad was wonderful, with the buffalo mozzarella just right. The Tiger Shrimp Scampi was excellent, and the New York style cheesecake topped the meal perfectly. Great service, great food and a great view makes this place a new favorite when we're visiting the cities.
(5)Christian K.
Food was fantastic! Staff was GREAT! Just a wonderful place. Went here while one vacation to celebrate our wedding Ann. Everything was awesome
(5)Angel S.
If you want a nice restaurant in White Bear Lake, on the water even, check out Acqua - it's a nice place. They have seafood, chops, vegetarian risotto, and they have a tasting menu. You can find something for $18 - $40 (3-course tasting menu). The cocktails are lovely too - I enjoyed the cucumber margarita. If you get to sit on the lake it's wonderful. We sat inside, and it was fine, but feel it will be better when the weather is cold/bad because we prefer to sit on the lake when it's nice out. We did have our 15 month old, and they accommodated us well, but next time we will try a romantic dinner or night out with friends to not feel as rushed. Reservations are recommended.
(4)Leo S.
One of our favorite places in White Bear and it is hard to beat on a nice evening. The food is usually pretty good and they gave a nice selection of beers and wines.
(5)Kristie K.
Love, Love, Love. Food was excellent. I had family in town from Florida and he is vegan and they were very accommodating. The service is always excellent.
(5)Phillip Y.
We came here last week during restaurant week. I had the shrimp scampi and my significant other had the Ragu alla Bolognese. The shrimp scampi was just the right proportion but the Ragu alla Bolognese was huge. For starter, I had the field green and cucumber salad and my significant other had the wild mushroom soup which was creamy but good. For dessert, I had the chocolate soufle and she had the Izzy's trio ice cream (butter pecan, chocolate chip, pumpkin). Our favorite was the butter pecan. I had graham cracker ice cream with my soufle with homemade marshmallow. Overall, reasonable price at $30 per person for restaurant week. We went to see a movie afterwards at Oakdale Marcus so it was a nice dinner and movie date night. Parking was not adequate but free valet parking so don't let the attendant scare you off. Otherwise, park at the very end near the VFW lot.
(5)Andrew T.
I mean, the hype for this place is high, so I gave it a go despite the prices. A great place if you like good wine and cocktails. The salmon was one of the cheaper entrees at 26 bucks. It came with the purple kind of potatoes, some greens, and orange slices. It was quite good, but could have used some more exciting seasoning. Again, the wine is great. Try this place out.
(4)Leah S.
I really wanted to like this place, it is my mom and step-dad's favorite restaurant and when they took us here we were excited to see what this place has to offer! I don't get out of Minneapolis or St. Paul much to try restaurants so I was excited to see what the burbs have in store :) Let's start with the good stuff: It is located close to white bear lake, so you can get a view of the lake! The wine list is good,not amazing but good They have a prix fixe menu The dessert was really good, but not $9 good What didn't thrill me: The prices! $40 for a prix fixe menu is a little absurd especially if you aren't downtown or a James beard award winner The food was okay at best. I had the watermelon salad for my first course and the watermelon had started to go bad, it wasn't fresh. I had the salmon for my main course, nothing phenomenal. The service was okay So overall, okay food at high prices. If you live in the area try it out but don't go out of your way to go there!
(3)Krystle R.
What i enjoyed most about the place is your not rushed to eat, everything is coursed out. I had the pork shank which was fantastic! The service was great , the servers are very attentive there . Highly recommended this place !!
(5)Vishal S.
This place is the bomb! I've been here a couple times now and both times it has been excellent service and phenomenal food. Small cozy quarters tucked in nicely by the lake, I had the lobster dish and it was the best, full of flavor and sweet!!!
(5)Jen W.
I've been hearing about this place for a long time and put it on my list of places to try years ago. Then I realized it was in White Bear Lake so I took it off my list of places to try. But a friend with a gift certificate convinced me to go. I was pretty excited to finally see what the buzz was about, but also apprehensive and worried that it isn't necessarily "good" as much as it is "good for White Bear Lake". But we hauled our a$$es up to WBL ready to find out. My first thought walking in was "oh my god, I'm totally overdressed" as the ambience leaves a bit to be desired. And the chairs are uber uncomfortable. So right off the bat I was let down and ready to be disappointed. But fortunately, that's where the disappointment ended. I did the 3 for $40 tasting menu and the $20 paired wine flight, started with the much-raved about beet salad which did not disappoint, nor did the pinot grigio it was paired with which cut the acidity of the dressing beautifully. There is no vegetarian entree on the tasting menu, but when I asked if I could get one they offered eggplant parmesan or vegetable risotto. I opted for the former even though I'm not a big fan of eggplant. It was delicious. The sauce was slightly smoky and slightly spicy and and with the paired merlot (yes folks, merlot) it was fantastic. Ended with the chocolate souffle cake w/ graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream served with port and nearly died. My friend also did the 3 for $40 but added an appetizer. Don't do this. It was way too much food. The calamari which he ordered was boring and blah but the server noted that he hadn't touched much and suggested that she'd bring him the mussels instead which she swore he'd love. He did. It was all quite delicious. That said, I wouldn't drive to White Bear Lake for it again as there are restaurants much closer with the same quality. But if you happen to live in the northern 'burbs, I'd definitely put this on the short list.
(4)K S.
Fabulous food, great service and the outdoor patio is White Bear's best. Walleye is very good. Creative tasting menu is always available. A must try!
(5)Annie L.
My girlfriends and I had a wonderful dinner and experience at Acqua the other night. We had a table on the second floor, which gives off a totally different vibe than the main floor, which looks more dated. The atmosphere was beautiful and spacious. The food was outstanding (bruschetta appetizer, cheese plate, apple/manchego salad, beet/goat cheese salad, sea bass, butternut ravioli, butterscotch budino, chocolate torte with graham cracker and marshmallow)! To be honest, it was better than we expected. The wine recommendation that Thomas (our waiter) had was spot on and exactly what we were looking for. Overall, a great experience. Too bad we all live almost an hour away or this would be a "go to" place.
(4)Angela S.
We dined here with two other couples in December. This place is very unique being that it is an old house converted into a restaurant. With that being said, it is very small and cramped so be prepared for some bumping into people as well struggling to find a place to stand around the bar enjoying a drink waiting for your table. Regardless, the food and service were amazing. I ordered what the server recommended as a staff favorite, the Gamberi. This is a scallop and shrimp plate and it was fantastic. Everyone else in my group were completely satisfied with their meals as well and we all agreed we would return. Free Valet parking is a bonus here too. Even though it's in WBL, the parking is not good.
(5)Kathy M.
This is one of our favorite Minnesota restaurants for many reasons.... The food and the drinks are always exceptional! (I can personally speak for the Jameson!) They offer a 3 course menu for $40 which is a great way to sample their menu - it can be too easy to turn down the starters or desserts and I think their mushroom soup should never be missed! My hubby says that their Osso Bucco is the best he's ever had! The owner and wait staff are very professional and personable. It is in a quaint little house overlooking a lake and I'm told that in beautiful weather, it is very nice having dinner out on their patio by the lake.
(5)Damon B.
This our favorite restaurant to go to. We look for any occasion to get here. The food is second to none, the atmosphere is great for adults, and the wine/beer selection is great! We have been here many times and we have never had a bad meal or experience! It is the best of the best in the Twin Cities!!
(5)matt k.
Acqua is run be people with years of experience in fine dining restaurants located in and around Minneapolis and the service and food definitely reflects that. With its fresh ingredients to sea food flown in daily, you can definitely tell that care is put into the unique dishes served. The items we ordered for our meal were: Calamari Caprese Salad Mussels Saltimbocca del Pollo Ossobuco di Porco Trio of Izzy's Ice Cream Double Chocolate Brownie with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache and Almond Whipped Cream All phenomenal. But the Mussels ( twitpic.com/i85is ) were exceptional and the broth they're served in might as well be served as a soup it was so tasty. The chicken breast was moist and flavorful and the risotto done very well. The pork shank fell off the bone - it was all great and a great experience. We sat outside on the porch overlooking White Bear Lake. This was our view, twitpic.com/i801r Give it a shot. Seriously. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Katie F.
Best valentine's date ever. Incredible food and ambiance.
(5)Frank S.
Definitely the best dining spot in the Twin Cities' northern suburbs. The food was excellent. Our server, Ryan Smith, was very knowledgeable, and friendly, but professional. Our table on the second floor was comfortable. The second floor is a long spacious area with quite a few tables (maybe 15?) but they are well spaced, and the area is not crowded. Also there appeared to be 5 or 6 wait staff working the area so each table was well attended (but not intrusive). We also appreciated that the noise level was fairly low. We could actually hear each other while speaking in a low volume. We only passed thru the first floor, where the bar and a number of tables are located, but it appeared to be more crowded. The outside tables at dockside were not available as it was cool and raining. I suggest making reservations. While this is not a large restaurant, and there are quite a few tables, but it's the only place like it for many miles and appears to have quite a draw. The food: For an appetizer we had Patate Fritte: malt vinegar fries with tarragon aioli and fresno chili ketchup. A single order was generous, enough for two. The aioli with the fries is superb. We split a Mela Parmigiano salad: matchstick apple and manchego cheese with olio verde, chive and cracked black pepper. Again, it was enough for two and very tasty. My wife had Pollo Saltimbocca: roasted chicken breast with prosciutto ham, sage, basil pesto risotto and fontina cream sauce. I had the Ossobuco: braised pork shank with white sweet potato puree and port demi-glace. It was all well presented, and delicious. I particularly enjoy "lesser cuts", such as pork shank, which are brought to a new level thru expert preparation. They can do that at Acqua.
(5)Kim R.
We stopped by Acqua for the second time last night and the food wowed us again! This place just can't go wrong in my book. Everything we've tried here has been top knotch. I ordered the crab ravioli and it had the best tomato sauce I have ever tasted. I could have just ordered a bowl of the sauce and eaten it with a spoon. It had such a warm, rich flavor. I wish I could replicate it at home. I think I might just dream about that sauce for weeks to come. For dessert we ordered the butterscotch budino. I was intrigued by this dessert after reading a few Yelp reviews that raved about it. I'm not usually a fan of pudding and like a little more substance to my desserts, like cake or brownies. But this dessert was definitely tasty. It started with a layer of creamy butterscotch pudding that was spiked with rum and was topped with a layer of salted vanilla bean caramel. On top of that was fresh whipped cream and a bit of sea salt. While this was a good dessert, I can't say that I would order it again. If you like tasting menus, this is the place for you! Every night they have a three course menu for $30, such a great value.
(5)Paul K.
I was not impressed with the Panko Walleye, however the Yukon gold potatoes where excellent. The Butterscotch Budino with Caramel just tasted like eating pure sugar. They had a great beer selection which cannot be found at many resturants.
(3)Suze S.
Bar none, this is my current favorite restaurant for Dining Out right now. (The capital letters mean dining out in nice places, not just Going Out, which would be, like, Olive Garden or something.) The atmosphere is nice but not stuffy or pretentious, same for the staff. Love the "patio" section down by the lake, the rooftop is nice too, but gets a little breezy. The restaurant is in an old, renovated house, so the inside dining room is reminiscent of Forepaugh's, but more intimate. Excellent wine selection, and the servers are very helpful in choosing. They have a Dinner menu and a prix fixe Tasting menu with a salad/entree/dessert. With your drinks comes some pre-dinner bread and the MOST amazing butter I've every had. Sweet, creamy, with a touch of honey. I may or may not have licked the butter knife. The first time we went I was just meeting a friend, I just had the chilled soup and we split the Creme Brulee. The chilled soup was, I think, cantaloupe-strawberry and honeydew-mint? It was interesting. It was plated beautifully, with the cantaloupe puree on one half of the bowl, and the honeydew on the other, with a beautiful design of what I think was creme fraiche separating them. The taste was sweeter than I expected, and the texture was a little unusual, not sure it's something I'd get again, but I'm glad I tried it. The creme brulee was done well, tasted like creme brulee. Our second visit we came hungry and both ordered from the Tasting menu. I wish our timing was better, because the Wine Flight matched with the menu sounded great, and not too steep at $20, but I had to work later. Our server was great about letting the uber picky Man make some small changes/substitutions to the Tasting menu. I'm not nearly as fussy. I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad- the fried Lemon-Honey goat cheese was Ah. Mah. Zing. For the main course I ordered the Ossobucco. Delicious. Huge. Tender. Falling off the bone. Sweet but also savory. And the white sweet potato mash was a perfect combination, soaking up the extra sauce, providing a smooth contrast to all that meat. For dessert I had the Butterscotch Budino with Whipped Cream, Caramel and Sea Salt. Next time, I'm ordering this first. Screw the rest of the meal. Seriously, it's a smooth, mild butterscotch custard with puffs of whipped cream, drizzled in caramel and sprinkled with sea salt. I thought I had died and gone to dessert heaven. I'm a huge fan of pudding/custard desserts, and it's hard to find one that isn't chocolate or is more of a mousse than custard texture. This goes on the list of Things to Eat at my Last Meal for SURE. Prices? Yeah, it's a little pricey. $40 for the Tasting Menu, most entrees in the $20-$30 range. But so worth it. Great place to take people you want to linger over dinner with, savor some good flavor and enjoy a classy but relaxing atmosphere.
(5)Leroy S.
Service was great. Valet is a good thing. I had the calamari. They were good. Had the scallops and shrimp. Scallops cooked perfectly but not phenomenal flavor, just good. I've had better tasting shrimp and scallops elsewhere which is why only 4 stars.
(4)Lisa M.
Great meal! This actually could have been a 5 star place.... I've been wanting to try this place forever and we finally got the chance. We went with some friends on a recent Saturday evening. They are regulars there and I kind of felt like I was with celebrities. Everyone knew them and the friends knew everything we had to try on the menu. We were seated upstairs at a quaint table not far from the water station. We were kind of in the main thoroughfare, but it was fine with me. I started with the Italian Basil Mojito. It was quite refreshing and delicious. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails. We also had the bruschetta and the calamari. I enjoyed the crunch of the crostini and the tang of the red wine vinegar. I wanted to try everything on the menu, so I went with the tasting menu. I had the Field Greens Salad, the Roast Chicken and the Butterscotch Bundino. My dining companion also went with the tasting menu, but had the Beet Salad, the Walleye and the chocolate souffle. The salad was great! I loved everything about it. The egg was especially delicious! I had a piece of his fried goat cheese from his salad and it was great as well. I cannot resist fried goat cheese! Here is where they lose a star - we got our food and waited for quite some time for our bottle of wine to be delivered. By quite some time, I mean all of us were about 1/3 done with our entrees. It was a little disappointing because up until then and after that, service and food could not have been better. My chicken was stuffed with Fontina Cheese and was cut all fancy. It was upon a bed of basil pesto risotto and had a pan sauce. I liked it because when I cut into the chicken, the cheese oozed out. The pan sauce was a little salty for my taste, but good otherwise. I tried the fingerling potatoes under his walleye and they were great as well. I literally couldn't decided on dessert since everything sounded good. I told her to surprise us - she came with the Butterscotch and the Souffle. Oh, wow! Now, I'm not even a huge butterscotch fan, but this was so freaking good! The sweetness of the butterscotch worked so well with the saltiness on top. Whoa! Now, I *have* to try the one at 112. I wasn't crazy about the actual chocolate souffle, but I loved the graham cracker ice cream that came with it. This is a 5 star place, but even a couple weeks later, I'm still thinking about how the wine came so long after we started eating. I'll give them pass on it and most definitely try it again!
(4)Kelly O.
Why won't Yelp let me do half stars? I would give Acqua a 4.5 instead. Eating outside, overlooking the lake is a beautiful way to spend a summer evening. Inside is more cramped and a less ideal way to enjoy this restaurant. I had the tasting menu which is a wonderful value for the quality and amount of food you get. Our waiter was friendly and had a good knowledge of wine pairings to go with our meals. A little bit more expensive than most restaurants in White Bear Lake, but a more gourmet experience awaits you.
(4)Master A.
I usually don't give out 5 stars, but this small place was worth it. They went out of their way to get my wife and I seating outside by the boat docks. The server was very friendly and fast. The food was priced just right. I had the rib eye steak. I'm a pretty big eater, but I could only finish half. The steak was huge and well worth the money. The atmosphere was wonderful. I really felt like I was a king when I was here. I will definitely return. The only thing that might be a con for this place is that it is too small. If you have a large party, good luck. This place looks like it was an old duplex from back in the day, but it looks really nice.
(5)Mange T.
3 1/2 stars. 3 stars for the food. An additional 0.5 for above average service and what I presume is a good location in the summer (I can only speak to the experience in the dead of winter--by that I mean March 2013). The host was kind enough to give us seats right near the oversized window with a lakeside view, where we could potentially "watch a car or two sink." I ordered wine per the waitress's suggestion, which was delightful, although the restaurant seems very proud of its cocktail offerings. Our waitress was courteous and willing to give advice on the menu, although she did recommend one steak in particular "because the side potato mash is ah-Mazing", with no commentary on the rest of the dish. While I enjoy a plate of stellar mashed taters as much as the next individual, I don't typically seek them out in $40 supporting roles. Just saying. Ordered the crab-encrusted sea bass with broccolini. Also sampled the bruschetta, roasted beet salad, walleye, chocolate souffle, and butterscotch budino. Ingredients were high quality, and my entree was solid; it just didn't have that "wow" factor, that harmony of flavors and textures that separates a good meal from a truly exceptional one. Nothing was bad--it just wasn't all that great. With a fish that practically melts in your mouth to begin with, beurre blanc seemed redundant, even a bit lazy. A sauce that complemented, rather than imitated that buttery quality, would've been more unique and definitely more memorable. Ps the beets in the beet salad were canned. Unexpected and disappointing. Given this restaurant's 30+ 5-star reviews, I expected something mind-blowing. Acqua turned out to be a pretty, upscale steakhouse in the nor-eastern 'burbs masquerading as "Italian". Yep, I know they offer pasta, and a few overtly Italian items in the menu--but they catered primarily (and perhaps appropriately so) to the prototypical Midwestern meat-and-potatoes leanings. I would've liked to see their menu push the envelope a bit more, or at least bring a bit more dimension and inspiration to items already offered.
(3)Heather K.
I love this place! I have never had a bad meal; I have tried items that were a little out of our comfort zone but LOVED all of the dishes. The sour chili drink is AMAZING!
(5)Shelby M.
Excellent mussels! Great fries. I only wish this location was as nice as the one in forest lake. I've visited the other location before the Wbl location and have to say that I was unimpressed. The service is great and food is fantastic. But I sort of felt like some renovations needed to be done to the bar. The frog in the aquarium on the bar is cool but it was ruining my appetite as I was nibbling on your delicious fries.
(5)Colleen C.
Service was great - food excellent - seating by the lake wonderful. Enjoyable evening.
(5)Corie B.
Great food, quiet atmos & service! During the summer enjoy outdoors on their patio viewing White Bear Lake. I have been there 3x always very good
(5)Michael F.
We were looking for a nice dinner near an event we were going to in White Bear Lake; a town a good 45 minutes from our home. We were more than happy to have found Acqua. This Italian based menu is not some suburban red-sauce joint; you'd have a hard time finding this level in most serious cities. Tried the mushroom soup and the osso buco, both of which are on the tasting menu ($40). The $20 wine flight that went with that was three well paired rounds (and not skimpy portions!); the last round of wine was a mellow tawny port that went great with the butterscotch budino (pudding) with caramel sauce, which alone is worth the drive. The others at our table tried the walleye, a steak, and a carbonara with pulled pork; Everyone raved. The server was very kind and attentive, and showed his enthusiasm for the menu. The kitchen did some small tweaks to accommodate some food needs (like a youngster who didn't want the sauce on her entree). I really hope to get back here, hopefully on a warm summer night by the lake!
(5)Amy H.
Came here for a birthday dinner on the recommendation of some coworkers and it was a fantastic choice. I think the highlight of the feast was actually our cocktail choice - the Black Cherry Collins. It's a gin-based drink, but it did not taste overly "ginny" at all. Smooth and delicious. Moving along... Appetizers: Calamari was sublime. Shrimp Caesar salads were divine - dressing was not too heavy, yet carried a very bold flavor. Entree: I had the pork shank and I would highly recommend that to anyone. Dessert: I went with the ice cream trio because I wanted ice cream, but I think all the other offerings are fancier and maybe tastier. I still liked my ice cream. We made a reservation for 8pm on a Sunday night and were very glad we did - it was totally full when we got there. Definitely plan ahead for any night you go! This is a great special occasion choice.
(5)Karyn P.
Wow, that's all I can say. The service is greAT the food.even better. All I can say is they change the menu and go eat there. It's amazing.
(5)Sam M.
My wife always likes to get wine when we go to a place like Acqua. Not tonight. We decided to sample some of the novel cocktails they had on offer. A Pepper infused bourbon with passion fruit for me. My wife had a cucumber margarita. They bourbon was quite snappy and was well complemented by the sweet fruit taste. The cucumber was more subtle and light. Acqua is a repurposed house on the shore of White Bear Lake. It overlooks the harbor and features a patio for summer dining. The atmosphere is casual, but the dining room lends an air of elegance to the place. It is an enjoyable place to have a quiet conversation. We were promptly seated for our reservation, our drink orders were taken and delivered promptly. A nice crusty loaf accompanied by a lightly honeyed butter was more than welcome. We selected the three course meal. My wife picked spring greens. I picked spinach with prosciutto/apple/pear. Both were great with subtle flavoring. We both had the walleye as a main course. Tender- not overcooked at all. I am not a fish guy, but I found it intriguing. Dessert was creme brulee for me and butterscotch pudding (with sea salt) for my wife. Both were a nice way to wrap up the meal.
(5)Karin M.
I must admit that with a Yelp 5 star rating and 16 reviews we had extremely high expectations for our visit at Acqua. Wow, not only did they meet those expectations we were all planning our next visit before we even left the restaurant. Reservations are a must, at least for a Saturday night. The only dim spot was when we walked in (use the entrance on the side of the building) and had to wait a few minutes for our table...it was a little crowded and awkward without a very big waiting space/entry. Once seated, perfection began. The wait staff works together so very well it is simply a joy. All four of us had something different and all four were more than pleased with the offerings. Our friends shared the scallop small plate which looked divine. Hubbs and I shared the cured meat plate which was outstanding. Dinner was Ossobuco for me, a featured pork entree with figs for hubbs, scallops/shrimp with the purple potatoes and the filet with crab for our friends. It looked like our friend licked his plate clean, it was that good. Desserts were the butterscotch bundino, the chocolate cake with graham cracker ice cream and marshmallow cream (combining the flavors was like eating a s'more, and the banana's foster cheesecake. Once again, all delish! Can't wait to go back...this is one place where I would love to become a regular at.
(5)Jeremy C.
My wife and I went here for our anniversary. Had been meaning to go for some time and now wish we would have gone sooner. I had a steak that was one of the best I've ever had. Service was great. Love the outdoor patio. Wine selection and drinks were good. Expensive evening meal but very worth it for a special occasion.
(5)Phil H.
There are only so many places I've eaten in the Twin Cities that I would confidently put up against the best places in the major cities (Heartland and 112 Eatery come to mind). Well, this is one of them. This place is legit. The attention to flavors is major league. My wife and I had some great calamari to start, different seafood dishes for dinner (mine was a special) and one of the best desserts I've ever eaten. The prices for a meal like this are reasonable and a great value. Do yourself a favor and get here as soon as you can...just make sure to make a reservation. My wife and I can't wait to go back. Well done.
(5)Leslie a.
We have always had fantastic meals at Acqua . The service is first rate . Our favorite place to go . Never a bad thing to say about them . Hope that they keep up the GREAT work !
(5)Doug D.
Finally made it to Acqua for dinner. We were seated upstairs in a very quaint room. They have a small bar area with a few tables and there is also a patio across the driveway near the lake that looks like it would be nice if we didn't have 4-6 inches of snow on the ground at the end of April! Very nice wine selections. The salads, beet salad, fennel-apple salad, were excellent. We also had the bruschetta which was wonderful. Our table had the Walleye dinner, Osso Bucco and the Bone In Rib Eye. Everything was prepared very well, the Osso Bucco was the best I've ever had. I tasted the walleye and rib eye and they, too were excellent. We had four different desserts and everyone tasted all of them, all getting very positive reviews. Everyone in our group was very pleased with their experience here. Fairly priced menu. Professional service, very knowledgeable. We look forward to a return visit.
(5)Alex C.
When I think of fancy meal places, I think of downtown Minneapolis or right around there. There are of fine dining joints other places....St. Paul (Meritage, Heartland) but I was shocked to hear the rumblings about Acqua over my neck of the woods in White Bear Lake. This place is amazing. The other reviews were right. This has got to be the best kept secret for amazing fine dining in the Twin Cities. They have a $40 every day tasting menu but for restaurant week they had a $30 tasting menu with a few less options. I started off with one of the best calamari I've ever had. Perfectly crispy, not oily and extremely tender. I can explain the mayo but I would have eaten it with a spoon if I didn't think people would stare. My tasting menu started with the honeydew and cantaloupe puree. This was an amazing cold soup and the honey dew side had a bit of tang to it. It looked as amazing as it tasted. Very refreshing on a bit of a muggy day. My wife, who loves beat salads and orders them everywhere we go, said hands down, this was the best beat salad she had every had. (The salad came with a fried goat cheese and there was something on the beats that made them a little crispy). I'll have to take her word for it because she wasn't sharing. For my main course I had the ragu which was probably the best spaghetti type noodle dish I have ever had. Our friend had the osso buco which looked amazing. It was the largest most tender portion of osso bucco that I had ever seen. It was served with a white mashed sweet potato (white? who knew?) I only tried a bite, but it was amazing and I'm coming back for it. For dessert, I had a deconstructed smore (graham cracker ice cream, homemade marshmallow and a molten lava cake....they called it a souffle...it was good regardless). It was tasty but everyone recommends the budino. I can see why. It beat the snot out of the 112 version...a tough thing to do but wow, this thing was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. Also, I was amazed by the awesome service. I doubt my glass even got half empty. Our waiter was very helpful and his recommendations were perfect. This is a pricier joint but you are paying for some amazing food and service. If you're looking for a great fancy meal, then you should strongly consider coming here. You definitely need to call ahead, especially a week or two in advance for weekend reservations. I hope this place doesn't blow up too big (like Travail) otherwise it'll be a pain getting back in here.
(5)Dan R.
Last night we went to Acqua to have great food and eat on their patio. Unfortunately, the breeze coming off the lake was just a little too strong/cold! Although we couldn't sit on the patio (they would let us if we wanted to), we still had a great time and excellent food. This was our second time here and both times we had great food. This time they had a 50% special on all bottles of wine! They always have a tasting menu with three courses for $30. I had the pork shank with sweet potato puree which was excellent. For dessert, we shared the Butterscotch Budino with caramel which was topped with whipped cream and a little sea salt. The sea salt added a little depth to the dessert. Although this was tasty, next time I'm going to try the Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake with Graham Cracker Ice Cream and Marshmallow! We'll go back to sit on the patio again, but might have to wait until July!
(4)Kathy P.
Just had to share this. Yelps description says beer and wine only. Acqua has some of the best cocktails ever. The cucumber margarita is light and refreshing. The black cherry gin drink, can't think of the name is to die for. Everything is wonderful!
(5)Frank M.
This was the second time I've been to Acqua, and both times my girl friend and I have had a great experience! We had reservations for dinner and when we arrived we were warmly greeted and asked if they could take our jackets and hang them for us. Our previous visit we sat on the main floor in a room towards the back and right next to a nice fire place. This time we were brought up stairs (which wasn't open our previous visit) into a room with a beautiful view of White Bear Lake. Even though it was winter the view was still nice and I can only imagine how much nicer it'd be in the summer. Once again we were sat next to a fire place. It was very cozy and kept us at a perfect temperature. We decided to each get the 3 course meal for $30. We were more than pleased our previous visit with this deal so we decided for it again. We also got a nice bottle of white wine which was very good. I highly recommend the chili for your starter. We both got it and thought it was amazing. For my Entrée I went with the Ragu alla Bolgnese (pasta). My girl friend got the Ossobuco di Porco (pork shank). We both shared our food and thought they were each delicious in their own ways. The bolgnese is a ton of food so be prepared to eat a lot. I also thought the mashed potatoes that came with the pork shank were extra amazing. I'm not sure what was different about them, but I suspect there was a lot of butter and possibly honey in them! For desert I got the apple crisp and she got the Pistachio Semifreddo with Warm Dark Chocolate Ganache. Both were once again very good, but the apple crisp was my favorite. But I do love apple deserts so I am biased. After being there for 2 hours and enjoying a bottle of wine, a 3 course meal, great service, and great atmosphere, we couldn't have been much happier. The location is very nice being that it over looks White Bear Lake. The restaurant itself is an old house that was nicely renovated with multiple fireplaces and hard wood floors and warmly decorated with lots of candles and chandeliers. Acqua is a bit pricely (our bill was over $100 after tip both occasions) but well worth it for special occasions.
(5)Davin D.
We've been wanting to go to Acqua since reading about it in January. Definitely wanted to sit dockside, so definitely had to wait until the snow melted. A big birthday came along, so off to Acqua we go. When you wait so long to go somewhere, you almost kind of set the restaurant up for failure because your expectations are so high. Well, I'm glad to say, Acqua did not disappoint! We had the three course tasting menu, which was not a tasting menu at all, but rather consisted of full sized portions, and then some. Here's what we had: Caprese salad - beautifully presented...offset layers of yellow heirlooms and mozzarella on a bed of arugula and basil, drizzled with some balsamic reduction. Flavors were well balanced. My only complaint is that the mozzarella didn't have much flavor...then again, I have never had good mozzarella in the US. Roasted Beet Salad - another yum salad. Fried goat cheese was tasty and the roasted beets were excellent. Ossobuco - I moved the bone and the meat fell off. The cut was actually twice as big as I was expecting. Sweet potato puree was intensely flavored. It could have used a touch more sauce. Roasted Chicken Salmoriglio - perfectly cooked...right at that point where the meat turns from pink to white. Peach crisp - Very nice peach flavor...Sysco peaches have never tasted so pure. The Izzy's cinnamon ice cream was insanely good, but could have been more frozen. Molten Chocolate Lava Cake - nicely prepared, perfectly runny in the middle. Again, the ice cream could've been more frozen. All in all, the food flavors and preparation was spot on. Hats off to the kitchen. The service was also top-notch. JJ knew his stuff and was attentive without being intrusive. We brought our own wine and I was pleased to see that they provided the proper Riedel glasses for the varietal. All in all, probably the best food and dining experience in the Twin Cities. Comparing to all restaurants I ever been to in any city, it would still get 4 stars.
(5)Tabby C.
Acqua is a wonderful place to go when you feel like being wined and dined! Spectacular food, including the desserts! Fabulous wine and cocktails . My only complaint is how they up the cost of the wine( but what place doesn't?) would defiantly recommend it to anyone!
(5)Tiffiny C.
My parents took me here in April for dinner, and I was surprised by how great it was. I think this was my best fine dining experience in White Bear Lake to date, and I grew up here. I started with this tasty blackberry/gin drink. AWESOME drink, strong, and a specialty drink on their menu. For a starter we shared a flatbread pizza. It was ok. Nothing to write home about, but tasty. I ordered a salmon roulade with orzo pasta for my entree. Perfectly baked and the orzo was perfectly cooked as well. It could have used a wee more spice, but I like more spice/heat than the average Minnesotan. My step-dad had the veal ragu pasta dish. That hearty red sauce was divine. Small, classic, clean space (accessible entrance in back). Service was a bit slow, but it was really good at the same time. Looking forward to going back this summer to sit on the patio with the view of the lake!
(4)Mike C.
The reason for the update is that I love this place. Service is always good and the food is always consistent which is important to me. The menu is simple but well executed (I think that is the problem with some restauarants with a large menu). We had a great night celebrating my birthday. The Ragu alla Bolgnese is always a treat. Please read my previous review.
(5)Melanie M.
My husband took me here this summer for my Birthday dinner and the food was amazingly good and the service was stellar! We like to to order items that we both want to try and then share. We started with the Calamari which was cooked perfectly=golden crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned and tender on the inside. We also split a great salad made with feta, kalamata olives, red onion, and sun dried tomatoes with an herb vinaigrette which was very tasty and refreshing on a hot night. For our entrees, I had the Oso Buco and my husband had the Pasta Bolognese. The bolognese was very good but the pork shank oso buco was the star! The meat's exterior had almost a crusty texture but the interior was moist and fall-apart tender then covered with one of the richest most delicious demi-glace sauces I've ever tasted! It was served with the perfect accompaniment to soak up all that fabulous sauce, a mashed yellow sweet potato the menu said was from New Jersey. I am a chocoholic so I had to order the chocolate mousse cake that was a play on a s'more, a molton type chocolate cake with bruleed marshmallow creme served with graham cracker ice cream. This was a delicious dessert but on the recommendation of our server we also ordered the Butterscotch Budino, a homemade butterscotch pudding topped with a caramel sauce and sea salt. This was absolute heaven! One of the best desserts I've ever had! If you enjoy sea salted caramel ice cream, you must try it-the perfect balance of salty and sweet! This is my new favorite special occasion restaurant-you have to check it out!
(5)Tracy D.
This place is phenomenal, service is excellent, foods is to die for. Make reservations, because this place is always busy. One of the best meals I have ever had, make this a must of your bucket list, you will not regret it.
(5)Kevin P.
Made it to Acqua tonight, good food and a nice experience. I chose from the 3-course tasting menu, for the starter they allowed me to substitute a very nice hen-of-the-woods mushroom soup that was a special. The soup was nicely balanced, creamy and tasty. Then came the Braised Pork Shank with Golden Sweet Potato Puree. The pork was cooked perfectly, tender enough that I was able to pull it apart with my fork. Very good, and a good sized portion. To finish I had the Peach Cobbler with ice cream and a cup of coffee. A perfect end to my meal. The waiter was attentive but not obtrusive the service was excellent. Worth the trip, I'll be going back.
(5)Natalia C.
Hands down one of my all time favorite meals was at this charming, little spot! They have everything right . . . the service, wine, ambiance and food is all incredible!
(5)Mollee F.
You won't regret making the drive to White Bear Lake for this restaurant. Service is top notch. Setting is both scenic and intimate. And the food is the among the best the metro has to offer (down to the butter). Ragu bolognese is lick-the-bowl good. Great place to impress out-of-town guests with.
(5)Lael B.
You've got to go, that's all I'm going to say.
(5)Olive S.
Best dinner in White Bear, and it beats a lot of Twin City restaurants too. Who says the suburbs can't keep it classy? Great spot, great food. Romantic. I'd eat here every week if I could.
(5)Jacque U.
5 Stars, 10 Stars if I could! We had the most amazing time Saturday night. We arrived early for our reservation and had to wait, but we had at least 2 people (neither of whom ended up being our server) offer to get us drinks and look at the menu. We were seated and our server brought us each a glass of champagne when she found out were were celebrating. We both ordered from the tasting menu (what an amazing deal, the quality far exceeds the price) but we split the duck confit pizza as our starter instead of individual starters. Pizza was SO good. The combination of flavors with the pear, Gorgonzola, champagne grapes, and the duck blew me away. The duck was slightly crispy and the crust of the pizza was just about perfect. Thin but still doughy, Mains were the ossobucco di porcco (I think I spelled that right - pork shank) with sweet potato mash for him and the handmade spinach ravioli for me. He was sold on the osso as soon as it was described as braised for 2+ hours with a 2 days sauce. And it was extremely flavorful and delicious. His only complaint was that he wanted more sauce. I was sure that my ravioli wouldn't hold up to the osso but they definitely held their own. The artichoke hearts with tomatoes and garlic and the lemon sauce was so bright and the flavors exploded in my mouth. Delicious. Dessert. OMG, dessert. I know I've been raving about the food but dessert was amazing. We had the chocolate souffle cake with graham cracker ice cream which was a 7/10 but the budino... sweet heaven the budino. The salted caramel topping was amazing. It was salted just right to complement the sweetness and the creamy pudding (is it pudding? custard?) underneath, bliss. I had the accompanying wines with mine and all were good. The riesling at the end wasn't as good as I hoped but both reds were excellent. I should have written down the names, I would absolutely buy them for home. Amazing food, definitely worth the money, great service, GO NOW. What are you waiting for?
(5)Jennell E.
I thought everything was very good - but none of them were spectacular to me. I would certainly go back though to try other things off the menu as I could have just ordered the wrong things. Caprese Salad - Best dish of the night - so fresh and yummy! Calamari - heavily seasoned and had some chewy pieces Ragu - loved the fresh noodles, sauce was "eh" for me Peach cobbler - This is strange but did anyone else taste candle wax? You know when you were a kid and you had a ton of candles and some dripped on to the cake? I swear that is how it tasted to me but there were no candles in sight! Server was EXCELLENT - I was surprised because the staff is very young but super attentive and knowlegeable.
(4)Sharon O.
Incredible food, impeccable service. Osso Buco with sweet potato purée was soooo good. Beet salad with goat cheese is another one of my favorites.
(5)Garrett L.
Great Food, Great Service, and a Great Atmosphere!! Will definitely be back again...
(5)Martin L.
Such good food, and a great Elderflower Martini.
(5)Dan P.
Outstanding food and service. Their walleye is the best.
(5)