Acquario Italian Restaurant

We had another great evening at Acquario last night. This is probably our 10th visit since they opened. They have been working on the sound inside, and even though it was PACKED we could easily converse. The whole place looks great and has a nice buzz at dinnertime.We usually sit at the bar and talk with Amanda who makes fantastic drinks, but last night we had dinner at a table with friends.Our waiter was great - he picked up the casual vibe at our table and gave us just as much attention as we needed. The red pepper soup was excellent as was the risotto with scallops. The chocolate mousse dessert was delicious and perfect for us to split.My wife and travel to New York often, and it's nice to find a place right here in Keller/Southlake/Westlake that serves authentic Italian food along with a great wine list and Amanda's carefully crafted cocktails.Speaking of wine, if you are looking for a good bottle, then ask Nino for some ideas. He has carefully put together his list.If you are looking for dinner at the bar, date night, or a small gathering then give Acquario a try.

For my 100th review, I have a gem of a restaurant to recommend: Acquario Italian Seafood. It offers fine chef-crafted Italian Seafood with impeccable attention to every detail, including your enjoyment. It's rare to find a restaurant whose employees focus as much on the customer's dining experience as on the quality, flavor and presentation of each meal. That focus starts with the partnership of Nino Rata and Executive Chef Fredi Plaku. On our visit, David was our server. His recommendations were exceptional, and our wine pairing was perfectly complementary. We were in excellent hands.For an appetizer, we ordered the Tortina Di Granchio. It's a generous serving of jumbo lump crab, bell peppers, celery onions, avocado guacamole, drizzling with a spicy aioli. We recommend this appetizer.For an entrée, we ordered the Dover Sole on the waiter's recommendation. That was certainly an exceptional choice. This fish is a very high-quality flat fish, like a flounder, but thicker and firmer. If you've never tried Dover Sole, treat yourself when you get a chance. It's very good! I describe it as a very refined-textured white flesh fish that is firm and flaky. It's served under a lemon reduction sauce that compliments the fish without overpowering it.Our second entrée was scallops over a creamy pea risotto. The scallops were large and plump, perfectly seared. Though the peas weren't as well received as, say, asparagus would have been, we still enjoyed the dish.For dessert, we were treated to a Torta Della Nonna. This is a beautiful classic Italian tart with a luscious citrus pastry cream filling. It's really light and delicious.The dining area is a single, large room with a tall ceiling and large windows. Though not very intimate, the tables are well-spaced, making the room pleasantly quiet. Large groups can easily be accommodated. If you are looking for a very nice date night restaurant, this is your place. Be aware that this is a neighborhood favorite, so make a reservation. I recommend Acquario Italian Seafood for the delicious food and the dining experience.

Food was all right but it didn't impress. My Parmesan chicken was a bit soggy and too breaded. The cheese on top was nice. My wife's short rib pasta didn't have much short rib. The bread was average. Good whipped butter. Presentation was nice. Service was mostly ok but they forgot us for a while in delivering the check. Ambience was nice. Overall the place meets expectations but doesn't exceed them.

I came here with my husband to celebrate Valentine's Day. We were immediately sat and greeted by our waitress. Per our waitress suggestion I tried the cocktail Adriatic Kiss and it was so delicious! So delicious I had to have two. For our appetizer we had their Tortina di Granchio, which is a crab cake and oh my goodness!! This was the best crab cake I have ever had. Following our appetizer was the Caesar Salad which was also really good for just being a salad. For my main course I had the Parmigiano crusted Icelandic cod which was covered in Prosecco sauce, and accompanied by mashed potatoes and asparagus. This meal was so delicious and flavorful, and the asparagus were cooked to perfection. My husband had the Sea Bass which I did not try, but he said he enjoyed it very much. We shared the Affogato which was the perfect sweet ending to an amazing dinner. The service we had on this particular night was a 10/10 on its own. Our waitress Rebecca took really good care of us and made sure we had an enjoyable time. This place is perfect for date night, or even family dinner. The service is one of the best I have had, and you will not be disappointed eating here.

Excellent, attentive service; Delicious food in a beautiful restaurant with lovely background music. Highly recommend!

I just want to add one more thing. We rarely dine out in the evenings any longer. At our age dinner at the noon hour in the old Southern tradition is our practice. But we've been wanting to see Acquario at night and the time change along with shorter days afforded us the opportunity for an early visit at the dinner hour for Miss Anne's birthday last Friday. The restaurant is very attractive at night and the store is really humming at dinner. A very cool and upscale, but totally unpretentious, vibe. And the dinner menu is amazing. Service as always was superb. Vinny is just great. Anne protested against ordering a second appetizer but I insisted saying "It's your birthday, come on!". Vinny apparently overheard me as the meal was topped off with a complimentary Chocolate Truffle Mousse and the servers singing her Happy Birthday. It was such an enjoyable evening. Y'all just go!

My husband & I came for a date night when we found ourselves kid free for the evening. We had a wonderful time & our sever Jackson was so down to earth & fantastic!!!! They were concerned about my not finishing our meal but it was purely because we were too stuffed to finish. All of the recommendations were fabulous, you can't go wrong.

Nestled in the residences surrounding Sky Creek Ranch is the charming and well-designed Acquario. Its warm wood tones, with crisp white and intentional small touches of blues and greens is nothing short of lovely. We had 6:15p reservations on a Saturday night and the place was hopping upon arrival. We were greeted and seated immediately upon arrival. Our server was attentive and informative with the specials and making recommendations when asked. We were also able to watch restauranteur Nino Rata this evening. He's clearly involved and passionate about this place. He greeted the regulars, spoke fondly of his guests, took a few moments to chat when I asked about business since they opened. I really enjoyed meeting him. The restaurant provides diners with the freshest, soft, sourdough bread and a side of paprika, sea salt soft butter. I could have eaten that all night! Next, we started the evening with the crab cake that sits on a bed of smashed avocado, it was delicious, not dry, well seasoned, and generously filled with crab. Followed by the Caesar salad which is big enough to split by 2-3 people. My handsome date had the Mediterranean Sea bass. He said it was the best Sea Bass he's ever had. This is high praise!! My man is well traveled and has eaten at some of the best restaurants in the NE and abroad. I ate too much bread, plus the Caesar so only ordered the Arancini Siciliani for my meal. It was also delicious. For dessert we ordered this super bright, fresh Limoncello dessert. It was perfect for a hot Texas day. We are excited to finally have a fine dining experience in Keller and can't wait to become regulars here! The only item I feel must be pointed out to keep my reviews on the up and up is the entryway is a bit small and the restaurant is one large room. You can tell they tried to account for noise with sound absorption panels on the ceiling but it unfortunately just isn't enough. If you are hoping for a quiet meal, this place isn't it. Granted every table was taken, but no table was being abnormally loud, the noise just has nowhere to go. But still, really love this restaurant!

Wonderful service and food! Extensive menu selections! Great wine list! Perfect place for friends' gathering, date night, etc.!

The food was amazing. We have phenomenal service - answered questions and made great suggestions. You can see the pride they take in their restaurant. The dining room is light and airy and reflect the crisp freshness of their chef prepared foods. For an exciting taste of Italy beyond the usual pizza and spaghetti trope - Acquario is the place.