Acqua e Mais

Amazing little shop! Wasn’t a ton of people but there’s about 10 min wait time for there’s only one server handling cooking and paying. Ordered the box of fried seafood and it was made fresh! Tried their other assortments displayed and it was deliciously seasoned!!! Inexpensive, walk thru only type of style if anyone is looking to grab some seafood but don’t wanna do fine dining!! Server was wonderful!

I was in Venice for under forty eight hours and somehow managed to eat three boxes of the fried seafood and honestly wish I had three more boxes it was so good! The freshness was unmatched! The frying was so perfect. The taste was unreal. I’ll be dreaming of all the octopus for a while. Calamari likely forever spoiled for me because Acqua e Mais is a height I’m almost positive no one will ever come close to.

The food is nop notch, sardines, shrimps and squid all fried were very tasty. Can’t say much about the service as there is only one guy that cooks and takes the orders at the same time so it’s difficult to be very helpful and also they need to put more helpful signs about the menu and in English and maybe at least put small tables for people to stand and eat for a while. Although I think you have to test it as you visit Venice.

Had a chance to check out Acqua e Mais on a food tour, the restaurant is nothing more than a true hole in the wall serving out to go food. They specialize in serving the food with Grilled Polenta which is to die for! Along with the Polenta we had the beef meatballs and an eggplant dish. Highly recommend.

Best street food in the area. Got fritto misto with polenta as always and a portion of baccala. A must visit location for a traditional snack break.

I visited Acqua e Mais during a business holiday in Italy, as my first choice (Cantina del Vino già Schiavi) was unfortunately closed. Based on online reviews, this place came recommended, but it didn’t live up to the hype. After ordering, the food was briefly reheated in a combi oven. When I sat down nearby to eat (on the steps, as there’s no proper seating), I found the food only barely warm. The squid had a strong, unpleasant fishy taste, and the potatoes were overwhelmingly salty. Cost: €14.50 (very expensive for a street-style food) Service: Unfriendly!

So i got this for 6.30, the baccalà was good but the polenta was pretty salty and the polpetta di baccalà had no flavour,all I taste is breading . Maybe other things they have taste better But it was not bad overall.

Superb food! The octopus and squid tasted fantastic. However expect to wait for long as there’s only 2 staff and they seem to make you wait.

Great service! Delicious and tasty fried seafood - jumbo pieces of calamari, shrimp and sardines. Great selection of beer and other nonalcoholic beverages. Definitely going back for more!!

I really wanted to love this place but I found it to be whatever. I found this place on yelp and all the photos of their food in a cone looked good so I had to check it out. It's about a 20 minute walk from the water taxi and I found it to not be worth it. Once we got there we noticed they had food on display ready to be eaten and also foods you can order. Everything was in Italian. The line was kinda long and we waited about 20 minutes before it was our turn. I asked for fried calamari in a cone, their vegetarian fried ball, lasagna, and some squid. She gave us fried seafood in a cone instead. It was good though so we didn't complain. The squid was also really good. The rest was either trash or it was too cold. The vegetarian fried ball was disgusting especially because it was cold. The lasagna would have been good if it wasn't served to us cold. I don't know why they wouldn't warm it for us. They knew we were eating it right there because we got forks. We also got some polenta on the side which were okay. It's a grab and go type of spot and there is no where to sit inside nor outside. Great concept and they have a few great items but not everything was good. Pricing is affordable.

We were waiting in a pretty long line for breakfast around the corner and I was starving so I thought why not have a little cup of seafood while I wait?! I also had been wanting to try this place! They have a ton of different fried seafood/foods. I got the seafood in a cone which came with squid, sardine, shrimp and even a polenta on the top. My favorite was the shrimp and squids. It was hot & salty and just what I needed! Definitely a great snack to walk around Venice with before a meal.

Could not resist visiting here again. And again. When the weather is a bit chilly, the anticipation of eating hot seafood in the drizzling rain is a luxury all PNWers understand. So good, so fun ;)

Amazing seafood for a song. Acqua Mais offerings were well prepared and delicious. Some items are priced per piece while others are weighed. Standing counter space for around 4 WYS is WYG (what you see is what you get - if it looks delicious, it is delicious) Service was fast, friendly and efficient! I highly recommend Acqua Mais for a quick, delicious, no fuss lunch.

Saw on somebody feed Phil on Netflix and wanted to try the fried seafood in a paper cone. There was a small sign advertising the fried seafood cone as well as a counter full of other items already prepared. In addition to the cone, which was prepared fresh, I tried a grilled cuttlefish. The food all tasted like the sea here, definitely more seafood flavor than I am used to. The cuttlefish was our least favorite thing, a little on the chewier side. Preferred the seafood cone. It was an experience to try whole sardines for the first time. We ate our food standing around the corner.

Ok, yelpers might have a fit with this. Venice is amazing. Most food is seafood which is mainly cooked mildly to enjoy the freshness. But... it still needs to be seasoned. Acqua is the only place that I gave 5 stars to and it's only for the fried seafood. It was really simple but delicious. A cardboard container full of fresh fried seafood (shrimp, anchovy, squid and clams). Very nicely seasoned and fried perfectly. YUM!

I don't know, I was short-changed 1€, but I didn't say anything , it may be to order others food, this seafood in a cone was so so.

Do NOT follow the directions of how to get here on the map. Directions had us walk 10 mins past this and after walking around in circles for 20 mins, we gave up and got lucky to stumble upon it by mistake on our way back to our hotel. Very good seafood tho.

Absolutely delicious fritto misto! Ours was made fresh to order with a great variety of each: calamari, shrimp, sardines, clam. There was also something that tasted like fried cornmeal, which wasn't for me but I think that is a personal preference. Haven't tried any of the local places here to compare it to but was very happy with the fritto misto here.

We went there for arancini's expecting them to be good because there were good reviews. We were pretty disappointed. Not what we were expecting and the flavor was kind of weird. My friends were cold in the middle. We wouldn't go there ever again and don't recommend :/

overhyped :~( the fritto misto (deep fried mixed seafood) was very salty and not as fresh as the other mom and pop shops we had tried. we could kind of tell that it had been sitting out for awhile. it also didn't come with a lemon (which is essential!!) :~( i did like that they included a fried piece of polenta in there, but it was so salty we couldn't even finish it. we also tried their baccala (one regular, one seasoned) which was pretty good, but again.. the polenta it came with was so salty that we ate around it. the grilled cuttlefish was pretty much inedible.. very chewy and had a weird peanut butter-like taste? overall i don't think this place is worth it, especially when there are so many other shops that had way better fritto misto/calamari.

Great seafood for take away. Many different tapas - like choices. We will definitely try again.

Super freshly fried seafood! We ordered just calamari (they also had shrimp and sardines) in a cone (smaller than a box) and watched the chef drop the handful of battered squid into the fryer -- definitely made to order! We asked for lemon and was given a nice and large wedge. Easy to eat on the go or enjoy by the canals!

€12 for a small box of seafood but tasty. Not bad for quick experience Roasted chicken for €9,90

Had this three days in a row while staying in Venice. Hard to miss unless you're on the lookout for it. Definitely a must try if you're a fan of calamari or lightly fried mixed seafood - they don't make it like this in the States.

Delicious quick fried foods for a snack or meal if you wanted. The seafood is so fresh! And some of them come with polenta which is divine! Polenta is a thing in Venice. There's other street foods like aracini or suppli They also have more side dishes inside which is put on top of polenta. I chose one that had meatballs with some sort of greens. Good too!

Great stop for a snack! Ordered the fried shrimp, calamari, fish combo that came with polenta cakes. It was hot during a very cold evening, which made for a comforting bite. If I was more hungry I would have loved to try the non-fried items on skewers displayed inside the store, too.

Definitely a must try if you visit Venice - had this 3 times while I was there. We ordered the box to share (mistake, order your own) which had mixed seafood. The calamari was my favourite but shrimp was also delicious as well. Great snack option.

This place is a perfect little place to stop for a snack! It's almost like street food, but not in a cart. They have a few location and we were, apparently, walking to the farther one until I made a quick turn and realized there was one right here! Perfect, quick snack before pizza! I walked right up to the window and picked what I wanted. We got the calamari shrimp combo and a scallop. HIT THE SPOT! Love love love, wish we had something like that in the US. The price was reasonable also, like about $6 for the calamari combo, but I guess it depends on the exchange rate when you go. Definitely a spot to go when in Venice.

TL;DR - Great place for cheap and tasty seafood. This place is basically just a hole in the wall, but the seafood they serve is great. Most of the options are under €6 - we went for the mixed seafood option, which including sardines, squid, prawn and calamari all on top of some of the creamiest polenta I've ever tasted. The dish is served in a cone to take away. Everything is super fresh - our fish was fried right there before our eyes and we had to wait for it to cool down before we could eat it, it was so hot. The staff didn't seem to speak much English, but the menu outside listed everything in English as well as Italian, and they had arranged "mock ups" of what each dish looked like to help, so you can just point at the one you like if you prefer.

By wandering around the winding streets of Venice and following our nose, we made it to this purveyor of delicious fried goods. This is standing room only and you order at a window that has all of the options presented in a cone at the register. We ordered the mixed seafood (calamari & whole mini octopus) and the mixed veggies with polenta. The mixed seafood was wonderful taste, pipping hot, and crisped to perfection. The octopus was a small piece of that cone we could have done without, but the calamari was so good, it made up for it. The mixed veggies were not warm, which was a bit off putting; however we realized that the hot polenta at the bottom of the cone is most likely there to dip the veggies into and warm them up. Once we started doing this, it became very good! Overall, cost is reasonable, it's a good snack to grab and go and despite it being fried, you keep your hands clean because they give you a skewer to use as a utensil.

Okay, ordered the cod fish one, it was nice and hot, smelled really good when I first received it, the texture was nice/creamy and the flavor was good. 7 Euros for a cup that is deceptive in size as it is actually a very small portion, well sort of because it's a cone so there's less volume compared to what is displayed. So I would give 5 stars if they gave more portions. Really unique and tasty Venice food though.

This was on my must-try list of foods in Venice. This is the perfect on the go street foods for when you need a little snack while roaming through Venice. I love calamari but this blew my mind. You walk up to the window and order what you want. It's quickly ready for you and you're on your way. The cone cup is completely filled with calamari and it's a lot more than you think. The calamari was cooked perfectly and the batter on the outside was so good ! It was like $7 for the cone of calamari. My boyfriend and I were trying all sorts of foods throughout the day so we only ordered one and it was enough for us to share for a small snack. Besides the fact that it was really good, it was also presented so nicely for the perfect picture of the canals.

Venetian fried street food...all of that sounds too good to be true. Well, let me tell you, it is! Starting at 5 euros, it is affordable and worth a try if you like fried seafood. My husband and I were amazed at how good it was, we got seconds! Staff is friendly and made the experience so much better. Just a tip: if you use google map for directions to this place, it will tell you to go further. Just keep an eye out for fried food and the name of the restaurant and you'll be okay!

I agree with a review below. We were SO EXCITED to try this place - a friend recommended on their trip! Said it was THE BEST.. Ours was "old" not crispy seafood or veggies and dried out. So bummed - great pics.. not great food :(

This is one of the best finds in Italy. We ran into this place through our "get lost in Venice" day. The line is pretty long, but each serving is about $5-6. I had the calamari and shrimp, while my husband added the anchovies for an euro more. Great experience and cheap eats!

Came here during a visit to Venice. The visual menu is very helpful for tourists! Ordered the bowl of grits and fried seafood, which was so-so. The seafood was cold but the grits was piping hot. The quiche was also tasty but cold. Service is fast though!

We stumbled across Acqua & Mais during a trip to Venice, and discovered that they serve some amazing Venetian street food! We bought some fresh produce (which they cooked right in front of us), and a cone filled with a mix of friend polenta and various kinds of seafood - so good! There's often a line here, but the food is totally worth the wait; it's in a lovely part of town, too :-) Highly recommended!

I was really excited to try this place because who doesn't like fried seafood? I felt like the majority of what we ordered wasn't very good. We ordered the fried shrimp, sardines, and calamari. It was all pretty salty and the polenta had zero flavor. We also ordered a prosciutto and cheese fried something and it was super greasy. Overall it did not meet our expectations whatsoever. Wouldn't come back.

We came here with our Venice food tour group. Well, let's just say we were in Venice for 3 days and we came here twice and would have gone for a third time if it's not that far of a walk from our Airbnb. You can't go wrong with fresh seafood on skewers. Grilled cuttlefish is incredibly good and my wife won't share her seafood salad. Fried mix seafood is really good as well.

Items Selected: Fried Shrimp and Squid Brandade and Fried Polenta Seafood Arancini A small food stall located near Pasticceria Rizzardini it was just past 11h00 when I doubled back to sample the Venetian Streetfoods of Acqua & Mais, the work of a former fine-dining Chef turned casual as close as Italy gets to America's "Food Truck" movement with prices that seem almost like stealing in comparison to the quality of the cuisine. Translated to "Water & Corn" and serving cold Salads, Polenta, grilled or fried Meat and Vegetables in paper cones, bags or napkins intended to be eaten on the go, Acqua & Mais is best located heading east on Campiello dei Meloni from the mainland to Ponte di Rialto, the small signage almost enough to render the storefront hidden in plain view were it not for a display of items along the front window that seem to be more than enough to bring the masses, locals as well as tourists almost invariably found in a several minute queue. Staffed by just two men, both working prep with hot items grilled or fried fresh up front as others are readied in a rear-kitchen visible through the small standing area adjacent a counter where items can be purchased by weight, it was accounting for a relatively aggressive dining agenda that just three selections made at a total of €13,50, the results setting a high standard that similar dishes sold elsewhere for more money would soon prove unable to outperform. Best known for the Fritto Misto, a combination of Shrimp and Squid lightly kissed by Lemon and fried crisp without a hint of grease, suffice it to say that each crunchy bite offers robust flavors at the very peak of just-caught freshness, the trimmings used alongside toothsome Rice, melted Parmigiano, Fish and Peas to create the best Arancini I've ever laid eyes on, the texture of a slow-cooked Risotto not any different aside from its lack of ability to be eaten from a napkin on the way through Venice's never-ending maze. Saving the best till last, though personal biases toward creamed Salt Cod must be noted as the Potato, Cream and Fish combination is undoubtedly an acquired taste, those craving the classic dish are not only recommended but strongly encouraged to taste the version offered in a deep cone with bits of fried Cornmeal for dunking, a light bit of herbs lingering just long enough to offset all the brininess with a texture that is as smooth as silk.

Had the pleasure of going to Acqua & Mais and getting one of their fried seafood cones. I mainly snacked on the fried shrimp because my fiancé is more of a seafood loved than I am but the breading on the shrimp was perfect. I was hesitant because I didn't know if it was going to be too greasy but it wasn't. If you're in need to a walking break stop by and get some fried seafood. Finding somewhere to actually eat your food is a bit of a struggle in Venice however because locals don't like tourists sitting on the steps of their house and it's not allowed to eat by the canals so I'd say just choose the quaintest place you can find and eat your food then get going and you should be fine.

Best seafood in Venice! We needed a quick bite and this was the perfect stop. I had the polenta with cod, my hubby had the seafood salad and was shocked he liked octopus. My daughter had the quinoa salad. We all loved our choices. I would've liked a slightly larger portion but we had gelato afterwards so it worked out. I

I ate here twice. The first time was around 11am and it was the best shrimp and calamari cone I've ever had! The shrimp was huge. The calamari was perfectly seasoned. I was raving about it to my friends. We came again the next day around 3pm and we all had sandy calamari! It was unenjoyable and we actually spit it out into our napkins. I was upset and felt bad that we wasted our money. I guess it's better if you go early in the day.

My husband and I grabbed food from here on our second night in Venice, after passing by it on our first night. This no-fuss food is delicious and the perfect snack!

Impressive! Loved the food. I will definitely come back for more. Too bad there are no chairs and tables but if you're on the go this is perfect.

Omg as in the best food in Venice! And cheap too! Get the Pollenta Perce! It's seafood with corn sauce! Everything is delicious!

super charming little stand on the side of the street serving authentic venice an fried food! waited about 15 minutes on a Saturday around noon. got the calamari and shrimp, it was delicious and only 5€. the polenta was also grilled quite nicely. think the menu changes daily due to what they have available because there was a chalkboard that said the current date and a couple options. they have small sample dishes at the front so you can see what you're ordering (think these are always here and diff from the daily specials). cons - wish there was more (would treat more as a snack than a meal) and unfortunately it took me a while to get mine because they forgot about my order, but when he noticed I was still standing there, immediately asked and gave me what I ordered.

Well I'll be damned if this isn't the best food stall I've ever been to. I rolled past this place and noticed the delicious lookin critters in the window and just had to have some. Now I've had squid ink before but let me tell you what wooeee was the cuttlefish in polenta the real bo diddler deal. Absolutely delicious and grade A, we were only in Venice a few days and honestly this stupid Styrofoam cone was one of the best meals I had! Everyone needs to stop into this place and split one of these on your wine bar crawl.

Cheap for Venice. But the majority of their selections are fried seafood. There is a seafood salad that's offered as an alternative, which is what we opted for. This tasted pretty fresh and the flavoring was decent - ceviche esque. Come here for a quick bite on the go, they have no seats.

My wife came here as part of food tour in Venice. It is highly rated on trip advisor and well known in the area. We tried a few different things including the fried calamari and anchovies. Both were extremely good. We tried to come back eat at this place again, but got lost in the process. Anyway, the prices are extremely reasonable. If you're ever in Venice definitely give this place a shot. You will not be disappointed. You can go wrong anywhere in this city.

We saw a bunch of YouTube videos that featured this place and were really excited to try it. We got the cone of fried seafood, I forgot what it is called! I think we came at a bad time as the guy grabbed some pre fried items and put it in the cone. They must have been sitting too long as they were more greasy than crispy and were not hot. The squid turned a little on the rubbery side.

This is the first place where i had good food to go in venice. Really good value for money, and the calamari salad is tasty. The fried cones comes with a polenta sauce that keeps heated while strolling around and eating. Would also recommend the fried calamari and gambas and fried veggies with polenta .

Acqua & Mais provided me with a great experience for my first time trying polenta which was originally a poor-man's food in Northern Italy. This restaurant elevated the dish by giving the option to add a series of different seafood toppings including fish, sardines, calamari, shrimp, and more. The main deep fried seafood mix with polenta is only €7 and tastes delicious.

Yet, another tourist trap for Instagram pic! I'll admit, I got suckered into it too. So here's a pic of my 6€ for a mixed fried seafood cup with polenta goop at the base of the cup. 3 fried shrimps, 3 calamari, and 2 anchovies. Nothing special about it. Fried seafood was a bit too salty too.

I don't know why, but the seafood tasted so good. Not heavily fried, lightly salted, and perfect mix for 6 euros. I ate this so quickly, and now I want more. Also, my Apple maps couldn't find this place, but my google maps did.

It's not even open anymore. Thank you COVID 19. We walked all the way here just to find it not open for business anymore.

A great alternative to the norm of gelato and pizza at every corner. They offer many options but I opted for the fried seafood above scoop of polenta. The seafood was very fresh and the topping of fried anchovies was excellent. Great street food option!