Aqua Boil

Atmosphere was nice, super casual and messy! Full was nice, takes time sou est because of the process but it is really enjoyable! We got 2 lobster rolls, fried calamari and the combo, it was enough for four. You should try this!

Great unpretentious spot for good quality seafood. Best to make a reservation for parties larger than two. Plan to go with people you enjoy sharing with. Portions are generous and very tasty but a little messy. Missed having a little cocktail sauce.

A great seafood spot! We really enjoyed the delicious soup and flavorful sauces. The calamari was especially impressive—soft, fresh, and perfectly cooked. The staff was very friendly and attentive, offering helpful recommendations that made the meal even better. Highly recommend!

Excellent good with good prices. The shrimp (4/5) and the crab (5/5) is succulent and flavorful. For $40 you can easily feed 2 people. They also have great Cajun fries (3.5/5). Service is fast but make sure to reserve cause this place packs up.

Been here 2x service is always good. The cajun mix is my go to flavor. I ordered the mad ocean wish there was more sauce but still tasty. Ambience is lively and has good music. Would recommend if you’re in the area.

These people really take care of your visit starting from seating you, feeding you, and then taking payment. It’s small but the service is fast and friendly. They checked on us three times. Our catfish was soooo delicious, lightly breaded, and non greasy. I don’t usually eat fries that come with the food but they are tasty, soft and not greasy.

Good lobster roll. It was large and juicy on a perfect bun. Came with cajun fries which were nicely seasoned. Seafood boil was very popular - nearly everyone around us ordered it! About a 5 minute wait on a Monday night at 7pm. They really know how to pack people in!

The restaurant is a little smaller than expected, but the decor & service was great. The servers were very polite and the food comes out quick. However, the food was not seasoned well. I ordered the crab legs with mild garlic butter sauce. & I can only taste butter. It was very disappointing. As an appetizer I ordered the garlic honey wings which were good. The food is expensive as well. Typically sides are included in the boils. Overall I’d give the place a 3/5.

Great Cajun seafood boil! Got the 1lb crawfish + 1lb shrimp combo with potato, corn, and garlic bread. The crawfishes were a bit too small for my liking but everything was great. Highly recommend getting the garlic bread as an add on and dipping into the sauce.

The food is good, the service is fast, but ambiance is hectic. They blast electronic music so loudly that you can't hear yourself think, nonetheless hear yourself eating. The turnaround is fast so you don't have to wait long. I'm impressed by how quickly they can churn out food, but it's minimal cleaning because you wear gloves, everything is served on disposable ware (gloves, paper plate, bib, table paper covering, etc.). The crawfish were small, but it's because it wasn't particularly crawfish season. The 1lb crawfish + 1lb shrimp combo is enough for two people ($40). It comes with potatoes, but you have to add corn or other items on the side.

Social media food influencers brought me here and IMO this place is overhyped. Setting: Nautical-themed decor with café seating and a small bar. The atmosphere had a rushed energy, with music playing in the background. Staff: The staff was kind but seemed rushed and a bit nervous. No one checked in with me while I was dining, which felt impersonal. Food: I got a crab leg boil. The portion size was underwhelming. They had to clarify for me that "two claws" didn't actually mean two full claws. It ended up being one full claw with five legs and a second with only three to four legs--odd and a bit disappointing. Shrinkflation, maybe? The potato was overcooked, and the garlic sauce had a heavy, chalky dairy taste that I didn't like. Drink: My lemon drop was basic. I've had better. Online, the plates looked overflowing and generously portioned--definitely influencer treatment. What I got felt average, even mediocre by comparison. I came, I saw.

Delicious food - I got the happy hour menu which you get lots of food. 3 course for only $60 . Fast service and very friendly staff.

My family and I visited this restaurant over the weekend, and everything was absolutely delicious! My daughters dad recommended it since he is a regular, and I can confidently say this place did not disappoint. The service was exceptional--thank you, Perry and Bell; they were the sweetest! The vibe was relaxed, and they played a great playlist. For an appetizer, I ordered the crab cake, which was fantastic! My daughter had a 3-pound seafood boil and ordered garlic noodles, which were incredibly tasty. The boom boom shrimp had a nice kick and was really good. My husband and I were craving catfish, so we ordered the catfish sliders, and they were amazing! The catfish was perfectly seasoned and crispy. Oh, and they have happy hour every day--yes, every day! I'm definitely going back because the food was delicious, and the service was outstanding!

The service is excellent. The staff provided outstanding service capabilities. Their kitchen excels and their service team consistently impresses. This place welcomes friendly gatherings. The menu works perfectly for friend gatherings.

All elements here reflect a clear vision for this restaurant. The chef clearly values appearance as much as taste. My group provided the entertainment, and the restaurant staff was professional. Staff members always ask if you need anything. This restaurant's employees deliver quality service.

Smaller portions than expected. It seemed awkward when we entered, not sure why but all of our drinks were served in plastic including cocktails. The $23 fried seafood basket and $58 boil didn't seem generous or enough to share between 3 people. Manhattan prices, we get but at least supplement with good energy and serving sizes

My go-to for seafood boils in Manhattan. They are so filling. Staff is friendly. Drinks are good whether alcoholic or not. Price is pretty good as they also have happy hour AND lunch specials. This spot is pretty much a hidden gem

I love a good seafood boil, and Aqua Boil's got the ticket! Unbeknownst to me, we came during restaurant week. I'm not a dessert/sweets person so ordered a la carte from the menu (1 lb each of mussels and head-on shrimp + a fried calamari appetizer), while some of my group opted for the RW menu. We were pleased to see that the RW portions were the same as the regular orders, not a smaller size like at some restaurants. This is how it goes: you pick your choice of seafood(s), sauce flavor, and heat level. They bring you a bib and a bucket, and you get ready to get messy! The Cajun sauce is AMAZING! I asked for the highest spice level, raging hot (5 fire emojis!), and they delivered. It was pretty damn spicy but did not obscure the taste. This bonafide spicehead approves. I might have even teared up a little. I absolutely recommend getting the shrimp, which are large and plump - 1 lb is about a dozen shrimp (heads on, which is the only way to eat them in a boil IMO). Unfortunately the mussels were rather anemic and stringy on my visit. My friends variously ordered crawfish (good but not the meatiest), lobster, whole dungeoness crab, and snow crab legs in various sauces, and were pleased with their meals. My eyes were bigger than my stomach, so I took some food home, but I'd say 1-2 lbs of seafood are sufficient, depending on your appetite. There are some potatoes included in the boil bag. Service was diligent but the one waitress on the floor was very busy and working hard. So attentiveness was a bit lacking (like no automatic refill of waters) but when we needed something they always brought it.

Came on a Tuesday nite with a 530pm reservation. It was just the 2 of us. At 530 it was empty; maybe 3 tables only. The hostess guy and the waitress conversed a bit and seem to struggle with where to put us despite we had a reservation and despite the restaurant being empty. They then shuffled a few tables then decided to squeeze us in a 90 degree cornered wall where we would be sitting in a L formation and each of us facing a different wall. Why do stingy with the table?.....Perhaps you'd like us to stand and eat instead? Of course I spoke up and requested another table. Now on to the food; We knew from the other reviewers to stay far away from their shrimps.. We got; Lobster Mac N Cheese ~ Terrible. Never mind the lobster was rubbery it was also extremely fishy and stinky not fresh. The Mac N cheese itself was dry dry dry. The crumble was just floating on the top. Gross lobster aside, how does one screw up on a Mac N cheese but this place accomplished the impossible. . Softshell crab basket 2 deep-fried softshell crab on top of Cajun fries. The crab was pretty good. a bit on the small side and oily side but flavor was good. Cajun fries was fine. Boil... Our first choice was Dungeness crab; they were out. We got snow crab instead. It was good. We got it with the Cajun sauce spicy and the spice level was good. Wish them the best of luck but definitely would not return. ....and p.s. when we left around 7 it was still empty with plenty of of empty tables..

I LOVE a good seafood boil so I had to check out this place after reading all the raving reviews. Upon arriving, they were able to seat our large party almost immediately which was nice. The inside was cutely decorated even though the place wasn't too big. Service was fast and timely. Unfortunately, the seafood was not up to par at all. The crawfish was bitter, the mussels were just shells (only a few had meat), and the sauce was very lacking in quality and quantity. We all left unsatisfied with the flavors which was a shame since this place had such good reviews!

Really great food! Go with the Lobster Mac! Crab cake was a little dry, but still tasty!

ive been here twice now and feel like i can trust this place to consistently deliver solid seafood boil! ive only had the head-on shrimp and crawfish and both are good but I prefer the shrimp. I also prefer the garlic butter over the cajun mix. The waitstaff are attentive and friendly and love the $6 drinks. also a big plus that its very clean and I can eat and leave without feeling like i smell the rest of the day.

Very cute place with awesome Happy Hour drink specials! Even the regular drinks on the menu looked like they'd be DELICIOUS and right up my alley, but $6 Mango and Peach margaritas were hard to pass up. Me and my girlie split a 1lb snow crab leg and 1lb shrimp combo. Something to note, though the menu says "head-on" for the shrimp, the waitress offered a head-off option for just a $1 more. SCORE. We also split a clam chowder pasta, something I've never had before, but I loved the concept. A little salt and pepper at the table to add to it would have been boss, but the sauce from the crab and shrimp boil was DELICIOUS (we got the garlic butter though the waitress highly recommended the cajun mix). Staff was super attentive, checked in on us regularly, you get plastic bibs, wet naps, gloves, all that. The boil itself comes in a transparent plastic bag that they set on the table for you. Also, the bathroom in the back is nice and big and clean. We got there around 5:30 and it was pretty empty, but by the time we left 2-3 hours later, it was packed. I would 100% come back here because the happy hour is priced CRAZY good, the drinks are strong and tasty, and I still need to try more stuff like the cajun fries and lobster roll!

Came on Sunday evening during the Labor Day holiday weekend, and there were a few tables left when we arrived. The tables are pretty close to each other. We ordered some crab legs, fries and a soda; the food came out within 10 minutes. The seasoning is ok, nothing special, but the crab was bland as it was not in the seasoning long enough. Also, might just be a personal thing, but we were only given one cracker for two people, and no picks but plastic forks, which made it a struggle to get the meat out of the thin legs. For a total of $80 before tip, we felt just ok from our experience here, food-wise. Service was good.

Aqua boil is one of the few Cajun boils open for brunch and probably the only one with an all day happy hour on the weekends. My friends and I stopped by without a reservation on a Sunday around 1pm when they opened. We got a corner seat by the door for our party of 5 and started with a round of happy hour drinks. I wanted a Cajun boil with head off shrimp, mussels and clams and found out that they didn't do a mix of sauces like the other Cajun spots. If I mixed sauces it would've been an extra $3 per sauce, but if I ordered each item as a separate boil, I can then pair them with different sauces. This concept made no sense to me but that's the route we went. I got the mussels in tom yum, the shrimp in garlic butter, and the clams in lemon pepper. I also ordered a side of andouille sausage and spaghetti to mix in the boil. When the 3 bags arrived, I combined them together. The boils were flavorful and spicy just how I wanted it. Spaghetti is one of my must haves for Cajun boils because I love the way it soaks up all the sauces and it definitely didn't disappoint. Overall the food was good but the service and prices could be better. We had to flag down our waiter multiple times for drinks, water, napkins, etc. I would definitely return for their $6 happy hour drinks.

OMG this place is amazing! Everything was so great, we got their fries which where perfectly crispy, the jambalaya which was our least favorite but still decent just a little dry, it had a really nice kick to it though, and the Caesar salad. A bit too much dressing but great size and flavor. For a boil we got their shrimp and lobster in lemon pepper and the shrimp and crab in Cajun. The lemon pepper was so much better than I expected! We went during restaurant week so three courses for $60 which was amazing! A whole lobster on their menu is $58 alone and this was $60 and came with a whole lobster, shrimp, an appetizer, and dessert. They were out of flan so the only dessert option was a scoop of ice cream but everything was great overall.

The catfish filets we ordered were very small and mostly batter. The shrimp were OK but they weren't fried as i expected but just steamed with the shell still on. The biggest disappointment was the clam chowder. It was mostly devoid of clams and for $10 for an 8 oz portion was not worth it.

Knowledge access when beauty lives think meaning, have a moment to introduce yourself as a interest customer. Like the location, thought about reviewing the restaurant, made reservation. Had a clam Had clam chowder, it reminded me of fresh food, it was very hot. I thought abut the spoon when think I eat with the spoon differently and that's why it's colder eating one way that scolding my way I eat with the spoon, oh that's cool. Formed a little interest to the others, I felt included and could be apart of the ambiance that was hype. Music was beautiful, I have yet to know the lyrics, I heard others singing. The waiter was knowledgeable about catering to my needs, I just don't like water already on the table or to have quickly, if you know what that is like. Have been here only once, it was beauty's most kept gem. Had a moment, felt like The Weekend with being a little known customer. Overall I liked the Clam-chowder, had nothing and it came with a funky mint. Check and bill was done quickly or made it a highlight of the experience, my needs were met with insightfulness. Had made a quick visit with reservation from 4:15, I was 16 minutes late and was out in 15 minutes.

I Came Like Maybe A Hour And Half Before Close. I Was Welcomed With A Smile And No Rush To Order (But Already Knew What I Wanted). I Got A King Crab Leg Boil With Shrimp And Broccoli W Their House Sauce. The Crab Was A Lil Salty But Overall, Nice, Fresh Seafood And Hot. Taylor-Bartender And Pearlya Server/Hostess Were Great! And I'll Say This Under Every Review, As A Black Person To Get Good Service That Was Genuine From A Asian Establishment Is Great And Gotta Let My Fellow People Know To Go Here. 10/10 Would Recommend.

If you're craving seafood boil in NYC, this is the place to go! We came in on an early friday evening and were able to get seated without a wait. We had the seafood boil combo with shrimp, crawfish, and clams. The seafood was fresh and well seasoned with cajun. We also had the fried soft shell crab, which was nicely fried without too much breading. It came with fries which were great for dipping in the cajun seasoning. The place is fairly casual, and has some nice happy hour drinks. Can't wait to come back!

Tiny place in Hell's Kitchen area. The food was okay, good for a unique experience, but you can find better options for that price.

AMAZING crawdads! I'm from the south & they tasted like mom's! The Cajon sauce on the side was delicious & the corn & potatoes were really traditional!! THANK YOU chief ! JoDe

Aqua boil has become a must-have seafood on the weekends for my family and me. You can't beat the prices and the food is absolutely amazing. Their consistency is very much appreciated. Their service is always top-notch as well, it's the same familiar faces that work there. Everyone is hospitable and knowledgeable about the menu. Perry is one of the fan-favorites she always has a contagious smile and she greets us at the door. She checks on us always without being overbearing. If you are looking for well-season seafood and great service with good prices please stop here, Oh and their happy hour is fire!

I started writing this review a long time ago. I don't remember why I put a 3 stars only. All I know is that it must've been valid for that one time. So you don't have to use my review. Lol but it wouldn't get out of the system so I had to finish it. Ha ha.

Aqua Boil is one of the best Cajun seafood spots I have been to in Manhattan. Each time I've visited, the restaurant is super crowded. Even with a reservation, there's often a short wait. Service here is very efficient and staff are attentive. The restaurant is bright with a reasonable amount of seating and the vibe is fun. My group usually gets some combination of shrimp, whole lobster, and snow crab legs with spicy garlic butter and/or cajun mix. The seafood has always been very fresh. You can't go wrong with adding corn, potatoes, and andouille sausage. The cajun fries are solid and surprisingly, I really enjoyed the New England Clam Chowder even though I'm not the biggest fan of clams. The soup is very buttery, but not overly heavy and comes with a side of oyster crackers. If you're a seafood lover, I definitely recommend trying Aqua Boil.

I think about this at least once a day AND CRIIII AT HOW GOOD IT WAS. I would say the crawfish was my least favorite but the crab and lobster were 2 die for. corn?? so good. cracked a cold beer. VIBES WERE IMMACULATE

I usually only leave reviews when I'm happy with the service. But the service here was deplorable. I ordered a lobster roll and it was cold and didn't come with any dipping sauces. After paying for and receiving my food I was told I couldn't dine in. I was also ignored by waiters when it was time to take my order. I never in my life experienced such service at a food establishment. On the other hand the seafood broil smelled delicious and might have been way better choice than my lobster roll. Shame on the host/ server Bas for not waiting for me to put my pin in and administering any hospitality, sighs I hope I'd be able to try again and get better service bc I love seafood and this restaurant is 2 blocks away from my house. But I don't even know if it's worth it.

Pretty simple and straight to the point. It's never packed when I go so that's always a good thing

10-14-2024. Their food is exceptional. I have ordered via Uber Eats and have visited the establishment numerous times and their service has never failed. I always order the Dungeness crab, crawfish, king crabs, and garlic bread. A few times I have opted to try other things noodles etc and was definitely great. It is definitely worth the trip from the east side. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures.

I don't know if this place is known in NYC since I was just visiting but the food was iiincredible! I was so surprised by the flavor. If this place isn't popular in NYC it needs to be. I got the lobster sandwich and my husband got the catfish poboy. I also got a side of the garlic butter sauce and almost passed out when I took a bite. If it sounds like I'm being dramatic I am, it was 10/10. The lobster in my sandwich literally tasted like they picked the lobster from the ocean somewhere, and I've had my share of chewy lobster. My husband's catfish was perfectly lightly fried. Sometimes you go to places that over-fry the fish, but not here. My husband also got a Caesar salad.. best Caesar salad dressing I've had and I order Caesar salad almost everywhere I go. No joke. Just look at the pics of our food! The ambiance was cute, it was small so I can't imagine what it's like when it's packed, we went at a time where it was just us and 3 other tables. Service was great, the food came out fast. We will most definitely be back the next time we're in NYC!

Food: I ordered the lobster roll - cold and the seafood boil - pound of snow crab with a broccoli add-on. The lobster roll and the broccoli were my favorite parts. I ordered a glass of Prosecco and it was tasty. I will say that you cannot just order a half pound of seafood anymore. The server said the new menu policy is that you order a pound initially and then you may order additional items at the half pound weight. Service: Good. Our server was attentive. Our water was refilled without notice or delay. We were check in on several times. They gave us to go items and even packed the bags for us. Ambiance: Nice. We arrived around 4:30 on a Saturday and it was not very loud but not quiet. It became louder as we got further into the evening hours. By the time we left, the noise level was at full volume. Not a big deal though. Also the space is smallish, but you can comfortably sit at your table without bumping your chair into the person behind you. Overall: I plan to return with a different party and enjoy that lobster roll. It was so good!

Not my first time coming to this amazing spot, but decided to leave a review this time since it was such an amazing experience. I was having a mini panic attack on this day attempting to find a spot that delicious and open (Labor Day Problems) and remember this spot that we came to for my birthday last year. I was so pleased to find reservation for the day of, and even more please to be seated earlier... especially since I was STARVING. Now this is my first time reviewing but let me tell you their menu is top tier. The sauce is KEY, whew I would drink their cajun sauce that sit in the bottom of the broil, it just that good. Mac and cheese is delish as well. Now hunny, if you coming here for happy hour... UBER is a must. The drinks are strong but taste so good and secretly get you "lit." Def a spot to come have a few drinks on a nice summer night. BTW they have specials and their happy hour is extended hours so check them out! Love Love Love ... and Deff will be back again.

Hands down my new favorite seafood boil spot in NYC! They offer a fantastic selection of bites, and their happy hour deal is unbeatable. Monday to Thursday, $6 margaritas, martinis, wine, and beer; and Friday to Sunday, all those drinks are $6 before 7pm. We started with a variety of sides--the Mac and cheese was incredibly cheesy, the lobster roll was generously filled with meat, and most sides were smothered in garlic sauce. If you're a garlic lover like me, you will love this spot. We also tried the garlic and thai sauces on the side--dipping garlic bread into the garlic sauce is a must; literal heaven! For the seafood boil, we went with the mixed Cajun sauce, which was absolutely delicious. The seafood was fresh and flavorful. They have really great lunch specials so definitely check it out! Overall, an amazing experience with incredibly friendly staff.

It was fast delivery and food was good. I am overall satisfied with my order and purchase.

Food, service, and environment were all great! We got the Cajun seafood combo with a whole crab and crawfish with some sides thrown in and it was delicious! The crawfish especially seemed very fresh and easy to peel. The sauce was also quite flavorful. It was thicker and a bit saltier than sauces we've had before in seafood boils, but we still enjoyed it a lot! Also got some of their $6 margaritas which were great as well! Would come back again for sure!

As a frequent visitor to this restaurant, I was disappointed at the experience today. The service was slow, and we had to ask two different servers before getting water. We got the 1lb shrimp and 1lb crawfish combo with the garlic butter sauce. When we asked the server if we could add some spices to it as it wasn't too flavorful, she responded, "That would be $4 for the extra sauce". Well, the funny thing was, we went over to Shaking Crab after this meal, and the restaurant there offered us the additional Cajun sauce to try on the house. The crawfish here was much smaller than the ones at Shaking Crab, and everything felt like an uncharge. If you do end up here, get the soft shell crabs basket! The happy hour here is not bad.

I received one cluster cut in half which is unacceptable. I will NEVER order from this place again.

Came here with some friends because we were craving seafood boil. This one just hit the spot. Another plus was that we came during happy hour, so we were able to grab some margaritas for $6 (warning: they're pretty strong!) To start, we got a basket of cajun fries. They were good. I don't think I would pay $10 for that again though. We ended up getting the 1.5 Lb Whole Dungeness Crab and 1 Lb Crawfish, and added corn and sausage. All seafood boils come with potatoes, so that was great. We got the Cajun Mix, though I wish it packed a little bit more flavor. Overall, I enjoyed the seafood boil and I would definitely come back another time

i've never had boil in my life despite being from maryland. i usually eat my crabs steamed with light old bay, so as a non saucy person I was a little wary of boils. I tried this spot with a friend on a whim after a workout and it was the perfect post workout meal! filling, flavorful, but not over the top. We shared the 1 lb of crab and 1 lb of shrimp with the cajun butter sauce, and a basket of fries and popcorn chicken. all was amazing and we couldn't even finish the fries. I'd def be back.

The Ambiance was welcoming. Very attentive and courteous service. The Menu was simple and straight to the point, convenient enough for my daughter as she loves sea food boils! And the food was fantastic! Highly recommended! Simple, satisfying and sensational !

Fresh boil, great seasoning! Restaurant is smaller so book in advance. The staff was great and attentive, esp given we walked in. Definitely going back for a fresh bag.

The service was awful. We came at 1pm on a Sunday. I had issues with several parts of our meal and I asked multiple servers for help. I was ignored and had to ask different people just to get what I needed. They gave us next to no sauce on our food and when I said it didnt taste right, they wanted to charge us $4 just for a little more butter. Then they had the audacity to put on an 18% service charge when we really had no service. 0/10 experience 2/10 food

I'm hesitant to write this review, but I feel it's necessary to share my experience so you guys can avoids. I've been dining at this restaurant since they opened during the pandemic when restaurants allows to reopened. I really enjoy their Cajun and Tom Yum flavors, and for the past two years, I've consistently ordered their head-on shrimp for delivery every time. However, I've noticed a recurring issue: 100% of the time, the shrimp have not been fresh and mushy. They are often slimy, soft, and the majority in the bag are like this. Occasionally, I might get lucky and find 3 or 4 shrimps that are still fresh in the my bag, but that's rare. I believe they need to improve how they handle their seafood in the kitchen or switch to a better supplier instead of using lower quality shrimp. I'm sharing this feedback not to criticize, but because I want to see them improve. I want to continue supporting their business, but they need to address this issue. For anyone paying for shrimp that turns out to be mushy, I encourage you to send it back to the kitchen and ask for fresher shrimp.

I ordered the soft shell crab basket and was there for happy hour. I had the lychee margaritas which were strong & delicious! Everything was good, the food & service excellent.

Food was amazing! They didn't take long with the orders. The drinks , & the vibes! Phenomenal place , will be coming back!

They were amazing at accommodating my large party! We had such a great New York experience with amazing food!

Looking for a delicious Cajun style seafood boil spot in NYC, look no more @aquaboilnyc is the spot to go. The ambience and vibes are great, and the staff is super attentive. The appetizers were delicious, and the drinks will creep up on you . If there's one thing I can eat pounds of are the clams!! They are juicy and with the Cajun sauce your lips will be smacking! There are different variations and sauces you can choose from. There's something there for everyone to enjoy/. I also got the garlic noodles which I added inside my book when they brought it out for extra flavor. ( you can also eat them as served w/ cheese) either way 10/10.the lobster max and cheese is also delicious. We took 3 extra to go! I highly recommend trying this place out and making reservations on Yelp ! Don't say I didn't tell ya