Aqua Terra Bistro

We sat at the bar and had a great experience! The bartenders were super friendly and attentive, making us feel right at home. My martini was perfectly made — smooth and delicious. For dinner, I ordered the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. The portions were generous, and everything was flavorful and cooked just right. The shrimp and grits were also tasty, though there was a bit too much gravy and not quite enough shrimp and grits. Overall, a great meal with excellent service — I’d definitely come back!

Natalia was our server and she an amazing job. Knows the menu very well, was able to give recommendations upon request. Did an excellent job of checking on us. The food came out in a timely manner and the flavors were wonderful. We had a hard time picking a dessert, but the presentation of the dessert we choose held up to its taste. We will definitely be back.

We celebrated our 16th anniversary at Aqua Terra and couldn’t have picked a better spot! From the moment we sat down, the service and atmosphere made the evening feel special. My husband ordered the chicken fried steak, and I chose one of their specials—the crispy cola duck leg. Both dishes were absolutely delicious, cooked perfectly, and full of flavor. Every bite felt like a treat. Our waiter, Angel, made the night even better. He was attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and added a warm, friendly touch to the experience. He even laughed at my husband’s joke when he asked if “quackers come with the duck”—which we appreciated! Overall, the food, service, and setting were wonderful. Aqua Terra made our anniversary dinner memorable, and we’ll definitely be back. Highly recommend!

The atmosphere was nice and inviting. I felt welcomed as soon as we stepped through the door even though we didn't have a reservation. The food was amazing! I had the Georgia Peach chicken and waffles. It was absolutely delicious! The service was excellent. Our server was helpful, funny and very thoughtful. She was very conscientious . My friend that was dining with me had allergies. Our server made sure that she checked with the chef to identity which foods that my friend should stay away from. Aqua Terra Bistro is definitely a place to consider dining when in the Downtown Buford area!

Had a beautiful bachelorette brunch. Natalia was our server. She was super attentive and personable. Everything was perfect and delicious. And she made sure we were taken care of and didn't want for anything.

Our family hosted a rehearsal dinner in the Cellar at Aqua Terra and it was truly special. The team made it very easy to figure out the menu we wanted, and accommodated our every need. Special thanks to Kelsey who was behind all the planning, as well as Abbe and Lexi. Highly recommend!

Aqua Terra Bistro delivers! We held a special birthday event on the lake, which included fireworks and a full catering service from Aqua Terra. The staff did an incredible job and catering to over 150 people. Additionally, the food was outstanding! We had a full charcuterie table, carving station, and assorted sides. If you have a large event or corporate outing, we highly recommend choosing Aqua Terra Bistro as the place to get the absolute best food on Lake Lanier. Great food. Great staff. Great service. The best of the best!

I like the fish it was very good but my mash potatoes were a little bit too salty 🧂. The tomatoes weren't green haha I like fried green tomatoes with great cheese and sprinkles of honey so I didn't like them. The cream brule was cold.. I like it warm

Oh my goodness!! The most delicious meal (s) ever!!! Have never ordered anything from the menu that wasn't superb! Last night (12-30-2024) there were 8 of us celebrating a son-in-law's birthday and Jenny was our server. She did an outstanding job taking care of everyone's needs, answering questions, offering suggestions, took our group picture and was just the nicest person to boot! This is one of my favorites for sure! Please give them a try, you won't be disappointed. The ambiance is a plus as well!

Lex Garner was our server. She was one of the best I've ever had. She took care of all of our needs I will definitely come back and ask for Lex

My husband and I enjoyed a charming dinner last night at Aqua Terra. Food was delicious and service was great! Rhonda B

This was an ok experience that started really good but fell flat by the end. The Good: Apps, salad, decor, comfort, menu The Challenges: Service wasn't ideal. The wait between the salad and main dish was unmanageable. When entrees did arrive, the lamb was a mess since it had been under a heat lamp sitting for a long time. So ling in fact, that the potatoes were skinned over. The globs of goat cheese were overpowering and heat lamped to death. Also the cherries had alcohol in them which should have been stated. At the end my plate was clearly picked over and staff ignored it. Maybe I could have gotten a bill adjustment if I complained but this is not comfortable for me. I think they were perfectly fine with that. Do not drive out of your way for this place. You probably have a local option that this does not separate from.

Long, long time since I have returned here to a local fav! Had a private room reserved and it was prepped exactly as requested! Appetizers were ready and waiting as we walked in the door! We all got seated and admittedly, service was a bit slow getting water and then ordered drinks to us. Once we ordered entrees the pace picked up to a more normal pace and food began to come flowing out to us! I think they got all the orders perfectly and were attentive to refills and condiments. My Salmon BLT was perfect!! Nice hint of sweetness to it but the salmon and bacon were perfectly cooked! Grits were perfect as well. 4Stars only due the early lag in service which AT soon corrected. Elsewhere, it was primo!!

We were exploring around lake lanier but, it was extremely hot outside. We needed an indoor AC restaurant and found this little gem! We sat at the bar since we had an early brunch at Wolf Mountain. We met Heather the bartender! She was very friendly, knowledgeable and made some great recommendations for my hubby. She brought out the bread with this AMAZING DIPPING SAUCE that blew our mind! Lucky for us they sell a big mason jar of this magical stuff! He ordered the chimichurri Ribeye , Ahi tuna bites, and the loaded potato egg rolls. When we went home he reheated his food and Said " WOW" that Ribeye was so tender and flavorful .. I will definitely go back for more"! I didn't see any where on the menu that the loaded potato egg rolls had any meat ( Bacon). I am a vegetarian and took a bite... oh gosh I unfortunately got sick. However, the hubby LOVED IT! He also said that The Ahi Tuna was also outstanding! I rate this a 4 because I wish that they had more vegetarian options besides salad and I also wish they would warn vegetarians that the loaded potatoes egg rolls has bacon...We will definitely come back again!

Another terrific meal and service. It is likely our last visit as we prepare to move to Mobile AL. We were seated in a full house on Saturday at 6:45. There were three of us and everyone left full and satisfied. We started with the with beer and wine along with the bacon wrapped dates. They were tasty as always, we love this appetizer. Also bread and the special dipping sauce was brought to the table, so tasty and the bread so fresh. Next a wedge salad and ceasars, very fresh and tasty. Next I had the braised short rib with mac n cheese and broccolini, she had the lamb lolipops with mash potatoes, and beets a very filling meal and cooked perfectly. Our guest had the red fish special over risotto, there was nothing left on the plate, she loved it. Last we shared the blueberry cheesecake. So tasty but, we had left overs. Jenny did a great job all night. We love this place and will miss it greatly. Great job!

So I actually stopped here based on a friends recommendation but I was not disappointed. Not only was their buttermilk chicken on point and by that I meant delicious, Tarra who was our server was very warm, friendly, attentive (I say this because I specifically requested certain stuff off my plate and most restaurants get it wrong), and courteous. She deserves more than 5 stars by the way. And also the manager, Hailey, I believe was her name, has the most awesome personality ever. Needless to say you should stop by anytime you are in Buford GA. You will be glad I said so. Thank you guys for making my night special

First off I've been here quite a few times and just trust me when I say whatever comes with the bread...just order more of it because you'll need it. So, it had been awhile since we've been here and decided to come here for our friend's birthday dinner. We got a table downstairs and settled in. It was a bit loud downstairs so just keep that in mind. I started with a wine flight then switched to a glass of wine. Several in our party tried beer or mixed drink suggestions. All the drinks were delightful. We wanted to try a few appetizers so we ordered the ahi tuna bites, the flatbread, and the bacon wrapped dates. Every bit of it was amazing. The ahi tuna bites were so fresh and a great combo of flavors, the flatbread (make sure you like mushrooms) was the perfect ratios of toppings in my opinion, the bacon wrapped dates had a great flavor as well with the goat cheese and beets complimenting it perfectly. I got the pan roasted halibut as my main course. The fish was cooked perfectly and the risotto is so creamy and delicious. I can't remember what everything else was but it was all delicious. The only thing my husband complained about was the broccolini in that it lacked flavor compared to everything else. The Cesar is delightful and enough to share!

We came for a private event in their downstairs room. The service was great! They had everything on point. Drinks were great and food was delicious.

Service was okay! I were here for a birthday party. Ahi Tuna is ok! I feel like the cucumber water down the tuna flavor. Truffle fries is ok! Chimichurri Ribeye is eh! For $55 I just not that happy with it. Birthday girl ordered soup of the day and it was bitter. We send it back with no problem so that's a plus for service. I wouldn't come back honestly. 4 stars because it's not bad just I'm not impressed with the food.

Came here to celebrate our house closing with our agent and truly enjoyed our time here. Great service, good food, and nice ambiance. Will definitely return.

We love this restaurant and the food is and service is always terrific. However, the atmosphere tonight was quite disappointing. Apparently they are adding on to increase seating and we were seated is in a small box of a room off to the side where the lighting and acoustics were horrible. It was very disappointing. Make sure to ask for seating elsewhere to ensure an overall great experience.

This place is good and always consistent! The service is on point every time and they truly understand what it means to provide a great experience! The bread that comes out first with the dipping sauce is so delicious for all my bread lovers!!!! Plus hands down, out of all restaurants I've visited, they have the absolute best crème brûlée of all crème brûlées PERIOD!!! Nobody can compete trust me!! Don't you leave without getting one!

I had the shrimp it's grits. It was creamy and delicious. The ambience is perfect for talking dates too.

Attended Mother's Day Brunch at Room 99 the "off-site" catering facility for the restaurant. Wouldn't attend an event here again. Wish I had tried the restaurant instead. Not sure the value matched the experience or expectations based on the recommendations from friends on their restaurant experience.

My family of (3) was so excited about enjoying my birthday at the Aqua Terra Bistro. Nice atmosphere, excellent scallops. But the waitress (Haleigh) herself was just not up to standard.My husband mention to Haleigh we are celebrating my birthday.We came all dressed to enjoy a (5)experience and Haleigh was a flop. She did not once say happy birthday.Not once acknowledged it to me.She was just average.But Haleighmade sure we knew she had two young boys. I believe the bistro it has very nice atmosphere.... But for Haleigh ,earn your tip for the boys by being considerated who is helping you feed them.I am still going to visit back and remind her, Haleigh did not once even give gesture to me.

Came into lunch today with my girlfriends and had the best time. Their french country salad with protein is always my go to and with the portions I ALWAYS have left overs. The real kicker is they even box up your food for you if you're comfortable! I also received amazing service today from not only one but two servers. Lexi and Ivee were great and never missed a beat. Between their attentiveness and how personable they were with all of their guests truly made the experience!

Nice atmosphere, really enjoyed the country fried chicken, service is absolutely amazing. Nam & Angel are very attentive, took great care of my group and I. Couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Great food and service! The scallops and fried chicken were outstanding. The staff was really helpful working around allergies and the wine flight was fun. We will be back soon

The Seabass was awful, sitting on a bed of risotto. That was the same color. Awful plating. $175 and I'm starving.

Lex was very attentive and we all had a great meal for our birthday celebration. The food was absolutely amazing.

Ask for Tara!! The food, service, and ambiance was a five star feel. The new menu was amazing. These are the best mojitos ever..... we got the scallops and ribeye and wow delicious

10/10! We went with a group of 12 for my cousin's birthday dinner and EVERYONE was highly impressed with how good the food was! It was my first time eating shrimp & grits and honestly it set the bar so high! I would now expect for all shrimp and grits that I order in the future to taste close to this. My fiancé also raved about the chicken breast and the fries that he wanted to come back for lunch. The drink was also very strong, which made the night extra good lol. The only flaw was that we ordered two extra food items that never came out, so we had to tell them to just take it off the check. But other than that, I recommend and would come back.

This place is amazing! The menu has something for anyone. I really wanted breakfast food, so I ordered the French Toast, it is served with some very yummy fruit/mixed berries compote. I highly recommend if you like French toast. Others in my group had the steak tacos and seafood omelette, everything looked good and all our plates were clean when we were done. Jenny was our server and did a fantastic job. Again I highly recommend eating at Aqua Terra Bistro.

We held a quaint wedding rehearsal dinner for 17 guests in their private lounge. The food was delicious and the variety of the Platinum "fixed menu" was appreciated by all. We had EXCELLENT service as well. They even allowed me to drop by a few hours prior to our event to decorate the tables and they setup a projector screen for me. I was very pleased! It is a little pricey but the portions were huge and almost everyone took a bit home. You get what you pay for!!

This place is located in downtown historic Buford. I'd you blink, you can miss it. Be sure to make a reservation, it's usually pretty easy to get one as long as you make it a day or so prior. Onto the food...I enjoy the filet, asparagus and fried tomatoes. All delicious! I'm a weirdo and like my filet well done (I know) and they always cook it well without it being rubbery. The table bread is good! I've never had an issue with service, usually on point. The prices are a little steep so it isn't a place I choose often, but it's definitely good and worth coming back on occasion.

Really was impressed with the service. Evan our server was informative and friendly.The food is delicious and a great price.In historic downtown Buford warm lighting calming music.Looking forward to returning!!

Excellent food and service from Jenny! There's not a bad option on the menu that we've had. Highly recommend getting the crème brûlée for dinner.

I had lunch at Aqua Terra, while the atmosphere and service is always good, I was very disappointed in my food. The "Roasted beet salad", should be renamed to Arugula salad with a few beets. A beet salad should consist of mainly beets, this salad was all Arugula, goat cheese, nuts and about 6 tiny pieces of yellow beets (didn't even make up 1 small beet) which were tasteless. All for $13.00, over priced and under dressed beet salad.

Wow!!! I've never been to Buford and my girlfriends asked me to come for dinner. We showed up about 30 minutes before close which I hate doing but they were SO kind to let us eat. We started with dirty martinis and the potato egg rolls. For meals we had shrimp and grits, flatbread, and the seared scallops. Everything was incredible and flavorful!! I love that they give you an option for a half portion or full portion on the entrees. Their bread is amazing and I keep thinking about the shrimp and grits and scallops. I'd definitely go out of my way to come there for dinner again! We ended with espresso martinis that were the perfect dessert to this amazing meal. The service was amazing and we enjoyed every aspect of Agua Terra. Highly recommend!

The sandwich I ordered was amazing! Our server Evan was great! He was knowledgeable about the menu and very helpful! The Executive Chef has a fantastic looking menu. This charming restaurant has an upscale but casual feel! I can't wait to come back and try more of the dishes!

Another great restaurant in Buford. It's quaint and I enjoyed their art and decor. Food was very good but a bit rich. See it as a not a frequent dining spot but an occasional treat. Case in point, I ordered the half order of scallops and it came with a very tasty but rich creamy pasta. I got to try a few other items. The filet was very good. The southern fried chicken was my favorite.

Great experience. We ate here on a Sunday for brunch because most places around were closed. They did not disappoint. From great service from Kylie to fantastic food (which we forgot to snap pics of), we left pleased. The Bloody Mary and wedge salad were top notch. My daughter enjoyed the steak tacos and husband the shrimp and grits. Last decision was to get a dessert and we went with the Oreo cheesecake "bar." Holy cow it was delicious. Try this place!

Great ambiance, great food and great service. It hits all three criteria for me in a good way. Be prepared to pay for all that though as I would put this as a high end restaurant for the price. If you in knowing all that you will enjoy a good dinner (which we do) or lunch.

The bartender, Heather, was AMAZING. She was so attentive & genuine & really went above & beyond to make our night. All the food was amazing & some of the best scallops I've ever had. 10/10!!

Recently visited on my birthday for a family dinner. Service was pleasant, waitress answered our menu questions and made some good recommendations. We were a little disappointed they don't do any treat for birthdays but no big deal. Food was pretty good, majority of the table enjoyed our meals and the appetizers were delicious. Overall the restaurant was really pretty and they have nice clean bathrooms. It's a nice downtown spot for date night!

Been here twice now one in dining room and once doordash today. Both times exceptional. Only issue is wouldn't let me go over 100$ on doordash and with apps and sides I couldn't get two dinners so we split one. Would've ordered 2 dinners an app and a side but rules said no. Anyway food was really good I loved it, I'd say best doordash dinner yet. I do Ted's too which is also good but this beat it.

Nice atmosphere and good food. I got the Berry jam chicken sandwich. It was very good and fresh bread. Tip: if you don't like spicy ask for the jam on the side however it wasn't overly spicy. The fish and chips were great and not greasy. The burger was juicy but not a traditional flavor if that's what you're looking for. It was much more of a mild flavor. The service was quick and nice.

All the food was very good and there weren't any misses among the dishes we ordered. Our waiter was very nice and attentive as well. Would definitely come back for the food alone. Our waiter handled the table next to us magnificently. They were so rude, using that semi-aggressive "ok buddy" tone on him and being fake nice, as well as smack talking when he wasn't around. Thank goodness for the waiter's patience! Let's all remember that respect goes both ways.

Held a business lunch today and dined on lobster & artichoke dip, crab cake sandwich but the star of the show was the blueberry cheesecake. WoW!

Wow wow wow!! I celebrated my birthday tonight with my husband and the food was absolutely delicious and the service was incredible thanks to Jenny. The ambiance was perfect with great music. The new butcher is my new favorite! The lobster shrimp mornay is a must try! I will definitely will be back.

Surprisingly good! A local friend of a friend suggested this place and we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here. It had sort of a New Americana Southern feel and the staff were kind and hospitable. Lucky find! Make sure you have a reservation. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the bread pudding. It was more like thick coffee cake with way way too many nuts. Probably wouldn't get that next time, but everything else was tasty!

We had a lovely dinner tonight @ Aqua Terra. My friend had a steak & I had the cobia with tomato risotto. Our entrees arrived promptly and piping hot. Our server, Evan, was courteous and very professional. He checked on us often and made sure we were satisfied with our dinner. I highly recommend Evan if you're dining at Aqua Terra. We'll certainly be back soon.

My second visit was not as great. Crab cake was very bready and my husbands ribeye was ver chewy and fatty.

The restaurant is situated in downtown Buford - we never venture this far out but the reviews were so good we had to try! I really loved the atmosphere - the restaurant was cozy, a little vintage and unique. The menu for lunch offers some appetizers, sandwiches, soups/salads and tacos. We went ahead and ordered the fried calamari that were perfectly cooked and came with a sweet chili sauce. I ordered the Berry Jam Chicken which was a fried chicken sandwich with bacon jam, and my husband got the blackened salmon BLT. You can tell that the restaurant uses good quality products and everything was very fresh. I do feel like it was a little pricey - but everything is nowadays. Our waiter was friendly and checked on us during the meal. Overall, I think this is a pretty decent spot and I would recommend!

Took my girlfriend for lunch for her Birthday. Cocktails were great as was the service. Bacon wrapped dates were yum! Food and dessert were also awesome. So good I'm going back for dinner

Amazing food and wonderful staff. I adore this place! The atmosphere is rustic with low lights. It's very romantic.

We frequent this restaurant when we have special guests visiting. It really is a fine dining treat! Atmosphere is rustic but classy and service is always top notch. We always get the charcuterie board because it has the best mix of spreads, meats and cheeses. Great way to start the meal. The dipping sauce and fresh bread they make at the restaurant is so tasty. We actually buy the sauce by the jar and share with friends and family. (It's so good on ravioli). I ordered the filet and it was cooked perfectly and accompanied with creamy mashed potatoes and asparagus. Our guest ordered shrimp and grits and literally ate every last bite. This place is a must try!