Aqualina Seafood Bistro Opens In Manhattan Beach


by on Sep 9th, 2011

It’s been a while since a new seafood restaurant opened in the Sheepshead Bay area. We’ve seen burger joints, German-themed bars, even French, uh, “cousin.” But the most recently opened establishments focusing on fish and other seafood are probably Clemente’s Maryland Crabhouse and Liman, both of which opened several years ago. Otherwise, it’s been all quiet on the fishy front, a strange fact given that Sheepshead Bay remains known as a seafood haven.

Well, the long streak has now been broken. Aqualina Cafe, a “crab and seafood bistro,” opened at 181 West End Avenue about three weeks ago, replacing Delfin Cafe, which was so utterly unknown to the world that it never even warranted a Yelp or other review-site entry in the short years it existed.

Anyway, Aqualina Cafe’s exterior is pretty unimpressive. But the building runs long and narrow, and the inside is much larger than one would expect. And they’ve definitely got on the seafood bandwagon, with all the delightful nautical tchotchkes that’s familiar to just about any seafood restaurant in America. As one would expect from a crab bistro, their menu is chock-full of various crab options, as well as a slew of other crustaceans and fish. They have lunch menus beginning at $12, too. Do I smell a future entry into The Bite?

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  • Anonymous

    Not a bad idea.  Certainly better than most of the other businesses that have been opening this year. Parking in the summer would be a concern. 

  • Anonymous

    This is at least the fourth restaurant to open at that location in recent years. The one before Delphin was SeaBreeze, and I think I steak house before that. None have lasted more than a year or two. Most were only open for dinner and you were lucky when you peaked inside to see even one customer. Part of the problem I think is that none of those places ever even advertised. Never even received a single flyer from any of them or saw a coupon in the mail. I was starting to think they were just fronts for something else and didn’t even want customers.

    Hope this place does better.

  • Anonymous

    i Miss the previous restaurant that was there :(   It was called Delfin,  and it had some REALLY Delicious Food!  

    I haven’t heard anything about this place yet,  however i should change that. 

  • superhero

    I have been there once and the food is awful. The seafood smelled awful. The crab didn’t look fresh. The prices are really high. I absolute do not recommend this place. Do your self a favor and your bathroom a favor and stay away,

    • Anonymous

      Guess they won’t last either.

    • Lk

      The seafood smells fresh, and the food was good. Tasted better then most seafood spots in Brooklyn.

  • Doesn’t Matter

    Another local business trying to give Aquilina a bad name. The post from superhero is false. Food is delicious and much better that most of sea food restaurants in NYC.

  • Bkres

    The food is great, best crab cakes i had in a long time. Seafood dumplings, lobster quesadia among other things are made fresh to order. I have visited this place 4 times and loved it every time.

  • Nyckat

    my dog and I are regulars we walk around the corner and LOVE the lobster bisque, their hot tea is amazing, the filet isn’t atraditional but very yummy Maia (my shih-tzu) and I get surf and turf she gets the beef I get the lobster,,she growls at me if I steal a bite of her steak!) Also love the chicken, food is great- only thing we dont like is the 10% they add..I tip well and hate service charges- and the shrimp dumplings, maybe it was a bad night, but only a couple chunks of shrimp in the dumplings, overpriced for what I got there..