Aqua Bar and Nightclub — Restaurant in Key West

If it weren't for the bouncer being extremely rude, I'd give this place a higher rating. The girls were amazing but the bouncers need to be trained in appropriate customer service skills. My husband and I had our first date night away from our 3 kids in a very long time before he leaves for 2 weeks. We arrived in time for the 9pm show and each paid a $15 cover charge. After walking inside, we looked around for a seat and a bouncer immediately came up behind us to tell us we needed to stand in the very front of the room to watch the show because no seats were available. Where he told us we needed to go was completely secluded and we couldn't even see the stage. We decided to grab drinks before finding a place to stand. While at the bar waiting to order, the same bouncer told us again we needed to go stand in the secluded area because we weren't allowed to stand around the seats "and that included at the bar". We literally had our chests to the bar and the place was far from packed. We weren't in anyone's way and we were being polite to everyone we spoke to while waiting. I even picked up something off of the floor that missed the trash can right in front of him. After getting our drinks, we did as we were told by the bouncer and went to the dark corner of the bar and attempted to enjoy the show by watching through frame of the smaller bar near the entrance. More people started pouring in and within minutes there was a crowd standing in front of us surrounding the people in chairs that we were told we weren't allowed to be around and preventing us from watching the show. I'm very disappointed with my experience. I've been in Key West for a year and a half and I've wanted to go to Aqua since day 1 here. I never expected to be treated like I didn't belong there or I wasn't welcome to enjoy my experience. Sadly, I...

A Disappointing Drag Show Experience in Key West; Having traveled to drag shows all across the US, our visit to Aqua in Key West on a Saturday evening left us profoundly disappointed. While the host managed to keep the energy up with their entertaining presence, the overall quality of the performances fell short of our expectations.The other performers relied heavily on lip-syncing and delivered lackluster routines that lacked creativity and skill. Instead of showcasing genuine talent, one performer resorted to playing with toys and making crude gestures throughout their act, leaving us unimpressed and disheartened by the lack of professionalism. For a city like Key West, known for its vibrant drag culture, we had anticipated a much higher caliber of entertainment. However, what we experienced felt like a letdown, with performances that failed to capture the essence and artistry of drag. Nevertheless, our disappointment was alleviated somewhat when one of the servers, Tanner, took the stage for karaoke after the show. Tanner's remarkable singing and dancing abilities far surpassed those of the previous performers, leaving us to wonder why such talent was being underutilized as a server rather than being showcased as a headliner. It's evident that there may be underlying politics or barriers preventing individuals like Tanner from taking center stage, which is a shame considering the immense talent they possess. If Aqua could harness the potential of performers like Tanner, it could elevate the quality of its shows and provide a more fulfilling experience for its audience.In conclusion, while Aqua may have some entertaining aspects, particularly with its host, the overall drag show experience fell short of expectations, highlighting the need for improvement and the recognition of untapped talent within the...

I came in December 12th on a Sunday night the late show. I had an amazing time. I read a few reviews as I came to write my own with some people complaining about the tipping aspect and for me personally the tipping part was half the fun and makes it interactive with the crowd. And every time we tipped for every act it was received with multiple thank you so much thank thank you. As I performer myself I understand the value of the art how much it costs with each outfit how much the make up costs and how long it takes to put on not just the act itself that also takes time to rehearse. There was one older lady in the crowd that left early after being told twice not to get up and block the runway and then I believe she tried to steal the mike or something to that degree- don’t go to someone’s show and try to steal the attention it’s not only rude but makes you look like you have never been told no before in your life. If you like a show that you can be interactive with this is for you but that does come with the tip as it should. I appreciated the show and I felt appreciated for tipping from the staff and the performers. I would 10000% go again. I’ve gone to other drag shows where the tipping aspect isn’t part of it but to be honest in my opinion this is a lot more fun! I thought the crowd that was there my night and hour was really good at showing their love to the performers so the energy that you give comes back as well through the show! Also the DJ although in the back was also giving off great energy while playing music! Can’t wait...