Aqua Vino Restaurant — Restaurant in Town of New Hartford

Aqua Vino – New Hartford, NY

Aqua Vino offers a dining experience that strikes a beautiful balance between upscale cuisine and warm hospitality. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by a kind and attentive staff who maintained a high standard of service throughout our visit. The restaurant was spotless, and the atmosphere carried a distinct high-end feel—elegant without being pretentious. It’s clear that cleanliness and professionalism are priorities here, which immediately set the tone for a positive evening. The food was exceptional. My husband ordered his usual—chicken parmesan—and it was executed flawlessly: tender, flavorful, and generously portioned. I had the pork saltimbocca, which was beautifully prepared, layered with flavor, and rich without being heavy. Every bite showcased attention to quality and technique. We were also impressed by Aqua Vino’s well-curated wine selection, which paired wonderfully with the meal. The portion sizes were generous, adding value to what already felt like a memorable dining experience. The price point of around $30 per person felt entirely appropriate given the quality of the food, the attentiveness of the service, and the overall atmosphere. If I had one small critique, it would be the holiday decorations. While seasonal decor is always appreciated, the placement and style felt a bit scattered—almost as if they were added as an afterthought. The decor leaned more toward a casual, rustic theme—something you'd expect at a Texas Roadhouse—while everything else about the restaurant exuded refinement and cohesion. It's a minor note, but one worth mentioning, as it was a slight mismatch to the otherwise polished presentation. Aqua Vino is a gem in New Hartford—a place where high-quality cuisine, generous portions, and gracious service come together in a clean and welcoming environment.

Thank you for making our anniversary dinner,...

A very nice meal for sure! This is the first time I've been to the new location. The place is very clean and tidy and just a very nice dining atmosphere. It's dark, and I don't mind... every table will feel private and cozy.

Our server, Marcus was knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. He made sure to check in with us without being over-attentive. For me, a good server is 50% of the dining experience, and Marcus was excellent. His support staff cleared items promptly and were also very friendly. It appears to have a well-trained staff, which one should never underestimate!

The other 50% for me is obviously the food.

We started with soups. Mine, the Seafood Crab Bisque, and my wife had the French Onion. Both were served hot (very important!), and both were tasty. My only minor criticism would be that the bisque lacked some salt, but again, very delicious soup...and the bisque comes with a crab cake! It's the perfect starter for me...served with the soups was a crusty hot loaf of bread...delicious with the slightly sweet (honey, maybe?) butter.

The entrées were equally as good. I had the French Onion Chicken, and the wife had the riggies. The riggie sauce was a little thin, but my wife said they were very flavorful...and she's picky about her riggies.

The only real legit criticism I have is the portion(s) are a bit skimpy for the price, IMO... the French Onion Chicken with a side of pasta (which I substituted for mashed potatoes) is 29 bucks...house glass of Moscato was 10...not a huge deal, but I'm being honest in my opinion.

So overall, it seems like Aqua Vino has settled into their new home nicely, and the quality of the food has not...

I don’t really like to leave negative reviews but this experience was absolutely bananas for 1) how well reviewed this place is and 2) how expensive the meals were.

We were a party of 6 seated on the patio outside. There was an event upstairs so maybe the staff was stretched thin? I dunno, but the food was not good at all.

My fiancé ordered the prime strip medium rare and it was brown and chewy the entire way through. I ordered the pan seared tuna steak and rice which was chef recommended and completely bland.

When my mom ordered her pasta meal she had asked for a chicken addition and the waitress had said it would be no problem. When the meal came out there was no chicken, so my mom asked about it and the waitress said, “Well, I didn’t hear you say that.” Implying that someone would go to Aqua Vino with the intent of swindling the restaurant out of a few strips of poultry is a wild approach to customer service, I think. The waitress did then offer to have some chicken grilled, but since my medium rare tuna and my fiancés medium rare steak took over an hour, we passed.

The other three meals were the haddock, the salmon, and a chicken francais. They were just not good, y’all. There was no salt or pepper on the tables. Despite being told there would be bread brought out for the table, we received none. My dad said, “The best part of the meal was the water.” It was really a baffling experience for how much this place is talked about in Utica.

My review is: simply go...