Bar and Grill at Akwa Marina

Greene's Basin Girl · 06-22-2014, 08:19 PM

A group of us went to Akwa Marina today for a late lunch. I decided to get the stir fry. I specifically asked the waiter if the stir fry had mushrooms. He said no. I received my food and I wasn't"t very hungry so I decided to bring it home and have it for dinner. Sure enough I got home and it was full of mushrooms. It cost $14.99 and I had to throw it out. It was also very sweet. Another friend also got the stir fry and she said it was very sweet also. I asked the waiter for water twice. He never brought it so I asked another server to get it for me. Needless to say I may never go back. It was disappointing because the reviews have been quite good on the forum.

brk-lnt · 06-22-2014, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green's Basin Girl

A group of us went to Akwa Marina today for a late lunch. I decided to get the stir fry. I specifically asked the waiter if the stir fry had mushrooms. He said no. I received my food and I wasn't"t very hungry so I decided to bring it home and have it for dinner. Sure enough I got home and it was full of mushrooms. It cost $14.99 and I had to throw it out. It was also very sweet. Another friend also got the stir fry and she said it was very sweet also. I asked the waiter for water twice. He never brought it so I asked another server to get it for me. Needless to say I may never go back. It was disappointing because the reviews have been quite good on the forum.

Give them another try. I've been there a couple of times and have come away happy. It's worth another shot just for the views

Bumble2249 · 06-22-2014, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

Give them another try. I've been there a couple of times and have come away happy. It's worth another shot just for the views

No it's not.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

valhala · 06-23-2014, 07:32 AM

We have been a few times, but take it for what it is, a beach bar. We have had the burgers and they were just "O.K." They were well done, we ordered medium, and the burger bun was "cold" - like it came out of the refrigerator.
We may go back for a drink/snack with friends, but not for any fine dining experience.

ishoot308 · 06-23-2014, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valhala

We have been a few times, but take it for what it is, a beach bar. We have had the burgers and they were just "O.K." They were well done, we ordered medium, and the burger bun was "cold" - like it came out of the refrigerator.
We may go back for a drink/snack with friends, but not for any fine dining experience.

Fine dining at a "beach bar"...really??

I just can't picture "Jeeves" wearing flip flops...

valhala · 06-23-2014, 08:34 AM

When you see the size of the kitchen/food prep area - kind of makes you wonder how they do any food service. Maybe they should stick to a few simple items, and do them well
Still a nice view.

lakelivin · 06-23-2014, 10:13 PM

We stopped in at Akwa last week. Food was ok. The drinks were horrible. We asked if they could be fixed and they were returned with a definitive "NO". The bartender/manager was extremely rude and refused to come over and speak with us. This is the second and last time we will go there.

Bumble2249 · 06-23-2014, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakelivin

We stopped in at Akwa last week. Food was ok. The drinks were horrible. We asked if they could be fixed and they were returned with a definitive "NO". The bartender/manager was extremely rude and refused to come over and speak with us. This is the second and last time we will go there.

Do you happen to mean the bartender/Tom Cruise from Cocktail wannabe?? He's just upset that he missed his calling... Lol!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Descant · 08-12-2014, 07:40 PM

We came last Friday afternoon-5:30pm. Whatever minor early season glitches were described above have been solved.
First concern was docking and waves. (30 foot boat) We tied up on the public dock perpendicular to shore about halfway in. A dock attendant met us and assisted with tie-up, but disappeared before we could tip him. Thank you. Very polite and helpful. We're off to a good start. The fenders and posts were in place, so putting out our own fenders was unnecessary. Convenient. The docking was far enough in the cove that there was not a lot of wake action. Perhaps there would be more on a weekend?
We were a group of 10 from elders to grandchildren, so we ate at the picnic tables on the shore. Perfect for us, and the kids could move around and not bother other diners. Food was great. Everything from Mac n cheese to lobster roll and ribs (a special that day). Waitress was very nice and helpful with stuff that would have been easily available inside, where she had to make some extra trips.
Query: My drink, a Salty Dog, had a sweet tinge to the salt on the glass rim. Is that possible?
I ask, in part, because I think it is great that management participates in this site and gives good feedback.

BZ!!

SIKSUKR · 08-13-2014, 01:41 PM

Probably had a mix of salt and sugar.

codeman671 · 08-13-2014, 02:54 PM

We went over the 4th of July vacation. The lobster rolls were ok, a bit dry and not worth the $21 in my opinion. The burgers were basic and ok, although I was a bit annoyed that the don't have a kids option for burgers. $10 for a burger to feed a 4 year old is a bit rough, but that's what he wanted to eat. The drinks were ok but very small. Went down like water... $145 with tip for lunch and drinks for 2 adults and 2 kids is a bit rough on the wallet. I walked away feeling a bit cheated....

I like the concept of the place but it has room for improvement.

As far as the docking goes, make sure if the attendant ties you up that you check fender placement and his tie job. The kids were a bit unruly when we got to the dock so I did not pay close attention to his tie/fender job. By the time we were done and went to leave the stern bumper was missing and the back of the boat was floating free, rubbing hard on the dock. It left some good scratches on the pontoon tube.

Rattler · 08-18-2014, 12:25 PM

Finally got a chance to go recently and wanted to chime in.

My experience is in line with others. The food was mediocre, and the drinks were disappointing. Neither warranted the prices being charged. The service was adequate but not great.

People going there who haven't been before need to set their expectations appropriately. As others have said, it's not a restaurant; it's really just a beach bar in the same class as other beach bars in the area. While the view is great and there is access by boat (albeit with the docking warnings that other posters have detailed), the food quality, prices and service put it, in my opinion, in the middle of the pack when compared to similar establishments on the big lake.

RTTOOL · 08-18-2014, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattler

Finally got a chance to go recently and wanted to chime in.

My experience is in line with others. The food was mediocre, and the drinks were disappointing. Neither warranted the prices being charged. The service was adequate but not great.

People going there who haven't been before need to set their expectations appropriately. As others have said, it's not a restaurant; it's really just a beach bar in the same class as other beach bars in the area. While the view is great and there is access by boat (albeit with the docking warnings that other posters have detailed), the food quality, prices and service put it, in my opinion, in the middle of the pack when compared to similar establishments on the big lake.

I WOULD'nt say prices and service put in the middle of the pac but more
in the lower bottom . they need to work on docking, the way food is served
just saying

Rattler · 08-20-2014, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTTOOL

I WOULD'nt say prices and service put in the middle of the pac but more
in the lower bottom . they need to work on docking, the way food is served
just saying

You're probably right. I was trying to be kind. In reality, improvements in many areas are sorely needed if they want repeat business. I won't be going back anytime soon.

Pineedles · 08-20-2014, 11:30 AM

I've been there several times and the docks can be crowded but we never have had to wait for a space. I liked the food and drinks and there was a good variety in offerings from their menu. If there is anything that I don't like, it's the unisex bathroom, which it's hard to determine if it's occupied due the level of music. Overall, I would give the place an 8 for a boat accessible establishment and a 7 as a general restaurant/bar.

VitaBene · 08-20-2014, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pineedles

I've been there several times and the docks can be crowded but we never have had to wait for a space. I liked the food and drinks and there was a good variety in offerings from their menu. If there is anything that I don't like, it's the unisex bathroom, which it's hard to determine if it's occupied due the level of music. Overall, I would give the place an 8 for a boat accessible establishment and a 7 as a general restaurant/bar.

Agreed 100% on the bathroom- they at least need a lock that indicates on the outside whether the restroom is in use.

I have had nothing but very good food and service the half dozen times we have been there this year.

Regarding the other beach bars on the lake:
-The Nazwa is consistently good (menu is limited and it seems sometimes you can get food from the Bistro menu, other times you cannot).
-Margate- Docks were real shaky when we stayed there (with boat) for bikeweek. The food was good as was the service (that mad 100 yard dash the staff has to make for the kitchen slows things a bit).
-Town Docks- I have had great food and service there this summer (food is definitely better than last year) and their grape ape drink is ridiculously good!

All in all, we have to remember that these places are seasonal and have to make their money in that very short season.

Shreddy · 08-25-2014, 02:33 PM

I went in there last week with a friend...or attempted to. We pulled up on our jet skis to grab a drink and some food but were denied when we didn't have shirt or shoes. Understandable I guess...but I thought it was a beach bar. Not to mention it sits right next to a pool where kids were running inside wet. From what we could tell it looked small and nice inside, but for a Tuesday afternoon it definitely wasn't crowded. Sucks that we weren't able to get it, but we never made set plans when we headed over that side of the lake from Moultonboro.

Overlake97 · 08-19-2014, 09:21 AM

Margate's beach bar has pretty good food and fairly reasonable prices, and the boat dock and bar are connected. I think I paid about $14 one month ago for some great Ribs. Biggest negative there is that one of their docks (at least) is a little shaky/unstable.

BroadHopper · 08-19-2014, 09:39 AM

I have experience all the beach bars, so here is my take.

AKWA marina: Great scenery, good drinks, limited menu, OK food.

Town Docks: Crowded on weekends, Great for kids, good drinks and food, good scenery.

NAZBAR: Packed on Weekends, Good food and drinks, great for kids, excellent sunset scenery. If you want gourmet food, order from the bistro menu. Better yet enjoy the quietness of the restaurant upstairs.

Margate Gazebo. Crowded on weekends, good drinks, limited menu but good food, very limited docking, some opt to raft off the sandbar and walk to the gazebo. Awesome sunset scenery.

I rarely boat from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. Too crazy for me. The missus and I love our sunset cruises and often stop at either the Margate or the NAZ for good drinks, food and sunset.

On weekends, if I have the kids, I usually go to Town Docks or the NAZ. The NAZ is usually the favorite of the kids because of the entertainment such as Reggae or calypso music. The kids like to participate in the schemes such as Mardi Gras or Pirate weekends.

LakeWinniMom · 06-20-2016, 10:19 AM

We gave Akwa Marina a try this past weekend after a season or two hiatus. We thought that being so close to the Weirs and Bike week that it would be fairly busy, but we were wrong. We arrived around noon on Saturday to be only the 2nd table. I think by time we left 2-3 more tables were seated as well as the bar area.

We thought the food was pretty good. I guess they are now ran by Hart's, but that doesn't show on the menu (except maybe the Turkey Chili option

) I don't think the menu has changed too much since the last time we were there (sandwiches, burgers, salads). There was a daily special though of Jerk Chicken served with fries, my husband and daughter agreed that they would return for this dish. We were told it may become a permanent Fri/Sat special.

Boat Docking - this is still interesting to say the least. The public docks are set up around the rented Marina Slips, all are floating docks. Because they are floating be aware that about every 25-30 feet there is a big metal half-ring (I am sure there is some technical term) sticking out from the dock posts. So picture a metal ring, about 3 large mooring balls, then another metal ring. We were able to save a boat from hitting one as they came in to dock...it would have definitely left a mark! If you are watching out, you'll be fine.

I would like to see Akwa continue to succeed, it is a pretty cool spot on the water.

LongShort · 06-21-2016, 12:11 PM

LakeWinniMom I was the boat you saved from the giant metal ring! Thanks for saying something as I thought we had cleared it.

I would agree that the food was good and it is a great spot although very rough at the docks on a weekend. Of course one thing we have enjoyed is the fact that it is never too crowded. Have a great summer and maybe we'll see you there again soon!

codeman671 · 07-18-2016, 04:55 PM

We stopped at Akwa twice this weekend, Friday for lunch and Saturday for dinner.

Fridays lunch was decent. My burger was great but the grilled chicken on my wife's salad was old and dried up. Drinks were very good.

Saturdays dinner was good. Fried clams were excellent, burger was good too. The one problem we found this time was the kids mac n cheese. It was literally a small paper cup of Kraft Easy Mac with nothing else. Looked like the same microwaveable stuff you buy in the grocery store zapped and dumped in a different cup. Pretty disappointed there, I would think better of Hart's. If that's what they serve at their normal restaurant I would not be impressed.

Will certainly be back, just not for the Kraft crap.

06-23-2014, 07:32 AM	#4
valhala Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 10 Times in 5 Posts	Beach Bar We have been a few times, but take it for what it is, a beach bar. We have had the burgers and they were just "O.K." They were well done, we ordered medium, and the burger bun was "cold" - like it came out of the refrigerator. We may go back for a drink/snack with friends, but not for any fine dining experience.

06-23-2014, 08:34 AM	#6
valhala Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 10 Times in 5 Posts	Akwa Beach Bar - Huh ? When you see the size of the kitchen/food prep area - kind of makes you wonder how they do any food service. Maybe they should stick to a few simple items, and do them well Still a nice view.

06-23-2014, 10:13 PM	#7
lakelivin Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	AKWA bar We stopped in at Akwa last week. Food was ok. The drinks were horrible. We asked if they could be fixed and they were returned with a definitive "NO". The bartender/manager was extremely rude and refused to come over and speak with us. This is the second and last time we will go there.

08-12-2014, 07:40 PM	#9
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,464 Thanks: 1,380 Thanked 1,665 Times in 1,084 Posts	Later in the season... We came last Friday afternoon-5:30pm. Whatever minor early season glitches were described above have been solved. First concern was docking and waves. (30 foot boat) We tied up on the public dock perpendicular to shore about halfway in. A dock attendant met us and assisted with tie-up, but disappeared before we could tip him. Thank you. Very polite and helpful. We're off to a good start. The fenders and posts were in place, so putting out our own fenders was unnecessary. Convenient. The docking was far enough in the cove that there was not a lot of wake action. Perhaps there would be more on a weekend? We were a group of 10 from elders to grandchildren, so we ate at the picnic tables on the shore. Perfect for us, and the kids could move around and not bother other diners. Food was great. Everything from Mac n cheese to lobster roll and ribs (a special that day). Waitress was very nice and helpful with stuff that would have been easily available inside, where she had to make some extra trips. Query: My drink, a Salty Dog, had a sweet tinge to the salt on the glass rim. Is that possible? I ask, in part, because I think it is great that management participates in this site and gives good feedback. BZ!!

08-13-2014, 01:41 PM	#10
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Probably had a mix of salt and sugar. __________________ SIKSUKR

06-22-2014, 08:19 PM	#1
Greene's Basin Girl Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Moultonborough, NH Posts: 1,515 Thanks: 394 Thanked 527 Times in 269 Posts	A group of us went to Akwa Marina today for a late lunch. I decided to get the stir fry. I specifically asked the waiter if the stir fry had mushrooms. He said no. I received my food and I wasn't"t very hungry so I decided to bring it home and have it for dinner. Sure enough I got home and it was full of mushrooms. It cost $14.99 and I had to throw it out. It was also very sweet. Another friend also got the stir fry and she said it was very sweet also. I asked the waiter for water twice. He never brought it so I asked another server to get it for me. Needless to say I may never go back. It was disappointing because the reviews have been quite good on the forum.

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08-13-2014, 02:54 PM	#11
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,541 Thanks: 222 Thanked 828 Times in 499 Posts	We went over the 4th of July vacation. The lobster rolls were ok, a bit dry and not worth the $21 in my opinion. The burgers were basic and ok, although I was a bit annoyed that the don't have a kids option for burgers. $10 for a burger to feed a 4 year old is a bit rough, but that's what he wanted to eat. The drinks were ok but very small. Went down like water... $145 with tip for lunch and drinks for 2 adults and 2 kids is a bit rough on the wallet. I walked away feeling a bit cheated.... I like the concept of the place but it has room for improvement. As far as the docking goes, make sure if the attendant ties you up that you check fender placement and his tie job. The kids were a bit unruly when we got to the dock so I did not pay close attention to his tie/fender job. By the time we were done and went to leave the stern bumper was missing and the back of the boat was floating free, rubbing hard on the dock. It left some good scratches on the pontoon tube.

08-18-2014, 12:25 PM	#12
Rattler Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 35 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 3 Posts	Finally got a chance to go recently and wanted to chime in. My experience is in line with others. The food was mediocre, and the drinks were disappointing. Neither warranted the prices being charged. The service was adequate but not great. People going there who haven't been before need to set their expectations appropriately. As others have said, it's not a restaurant; it's really just a beach bar in the same class as other beach bars in the area. While the view is great and there is access by boat (albeit with the docking warnings that other posters have detailed), the food quality, prices and service put it, in my opinion, in the middle of the pack when compared to similar establishments on the big lake.

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08-20-2014, 11:30 AM	#15
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,549 Thanks: 1,074 Thanked 672 Times in 369 Posts	I liked it I've been there several times and the docks can be crowded but we never have had to wait for a space. I liked the food and drinks and there was a good variety in offerings from their menu. If there is anything that I don't like, it's the unisex bathroom, which it's hard to determine if it's occupied due the level of music. Overall, I would give the place an 8 for a boat accessible establishment and a 7 as a general restaurant/bar.

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08-25-2014, 02:33 PM	#17
Shreddy Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Moultonboro Posts: 514 Thanks: 181 Thanked 223 Times in 117 Posts	I went in there last week with a friend...or attempted to. We pulled up on our jet skis to grab a drink and some food but were denied when we didn't have shirt or shoes. Understandable I guess...but I thought it was a beach bar. Not to mention it sits right next to a pool where kids were running inside wet. From what we could tell it looked small and nice inside, but for a Tuesday afternoon it definitely wasn't crowded. Sucks that we weren't able to get it, but we never made set plans when we headed over that side of the lake from Moultonboro. __________________

08-19-2014, 09:21 AM	#18
Overlake97 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford Posts: 246 Thanks: 146 Thanked 58 Times in 42 Posts	Margate = better option Margate's beach bar has pretty good food and fairly reasonable prices, and the boat dock and bar are connected. I think I paid about $14 one month ago for some great Ribs. Biggest negative there is that one of their docks (at least) is a little shaky/unstable.

08-19-2014, 09:39 AM	#19
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,608 Thanks: 3,244 Thanked 1,113 Times in 799 Posts	Opinion I have experience all the beach bars, so here is my take. AKWA marina: Great scenery, good drinks, limited menu, OK food. Town Docks: Crowded on weekends, Great for kids, good drinks and food, good scenery. NAZBAR: Packed on Weekends, Good food and drinks, great for kids, excellent sunset scenery. If you want gourmet food, order from the bistro menu. Better yet enjoy the quietness of the restaurant upstairs. Margate Gazebo. Crowded on weekends, good drinks, limited menu but good food, very limited docking, some opt to raft off the sandbar and walk to the gazebo. Awesome sunset scenery. I rarely boat from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. Too crazy for me. The missus and I love our sunset cruises and often stop at either the Margate or the NAZ for good drinks, food and sunset. On weekends, if I have the kids, I usually go to Town Docks or the NAZ. The NAZ is usually the favorite of the kids because of the entertainment such as Reggae or calypso music. The kids like to participate in the schemes such as Mardi Gras or Pirate weekends. __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

06-20-2016, 10:19 AM	#20
LakeWinniMom Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 48 Thanks: 15 Thanked 33 Times in 17 Posts	Akwa Marina Bar & Grill We gave Akwa Marina a try this past weekend after a season or two hiatus. We thought that being so close to the Weirs and Bike week that it would be fairly busy, but we were wrong. We arrived around noon on Saturday to be only the 2nd table. I think by time we left 2-3 more tables were seated as well as the bar area. We thought the food was pretty good. I guess they are now ran by Hart's, but that doesn't show on the menu (except maybe the Turkey Chili option ) I don't think the menu has changed too much since the last time we were there (sandwiches, burgers, salads). There was a daily special though of Jerk Chicken served with fries, my husband and daughter agreed that they would return for this dish. We were told it may become a permanent Fri/Sat special. Boat Docking - this is still interesting to say the least. The public docks are set up around the rented Marina Slips, all are floating docks. Because they are floating be aware that about every 25-30 feet there is a big metal half-ring (I am sure there is some technical term) sticking out from the dock posts. So picture a metal ring, about 3 large mooring balls, then another metal ring. We were able to save a boat from hitting one as they came in to dock...it would have definitely left a mark! If you are watching out, you'll be fine. I would like to see Akwa continue to succeed, it is a pretty cool spot on the water.

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06-21-2016, 12:11 PM	#21
LongShort Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Canton, MA/Meredith, NH Posts: 23 Thanks: 50 Thanked 11 Times in 4 Posts	Thanks for the save LakeWinniMom I was the boat you saved from the giant metal ring! Thanks for saying something as I thought we had cleared it. I would agree that the food was good and it is a great spot although very rough at the docks on a weekend. Of course one thing we have enjoyed is the fact that it is never too crowded. Have a great summer and maybe we'll see you there again soon!

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07-18-2016, 04:55 PM	#22
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,541 Thanks: 222 Thanked 828 Times in 499 Posts	We stopped at Akwa twice this weekend, Friday for lunch and Saturday for dinner. Fridays lunch was decent. My burger was great but the grilled chicken on my wife's salad was old and dried up. Drinks were very good. Saturdays dinner was good. Fried clams were excellent, burger was good too. The one problem we found this time was the kids mac n cheese. It was literally a small paper cup of Kraft Easy Mac with nothing else. Looked like the same microwaveable stuff you buy in the grocery store zapped and dumped in a different cup. Pretty disappointed there, I would think better of Hart's. If that's what they serve at their normal restaurant I would not be impressed. Will certainly be back, just not for the Kraft crap.