By The Fountain in Mid Sussex

Drinks only. Great atmosphere.

Aqua Bar & Kitchen is a popular choice for anniversaries, birthdays, and other celebrations due to its elegant setting and excellent service.

Each dish is a work of art, with beautifully plated meals that are as visually appealing as they are delicious.

A wonderful impromptu lunch with great service, just such a shame it wasn’t busier

Guests frequently praise the warm and attentive service, which ensures a comfortable and enjoyable dining experience.

Great place, good atmosphere. Didn't try the food but it looked good. Only criticism is the service is a bit slow.

Aqua Bar & Kitchen offers breathtaking panoramic views, providing a beautiful backdrop for any meal or drink, especially during sunset.

The food is amazing here - with fresh produce and just so tasty. You'll see things on the menu you wouldn't see elsewhere but it's all delicious and staff very sweet.

The food was amazing with great customer service!!!! Can't wait to visit again!!!!

Lovely clean environment, good food, friendly service and good music, especially Friday nights ���.

Very tasty food but very posh and the service was great

Fantastic night. Great food, amazing attentive friendly staff, especially a guy called Raşit. Entertainment was brilliant. We will definitely be back..

Great great food . Great service . Great people .The food is out this world. You've tryed the rest now try the best .you will not be disappointed.

Party of ten on a Saturday evening. Amazing buzz, happy people, brilliant staff and fantastic food.

Great place, food, drinks, staff and music! Really recommend it....

Lovely food and wonderful service, staff are very friendly and make you feel welcome. ..

Very small but nice Would eat there again in fact will be eating again..

Me and my husband visited last night food was amazing,staff were very friendly and couldn't do enough for the both of us made us feel welcome will definitely be back thanks for a lovely meal.

Great decor, great food, great service, friendly staff. Enjoyed it so much booked to come back again in the near future

Very nice atmosphere amazing staff and good food,what more do you want!!!

Welcoming from the beginning and fantastic food...

New restaurant in EG. Fabulous food, great service and lovely staff - what else could you ask for. Excellent!

A brilliant addition to the High Street, impeccable service

I don't understand how this place has good reviews - food was terrible and staff attitude was even worse! When asked how the food was, I said I didn't really like it (gyozas with stir fry veg and sweet chilli sauce for £17+ - so Mediterranean), he said "don't like it, don't eat it". They also brought out a bread basket but nothing to dip the bread in, when asked if they had chilli sauce the man looked at us like we were crazy and said "this isn't a traditional Turkish restaurant" (never said it was mate, just want a bit of moisture for my bread). The vegan and vegetarian signage on the menu is chaotic too, not sure how they've got away with that. I could go on and on but the take home message is *avoid* and go to the lovely place a few doors up for proper Mediterranean food and great service :)

O wow were to start high pricing but u no if the food is good its ok but that's not the case And the attitude of the service was was worse! The Mrs said he might br having a bad day so ok but the the next person was so rude and actually said don't like don't eat

This place is amazing! I absolutely love it here. We visited for the first time this weekend and it was so much fun. The cocktails are delicious and the staff are so lovely. Couldn't recommend it more!

Love this place! The staff are super friendly and the cocktails are amazing. Definitely go check it out if you're in the area.

I had a wonderful time at Aqua Bar&Kitchen today, I would deffo come back as definitely recommend this place to my friends and family. Başak was wonderful staff and all staffs made sure that everything was served and made our restaurant visit so special.

Great food and very reasonable. Be nice when we can go inside too, but they are making the best of the outside space

Lovely place for my mums Birthday .amazing food , service and beautiful setting .Staff really made my mums birthday special .the roast beef was so tasty and the rhubarb Eton mess was best I have tasted .My daughters Jaffa chocolate mousse desert was delicious

It has a very nice atmosphere and a great space to dance 💃 and enjoy 😉

Great space, lovely cocktails and drinks at a reasonable price, great food and good music!

My husband surprised me and took me for our Wedding Anniversary. Amazing quality food and fantastic efficient friendly service. Everything looked as amazing as it tasted. Highly recommend and will definitely be back, just perfect!

Excellent food and service. Would definitely recommend it.

Outstanding food, outstanding service. They had heaters and the whole experience was amazing. Every bite was a taste sensation. Probably the best place for food in Eastgrinstead. Highly recommend.

We had the most delicious lunch here to celebrate my sister’s birthday. The food was very tasty, service excellent and we stayed far too long, but nobody complained

Lovely dining area, fantastic service

exceptional service and food again! highly recommended..

My Wife & I had a beautiful 3 course meal , really lovely atmosphere with friendly & helpful staff , 5 star Evening will definitely return .

absolutely lovely food .great staff and nice atmosphere

Always excellent service and food. Definitely in the Top 2 of restaurants in East Grinstead.

A special restaurant in the beautiful historic High Street of East Grinstead. This deserves a special occasion. Wonderful staff & excellent food.

Fantastic food, great service and lovely atmospheric venue. Highly recommend.

Interesting and creative food served by attentive and friendly staff - and fabulous cocktails.

We had a superb dinner here this evening. Good choices on the menu, I can honestly say that eating here was a pleasurable experience and highly recommend this for an occasion dinner or special night out

Wow what a meal! By far the best place to have a nice, tasty, freshly made meal at a reasonable price. The beef macaroni cheese to start with was absolutely to die for, the cod to follow was very tasty and then the passion fruit cheese cake topped the meal nicely. Can't wait to go back - so pleased to have this restaurant in East Grinstead 😄

Lovely food, very tasty, and they make their own bread, so kudos for that. The service was extremely good too.

Excellent service, beautiful food and soooo lovely inside. Thanks for a great evening team

Excellent Service and beautiful food - we will be back xx

Superb food and service can’t fault this restaurant!😀😊

Lovely decor ,excellant service,very high end food choices and would highly recommend a visit .

amazing food, staff & ambiance.... so happy to recommend to all ❤❤

Open Evening was amazing, staff were on the ball and attentive. Food was amazing and the cocktails were good too. Will definitely go back.

Welcome to EG! Delicious food served by efficient and attentive staff in a lovely environment. You are poised to fill a gap in dining options in the town. Our meal felt special whilst still good value. Will be back soon.

We were there as a group for a birthday party, the food was delicious and the cocktails were great, we left very happy..

I had a lovely dinner at Aqua last night !! The food was delicious, the service was prompt, and the atmosphere was lively! Would definitely recommend to anyone that loves good food and a fun time:)

Great food, freshly prepared, and lovely cocktail selection.

I went in today for some breakfast the guy was as miserable as sin will never see me again

Well, looking at all of the other previous reviews I can only assume that the food served in Aqua is very good. Unfortunately I didn't get to taste it! I had booked a table for 7 people for 8.30 on a Saturday evening. When we arrived, spot on time, the restaurant was very busy. The manager checked our reservation and told our that our table would be ready in 5 to 10 minutes and asked us to sit at a table by the bar. There were only 4 seats for the 7 of us, but that wasn't a problem. When I went to the bar to order a round of drinks the barman politely told me that is was table service only and that he wasn't able to serve me. Once again, not a problem. We then waited a good 10 minutes without any of the waiting staff coming to serve us, so I went and stood by the bar until one of them approched the bar. I explained that we were waiting to eat and told him where we were sitting and placed our order with him. We then waited for what seemed like an eternity, in reality problaby about 20 minutes with no sign of our order. So we had now been in the restaurant for at least half an hour, have made a reservation, for over half an hour with absolutely no service at all! When a familly at the next table told us that they had a arrived at 7.15 and that they were still waiting for their meals, (it's now gone 9pm!), we decided to leave. I told the manager why we were leaving. He was apologetic, saying that they were very busy, but that it was, "No problem", and that he would give us 50% off the next time that we came in....... No problem??!!! ....... His poor management had ruined our evening ..and we certainly won't be going back ...... there are two other good restaurants in East Grinstead serving similar dishes. I don't know whether this particular night was a one off and that unforeseen circumstances had occurred which caused problems, (such as the chef being ill or something). If that was the case then it was not explained to us. What is the point in making a reservation? If you know that you are going to be full then don't take the reservation. If unforeseen circumstances crop up which you know are going to cause problems then phone the customer, (they took my number when I placed the booking. Obviously to phone me if I didn't turn up!), and explain the situation so that they can make alternative arrangemeours. As it was, this appalling service has left a bad taste in our mouths, (unfortunately we didn't get any food to take that taste away!), and we won't be going back. We are fortunate that there are plenty of good restaurants in East Grinstead.

Had Dinner here Saturday, I had the Mushroom Rissotto and hubby had Crispy pork belly both meals were lovely but one criticism and that was the plates were not warm halfway through our dinners they were cold which was such a shame. Please Please heat the plates ot makes such a difference. Will definitely be returning though.

Had a brilliant meal here 22/06/24 late afternoon for my wife’s birthday Service was excellent and food was fantastic. Food was very tasty and was It was really fresh. There was seating outside and inside. We ate inside but stayed for drinks after our meal and sat outside. There was some parking out the front but it was limited. There is parking local to the restaurant but it is a bit of a walk. There was a disabled ramp for easy access to the restaurant. Would highly recommend and we will definitely visit again in the near future. Thankyou for an enjoyable afternoon.

I ate a seafood linguine yesterday here. It was really YUMMY one of the best I have ever had. It came with olives & nice grilled pita bread. I would highly recommend this restaurant & the staff are very friendly. They don’t even add a tip to the bill, so I chose to pay extra

Good food, sensibly priced with friendly & attentive staff. Will definitely be going again. Mixed seafood linguine

Wonderful place to celebrate, food was amazing and the staff very attentive Highly recommended

First visit here, didn’t get the meal I ordered and my Wife’s Piri Piri Chicken was very bland. Nice atmosphere but food and service very average, I did get a discount on my bill after mentioning my disappointment on the food.

We had lunch there for my mother's birthday. We choose from the set menu great value lovely food and the staff were great. We will definitely be going again.

Awful food. Service was shocking. Very over priced

Had a really lovely dinner with friends here - the food was delicious and the atmosphere was amazing! I would recommend Aqua to anyone living in East Grinstead 😊

I recently visited Aqua, and it was an amazing experience. The cozy atmosphere, complete with soft lighting and floral decor, made for a perfect evening. I ordered the king prawn pasta, which was cooked to perfection. The accompanying sauce was full of flavours chili, lemon etc was wonderful. Service was prompt and friendly, adding to the overall pleasant experience. Prices were reasonable, considering the quality of the food. I highly recommend Aqua Spot for anyone looking for a relaxed dining experience with great food. Definitely one to look out for on your walks up the high street.

Two of us popped in for lunch. Great food and good service. A la carte menu available but we chose from the separate lunch menu which is very good value. Our sea bass was very tasty with roasted vegetables and potatoes. Would recommend a visit.

Wonderful lunch, great value. Food was simply stunning fresh and full of flavour. We will definitely be coming again. Thank you

Lovely lunch ,good choices and value

First visit & was pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious and good service. Will definitely be back.

Definitely new owners and now Aqua Bar and Kitchen. Excellent Mediterranean menu, nice ambience, good service at sensible prices. Absolutely packed on a Saturday night. Have now eaten there three times.

My 2 visits, definitely the best in town…!

We were given a voucher as a Christmas present but noticed soon after that By the fountain was closed. We heard that it was reopening in March so popped in recently to ask if they would still honour the voucher. The new owner said that it was nothing to do with him and he couldn't honour the voucher. He did offer a discount but we were so annoyed that we had a £100 voucher just wasted that we didn't stay. We had heard that the new restaurent was owned by the family of the old one, but he denied this. So it was a waste of the generous gift that was bought in good faith. Although the new restaurent is called Aqua bar, it is still By the fountain on the booking website. Very disappointed.

EDIT: The review below is for By The Fountain. I have not yet tried it under its new guise of Aqua Bar & Kitchen. Brilliant restaurant that serves food that is Michelin-starred quality at reasonable prices. Friendly and accommodating staff. Highly recommended. 01/01/24: Editing this review to add some photos following our New Year's Eve celebration tasting menu, which was wonderful. This restaurant has never ceased to provide superb meals and excellent service since it first opened.

Nice Venue, Not been before , not sure what I was expecting, but the service was prompt and efficient. Food was very good, Recommend this venue

Absolutely delicious food each visit we have gone. Friendly service as well. Loved it. Nice treat.

Outstanding food and service It was quiet and did lack atmosphere

very good food and amazing service. Thank you

We had an early family Christmas lunch on a Sunday in December. The food was incredible with impeccable service and such a wonderful setting. Highly recommend for seafood with suggestions given by the amazing host, Ali and also meat eaters will love! Can’t wait for the Christmas Day menu! 😍

I've just enjoyed a fabulous lunch at By the Fountain. The food is top notch, service faultless, warmth and welcome hard to beat. Honestly, you must go to this restaurant, it's very, very good.

I've been here a few times lately and I'm always amazed that it isn't busier - maybe there are al lot of people like me who went years ago and don't realise how much it has changed. Great service, great food and good value which is something it never used to be. I think the manager does himself a disservice putting people at the back of the restaurant rather than the front to make the place look busier. This is the best restaurant in East Grinstead.

An excellent restaurant that's great for a meal out. A nice selection of food done really well, a lovely atmosphere and good service.

As usual, as we are regulars, the food cannot be faulted. Everything is cooked to perfection, the service is excellent and friendly. This is the only restaurant where I eat dessert as I am fussy and cannot stand things that are oversweet. Even the ice-cream I had this time round was so tasty. Highly recommended. We'll be back soon enough.

I had a family and friends gathering of 40 people, they did us a 6 course taster menu with vegan, coeliac and vegetarian options, the food was outstanding matched to different wines were a perfect combination. Ali and his team looked after us amazingly. Great place to hold a party or just sit and have a nice romantic meal. This place is an find. Thanks Ali. We will be back soon.

Loved it! Great addition to East Grinstead. We really enjoyed the Seafood Platter for 2 and the Baked Hake with Smoked Haddock.

This is a fantastic restaurant! The food was amazing and the staff were very efficient and helpful. The restaurant itself is lovely with a warm friendly atmosphere, a place you want to go back to. I definitely recommend a visit

This is a amazing restaurant. Food and service were first class . Would highly recommend for either a meal or a birthday/Christmas get together. 10/10

Amazing food and would definitely be visiting again. Ali the owner was so professional, very attentive and nothing was too much trouble.

Fantastic restaurant, food and service absolutely first class . Highly recommend for either a meal out or a birthday/ Christmas celebration with friends.

Food was top notch, the service was great, and very friendly. Overall, I would thoroughly recommend!

Fish I had was fantastic. Unfortunately, not a massive range for vegetarians, but they did accommodate my two vegetarian guests with a wild mushroom risotto, which wasn't on the menu, and which my guests said was excellent. Service was great. Really good overall

What a gem of a place. So refreshing to find such a well run independent restaurant. The food was superb, all bought fresh from Billingsgate market that morning. Oysters and scallops as good as I've had anywhere and a superb, very generously portioned fillet steak from a local butcher. Topped off with fantastic service and very fair pricing, this is a place I would wholeheartedly recommend, and will certainly be coming back to.

Had a wonderful dinner here with my wife. Food and service were excellent. Will come back 👍

Excellent evening I’d rang up to confirm my table on the Friday evening and the owner informed me he was off to billingsgate market in the morning and if I wanted anything particular great service. Food was excellent would definitely go back

My partner and I came for dinner here at the weekend - we stopped by in the afternoon and we were greeted so warmly by the owner. We booked our table and came back in the evening. The service was wonderful, very attentive and we were treated like old friends, even though this was our first time dining here as we live out of town. The food was amazing!! The hake is possibly one of the best fish dishes we have ever had and the seabass was so tender! We would recommend this restaurant to anyone and we will definitely go back again next time we are in town!

We enjoyed a really pleasant lunch here on Saturday. It was quiet and I enjoyed a Turkish RAKI as an aperifif The owner looked after us very well and had been shopping at Billingsgate which meant a good fresh selection of fish was available. The majority of the party went for the sea bass which was perfectly cooked and served. We went for the crab equally good. Good wine list reasonably priced as was the entire menu We all felt well nourished and appreciated the time there 100 per cent recommended!

Can’t fault the food which was delicious…but the service was non existent from the moment we walked in, to the moment we left. Having to leave the table and find someone so we could get water and order aperitifs was the poor start but unfortunately that’s how the service carried on for the rest of our evening (the evening we visited was the hottest day we’d had for weeks!) Our evening ended by having to ask several times for the bill almost to the point it felt we had to demand it. All very bizarre I do wonder what it would have been like had they have been busy! We had heard good things about the restaurant but it was an expensive experience which left us feeling very disappointed and somewhat letdown