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The 22 best waterfront restaurants in NYC
Find breathtaking views of the city’s many waterfronts for dinner, drinks and date night.
It’s surprisingly easy to forget that New York is surrounded by water. When you’re standing on hot cement, waiting for the G train in a steamy subway station or stuck under an A/C unit that’s dripping a mysterious substance, an ocean breeze feels about a million miles away. Well, we’ve got good news! The beautiful beaches , boat bars and dinner cruises of NYC are just a few minutes away from wherever you are. Whether you’re looking for views of the skyline and the Hudson and East River, craving the breeze off the Atlantic Ocean—or if at this point you’d just settle for a gust off the Gowanus—we’ve rounded up the 22 best waterfront restaurants in NYC.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
The Rooftop Terrace at Time Out Market
At t he Rooftop Terrace at Time Out Market, you can discover impressive bites from culinary rockstars while relaxing sipping cocktails overlooking the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge.
Best waterfront restaurants in NYC
1. riverpark.
- American creative
- price 3 of 4
This spot along the East River features floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the waterfront view, and in the warmer months, you can find a spot on the patio and really impress your date. Stop by for happy hour to score their champagne and chicken wing deal, which is (happily) exactly as what it sounds like—half a bottle of champs and a half-dozen chicken wings for fifty bucks. Toast to the sunshine, the water and each other as you gaze over Midtown from your perch in the sky.
2. The Rockaway Hotel
Just a one-minute walk to the actual ocean , a meal at the Rooftop at The Rockaway Hotel transports you to a tropical vacation. With views of Manhattan, Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic, it’s one of our favorite spots to catch a real sea breeze. The raw bar adds to the waterfront experience, as does an ice-cold bucket of White Claw at the table. Crack one open, close your eyes and you’ll swear you’re on spring break. Don’t go in for hard seltzer? The Shark Bite, with ghost pepper tequila, watermelon and lime will bring the beach vibes, too.
3. The Fulton
- Financial District
A double-bridge tableau and a switcheroo view of Brooklyn make The Fulton a year-round waterside destination for the person who has everything. Or, the person who has every selfie with Manhattan in the background, in this case. The food and drinks are good, too, including incredible seafood towers .
4. Pilot
- Cocktail bars
- Brooklyn Heights
- price 2 of 4
Somewhat understated, Pilot is still one of the most fashionable boat bars in Brooklyn and beyond. Its wooden finishes and navy color scheme have pops of gloss, with one cheery splash overhead in the white and yellow awning shading the bar. Even a 147-foot schooner crowds pretty quickly once people start filing in for oysters, soft-shell crabs and cocktails, so go before sunset to beat the crowds.
5. Brooklyn Crab
Lawn games, barrels of seafood, buckets of beer, frozen margarita fish bowls and 250 seats span three stories at one of Red Hook's most popular summer haunts. Brooklyn Crab strongly resembles a massive ramshackle ship with much drier Instagram opportunities, plus several separate seating configurations and room for groups.
6. The River Café
- price 4 of 4
View this post on Instagram A post shared by The River Café (@therivercafe)
One of the most romantic restaurants in the five boroughs, The River Cafe has a secluded open-air deck, heart-swelling views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan and live piano music inside. Its $195 prix-fixe dinner menu, which includes items like foie gras, soft-shell crab, duck and lobster secures its designation as a special occasion destination.
7. Panorama Room
- Roosevelt Island
Though Panorama Room won't put you as close to the waves as some waterside spots, it has one of the most beautiful views your dedicated dining out dollars can buy. Its brief menu is mostly seafood-centric, and a full complement of drinks is available.
8. Johnny’s Reef Restaurant
- price 1 of 4
Peruse overhead menus longer than cable news tickers featuring oysters, clams, lobster tails, frog legs and frozen drinks, order and pay cash inside and soak up the Long Island Sound at a picnic table on the patio. It fills up fast on beautiful spring and summer weekends, so come prepared with a seating plan.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Johnny’s Reef (@johnnysreefrestaurant)
9. Island Oyster
- Governors Island
We love bivalves on land, but they’re even better at sea. Take the $2 ferry from Brooklyn or Manhattan to Governors Island and tip back a few sustainable oysters and craft suds at this casually stunning seasonal walk-in spot.
10. Tatiana Grill
- Brighton Beach
For “meet me tonight in Atlantic City” vibes without having to get on the turnpike, Tatiana is the Boss. The Brighton Beach boardwalk spot handily leans on its natural beach scene for decor and sports red and green borscht, potato vareniki and all manner of sea fare on its menu.
11. Grand Banks
Gaze upon the lower Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty from the deck of this historic schooner turned oyster bar docked at Pier 25 in Hudson River Park. Grand Banks, a ringer for Pilot, as they're owned by the same group, affords a maritime escape without having to pay those pesky yacht club fees.
12. Westlight
The 22nd floor of the William Vale hotel has a wraparound terrace ideally situated for outdoor dining, drinks and cynicism-smashing views. Visit on a not-too-hot day, order an effervescent cocktail and lower your shades for a nourishing look at the NYC skyline.
13. Ruby’s Bar & Grill
- Coney Island
Said to be the oldest bar on the Coney Island boardwalk, Ruby’s has character for miles. Beyond its fire engine red exterior, weathered sepia prints line the walls, burgers, dogs, clams and fried shrimp populate and menu, and boozy slushies and beer slosh precariously to the edge of plastic cups.
14. Bar Blondeau
- Williamsburg
Bar terrace on the sixth floor of the Wythe Hotel overlooks the East River and the NYC skyline. This restaurant and bar also has abundant space inside, seafood-leaning menus and plenty of beer, wine, cocktails, frozens and zero-ABV drinks.
15. Harriet's Rooftop & Lounge
The 10th floor of the 1 Hotel beside the Brooklyn Bridge has panoramic views of the surrounding area, customary rooftop cocktails and (seasonal) a pool just for guests (but it could be a great way to make new friends).
16. Le District
- Sandwich shops
- Battery Park City
This sprawling Little Paris on the Hudson has al fresco dining on its the terrace along Battery Park City esplanade, where you can sip French wine and watch yachts set sail out of North Cove Marina. You can also stroll the adjacent market space for a little taste of the City of Light right in lower Manhattan.
17. Celestine
- Mediterranean
A sparkling riverside Mediterranean-influenced restaurant in the shadow of the handsome Manhattan Bridge, Celestine is close enough to the water to hear the waves dancing with the shore. Its terrace frames all that in its tableau, plus a nice wide expanse of the Manhattan skyline.
18. Industry Kitchen
- Contemporary American
Another Seaport spot, Industry Kitchen has room for 300 along the East River. Spy the Williamsburg and Brooklyn Bridges from your seat on the patio outside, and choose from seafood starters like crab cakes and ahi tuna nachos and duck confit risotto, New York strip steak and lobster ravioli mains. In addition to the expected cocktails, wine and beer, Industry Kitchen also has frozen drinks for the season.
19. Ellington in the Park
- Upper West Side
This restaurant in Riverside Park at West 105th Street has tons of outside seats and a wide-ranging menu that’s great for groups. Sip a Lillet spritz with serviceable pizza, sandwiches, burgers and dogs with a view of the Hudson River.
20. Baylander Steel Beach
Previously the world’s smallest aircraft carrier, Baylander Steel Beach is now stationed at the West Harlem Piers in Upper Manhattan off 125th Street. Hit the 4,000-square-foot spot for loosely-themed cocktails like the Captain’s Colada and rummy pirates punch with torpedo dogs, pilot wings and stealth tacos. Or just get the guac.
21. Frying Pan
Approaching a century old, this 133-foot lightship (like a lighthouse of the seas) has had a lot of lives. The former service ship was eventually decommissioned, abandoned and sank before the late 1980s restoration that turned it into the west side’s watery party destination by the end of that decade. We should all be so lucky.
22. North River Lobster Company
- Hell's Kitchen
Cruise the Hudson in hour increments on this former Florida gambling ship that seems paradoxically just as well-suited to first dates as post-work team-building sessions. With its time limit, lobster rolls, cocktail pitchers and SHOTS! (caps and punctuation theirs), we bet you won’t tire of this brief voyage. North River also operates a similar taco boat .
Looking for a higher view of the city?
Check out the best rooftop bars in nyc.
Have a cocktail high above the city and take in spectacular views at one of the best rooftop bars NYC has to offer
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