Pier A Harbor House

I recommend sitting at a table and watching the ocean/​boats go by. Fish and chips we’re great and I really enjoyed my meal as a first timer. The only con of this place was that they were way overstaffed for a Sunday afternoon and all 5 of the servers/​bartenders crowded at the bar gabbing right by me. It was just awkward but I assumed they were just bored. Thanks for the great meal!

We came here with my in-​laws for a nice Thanksgiving in the city. They’re pescatarians and I didn’t want to have to cook multiple entrees for dinner. I figured that this place would be great for them because the price was right, it looked good for kids and it was supposed to have a wonderful view. The pri-​fixe menu had salmon and turkey on it, so that seemed perfect!
Unfortunately, we didn’t get a very good view from our seats. The turkey was so dry, almost like sandpaper. My in-​laws said their salmon was good. They gave us a middle coarse that was gnocchi. That was probably the best dish of the night.
The dessert bar was fun, but the desserts weren’t that special.
I think this restaurant is more of a party-​bar place. They do happy hour and the bar area looked like fun. I don’t think I’d recommend coming here for a nice dinner. Unless you like mediocre service and dry meat.
The server said there was free wifi, but we had a hard time finding it and when we did it would drop us immediately.

**NOTE: Came here for a company dinner, so my experience may not be the same as normal dining**
I had a great experience here and it had the whole package that I am looking for in a fancy dinner. Date night approved!
Venue is super cute and I love the entry way of different globes. I like how it is right by the water and it has multiple levels. It has a grand entrance when you first walk in, almost felt like I was walking into a hotel. Although I came for dinner, I am sure the view is amazing during the day time and you get to see the wonders across the water.
Service: Very fancy, so bring your proper educate. Before serving the table, the will make sure all the waiters arrive and place the food in front of the guest at the same time. They always had someone come around refilling water and wine, which is a big plus!
1) Baby arugula & endive salad — goat cheese, walnut, chardonnay vinaigrette
–Simple and light flavor
2) Atlantic salmon
–Small portions, but big in flavor!
–It was cooks perfectly, soft like butter when you dig into it
–The wild mushroom and corn risotto was creamy and rich in flavor that meshed very well with the salmon
3) Warm chocolate cake
–Melts in your mouth! Reminds me of a green tea lava chocolate cake from «The Spot»
–The placed the ice cream on top of the cake and as you take a piece with your spoon it falls into the rich lava chocolate inside
–Definitely the best park of the dinner and summed up the night very well
if you are planning on hosting a company dinner, CE presentation or throwing some sort of party, this is the perfect spot!

Went there to celebrate our first date anniversary and the place is a dream. It has a great view to the waterside. The restaurant is so high end and the menu says so. The food and service is a 5 stars for sure. I couldn’t be happier to celebrate our anniversary there.

Return? Yes, for location. Food is pretty bad
Atmosphere (4) Very cool space right on the water. No one was there when we stopped in on a Sunday for lunch. Great spot to watch a football game — lots of room and tons of tvs
Food (2-​) — Split a burger (1 — frozen patties, no taste) and fries (3) and had a beer and bloody mary (2)
Service (4) Very friendly
Cost = Total tab before tax/​tip was $ 31

Pier A Harbor House has some of the best Guinness in NYC.
If you’re a Guinness fan, get over here… now!
For all you know, you might be dead tomorrow, and you will never witness the glorious lace hanging to the inside of your imperial pint.
By the way, please tip your attentive bartender a little extra for babysitting your liquid sculpture art into the perfect liquid love.
My bartender was «Genesis» this time around. Professional, gracious, and a Guinness pouring pro!

This huge bar is located right at the edge of lower Manhattan, boasting views of NJ and the Status of Liberty. The outdoor deck is right over the water and wraps around the property. Unfortunately, my friends and I visited on a rainy fall day so we didn’t get to dine outside but we walked around to check it out.
My boyfriend and I arrived first in our group, so we grabbed a table and ordered some food and drinks. BF ordered the steak sandwich and I ordered the lobster mac and cheese, both came with fries. Out of curiosity, I asked our waiter what kind of steak is in the sandwich. He just shrugged his shoulders and said «Oh, yeah… I don’t know» and walked away. Acted as if I just asked him «Who is winning the presidential election?». His «IDK» translated to me as «Am I the chef? How the hell should I know?». Fine, you don’t know your menu, but at least save yourself with a «I’m not sure, I’ll go find out for you». It ended up being a cheese steak sandwich. My lobster mac and cheese was good but it was cheesy rather than creamy, if that makes sense. Fries were A1.
He rushes through our order, and later brings us our drinks. I had the pimm’s cocktail which was sweet but pretty good — after 3 of these I felt a buzz. We get the check, put the card in the tin cup but we’re still looking over the receipt. He comes over, grabs the cup and takes the receipt out of my boyfriends hand and walks away. We give each other this look like «what’s wrong with this guy?» He returns with the slip for us to sign, we sign and put CASH on the tip line. Since he’s clearly in a rush (after we told him we’re sticking around to wait for friends — which is why we closed our tab) he came back, grabbed the receipt but didn’t grab his cash — which I was taking out of my purse at the moment. Moments later, he’s back with the receipt asking for his tip. Flicking the receipt at us like «where’s my cash?» I guess he felt stupid because he saw I was taking money out of wallet and suddenly changed his tone. Although, we were annoyed with him we still gave him a decent tip. Later on, he apologized and got us a round of drinks on the house, but we still had a bad feeling about the whole experience.
The place seems OK, but it really is a gimmick. Nice views, cool outdoor space but bad service and OK food.

We decided to meet a friend here and he chose this place so off we drove through Manhattan. This place is located off the edge of Battery Park and the view itself is beautiful. You can see Lady Liberty in the distance, the skyline and its right on the water. It’s a beautiful location, but the service and the food ruined it.
My husband and his friend got fish and chips. I had some and I felt like they used cheap fish that wasn’t too fresh, fried it and tried to mask the lack of freshness of the fish. I ordered the Manhattan clam chowder and it was watery, with no flavor and maybe one clam in there. I was very disappointed. My kids got the hummus plate and that tasted better than what I had, but again, the hummus didn’t taste like it was homemade, but rather store bought.
Service was very slow to boot, it took forever for us to see our waitress when we were ready to order and forever for her to return with our bill. I wished we sat outside, at least we could have enjoyed the views a bit more.

This place is a solid 3 stars and could easily step it up to be a 4 star establishment. It reminded me of an upscale beer garden on the water.
Came here last night to celebrate a friend’s birthday and it was the perfect spot to wrap up the summer. We got there at about 5pm and the outside area was still empty so we were able to get a table right away. From what we were told, tables outside are only if you are ordering drinks AND food, not sure how it is on the inside. We ordered the chicken fingers basket, lobster mac and cheese, salad and hummus, everything came with these super yummy fries. All were decent but not really worth the $$$ price. I am sure you are paying for the view.
Our waitress was pretty friendly but we had a hard time finding her a few times when we wanted to order more drinks… some of us just ended up getting from the bar directly.
All in all the view was awesome, the weather was perfect and the crowd was chill… minus that one fight that almost broke out over something lame I am sure… security squashed that in a matter of seconds. Handle your liquor boys.
I would go back.

I drink alcohol maybe 3x a year. That said, this review is mostly for their bar food and space/​location. The space is literally in Battery Park, on the water, with amazing views. Oh, and a sunset is somewhere in there. Speaking of space… there is actually SPACE. Lots of it. It’s not a bar where you are on top of the next crowd. There’s indoor and outdoor seating/​standing options. Big open doors so there’s air flow and people flow. Lots of windows and light. This is a space where I see a lot of company/​team after-​work drinks and gatherings. Service is great — friendly and efficient.
Bar Food:
OMG the sliders. Juicy, salty, delicious sliders. I thought there were crispy bacon bits in it but there wasn’t so I just chalk it up to «it’s so good I thought there was bacon in it». It’s a really good burger. I ate 3 in a row and would’ve had more but I had to be courteous to the other guests and leave some for them :-/​
The chicken tenders are nothing special. The fries are hit or miss — some are chewy and some are perfect. Sweet potato fries are a pretty good alternative.
The hummus and chips are unexpectedly pretty good (surprised to see it on the menu, but also saw other patrons order it).
Wings and giant pretzels were served but I didn’t have any (wings seemed to have disappeared faster than the pretzel).
I’m not a beer girl but I am a Guinness girl, and they had Guinness. I was happy and full at the end of the night. Too full.

Me encanta este lugar la vista el ambiente es un lugar que te transporta s la playa esta la estatua de la libertad hay mismo los invitos a conocerlo

This place is a bit of mess, but those views over the water? Can’t beat ‘em.
My co-​workers and I have come here a few times for after-​work drinks and we can’t really complain too much. However, every time we’ve been here, it’s been a bit of a struggle with the service, especially when we’re sitting outside. You’d think with so much outdoor seating, they would have a better system of keeping tabs on well, the tabs. They don’t have any happy hour specials, and while the waitstaff is actually all very friendly, they can’t seem to get it together. I thought these might be isolated incidents, but it’s actually been rough every time we’ve come here.
The crowds here are pretty tame. For a place with a beer garden-​y vibe in the Financial District, it’s not all that rowdy and you can actually have some decent conversations without having to yell over people or getting into a fight with finance bros from a rival bank (movie plot, anyone?). I actually felt bad for the DJ, who was inside spinning tracks… by himself. No one was really dancing, just trying to enjoy their food and drinks.
The food quality itself is fine. It’s a bit on the pricey side for what you get, but it’s decent. My only complaint in that regard is that the oyster po’ boy used to be on a huge hero (and somewhat worth its price tag), but now it’s on 3 small slider buns with barely any oysters. The times, they are tough. In all, you’re not really getting a good value. The beer selection isn’t that bad, as they do have a few craft beers, but even the domestics start at $ 8. Yeesh.
Come here for a drink or two and to enjoy the views, but I would definitely go elsewhere for food.

Seriously? I don’t understand the hype of this place…
The only good thing here is the view (depending on where you sit) and the portions. The food is mediocre… something you can get anywhere for way less. The service is amateur… as if it’s everyone’s first week of training. I’m glad I tried this place out and got it out of the way. On the bright side it has a calm décor to it and is very relaxing since it is by the water.

This is really a 3.5 star review.
Wow — just amazing views. Not to mention the Friday night that we went to celebrate a birthday, the weather was just perfect and the sky was colored during the sunset. They have Pimms on tap, and their sweet potato fries are the best I’ve had in the city. Their outdoor area is MASSIVE — I never once felt crowded, as it extends around the indoor area and into the back.
The lack of 1.5 stars is the bartender overcharging me. On their menu, I ordered a basket of sweet potato fries, which were noted as $ 6. The bartender charged me $ 7. I thought this was just because she had forgotten the price, so I didn’t say anything. When she turned around to give me my change, she had indeed charged me $ 7. Granted, this was only a dollar, so I simply didn’t leave a tip. But I thought it was strange she never corrected herself…

Battery Park is not known to have lots of fun spots to hit up, if any at all.
Though recently there has been a change in the neighborhood. From Loopy Doopy Rooftop to now Pier A Harbor House.
My expectations were in check upon coming here. My friend was having a get together for his birthday. Day drinking and watching the Belmont Stakes. I didn’t know what to expect. If the place was had good qualities, it was going to be crowded, awful and filled with the most brotacular specimens of life. If the place had bad qualities, our time wouldn’t be enjoyable. It was a lose lose. As it turns out, I was wrong.
The place is beautiful. Right on the water, amazing views, gorgeous décor, sleek looking accents, and a long bar with plenty of seating around it. There had to be a catch right?
Time to gaze at the menu. Was a bit hungry and ordered up the truffle chicken salad sandwich with fries. Completely random, but three other friends of mine at this large gathering ordered the same thing within five minutes of me. We all were super happy with our order. It was delicious, hit the spot, and didn’t leave us feeling like we couldn’t drink some more. The prices weren’t bad at all, especially considering it was Battery Park.
Time to order the drinks. Once again, I’m surprised. The selection of brews was really impressive. Lots of different craft or high quality companies. The prices on the beers is where they start to take advantage of you. Once again though, it’s a beautiful place, it’s high end, it’s Battery Park, you have to expect it. I got pitcher of Hefenweizen for around $ 35? Eh…
So why wasn’t the place filled with obnoxious jerks? Were they all at Belmont? Maybe we we’re the obnoxious jerks? I’m not sure. We had a great time though. Hope the crowd stays chill, and this review doesn’t attract them all.
I’ll be sure to visit again this summer!

After spending some time wandering through southern Manhattan I stopped into Pier A. I figured it was kind of touristy but if you can get one of the tables near the window you get some shade plus a great view of the bay. Can’t argue with that. The beer selection was respectable with a few crafts on tap as I was expecting standard Miller and bud stuff.
As far as the food, I’d say it was just ok. We got the mussels and giant pretzel. It’s not that they were bad, they just pretty standard and as long as your culinary expectations aren’t sky high you’ll be happy. The prices are were actually pretty reasonable for being in a tourist destination as well.
If you’re thinking about getting out of the sun and enjoying the bay and breeze with some beers this is the place for you.

A wonderful spot in good weather to relax and take in the harbor views. The crowd seemed divided between tourists and locals playing hooky on a weekday. The interior is done up in a wood-​paneled Gilded Age style, while the outside is just picnic tables.
A couple of summery Pimm’s cups ($ 13/​each) really hit the spot on a warm day, and there’s a nice list of beers on tap in addition to the usual bar food.
I found the service to be attentive, although I can see how things might go downhill when it gets more crowded.

Well, as time goes by, it looks like I have to take it down a star.
Sooo bummed about this, but the food really isn’t worth the price tag, some of the yummy apps I liked are off the menu, the service is really spotty, and the Long Hall gets ridiculously packed. I know it’s FiDi after work, but that place was plenty big… WHY is it so packed that you can barely move? The music is way too loud but I suppose that’s to drown out the sounds of the large crowds.
The drinks are still great which is what saved the review from becoming a 3 star. I really only see myself coming here once in awhile for a cocktail and that is it. Really hope they can improve.

First came here on the 3^rd or 4^th day that they were open — The food menu was sparse and the bartenders were still figuring out what was going on, but everyone was genuinely helpful and interested. Not having certain ingredients for cocktails on their menu, they asked us what we liked and made us custom cocktails based on our preferences — such service!
Came here again a few more times in the coming months, and it’s just as I’d left it: amazing décor, excellent drinks, decent food, and awesome bartenders. I was even introduced to a wonderful new whiskey I’d never tried.
Even came here for a work party in one of their event spaces upstairs, and had a great time, then transferred to the downstairs for the ‘afterparty’. The bar always had a good crowd, but it’s never a problem finding a spot to chill, whether sitting or standing.
I returned, though, after a 6 month absence to find it had all changed, though… The massive space that I thought would never be full was now packed to the max (which is great for them!), but this does not scale for them. The service is slow, they mix up orders, and seem to have a smaller selection than they did earlier. It reminds me of a pricier version of Stone St, which I’m sure you know is no bargain for the OK food and cramped quarters.
Maybe I’m being cynical, but if I pay $ 190 for 3 drinks and a sandwich each for a couple, I’m gonna expect a better environment than a DJ that spins every bad remix of a pop song and shoulder-​to-​shoulder people. Congratulations on that return on your investment, though.
Maybe this one’s for the tourists now?

I really want to just let out a huge F@#$@#$.
ANOTHER NYC case of, you’re paying for the venue. I’m sick of it. Why is this one of the only places in the world where the good food is often found in low key places, and the nice venues often have horrible food and service. Guess you can’t win.
The setting is beautiful, probably the nicest outdoor venue in all of Manhattan. Great views, nice breeze, and the building is awesome.
So here is where you’ll run into major issues.
We went to wait for our table out back, they only serve sliders there, and you can go to the bar or flag down a server, but the servers came up to us after we had drinks to take our next order. We then didn’t see our server for a really long time (20 minutes), and then our table was ready, so we had to take our drinks that arrive to our table, which peeved our waiter at the table who then couldn’t take our order because we had drinks. Couldn’t win here.
The seafood was mediocre at best. The clams and oysters were the size of quarters, the lobster was near frozen and over cooked, and the shrimp was nothing different than you’d buy prepackaged at a grocery store. Their mussels were sketttttchy, the white wine sauce was alright, but most of the mussels had a weird crunchy interior and something ropey in them so I didn’t finish the plate. I eat mussels often and haven’t had that experience ever so it wasn’t me just being grossed out by them. I tried to eat the most innocuous thing on the table, a breadstick, but instead I used it to win the world series. I could have killed someone with it, or at least knocked a tooth out trying to eat it.
We then were sitting at a table but kept having to go to the bar to get drinks because our waiter went MIA a lot.
By all means, the wait staff was extremely friendly, they just couldn’t be attentive because there wasn’t many of them. The food sucked out loud, the whole table of 10 agreed, and most of them were drinking and it was all bar food/​small bites so we weren’t looking for a Michelin star.
Again, a restaurant banking on its location and beer selection, sad… It could be a lot better.

Wow, I’m thrilled with what they have done with Pier A! Went to the bar downstairs for awesome beers and seafood and this place exceeded my expectations. First of all, the service is attentive and friendly, and it feels genuine. They want you to enjoy the food and drink and stay as long as you like. The space is spotless and well designed. There is plenty of room for a ton of people (which will probably happen in the summertime) but I don’t think it will ever feel «too crowded». The views are probably the best views you can get at sea level other than being on an actual boat.
What I love about this place is the selection of seafood and beers. When I say «selection», I mean exactly that — it is a selection of items that are fun to eat with beer. It’s the best available oysters. A pot of mussels, some seafood «cutters» — which are giant sliders. Everything in general just seems well-​thought out; from the impressive long bar, coat hooks (important!) and seating.
I’m just grateful that they put in a quality establishment here for locals and visitors alike. Looking forward to the full restaurant that will open sometime in early 2015.