Pier i Cafe
“The food is a bit pricey, but the quality is much better than the other outdoor-dining alternative up the Hudson (Boat Basin — yuck!”
“Pier I Cafe is an open air eatery in Riverside Park South, under the West Side Highway and beside the Hudson.”
“What I love is how the food here is decent (solid burgers, great lobster rolls, really tasty fries) – and the beer offerings here are solid.”
Pier i Cafe
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Good for Working: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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It's a nice place to grab food and sit near the riverside, and just enjoy the quieter side of the city!
The food itself, however, was more meh for me. I got a burger ($12) – the patty itself was cooked a lot more than I had asked for, and was too bland and totally lacking in flavor. Old Bay fries were pretty good, however, so no complaints there! I also split a calamari app (~$14) – plentiful for 2 people, not bad at all, but not the best I've had.
I wouldn't mind coming back here, but I'll definitely skip the food and opt in for happy hour instead!
Ahhh perfect place for a summer night in the city- incredible view of the Hudson and beautiful sunset at this casual but very nice lively feeling cafe/ restaurant with great food and drinks.
Great for a date, friends, families (kids menu), cyclists who can park off the west side path to eat, and even following a class along the Hudson- as women near us had just come from a Pilates class on the river before having dinner watching the sunset.
The view the view the view. Amazing. Everything was fantastic and a walk along the river, down the pier just outside, a fantastic follow up after drinks or dinner and at night romantic with the pretty views.
Atmosphere: plenty of seating, cozy with pretty potted flowers surrounding much of the dining area. Casual: You order food and drinks from the counter, a buzzer lets you know your food is ready, and food/ drinks are served on paper plates/ plastic cups.
Drinks: I had the fruity tequila drink topped with a handful of fresh blueberries (Blue Rita) – delicious and strong.
The food. Wonderful. We had:
– Kale salad with a mildly sweet curry dressing – super.
– Maine lobster roll. Sooo good. Mayo based, generous amount of lobster and could be a little messy with delicious mayo drip, so keep the napkins handy and quick
– Special fish entree (snapper)- wow, this was mouth watering incredible, topped with tomatoes and a light sauce.
– Open faced mahi taco with avocado, pineapple chutney and creamy cilantro. Spicy but also very good.
Only minor negative: While I do not mind casual, and the views and lively vibe are absolutely worth it, table service would be great, and possibly a small bar closer to all the tables/ dining area as opposed to the counter so people do not need to leave their company repeatedly and wait in lines to order and pick up food and drinks.
Absolutely recommend for a perfect summer lunch, dinner or drinks with a date, friends, families.
I came here for a happy hour through work, and all I can say is location, location, location!! If live never been to this area, you walk down a little path to the river edge and that's where the restaurant is. This is an outdoor joint with lots of little tables and umbrellas to shield you from the sun. There is also a big boardwalk so you can mosey on out over the water and take in the view.
Our group got some pitchers of beer (they tasted like pitchers of beer), pitcher of white sangria (yum! And pretty with all the fruit), and lots of fried foods. Everything was solid quality. I got a soda and wish it hadn't come in a paper cup, but aside from that I was pleased. The prices are a little bit high for the products you're getting, but then again you get to sit on the water. If you go on a nice day like today was, you can't lose.
Summary: Come for the view, costs a little more but worth it.
The location absolutely makes this place! The food was good, my wife really liked the sangria, and the atmosphere is fun. What really makes this place is the view of the river, and we were there at sunset- stunning!
The food was ok, the prices were steep (upper west side, on the water, but cafe style makes it a little difficult to justify to me), but we had a great time.
I'd definitely go back, but probably for a drink and a snack, not necessarily for dinner.
Great place along the river to grab a bite and drink. Came here with a friend on a Sunday afternoon around 3PM and seating was pretty full.
Ordered a burger with a side of old bay fries, along with a beer. It was a great combination to have on a warm spring day. Old bay fries may be a little salty for some people, but I personally enjoyed the extra flavoring. The burger was nothing fancy, but was pretty decent.
I would come back to try some of their other menu items and share a pitcher or two with friends. Good place to relax after jogging or biking on the nearby trails.
Great place to come in the summer and watch the sunset. There are lots of tables with umbrellas and a big counter where you can order drinks and food. It is usually packed (also with dogs and kids), but a nice place to come and enjoy a summer evening. Food and drinks are fine – what you are really paying for here is the real estate.
I give pier I cafe 5 stars for location and ambiance. I'm a huge fan of summers in New York. I especially like either brunching on the roof tops or views by the water. This location is truly breath taking. This place is what summers in New York is all about. You walk down this boardwalk to a spacious outdoor venue with plenty of seatings by the water. The food menu is not extensive and it's no 5 star menu. It's pretty basic with the burgers and fries Etc.. The old bay French fries were pretty good though. Drinks are basic as well. You don't have a server as you have to order food and drinks at the vendor however there are busboys to clean your section. The bathroom is a portable trailer along the side. It's really tight but super clean. I definitely will be coming here all summer.
Drinks with girlfriends are best served outside, on the river the water, with the sun setting in the background. Pier i Cafe covers all three of these and is a really nice spot for a night out.
Located along the water underneath the West Side Highway this gem has dozens tables and chairs, umbrellas with twinkle lights and a nice menu for all your cravings. The four of us ordered up a pitcher of Teajitos ($44)* and a variety of foods. The cocktail was supurb. Perfectly sweet and minty and refreshing – we could have easily had another pitcher. The TeaBerry I ordered to go was also quite delicious. Not too sweet, not too sour – just the right amount of blue berries and tea. Yum.
The food was ok… the hummus platter was nothing special. And the cheese plate came w/ a couple half melted cheeses, stale nuts and only 4 little pieces of bread. For $14 it would have been nice for a little more of something, we only had two bites each and then the plate was empty. The fries were probably the best item we ordered to snack on… the Old Bay fries were tossed in garlic and a bunch of other seasonings and were totally addicting. We ordered two ($4 each) and they disappeared real quick.
Overall – I wasn't blown away by this joint… but I'd stop back to try a few other menu items. and I'd definitely come back for a Teajito.
* One of two drink specials for the night.