Do you like summer? Do you like seafood? Do you like to eat and drink outside? If you answered yes to any of these three questions, Pier A Harbor House should be on your radar. New for summer 2015, Pier A is a great bar and restaurant located in the southwestern part of the financial district. This place is absolutely massive. It’s literally a whole pier, which sometimes hosts huge concerts, turned into a two-level bar and restaurant with lots of outdoor seating. With a direct line to the Statue of Liberty, this is the best view that a restaurant in New York City can offer. During sunset, you absolutely cannot beat it.
Pier A has many large tables both inside and outside that are perfect for large groups, and the menu is full of simple, unremarkable seafood that is easy to share. The food is not the reason you came here, although we are still thinking about the boy sliders. It’s the view that attracts you. It’s nice to be a tourist in your own city sometimes.
Lunch is the best time to come here because it’s nice and relatively empty. You can relax, take in the sights, and try not to get caught in the heater that blows hot air under your table, even if it’s nice outside. From happy hour to dinner on good days, this place is off the grid. Packed. So much action. In those moments, the scene turns into the Jersey Shore scene – the Surf Lodge and the Boardwalk Barn (does this place still exist?). After 22:00, people seem to disperse and you are left with a large empty room where there is still some modern Darude remix of “Sandstorm” with Chris Brown “rapping” to the end. FiDi is not a night scene,
To be honest, without the overall setup, Pier A would probably get a 6.0. This is a place where you should go once just to see it. Go with friends to have a drink and a bite to eat. It’s an impressive space that is very different from where you are used to being in New York. Alternatively, you can call your parents and tell them you went on a field trip. Just skip the part about the 8 beers you drank in the process.
