Favorite Dock Bars

It’s getting near the end of the season here in the Northeast, but as they say, it’s 5:00 somewhere.  Check out these favorite dock bars either by land or by sea.  Remember to enjoy in moderation though so you can safely get to an anchorage or home.

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79th Street Boat Basin Café

By far my favorite of all.  If you have the chance, stay at the 79th Street Boat Basin and walk up to the restaurant.  It’s tough getting into the basin (you need at least a half tide’s worth of water) and they don’t take reservations, but it’s well worth the feeling of staying there.  If you have a dinghy, you can pick up a mooring ball and tie up at the marina.  There’s nothing calm about the water here—it is New York Harbor—so don’t expect a gentle night.
The café is laid back and totally unpretentious: plastic blue checked table cloths on plastic tables.  This belies the coolness of the place.  The vaulted ceilings inside give it an old world feel and the lights give it an ambience only outdone by the view of the Hudson River and the boats in the marina. This is a great place to have a bite to eat and a few margaritas.  It’s an even better place to meet friends.  Hands-down the best way to arrive in New York City that I know!

Curtin's Wharf Restaurant

Curtin's, located in nearby Burlington, NJ, is the easiest place to get to from Philadelphia, whether sailing or driving.  Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, they have a very laid back atmosphere and music at night.  We’ve taken several group sails up the river and stopped here. This is a good place to get a spot on the dock and settle in for a night of fun—it’s smart to take a dinghy though in case the dock is full.  This place is packed on nice weekends.  Mariners seeking ice will find it in the ship’s store located a few hundred feet from the front of the restaurant.

Red Eye's Dock Bar and The Jetty

These are two separate dock bars on either side of the Kent Narrows drawbridge.  You may decide to stop at both if you are awaiting a bridge opening.  At The Jetty, you can order crabs and sit at an outdoor table for the Maryland feeling.  I much prefer to sit at Red Eye’s outside bar for the Caribbean feeling—but only during the week when they aren’t having the bikini contest and every red neck on the Eastern Shore shows up on their Harley to partake in the action.

Stan's Idle Hour

Note the segue…here it is every red neck in Southwest Florida and even wannabe red necks donning mullet caps (baseball caps with built in hair pieces) for the occasion to watch Stan do the Buzzard’s Lope.  Everyone should experience Stan’s at least once, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Check back for more dock bar suggestions!