When hunger struck on a recent "voyage" aboard the Staten Island Ferry, my boyfriend and I decided to stop at this little spot, conveniently located within the St. George Terminal. It hit the spot! The beer selection is pretty basic, but with a couple of nice surprises. We both ordered the Piraat, which was on draft. For food, I ordered a turkey club sandwich, which was made with yummy bacon but less-than-exciting deli turkey. My boyfriend ordered the lobster "roll" (which I don't think you can call a roll since it was served on sandwich bread). The fries were awesome though... crispy, lightly seasoned and delicious. While we dined, we were able to enjoy waterfront views, which was a nice touch. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. But if I find myself at the ferry terminal again, I'd stop by for a beer. read more

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Rarely write reviews, and never negative, but this place deserves 0 stars, not an option. The frozen margarita was watered down as was the big lemonade that had more pits then lemons. The food took forever, you'd think you would be getting freshly prepared food! Nope, out of the box Mac and cheese(not joking) and bad bad bad out of the can lobster bisque(pink, sweet slime) half our order was wrong to top it off, the other half was cold and sooooo bad! Truly the worst food I've ever had! read more

Unfortunately I was unable to partake in any of the food and/or beverages at this local spot. As I entered on the 4th of July I was told by the two hostesses that there were no more tables available. I informed them that my friends & family were at the bar and that I would be joining them. I was then told that the bar was also full. I've never been turned away from a bar before. I walked in any way to inform my group that I would be going elsewhere. I didn't appreciate the aggression that was shown to me by the two young ladies. Also, the bar was far from full, but I took my party elsewhere. read more

looks like a nice place, wife and I tried it. Quickly sat down and got drinks, but burger and fish sandwich took forever. And that wasn't even a busy time that we went, food was nothing to brag about, can't see going back there. read more

So today my fiancee took time off today with his soon to be bride it was so nice we sat enjoying the breeze and weather while having dinner outdoors in the sun. My fiancee enjoyed his chicken,ribs,shrimps, and mash potatoes in one dish while I enjoyed my lobster and mash potatoes. He also had lobster bisque which was so creamy with bread ,cheese,and was seasoned excellent. It was so nice to see the same general manager from six months ago sorry I don't remember your name I apologize. As a manager he is so professional, respectful, approachable and very accommodating. The food is fresh, nice portion size, and price is reasonable. The environment is inviting. Only outdoor dining for now. Saturdays they have bands. I love this place. The waiters are very respectful and accommodating bad well. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy our comfortable dinner and view. read more

Beware!!! Just because there aren't any restaurants open at the new outlets does not mean it's okay to eat here. Eat somewhere/ anywhere else. It's very expensive for poor quality food & service. This place is complete garbage. read more

Was going to attend an graduation, by the nearby staten island stadium. Had an hr to kill. So we stopped by. First glance very accomodating. Was seated very quickly. They have an nice outdoors with a live band. We stayed indoors. Wasn't really wowed with the menu, i had a turkey burger. Its hard to mess that up. They didn't. I had a pina colada with a house tequila. My friend had the calamari which was served cold..it was fried. They made the adjustments very smoothly. Overall, keep this place in mind when you get some time on your hands. Maybe too early for a game, problems with the ferry or SIR. The bathroom is clean, the food is nothing unfamiliar..its a place to take the load off until you decide to do what you want to do. Thanks for being there. read more

Came with a friend and we didn't enjoy the food at all. The place had a nice ambience and the service was great but the food was awful and expensive for what it was. We ordered two shrimp dishes that came with 6 shrimp each and one lobster Mac & cheese. The lobster was imitation lobster, I feel that should've been mentioned on the menu. The Mac & cheese was also watery. At the end our bill came up to $60 (didn't order drinks). Totally wasn't worth it for what we received. read more

I went a few weeks ago and was shocked about how fresh the seafood was, it was very tasty. The drinks were spot on and it was a pleasure dining there. read more

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I enjoyed a relaxing lunch here with the friendly bartender, Cassandra. She made me a Peach Tea followed by a Gin Mojito, both were excellent. She then reccomend the Lobster Ravioli with a side salad for much, great recommendation!! read more

River Dock Cafe - GIN MOJITO - Seafood Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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This place could've been great. It had all the right ingredients - really nice view, no real competition from other restaurants, steady stream of hungry tourists visiting the new Outlet stores there. Everything perfect except the food. And we were starving, so our tolerance for mediocre food was high. My steak sandwich was all bread, onions and sauce but the steak was basically absent: a 1/8" thin piece of meat which the bread couldn't cover. It was honestly the worst ever. And the fires were cool, not hot or warm by any stretch. Eat off the food trucks that are nearby, eat before you visit the outlets stores, or wait for more food places open in the area. But skip this place. read more

Horrible service. This is the second time in trying this restaurant. I came in and waited at the front to be seated. No one greeted me and the staff seemed too engrossed in the conversation they were having to greet and seat a potential patron. I asked for a table for one. I was seated and then left for over 20 minutes before anyone even asked if I was being helped or wanted water. No apology and the staff seemed like I was a burden. Will not be returning. Too bad because the food is actually good. But the service is subpar. For over five workers to pass a table and just stare for 20 min is unacceptable. If you do go ask for Johnny. He is the only person there who knows anything about customer service and being personable. Thanks Johnny read more

Went here before exploring on Staten Island. Not sure if it was because I was with a large group of pre-teens (field trip) but the portion sizes were ridiculously small. I literally asked the waiter "is this the normal amount of fries you give?" And he reluctantly said yes. I had ordered a chicken and Swiss sandwich which was said to have chicken, coleslaw, honey mustard, Swiss, tomato, aoli, and pickles on toasted brioche bread. The chicken was burnt and dry. The sandwich consisted of lettuce, chicken and bread. It was horrible and the bread was stale. a waste of money. Never coming here again. read more

River Dock Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Try this place right of the Staten Island terminal. The place was kinda empty for Valentine's Day, anyway they were three of us and we had Ceasar salad sliders and hot pot seafood contains lobster Tiger shrimp clams mussle corn Alaskan crab legs,all I can say don't listen to negative reviews. You be judge the food was good came out on moderate time. Love the taste food was just rightt will definitely be back again. The staff was good too read more

Awesome atmosphere!!! And amazing views! It seemed they were short staffed when it came to waitress but the bartender Michelle was beyond outstanding!!! She makes great cocktails and made sure I got my food, even brought it to me when she seemed extremely busy herself!! She gets 5 stars! The food was really good, definitely going back! read more

The outside area really could use a clean up. It looks the same as it did when there no restaurant there but with tables . The service sucked , they weren't rude just not trained and young . The food is what it is, nothing great but not bad . My server was sweet but she hadn't been trained and it really showed and annoyed me. My margarita took 15 mins and it was pure juice . I may come back cause the fries were good lol read more

This was probably the worst restaurant experience I have ever had. We ate here out of necessity despite the bad reviews... avoid it at all costs. Terribly understaffed, to the point where the service suffered irreparably. It took very long to be acknowledged by a host, even longer to be greeted by the server, and it took so long to get our bill that we genuinely considered dropping cash on the table and walking out. The attitude of the staff was less than apologetic - they didn't care at all or apologize once. The food was sub par considering the pricing. My wings were burnt. The chicken on my friend's salad was bone dry and ice cold. The only thing this place has going for it is the view. read more

This place should have a better rating! Our server was very hospitable and remembered us very well, had the courtesy to tell us how long our food would take and remembered all our drinks for refills as we waited. Took about 30 minutes for 5 full meals, so not too bad at all. Portions were great, and overall you get exactly what you pay for. Great place to sit down to eat after coming off the ferry or shopping at the new mall! read more

The St. George Ferry Terminal hasn't had a decent bar since Gerald Ford was president. That's all changed with the opening of River Dock Cafe. They have a large U-shaped bar & lounge inside a glass inclosure which offers views of the Harbor & Downtown Manhattan on one side and commuters scurrying past on the other. They offer Wraps & Burgers and have a tank of Live Lobsters so there's something for everyone. But I think the best part is the bar, if you want a Adult Beverage while waiting for the ferry your choice is no longer limited to a can of beer wrapped in a paper-bag. read more

It's exclusively a tourist trap. Food is awful. Service is worse. They have a steady stream of unsuspecting customers. They put their money into the aesthetics and the tourists pile in because the place looks nice. Anecdotally, I was getting food from the take-outside one day. The girl taking my order behind the counter was eating Subway. Out of curiosity, I asked her why they don't get an employee discount or something. She cringed and shook her head saying "I wouldn't eat here." read more

The River Dock Cafe is GREAT! If you like: Applebees. Houlihans. TGIFs. Mediocrity. Or get excited by watching golf. This space had the potential for something a bit more unique but falls prey to functioning as a generic commuter hub/tourist transport convenience eatery with the over-wrought pitch of dining on water, at a terrace overlook, near a sea captain, watching big boats, etc. Office slaves congregate here with fellow commuters from the morning and evening ferries after leaving their day job doldrums with a sliver of time to unwind and blur out the last eight miserable hours. "Lemme putcha lass name in my phone so I have it faw next time..." When a place is new on the scene, you don't want to be too harsh on the service. There was a thin crowd on my visit. My bartender/server was polite and efficient. The food choices--not exactly suited to my tastes--had low expectations...and were met accordingly. After I removed the excess dough of the not-so-special bread, the vegetable sandwich narrowly swerved away from my windpipe and tasted okay. The spring rolls of the obvious frozen variety were not as good as Fresh Direct's more lively choices. (I recommend sneaking in a take-out order from Bay House Bistro instead). My beverage, a plain unsweetened iced-tea was amusing. The color was right; the taste...I really don't know what I was drinking. Maybe it was part of a mix for a cocktail? The bartender, busy enough, was spared any complaint. Two-thirds of the fairly large space is the restaurant and large bar with three flat-panel TVs. The other third is a take-out/prepared food deli counter section--somewhat redundant to what the ferry terminal already offers. Again, the concept is simply unimaginative and uninspiring. Maybe a few spins on the proposed ferris wheel will land vertigo-induced diners without a care into River Dock Cafe to settle their tummies with mounds of comfort food. Four stars for the sleek blue-tiled and stainless steel rest rooms. A definite upgrade to the well-trafficked dumping grounds of the terminal facilities. read more

Wow what a disappointment. Ordered a panini, and as soon as I saw the girl go into the fridge to pull out a pre made sandwich I knew this was ganna be bad. Bread tasted like cardboard and and completely overpriced for its value. Upside was good visuals, and smiling employees. Save your money, go somewhere else. read more

River Dock Cafe - Cardboard ; small ; overpriced ; premade - Seafood Near Me - Staten Island, New York

This review is based solely on service. We were taking a day trip into Staten Island and decided to grab a bite to eat here after getting off the ferry. The place wasn't full at all on a Saturday afternoon so we were seated right away. After being seated, we waited a few minutes, no service came. A few minutes later someone asked if we were using all our chairs, but no orders taken. A few minutes later we waved to a group of wait staff that were just standing around. They made eye contact but went on with their conversation. A few minutes later we decided to leave. Only as we were leaving (after being ignored for close to twenty minutes) only one waiter seemed to half apologize. The rest of the wait staff including the hostess, didn't seem all that concerned. read more

Came here for a leisurely bite to eat. Crab cakes were decent- weird dried up carrot garnish on the plate. French fries- the kind that are coated and while they give you a big basket, they were looking overdone. Cappuccino was ok. Creme brûlée - don't bother. Very thick, tasteless, gross. I have that dessert everywhere since it's my favorite- from NY to Los Angeles and this is the worst I've ever tasted. For one person with just the above items, no alcohol, it was $34. Yes you read that right. $34. I'll return just because it's close to me and I'd like to try the dinner items. But won't be getting today's items again. Step it up, River Dock owners. You've got a potential gold mine there. read more

River Dock Cafe - Crab cakes- they were ok. Dried up carrot garnish. Not worth the price. - Seafood Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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Think Manhattan prices in a bad diner. There you go, that's what this place is. It has one thing going for it....the view. Do yourself a favor. Pack a PB&J and some chips and just stand outside on the North end of the Ferry Terminal and enjoy the view. Just don't waist your money in this place like we did last night. Details.... I'll just stick to the food here. I would never go into a cheap diner and order lobster tail....or lobster anything! I go into those diners for two eggs over easy, bacon, and crispy hash browns. Because that's what a cook in a diner can do. They don't do food like grilled lobster. But we were not in a diner last night (or so we thought). So our orders included grilled lobster; grilled salmon; and two of us ordered the lobster roll. The grilled lobster had no flavor and literally had water pouring out of it! How does that happen to something that is grilled? Answer - it was not grilled. The grilled salmon was cooked to a second death and came out pithy and dry. And the lobster rolls had ZERO lobster flavor. In fact they tasted like they were dusted with cumin after being plated. And all of this at Manhattan prices. Stay away from here. There's a Subway sandwich shop across the hallway from this joint. Do yourself a favor and eat there instead! read more

So disappointed with this place. With myself and a party of 4 waiting for someone to take our order for more than 20 minutes! Mind you there were wait staff running around the outdoor area where we were sitting at but no one bothered to ask if we were being helped.Not even offered water or drinks.There were 3 other tables occupied out of 20 tables in total.Then when we had to somewhat force someone to stop to take our order like wtf?! Strike 1 Then the girl who took our order looked like we inconvenienced her by having her stop in her tracks to write it down. That customer service training really paid off. NOT! And when I told her to skip over me so I can decide,everyone else chose their meals and was about to leave without taking mine. Strike 2 Then as the food was served she brought in our drinks and forgot to whom ordered what or wanted to walk the extra few steps to come to the other side of the table to reach the other side. Then she said."I guess I should bring out the parmesan cheese and ketchup" and walked off. Strike 3 and 4 That chick was so frigid asking us if everything was ok. Like I know that being a waitress/server isn't the most glamorous job in the world but fake the contentment while you're there. The only reason I gave this place one star was because the food was pretty good. I'm a Staten Islander and I see this on my daily commute. Now to make my assessment on the carry out on my next visit. read more

One star is for the food. 3 stars for Melissa, my server. She was very pleasant and accommodating. The food blender l however was very misleading. We ordered the mixed seafood basket aka garbage. It was worded on the menu like it was fresh and all it was was a basket of over fried, microwave, breaded seafood! So disappointing. Will never order this again!! I've had other meals from here. I enjoyed the salmon sandwich. Drinks are well made also. Yes I would come again read more

I hate doing this and very rarely post negative comments but this venue is so deserving of negativity that I have to. We took the SIRT to the Empire Outlets this afternoon. We decided to stop in at the River Dock Cafe at the ferry terminal for a few happy hour drinks and bite to eat in their outdoor patio area. We were seated right away at about 4:50 and were greeted by a waiter who brought us water and took our order for drinks. After sitting at the table, shooing away the disgusting pigeons fighting over an abundance of food on the floor for 35 minutes I approached the waiter who seemed annoyed that I even questioned him as to where our drinks were. He said that he's been trying to get us our drinks and blamed the slow bartender. Really? We then placed our food order and proceeded to wait another 20 minutes without still getting even one drink. We sat there and watched at least 3 tables sit and get served way before us. We also watched as 2 patrons sent back dishes that they were unhappy with. Happy Hour ends and 6 and it's now 5:50. I approached the manager who had no clue and offered no apology as we complained and left the building. The waiter offered nothing but a smirky smile as we left. Never again! read more

Please be aware that the hours listed are NOT the hours of operation. Opening an hour and a half late is totally acceptable due to a myriad of reasons in these times but at least let your customers know that you are unable to adhere to posted hours on your website. Unkind! read more

Customer service was amazing. However, the drinks were not. My frozen mango margarita barely had any alcohol in it. Food was okay. I'd go again though, for the view and atmosphere. Prices were reasonable. read more

They apply an automatic tip to your bill for all customers. And this is not written anywhere on the menu. Plus service is slow and our servers were all quite rude. Apart from that, good food, decent portions, great view. But it's definitely overpriced for what it is, especially being in Staten Island. read more

Yes, ladies and gentleman, you read that right... Staten Island. Now let's get the giant elephant in this blog post out of the way. Yes, River Dock Cafe is in Staten Island. And yes, some of you may balk at even the thought of going out to Staten Island. But, for those lucky enough to realize a free scenic boat ride providing breathtaking views of the Statue of Liberty and downtown Manhattan doesn't sound that bad, you're in for treat. River Dock Cafe is located just steps off the ferry. The restaurant has both an indoor dining area as well as (recommended) an outdoor patio with awesome views of the Manhattan skyline. This patio screams refreshing happy hour cocktails on a Friday. Any takers? The views aren't the only thing that make River Dock Cafe. Sitting literally on the water would lead you to believe seafood is a large part of the menu here. You'd be spot on. During my visit we were treated to a never-ending onslaught of food. A sampling of what we had is outlined below. Appetizers: Fresh mozzarella, crab cakes, appetizer assortment of coconut shrimp, mozzarella sticks, calamari and Buffalo wings, shrimp satay, black and white ahi tuna salad Main Courses: Cajun steamed pot, fresh Maine lobster, Thai mussels pot, shrimp fra DiaVolo, grilled mix combo, Alaskan pan fried salmon Dessert: Red velvet, chocolate molten cake, New York cheesecake I wasn't kidding about all that food! Every dish was plated beautifully and tasted just as good as it looked. The versatility of River Dock Cafe was on full display here. Not only can they do seafood right, but they can do all types of seafood. Whether you're ordering a steamed lobster or an ahi tuna salad you can't pick wrong. Don't feel restrained to seafood either. We devoured some delicious tasting baby back ribs smothered in barbecue sauce and free range chicken breast. What really made me love River Dock Cafe wasn't the view or the food but the owner's connection to the local community. While sitting with us during dinner, multiple people came up to him to say hi, he told us stories about his 'regulars' and the homeless people his kitchen feeds with leftovers. I can't say enough about the impression that left on me. This is a restaurant that clearly wants to become part of the local Staten Island community. River Dock Cafe is bound to only become more popular as word continues to spread. Additionally, the area around the Staten Island Ferry Terminal is slated for a major revitalization, with an enormous Ferris wheel and outdoor outlet mall set to be constructed in the coming years. In other words, get to River Dock Cafe quickly before the crowds do and enjoy a picturesque trip on the Staten Island Ferry. I promise you it will be one of the nicest trips you'll ever take to a New York City restaurant. read more

Great setting, good food but the whole experience is ruined by the terrible chaotic service. There were lots of help but the service was still terrible. Saw our waiter once to take our order and bring our drinks. No silverware. condiments. You have to ask, if you can find someone. A different person appears with what you asked for every time. Never saw waiter again. Food takes forever. Had to chase down waiter to get the bill. What a shame ! Great location, good food only to be ruined by terrible service. read more

Food was ok, and my beer wasn't that cold, but our server was great. I wouldn't come here to eat again, but In would come for the beautiful Manhattan view and a cold beer at night to escape. Ambiance was very chill and relaxing in a dim but not too dark atmosphere. read more

I've wanted to try this place for some time. Its well built and the view is outstanding, however while the decor and service was great, the food was I'll befitting its surroundings AND price. I dined here at 9:00pm on Friday, October 28th. I had ordered a 15 dollar burger, medium well. What I received was a well done, flavorless burger. 20 Dollars pissed away. Never again. read more

This place was awful. We went in and got seated and waited and waited and waited until we talked ourselves out of eating there and went to dairy queens. So basically I will never return. My girlfriend just said she waited a half hour to get served.... that sucks.. And the place on both times wasn't crowded, to me that just lacks management. read more

The star is for the lovely views we saw this afternoon while waiting for food that never. Our flustered waitress and comments from other diners around us suggest a staffing issue. However, the manager didn't seem to care. I suggest skipping this place and enjoying the dockside views from the upper level and then heading back to Manhattan for better service. #TouristTrap read more

My husband and I stopped here after our commute back from the city on a random Tuesday evening. We heard decent things about this place from a friend, and thought we would check it out for ourselves. I got the southwest salad with grilled salmon, and my husband got the crabcake burger. We were both very happy with our meals. I am Indian, my food needs to have flavor. And the salmon was extremely delicious. Now that means a lot coming from me. My husband really enjoyed his burger, and it came with a side of fries. The fries were out of this world. When you eat fries that do not need any kind of condiment, you got yourself some damn good fries. Our server was incredibly kind and friendly. I would return back another time to try some of the more expensive meals. The view wasn't that great, but there was no air-conditioning inside and it was actually more comfortable sitting outdoors. If you're taking the ferry to Staten Island one day, consider stopping by for a delicious meal. read more

After 7 years in NYC (it's official today!), I have finally popped my Staten Island cherry--and now have officially visited all 5 of New York City's boroughs. I'm a little ashamed that it took me this long, but I digress. The catalyst behind this visit was, of course, food. The free ferry ride across the bay didn't hurt either. I was invited, along with Dave from Barton's Bites to visit the River Dock Cafe located inside the ferry terminal building with a terrace overlooking the bay and downtown Manhattan. Afshin, one of the restaurant's owners--it's a family business--met our group and gave us the history of how his father came to the US from India years ago and built up a food empire from nothing. They now own 47 restaurant concepts in the tri-state area, including most of the vendors in Penn Station. It was definitely an impressive rags-to-riches story and made me respect their ambition a ton. We started with drinks, which were much needed given the fact that the sun was shining right in many of our faces and we were all sweating glistening. I would definitely recommend any of the frozen drinks, but I found myself craving more and more of the lemonade. I know it's simple, and there's not even alcohol (though you can ask them to add some vodka if you're feeling that), but it's delicious and refreshing and just screams summer. As for appetizers, we were bombarded (in the best way possible) with a Thanksgiving table full of food. Favorites included the fried shrimp and calamari from the appetizer assortment ($23), the Caprese salad ($11), and the fresh white ahi tuna salad ($15). Afshin told us River Dock's specialty is seafood, even though they do fried food very, very well. So for the main course, the friendly waitstaff brought out another tableful of food: Cajun steamed pot ($33), fresh Maine lobster ($27), Thai mussel pot ($22), Seafood Fra Diavolo pasta ($19), marinated grilled shrimp ($29), Alaskan pan seared salmon ($22), BBQ baby back ribs ($23), and the grilled free range chicken breast ($19). PHEW! I tell ya, you can take the girl out of Boston (where I went to school), but you can't take the Boston out of the girl. I was super into the shellfish, and was the only one of us adventurous enough to crack into the lobster claws sans plastic bib. It was worth it. Nothing says summer like making a mess eating lobster. The Cajun steamed pot was also a ton of fun, with the crab legs easier to open than the lobster and the peel-and-eat shrimp ready for your dextrous digits to tear into them. Lastly, we couldn't leave without at least sampling dessert. Each dessert usually comes separately, but Afshin brought out a sampler for us including the red velvet cake, chocolate molten cake, and NY cheesecake (each $8). My favorite was definitely the molten cake because chocolate. One of the best parts of the night was the ride home (again, the Staten Island Ferry is FREE!). We stood at the bow of the boat, digesting as we watched the shimmering lights of the city come closer and closer. I would do it all again just to watch the distant hum of activity turn into the individual buildings and streets that we all know and love. River Dock Cafe is the perfect place to take a "staycation" dinner trip, even on a weekend night. Set up shop right after work with a few frozen cocktails and some lemonade, order up some seafood, and watch the sun go down and the Manhattan lights go up. Word has it that a ferris wheel larger than the London Eye will also be rising in the vicinity of the restaurant, so that will only draw more and more traffic to the area. So you might as well check it out now! read more

Nice place. Bad food. We ordered the lobster bisque which I did not eat because I thought it tasted funny. My boyfriend ate it and had a terrible stomach ache for the rest of the night. Also we ordered a sampler platter that looked good visually, but was really just an assortment of crap. The waffle fries were good but very few. I also didn't mind the shrimp . The calamari though was extremely disappointing, fried flavorless rubbery things. The place itself is pretty nice. Good set up, comfortable chairs, nice location. It looked very clean as well which is always a plus, or star in this case. Unfortunately I found the menu to be on the higher priced side . Which would be fine if it was quality food. On the other side, this place may specialize in the sea food and steak. I may come back and test it out but more then likely not. read more