15 Dinner Experiences in New York Worth the Subway Ride

1.City Cruises New York: Bateaux Premier Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,371 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $180Our pick

Board Bateaux New York at Pier 61 for an evening cruise on the Hudson and East Rivers. Expect a seated dinner, live band and vocalist, and views of the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Semi-formal dress is required; drinks beyond tea, coffee, and water cost extra.

“Excellent cruise. Beautiful view of New York City. The food was delicious and the entertainment was absolutely wonderful.”

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2.City Cruises New York: Signature Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,362 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $119

Board City Cruises at Pier 61 for an evening on the Hudson with a buffet dinner, a table for your party, and indoor and outdoor decks. Expect skyline views that include the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center, and Brooklyn Bridge, plus a live DJ. The cruise lasts about 2.5 hours; arrive early, since the boat will not wait for late arrivals.

“Very nice love the ride around the city drinks were decent food decent lots of games to play and staff was extremely attentive”

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3.Gourmet Dinner Cruise with Live Music

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,074 reviews · 3 hours · from $145

Board the Louisa of the Seas at Pier 36 for a three-hour evening cruise past the Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. You’ll have a private table, a plated dinner, live music, and nonalcoholic drinks. Regular and VIP options differ in drink tickets and VIP-deck access. The band The Barnacles and hosts such as Peter, Victoria, and Bryan have been part of the experience.

“Great fun and a terrific view. Food was good perhaps not great but very attentive staff and fun music from the band made for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.”

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4.City Cruises Luxury Brunch, Lunch or Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 881 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $112

Board at Pier 61, Chelsea Piers, for a two- to three-hour cruise on a climate-controlled dining vessel. Choose brunch, lunch, or dinner, enjoy a three-course meal and live music, then step outside for photos of the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and Manhattan skyline. Dinner is semi-formal, and children under six are not permitted on the Premier Dinner Cruise.

“The brunch cruise was so much fun! This was my families favorite activity on our NYC trip. The crew and wait staff so cheerful and accommodating. Food was great and bottomless mimosas on Sunday! Great views! Five Stars!”

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5.City Cruises Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner Buffet Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 417 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $84

Board the Spirit of New York at Pier 61 for a 2 to 3 hour brunch, lunch, or dinner cruise. Eat a buffet meal, hear the onboard DJ, and take in Manhattan from enclosed decks or open-air observation areas. Brunch includes bottomless mimosas; other drinks are available for purchase.

“My first experience and I recommend it 100% I had a lot of fun and the service was amazing. They were very kind and respectful I would say costumer service was the best and the experience was amazing”

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6.New York City Dinner Cruise with Live Music

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 377 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $149

Board at Pier 36 for a three-hour evening cruise with a five-course plated dinner at a private table, live music, and views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges, lower Manhattan, and the Statue of Liberty. The $149 fare includes unlimited nonalcoholic drinks and one beer or wine ticket. Departure is at 7 pm.

“The food was wonderful and beautifully plated. The service was outstanding. The ride around the city skyline and out to the statue were excellent. Great opportunity to enjoy dinner while enjoying the beauty of the city. My only complaint would be the address. I had my 80 YO mother with me who doesn’t walk very far at one time. They said pier 36 but it turns out it was much closer to Pier 35. She didn’t think she was going to make it by the time we walked all the way back. Plus a little weird walking in the dark around an empty pier where there were strange people standing…”

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7.Italian Dinner with Tiramisu Finale in NYC

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 142 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $120Top rated

At Selfup NYC, you’ll make fresh pasta, hand-stretched mozzarella and your own tiramisu, with chefs guiding the group through a three-course Italian meal. Sessions have featured chefs including Paige, Danny and Mark, and welcome beginners. Expect about three hours of cooking and dining at 325 W 37th St, with a maximum group size of 20.

“Everyone was friendly, and the food was great! Even though I was not with friends and family, I felt very comfortable.”

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8.City Cruises New Jersey: NYC Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 100 reviews · 2 hours - 150 minutes · from $84

Board City Cruises’ Spirit of New Jersey at Lincoln Harbor Marina for a buffet lunch or dinner, a reserved table, and views of Manhattan, the bridges, and the Statue of Liberty. You can move between the climate-controlled dining room and open-air deck, with a DJ, games, and nonalcoholic drinks included.

“the views were amazing. atmosphere was great. food was lovely”

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9.Signature Dinner Cruise on the Eternity

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 77 reviews · 3 hours · from $275

Board the luxury yacht Eternity at Pier 36 for a three-hour New York Harbor cruise with a five-course dinner, a private table, live house music, and a guaranteed window-side view. You’ll see landmarks including the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge from the water. A VIP Deck with a private bar is available if you select that option.

“This was absolutley the best thing we did in NY. It was so much fun! Santa was awesome and a Bama Fan, what made me happy! Roll Tide! The food was great, the drinks fabulous, highly recommend the cosmo. The boat is perfect. It was freezing outside, but that did not stop us from going up on the top deck to get some of the most wonderful pictures. I highly recommond booking this dinner cruise. Perhaps it was Christmas night and that made it even more special, but the sights and pictures you get are out of this world. I would do this each time we go to NYC. This…”

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10.Central Park Cafe Scenic Lunch & Dinner Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 37 reviews · 1 day · from $49

Take a seat at Central Park Cafe for a three- or four-course lunch or dinner. Choose from soups, salads, steak, salmon, stroganoff, chicken curry and several desserts. Wine, beer and specialty cocktails cost extra. An English-speaking host or greeter is available, and the cafe is wheelchair accessible.

“Stopped by for lunch after walking around Central Park. The café is in a great spot, very easy to reach. Everything was nice — good food, friendly staff, and a relaxed atmosphere. A good place to grab lunch and take a short break after a walk. Would come back again.”

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11.New Year’s Eve Buffet Dinner Fireworks Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 37 reviews · from $552

Spend three hours cruising New York Harbor on New Year’s Eve with City Cruises. You get a reserved table, a three-course buffet, an open bar, and DJ entertainment, with views of Manhattan, the bridges, and the Statue of Liberty. Fireworks are included weather permitting. The meeting point depends on the option you book.

“The decoration and the atmosphere were amazing. Everyone was super friendly, the food was good. The music could have included more new songs, unfortunately only oldies were played, which meant that the dance floor was getting a little emptier. But overall it was a great experience, although it could have gone on a little longer, 3 hours went by way too quickly.”

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12.Bustronome Gourmet Dinner Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 34 reviews · from $167

Bustronome NYC pairs a seasonal meal by chef Ashley Kim with a two-hour ride past New York’s iconic sights in a climate-controlled, glass-roofed double-decker bus. Choose a four-course lunch or six-course dinner, enjoy restaurant-style service and an app guide, and note that only non-alcoholic drinks are served onboard.

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13.Christmas Eve Gourmet Brunch or Dinner Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 31 reviews · from $158

Celebrate Christmas Eve on Bateaux New York, a glass-enclosed yacht departing from Pier 61. Choose a casual, two-hour brunch or a semi-formal, three-hour dinner, both with a plated three-course meal, reserved table, live music and wide views of Manhattan. Drinks beyond coffee, tea, iced tea and water are available to buy.

“I loved seeing the sights from the river. The highlight was being up close to the Statue of Liberty. The food on board the boat was amazing.”

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14.Christmas Day Buffet Brunch or Dinner Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 29 reviews · from $146

Board the Spirit of New York at Chelsea Piers for a two-hour brunch or 2.5-hour dinner cruise on Christmas Day. Expect a seasonal buffet, a reserved table, DJ music, and views of landmarks including the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty. Brunch includes unlimited mimosas; dinner drinks are available to buy.

“Very pleasant atmosphere, excellent food, very good briefing, and friendly service. The music could have been more appropriate (only music from the 90s was played, while Christmas music would have been more fitting on December 25). There was ample space for taking photos, and the ship's crew was very friendly and attentive.”

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15.Manhattan Skyline Dining Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 28 reviews · 3 hours · from $119

Sail from Pier 40 aboard a three-deck yacht for about three hours on the East and Hudson rivers. Choose a buffet or a plated three-course dinner with champagne, then head to the sky deck for views of the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and Manhattan after dark. Music, hosted narration, indoor seating, and a cash bar round out the evening.

“vous parlez de buffet. C'est pire qu'à la cantine. avec leur grosses gamelles et grosses louches. repas absolument pas équilibré. pâtes riz pommes se terre..... heureusement que les endroits que nous visitons sont magiques surtout la nuit. C'est à couper le souffle. par contre il pourrait penser a nettoies vitres.”

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