For a long time I wanted to visit this place, a friend talked to me about it last year; well the moment came up and, I couldn't been more pleased. Carlos and his crew made my dinner experience just perfect, my date was gladly impressed, the food was flavorful and in the right portions, the wine, ambiance , and service were top notch, Thank you Pilot, I will come back next season; you truly are a unique restaurant in New York City. read more

Don't miss out on a fabulous dining experience onboard the Pilot! The food, drinks, and desserts were delic! Staff are outgoing and friendly, knowledgeable of the menu and mixed drinks. You will be wowed by the view around dusk! read more

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Quite a unique experience dining on a docked, historic wooden schooner that sways gently with the tide. Great views but very weather dependent. We got friendly service, the oysters were excellent , for dinner the watermelon salad, crevice, soft shelled crabs, lobster roll and scallops. Food was uniformly good with minor quibbles- the fries were blah and the ceviche had a little too much lime. My only complaint was the wine list- literally 3-5 selections- pathetic for a restaurant of this caliber. Beer and cocktail selections looked good but when you have only one champagne choice and the customer does not like the choice, it's a problem. If you are specializing in Oysters get better bubbles or charge corkage. read more

it was average and expensive. The atmosphere is not the same without the bar full. I didn't like the food and for the price thought it would be better read more

Excellent spot! Excellent and friendly staff. Food was delicious. To top it off, you're on a boat, with the best view of NYC.

What a great experience. Of course the setting is gorgeous and unique. But the best part was the staff, friendly, not overly friendly , professional, attentive and can make a great cocktail The deck was shipshape and CLEAN. will go again in a New York minute thank you read more

Had such a great time. Can't beat the atmosphere or view. Food was just as good and Steph was great for the recommendations

Great views and great drinks. Came on a day that wasn't ideal weather wise, I expect that impacts the crowd greatly, but still a nice day. We were seated immediately and tended to by our server promptly. Everything is overpriced and I wouldn't recommend for a full meal but great for drinks, IG photos, oysters and French Fries. read more

Pilot at sunset, Pilot after dark is worth every penny. we went with friends visiting from Mexico and we had a fabulous time. the surprising element besides the ambiance, decor, location and view is THE FOOD. The ceviche is one of the best ones we had. the scallops and the lobster rolls are Just perfect. Everything we tried was right on point and the drink menu: the IKO IKO (like the song) was a crowd pleaser DO NOT miss this amazing experience, we cant wait to go back for more! . read more

I think it might be my favorite restaurant in NYC - a true hidden gem. In the summer months, you'll find yourself casually floating at the edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park on a charming 1920s sailboat, with the absolutely stunning backdrop that is lower Manhattan. The oysters are to die for - especially the Wellfleet from Massachusetts - and if you order the Linguine with Clams, you're in for a wonderful sea and Italy inspired treat that is as authentic as it is delicious. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The drinks are a bit overpriced, but not uncommon for the area. Highly recommend for a date, it'll have you feeling like the star of your own New-York-based Romantic Comedy. read more

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Came here for the first time Monday night. The views are spectacular and the service/food is even better. We were greeted and sat by the GM Jared and he was extremely friendly and accommodating. Had a lobster roll and soft shell sandwich with some cocktails and couldn't be happier. Definitely will be back! read more

Pilot - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

When a special occasion group reservation requires a $75/persn nonrefundable deposit + multiple "you must be on time" admonishments you reasonably expect that your $100/prsn dinner will feature: - on-time seating, not a 48 min wait - a relaxed, fun meal, not "hurry up, the kitchen is closing" - a genuine wine list from which you may select gourmet options, not rose served in unmarked bottles & "a red" or "a white" -- all lousy - service to the table in a manner that has everybody eating TOGETHER, not here's a salad, you have to wait 20 mins for your appetizer, here are your cold french fries - the "delicious rich chocolate cake" isn't a slab of concrete-like dry gunk that cracks to the fork, and saps moisture out of your mouth. DO NOT EAT at PILOT. Enjoy the view, have a drink (not wine) at the bar. read more

Solid oysters, great view and friendly service. Blueberry desert was the highlight for me. Dress warm as it's about 5 degrees cooler by the water read more

A gorgeous spot to sip wine and enjoy a beautiful day on the water - literally. This isn't a boat-themed bar, it's actually on a boat. So if you tend to get motion sickness you might want to pop a couple Dramamine or bring your seasick bracelets as you might be rocking a bit. Our group got there on the early side and luckily claimed the back of the boat (I don't know the fancy nautical lingo sorry), which provided plenty of seating for all of our party. They let us buy bottles of wine and bring it back there, which was perfect. What was less than perfect was that some of us were starving, and unfortunately they have a very strict policy of only allowing food in the seated area. They wouldn't even let us order food to go and walk it over the length of the boat. The hungry hippos couldn't take it any longer so we split from the group and sat at a table for a bit, enjoying their lobster roll and fries. The fries especially were impressive - so fresh and piping hot. A really fun locale in the right weather, with lots of drinks to choose from and tasty food (if you're at a table)! read more

Came to PILOT for a sunset birthday dinner and got the captains table. The experience was perfect! City views, excellent hospitality and such fun cocktails. The food was fantastic too! The oysters were mouth-watering. We also got lobster Mac and cheese and lobster rolls and they were all made to perfection! The manager was super friendly and attentive to everyone's needs. This is by far one of my favorite spots in Brooklyn. Wonderful for locals as well as visitors. MUST TRY read more

The hostess was very rude when my friend and I initially walked up on an early Friday evening in August. After finding out that the wait was 1 hour for a table where food could be ordered, I asked if the marble bar at the end of the boat was available to sit at, she rudely answered, "That's not a bar," and looked at me like I was insane asking that...clearly, it is bar seating but she could have just said that because that bar served food that it's not open seating. Anyways, the bartenders at the bar by the entrance were very nice and prompt in taking our drink orders since we couldn't order any food. Go for the beautiful view of downtown Manhattan and a refreshing drink but don't expect stellar service. Hopefully the service has improved with time. read more

I went to Pilot on Labor Day for dinner with my fiancé and it was wonderful. Firstly, the restaurant is gorgeous, and the food was elegant and delicious--worth the wait for a dinner reservation! We ordered the ceviche to start and it was unbelievably good, so fresh, crisp and flavorful. We ordered a 1/2 dozen bluepoint and 1/2 dozen Montauk pearl oysters. Both were fresh and great but we loved the Montauk pearl so much we ordered another 1/2 dozen and a 1/2 dozen of the cochonette to try. Both delicious. For entrees I ordered the trout and my fiancé had the soft shell crab. The ingredients were thoughtful and the food was perfect. All in all this would have been a standardly perfect dining experience but what really made it extraordinary was the staff--everyone we encountered was so kind and considerate from the host who called my fiancé over once he arrived after me (parking garage wait) to our waitress and the other staff who jokingly retrieved a frisbee that some kids on the field had flung onto the lower deck stairs (telling them it fell in the water for a second before throwing it back was so funny). Pilot really sets the bar high here in hiring the sweetest people and it elevated the dining experience 10x. Also offers some killer views!! read more

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Pilot is hands down my favorite restaurant in Brooklyn. I take all of my friends who are visiting from out of town here for a special meal and a gorgeous view of the city. I have the pleasure of living only a few blocks away and have been coming to Pilot since the first week they opened four years ago. The service is impeccable and the food is delicious--ask my dog, she begs to stop by for fries even in the middle of winter! My personal favorite is the lobster mac n cheese, but I've tasted most of the menu and you can't go wrong with Chef Kerry's creations! read more

Rude rude staff. It's a beautiful concept, and the boat itself is gorgeous. Even the bathroom is a lovely experience. However, the staff on this bar are rude, nasty, passive aggressive, and mediocre drinks are wayyyy over priced. Again the concept is nice, but between seasickness, rude staff, and overpriced drinks, ill take my business somewhere else. read more

I never write reviews but after going to Pilot it is necessary! First of all, it's oysters, great drinks on a sailboat looking at the lower Manhattan skyline. If it was just the ambiance it would be a 9/10. However, unlike many places that are just Instagram spots with a view and ok food, the food was FANTASTIC. Best oysters I've had in years, great drinks and the most kind staff. Pilot is THE place to go in Brooklyn and Manhattan for drinks and seafood with the best view. read more

Had a wonderful experience on a Friday night. We sat at the cocktail bar and had great, attentive, kind service. Started with the Grand Banks oysters, our favorites were the Wellfleet and Montauk Pearl. All of the oysters were extremely fresh. For entrees we had the softshell crab, which I loved, and the steelhead trout, which was super fresh and perfectly cooked. We actually booked another reservation for mid-July during our dinner because we enjoyed ourselves so much! Can't wait to return! read more

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They don't devein the shrimp, which is tough.The drinks and fries are excellent though, so I guess there's that.

Look I get that this is a boat and there's something cute about that but I haven't regretted eating anywhere as much as I regret eating at Pilot last week. Everything costs too much, takes too long and none of it is that good. Even the oysters are slopped hapazardly, spilling half their liquor and betraying the fact that their shuckers and servers have no idea what they're doing. If you don't mind overpaying for mediocre food and drinks, and don't think that overpaying buys you any concern from the staff about the value of your time (i.e., you're not sinking the cost of a babysitter into the mix), maybe this is the spot for you. But there are plenty of places along the Brooklyn waterfront, from the River Cafe to Brooklyn Crab that have their act together and care whether their customers leave feeling happy or ripped off. Pilot just sucks. read more

This place was amazing we were just walking by and decided to pop in for drink and a quick picture. the drinks were amazing the staff was great. Restrooms were super clean! read more

The Storms A-brewin! No doubt a must try in NYC while weather permits! We were seated and greeted by a friendly and awesome staff. The nautical decor needs not be discussed, its awesome, you're on a mf BOAT! We were the last seated group, facing the great skyscrapers of NYC and the brewing storm at the background. Lightning and dancing lights over the city of Jersey made this night an experience. The food was fresh and came out on time (timely rushed as the storm came creeping in). Jessie our very funny waiter was great. Wine was great! Pros: Fracas drink is a must try. Soft Shell Crab Po' boy *drool* Great staff! Con: The wind can rock the boat, not for the queasy type. read more

Want to give this place a 1 for portion size but the lobster roll was so F***ing good and oysters very delicious. Extremely pricey but the experience is what makes it worth it. Staff is very welcoming and up beat, once in a life time type of spot. No specials or deals oysters range from 3.5 to 4.5$ , very simple menu cocktails 17$ beer 9$ , fries are 8$ lobster roll is 25$ read more

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Stumbled across Pilot while strolling through Brooklyn Bridge Park and MY GOD was this a gem. I definitely didn't think it was a restaurant upon arrival since it's literally a boat, but once I got my sea legs the restaurant was a hit. Wonderful view of the city and food was delicious. 9.5/10. Went with friends but would've been an amazing date spot. read more

Really friendly staff. Great food, great view. Can't beat eating on a boat!

Entrees never arrived. After asking to cancel our order, manager apologized saying the kitchen lost the ticket. The waitress used this same excuse earlier in the evening when our drinks took 15 minutes to come out (well after apps arrived). Manager removed entrees and gave 20% off the items we did order (caviar, oysters, 4 drinks). Food we had was good as were drinks. Most people seemed to be receiving fine service so perhaps we were a sad exception. read more

Amazing views. Great service. Very good food. It was perfect for a birthday celebration with my family.

This place is out of the way and very pricey. The cost isn't derived from the oysters or the seafood quality, rather it seems to be priced according to the gorgeous view of the city. Food was good but the rocking of the boat was a bit more than I'd prefer and thus caused me to have slight dizziness. I applaud the people who shuck oysters on rocking boats. Definitely not a place for those who tend to get motion sickness. read more

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I have been very cautious about dining outside of the home during this pandemic and decided to give Pilot a shot with my family (myself, partner, and kiddo), after seeing the socially distanced tables, mask-wearing staff, and obviously the abundant fresh air. Pilot more than exceeded my expectations. The staff were diligent about maintaining proper protocols for everyone's safety and were kind (yet firm) about ensuring that patrons adhered to mask-wearing when they left their tables. On top of that, the food and drinks were excellent! Highest recommendations for the fresh oysters, caviar hashbrowns, and grits. With all of these factors, plus the spectacular view, I couldn't recommend this place any more. read more

I cannot give this spot enough stars! Excellent service, excellent food and excellent views. My fiancé and I eloped since we had to cancel our wedding due to Covid-19. We were hoping to dine at Pilot to celebrate and Alex was extremely accommodating on very short notice. Once we arrived, we were greeted with a congratulations by the hostess which meant a lot :) Our table was perfect and our server was very friendly and knowledgeable. We ordered oysters, ceviche and drinks - all out of this world delicious. I can only imagine the difficulties in keeping a restaurant open during these challenging times, Pilot has gone above and beyond. We can't wait to go back!!!! read more

Pilot - Can't beat the views/ vibe. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I just went last week for my birthday, and wow, it was just what I needed. If you go to their website, you can easily make a reservation to find a time to visit. We were greeted when we walked up and were sat at a table in the shade (almost all tables had shade to keep people out of the sun), and we were shown how to use the digital menu. Service was fantastic, our cocktails were refreshing, and we had some apps to curb our appetite. They were cleaning tables, wearing masks, and doing everything right to make us feel safe. Do yourself a favor, go book a reservation and check it out. read more

I am so grateful to have Pilot in my neighborhood. The team bent to accommodate my every wish! Alex and Delroy helped me to reserve the exact table I asked for since I was celebrating a special event. Drinks are divine and the oyster menu was superb. They even let me stay late into the evening which was well past my reservation block. A perfect place to be during COVID. Thank you, Pilot!!!! read more

It would be really easy for this place to be a kitschy tourist trap, but it isn't at all. Drinks, service, and food were top notch and the views were excellent. Highly recommended for cute dates and dinner with visiting friends. read more

2 stars for: * Lovely boat and view * Solid cocktails & oysters No more than that for: * Terrible service. Had a reservation, was seated 30 minutes late after seeing walk-ups get continuously seated in front of us. Forgot our orders, took another 30 to get our food. * Overpriced. I know it's a boat, but $26 for four seared scallops is pretty insane * Cocktail menu is locked. Not their fault as it's their agreement with the parks department, but something to keep in mind. No Old Fashioned for this sailor. read more

They are doing all the precautions for COVID and they abide by it. The staff are friendly and efficient. The food was good. Prices on the higher end though. The view is amazing! read more

You'd hope by paying the premium prices that the food would be good. But, it is unfortunately not, and the worst part is - no one seems to care. The 4 dishes we ordered 2 apps 2 mains, were sent out in 1 shot and just thrown on our table. Most items deemed inedible very quickly, since they got cold fast. It's a nice place and great idea- such a missed opportunity really. read more

My group had an excellent experience at Pilot. Our server, Alexander, was incredibly friendly, helpful, and attentive. The ambiance speaks for itself - unique dining experience on a vintage boat. Really gives off the oyster bar / sea side vibes. Food is delicious and fresh. The perfect way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon. read more