Alison C.
Yelp
My friend and I checked out The Rooftop at Pier 17 for a concert, and I was completely in awe of its amazing, broad views of the Brooklyn Bridge, East River, Downtown Manhattan, and Brooklyn. While the show proceeded, we were able to see the sun set, and the city become illuminated. It was truly awe-inspiring!
In addition, the sound system was crystal clear, and the general standing setup made it easy to get as close to the stage as you wished. At the show we were attending, the video screens adjacent to the stage kept switching between views of the band and highlights of the audience, which really got the crowd engaged. The downside to the layout, however, was that there really was no where to sit, so between sets or while you were eating, you were basically forced to stand or sit on the ground.
Speaking of eating, the Chicken Tenders that we had ordered were awful! They were burnt and bone dry. Thankfully, they were served with a bag of Cape Cod potato chips to fill up on instead. I had not even had chicken fingers for years, but there really were no health food items on offer; their only vegetarian option was spinach and cheese empanadas. I would definitely dine elsewhere before or after your show.
The beverage program was not much better. The standard margaritas were $19 and half the size of a normal one you would get elsewhere. They indirectly tried to convince you to upgrade to a full-sized version for another $9. It was insansity! In terms of canned beverages, the options were mainly beers, with one cider and one Bacardi Mojito also available. There were no hard seltzers of any kind. I opted for the Bacardi Mojito, which was refreshing, but also very sweet and artificial tasting.
Also, just for reference, the bathroom was huge, modern, and could accommodate the bulk of the concert crowd; it was located one floor down within the pier building, which was easy to navigate by using the escalators.
I really would love to see a show at The Rooftop at Pier 17 every summer, though I will make sure to eat and drink elsewhere!