I abandoned New York City seven years ago for a maritime- and surf-themed lifestyle in South Florida, so I’m tickled that whenever I go back, my best friend Ted introduces me to his new favorite bars, and they’re also maritime- and surf-themed. This time, he took me to Réunion Surf Bar in Hell’s Kitchen and The Rusty Knot on the West Side Highway. Since boats, surf, and New York City are three of my favorite things, I’ve got a couple of other spots to share with you, too.
Reunion Surf Bar
Réunion Surf Bar
Head downstairs to this surf-themed bar with colorful wood-paneling, surf boards strewn about, and bikinis hanging from a line with an Endless Summer poster tacked to the wall. There’s also a “fish room” with a small aquarium on your way to the bathrooms. With a sign that reads “Must Be This Tall To Ride The Bartender,” you know you’re at a spot where it’s okay to have a good time. With a super laid back vibe, you’ll be happy to see that they take their drinks seriously. There’s an extensive cocktail menu with both classic and inventive tiki-style drinks, and a selection of craft and international beers that go hand in hand with the beach. The night we were there, we sampled a few of the Bartender’s Selections. I had the Wahaka Fizz (a Hawaiian surfer dude’s interpretation of Mexico’s Oaxaca?) made of Don Amado mezcal, Aperol, grapefruit, lime, soda, and Peychaud’s bitters. Although we didn’t eat while we were there, the food menu looked pretty tasty, too.
377 W. 44th  St., 212-582-3200
Ted & Shayne at The Rusty Knot
The Rusty Knot
We swung by this salty little joint on the West Side Highway on a Sunday afternoon for a quick drink. With wood-paneled walls, linoleum floors, and kitschy 70s-style sofas lined with bamboo, they’ve definitely created the atmosphere of a New England boat bar dive. Add to that, fish mounted on the wall, model boats, and illustrations of pin-up style sailor girls, you’ll be ready to for one of their strong tiki drinks. The menu is displayed simply on a blackboard with push-in letters, listing The Rusty Knot, Dark & Stormy, Zombie, Spiced Colada, Mai Tai, and Singapore Sling without any explanation beyond that. If you ask the bartender, she’ll give you a general description. Just know you’re in for a strong, fruity rum-based drink. There’s a free juke box, a food menu, and the sun shining through the windows reflecting off the Hudson River.
425 West St., 212-645-KNOT
Saturdays Surf
For fashion forward surf apparel and a minimalist, artsy vibe, head to SoHo’s Saturdays Surf. My friend Rebekah introduced me to the spot on a visit last summer. Here, you can also order a coffee or espresso from their coffee bar, and kick it in the quiet courtyard out back with wooden benches, leafy caladium plants, a tin shed, and a stash of boards. It feels like a quiet, cool retreat in a friend’s backyard in the middle of the city, and makes for a perfect shopping break. There’s also a location in the West Village.
31 Crosby St., Â 212-966-7875
“Hi, my name’s Shayne. Welcome to my favorite bar, The Frying Pan.”
The Frying Pan
This is where it all started. My first summer living in New York, I took sailing lessons on the Hudson River at Chelsea Piers with Offshore Sailing School, and this was the spot we hung out at after lessons. This was where my love for boats began (oh yeah, and when I began dating my sailing instructor), and soon, in my free time, I always gravitated to the Hudson River Park to lay in the grass and watch the boats go by with my dog Sparky. That is, when I wasn’t sailing myself. The Frying Pan is a converted lightship built in 1929 that now serves as a seasonal, multi-level outdoor bar. To me, it’s paradise. Order a sangria or margarita from the bar, and a cheeseburger or whatever’s cooking on the grill, and grab a seat on the upper deck overlooking the river at sunset. It’s easily one of my favorite spots in the city, and as much time as I’ve personally spent here, I still think it’s one of New York’s best kept secrets.
Pier 66, W. 26th St., Â 212-989-6363
