What the Hudson River Actually Looks Like from Riverside Park
Dinner outside, beside the water just can not be beat. In NYC, it can be hard to find the perfect back drop to your dining experience but Ellington in the Park sits inside Riverside Park at West 105th Street, right on the bank of the Hudson. Most outdoor spots in the city put a road, a bike path, or a parking lot between the tables and the water. Here it is just grass, a low rail, and the river.
The venue has two levels, and both face west. The upper bar is built from a repurposed shipping container, high enough to look straight out across the water toward the Palisades in New Jersey. The lower level sits at park level, closer to the water and right across from the 105th Street Dog Run. Come for a late lunch and the light on the water is completely different by the time you leave for the evening.
Time Out New York currently ranks Ellington in the Park ninth on its citywide outdoor bars list, and it also holds a place on the magazine's roundup of waterfront restaurants in New York. Both point to the same thing, a table this close to open water is rare in Manhattan.
Mark S. put it simply in a Google review, calling it an extensive bar with a strong list of cocktails and a solid food menu. Guests seated on the covered sections mention the breeze coming straight off the river, the kind of detail a menu description cannot really convey until you feel it yourself.
What you are actually looking at
Facing west from either level, the far bank is New Jersey and the ridge above it is the Palisades. Boats pass at a steady distance. Sunset lands directly ahead of the bar, which is why the upper level fills up in the hour before dark. Bring a jacket for the breeze once the sun drops, even in the middle of summer.
The kitchen built a sandwich around this view. The Hudson, made with caramelized onions, fig, baby arugula, and prosciutto, is served on both levels and named for exactly what you are looking at while you eat it. Chef John Loughran, who also leads the kitchen at sister restaurant The Ellington on Broadway, put it on the menu himself.
Getting there and finding a table
Enter the park at 103rd Street and Riverside Drive, where stairs and a ramp lead down. The nearest subway is the 1 train at 103rd Street, with the 1, 2, and 3 trains also stopping at 96th Street a short walk south. Street parking is available on Riverside Drive and West End Avenue.
Tables are first come, first served on both levels, no reservation needed. If you want one of the water facing spots at sunset, arrive before the light starts to change. The venue opens daily from 11am, and both the kitchen and the full bar are ready as soon as the doors are.
The sister venue for the rest of the year
When the season ends, The Ellington on Broadway takes over as the year round option, a block east at 2745 Broadway. Same ownership under Glenda Sansone, same kitchen under Chef Loughran, open Monday through Sunday, with a room that swaps the open air for jazz most evenings. You will not get the water view indoors, but the food and the kitchen carry over directly.
Common questions
What is the closest subway stop to Ellington in the Park?
The 103rd Street station on the 1 train is closest, about a five minute walk from the park entrance at 103rd and Riverside Drive.
Can you actually see the sunset from Ellington in the Park?
Yes. Both levels face west across the Hudson, and the sun sets directly ahead of the bar. The upper level fills up before dark on clear evenings for exactly that reason.
Is Ellington in the Park open if it rains?
Heavy rain or thunderstorms can affect the hours. Check the venue's Instagram for the latest update, and both levels have some covered seating in the meantime.
Ellington in the Park is at Riverside Drive and West 105th Street, New York, NY 10025. Open daily from 11am, April through November. Walk in, no reservation needed. For groups, the party reservations page has the current process, ellingtoninthepark.com/party-reservations/. Phone (929) 325 1004.