Labor Day weekend always arrives too soon. Not quite ready for the summer to end, we were feeling like we needed one more seaside getaway that didn’t require a lot of travel. So, we headed to Brooklyn Crab in Red Hook, a relatively new seafood place my husband had heard about. To get there, you can either take the subway to Carroll Gardens then hop on a shuttle bus, OR you can take the IKEA Water Taxi from Wall Street (free on weekends!)
We opted for the water route since our girls love ferry rides. As we floated away from Manhattan with a cool breeze and the sun on our faces, we knew this would
be a good way to mark the end of a great summer. As we arrived at the dock, the majority of other passengers made their way to endless aisles of affordable dressers
and bookshelves. We took the less traveled road- a 3-block walk to our destination.
Brooklyn Crab is a three-story building overlooking the New York Harbor, Statue of Liberty and Verrazano Bridge (with a massive Fairway parking lot thrown in). It’s decorated with all sorts of classic dockside kitsch. Re-purposed lobster traps, clam shell buckets and fishnets adorn the bar. It was a good thing we arrived about half an hour before the kitchen opens (2 p.m.), since the place fills up very fast! With our name of the list, we were quickly seated on the deck and started ordering a seafood bonanza. Rest assured, there is a solid kids’ menu with all the regular standbys.
We loved the feeling of being ‘away’ as we ate oysters, little necks and had a lot of fun hammering away at our succulent Maryland Blue Crabs. After lunch, we headed downstairs for a round of mini-golf. It wasn’t as crowded as most NYC putt putts and we had ‘a ball.’ There’s also Corn Hole, a popular bean-bag game imported from the South. However, after 18 holes, with each child attempting at least 10 shots per hole, we were exhausted. We headed back to the ferry and opted for seats in the comfort of the A/C. As other passengers struggled with their bulky IKEA purchases, we were comfy with only sun-kissed cheeks and full bellies! The girls even dozed a bit on the 10-minute ride back to Manhattan.
All in all, it was a great mini-getaway to mark the unofficial end of summer. If you’re in the mood for good seafood and some wholesome family fun, make sure to check out Brooklyn Crab– we loved it!
Prior to becoming a stay at home mom, Mina was an HR Recruiter for years. Now her time is spent happily juggling the demands of two young daughters while trying to expose them to the endless adventures the city has to offer.
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