Williamsburg Waterfront

Located on Kent in the rapidly up-​and-​coming borough of Williamsburg, sits this «waterfront» that I’ve gathered to be the home of several entertainment and music venues.
While we didn’t possess the chance to get our «boogie on» within this local neighborhood park-​like treasure, we were in route in attempt to locate an eatery that would actually be open on New Years Day and this place served as quite a nice stop off.
Concealed somewhat surreptitiously amid a plethora of new high-​rise apartments and condos this area serves as a definite breath of fresh area to Williamsburg locals. For Los «Angeleans», I’d consider this particular location the bear equivalent of Silverlake/​Echo Park conveying a bit of a «hipster» vibe all the while boasting panoramic views of the city by way of an oceanfront locale.
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* Has Fido been barking incessantly, leaving you with a headache and compelling you to contemplate tossing an ice cube at his cranium just to silence him? (not advocating animal abuse by any means…)
— This is definitely your «go to» place! There are plenty of evergreens, flowers and grass for him to have a field day! I also took notice to quite a few fire hydrants, for what it’s worth.
* Unfamiliar with NY? In search of a touristy area boasting sweeping views and captivating skylines?
— This… is likely to be YOUR place!!! Boasting unobstructed views of the Williamsburg Bridge, Midtown Manhattan and the upper East Side — I was prompted to reach for my camcorder a number of times and had it not been so darn frigid out, I can wholly envision us having a picnic just to further embrace the ambiance.
I consider this to have truly been a great find and I’d definitely recommend those new to the area… or those all the more familiar, stop here and take a breather.
* Note: The wandering ducks are a bit possessive and reserve no hesitation in defending their habitat! Don’t piss em’ off!

I spent a few weeks here covering the big warehouse fire and I will say the views are awesome. There are places to eat and grab coffee around the area. It’s a nice place to go and hangout. Check out the soccer fields. They take care of the park and there are hardly any problems down there.

East River getting a facelift. With all new parks growing up on Brooklyn side, greener future is emerging. Environmentally friendly development spanning from Red Hook Parks and Piers, to Brooklyn Waterfront Piers to Brooklyn Heights Promenade — and to Williamsburg Waterfront.
Some parts are still under development, but it is still impressive — modern, clean, beautiful, with views of Manhattan and nearest bridges that will make tourists and locals alike run for the cameras.
Trees, flowers, grass, paved areas, walkways, benches, piers and cool structures… Lots of people-​watching, dog-​walking, running and just strolling by going on.
There is also Water Taxi, or East River Ferry Service (or whatever it called now, you get the point) — very convenient.
Call your friends over, take your dog for a run, grab an ice cream from nearby shop, walk to the pier and enjoy it all!

This is a cool venue that gets pretty big acts and has some of the best views any music venue can offer in NYC. I for one am not huge on outdoor drinking in the 90+ degree, humid NY summer’s, but once the sun goes down, the beauty and comfortability are turned all the way up and it can be a truly wonderful experience.

This waterfront promenade is partly situated in the shadows of some newer high-​rise apartments. It offers some nice unobstructed views of the Williamsburg Bridge, Midtown Manhattan and the East Side, and even the FDR. It’s nothing spectacular, and not nearly as impressive as the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, but still a nice place to chill and people watch.

Not sure if this profile fits for the Williamsburg Waterfront Promenade, but I’ll leave a review anyhow. A friend and I decided to take a walk over here after dinner and we both fell in love with how beautiful the view was. Sitting along the promenade and watching the sunset was absolutely amazing. The landscaping is well kept but of course it would be. Great spot for a date or even engagement photos. Absolutely love it and definitely going back.

Oh nagging Williamsburg Residents. Why’d you have to ruin all the fun. Heading into its forth year, the Williamsburg Waterfront concert venue has seen its bit of changes over the years, but it still makes for an awesome time.
I’ve seen Weezer, STP (With Scott Weiland… Chester Bennington, WTF?!) and Cake at this venue. The original design was gorgeous. A spot right by the water, over looking Manhattan, plenty of grass to sit down. Food vendors all around and if you wanted to get closer you can go into the pit, right by the stage near the buildings. Though you can enjoy the music from wherever you were. Awesome experiences there. The new setup is a little different. Much more enclosed and not as many great scenes, but you can still rock out and have a great time. Last time I was so pumped for Cake and it being my birthday weekend I didn’t even care about the new design. That or I was too inebriated.
They just kicked off the new season with the Shins last weekend which I heard was a great time.
The only downside to the venue is the fact the concerts have to end early by a certain time. This is a major bummer. The residents who complain about the noise are the same ones which forced the move. Don’t fret, you can head to plenty of local bars nearby which should have some good live music playing till the late hours.
C’mon by and enjoy the summer.

Note, this isn’t the waterfront anymore, but Williamsburg Park @ 50 Kent Ave. and 12^th Street.
Saw Bob Mould here last night. Perfect venue for this show. The sound was a little bouncy, but good for an outdoor space. (Honestly, I didn’t care. I had an awesome time seeing Bob). The stage is ominous and the fenced in space is huge. It wasn’t too crowded and I spied people sitting on blankets and they weren’t being stepped on. It is a little difficult to stand on cement for two plus hours… but then again, I probably didn’t have this problem 20 years ago. Ha.
Some notes:
–water, $ 3 (yikes, I can get that tiny bottle in my neighborhood for $ 1)
–Food selection from 5 or so vendors, veg options available.
–Beer and wine too (I drank beforehand though, so I didn’t imbibe here)
I’d definitely go back.

I went to see Weezer here a while back and was blown away by the views and the atmosphere. When Cake was slated to play here there was no question it would be worth the trip… until we got there. Instead of seeing a concert in a park with grass and amazing views of new york, you are now simply in a parking lot with no views of anything but the backs of buildings. Absolutely NOT worth any travel to this venue. If you live nearby, it’s still uninspiring… but convenient. But I wouldn’t bother making any special trip to this destination for a concert.
BTW — Cake was awesome. They had a great show despite the dismal atmosphere.

Was here for the Fleet Foxes show a few weeks ago. Most people will agree that the view of the skyline behind you can’t be beat. However, the view of the stage isn’t as good. It’s basically like a big parking lot/​open field, without any pitch. People were packed like sardines, and when a person fainted in front of us, it was very tough to get someones attention to help.
That all being said, the sound wasn’t all too bad. Also, there is a beer garden where people over 21 can drink. But no drinks are allowed out. There was more room in there during the show, and you can still see the stage decently.

I was standing with a beer in my hand listening to Fleet Foxes singing «Montezuma» with my eyes closed. The words came through the loudspeakers. «So now I am older/​Than my mother and father/​When they had their daughter/​Now what does that say about me/​How could I dream of/​Such a selfless and true love/​Could I wash my hands of/​Just looking out for me.» Pure Bliss. I know what you’re thinking. This isn’t a review of Fleet Foxes. Get to the point. I opened my eyes and saw Fleet Foxes on stage and then looked behind me and the New York skyline was sitting beautifully against the dark summer night. The combination was almost too much for me to handle. I began to tear up a little.
This is simply a great concert venue. If you’re on Unilocal to find out the scoop before you purchase tickets to see a band you love, get off my review right now and go purchase those tickets before they sell out. Summers in New York have included some of the best moments of my life, and this new venue is sure to add some more. Bring a special someone and you will instantly create a memory.
Another great part about this venue that separates it from others? There’s a section that is only 21+. The alcohol is served by the local companies Brooklyn Brewery and City Winery. Great alcohol. Even better, you never have to mingle with the teenagers, unless that’s your thing.

I love the location. The view is amazing, but aren’t you going to be looking at the band? The sound kind of sucks, but I feel like it does at most outdoor venues.
The drinking thing is the annoying part. There is 2 sections, and the one away from the stage is the only one you can drink in. WHY?! Having to get drink tickets is annoying. Also sucks it’s only brooklyn lager and 3 wine options. We’ve been here twice, for Modest Mouse and Widespread Panic, we were excited for our 2^nd concert here, but we we’re a bit disappointed b/​c it highlighted the not so great things about WW.
Oh and shows start @ 6:30 b/​c they have to be done by 10:30…lame.

I came here last summer to see Band of Horses and Grizzly Bears and besides the music, everything else sucked. Hot as hell with no refuge from the sun. A line to get drink tickets only to wait on another line to get the drinks! No where to sit etc etc etc.
You may be asking yourself «Why in gods name did you go back and why are you giving it 4 stars??». Let me explain. I saw that Death Cab for Cutie was playing there. I heart Ben Gibbard and had seen him live but never with Death Cab. I decided they were worth the sacrifice. My girlfriend and I found parking about 5 blocks away (score) and a nice air conditioned bar on the way to cool down for a moment. Thankfully it wasn’t so humid so the sun drenched venue wasn’t as bothersome as the prior experience. The lines were a lot shorter. maybe it was less people or maybe the venue is finally getting organized (I think last year was the first year they were open). The sound, like any outdoor venue, was «eh» but that’s not why you go to this type of place. It’s the magnificent view of Manhattan, the gorgeous sunset and the starry night sky.
All in all, the show was amazing. There is nothing better than listening to your favorite band in such a beautiful setting.

I saw Frightened Rabbit and Deathcab here last night — pretty cool venue!
The setting is beautiful — it’s the perfect spot for a good view of midtown, and the East River manages to look quite nice as well. Sweetening the pot, beers are Brooklyn varietals and only $ 6. There were good options that looked good, although I didn’t sample.
The sound wasn’t great, but about on par for an outdoor venue. Kind of annoying that they don’t let you into the main GA section in front of the stage if you have a beer. You have to stay in a section off to the side if you have a drink. Portopotty situation was, well, a portopotty sitiuation.
Cool place to see a show!

Saw Kid Cudi here in July. Warm weather, cold beers, and plenty of open space. What else could you ask for.
Stopped at Teddy’s down the street for (check out my review) for some $ 1 Happy Hour beer specials. Can’t go wrong with a cheap pregame before paying $ 5 a beer on the waterfront. They also had a wine option.
They section off a 21+ area for the beer and it’s pretty chill. You can see the stage to your left and it’s not a bad view at all to be honest.
Like how the locals who live there get a free show from their balconies. I’d love to live there.
This is one of the places I didn’t even know about in BK til I went to the show. Can’t wait to see some more acts here since it was such a cool spot.
Really easy to get to from Manhattan, as it is the first stop in BK of the subway. I recommend it highly during the warm weather months, so def check it out.
ROCK ON!

The view of the city is great. I went last Saturday and it was a perfect day to be near the water.
Then, Kevin O. and I got into a tough guy contest about who could hit more Wiffle ball home runs (editors note: winning such a contest probably doesn’t make you that tough).
The grass was too full of people to play, so we tried playing on the big concrete area nearby. There are lots of small sharp rocks and we lost the ball under a row of 50 port-​a-​pottys. We ended up tying 0 – 0.
Great park, but wish they had a little more room for sports.

The best part of summer? Not needing to trek to a sandy beach to enjoy what the season has to offer. Summer pool parties overlooking the Manhattan skyline for the win! Great venue to get your tan on and to enjoy good music. Feeling thirsty or hungry? Booze and food vendors are present for most of the events.
Can’t wait for summer to come around again.

Williamsburg Waterfront has a lot to offer, especially in the summer time when you can be exposed to live music and get a tan, while watching the sunset and the Manhattan skyline.
It is also just a nice place to hang out. The skyline and the sound of the water is very relaxing. Great place for a picnic too!

A couple of weeks ago I saw Belle and Sebastian here. It’s a great space, completely outdoors, with a jaw dropping view of the manhattan skyline. It’s a worthy replacement of the McCarren Pool where a lot of shows used to happen.
The one weird thing is since the space is all-​ages, there is this whole complicated shuttling system that reminds me of the locks in a canal system. You have to funnel through these gates to get to the drink side, and back if you want to stand right in front of the stage.
God forbid someone underage tastes a drop of beer!

Most outdoor venues in NY City are good.
The Williamsburg Waterfront is exceptional for several reasons. Easy to reach by public transit; if you drive, the surrounding streets actually have parking available (un-​metered as pointed out by another Unilocaler). Many places within a short walk to grab dinner or a drink.
Not certain how many tickets are released for shows here; the crowd was very manageable at this show, no arena crowd madness. Oh BTW, there are no seats, general admission standing.
Best of all, this venue has Manhattan as a backdrop. Sound quality was very good; another benefit of «open air». Just saw Belle and Sebastian on a perfect evening, the setting made the performance even better!…and we were not swept away by a tornado.