by Kevin C. on When the weather is nice, the Frying Pan is one of the coolest places to hang out. It feels like a backyard gathering, except it's on a boat, docked to a pier, with a band (sometimes), and nothing is free. Here is a short story that summarizes my experience at the Frying Pan: Late one summer night, a dude couldn't take the heat anymore. Thus, he performed a brave feat that few men would. This drunken fellow, ripped off his shirt and climbed to the top of the railing that overlooked the river. The Hudson stared back at him with dark black eyes with a hint of brown overtones (potentially mud or poo). In pure defiance and stupidity, the man leaped off the railing and dove into the cool water below. Victory was his... or was it? Someone screamed, "Watch out for that floating diaper!" The man eventually made it to shore and rejoined his friends on the Frying Pan to continue drinking early into the morning.
by Yaeko Boye on Being a lost fan, whenever I passed by Dante's Down the HATCH, I wondered about this place. Finally got to go with a big group of about 20 people-- and yes we sat in the ship! The $7 surcharge was kind of obnoxious, but once I walked inside and up into the ship, it was totally worth it, especially for a loud, large group our size. We all broke out into pairs to share a fondue pot-- the prix fixe meal included cheese fondue appetizer and a selection of meat for entree fondue. The meal special (I think it is $50?) is more than enough food for two people but not enough for three-- so sharing it with a partner and coming hungry is the way to go. It's pretty good-- I think Melting Pot is better but the ambiance of this place is one of a kind. I had a good time eating the food even though I generally dislike cooking meat fondue for myself. Service was above average, especially for a large group. Dante even came out and chatted with us for a long time. He gave all the ladies ouvenir Dante's glasses, which was pretty cool. Did you know that Dante's has the only non-zoo license to keep alligators? Apparently it's because in the Southeast there are a bunch of baby alligators confiscated from crazy people/the mafia (?) and Dante's serves as a transitional point before they get reintroduced to the wild. It's pretty nuts, but Dante had a bunch of good stories around it, and he looooves to hear himself talk, so if you're in the mood to listen, it's pretty interesting. Really fun dinner. Good jazz band. Eating in the ship was cool. I think everyone should go at least once.
