Fireboat at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6

Imagine drinking on the water, aboard a floating bar. Better yet, imagine that bar set atop a decommissioned 1961 FDNY fireboat. Now that’s a quintessential New York summer experience. That vibe has officially arrived with the debut of Fireboat at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6. The brainchild of Crew, the team behind Grand Banks, which is one of the city’s most coveted reservations whenever the weather creeps above 70 degrees, Fireboat pairs tropical bites and drinks with panoramic views of New York Harbor.

While the concept sounds elaborate, the backstory is refreshingly straightforward: Crew acquired the 1961 FDNY fireboat Governor Alfred E. Smith at a city auction in 2016 and has spent the years since restoring the vintage vessel into a cocktail destination. It’s banking on the same undeniable truth that has made Grand Banks such a success: New Yorkers really, really love drinking on boats.