Mariner's Harbor

I hadn’t been here in awhile but I was down on the Rondout with my 9 year old son early Saturday afternoon. We were participating in some of the Sinterklass events (always fun events down there!) and steering clear of home while my wife was preparing for a birthday party for me after the parade. So we decided to treat ourselves and go out to lunch, just the two of us. I had forgotten that Mariners had a policy of a free meal on your birthday, but there it was on a big sign on the hostess stand where we waited to be seated. What a nice surprise! I felt a little guilty being there with just a kid, so we added an appetizer (wings to share, with the spicy sauce on the side, just as we had requested), and we got him a special bottle of root beer too. We had a fresh loaf of warm bread too. The wings were great (chunks of bleu cheese in the sauce, crisp veggies on the side). I had the shrimp special. It was a great choice for a chilly afternoon. Jumbo shrimp, very well cleaned and cooked in a risotto with portobello mushrooms. Very satisfying and flavorful, and Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes were presented on the side, without asking, a nice touch. My boy got the shrimp and fries from the kids menu, and it came in a colorful cardboard boat which he was thrilled with. We ran short of time since we had ordered an extra course, so we were going to skip dessert, only to be given a complimentary cupcake with a candle for my birthday in a souvenir coffee mug. Wow! The waitress Tammy even held off on singing which was much appreciated as she had already surprised me plenty. She was very welcoming and attentive to my son’s needs, even putting out crayons with the menu. She was very kind, made our meal feel special, and didn’t make me feel awkward for taking advantage of their birthday offer, which could have easily happened with a lesser staff. The young owner was there for what would surely be a long day, and he was very hands on, even changing out a light bulb that had burned out. There was a host, whose name I didn’t get, who was very professional and smooth. He pitched in bussing tables and he connected with many tables, checking in to see we were all enjoying ourselves. He also told us about a craft tent outside that was set up for the parade, and really encouraged us to check it out after our meal as he genuinely wanted us to enjoy what Mariners was contributing to the community on this day. All in all, a really great time, with unexpected treats at every turn. Sorry for the lengthy review, but the crew was really on their game and I wanted to share my story. Great job, we’ll be back!