Shadows on the Hudson

Come here for dinner, not to dance. Shadows has an excellent menu and fantastic views and ambiance. However as a night club, it's a little intense. If you like to fist pump to loud techno with flashing lights in your expensive tight dress with a mixture of too old to be here and young and just having fun...then maybe this is the place for you. I gets VERY crowded on weekends, especially in the summer. You pretty much can't move. I've done events here as a liquor sampler many times and I can tell you that I can't ever wait to get the hell out of there!

Their Sunday brunch however is pretty good. It's a buffet style (which isn't my favorite) but it's not a wide variety of options including dessert. Food is fresh. They have a carving station and waffle maker. They don't serve alcohol until noon though.

After two enjoyable brunches & lunches, decided to return for dinner. Our group had:
Appys: Fried Calamari - tender, lightly battered w/fra diavolo & remoulade sauces. It was enjoyed by all. Spinach & artichoke dip (nothing special), but the thick-cut chips made the snack. Entrees: Sea Bass Puttanesca was the best of all. Don't let the picture fool you...Prime Rib arrived as a lukewarm slab of meat. My friend said it was "dry" & asked for au jus to make it edible. Grilled Lamb Chops - requested med. rare, arrived well-done. I ate them anyway, as meat was still tender & nicely seasoned. The sea scallops looked better than they tasted, just OK. Service was friendly & attentive until meals served, then waitress was MIA. Finally, cocktails (not specialty drinks) are generous pours & a good value.
The people - they will continue to come. The draw here is the scenery. If you stick to Sun. brunch, soups, salads & sandwiches and skip supper, you won't be disappointed.

I love this place. When I was in college I would always go here with visiting family, and occasionally with friends when we wanted to be fancy (ie., not order takeout Chinese.) I'm generally not a fan of those kind of genre-less restaurants with huge menus, but the views at Shadows are gorgeous, the service is wonderful, the drinks are fabulous, and the food is good. I go to this place for ambiance more than anything else--don't get me wrong, the food is tasty, but it's nothing life-changing.

Try the Hudson Valley Punch and the triple-layer chocolate cake. Mmmmmmmm. Time your visit so you'll be there for sunset...truly stunning over the Hudson. And when the weather is nice, sit outside on the deck!