Gilligan’s is a one-of-a-kind tropical oasis of an eatery located at 310 W Broadway. The SoHo restaurant offers a fresh, seafood-forward menu, with seafood sourced from the best farms and fishermen on Long Island, as well as toasty signature pizzas coming from the kitchen’s stone oven and creative cocktails The expansive outdoor space brings a taste of the tropics to Downtown Manhattan with tropical décor and the ingredient-driven dishes Gilligan's is known for. I DEFINITELY had some favorites and (spoiler) I loved my experience at Gilligan’s. Let’s just get into my review, shall we?
Gilligan’s was quite packed the night my guest and I stopped by, so it was only right to start the night off with drinks. I ordered the Cooler than Coco (white rum, Jamaican rum, caramelized pineapple, coconut, banana and lime served in an awesome coconut cup) and my guest had the Spicy Skipper (jalapeno infused blanco tequila mezcal, lime, pineapple, cilantro, agave). The Cooler than Coco was the perfect drink for the warm evening; if you think along the lines of an elevated Pina Colada, you’ll be on the right path with this drink. The Spicy Skipper was a bit strong for me. From the sip I had, I got a strong hit of jalapeno and mezcal; my date loved it though, so at least there’s that.
Just looking through the menu was exciting; I truly wanted a taste of everything! After much deliberation, we settled on the Fresh Burrata (grilled peaches, watermelon, aged balsamic, grilled sourdough) and the Chopped Lobster Cobb (Gem lettuce, egg, bacon, avocado, tomato, cheddar). I really loved the peaches and watermelon paired with the burrata; I honestly couldn’t believe I didn’t think about the pairing myself. The balsamic was the icing on the cake and sourdough is a nice addition to most dishes. The Chopped Lobster Cobb was equally as amazing and let me just say, I had no idea lobster and bacon paired so well! I thoroughly enjoyed this salad and I think it should be one of Gilligan’s go-to dishes. Our hostess suggested we try the Tuna Crudo (avocado puree, radish, chili, lime, cilantro) and the Blistered Shishitos. Both were amazing but I truly loved the Tuna Crudo a little bit more; it’s an interesting twist on a tuna tartare and all the flavor blend together really nicely.
For our main courses, I knew I wanted some more of that lobster! Being that I hadn’t had a lobster roll all summer, the Maine Lobster Roll (with lemon, baby wedge and chips) was an obvious choice and we also wanted to try the Squash Blossom Pizza Pie (tomato, Stracciatella, chili honey) which was prepped in the aforementioned stone oven. I got a better taste for the lobster from the sandwich and everything about it was perfect; perfectly seasoned, the bread wasn't too hard or too soft and each bite was magical. If this is the only lobster roll I have all summer, I definitely won’t be angry. The pizza definitely has a medley of flavors as well and was only spicy on the backend; I know chili in any form on a pizza can be a bit intimidating but Gilligan’s does a great job at blending flavors you wouldn’t expect, and it’s quite prevalent in this pizza dish.
I really loved my time at Gilligan’s. The food is absolutely delicious and the staff were extremely welcoming, engaging and really great to talk to. I’m already planning my next trip back because there were definitely some more items on the menu I would love to try. I recommend Gilligan’s for anyone looking for great food with an amazing outdoor ambiance; you truly won’t be disappointed. gilligansnyc.com
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