THE TRIANGLE: Situated right where the TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE converges with the GRAND CENTRAL PARKWAY, the Park is incredibly accessible, featuring an elevated SUBWAY Station nearby and a direct BUS connection to LGA which I've used in the past. Took a break here before visiting my old neighborhood a couple of blocks away. WORTH VISITING. read more

See all

Before I begin, let me start off by saying that this review is based solely upon my personal experiences and my personal experiences alone. So with that being said let's review!!.. Astoria Queens: first thing that comes to mind for me! Queen's bridge projects, home of Nas, Mobb Deep.. just to name a couple.. Only my fellowNY'ers can relate to what and whom I'm referring to, others might say "what is he talking about"? The N train was my transportation when I was living up there as a young black man, trying to make a living for me and my family at that time. I must have did something right because I'm still here to write about it!!. Astoria, Queens NY, stand up!!.. read more

Great area to wall around. Plenty of shopping. Lots of places to eat. Cool bars have opened along with old standbys. Of course, as it's mainly a Greek based community there are many spots offering up delicious authentic eats. Yet, you'll find a diverse selection of dining options here from Thai to Latin based. It's a real neighborhood feel with a lot of residential occupying the homes along the side streets. On Halloween there was a large street fair where the residents came out in droves. Parents with their kids all dressed up, and trick or treating at the local businesses of which most gave out candy. Awesome community feel. read more

See all

Astoria is an iconic neighborhood of Queens. It's not far from Brooklyn or Manhattan. This is home to one of the largest Greek populations. It's evident in its architecture. There's lots of interesting businesses and restaurants Be sure to visit the state park. This is one of the nicest areas, and it has some of the best views. It can be reached several ways. One way is by the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. This takes you into Astoria from the island and park. It can be reached by several subway lines. The M train is one of these. It should be a good time for people who like Greek culture. It's convenient to those coming from LaGuardia. The airport is connected by several busses and shuttles that go right through. read more

See all

I have a sibling that lived in Astoria for several years and whenever I would come to visit him I was surprised by how friendly people were here. (To be fair the reputation that New Yorkers are unfriendly is only partially true...) The area is heavily populated by Greeks and Italians so if you want some authentic cheap eats...this is the place! Another benefit from being heavily populated by Greeks is the area is unusually clean for a populated city. The Greeks pride themselves on cleanliness so it wasn't unusual to see a bunch of older Greek women in the early mornings sweeping the side walks despite the frigid weather... On one of my first visits here I went with my sibling to a concert at Madison Square Garden and we took the subway home very late. I will admit I was a little nervous about walking around NYC but this area is well lit, there were still tons of people walking around-going or coming from walk, people carrying baskets of laundry...I did notice most of the laundromats here were 24 hours...and the prices were reasonable. The restaurants, the grocery stores...all the prices that people charged around Astoria were pretty reasonable...so it's easily to conclude that Astoria is a liveable neighborhood in NYC. Not to be a complete dork but I thought it was cool that the mailman here delivered mail while carrying a mail bag....I know you can tell I'm from the suburbs. When I was here I read up on all the cool things about Astoria...here are some of the cool facts that I learned... 1. Both Serpico (with Al Pacino) Goodfella and A Bronx Tale filmed scenes here... 2. The TV Show Orange is the New Black was filmed here 3. Mobster Frank Costello is buried here...Scott Joplin is buried here too... As for eats...here are a a few that are up and coming... 1. Hinomaru Ramen https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/new-york/restaurants/hinomaru-ramen 2. Taverna Kyclades https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/new-york/restaurants/taverna-kyclades 3. Milkflower http://www.milkflowernyc.com/ar1voqfupze25ez8vd1tx99xsgog0i 4. Arepas Cafe https://goo.gl/maps/EjSvsXjXEa42 5. Artopolis Bakery https://goo.gl/maps/xFBF5MxuXDt 6. Silver Salmon Grille https://goo.gl/maps/c4uwsBv9Nj32 7. Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden https://goo.gl/maps/Gnu62Dints82 8. Trattoria L'ncontro https://goo.gl/maps/3pQ6YPMU9S42 9. Gregory's 26 Corner Taverna https://goo.gl/maps/dyvMLHcmPyv 10. Astoria Parkside Market https://goo.gl/maps/3HyvDF1LRFn read more

It's all about different things and different people. I love Astoria. I have lived here for few years, and still misses it. If really developed since I lived here. And today I think it is not as dangerous as it used to be. One thing I remember is the traffic and the lack of parking spaces. I know it is NYC, so it is part of that. But try to get in the bridge at the rush hour. And you will agree that the subway train is one of the best things in NYC. 31 used to be my favorite. They had many cool restaurants from all over the world. read more

The tragedy of Astoria (for me) is that it couldn't stay the same as it was when I lived there, in the 90s. I didn't realize how lucky I was that I moved there at just the right time, when rents were dirt cheap because the crime rate had scared off most non-NYers, but Astoria was quiet, peaceful, and few people outside of Queens knew about it. In 1994 I was a twentysomething with a huge apartment all to myself (no roommate needed!) and the rent was $550. Every day I got into Manhattan within 15 minutes and the N train was always half-empty, even during rush hour. No "W" train was needed, one train was enough. With all the money I saved I took dozens of trips, taking the Q60 to LaGuardia airport. I lived large on a 19K salary. Truly, Astoria was a budget-conscious person's dream. When I told my co-workers in Manhattan about Astoria, they said, "Where's that?" If you mentioned you lived in Brooklyn, they felt sorry for you ("oh well, too bad you can't afford Manhattan...") Astoria was mostly Greek back then but it didn't feel parochial (unlike, say, Bensonhurst) because it was so close to the multicultural City. Most businesses were either Greek diners, restaurants or social clubs, charming cafes and little mom and pop places that no one had ever heard of outside of Astoria. Then Starbucks came, 9/11 ruined the mood, and other loudmouths began yakking about how convenient to Manhattan the neighborhood was. Then Astoria began to fill up with yuppies, fresh faced kids from the Midwest and the hipster overflow from Brooklyn. My landlord, who had been friendly and convivial for years, suddenly became a Trump wannabe, tearing up my lease and telling me to pay 7x my rent or get out. And so I fled, along with the majority of my neighbors. We were replaced by young, chatty, name-dropping wannabe actors and other narcissists who used to live in Chelsea, the Village or LES. QED, a comedy club that trained Kate McKinnon, opened. The Museum of the Moving Image did away with its quaint, Queens Library-inspired facade in favor of an ultra modern, corporate-style entrance. The mom and pop stores began shuttering, replaced by either chains or pretentious, gilded boutiques, luxury pet grooming services, flashy bars playing loud music, and long stretches of cheaply made condos with midget balconies. Dozens of large Astoria houses, made for families, were sold and then torn down to make room for these rabbit hutches designed to cram in as many starry-eyed singles as possible without violating the fire code. I still visit Astoria from time to time, but I feel the dollar signs everywhere and it leaves me empty. It's like visiting an old friend who got mugged, recovered, and then found fame and fortune in Hollywood. In other words, unrecognizable. So goodbye Astoria, I'm glad I enjoyed you when I did. I don't envy the four twentysomethings now sharing what used to be my single apartment, choking on overpriced drinks and knowing they'll never get out from under their student loans. And I'm sure glad I don't take the N train anymore, which resembles a cattle car even at 2 p.m. on a weekday. read more

I love it when we have a chance to drive out to Astoria. It's fairly close to our home in Yonkers, only about a twenty-five minute drive away without traffic. Astoria affords you a variety of dining cuisines. From Asian to Mediterranean, you can't want for anything. There are plenty of lounges for a nightcap and if hookah is your thing you'll probably be able to throw a stone and land it on the threshold of a spot with hookah. Astoria is a cohesive yet diverse, a city within a city. Parking can be a hassle on weekend nights, especially but I still like going out there. read more

The photos of Astoria says it all about living in this very diverse community in Western Queens. Only 20 minutes from the city, I can testify as a thirty-year resident, that the quality of life here is as good as gets anywhere in NYC. Astoria is the home to the largest number of Greeks outside Greece, offers beautiful waterfront vistas of Manhattan, a park (Astoria Park) to rival anything Manhattan can offer, and culinary experience second to none. My photos are meant to be iconic showing the best and the worst aspects of life here. They were shot over many years, I have tried to capture the vibrancy and challenges of life here. My favorite photo is "Dog Day Afternoon." By chance, I found a dog quietly waiting near a tree pit, for its master. read more

See all

The park, the art scene, the restaurants, and most of all the people, make this a really cool neighborhood worth living in or revisiting again and again. read more

Conveniently, Astoria is tucked away between the 59th street bridge and the Hells Gate train overpass. It is a town with much to offer the right kind of people. There are some warm qualities regarding Astoria and NYC the I adore. Quaint Jazz venues with good liquor or quiet coffee shop conversations with friends and friendly gatherings at various art galleries, ginormous libraries and educational museums. But it is not enough to hold me indefinitely. Astoria serves as a stomping ground for much of NYC that I dislike intensely. As a once friendly and bit naive child when setting out to live on my own, I was not prepared for all the darkness that lurks behind random corners. When growing up in a nicely upper middle class peaceful hamlet community, strongly resembling that of leaver to beaver, I could only dream of leaving for the big city after visiting numerous times as a child and being enamored by all its electrifying energy. However, the grass is not always greener on the other side of the hill. Sometimes the hill looses appeal or the hiker grows board. Perhaps even any cheddar filled pretzel "combo" of circumstances would apply. Hopefully, my playful metaphors are clearly understood. When first moving to the east village area of the city, all I could wonder is how some other city dwellers seemed jaded and embittered. It has taken me a good decade and moving to Astoria to see why. NYC is not a city for everyone and although I would not dream of returning to my hometown, moving to NYC is my only regret in life. Sincerely, I intensely dislike loud and nasty people without accountability or concern to how they treat others. The type of life drama in platonic and more intimate relationships does not appeal to my more reserved and quiet demeanor. The crowds, noise and lack of personal space is highly offensive to me. As I get older this social anxiety intensifies. Basically, I loath corrupt, moral-less and unethical low lives who play a dishonest deck. Astoria has never felt like a home, but a place to sleep and a short commute to work and a world outside. NYC has annoyingly changed to lack anything individual. It is mostly rich waspy snobs who have brought their small town clannish values to the big city, while looking down on those who work for a living. Astoria on the other hand is a provincial capital in all things equally distasteful with its ignorant immigrant values that sometimes border on the anti-American. Funny how times change. Either way, neither borough has been able to quell my zest for wanting something better as I see the limitations of life even in an overrated city as this one. Some people are terrific, as one per every five people is decent. But still, disappointed I am with all this city has not been able to offer. Fresh air I miss most, gently breezing through the old oak tree outside my bedroom window. If you are a strong willed individual without concern to how others ought to be treated, then Astoria and NYC is the place for you and not a bad environment for having your soul plucked. However, I romanticized my NYC experience, only to realize it differently after moving here. But hey, life all about experiences. Truly, I am glad for having had the experience and seen this sort of people for what they represent. The kind of people that move here and rave for it are not my species. Certainly, they are not my kind of people, good riddance to them. My apologies for the blatant honesty, it has been long in coming. Everyone has their own experiences which guide them to where they need to be. Seriously, I did want for more enriching times, but were not to be because it is not where I am meant to stay. To those who love such a place, good for you guys. My review was not to offend, please do not misconstrue it as such. It was just walk down a street of a different drive. Different places for different kinds of folks. Now planning my move will be a review in itself. HaHaHa read more

when i was a young stud i would visit relatives in astoria but did not explore the area but now for the last 10 years on a semi regular beat i have explored and astoria rocks . from its diverse culture which is still heavy with greek pride you can get a good melting pot of choices of grub from greek , asian , north african , american , etc . from bars , restaurants , clubs , lounges , coffee shops , hookah bars and more .so easy and quick from manhattan and beyond either by car or train via the 59th st bridge , rfk bridge , or the 2 local train lines which will get you into manhattan in less then 20 minutes . i dig visiting steinway , ditmars blvd , broadway , 30th ave and so many more areas of astoria .even the lesser known streets and avenues are seeing a rise of new shops popping up which is really cool .usually after dinner at one of my fave food joints i like to chill at astoria park for a while . so much going on in astoria and i must say its one of my personal top fave hoods in all of nyc. just wish there was more parking available and less double park cars which is a major problem on steinway and broadway as well. read more