There is a particular kind of restaurant that understands its job is not to dazzle you into silence…read morebut to make conversation easier. The Shed, on Merrick Avenue, is that kind of place. The dining room is anchored by an olive tree that rises improbably from the center of the floor, its branches catching the light from a constellation of milk-glass globes. Along the bar, bottles glow against whitewashed brick, and the marble counter is set with striped linen napkins. The effect is part farmhouse and part supper club, and it is more inviting than either would be on its own. The menu favors familiar dishes executed with care. A glazed salmon arrives lacquered and deeply caramelized at the edges, resting on wilted spinach and a bright hash of corn, peas, and shallot, all bound by a butter sauce worth chasing with a fork. The fish sandwich is a study in restraint: a well-seasoned, pan-crisped fillet, a soft brioche bun, and a tangle of slaw, with a plump pickle and coleslaw alongside, as tradition demands. Dessert is where The Shed allows itself some indulgence. A dense, fudgy brownie, dusted with powdered sugar and set beside a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into chocolate sauce, recalls childhood without apology. Notably, the restaurant takes its non-alcoholic drinks seriously. The mocktail list is broad and thoughtful, a welcome gesture of hospitality toward diners who would rather skip the spirits without skipping the fun. Service, led on this evening by a warm and unhurried server, matched the room. Tables linger here, and no one seems to mind. The Shed isn't trying to reinvent anything. It simply does the familiar things well, in a room that makes you want to stay for another round of dessert and another hour of talk.

Have been here several times as it's very close to the Aquatic Center where I spend a good deal of…read moretime. Love the ambience in this place, most especially the live trees, high ceilings. sprawling bar and outdoor space. Food is always consistently good and drinks on point. Service this time wasn't the best, had to track our waiter down a few times seemingly forgetting what we'd asked and never refilling the water. Hubby's second cup of coffee was cold and had to be sent back. Will definitely return and hope for a bit better service than we had tonight.

This was my first time at The Union, and I will definitely be back! I came for a friend's birthday…read morebrunch and had such a positive experience. Our waitress, Brigette, was amazing! She had great recommendations, was attentive to every detail, and had such a warm and beautiful attitude. Our entire group loved her, she truly made our experience even better. The food was delicious! We shared the Brussels sprouts as an appetizer, and I had the ribeye sandwich. The sandwich was a great size, and the ribeye was flavorful and tender. Great food, great atmosphere, and exceptional service from Brigette. I'll definitely be back!

The Union has become one of my Top 5 picks for a great dinner on Long Island because it checks all…read morethe boxes: great food, great ambiance, and a great staff. I believe our first visit was almost two years ago, and we've continued coming back ever since. Nestled inside Eisenhower Park and connected to the former Carlyle wedding venue, The Union feels a little tucked away--which is part of its charm. The menu has everything you'd expect from a higher-end steakhouse, but what sets The Union apart is that they also do sushi--and somehow nail it just as well as they do a filet mignon or roast chicken. On our most recent visit, we noticed the menu had been updated. Thankfully, all of our favorites are still there, with just a few tweaks. I also love the new cocktail menu design, which features photos of the drinks along with descriptions. They make a terrific smoked Old Fashioned here, which is generally how I start my meals at The Union. They have a great raw bar along with a huge selection of appetizers. The slab bacon is awesome, and the French dip sliders could easily make a meal on their own despite technically being an appetizer. There's a great selection of steaks, including a couple of dry-aged options for two. Steaks are generally à la carte, but the sides are reasonably priced, mostly in the $10-$15 range. The duck-fat potatoes are excellent, and I'm a big fan of their creamed spinach. Then there's the sushi. Their signature Union Roll is the standout, but honestly, we've had great luck with all of their specialty rolls. Now, do your best to save room for dessert because I'm going to spill the beans on one of The Union's secrets: they have some of the best ice cream I've ever had in my life! I realize it's a little ridiculous to rave about classic vanilla ice cream, but just wait. Take that first spoonful and I guarantee there's a good chance your reaction will be: "Damn, that is some tasty ice cream!" Even the whipped cream is ridiculously good and almost gives the ice cream a run for its money. Expect to leave The Union very full--and usually carrying some leftovers home. The setting is another big plus. Outdoor dining overlooks the golf course and makes for a beautiful backdrop, and when the weather gets cooler, the fire pits on the back patio make it a great place to hang out with a drink. The wine list is solid as well. Valet parking is another nice touch, especially since events at Eisenhower Park on weekends can sometimes make parking and traffic a little tricky. After nearly two years and multiple visits, The Union continues to deliver. Steak, sushi, cocktails, a beautiful setting, and apparently life-changing vanilla ice cream. What more do you need?

The place aesthetically is so nice and inviting. The…read morepretzel appetizer didn't seem baked long enough, not the normal golden brown color. The calamari was good and flavorful. 2 people in my party had burgers and said they were delicious. Myself and another in my party had shrimp tacos. The tacos were not that tasty , and the shrimp was served whole , not chopped in pieces like most shrimp tacos. The beer selection is just ok for a beer garden. Parking is a little difficult, you have to park in the shopping center and like typical shopping center parking lots, everyone is in a rush. Proceed with caution! The service was the best part of dining here, Dan was exceptional, hence 1 extra star. It's just not worth the prices they charge.

This place is amazing for happy hour. The food was exceptional. We ordered wings and a chicken…read morequesadilla and of course craft beer and margaritas. The service here was friendly and accommodating. The ambiance here is chill and relaxing. Make sure you see Mike at the bar because he's super friendly and social and made my wife a Mai Tai.

Delicious food. Hard to make a choice. Everything is fabulous tasting. Very fresh. They have great…read moreservice. Sharp looking environment. Place is immaculate as well

We tried Nola for the first time and I must say we really enjoyed it…read more My wife and I enjoyed the crazy burrito sushi roll and the rigatoni alla vodka. The decor, the service and the food was amazing. Worth a Try.

I was craving some sushi and I didn't feel like going into the city…read more I must say, the sushi was very good, and the prices were reasonable. I ordered a lunch special three rolls for $25. Also, they have a happy hour every day from 4-7 PM with a $10 menu. The server is attentive and the food comes out pretty fast. The place is simply clean, with a sleek design. I recommend sitting by the bar area, which is more lively.

I debated between stars good vs okay. I mean we did like our food. Not the best Japanese in the…read morearea but it was good. Ambiance wasn't bad either. Service was okay. Our waiter was possibly new and I mean my dad is in the business so I'm very understanding and quite easy to please. They have mocktails and cocktails here. I don't drink so I love some good mocktails. I ordered a strawberry dreams too. I didn't even realize they also have an alcoholic drink called strawberry dreams lol. I mean whoever made the menu maybe don't do that. Anyway I was confused when he came out with two drinks but we explained it's the name of the drink, not 2 lol and we thought it was sort of funny. You'd think maybe he'd say oh there is an alcoholic version. Anyway I took a sip and yeah a nice strong yummy drink. I mean if I wanted alcohol I'd be very pleased lol. I didn't so I was like um yeah I just wanted a mocktail. So yeah got my mocktail which was also very yummy. I took off a star and debated between 3-4 stars because I have an alcoholic mom in recovery. I started to wonder well what if that had been her? My mom has a nose like a dog so she probably would've smelled the drink before ever taking a sip lol but still I can't even imagine like well what if it was my mom? I'm not in recovery though and my mom wasn't with us, nor did it happen to her lol. It was a silly mistake so yeah that's why I went back and forth between 3-4 with the stars in my review. I haven't even told my mom about the silly mixup because I don't want her being terrified anytime we go out to dinner that she might accidentally drink alcohol :P They should really think about changing the drink names so there is never any confusion! Just encase it's ever someone who really cannot drink and could ruin their life lol. But hey it wasn't the end of the world for me and now an amusing story we have to tell. I ended up with the 4 stars because the rock & roll shrimp was really delicious. So was the sushi esp the tuna one.

This place is really fantastic-great menu was super tasty soup dumplings and the sushi was amazing…read moreas well. We got the orange flavor chicken and it was cooked to perfection. The prices are very reasonable for the food you get, everything came out quickly and tasty. The menu was so big, my friends and I will need to go back to try some of the other dishes. I loved how we ordered on an IPAD-it was great to see all the dishes we were ordering before we got the food. This was my first time that I went to a restaurant where all the ordering was done on an IPAD, I loved this way of looking at the menu and ordering! I do not eat red meat and there were plenty of chicken and vegetarian options to choose. I cannot wait to return to try more of the sushi as well as the soup dumplings again-so tasty! This is a GREAT place to go to before seeing a show at the Westbury Music Fair (it is only about 5-10 minutes away and the service is very quick-they almost rush you out)!

We went as a part of seven on a weekday night and had to wait a few minutes before being seated…read morewhich was ok. We made reservations for 7:30 and were seated by 7:35. All good there. The hibachi table we sat at was impossibly close to the wall on the left as you walk in. In order to get into a seat you had to remove a chair to get into and seat yourself sideways onto the seat and then the next person would have to do the same. There were at best two servers for the room of six hibachi tables. Drink orders came after 20 minutes and then the children's drinks were forgotten. What was delivered was good, though. Hot sake and a sakatini paired with a beer. We felt bad because there was only one hibachi chef working and he had a full house. He did well and tried to provide good service even though he had to work non- stop. A good but not great show while we were being served. Not taking anything away from him because he really was swamped. Food was good and delivered either hot or cold and nothing to complain or rave about. One of the most "on par" meals I've had in a while. Prices were standard Long Island prices if not a few dollars per item elevated in comparison to other hibachi restaurants. Overall, fair for a decent meal.

I came here yesterday (Friday) to meet up with my friend and we're both so glad we discovered this…read morespot! I've been to Baci next door several times and never realized this restaurant was where it was! There is a free smallish parking lot in front as the lot is shared with the other stores in the strip mall that it's located in. I arrived around 12:45pm and was lucky enough to find ONE spot remaining. When I left around 2:45pm, there were a lot more available spots. Upon entering, I just sat where my friend was sitting. It looks like you can pick anywhere to sit and eventually someone will come over to take your order. All the wait staff were very nice and patient with us, as I was indecisive with what I wanted to order; everything looked so good! To order, there was a QR code on the table that you can scan and then browse the menu on your phone. A bit random but I really appreciated the bag hooks that were on the side of the table! I ended up ordering a Grilled Shrimp Quesadilla and my friend ordered a Regular Margarita and a Carne Asada Burrito. We were both very happy with our choices! Flavorful and fresh, my quesadilla was the perfect size and my friends burrito was pretty filling that she had to pack the rest to go. There is also a clean and spacious bathroom in the back if needed. Credit cards are accepted and they can split the bill if needed. We will be returning!

Came here on a Sunday night. They had a couple of tables that were empty so we were seated right…read moreaway. We ordered the Guacamole and Chips to start. The guac was creamy and little bit on the sweet side. I ordered the Birria Tacos and thought it was very good. I also had a drink called Mezcalita which was excellent!

After getting off work late this evening, all I wanted was some hearty, comforting food, so we…read moredecided to come here. We were seated immediately after we walked in, at a table by the window looking out onto Old Country Road. The service, as always, was excellent. Our waitress was pleasant, and attentive. A big basket of warm pizza bread arrived almost immediately while we were waiting for our food. It was so good that by the time our entrées arrived, I was already almost full! I had the linguine seafood, while Hubby ordered tonight's chicken special. Both dishes were super tasty, flavorful, and satisfying--exactly what we were looking for after a long day. But what really made tonight's visit even more special was getting a chance to speak briefly with Juan, the manager, on our way out. I've known of Juan for at least 20 plus years, ever since I started coming here, and tonight I learned that he has actually been working at Café Baci for 38 years. That says a lot about both his dedication and this restaurant. I've eaten at restaurants all over the country, especially on both the East Coast and West Coast, as well as in many places throughout Canada. Over the years, I've had the opportunity to meet and interact with quite a few restaurant managers, and I have to say, Juan is truly one of the best I've come across. He is the whole package--compassionate, personable, genuinely caring, and incredibly professional. You can tell that hospitality isn't simply a job to him; he truly cares about his guests and takes pride in creating a great experience. Even our brief conversation left a wonderful impression on me. After all these years, Café Baci remains a reliable place for wonderful food, and people like Juan are what make a restaurant feel truly special. We always leave happy and satisfied, and tonight was no exception.

MIXED BAG THIS | CAFÉ BACI September 22, 2026…read more Italian food was on the menu today, and Café Baci delivered when it came to the FOOD! We started with an antipasto salad loaded with soft and hard cheeses, roasted zucchini, roasted eggplant, roasted red peppers, prosciutto, and a ham-and-cheese roll. Everything was fresh and delicious. For my entrée, I had the Rigatoni Bolognese , and my sister ordered the Lasagna. Both dishes were very good! I paired mine with a glass of Riesling, while my sister had a Whiskey Sour--which I completely forgot to take a picture of! Now, let's talk customer service. Our waiter was very attentive and checked on us regularly to make sure we had everything we needed. He provided good customer service. The bathroom was clean; however, it is a unisex bathroom with both a urinal and a toilet. Paris had the same setup. That being said, I'm not taking anything away from the food at Café Baci. The food was DELICIOUS, and I would return. MIXED BAG THIS VERDICT: NICE REVIEW Great Italian food, enjoyable meal, and definitely worth another visit.

I was craving hot pot, and I found this place which hit the spot! I've never had shabu shabu…read morebefore, and it was pretty much the same as other hot pot places that I've been to, but I was really blown away at how clean and modern and large this restaurant was. We came on a Friday night close to 6:30 PM, and it was already pretty full, but thankfully we did not have to wait. Like other people have said in the reviews, I feel like the food was all fresh, and I really liked that they tried to keep it on ice. There's also a huge sauce selection, and I also appreciate that they had soft serve ice cream as well. It's $25 per person as of September 2026, but of course, if you get meat as well as any other beverages, those are additional costs. With tip, for two of us, the total ended up being closer to $100. But both of us felt like it was a really good amount of food for what we paid, and the experience was nice. They also had music playing, so it was kind of fun to dance along in our seats while we were eating. I can definitely see us making more trips here, especially in the colder months!

Came into town after a long day and one of us wasn't feeling well, so we decided to get some…read morecomfort food - shabu shabu. I wasn't sure how I felt about paying a base price and then meat by the plate, but I actually prefer it! The veggies were all so fresh, and there were many choices of veggies, fishcake, and noodles. Our server, Susi, gave such great service. She took our initial meat order. checked on us regularly to see if we needed more water, fill our hot pot when the broth was running low, and made just enough small talk to make us feel welcome and taken care of. She explained the way things work when we first sat down, and let us know when the buffet was closing soon. The restaurant was very clean, overall very well run, and dessert (ice cream and dole whip) was the cherry on top! I will definitely come back the next time I'm in Hempstead.

We really enjoyed this restaurant! It's small but decorated well and they create good separation…read morebetween the tables. I also always enjoy a good booth. The service is good. Our waitress was responsive to whatever we needed. The prices are a little high for the portion size, but the food is great quality. My vinho verde was a nice size pour. My husband loved the Iberian ham here. We both had the garlic shrimp which were very well flavored but unfortunately didn't have even one garlic clove, which was disappointing and there were only 6 shrimp. The olive oil they were in was great though and we dipped our food into it and they were perfectly cooked. The paella is supposed to be for 2-4 people which I can see if you have more tapas but we finished it off. It came with a healthy amount of shrimp, grilled calamari and chorizo and was perfectly seasoned. We also appreciated how the rice was a bit crispy and not mushy. The table next to ours ordered what appeared to be a very good looking fruit cobbler of some kind but we were too stuffed for dessert. They also have a weekday happy hour before 6pm that looks good with deals on booze. Really enjoyed this spot! Conveniently located in the middle of garden city with ample free parking.

I ate here for dinner with my family for my brother's birthday. The restaurant is small and mostly…read moreis taken up by a long bar. They were able to seat us at a table and there were 8 of us. The restaurant is tapas style so a lot of small plates. I thought the presentation of the food was very well done. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and recommended great dishes. We ordered shrimp, steak on the bone, bone marrow, potatoes, polenta, broccolini, shishieto peppers, and paella for dinner to share. We all enjoyed our food. For desserts we got the lemon and blueberry pudding, was delicious. I loved the bread pudding. My grandfather enjoyed his Nutella chocolate.