Fried calamari was great. Tender and well seasoned. Baked clams very good. Flavorful with lemon and wine. Not chewy. Pasta with crab. Good. Definitely could use a bit more crab for the amount of pasta but was flavorful. My friend had the scallops. He thought they were just ok. Probably just over cooked. Service was excellent. All the staff were friendly I've been here several times and will still go back. read more

*Updated review* I miss the old staff that used to work here. Hospitality is just not there as it once was. The server/bartender had zero sense of urgency and handed us some dirty menus. I came in with my husband for happy hour waited over 30 mins for oysters and 1 fish taco. All the food came out at once raw fish with pasta and burger all hit the table at once. No change of plates were offered. Burger came out well done it was very dry and bread was stale and fries weren't good either. Management/ ownership needs to step up and make some changes there. Unacceptable. read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - Happy hour menu as of 11/10/25 - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

While a quaint local place that is cute and friendly, I probably wouldn't go back. We've tried twice because I like seafood & my husband doesn't, but loves pasta & steak, so we thought this might be a good place to compromise. The seafood wasn't great but was fine. The filet was fatty, the meatballs were suspiciously uniform & tasted like frozen sausage. When food was delivered, the runner couldn't tell which dish was which, and put something my husband ordered and my father was allergic to in front of my father without being able to identify the dish. Over-the-top attempts to make amends by offering a free dessert to a diabetic and delivering a skirt steak as an apology for the meatballs didn't go over as they intended. Nice service & we've collectively tried 8 dishes, but all were duds with a "pretty good" at best (the swordfish). We had high hopes, we only wish the food was better. We'll keep trying local places! read more

So happy I tried Reef again! The food was delicious and the staff was friendly. The lamb chops were perfect, the fried calamari was crispy, the scallops with mashed potatoes were excellent, and the seafood pasta was amazing. I'll definitely be back! read more

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To start the meal, the complimentary bread wasn't hot but was soft. The perfect amount of butter was provided. The wait time for food was on the longer side, but when we asked for more bread and butter, they quickly brought it out to us. The service was lovely. When my friend mentioned that the burger was well done and dry when he asked for medium well, the staff offered to remake the food. Surprisingly, they also remade the fries. The sauce was made from scratch, and I think it was a ketchup with a slight tangy kick. The fries were crispy with just enough potato. The Seafood Risotto was surprisingly more filling than it looked. There was plenty of scallop pieces throughout the risotto, and well as three large pieces of shrimp. On a Saturday night, the restaurant was busy but wasn't too loud. read more

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Great neighborhood seafood spot and happy hour spot. A must for happy hour as they have great happy hour specials and a nice bar area. Came here for dinner and i'd say they have a minimal menu but they execute the dishes well. Price point can be a bit high for whats offered but we had a enjoyable dinner. Go for the clams and linguine or the fresh seared scallops. read more

Although menu was limited the food and ambience was worth 4* if ranked alone. Seafood was fresh and dishes were good enough to come back. However the challenges resulting in this to 3* are all under their control and cheapen the entire experience. Water served in plastic carafes (never seen that in 4 star restaurant); cocktails served in the extraordinarily small cocktail glasses and don't bother to include standard (but more expensive) garnishes. Wines by the glass are all low quality (no premium options offered). Pictures on dessert menu are tacky. Service was slow, table near us got up and left. Penny wise dollar foolish as this could be a much better option in Forest Hills. read more

I chose Reef for us to celebrate my Dad's bday on a Saturday and the food was delicious as usual, so No complaints there! We all enjoyed our meals! However, service could've been better. Our waiter (older baldheaded guy) was very blah and provided lackluster service. He barely checked on us and when he took our orders he appeared a bit impatient. His responses to questions about menu items were very short and snippy. I don't think he wanted to be at work that day! His demeanor sucked. However, the bus girl (lady) ended up waiting on us and was a gem, thankfully. She brought my Dad's dessert out and sang happy bday with a smile..Just Awesome! :-) read more

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Food was bland. Server couldn't answer a few questions I had on the menu. I asked for tap water & they gave me a bottle.

Great local restaurant. Wine was good. The steak was the star. Me and my companion shared a Mediterranean type salad which was so fresh. It really hit the mark. My friend for the shrimp linguine pasta. It was delicious. I know this would be my go to dish anytime I go there. read more

Was in the neighborhood craving oysters and decided to sit at the bar for a relaxed evening of drinks and oysters and more. Aldo, the bar manager was very friendly, attentive and entertained my friend in conversion on cocktails (making). Been here several times both brunch and dinner, it never disappoints. If you're in the area looking for a bar or fresh seafood Reef is a great choice. read more

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I've been to Reef Restaurant twice now, and both times were a great experience. The food is absolutely delicious, the service is excellent, and the ambiance and music really add to the vibe. I had the octopus, which was good, but it could've been a little better--it was slightly rubbery and lacked that perfect char with a crisp outside and tender inside. Still, the rest of the meal was spot on. I had the ribeye, which was fantastic, and the drinks were also great. I'd definitely go back. read more

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This place is a stellar find for some fresh seafood and steaks. Service was amazing and food was out of this world. The ambiance is classy seafood restaurant but casual feel. The food was so fresh and delicious. Mom and I really enjoyed ourselves indulging in quite a bit of the menu and even having a glass of wine. Arugula salad was crisp and refreshing with the apples adding a nice sweetness to the bitter arugula and the crunch of the candied walnuts was a perfect bite every time. Oysters were perfectly shucked and plenty of choices with the toppings. The grilled octopus was probably the favorite here as every bite was tender and screamed freshness. For the mains we got the grilled sea bass and the sea scallops. Both were perfectly cooked and seasoned just right. We paired the meal with some Pinot Grigio from Italy and the combination left me in the clouds. Plenty of vegetables on the side dishes and followed up with the melt chocolate lava cake and vanilla ice cream. Prices were a bit high but totally worth it, service was outstanding. Highly recommend checking it out, parking is metered but public transportation is available very close by. read more

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Amateur hour at Reef this afternoon. An untrained waitress acting as bartender: she made a watery Bloody Mary without tomato juice; she had to google how to make a screwdriver; and never brought my husband his coffee. Bring back Brian! read more

Nice for brunch! Shrimp omelette was delicious with perfectly cooked shrimp and the mozzarella was not over the top as they tend to be in omelettes. Lovely friendly staff and environment with all the greenery made you feel like you were in a sanctuary in the middle of what tends to be a bustling Austin street. Was glad they had a number of brunch entree options for under $25 as well (a sad rarity these days in this neighborhood). Also super toddler friendly - our 2 yr old loved it just as much as we did! Would come again and would love to try dinner next time indoors! read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - Shrimp omelette - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

I am actually very disappointed in my brunch party recently. I made a reservation for a party of 15 for brunch. They had another larger party downstairs, but they never told me they couldn't handle a second party. They definitely prioritized the bigger party and we had to chase them down to get anything. And anytime we ordered anything it was very hard to get it. And then we all ordered our food and they didn't even put the order in for about a half an hour. It took over an hour to get our food. So perhaps this place is good for a simple brunch for a couple of people but for big parties, they just cannot handle it. read more

I've been dining at this Mediterranean restaurant, Reef, for years. Brunch is always great and dinner is good too... tonight was one exception. I came with some girlfriends and started with a lychee lemon drop martini, and we shared ceviche and grilled octopus- really good. For my entry I had filet of sole stuffed w/ crabmeat and roasted veggies. Dessert was Nutella cheesecake - how can you go wrong? The decor is always nice and modern and the service was as bit slow at first, but picked up in the end. Overall a good experience, as usual. read more

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Great food and service and David is a great waiter. I'm very pleased to have this type of restaurant in forest hills.

Nothing can beat a good food, nice service and beautiful place. Have our anniversary every year here, the food always on point. The service is always great. The best NY dry-aged steak in town. Chef's kiss You will always comeback for the food since its so amazing. Treat yourself a good meal. Tried all the food, everything i chose were on point. Lobster ravioli, seafood pasta, linguine white clams sauce not to mention the bronzino. Baked Feta cheese appetizer, stuffed baked clams were our choice that day for starters. I am not a fan of salad, but i tried their cesar salad. Oh la la.. again chef's kiss!! Will always comeback for more to try read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - Alfonso is the best! He is friendly, professional and attentive to our table - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

A Forest Hills gem! It's such a lovely establishment - quite romantic. Been here for dinner and brunch. Service 9/10 Ambiance 10/10 Order: New England clam chowder, grilled octopus, baked feta, crab meat pasta, seafood risotto New England clam chowder: comforting is the best way to describe this. It was delicious and the portion was generous! We expected a small cup. 10/10 Grilled octopus: It's hard to mess this up. And I got two tentacles instead of one? 10/10 Baked feta: Reminded me of a savory toaster strudel - the honey was a nice touch. 9/10 Seafood risotto: Really needed some salt... 7/10 Crab pasta: the white wine sauce? Phenomenal. Drooling thinking about the leftovers in my fridge at this moment. 10/10 read more

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I love the food, big portions and delicious. I came here to celebrate my birthday, they gave free desserts for complimentary. I truly appreciate that. Ambiance is superb and looking fancy especially downstairs. The service is great, staff are attentive to you. Food comes on time. read more

Scrumptious and divine food. The taste was excellent and what I look for in a great meal. 10/10 recommend. Also, the desserts top tier. read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - Grilled Oysters Grilled Octopus Grilled Chicken Kebab - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

I dined here last night with one of my friends for dinner. We arrived at 6:30pm and asked to be seated indoors. It was relatively busy for a Tuesday night which could be due to the Neil Young concert in forest hills. We were seated and waiting to give our order. We signaled the waitress after 15-20 minutes when she was giving the bill to the table next to us and she said she would be with us soon. Another 10 minutes go by and we are still waiting. There is no bread or water provided to our table while we wait. We signaled the hostess when she walked by us and asked if we could give our order and she said someone will be with us. Basically we got seated at 6:35 and waited 45 minutes to give our order which is unacceptable a male waiter took our order versus the female waitress. We also had to ask for bread for our table. We got our food and the calamari was tasty I would recommend it. The lobster ravioli was creamy and filled, however the ravioli was not consistently cooked as some pieces were more Al dente than others. The spinach lasagna needed more salt. The lychee martini was nice and strong but they don't put real lychee fruit in the drink just syrup. Overall food was solid I would give it a 3-3.5 out of 5 but the service was absolutely terrible. When we were done eating I asked for the bill 3 times and waited an extra 15 minutes for it. The female waitress from earlier was by the bar complaining to her co workers about the customers in the restaurant and also engaged in conversation regarding needed to serve the wealthier looking customers first.....needless to save this was absolutely disgusting behavior especially since you still had customers in the restaurant. The food is not that great for me to want to put up with this service again I would skip it. read more

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I've now been here four times and this is one of the best places to treat yourself with a perfectly cooked steak, sumptuous pasta, or a perfectly cooked fish. The staff is fantastic and they are incredibly accommodating, making sure to take all of your preferences into account. We've always eaten outside but it is absolutely delightful to hang out here and people watch. The inside area is beautifully curated and as soon as you walk in the door you feel like you're going to be expertly cared for. Shoutout to the amazing Aldo for his fantastic service! This is a fantastic spot for a date night, after a concert at nearby Forest Hills, or even for a nice light lunch. I highly recommend the lychee martini and sparkplug cocktails, and if you're in the mood for wine the waiters will make excellent suggestions that hit the spot. As an aside to anyone who loves good conversation and some whimsy, the folks here will provide it. Just look at the adorable coffee they gave us as a way to make me smile. My husband and I always feel like we're family when we're here. We can't wait for our next time exploring the Reef! read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - An adorable coffee from Reef - their waiters are artistes! - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

Hidden gem in Forest Hills, I've dined at this restaurant a handful of times thru the years and it is never busy. Drinks are good and seafood is fresh. For appetizer my go to is baked clams, they also have grilled oysters which are delicious but sometimes they don't have them available. My friend had the spicy cheese dip which was good and just the right amount of spice. All of our entrees were good and cooked to perfection, portions look a little small but they were the perfect portion. Lobster ravioli was a rich, creamy dish. Jumbo stuffed shrimp were amazing. Lemon potatoes were not as good as expected, they tasted more like plain roasted potatoes. Lychee lemon drop martini was a good cocktail choice but it's more on the lemon drop side, lychee flavor was very light. read more

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This restaurant is tucked away between the infamous Queens Blvd and Austin St. Came here on literally the coldest night during COVID times when only outdoor dining was available. There was minimal wait. Me and my friends were seated under a canopy with a heater on top. For drinks we got Hot Toddy, Prosecco, and a Lychee drink. For appetizers we ordered spicy feta dip and baked clams. Both were really good. Spicy feta was definitely spicy, if you are afraid of spice this may not be for you. For entree I got the lamb chops which were drizzled with an amazing sauce.. tasted like figs and balsamic vinaigrette. My friends ordered the Shrimps stuffed with Crabmeat, Lobster Ravioli, and the seafood Risotto. All entrees were a hit. Went indoors to use the restroom and the interior of the restaurant is sooo cute! Definitely date night worthy! As for service, our waiter whom I forgot his name was very friendly and knowledgeable, offering great recommendations. 10/10 recommend. read more

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This is a very good rest. The food is very good. Especially the steaks and seafood. Very good wine list too. But the added touch is the great service. The staff is pleasant welcoming and if you prefer privacy they are not all over you. The atmosphere is warm and relaxed while still making you feel like you are in a special place. We have eaten here often and haven't had a bad experience yet. I celebrated my wife's birthday with family and friends and it went smoothly and it was a great night. I like this place . read more

Always a good choice. Food is fresh and real tasty. Nothing on the menu is heavyI really liked that you aren't rushed. You won't be disappointed. read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - seafood Risotto - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

Very underrated restaurant in Queens! Best restaurant on Austin Street! First time here and I want to come here every week. Food taste great and looks fresh. Food is seasoned perfectly. For the quality of the the cost is great! If you are looking to order an appetizer I would order that calamari and Chicken Kabab for an entree. Don't think twice about coming here, just go! Five Stars read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - Fresh Salmon Fillet with Grilled Vegetables - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

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The thing I love about this place is that they serve the best frozen margaritas. I've heard such good reviews about Reef and although it's only located a block away from me I have never had the opportunity to visit until now. And I heard they were serving frozen margaritas and other drinks to go. I'm sure it's the same with food, but I was more honed in with the beverage selection. Their frozen margaritas were superb. Lots of booze in it and fairly inexpensive. One drink was about $6ish which is worthwhile since the quality of the drink will make you feel nice and this is much needed if you want to release stress. They have strawberry and passion fruit flavors. I'm looking forward to visit again and scope out their food options when we are able to dine again in restaurants. read more

Absolute worst service in my entire life, food was just plain awful as well. I've worked in the service industry for over 20 years(server, bartender, etc) and what my date and I endured was beyond words...but I'll try. We were sat fairly quickly but our waiter seemed to be missing in action. When he finally decided to acknowledge us, he was very rude, argued about what was on the menu, and then continued to ignore us so he could flirt with some female customers. We waited 30+ minutes before we had to flag down another waiter jc pirs was too busy playing on his phone, only to find out our order was never even put in. When our food was finally entered and made it's way to our table it was cooked so poorly it was inedible. This he wanted to mistreat us for as well, then went back to ignoring us. We tried to thank the 2nd waiter that actually helped us but instead he went off on us. Mind you the restaurant wasn't busy at all. Where is mgmt, is anyone even managing this B rated dump? From what I saw they must be paying off the food inspector to get a B This has to of been the worst dining experience we have ever had, will never return and will bad mouth as long as I can. read more

Came here for Dinner the other night, the host is super friendly, the Bartender Brian makes great cocktail . The ceviche in a martini glass is delicious, a must have. The blue point oysters are fresh and tasty, the cocktail sauce qith gorse radish is fresh as well. They have a nice menu, and nice assortment of cocktails and wines. Brian made me an amazing vodka martini, then after Dinner I had a whiskey sour made to perfection. One of the best I've had. Highly recommend read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - Whiskey sour - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

Food was top quality & staff were helpful & efficient. Went as a group of 4 and we got the sword fish steak, tuna steak, & branzino. All of the dishes were delicious. The meats were just the right texture and taste. My friend and I describe the sword fish as tasting/ feeling like a softer chicken. The tuna steak medium rare, was made just right, & was juicy. The Branzino was a whole fish, looked about almost 12 inches long and was seasoned very well. All the seafood dishes at the bottom of the menu came with your choice of side. Went on a Saturday evening and it was pretty full. We called and made a reservation just 30 minutes before coming and was seated right away. read more

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I ordered stuffed filet of sole. The waiter brought the plate and it was loaded with vegetables. "Where's the fish," I asked. He pointed to a cracker-sized white thing about 1/4" thick. "Where's the stuffing?" "He said, "It's in there." I called the manager over. She looked at the dish, said there was nothing wrong, but did send over free dessert. What a crock - my only regret that I didn't get up and leave then and there. I was with two friends and didn't want to create a scene, but after I left I thought "never again." read more

My family reserved a private room downstairs and we celebrated my 50th birthday there tonight. Service was exceptional. Thank you Lisa for all of your hard work and for taking the time to not only help us get a bunch of group picture but for also arranging the group so beautifully. The food was all excellent. We had their prefixed menu with a choice of 2 types of salad, appetizers, for entrees there were 4 different options to choose from and lastly 2 options for dessert as well as coffee. I would definitely recommend. read more

Tried taking my mom out for Mother's Day. Bartender extremely rude after I told him food was cold. Drinks and food were terrible. Service even worse. Never coming back and we were regulars. read more

-Bar Review- We came here for Happy Hour. We took advantage of their happy hour specials, which were your typical well drinks and wines--nothing really out of the ordinary. We also ordered a shrimp cocktail, which was absolutely fantastic and came in a cocktail glass with salad that had--wait for it--avocado. I really wish this thing was on their menu! I only had a glass of wine but the bartender was so sweet and knew I was curious about their homemade pineapple vodka and gave us shots. Let me tell that when I say we were mind-blown, I am not exaggerating. There was absolutely no hint of vodka taste and it tasted purely like pineapple-infused water that it would've been dangerous if I had a few more. Did I mention that it was strong, too? Would definitely get an order (or a few) if I come back again, but I am on the fence about the seafood since I generally don't eat seafood in the city. The interior is a bit of a mystery, even though it looks like they're going for a beach theme but it ends up looking like a fancy dive bar on a beach, if that even is possible. read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - Shrimp Cocktail - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

What a find! We popped in after a day of tennis at Forest Hills stadium. We were in from Jersey and wanted to grab dinner instead of having stadium food (which the kids still tried). Love this spot the ambiance is just right for a local neighborhood spot. The service on point! Now let's get to the food .... To start we had the guacamole and chips to share and I had the grilled octopus which didn't disappoint. The octopus was cook perfectly! The flavor points of the citrus vinegrette and a small side salad which accompanied it were perfect. Main courses, Scallops with roasted potatoes, lobster ravioli, seared tuna appetizer and the mixed greens salad, finally I had the tuna steak and it was cooked perfectly. I love the citrus pesto that it was served with along with grilled vegetables. The kids wanted dessert so the got the Nutella cheesecake, WOW! You have to try it. They also grabbed up the Crème Brule which was good but not needed with a winning cheesecake like that! Overall price point dinner for 4 wasn't to bad... If you don't mind spending money for a good meal. I do highly recommend this restaurant as a must try if you're in the area. I would call ahead and get a reservation just incase. You always have to leave room for improvement that's why you will only see me leave 4 stars. However I couldn't point out anything that need fixing. Thank You to the staff and chefs whom deserve a lot of credit for all that they do. read more

I met my girlfriends for brunch at Reef and it was approximately $30 per person. The choices were limited; I believe there were a total of 4-5 entrees. Anyway, I chose the seafood omelet and since it came with a choice of side, I chose breakfast potatoes. In hindsight, i should have gone with the salad because the potatoes were bland. The omelet was ok; i counted two shrimp (they were of great quality, though). Both the omelet and home fries lacked seasoning. The complimentary bread with butter was nothing to write home about. But the English muffin that I stole from my friend's plate because she is on a low-carb diet was spectacular. We had female servers throughout our meal and God bless them, they were trying. We sat outside and the view and weather made up for the mediocre meal. Perhaps because it was brunch? I will go again for dinner and see if it's any better. read more

Reef Restaurant & Bar - Seafood omelet with home fries - Seafood Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

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We celebrated our friend's birthday here before we sent her off on her vacation. She loves this place and I was curious to know what all the hype was about. Reef provides a lovely ambiance as well as aesthetics that ignites anyone's romantic side. One of my friends and I decided to peruse the cocktail menu and order drinks while we waited for the rest of our party to meet us for our reservation. We were served complimentary bread with hummus. Reef is a no butter zone. If you're looking to butter your bun this is not the place for you. A waitress came over and took our drink order. I ordered a mango martini per my friend's suggestion and asked for a balance between mango and vodka. For some odd reason I was met with a scrutinizing look and an abrasive attitude. Immediately I was questioned about ordering their martini before. I quicky clarified that what I wanted was a balance, nothing more nothing less. For apps we ordered baked claims and fried calamari. Although the clams were on the smaller side they were delicious. The portion of calamari we received was not only laughable but extremely disappointing. The marinara was bland. For our entrees we ordered Seafood Pasta, Filet of Sole Stuffed with Crabmeat, Jumbo Shrimps with Crabmeat, and Mediterranean Shrimp. My jumbo shrimp crabmeat entree did not satisfy my palette at all. I never use salt but my dish needed some TLC. Albeit, the presentation was nice I had to add salt and pepper to each bite. The crab meat lacked flavor and the shrimps were overcooked. It tasted rubbery. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love seafood. Reef missed it's mark. The Mediterranean menu looked promising but failed miserably. Now here's the thing I'm all for a restaurant wanting to provide healthy meal options to its patrons but I do not understand why the food was so underwhelming. read more

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