We were looking for a place to sit and grab a cool drink after a long stroll along Rockaway Beach…read more The small, mostly wood wine bar is cozy, plays an interesting mix of Caribbean and blue grass, and offers a small, but solid wine list. I had a cremant de Loire and wife a New Zeland Sauvignon Blanc. A party took up the back yard, so snagged on of the 5 tables a gross from the 8 seat bar. The proprietress (I guess) took my Oder at the bar and brought bottles out to pour at the table. Casual and fun. We'll be back. (Took me 29 years to visit Rockaway, but....) menu is small, looks good, but we didn't partake. Just right for what we needed.

I just had to visit Sayra's again after a 7 year lapse though in all fairness, I rarely hit…read moreRockaway Beach. Located on the corner of Rockaway Beach Blvd, this quaint wine bar offers tranquility (at least when I visited) and a cozy atmosphere. Upon both visits, I chose to sit in their charming, pebbled ground backyard patio. It resembled something residential--very cute. Though we only made a quick pit stop to enjoy an ice cold Bud Light on a hot summer day, it was time well spent. They serve a variety of drinks with a smile. FYI, don't know if they serve food or bites. Adorable spot whether you're on the way to/from the beach.

We were first interested in this joint with the oldies music playing on a locked up speaker. We…read moretook a New York Transit Museum antique train down to the Rockaway for the afternoon! While the Rockaway seemed a bit ghost-town (Sunday afternoon), Rocco's was jumping! Staff were attentive and friendly. We took our waiter's recommendation of the spicy meatball pizza--I'll say that my partner and I probably should have gotten individual pizzas. It was very delicious!!

We had a wonderful evening at Rocco's, a charming neighborhood Italian restaurant run by the…read moresweetest young couple, Vinny and Joanne. They're the ultimate hosts -- warm, welcoming, and genuinely lovely people. The food was fantastic from start to finish. We began with perfectly tender fried calamari served with a delicious tomato sauce. The baked clams were excellent, swimming in a buttery garlic olive oil that was perfect for dipping their homemade bread. The thin-crust pizza had a lovely sweet tomato sauce and high-quality mozzarella. The meatballs were tender and flavorful -- the meat tasted like prime beef. For our mains, both the chicken parmesan and chicken francese were outstanding, and the side of penne alla vodka was rich and excellent. We tried nearly every dessert on the menu and they were all delicious. The wine list is reasonably priced, and we enjoyed a lovely bottle with dinner. Best of all, the service was spectacular. We came with a group of 12, and with only one waitress(some addditional staff as well), she handled our entire table like a pro -- fast, efficient, and incredibly attentive the whole night. Rocco's is a true neighborhood gem. We can't wait to return and highly recommend it to everyone

Quiet on a Thursday night...1/2 price tasting menu for 1/2 portions of appetizers &…read moreentrees...beautiful decor and window views...above Harborside Grill...tasty hot artisan bread...great wine selection as well as specialty cocktails. 2nd visit...some limitations with our Restaurant.com coupon not stated on the certificate (only good after 7:00, can't be used in the tasting menu during Happy Hour, Thurs.-Fri.)...we had lamb chops (with sweet mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts) and pappradella with burrata in a meat sauce...both good choices...pleasant live music (jazz group).

I guess things didn't work out as planned. For quite some time now they are private events only…read more Gotta say one thing, it's tough to get in, lots of stairs.

Incredible thoughtful selections and recommendations, downright delicious food. A vegetarian's…read moreparadise!

If you are looking for a great wine bar then you definitely need to check this place out…read more They classic wines and interesting wine cocktails they have created themselves. The service was exceptional. They explained all of the wine profiles and made great recommnedations. The space looks beautiful. It feels intimate and warm. A great place to connect with friends.

Bar Vivant was a much needed pause with its intimate, dimly lit room with a relaxed, unhurried…read moreenergy that makes you want to linger for a little while longer. We shared Betsy's Mom's Clam Dip, Mushroom Toast, Bitter Greens Salad, Minted Lamb Meatballs, and duck pâté. The meal opened with the clam dip; cool, lush, and briny, with a creamy oceanic richness that coated the palate; followed by a tangy, salty depth that clung to each crunchy bite of bread. The Mushroom Toast followed with deeper savoriness: earthy, almost forest-floor mushrooms, warm and tender, turning silky as they soaked into the bread, while the edges stayed crisp and toasted, adding contrast to the woodsy umami and subtle garlic warmth. The Bitter Greens Salad provided a bright, palate-cleansing break that included crisp and peppery greens with a sharp lemony dressing that snapped on the tongue, layered with faint fennel sweetness and the nutty, salty bite of shaved parmesan. The Minted Lamb Meatballs arrived richer and more comforting, tender and juicy with a gentle gamey depth, lifted by fresh mint that cut through the richness, and a cool, tangy tomato-yogurt sauce that added creaminess and brightness in equal measure. We finished with pâté--silky, dense, and deeply savory, with a faint iron-rich intensity and buttery smoothness, especially when spread on bread with sharp, briny pickles that added crunch and acidity. Each dish felt intentional and well-balanced for sharing, with varied textures and temperatures that built naturally across the table. I'd happily return to explore more of the menu.

Amazing place, and great service despite the full restaurant! The food was so good, everything was…read morecooked to perfection & the flavors worked together really well. Really looking forward to a return trip here. Had the steak frites, bitter salad & charcuterie board, all phenomenal.

Really enjoyed happy hour and charcuterie at The Beast Next Door! They have HH every day from…read more4-7pm, including $1 oysters. Went with a friend for a glass of wine and to share an order of potato croquettes and a cheese board. The charcuterie boards are BYO and come with a small side of olives, grapes, but plenty of crostini. We chose 3 cheeses and added honey. With the croquettes, we were both full by the end. They also have a selection of meats but neither of us were feeling like it. The olives on the side were very tasty - they seemed slightly picked vs being just pure salty. I wish the charcuterie came with more olives on the side tbh! The waiter was incredible: personable, confident, and attentive. His vibe + the woodsy ambiance + delicious bites made the evening feel really cozy and elevated. Would recommend for a date, girls night, or catching up with friends. Next time, we want to get a group together to make a big board so we can try everything on the charcuterie menu!

Enjoyed attending my friend's birthday get together here! It's not my first time though seems like…read moreI never wrote a review! On a weekday evening about two dozen people came out to join in a birthday celebration. They were able to seat us around two tables in the back and standing area all around. Super casual and pretty bustling when I arrived at around 7pm on a Wednesday evening. The couple staff not directly behind the bar were a little hard to flag down since they were two people manning tables for about fifty. I sought one of them out, ordered food and drinks and paid via credit card tap, then my beer took about five minutes to arrive. The Soppressata Supreme $15 open-face sandwich that I ordered was tasty and well-presented on fresh chewy/crusty (in a good way!) bread, they folded the salami to create a more 3D appearance, the side salad was decent. A few friends ordered a charcuterie board which came with several cured meats and cheeses, good stuff! They had a great happy hour deal on Narragansett Lager for $5.00 and $10.00 glass of house wine, and $2.00 off "house standard" cocktails, $1 off draft beer. My friends celebrating enjoyed quite a few cocktails, and all in all spent a chill few hours here!

Bday Tings! Kicking…read moreoff my bday celebrations here on a Thursday which is Ladies Night. 10 out of 10!!!! The service, the food, the drinks & the vibes. Happy Hour is until 8pm. Half off select cocktails and appetizers. $7 margaritas, martinis and mojitos all night for Ladies Night. My friends and I had Churrasco skewers, truffle waffle fries, chicken quesadillas, Churrasco quesadillas, loaded waffle fries with shrimp and sweet chili wings. Everything was good! Nothing salty, mushy or lacking flavor. Hookah is $40, cash only and $25 for a refill. The hookah was smooth and long lasting. We really had a great time here. I'll definitely be back over the summer!

One of my fave happy hours in the neighborhood. Happy hour is every Monday to Friday from 5pm to…read more8pm. All the signature cocktails are half off, as well as the left side of the snacks menu. I've been coming here since they open and it has also become a hookah bar. Not my fave part anymore but came and the smell didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Service here is awesome. The waitress even remembered me mentioning that I didn't like the smell of the hookah and offered us a different seat when the customers next to us started smoking. So thoughtful. Food here is on point. For drinks I had the IYKYK mule and the drinks have definitely improved.

Loved this cutie little wine bar in Ridgewood. I loved their spritzes (sucker for a good aperol…read morespritz) and their focaccia with whipped ricotta and honey (I believe). They have both bar seating and tables for larger groups, so any party can definitely be accommodated. The staff is also super sweet and made me feel so welcome :)

What a lovey local wine bar! Having grown up in this neighborhood, I've seen it go through so many…read morechanges and this is definitely one for the better. Situated on the ground floor of a corner building, the interior is warm and welcoming with high ceilings and a beautiful slab of marble for the bar. Excellent wine selection, eclectic but delicious menu and wonderful staff. Looking forward to returning

New bar in the neighborhood. Great idea, but the pretentious bartenders made it such a profoundly…read moreoff-putting experience (especially the one with a camo hat, tall, man). He didn't utter a single word to us in the entirety of our exchange, which gave the performative-giving space (with call-to-action posters of already-done actions) an even more negative tilt. The crowd feels seismically out of place for a bar in this neighborhood. Feels very Greenpoint esque. Drinks were on low end of mid; not sure if I should blame the bartender or the bar. The margarita deluxe tasted like a margarita lite, and End of an Era was mid. The dance floor in the back has a lot of potential, but I won't be able to witness it if its front-end continues sucking as much as this presentation.

Inviting neighborhood spot with lovely wine, friends, music and dancing. The staff is engaging and…read moreready to make you night out enjoyable.

2nd visit and it was pleasant. The service was good. They ran out of brisket which was what we…read morewanted but it's fine. The food we had still was great.

Stopped by today because I saw on Instagram that they had a closing for riding season. I paid $13…read morefor their Oktoberfest hot dog. Everyone was really nice but I was pretty disappointed. The presentation was really nice but the hotdog was cold when I bit it. I wish I'd gotten a different menu item instead. It was just a cold hot dog with ketchup, mayo, mustard, scallion, and crispy garlic/shallots on top. Definitely not worth the $13 My review is based on the hot dog. I'm not sure how other food is