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    The Seneca

    4.0 (80 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

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    THE SENECA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Hipster
    Casual
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - The Seneca

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    Chopped Salad with Chicken
    Shay N.

    Decided to stop in with a girlfriend Saturday night. It's got a Midwestern vibe to it to be honest. There were kids and families which was not something I was expecting, but it was a lovely environment. The place has a simple, quirky vibe with a pool table tucked in the back. The only downside is the booths, they're fixed to the wall and way too tight, not exactly big girl friendly. I moved over to the bar once a few people cleared out. The bar, thankfully, was a much better choice, they were hooks to put my bag and coat (thank you! I hate when you sit at a bar and there's no hook, as it means, they did not think of women at all!) and I was very chill and comfortable vibe. I didn't get the bartender's name, which is very unlike me, but she reminded me of the girl from the animated movie Hotel Transylvania, and she had a great positive energy. Even when she was overwhelmed at times, she made sure to check on us, and mixed a great cocktail. Very hospitable. In fact, all of the staff were very kind and not standoffish. I love that when you're sitting at a bar. So I started with the pineapple daiquiri, which was... fine. Nothing memorable. But the spicy margarita? Incredible. I ended up having three, so that says everything you need to know. I was so hungry, as I've been so busy during the day and forgot to eat lunch, so I ordered the chop salad with added chicken. The portion was surprisingly generous for the price, and the flavors were spot-on, spicy, sweet, and savory all at once. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and the spicy peanuts were such a good touch. I also grabbed some fried pickles, which were dangerously good, especially with their homemade ranch. I couldn't stop eating them. My friend joined me later and ordered sweet potato fries and another round of fried pickles, both of which we destroyed without hesitation. The sweet potato fries are so pillowy and the sauce that they came with had like a creamy Sriracha sauce, which I was in love with. Overall, the food was way better than I expected. I'd definitely come back, to try some of the other things on the menu. The lemon pepper wings sounded killer!

    Aperol Spritz and the Maple Old Fashioned
    Jessica C.

    The Seneca is a cozy, old fashioned bar that transports you back to the 70s in the most comforting way. The food is tasty bar-fare and they had amazing specials for Fall (I tried literally all of them). The Oktoberfest brat paired with the Maple Old Fashioned and Vegan Pumpkin Soup were the perfect cures for a rainy fall day! Even with a packed restaurant, service was quick and friendly. If you want a friendly neighborhood bar I couldn't suggest this one more!

    Esteban P.

    People sleep on this place, but best smash burger in NYC. Service is ok I guess, but then again it is more of a bar than a restaurant. Go on a Sunday during the afternoon for a chill vibe, good burger, and a cold beer.

    Brunch Menu (as of Sept. 30th)
    Cristina R.

    Looking for a great brunch spot in Ridgewood? Look no further...The Seneca is here to save the day with a bar flare. I ordered the little Seneca burger and added a fried egg. The comeback sauce was delish and it reminded me of McDonalds Big Mac sauce (but better). The drip coffee was presented in a beautiful cup, which is always appreciated. I'm hoping next time they have Almond Milk has a choice, however Oat was acceptable! I also loved the ambiance inside and out. The service was good and great vibes by all. The futebol (soccer) game on TV reminded me of my younger years watching it with my Dad.

    Vintage hat
    Pax S.

    *sigh* this will always be my favorite place in Ridgewood. Tom Ballinger, the owner, has become a life-long friend and I'm constantly amazed at how much time and investment he puts into this amazing bar. I also have to shoutout Roof Alexander for being a wonderful friend and bartender. I split the RODEO burger with a friend with the plantain appetizer (know the menu is always rotating) and I was in heaven. Roof made the best espresso martini. Tom recommended a wonderful IPA. I miss this place so much I could cry! I have a hat that no one else has and I have worn it delivering mail and every single day when I am outdoors. It was so nice to reconnect with my old neighborhood bar. Te quiero, The Seneca.

    Spicey Margarita
    dena m.

    had my son's Birthday 4/1 there excellent service from Adam this past Saturday. Food tried burger, wings lemon pepper, and the Spicey Margarita awesone. Must add the vibe was great and the place is cozy we enjoyed the big screen and pool table.

    Spicy Chicken Sando
    Brendan T.

    Despite being located firmly on the Queens side of the Ridgewood-Bushwick border this place is very much of the "New-Brooklyn" variety that has became so common to the point of over-saturation in the past decade plus in that borough and across the planet. It's evident the moment you walk in and see that particular breed of design and layout, as well as the thoughtfully selected local and rarer craft beers on offer on tap and bespoke cocktails offered, sadly at a good 2-3 bucks higher than at any other bar in the area, and likely 4-5 more than some of the longtime dives that may be barely hanging on at this point. This is surely one of the ugliest and most infuriating aspects of harbingers of gentrification like this, new establishments pricing drinks significantly higher in order to keep a "certain element," aka longtime residents who made the wonderful neighborhood what it is to begin with, out, while catering to yuppie scum who will immediately pick up in this dog-whistle pricing and fork over the extra dollars to avoid the possibility of having to rub shoulders with their working class neighbors. Happy hour is extremely limited in terms of options offered and generally include none of the good beers I would like to drink. Despite this disturbing pricing and the dark culture of greed and elitism/racism behind it, this place has become something of a go-to of mine when in the area on the strengths of its other good qualities, of which there are many. Firstly the food is really really solid superior the a good number of the similar bars in the neighboring borough. Really excellent burgers, of the more shake-shake-esque fast-food "smash" school, on a delicious potato bun, as well as excellent super thin fries accompanied by an awesome house made ranch dressing are probably the menus stars. It's surely ranks as one of the better burgers in the borough, once you remember you are in Queens, that is... From there you've got solid, somewhat new school wings breaded and non-traditional but yummy, along with an equally solid if extremely ubiquitous Mac and cheese with bacon. The only dish I found somewhat disappointing, despite eyeing up a delicious looking dish a patron was inhaling across the bar, was the spicy crispy chicken sandwich. While adequately cooked and juicy, it was overpowered by an odd tasting and saccharine-sweet hot sauce. They were however also accompanied by those delicious shoestring fries and ranch dip, offering some carby-consolation. Beyond the delicious food and drink, this bar managed to carve out its place in my heart as all good bars do, on the strength of its staff, overall really cool and professional, and offering a good cross-section of random New Yorker clientele, including, yes longtime residents as well as recent transplants from every where you could imagine and more, of which I have managed to have some good, interesting and properly weird New York conversations, as you should and any good NYC bar. While the pricing is unfortunate and hopefully maybe the owners may see this and be inspired to drop drink prices (I won't hold my breath), the place has also nonetheless and in spite of itself seemingly endeared itself to the hood to some degree by hosting movie nights, trivia nights, community council events and other such community-fostering events. Also, the space while the design would maybe rate as cliche even 10 years in BK, its undeniable gorgeous and welcoming. Hell I guess I'm still a sucker for the Basic BK Bullshit after all the years, when its done right, as problematic as it can be....

    Fries, delicious... but "chicken nuggets"?!?! HA! $10 worth of burnt, dry and hard inedible disappointment.

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    8 months ago

    Really bad services where no body go to your table and of course they demands for the tips.

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    2 years ago

    Truly amazing food and unique drinks. Honestly the owner is obviously quite in control of their shit.

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    2 years ago

    The food had small portions and it was just ok. Nothing to make me want to go back. However, the service was great but food ehhhh.

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    4 years ago

    Best burger in Ridgewood and a great beer selection. All of the staff are great and the kitchen is on point.

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great place, awesome burger, well priced. I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area

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    5 years ago

    Friendly staff and the owners are amazing! Please do yourself the favor and try out "the Italian" sandwich! Amazing!!

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    Ask the Community - The Seneca

    Do they still have trivia on Thursdays?

    They do! Thursdays it's starts up like 8-8:30

    Do they sell top shelf liquor?

    Yes and they have a lot of it! They're known for having a variety of top shelf whiskeys but even have things like Fernet.

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    The Bad Old Days

    The Bad Old Days

    4.3
    (64 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    According to the Internet, this is the #1 bar in Ridgewood, so I decided to check it out with BF…read moreafter dinner at Rolo's. The bar is a bit on the smaller side in terms of seating, but it has a TON of personality. I loved the eclectic decorations and knickknacks around the seating areas and the bar. The bartender had the TV tuned in to Jeopardy, so my inner (or extremely obvious?) nerd was beaming. In terms of the drinks themselves, I tried the cocoa orange whiskey (?) infusion on the rocks, and my BF had the chipotle paloma. We would both say they were solid, definitely not at "craft cocktail" level, but decent. This bar has a fun + dive-y feel - the kind of place where you get a beer, a plate of chicken nuggets, and watch trash tv with your neighborhood crew (I think they actually do have people who have a weekly Bachelorette viewing during the week). Definitely worth checking out if you're already in the area and looking for ~vibes.~

    I've spent a decent amount of time in Ridgewood and unsurprisingly, much of that time has been here…read moreat The Bad Old Days. I've had a number of drinks here and it's been a great meeting spot for late night occasions, especially ones that revolve around a good drink. No doubt it's one of the more underrated nightlife venues in the borough. The setup feels like something out of a Brooklyn type bar - pseudo hipster vibe, casual environment with the whole board games and stacks of books all within a space that is well divided to give a different feel in each corner of the small'ish interior. Like a living room extension but with adult company. Of course, the bar is the most prominent thing in the room and it's a great place to chill as a solo patron. Groups can congregate in the lounge-y areas but the feel is remarkably different depending on where one choses to hang. On a beverage front, there is no shortage of quality drinks to be had. The cocktails are well made and not expensive; the bartenders do a good job of making sure each drink carries a certain kind of potency before leaving the bar. The happy hours are lovely as well, combined with a good deals ($5 shot + beer special, $5 cocktails, etc.) and even better hours (2-8pm!). Lastly, I appreciate a good name. Bad Old Days can be interpreted in many facets, but I think this establishment prides itself on good company and somehow rewards us with simple, good drinks. Bring a friend or three, enjoy the random movies that get projected onto the wall, and enjoy a late night capper in a quiet part of an emerging part of Queens.

    Photos
    I'm loving the 'BAR' sign outside.
    I'm loving the 'BAR' sign outside.
    The Bad Old Days
    The Bad Old Days

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    Dada

    Dada

    4.8
    (14 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    The atmosphere here is definitely 10/10. Incredible dreamlike back patio with lots of seating,…read moreinside feels like a cafe during the day with lots of light, good music and it looks like fun events. We opted for snacks over drinks but obviously I'll be coming back for a cocktail. The butter bean salad was really yummy, with a nice diversity of mix-ins and some briny and fresh flavors adding brightness. The mushroom sliders were a skip, not very flavorful or well prepared, but we met the chef and they were very kind and earnest about feedback. I bet everything else is really good, that dish just needs a little love! It's clearly an artsy communal hub in Ridgewood, definitely check it out.

    Dada is a lovely cocktail bar tucked away in the midst of other great bars in Ridgewood. They do…read morehave live music that never has a cover fee which is really great, but of course tipping is appreciated! I forgot which drinks I had but they were good & not diluted. I also got the zeytoon parvardeh to snack on which was quite tasty. I never had it before & was pleasant surprised- I'd definitely order it again at a Persian place. The live music was great too & you can come & go as you wish. All in all, if I'm ever in the area again I'd 110% go back.

    Photos
    Every Sunday, Music Explorers, live intelligent music for all. 2 Sessions at 10.30 & 11.30 am
    Every Sunday, Music Explorers, live intelligent music for all. 2 Sessions at 10.30 & 11.30 am
    NYC writers at Dada Literary Café (Constantine Jones, Danielle Blau, Mani Tehranchi) taking a break at Dada's backyard
    NYC writers at Dada Literary Café (Constantine Jones, Danielle Blau, Mani Tehranchi) taking a break at Dada's backyard
    Patio seating

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    Patio seating
    Jones Bar

    Jones Bar

    5.0
    (5 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    Yee-haw in Ridgewood!…read more My boyfriend is always asking me about my regular bar. I go to TV Eye for the shows, Milo's Yard for the yard and dj nights and Ore Bar is my fave but Jones Bar there's something about you that keeps you in my thoughts! We came on a Sunday afternoon for a cold one before heading home. It is insanely chill. The bartender was funny and inviting. The regulars were like old friends. My boyfriend loved talking sports with a few and deep diving into their love and hate for the Mets! The bartender mentioned that there was supposed to be a vintage market that was cancelled because of the rain. There is food pop ups as well and live music. This recent Friday was four live acts and for FREE. We made our return to our new fave spot. It did not disappoint. The place was packed but not annoying. People were chill. Age range from 25-40 maybe. The first guy playing is from Austin, Bubba Lucky also designed the flyer for the event. The second act, Patton Magee was a three piece. A perfect Friday night hang for sure. Country is back in the best way. This is the kinda bar I was searching for in Nashville. I'm glad it's here in Queens. I am a music lover but I like hopping around genres. So it's nice to get my fix here. So happy to finally be making this a home away from home. Stay posted in their Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jonesbarnyc/

    Best bar Ive been to in NYC. Price, atmosphere, service, and vibes. All boxes are checked.read more

    Photos
    Jones Bar
    Jones Bar
    Jones Bar

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    Hellbender

    Hellbender

    4.3
    (109 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Some of their dishes are worth the hype! We made reservation for brunch at 11:30am on a Sunday and…read moreit was completely full. (don't attempt to walk in, place is small and PACKED!) We tried a bunch of stuff and the star was definitely the soft scrambled egg tostada, the masa pancakes and coffee tres leches cake. These are a must try! Good to try was also the fried oaxacan cheese but at $14 for 3 pieces, it's not worth a repeat order for me. These were skippable to be honest: mega thick bacon (just ok) home fries (meh) The chilaquiles (pork chorizo, salsa ranchera, crema, queso fresco, sunny up eggs) lacked flavor for a dish with so much going on. Service was pretty quick.

    For dinner, I was pretty underwhelmed overall. The food was good, not great. And we were seated at…read morethe strangest table in the whole restaurant, it felt like they pulled out a random hightop to accommodate my party (we had a rez) -classic cocktails were very good -was kindof annoyed that a draft beer comes ina smaller glass, not a pint glass. Like come on -soft shell crab taco/quesadilla was sitting in a pool of liquid, it was soggy af -rest of the food was honestly just OK/good. Not mind blowing -churro dessert was not cooked well. I think it was fried in oil that was too hot. The outside was very fried and crisp, borderline tough. Inside literally raw. -quality to price just did not seem worth it. It was $120 per person I do not recommend for dinner

    Photos
    Hellbender
    Heirloom Masa Pancakes
    Heirloom Masa Pancakes
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    The Seneca - bars - Updated June 2026

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