Bareburger

Astoria’s 5-star reviews: 12/22-12/29

Congratulations to the Astoria business that got Yelp’s highest honor this week. 

In this edition: The Queens Kickshaw continues to “rock solid” … The Thirsty Koala makes a strong debut … A Kew Gardener sings the praises of Sorriso Italian Pork Store, and an Astorian opines on where to shop “if you love beer and food you can’t recognize or pronounce.” —Tracy Infield

The Queens Kickshaw 40-17 Broadway “The first time I was here must have been a year ago. I’m not sure what I was doing in Astoria, but went in with one of my buddies and I took the business card on the way out.  I do this only if I’m impressed.

 Today i had to meet a date for a late brunch, I yelped and when I saw Kickshaw, I remembered the name and the great experience.

 A whole year later, this place rocks solid!  From the ambiance, to the attentive staff, to the mouthwatering food, I can’t think of one negative comment … 

Kickshaw, you’ve set the bar pretty high and we like it. Keep up the fantastic job, I’m coming back soon.”—Sante A., New York, NY (12/22/12)

*** FIRST TIME ON YELP*** THREE 5-star reviews for The Thirsty Koala 35-12 Ditmars “We were also anxious for The Thirsty Koala to open, and the wait was worth it … You’d imagine that on opening weekend, there might be a hiccup, or a slight misstep. Not here. From atmosphere to service to food.  I repeat: FLAWLESS.”—Jeff E., Astoria, NY (12/22/12)

TWO 5-star reviews for Sorriso Italian Pork Store  4416 30th Ave, including this one: “If you want quality products and good service Sorriso is your place.  The shelves are filled with lots of Italian imports, like Nutella … but the one actually made in Italy and it does taste better than the one made here … The guys behind the counter are always super friendly and helpful and will even offer tastes of some products to help you decide.  If I lived in Astoria I would be there quite often, but luckily I’m close enough to visit when I need to.”—Krista M., Kew Gardens, NY (12/29/12)

FIVE 5-star reviews for Watawa Sushi 33-10 Ditmars, including this one: “This place really demonstrates why culinary experiences in queens are just better than those in Brooklyn or Manhattan. 
Decent prices—check. 
Really nice ambiance—check. 
Friendly and helpful staff—check. 
Really good food and menu—check

 What more do you want out of a restaurant? A back rub?”—David K., New York, NY (12/26/12)

TWO 5-star reviews for Chinese Gongfu Tui-Na 29-28 Ditmars, including this one: “Went back again and it was even better. Had the same lady, she remembered me, and she pointed at my shoulder and said, ‘Chinese medicine!’ So after working on my back, she turned me over, put a warm pillow under my neck (it was like a tube full of little heated stones or something), slathered my shoulder with some kind of Chinese Icy-Hot, and went to town.  I. LOVE. THIS. PLACE.”—Stacy P., Astoria, NY (12/23/12)

Euromarket 30-42 31st St  “This place is great, especially if you love beer and food you can’t recognize or pronounce.”—Zachary R., Astoria, NY (12/22/12)

S Prime Steakhouse 35-15 36th St “S Prime changed my whole outlook on red meat with one amazing steak…”—Lindsay E., Astoria, NY (12/26/12)

First World Trash 14-05 31st Dr “I’m excited to see this company grow, renewing used goods into useful, hip treasures.  The owner is really amiable and warm and is genuinely excited by what she does which makes buying the products even more fun.  Overall I think FWT is simply making the world a cleaner, cooler place.”—Jen M., Long Island City, NY (12/24/12)

More 5-star reviews: Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden 29-19 24th Ave • Ornella Trattoria Italiano 29-17 23rd Ave • TWO 5-star reviews for Bareburger  23-01 31st St • Malagueta Restaurant 25-35 36th Ave • Ovelia 34-01 30th Ave • Wave Thai  21-37 31st St • Titan Foods 25-56 31st St • Via Trenta Osteria & Wine Bar 36-19 30th Ave • SingleCut Beer 19-33 37th St • The Quays Pub 45-02 30th Ave • THREE 5-star reviews for Coffeed 37-18 Northern Blvd • Jewels Of Buddha 31-90 37th St • Arharn Thai 32-05 36th Ave • Pachanga Patterson 33-17 31st Ave

Astoria’s 5-star reviews: 9/15-9/22

Congrats to everyone who received Yelp’s highest honor this week: Bareburger got THREE 5-star reviews (2 for its Ditmars location, which just celebrated its 1-year anniversary) … Aliada on Broadway got theirs for showing some Australians a good time… And the week’s winner for Most Concise Review is: “Cheap fast delicious.” (Mama’s Empanadas)

THREE 5-star reviews: 9/17, 9/18 and 9/19/12 SugarFreak 36-18 30th Ave

“We chose to share the Boudin Balls, Southern Fried Chicken (with a side of collard greens) and… OH those Hush Puppies! Nom nom nom. I also had the Cajun Bloody Mary and my friend had the Sugar Honey Iced Tea. Everything was just as scrumptious as we had imagined…
 After dinner, my friend and I marveled at how adorable the place is—you can tell that they put a lot of love into decorating it—and the food tastes like there’s a lot of love in it too.”—Anima P., Queens, NY

9/15 /12 Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden 29-19 24th Ave

“This place is just magical… So unassuming from the outside, and so bangerang and extensive upon entering. The back patio area is such a fantastic place to congregate with a group of 5 or 20. The food is pretty great and wonderful for sopping up the $14 pitchers of beer they have.”—Michael L., Philadelphia, PA

9/19/12 Basil Brick Oven Pizza 28-17 Astoria Blvd

9/16/12 Bicycle Repairman Corp 40-21a 35th Ave

9/16/12 JJ’s 37-05 31st Ave

“This is crave-able sushi, I wish I lived closer so that I could eat it more often.”—Yael R., Brooklyn, NY

9/15/12 Vesta 21-02 30th Ave

“The place is great! I’ve been there twice for dinner and brunch… The service is great, and they do have some great selections of wine. Intimate ambience, fantastic place in Astoria!”—Julia L, Astoria, NY

9/15/12 Dynamite Balloons (347) 376-6452

“We were thrilled to have Joseph and his incredible talent with balloons entertain family and friends at our son’s fourth birthday party.  Everyone raved about his personality, professionalism and amazing balloon creations.  Adults and the children were enthralled by him.”—Erica G., Port Chester, NY

TWO 5-star reviews: 9/17 and 9/19/12 Dahlia Nails & Spa 41-08 Broadway

“The space is clean, modern and very sanitary. They scrub the pedi tub after every use… you don’t see that often (or more like never). Not only was it a job well done but the price is beyond reasonable. I got the gel done for my week long vacation to Dominican Republic. I’ve been back in the states and after salt water, chlorine and 13 days later my nails still look amazing.”—Shari J., Woodside, NY

9/16/12 Laser It Off 30-26 Steinway

9/17/12 Rocket Laundromat & Cleaners 24-06 31st St

9/17/12 Zante Restaurant 38-38 31^st St

9/18/12 Bareburger 33-21 31st Ave

TWO 5-star reviews: 9/16 and 9/18 Bareburger 23-01 31st St

9/18/12 Harissa 34-05 30th Ave

9/17/12 Mama’s Empanadas 32-41 Steinway

“Cheap, fast, delicious. ” —Alisa O., Astoria, NY

9/18/12 Sushi Q 25-03 30^th Ave 29-19 Broadway

THREE 5-star reviews: 9/18 and 9/19/12 (2) Seva 30-07 34th St

“Service and food is great here. No matter how busy it is, it seems like there’s 10 waiters swarming the place looking for someone whose cup they could refill. I’ve been here probably 15+ times and food was amazing almost every single time.”—Mahfuzur K., Woodside, NY

9/19/12 Brazilian Waxing Center 37-11 35^th Ave

9/19/12 Yoga Agora 33-02 Broadway 2^nd floor

TWO 5-star reviews: 9/18 and 9/22 Sorriso Italian Pork Store 44-16 30^th Ave

TWO 5-star reviews: 9/19 and 9/22/12 Aliada Restaurant 29-19 Broadway

“As travelers from Australia, we were looking for a friendly place to sit down, have a nice coffee, perhaps a tasty meal, and watch the New York scene passing by… Thank you Louie (Loizos), Vicky, the South American connection and the chef. Well done guys and we are going to fit in one more meal before we leave NY tomorrow!!”—Petros P., Australia

9/21/12 Dog Liberty LLC 34025 37th St

“When I found Dog Liberty I was in complete desperation, my dear Pepper (minpin/chihuahua) that we love sooooo much, had taken over the house. Bad behavior and impossible potty training was making our lives miserable.
 With a couple of training sessions and lots of walks from their staff, now we enjoy having her in our family, it changed the experience of having a dog from a nightmare to a dream come true.”—Valeria M., Upper West Side, Manhatttan, NY

9/20/12 Los Portales Taqueria 25-08 Broadway

“I always order via grubhub and pick up. Delicious and cheap. My only gripe is they’re closed a lot of times when I want to eat there, especially around lunchtime most days.”—Andrew S., Astoria, NY

9/20/12 Aji Sushi House 36-06 Ditmars

TWO 5-star reviews: 9/17 and 9/18/12 Locale 33-02 34th Ave

“I came here on Saturday for brunch with three friends… The atmosphere at Locale was probably the best thing about this place. It was beautiful outside that day so I was bummed to be sitting inside, but the place was so wide open that I felt like we were sitting outside the whole time… Overall, a great experience—I will definitely come back.”—Kristina K. Long Island City, NY

9/21/12 Rest-au-Rant 30-01 35th Ave

“Very cozy, decent beer & wine selection and the food is fantastic! The ambiance is perfect: subdued candlelight, unique decor, and a good crowd. Regarding service, it’s a small place and there is one bartender/server. If you can accept this for what it is it can be a great experience.”—Luke S., Los Angeles, CA

Astoria businesses: If you get a 5-star review, please let us know! We’d love to include you in this weekly listing. Shoot me an email (tinfield at hotmail dot com) or a tweet: @TracyInfield. Hope to see you here soon!

Astoria’s 5-star reviews: 8/25-9/1

This week in Astoria’s best Yelp reviews: Dillingers Pub gets five stars and SIX exclamation points… Mundo Cafe wows a carnivore with their veggie wrap… And Astoria Laundry gets what is possibly the most enthusiastic review a laundry place has ever received, ever.

8/30/12 Harissa 34-05 30th Ave

“This is the kind of place that makes me love Queens—really good food, free wifi, amazing Moroccan Mint Tea. Like actual mint in the glass, people. It’s so delicious.” Elena A., Queens, NY

FOUR 5-star reviews: 8/26, 8/28 (2), 8/29/12 NYC Pet Nanny 44-05 25th Ave

“They are loving and sweet with Ruby and very communicative with us, with a daily journal entry of how Ruby was on her walks, where they went and other fun details like dogs she played with or how the weather was. It makes us very happy to know that Ruby is being treated with lots of TLC while we are at work.”—Tony K., Astoria, NY

8/25/12 Create & Go 36-03 30th Ave

“Never been there, but have ordered in 3x. The create-your-own salad with veggie chili side hits the mark.”—Emily M., Long Island City, NY

8/24 Steinway Animal Hospital 25-63 Steinway St

“The receptionist was extremely nice and understanding, everything in the place was very clean, and they treated my dog very well. Dr. Tadros seems like a very nice veterinarian, and I appreciate him coming in to see my dog without an appointment… I had a great experience here, and I definitely recommend this animal hospital for anyone who has a pet.”—Grace C., Astoria, NY

8/24/12 Whiskers Natural Pet Grooming 19-31 Ditmars

“The shop is completely open and you can watch your dog and other dogs get groomed. I have stayed to watch my dog get groomed. At his last grooming he looked beautiful and was handled gently by the man who groomed him so I was surprised at some of these reviews because you can see everything. I would never bring my dog to one of those shops where you can’t see whats going on.”—Tina X., Astoria, NY

8/25/12 Dillingers Pub & Grill 46-19 30th Ave

“This is your regular pub/beer/sports place however, you cannot beat AMAZING $10 steak and 25 cent wings!!!!!! YOU JUST CAN’T! The steak was juicy and wings crispy!
Steak night on Wednesday for $10 (plus sides are extra) and 25 cent wings on Tuesday. Seriously a great way to treat yourself after work.”—Jane R., Brooklyn, NY

8/26/12 Via Trenta Osteria & Wine Bar 36-19 30th Ave

“This place has great food, and the outdoor seating is very comfortable, in fact, I’ve never eaten inside! Though on a busy corner, the foot and car traffic just feet away is totally unobtrusive. Always try the specials, they are consistently excellent, including their special cocktails. The brunch menu is solid and their Bloody Marys are delicious.”—Liz W., Astoria, Queens, NY

8/26/12 NYC Love Street Coffee 32-30 Steinway

“Best espresso in Astoria. Really friendly staff. Great sandwiches.”—Lance B., Astoria, NY

THREE 5-star reviews: 8/25 8/27 and 8/29/12 Sal, Kris & Charlie’s Deli 33-12 23^rd Ave

“
I didn’t get to try The Bomb but the Italian sandwich was great! 6 different deli meats, with cheese, lettuce, peppers, and vinegar, loaded on a nice crisp roll —perfection! … If ever in the area again, I’ll definitely be back!”—Amanda D., Newark, NJ

8/28/12 Bareburger 33-21 31st Ave

8/29/12 Bareburger 23-01 31st St

“I can’t get enough!! It’s torture walking by Bareburger every day to and from the train. I have yet to try everything, but I love bison and wild boar. The fries and dipping sauces are great, but if you’re looking to stray from the usual, the sweet potato croquettes are excellent! The fried pickles leave you wanting so much more. And of course I couldn’t leave out the organic milkshakes… I’ll never get tired of Bareburger.”—Fiona O., Astoria, NY

8/28/12 Woofs ‘n Purrs (718) 809-5387

“Judy goes above and beyond what a typical dog/cat caretaker does. She treated Truman as if he were her own. She was always prompt, never cancelled, even changed her schedule with last minute requests, left lovely updates and pictures for each day’s activities, but most importantly showered him with love.”—Candace S., Astoria, NY

8/29/12 Astoria Laundry 23-17 31 St

“Same day pickup+delivery, every item of clothing accounted for clothes came back folded nicely and smelling soooo clean and fresh ~ Omg I am soOo happy this place exists! I will continue to be a faithful customer as long as I live in Queens ”—Diana P., Woodside, NY

8/29 (and TWO on 8/21) Mundo Café & Restaurant 31-18 Broadway

“My bf loves his meat but decided to try the veggie wrap and he said and I quote “this is the best wrap i’ve ever had!” The veggie wrap has now become a staple of our weekly menu…We love you Mundo!”—Rachel K., Astoria, NY

8/29 Viennas Stelios MD 38-02 31st Ave

8/29/12 Vanilla Sky 33-18 Broadway

“I like this place better than all those frozen yogurt chains (Red Mango, 16 Handles).”—Victoria L., Bayside, NY

8/31/12 Bel Aire Diner 31-91 21st St

“Bel Aire makes breakfast awesome… 
Maybe it’s the perfect crispy bacon they have. Or maybe it’s their pre-buttered toast for the lazy. Or it could be their delicious display of delectable desserts. Or maybe it’s because I’m usually half asleep and semi-tipsy when I’m eating here. But this is the place to go when you want breakfast and desserts past midnight in the middle of Astoria.”—Leslie H., Flushing, NY

8/31/12 DiWine 41-15 31^st Ave

8/30/12 Family Corner Restaurant 2102 31st St

“I’ve been going to this spot since I was in Junior High School 141, it’s maintained it’s home made appeal, catch them for breakfast especially.”—Will T., Rockaway Park, NY

8/31/12 TA PC Repair 31-06 38th St

“Just to say, very professional. I have Dell two years old with broken screen,
 TA replaced screen for me in 1 week for super good price.”—Mirela Z., Astoria, NY

Astoria’s 5-star reviews: 8/4-8/11

Congratulations to all of the local businesses who received 5-star reviews on Yelp this week.

The weather might have been a bitch, but there seem to be more positive reviews than usual. Some are from places that seem to get 5-stars pretty regularly—Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company scored a trifecta, one from each of their three locations—and Il Bambino and DiWine are mentioned again.

Also nice to see a few you don’t see all that often. There’s a glowing review about Tippin Inn’s trivia night, praise for Mini Star Restaurant‘s cheap breakfasts, and a happy first-timer has good words for Supernova Tattoos on 23rd Ave. Read on for the full list…

8/4/12 JJ’s 37-05 31^st Ave

“When I moved to New York, I feared that the Sushi might not be up to par with LA standards, and while that’s often the case, JJ’s is a pleasant surprise and a must-go-to for sushi fans! I have been to JJ’s possibly more than any other single place in NYC, and I keep wanting to go back.” —Myke F., Astoria, NY

8/4/12 Astoria Veterinary Group 23-54 Steinway

“Dr. Smith … did an excellent job of explaining to me the hows and whys of both the problem and potential solutions (fifth star!). When I mentioned that I was concerned because of my budget, she brought back a break down of everything she wanted to do so that I could make an informed decision and didn’t pressure me at all (sixth star!)”—Mandi O., Astoria, NY

8/4/12 Franklin Tailor Shop 31-87 Steinway

FOUR 5-star reviews: (8/1), 8/5, 8/9 (2) Vanilla Sky 33-18 Broadway

8/5/12 Point Brazil 38-01 31st Ave

“You get a high quality meal and get a great deal. My very heavy plate full of heaps of veggies, pasta, and rice and beans, along with my steak, cost me just $15. … I will certainly be back next time I’m in Astoria, and I highly recommend this restaurant to everyone!”—Pegah Y., New York, NY

8/5/12 Omonia Café 32-20 Broadway

8/6/12 Bareburger 23-01 31st St

“Seriously one of the best burgers I’ve ever had in my life…
A few people on here are bitching that the burgers are too expensive. 
Rather than ask why Bareburger is so expensive ask why most fast food burgers are so cheap…”—Chris F., Astoria, NY

8/6/12 Central Restaurant Lounge & Bar 20-30 Steinway

“I am the owner of a cirque entertainment company and we were hired by Central to provide entertainment for their past few private events (Sweet 16s, Birthday Parties, etc). The event staff at Central is really amazing. They are professional, provide a beautiful venue, and are really helpful when it comes to planning your event.”—Julia R., Astoria, NY

8/6/12 Il Bambino 34-08 31st Ave

“Delicious, carefully-prepared food in inventive combinations. I can’t believe I’ve never been here before but now I plan to come often. … I had the chorizo panini and the green bean salad and I have leftovers. That rarely happens…”—jill f., Astoria, NY

TWO 5-star reviews: 8/3 and 8/7/12 Donato’s Italian Bistro 34-02 Broadway

8/5/12 Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company 35-09 Ditmars

TWO 5-star reviews: 8/6 and 8/10/12 Taverna Kyclades 33-07 Ditmars

“Off the wall good!!! … Full plate of olive oil soaked warm toasty bread accompanied with a full bowl of lemon wedges. Ordered the calamari appetizer and crab stuffed filet. The calamari was delicious and such a huge portion that I could barely eat the entree. The filet was delicious, what i could eat of it, and the lemon potato side soooo YUMMY! will definitely go back to try the other dishes!!!” —Cheryl C., Forest Hills, NY

8/7/12 DiWine 41-15 31^st Ave

8/7/12 Latin Cabana 34-44 Steinway

8/7/12 Mini Star Restaurant 30-02 Steinway

“Man—what’s up with all these hate here? One simple rule—if you can serve a nice breakfast with coffee under $7, you get automatic five star.” —Dan B. New York NY

FOUR 5-star reviews: 8/7 and 8/8/12 (plus 2 more 5-star reviews we missed last week, both 8/2/12) Seva 30-07 34th St

FIVE?!! 5-star reviews: (8/1), 8/7 (3), 8/11 Val’s Dog Walk 21-02 24^th Ave

8/8/12 De Mole 4220 30th Ave

8/8/12/ TA PC Repair 31-06 38^th St

8/8/12 Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden 29-19 24^th Ave

8/8/12 Vitality & Health Natural Market 46-03 Broadway

8/9/12 Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company35-05 Broadway

8/9/12 Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company 36-14 30th Ave

8/9/12 TM&T Service Station 41-15 Northern Blvd

8/9/12 Tiffany Driving School 25-59 31^st St

8/9/12 Whiz French Dry Cleaning 32-10 30^th Ave

8/10/12 Burger Club 32-02 30^th Ave

8/10 Supernova Tattoos 38-01 23^rd Ave

“Leo (bulldog)… was super professional and really kept me at ease…  I’m more than happy with how it came out and would totally recommend these guys to anyone looking for some ink, first timers or otherwise. Clean space, professional work and wicked detailing makes this place top notch in my book.”—Brae P., New York, NY

8/10 Tippin Inn 34-13 Broadway

“They hold a lighthearted trivia game every other Thursday…  Remember to bring your friends… the more random the better. You’d be surprised how much a scattered selection of buddies can tap into cumulative knowledge about board games, geography, music, cartoon characters, current events, and more.  Plus, people are too juiced up on knowledge and free shots to get into ‘douchey-trivia mode.’ It’s all good fun, with good hosts, and good people.”—Lynn F., New York, NY

Updated: Recent 5-star reviews from previous weeks

8/3/12 L’Artiste 42-20 31st Ave

7/28 and 8/1 Bareburger 33-21 31st Ave.

“Dayyyyyummnnnnnn. Brunch is no joke here… This place puts all of Hartford’s “gourmet burger joints” to shame. SHAME! Grassfed meats including ostrich burgers, lamb, elk, bison, wild boar…fabulous cheeses, awesome dipping sauces and just delightful customer service – you get the point.”—Emily C., Hartford, CT

Bareburger and Build It Green! on YouTube

Yes, yes I do get my news from Twitter. And I was very excited earlier this week to see that Bareburger was launching its own YouTube channel. Excited and impressed!

It seems to me this is still frontier territory, social-media wise, even for people who are doing great things on Facebook and Twitter. Obviously, it’s more labor-intensive than writing a post or tweet. But what a great way to put different content out there, and switch up your sharing opportunities:

Anyway, Bareburger’s tweet made me check out their video, above. It’s only 30 seconds long (and not a burger in sight) but I’m still happy for them and excited to see what else they do.

I then poked around in YouTube’s search bar and saw Build It Green! NYC is also representing:

They have 11 videos up. Looks like they are from a video library (recorded earlier but just posted recently).

Unfortunately, you can’t “Like” YouTube videos unless you’re a Google subscriber. (Harumph.) But if you check these out and you are a subscriber, please remember to click the Like to show them some fellow-Astorian love!