By Molly Sword
As the football season begins, we are all looking for the best place to watch the game. Whether you’re a Queens local or fancy an evening out in a different neighbourhood we have found the best places in Astoria, Sunnyside, Maspeth, and Forest Hill’s for you to eat, drink and watch the game. Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays these bars will be filled with people drinking in celebration or commiseration but either way you’re guaranteed to have a great night out. So, these are our top six places to go this football season:
Ocean Prime
This Maspeth based restaurant and bar prides itself on simple and honest cooking and great quality drinks. With a friendly atmosphere and great value for money this is the ideal place to meet your friends or bring the whole family down to watch the game. Whether it is the famous Ocean Prime burger which brings you in or the locally adored Velvet Llama cocktails that encourages you to stay your guaranteed to go away fulfilled, even if you team didn’t quite make that touchdown. Maspeth is also a great place to visit, a quintessential New York neighbourhood, representing a great community , perfect for a fun and friendly evening.
The Lowery bar
If only there was a place that served international and domestic beers, handcrafted cocktails, a great selection of wine and high-quality menu items. Well, your prayers have been answered because the Lowery Bar is not only a great place to eat and drink but it is also open for all NFL games this season. My personal favourite is the flatbread, you can share this over a few Lowery Margaritas or, as I prefer, have it to yourself. Whether it is Beer and a small bite or wine and a gourmet meal, this place has it all and with the option to watch the football either with the boys or over your wife’s shoulder , you are guaranteed to have a great time.
Seoul Bystro
Where the magic taste of Korean delicacies meets the American charm of a great bar with multiple screens to watch the game. While the game may get your through the door it is the Pork Belly SooYook which will encourage you to stay. And forget the game the only real competition is which of the Soju based cocktails is the best, personally in rooting for the mojito. Seoul Bystro is a beautiful Korean restaurant perfect to combine the fun of the game with great food and based in Sunnyside it’s a great location to visit. Named as one of the best places to live in New York, this is a diverse neighbourhood full of shops, green spaces, and of course great restaurants.
O’neils
If you want authenticity without sacrificing great food and service, this is the place for you. O’Neil’s is a family run restaurant, which has operated for over 90 years. In fact, O’Neil’s first opened its doors the day prohibition ended, and while a lot has changed since 1933 the celebration and community feel of this restaurant has not. Whether you are celebrating a victory this NFL season of having a commiserating drink O’Neil’s is a great place to meet and watch the game. With their prime dry aged beef speciality and vast selection of drafts, while you may be hungry for more sports action you certainly will be satisfied from your meal. A hidden authentic gem within a great neighbourhood which is definitely worth a visit.
Queens Bully
If there was ever a place that could represent the values of Queens, it would be Queens Bully. Their motto is centred around the importance of bringing the community together to celebrate diverse cultures through food, drink and even football. They are known for their lively atmosphere, friendly staff, and mouth-watering global flavours. And with their locally sourced BBQ foods, it seems like the other team won’t be the only thing getting smoked this season. To finish off the night the ‘frozen painkiller’ cocktail will certainly numb the pain of any loses, a lively and exciting place to have a great time with friends!
Bohemian Beer Garden
New York’s Oldest Beer Garden. ‘If something has been around this long it must be good’, was my first impression of this place, and it certainly lives up to the expectation. Embracing tradition and culture with authentic Czech and Slovak dishes, beer, and interior this is a place worth visiting. With a great selection of drafts and cans it’s a great excuse to try every version out, whether you are drinking to celebrate or to forget. But one thing you should not forget is to line your stomach before and what better way to do it then with their amazing fried chicken sandwich. Situated in Astoria this location is surrounded by lots of green space, alongside an abundance of arts and culture. So, while you may come for the football culture and food you may stay for the cultural sites of this lovely neighbourhood.
