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Queens Plaza (E, G, R, V)
Queensboro Plaza (7, N, W)
Mon-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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My friend invited me out to LIC for drinks last night to this bar I never heard of. Hopped on the 7 and got off at Queensboro Plaza. As I walked along the dark deserted streets of Jackson Avenue, I saw a neon sign "BAR" flickering in the distance. I approached a plain brown metal door, no windows, no visible signs. I think to myself "This can't be the place.." so I kept going. Up ahead I saw nothing but commercial buildings and a gas station. So I turned around and went back to the plain brown door with the neon sign flickering above. And sure enough with a closer look, I found a small plaque with the words DUTCH KILLS on the door. I stepped inside.
The place was beautiful. Dark, rich wooden interior with tables and benches lined against the walls. Go down the narrow corridor and a cozy little bar awaits you in the back. Next to the bar was a small private area with a piano and more seating. The cocktails were delicious and strong! Beautifully presented as well. Service was fine, the waitress and waiter both checked up on my party of 4 every so often to see if we were ready for another refill.
Very cool place and it's in Queens! Who would have thought!
"Classy." Not a word I usually associate with Queens.
Sorry, LL Cool J, but there have been times I wouldn't walk over the Pulaski Bridge even for you. Fortunately, there is now a place in your less-than-desirable borough where you and I can meet for a sophisticated cocktail before you come back to where I represent, out in Brooklyn.
From the earth-friendly hand-towels in the bathroom, to the hand-cut ice blocks, to the substantial table napkins (ribbed for her pleasure), to the extremely well-crafted drinks, Dutch Kills is classy, classy, classy. I'll see you there, L!
Marvelous. Almost too much - I enjoyed a cocktail called The Suffering Bastard and the ladies enjoyed some other thing called Maiden's Prayer #2 or some such thing.
Completely masked outside like a speakeasy should be, the entire bar/walls everything were wooden. Beautiful bar and lots of nooks/booths/tables to sit at. A small lounge area in the back. Even the ATM machine was behind a curtain in a custom made, dark wooden box to keep with the ambiance.
The boy bartenders were dressed in suspenders, striped shirts, creative facial hair and some with old fashioned eyeglasses. The drinks were all $10, but were quite amazing. Various shapes of ice were used, fresh fruit, berries, and spices on the bar to mix with. I stole a few cucumbers that should be in a drink (with gin and mint, I'd suggest) as a bar snack...Shhh.
The drinks take a long time to make which is totally worth the wait, but worth mentioning as well.
The also had a few beers on tap (nothing too exciting, but beyond the standards) and wine (red, white, and sparkling) by the glass for $7 or $8.
We left after one drink because LICBar was calling our names (Plus we were hungry and the BBQ guy was at LICBar that night.) I'd go back to Dutch Kills - but only in a nice dress and definitely with a date who paid. (CASH ONLY!)
When I was 16 or 17, I took a bartending course in my hometown, not because I wanted to be a bartender, but because I found myself fascinated with mixology, and wanted to know how drinks were made. Throughout my formative years, I would make a game out of mixing all the different sodas or juices we had available in the fridge, and was often astounded by how good some of these mixtures tasted. Seeing the complexity and variety of flavor combinations that alcoholic beverages had to offer, well, that was one of the many reasons I couldn't wait to be an adult.
Shortly after reaching legal drinking age, I became disenchanted with the cocktail due to the general inconsistency of quality, high-sugar content, and artificial, one-note flavors that I experienced. I would find myself in so many places, asking the bartender what their favorite drinks were, and being discouraged with answers like "I just like vodka on the rocks" or "a good bourbon, straight up". I'm not saying this is necessarily bad, but to me it indicated that I would never know or find a cocktail culture where emphasis was placed on balance of flavors, artisanal spirits, homemade mix-ins, and fresh ingredients.
This is no longer the case.
There are many reasons that Dutch Kills has become my go-to spot on my night off. One is that it is conveniently located near the Queensboro Bridge, just a 10-minute drive away from my friend and frequent drinking partner's building. It is always easy to find parking, and it is never a hassle to get into the place, unlike the other bars of its class (Little Branch, PDT, Death and Co.). The drinks are also priced at $10 currently, which puts it $3 less per drink than the above-named bars. And you get the same exact quality, with the same exact attention to detail.
Every drink I've had here has been a perfect blend of strong, sweet, and sour - the three essentials to classic cocktail mixing. Naturally, some drinks stand out more than others. My personal recommendations at the moment include:
Atholl Brose: A scotch based drink that is mixed with honey, cream, egg white, and perhaps orgeat, their own housemade almond syrup. Upon looking this up, I found that it was based on a traditional Scottish drink.
Harvest Sour: Served in a small goblet, this drink features Laird's Applejack as it's base spirit, mixed with egg white for a frothy head, and flavored with fresh citrus juices, lemon or orange, I'm not sure. It's really smooth, and great for Fall or Winter.
Infante: I am normally not a tequila drinker, but this drink made me reevaluate my position. The orgeat, rose water, and fresh ground nutmeg compliment the tequila so well, I feel like I'm beginning to see its purpose.
Silver Fox: The most recent addition to my list, this is a gin-based drink featuring orgeat (once again), amaretto, and egg white. This has such a great bite to it, but it's really easy to drink.
The menu only features maybe five or six cocktails at a time that change periodically, but just tell the bartender or hostess what flavors and spirits you like, and they'll come up with something for you. I find almost every time I go, there's a new drink that I have to remember to order again. The service is top notch whether at the bar or at a table, and everyone who works there seems knowledgeable and passionate about what they're doing.
They may not have the variety of fresh juices, syrups, and house infusions that Death and Co. offer, but what they do, they do expertly, accessibly, and affordably. I'm not sure what more I can ask for in a drinking establishment.
Good look but the douche hipsters and vespa's kinda ruin it
Pretty enjoyable. Not something for every night, as it is expenisve and cash only, to boot, but the drinks are quite remarkable. The Penicillin is in my top 5 favorite drinks I've ever had in New York, and I've been to many of these speakeasy/our bartenders are well-trained and well-dressed joints. Love 'em, but love this one especially hard, especially since it's in Long Island City. Suck it, Manhattan.
p.s. -- live jazz!
Possibly the best thing that happened to Long Island City since sliced bread and silicone implants (there are THREE strip joints nearby).
Walk past the mortmain booths and varnish smell and go straight to the bar in the back. That's where ALL the action is! Although the bar was out of Fernet Branca and ginger beer, mixologist had suggested freshly squeezed ginger juice and proceed to make an ultimate creation of supreme beauty that had me bewitched. It was a damn good drink with one ice cube the size of butterstick and well worth 10 washingtons. Try Tequila Fizz if you dare!
Great place to sit back, watch the barkeeps do their thing, have conversations about sunsets and pixies, and being up to no good.
Whoa! Drinks are strong here. Came here a few weeks back for girls nite out and stumbled in around 2ish.
Drinks was so strong i couldn't even finish it.
It's still a great place, although its in the middle of no where land.
Woah....this place is still super new. You can still smell the wood varnish but no worries, after a… Read more »
It's fine really. I'm grateful to have a cool "destination" bar in Queens. But.. it's really dark, no candles on the tables, kinda blah atmosphere + drunk frat boys (at least the night I went).. I love me some Milk and Honey but walking around in a vest with your arm behind your back ignoring us? Meh. I get it. It just seems put on in this place. Still a little too much varnish smell - this bar needs to be lived and given a few doses of character. We walked right in and no one talked to us, let alone acknowleded us so we did some laps and sat down.
However, $9 cocktails were fantastic and more reasonably priced for what you'd get in Manhattan. One of the drinks we got though was sooo full of crushed ice there was hardly any liquid. Reviews so far have been very mixed so that tells me there is perhaps a consistency issue. Hopefully by the next time I find myself in Long Island City in need of a fancy cocktail Dutch Kills will have settled in a bit more.
NOT IMPRESSED.
It may indeed be the best cocktail in queens, which is why I'm giving this 3 stars and not the 2 I think it really deserves on its own merit. The layout is weird... it's like restaurant style seating, but you can't order food so it just seems unnatural. The drinks are good but not great. Perhaps we should have been ordering drinks without using the menu (which only has 6 cocktails) but we figured they'd put their best stuff on the menu so we should try that for the first visit. And the service was so bad that they even offered to reduce the bill without us even complaining... a classy gesture for sure, but honestly, I'd rather pay full price and receive good service.
It isn't particularly convenient, as it's still a 6-block walk through desolate, dark construction zones from Queensborough Plaza. And the price of drinks has already gone up to $10. Still cheaper than Manhattan, but I wonder what it will be 6 months from now.
It's only redeeming quality seems to be that there is no pretentious line outside. Very true, and for that reason alone I might still come back to DK.
Went back last night after spending most of the evening drinking beers and building chairs.
"My boy Dopp" ordered his go-to, the Moscow Mule which was served in a tall pilsner glass rather than their copper mug...which he didn't complain about considering the seemingly larger yield on the pilsner glass.
I started out with the 1887 Manhattan, which was a bit sweet for my taste (I'm thinking a little too much Grand Marnier), then switched to the "Chin Chin," which is a bourbon, ginger and apple cider cocktail. Both times I received the Chin Chin it was too forward on the ginger...like a punch to the back of the throat.
Dopp also sent his third Moscow Mule back for behing too heavy on the ginger; but the bartender was nice enough to personally deliver a fresh one...apparently still a little ginger-heavy.
Drinks-wise, they're good but not great; which is surprising knowing that consistency is something a place like Milk & Honey prides itself on.
Then there was our "waitress." We sat down and she got around to taking our order...eventually. When it came time to order drink number two, she was too busy sitting at a booth chatting up some dude to bother checking on us (and honestly, I don't care if he was the owner, Jude Law or a homeless dude...what the f-ck are you doing sitting in a booth talking to someone DURING service?). After waiting five minutes, smoking a cigarette, then waiting another few minutes upon coming back inside, a guy who was a floater (I guess) took our order.
Pretty much the same deal with the third round of drinks.
Dude: "Can I get you gentlemen anything else?"
Dopp: "No, we're good. She just took our order."
Me: "Well, we think so. (short pause) Just make sure."
Dude: (chuckles) "Okay, you got it."
Drinks: 3 Stars
Waitress Service: 1
Floater Dude Service: 4
_____________
Overall: 2.667
After setting up the walk-in with "my boy Dopp" we decided we'd get a couple drinks and relax after… Read more »
You know how zealous people put a great, lurching emphasis on "hell" in the phrase, "Oh HELL yeah!"? Repeat after me:
Oh HELL yeah!
Our mixologist, Abraham, walked us through a dizzying, fizzling, and sparkling selection of cocktails over the 3 hours spent in this woody saloon. As with Death and Company, Mayahuel, and PDT, the drinks are made with the care you would hope goes into a commercial jet. What sets them apart, and I don't necessarily mean makes them better, is their taste. Ooooh, big insight there, but it's true -- you wouldn't mistake the drinks at Dutch Kills for those of D&C.
Oh, another thing that sets the drinks apart: they cost $9, instead of the standard $15 in Manhattan.
There was a tie for my favorite drink of the evening:
1. Bee Keeper: zingy and sweet, this boozy drink added a twist of honey to the mix.
2. Brooklynite: imagine if a chewable multi-vitamin was somehow impossibly delicious and alcoholic. And contained no nutritional value.
When you go, you'll notice these two drinks are not scrawled on the chalk board behind the bar. There's only five drinks up there but the mixologists will make so much more. Do yourself a favor by sitting at the bar, engaging them, and letting them guide you.
Wait, was I just at Disney?
1. fake "postmodern" style "don't it really look old timey in here yuk yuk" atmosphere and decour
2. cocktails were more about show than taste, in classic Disney style
3. just as expensive as ordering a drink at a Disney resort
4. cartoonishly dressed wait-staff and bartenders kinda capped off the whole Disney experience, I was expecting them to have nametags with little flags telling me the name of their home town and home country and or little buttons saying "try our bartender's choice!"
No windows, very low light, long hallways and short ceilings. I was super claustrophobic in there. Everything smelled super new (paint, tiles, wood) and I think the place was made from plywood and then painted black??
Others like it: Brooklyn Social Club, Prime Meats, et al.
Snore.
In short: Dutch Kills is a gem. Old time saloon decor, live ragtime/jazz in a saw dust covered lounge area, and drinks mixed by two of the best NY has to offer. What more could you ask for out in LIC?
To Manhattanites who can't be bothered to make it out to Queens. Stay right where you are! I hope you enjoy fighting for reservations, getting stuck in telephone booths, and paying $15+ for cocktails no better (and probably worse) than the ones served here in my neighborhood saloon.
Feel free to stop reading now. I just need to get something off my chest. In response to many of the reviewers here on yelp, I call an Anti-Queens bias! Let's be honest, the Milk and Honey group of off shoots probably serves up the best and most consistent "artisanal" cocktails in the city. For one reason or another, Yelpers have punished Dutch Kills with just a 3-star average rating when all the rest - more crowded, more difficult to access, and more expensive - garner 4+ star ratings.
I'll admit it. Dutch Kills is not without flaws. The smell of varnish in the bar is a bit strong at first, but this will mellow with age I'm sure. The waitstaff is young and a bit inexperienced, but they are friendly, attentive, and never afraid to excuse themselves to ask the bartender when they're uncertain of an answer to your cocktail questions.
As far as the drinks at Dutch Kills, I know people can't be complaining about the execution. The bar is run by Milk & Honey (4.5 stars) vet, Rich Bocatto and is regularly tended by Giuseppe Gonzalez who made his name during former stints at Flatiron (4 stars) and Clover Club (4 stars). Alex Day of Death & Co. (4 stars) once even identified Giuseppe one of the few real stars in the NYC bar scene. Not bad for a shabby joint out in the middle of LIC.
And, the prices! Oh! The prices! $9 for a cocktail mixed as well as any in five boroughs? Yes, it's pricy for Queens, but when was the last time you had a proper sour or fizz made to order? Compare that to the $15+ you'll pay anywhere else. What's not to like? More importantly, tell me how this place is so significantly worse than the rest of its siblings in the M&H empire or even the rest of the various cocktail dens that have sprouted up in the city over the last year.
So happy this place is finally open. It's a little out in the middle of nowhere, but guess what? I… Read more »
I first met Richie Boccato over a year ago at Milk & Honey, where he bowled me over with the incredibly diplomatic way he handled my friend who repeatedly insisted on vodka. Seriously, this guy should mediate international peace talks. Once I had finished cowering in shame we got to chit-chatting, and he told us that he was planning on opening a bar in Long Island City called Dutch Kills in June. Of 2008.
Needless to say, then, that the anticipation has been--ahem--killing me. Luckily, Dutch Kills's opening weekend happened to coincide with a trip out to Sunnyside for dinner with friends, and since we go to Queens only once in a veeeeery long while (and since I am a hardcore Sasha groupie), we pretty much had to go.
Unlike Petraske's plush prohibition-era dens in Manhattan, Dutch Kills has more of a Gangs of New York saloon feel to it. The entire space is paneled top to bottom with dark wood, the smell of fresh varnish assaulting you as you walk through the door. Instead of the low pressed-tin ceilings now requisite for any city speakeasy, the ceilings in the bar and back room soar to at least 14 feet. Sawdust covers the floor.
The drinks menu is...interesting. Only a handful of cocktails are offered, several of which contain cognac or brandy, and nothing really in the Manhattan family, which I found surprising. The one drink that we did try from the menu, the Steinway Punch, was delicious--a refreshing Collins glass filled with rye, curacao, lemon, sugar and soda. The rest of us ordered some of our M&H favorites, but were sadly disappointed with the execution. The Greenpoint and Little Italy were much sweeter than normal (3 cherries in the Little Italy--is this necessary?), and J's Penicillin didn't seem to have any honey (a key ingredient).
I'm sure they're still getting things together, and I'll definitely give DK another shot if I'm in the neighborhood. But I mean IF. Look, despite my lukewarm review, these are still probably the best cocktails you can get in Queens, and if I lived in LIC or thereabouts I'd be psyched to have DK as an option. And at $9 a pop, it's the most affordable Petraske in the city (unless, of course, you have a M&H key). But is it a destination bar? No, not yet.
3.5
Lushes like me don't jump for joy just because a new cocktail den opens outside Manhattan -- even if their drinks are a few dollars cheaper. But we do get curious...and sometimes impatient... and often thirsty. And we have friends in Queens. So when one suggested visiting, I didn't need much convincing.
Others are correct that the layout is a little perplexing, with the booths up front, the bar in the middle and the lounge in back. And yes, you get the strong smell of varnish. But I liked it. Then again, I liked (alright, LIKE) inhaling Sharpie fumes.
We sampled six cocktails and all were quite good. I feel for those frustrated with menu selections, but it's my understanding that these will rotate (and they're really just idea-starters). The Steinway Punch is a must-try, and I was also pleasantly surprised with a bartender's choice that yielded an interesting tequila / campari combo. The only miss occurred when my girl requested something "with berries and a light spirit" and got a lemon / rye drink instead. Then again, she ended up enjoying it.
Since we visited on a weeknight (when I do some of my best drinking), we chatted up the evening's bartenders and co-proprietor Mr. Boccato, a truly kind soul. He gave us the scoop that they'll be returning the piano *borrowed* from his mother and replacing it with an antique upright. So soon you'll be able to sip that Steinway Punch near Steinway Street -- with someone tickling the ivories on an old Steinway in the background. Nicely done, DK. Percussion provided by of one of my FAVORITE sounds (I've been conditioned like Pavlov's dogs to immediately relax and grin like an idiot upon hearing it) -- the cocktail shaker hard at work. Also, I appreciate a well-iced drink (part of Petraskian Cocktails 101), and you'll always get one here.
I can't award a higher rating without seeing things on a crowded weekend with live music in action and bartenders deep in the weeds. But with a best friend in Sunnyside, I'm sure I'll be returning to do just that. "Proost," Queens!
OK, I'm not sure why there's so much hype over this place. The place still reeks of varnish and there was no air or AC whatsoever, which not only gave all of us headaches, but the poor bartenders were sweating up a storm. I suppose it's really a throwback to the 1890s in that respect, eh?
This place is also pretty cramped. Minus a few booths up at the front, the bar was downright uncomfortable. With fixed stools and very little room between them and the wall, you constantly have to lean into the bar and between people to let others pass. Not exactly the best way to get to know your neighbor.
On top of all this, I couldn't understand not having certain items, like cranberry juice. I mean, that's a pretty basic staple for people who may not want some sort of Astoria-themed cocktail.
About the only thing I thought was interesting were the ice cubes. Instead of being the usual machine made pieces, certain drinks just got a large chunk of ice, which definitely makes the drinks easier to sip.
I know this place just opened, so I'm willing to try it again in a few weeks, once the varnish fully dries. Personally, I think there are plenty of great bars in LIC/Astoria area that will keep me happy until Dutch Kills gets settled.
I was at Dutch Kills with two of the other early reviewers, so I won't go into reiterating the details of the small menu, weird benches, varnish fumes, or odd layout.
I will say, as someone who lives in Queens, that it's exciting that we now have a real cocktail bar and no longer need to take a minimum of 2 trains to get to one! Dutch Kills is an easy 15 minute walk from Sunnyside, where I live, which officially ensures that I will go back.
However. Until the varnish smell wears off and they get their act together on service, attempting to recreate the delicious Steinway Punch in my comfy apartment sounds a lot more fun than the walk to LIC.
Keep at it DK - Queens needs you!
Tasty Ginger-bourbon cocktails, comfortable booths, lovely service, not-too-loud music. Excellent.
Wish I'd read the other reviews that suggested sitting at the bar and having the mixologist do her/his thing. Next time.
I think the other users who didn't like this place must have been on crack...or clearly cannot appreciate a finely made cocktail. The cocktails here are of the same caliber of those at Milk & Honey, Pegu Club, and Flat Iron Lounge, and are only $9!
It is true that it does still smell like varnish... The whole place is wood from the floor to the walls and tables, so I can see why. But though it's noticeable it really is not overwhelming.
The decor is very olde NY/speakeasy, which I found charming and nostalgic, and certainly would never describe it as Disney-like in any respect.
But hey, anyone who can't appreciate a gem like this, isn't any company I'd like to keep anyway. More for me!
$9 drinks, gin not too ginny, and a bartender that can work a handlebar mustache! I love it! The only thing that could make this bar better would be Nick Cave serenading me with ditties about Jesse James... swoon...
Dutch Kills is a dream come true. Their mixologists are second to none. I must have had 6 or 7 drinks (it helps to go with friends and share). All drinks were made with top shelf booze and their tastes were complex and marvelous. The presentation too was immaculate. No lines, no pretentious staff, no overpriced drinks... Oh, did I mention there was a live jazz band?
The most "Manhattan" bar in Queens. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. In any case, definitely a swanky place, with 1920s speakeasy vibe (didn't this trend die 3 years ago?). I would go back, but I think the bartenders need to tone down the creativity a bit with the drinks. The menu is constantly changing, and the drinks are hit or miss. First time, I had something that had rum and citrus in an amazing mellow blend. The next time I came, my drink tasted like cough syrup. My friend's drink (which had a citrusy twist to it) tasted like concentrated grapefruit juice. Do yourself a favor: go on a not-so-busy night, chat with the bartenders (who are super knowledgeable) and ask them what they would recommend.
This place was easier than expected to find, since aside from the subtle brass name plate on the door, there's also a huge "BAR" sign on the building. Its a wonderful addition to the LIC/Astoria area, since it means that residents on the right side of the east river don't have to venture into the Manhattan to enjoy their bitters in cocktails, and can pay a little less for them too.
At the beginning of the night, I, like other yelpers, was a little surprised by the limited drink menu, but my party soon discovered that asking for "bartender's choice" yielded excellent and amusing drinks. The bartender did an excellent job of playing off our liquor preferences, although some of the drinks we a little small. The hand-chipped ice in the drinks is pretty cool. The Flushing cocktail - with cognac and vermouth - was my favorite drink off the menu. The dark and stormy was good but slightly watery (perhaps I did not drink it fast enough).
The only reason that this place doesn't get 5 stars is because of the layout. The bar area is really cool with its soaring ceilings, but it's also in the back and very narrow so only a limited number of folks can enjoy it. The tables are in the cozier front section, and they just aren't as exciting as the back.
This place is cash-only too, which might annoy some folks, but you can't stay angry long when you see how they've cleverly disguised the ATM.
I visited DK the weekend after it opened. After having read some of the early reviews about the varnish I was hoping the smell would have warn off by then, sadly not the case. Also, there was no AC and it was particularly muggy and gross out that day so it was like a steam bath and very uncomfortable to sit in. Apparently they were planning to have it up and running the following week, not much consolation for us as we sweated our butts off waiting for some cocktail magic.
Speaking of the cocktails, the Queens Park Swizzle was quite tastey. My friends ended up sticking with that for the evening and I tried to branch out a little. I gave the waitress a request for something with fruit and anything but whiskey and got a Bramble, which was quite good, but I've had one a number of times and was hoping for something new. I tried the Steinway Punch and was not a fan. Usually at other Petraske establishments, if you're not happy with something they bring you something else, but our waitress didn't even aknowledge my virtually untouched drink, even after I placed a napkin over the top of it.
The layout is strange with the benches up front, the bar in the middle and the "lounge" in the back. With all the wood everywhere it was incredibly noisey. They also had piped in music cranked up, which was just too much with all the wood everywhere. A small trio came in later and was playing, but you couldn't hear them well up front.
I supposed if I lived in Queens or Brooklyn, the thought of having a cocktail joint with the Petraske reputation behind it and the ability to visit such a place without having to hop several trains would appeal. As it is, I live in the Bronx and will not be making a trip out of my way for this place anytime soon. I'll stick with M&K or Death and Co for my speakeasy fix.
Quite simply, the best cocktails in Queens.
Please stay the hell away from my week night bar. For the love of god, you bridge and tunnel trash, stay away from my goddamn weeknight bar.
Quite possibly the best cocktails I've ever had. If you're there when Giuseppe is there (and he's there Tuesday through Saturday), you CANNOT go wrong. The man is a walking bartenders guide. After just asking a few questions he made my friends and I (on several occasions) drinks that perfectly befit our moods for the evening. Dont even bother order off of the six drinks over the bar, just tell the bartender how you feel. You'll leave happy.
*Critical Eye Review*
The only excuse you could have for being in this place is if you happen to be a lazy person who lives in Long Island City and can't be bothered to take a train into the City.
Dutch Kills had to really wow me, because (as I've opined herein before) the speakeasy trend needs to wind down. Moreover, after hearing buzz about this place for months, the fawning, overly-excited pronouncement on the foodie blogs that this place had finally opened really got my eyes 'a-rollin'. (As if you couldn't wait a week to wait on line for yet another Manhattan-variation served in an antique cocktail saucer?)
Unfortunately, Dutch Kills disappointed. The drinks menu was small and uncreative. One of the "originals" is actually just a Martinez cocktail, re-named. And, from what we found, the bartender(s) are simply not capable of the same level of improvisation as the more competent staff at M&H. Furthermore, Milk & Honey classics, such as the Penicillin, were botched. Not really forgivable when you cannot even execute your own drinks properly.
In addition, it's actually surprisingly unpleasant inside. Long, hardwood booths are nice looking, but extremely uncomfortable, as if nobody ever told the designers that sitting on flat, hard wood without any cushioning or lumbar support could possibly be comfortable. In addition, except for the floor, the entire place is covered with darkly stained hard wood. And in order to light an environment filled with such saturated colors, they had to put in lights that were actually painfully bright to my eyes. The result is a weird ambiance where I'm constantly squinting to see, even though my eyes are almost always hurting from the bright lights in my eyes. And the other problem with the darkly stained wood is that the place reeks of lacquer. Maybe I'm more sensitive to it than others, but I found myself a little light-headed after a while. I suspect that in a few months, the smell will dissipate, but the aesthetically offensive ambiance obviously will not.
Dutch Kills might be better, in time, but for now, it's really not worth a trip, especially if you're coming in from Manhattan or Brooklyn. If you're one of those masses of wide-eyed consumers who still believe (notwithstanding the White Star concept/menu problems, the Milk & Honey going-private debacle, and the overcrowding of Little Branch) that Sasha Petraske can do no wrong, I'm sure you won't take my advice. But, once again, when you're leaving with light head and lighter wallet, you'll wish you had.
Love this place! I'm surprised by some of the reviews here - especially the Disney rant... I didn't find the place cheesy at all. The drinks are very reasonably priced at $9, and I was served one (ok, 4) of the most delicious mojitos I've ever had. The scene was great - the staff and patrons were really nice and the little jazz trio playing in the back was great. I'll return to this bar as soon as I have the opportunity!
On the day after they were featured in Time Out New York, there was one bartender on staff, and the number of patrons meant no second drink!
Not worth the trip, and I'm not going back.
Absolutely fantastic, I can't say enough great things about Dutch Kills! I've been twice since they opened and sat at the bar both times. Very unpretentious, friendly bartenders. While it is in the middle of nowhere, that's part of the charm. Same great cocktails as Milk and Honey and Little Branch but only $9. You can't go wrong.
It's a little gem hidden in a bleak little area that people wouldn't normally think to venture. The overpass above, concrete median in the street out front and dead end at the end of the block only serves to make the bleak area even more so. Dutch kills is tucked in a brick building shared by an engineering services company. The only sign of its existence is a little neon "bar" sign overhead. Once inside the dark wood, beautiful antique cash register and bartenders with suspenders and bow ties make you feel like you're in a saloon. There was a live jazz band playing in the back and a bar area full of people. The seating area had wooden benches that seat a party of two or a party of 6 max so it's not really the ideal place for very large groups unless you want to sit at separate tables. The drinks were strong, unique and only $9! (A bit pricey for Queens but cheap for what you get). My favorite was a drink called the Waterlily. A friend liked the Little Italy too. The English Dandy and Steinway weren't quite as good. They use hand cut ice in some of their cocktails which keeps the consistency of the drink better since it doesn't water it down. The service there goes above and beyond what you would expect. When a friend didn't like the drink he ordered the waitress immediately replaced it with a different one. Another friend knocked the contents of her glass into her lap in a sudden fit of clumsiness. The waitress saw her attempting to dry off near the restroom and immediately asked her what it was that she spilled. She replaced my friend's drink and even brought a cloth with seltzer water to the table so that she could get the stain out of her pants. I was more than pleased with my experience at DK and will definitely be returning for another waterlily.
Okay - this place has had a lot of buzz around it for a while. From reading the previous reviews, they definitely had some opening kinks (No AC, varnish odor) - but all places do. That's why proper critics don't review a place until after it has been open for a while. That being said....
This is a fantastic looking space. Dark wood, high ceilings, really nice vibe.
The drinks are great. They have Giuseppe behind the bar (formerly of Flatiron Lounge and Clover Club) and Richie (owner of DK, bartender at Milk and Honey/Little Branch) as well as some guy named Abe, who I have never met before. That being said, Dutch Kills' menu is very small, and is in no way indicative of the skill of the bartenders. Let them know what you like, and they'll make you something interesting.
If you are like myself, and have been to other Petraske places more times then you can count, make sure you let them know you aren't a cocktail novice. Giuseppe made a few fantastic drinks that I have never had before. He also knows all your favorites from Milk and Honey, so don't be shy about ordering Sammy's Penicillin or Paper Plane.
I don't live in Queens, but DK is located pretty conveniently to North Brooklyn (where I live) and the UES/UWS/Midtown - where my friends live. It took us all about 15 minutes to get home (my friends by taxi via 59th street bridge, and myself via b61 bus, which was essentially a very large taxi, as it was empty at 3am)
I will hold onto a star, as they still have some kinks to work out as far as the AC, and some spotty service.
if you're looking for hand crafted cocktails this is the place in Astoria/ LIC.
great atmosphere unpretentious service and inexpensive drinks !
Fantastic. The only reasons for 4 instead of 5 stars is that we almost died getting there, which is more the fault of Queens than the bar. But it is kind of hidden. Sign outside: Bar.
This place is clearly all about the cocktails. My friend and I had dinner plans but stopped here beforehand to have a few cocktails. Both of our bartenders were knowledgeable and had great style (both in dress and in drink mixing). The drinks we had were all well balanced, and the gentlemen making them were clearly working to make the best drinks possible.
The place was nearly empty when we arrived (early evening), so we had the bar to ourselves. Spent a lot of time chatting with Richie and talking drink making. My friend mentioned a cocktail he had made the other night (quite good) and whether it had any formal name. It was apparently similar to one he knew but not the same. While we sat he started making it and served it, on the house.
I have to respond to the complaint from another reviewer about a limited cocktail menu. The drinks on the wall behind the bar are not the limit of your choices. It's a bar, and they know their stuff. Order anything you like and I bet they can make it.
Oh and sit at the bar if you can. The dialog with the bartenders is worth it.
It seems that my review was premature, since this bar isn't officially open. I just wanted to describe my experience without giving away too much... sometimes you just have to find out for yourself. My friend and I did go here and by sheer coincidence we happened to land ourselves in a semi-private party or "soft opening", but nobody told us to leave so we just assumed it was fully open for business. I've even tried to go back without success, so I apologize for the inconvenience that I caused anyone... I really did enjoy the people, the ambiance, the bartenders and the drinks that one time, and when Dutch Kills DOES fully open, it will be a great bar.
Sasha Petraske has done it again as far as I'm concerned. Ragtime music and great cocktails take… Read more »
Really, 4.5 stars. yes- I could smell the varnish, yes--the setup was a little weird [who doesnt like a little weird] BUT the drinks were awesome!
there's a mishmash of stuff in DK, some i care for some i dont...
i dont care for hand cut ice, tastes the same. i dont care for history of the drinks, tastes the same. but i care for a well mixed cocktail. i care for not having to know what i want but getting exactly what i shouldve wanted. DK does just that. just tell Guisseppe wat type of poison you like + he'll mix you something you'll be glad u drank.
I'll be back, again + again...i work down the street + this saves me the train ride to an overcrowded midtown bar.
The drinks are fabulous...the service is horrid. If you go, sit at the bar, or you may be waiting for a very, very long time in a booth. They recently increased their prices to $10 for cocktails and $8 for wine. Our server charged us $10 for the wine as well. This place has amazing potential, but the service is really a nightmare.
Marshall H is just trying to improve his yelp status by being the first to review Dutch Kills as far as I'm concerned. Mainly due to not one specific reference in his review, and because the place isn't even open yet. This I know because I tried to go there last night only to find it closed, and no one has been answering the phone all week. So if he has been there before, it was during a soft opening aka "friends & family", which means this is just a shameless plug. However, if I had to guess he just read the post on eater and wanted that oh so precious '1st to review' ribbon.
UPDATE: I think the link below proves my point.
http://newyork.metromi...
Updated 10.27.09
Now that this place has been open a while I can write a real review.
Dutch Kills is hands down one of the best cocktail bars in NYC.
Cheap cocktails made by excellent bartenders, some of which
could be considered the best in NYC. The location is one of the best
things about it for me, its less than 2 miles from my house, just a quick shot over the Pulaski bridge and I'm drinking a great cocktail in a sleek booth or hopefully at the bar where all the action is at. This place is highly recommended, and speak to the bartenders, they are great at crafting cocktails to suit each patron if you don't see something you like on the menu..
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