On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
36th Ave (N, W)
36th St (G, R, V)
Mon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 4:00 a.m.
Sat-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m.
Loading...
One of my favorite places in Astoria.
So many good things to say about this place I think the only way to do it justice is with bullet points:
-Impressive line of taps
-constantly rotating
-with beers i have never heard of or seen elsewhere
-exremely knowledgable bartenders that help to recommend said beers
-great food (especially the wings and sweet potatoe fries)
-good music playing
-next door to the movie theatre making it a must do after any movie good or bad (sometimes before-hand)
-Very reasonable prices based on the beers you are getting (meaning as I stated in other reviews, its ok to charge a bit more for uncommon beers, just not for staples)
for such an awesome place I feel that this was a boring review, just go, but call me first and ill meet you there. :)
I've been going to Sunswick off and on for seven or eight months now. It topped my list of Astoria bars for several months running. The bartenders are super friendly and the crowd is usually chill; however, with the addition of the "new" beer garden down the street, there tends to be a fair amount of obnoxious frat boys that spill over here on the weekends.
The food is i mixture of solid bar fare along with some really unique options, like lobster corn dogs, which are actually really yummy. The ambiance leans towards a sports bar and It's an alright place to watch a game. They've also got trivia, karaoke, and game nights through the week. All around nice neighborhood bar, too bad it's at the other end of Astoria from me.
Great bar, cool people, very good beer selection.
One thing you must try here: PLAY STARBUGS on the computer/console thing in the corner of the bar. Yes it'll cost you a dollar. But it's sooooo much fun.
This bar is easily my favorite bar in Astoria. It has a great vibe, and I don't even mind all the TVs with sports games blasting; the sports is not the main event if you don't want it to be. The bartender was informative and let us taste some stouts before choosing an entire pint. I saw some beers advertised that I hadn't seen since I left Hopleaf, my favorite Belgian bar in Chicago. However, I was sad that three of the beers I would have tried were all out, including one I had been searching for all over the city (Dogfish Head Punkin Ale). Granted, the beers that were missing were seasonal, but it just got my hopes up. Then again, I'll definitely be back again soon to try some other beers.
As for food: chicken quesadillas and guacamole were decent - one step above "normal" bar food.
Once again, LOVE the 'Swick!!! I mean, a MASSIVE 1/2lb cheeseburger and more fries than I can eat for $7.95????? MCFREAKINGDONALDS COSTS MORE!!!! YAY!
You ready for this? Are you sure? You're sure you're sure??
SUNSWICK IS MY FAVORITE BAR IN NEW YORK…
Read more »
Sunswick is essential for anyone living in the Astoria/LIC/Woodside/Sunnyside area when it comes to a late night place with great beer. In fact, it is the only place in the entire borough of Queens where one can be served a large variety of high quality beers (bottle shops are a slightly different story).
The service is good, and the food isn't great but somehow perfect at the same time. The wings are delicious. It's also open and serving food until very late (I think they serve food until 2am) including some great personal size pizzas. The crowd is typically weird Queens mix of hipsters, lonely middle-aged guys, frat boys, and their girlfriends.
The only complaint I have is that if you are there specifically for the beer, you may be disappointed by a few things. Yes, they have a great selection of bottles and taps, but the maintenance and service of the beers is questionable. Often times the beers are kept at the wrong temperature, they can be flat, poured incorrectly (so that you get half a pint of foam), or in the wrong glass (so you get a small glass of beer that isn't actually that strong). The bartenders are all nice, but some are more knowledgeable than others about the beer itself.
A good place to bring friends.
I've only been drinking at Sunswick for five months, but I dream about suckling the taps. In just a few weeks, I drank twelve fantastic Belgian ales, sampled the finest selections from Stone Brewery (including the Oaked Arrogant Bastard) and won Trivia Night with my team! And that says nothing about the food...
For a small, outwardly conventional bar, Sunswick has delicious food. I recommend the chimichangas, potato jackets and lobster corndogs for a latenight snack. If you're truly prepared, the two-person paella literally pulses with sea creatures. The Oriental salad is excellent as a lighter choice.
The only downside is the music...I'm not sure whose idea it was to blast late '90s butt rock into the bar at all hours, but I try my best to ignore it. Please, this isn't Studio Square. Regardless, anyone who enjoys a quality pint should stop by without delay.
There's a pretty good chance that I think too much about my reviews when I distinctly remember the conversation last night in which we debated whether or not this place deserved five stars, or was it a four star locale.
Let's go to the tale of the tape.
In the Queens corner, weighing in with 24 tap beers, a mid-90s Winamp* playlist, fantastic bartenders** and a dude with a drink named after him singing great Pearl Jam covers on a Saturday night, in the wood-trimmed trunks ... the challlllllllllllengeeerrrrrrrrrrrr ... Suuuuuuunnnnnnnnsssssssswwwwwwwwwwwick. Sunswick.
And in the Brooklyn corner, weighing in at far more than he did prior to his trip out last night, the purveyor of fine brews the world over***, in the blue trunks with grey sweatshirt and unnnnddddddddisssputttttttteeeeed heavyweight champion of the worrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrllllll llld, me!
There are lots of bars in New York, and certainly plenty in the area near where I live, but what makes it likely that I'll make the trip back is that the bartender (Jared) is fantastic. There's a lot to be said for how comfortable the guy or gal behind the bar makes the clientele and never have I felt more comfortable in a bar then I did at Sunswick.
There are twenty-four beers on tap, and Jared knows them all. I picked the first one I had and after that, I relied entirely on his suggestions and not only did he not steer me wrong, after two 10% alcohol beers, he made sure to slow me down so that I wouldn't be passed out on the train back home.
At the end of the day a bar's a bar's a bar, and what makes this five stars is what makes me want to come back all the way from Brooklyn -- the beers, the bartender and Mr. Cain, the man with the great voice & his own drink singing Pearl Jam songs on an acoustic guitar.****
* - It really whips the llama's ass.
** - Ask for Jared, he's the bomb.
*** - Or at least the five boroughs over.
**** - The number one way to woo my heart, apparently.
Quite possibly the best beer selection in Queens and you can't beat the prices (same beer in Manhattan would run $3 or $4 higher). Great service (amazingly friendly bartenders) and REALLY surprisingly good food.
Karaoke night is great, too!
This is a 'local' hangout and it's easy to become a regular.
Danny P. said my review of this place should be "I think this place was awesome."
I'm agreeing. And it's completely useless of me to say otherwise. Tons of beer on tap for a really good price. Awesome music (I still love my 90s music). Even awesomer bartender (Jared (which coincidentally is Danny P.'s hockey name, no relation)) who is really well-versed in the rotating beer list that he can find a beer for every drinker. This is a talent and a half.
There was food of which I should've partaken more. A little (and a lot) of strong beer goes a very, very long way (to my liver).
Did my Mom text me at 11pm? Did I drunkenly text her back? Yes. It was that kind of night. Sorry Mom!
If I lived anywhere near this place, it'd be my local bar. This is a shame, as it's fantastic.
It's a beer bar that knows its beer without being pretentious. Bartender Jared is definitely the man, as has been stated. The food is also killer bee. They make most of it in house, and it definitely tastes like it.
I'm glad I have friends in Queens. More excuses to get them to come here.
I believe this is my first yelp review in almost a year. The 'swick is at least partially to blame for that. This is easily my favorite destination in "lower" Astoria (the Beer Garden of upper Astoria being in a class all its own).
So, why is it that I always seem to find a parking spot right around the corner from this place, despite the 10-minute walk it guarantees the next time I'm off to work?
Well, first are the bartenders. Despite being a pretty diverse set of personalities (except maybe they're all actors?), they all are pretty knowledgeable about the varied and ever-changing beers on tap (the beers are #2). I don't even look anymore. I just ask for a recommendation and go with it. In some cases, I just put myself in their hands completely, only asking what I'm drinking after I've quaffed about half a pint.
My third reason for choosing this bar is that it is a legitimate STEELERS BAR - in Queens, NY. I'm also sure to get the Penn State games whenever I roll in. But, don't write the Sunswick off as a sports bar. The screens carry anything from sports to Turner Classic Movies to Guitar Hero (weekly game night is Monday).
Fourth, this has a realneighborhood feel. A lot of regulars (and they treat you like one after about three visits) and a decidedly unselfconscuous vibe make this an incredibly comfortable place to enjoy a burger, get loaded or flaunt your karaoke pipes.
Oh, and they have free wifi, which I'm using right now. I suppose you could say the 'swick is the cause AND the cure for my yelp hiatus.
What a diamond in the rough, Sunswick is! In the corner of 35 and 35, the tiny bar is surrounded by nothing but dark and silence. But take a chance and walk in, and you'll find awesome music, a full bar, and a chill atmosphere with friendly bartenders.
While I had my beloved $5 Stella, my friend had already had enough and ordered nothing. Yet the bartenders continuously checked on us, asking her if she at least wanted water. And one of the bartenders -- oh, yes, the redhead! -- loved to engage in conversation, about Scrabble and about Sunswick's awesome events.
First up on my social calendar this week? Sunswick's Monday night gaming, complete with rounds of Rock Band, Halo, and Jenga and other board games.
Methinks I just discovered my next favorite local bar.
Yes, you guessed it: It's been a productive Saturday night. :)
When I was new to the neighborhood, I walked by this place a few times unsure if it was worth checking out. Soon enough, a friend invited me here one night and I've been hooked ever since! It's much more cozy and inviting once you're inside.
They have a ton of great beers on tap, and the bartenders are very knowledgeable. Another thing that a lot of people don't know- the food here is great! And I don't mean this strictly in the "good bar food" sense. The menu has salads, sandwiches, and a few main dishes, and between myself and my friends, we've tried almost everything. DELICIOUS food at dive bar prices.
Sunswick is my go-to place. Whenever I'm in the mood to go out with friends at the last minute, Sunswick always comes through. It's small, but never too crowded, and we always end up getting a table (even on St. Paddy's day!) Great place to go out with some friends or grab a beer and a sandwich after work.
Sunswick is one of those gems that make those of us from the boroughs glad we live here. Upwards of 24 beers on tap, and we're not talking just your standard Stellas and Blue Moons - this place is a real draught enthusiast's dream. One of the beers I ordered my first time tasted like ham! Maybe not ideal in a beer, but it sure wasn't boring. They also know how to do pub grub right, though you might have to stay on top of the bartender/waitress during the week - I think they understaff a little.
Weeknights Sunswick hosts game night, guitar hero night, karaoke night, and ladies nights - all a good time. A stranger once swept me up in an impromptu swingdance - also a good time. It has a neighborhood feel to it, and if I lived a little closer, I could see making this a frequent haunt. Worth the trip across the QB Bridge, but I hope the population of midtown east stays where it is and leaves this one for us borough dwellers.
We typically go here Saturday afternoons to meet-up with a friend who lives in the 'hood. Solid beers and a personable bartender.
Side note: The husband and I got a little sick from the chicken fingers...
Swick's! My neighborhood bar. And, one that just so happens to have 25 different beers on tap and in bottle. Neighborhood atmosphere and top notch selection. How can you beat that? Pretty good burgers as well.
It's a little bit expensive, but the atmosphere is great and they have fun events each night of the week. I'm a trivia night fiend.
Okay this one goes out to all the Boys in the Yard. This is NOT a good place to bring a date - possibly ever. last night I happened to make that mistake on a first date and let me assure you, I will not do that again. If you're feeling social, Sunswick is a great place to grab a drink, perhaps eat some delicious bar food, maybe play guitar hero on Monday's game night.
But if you're looking for a secluded corner, to talk or perhaps throw an arm around the shoulder of your date, it isn't there... at all. Trust me I looked. I really looked.
Just a word of warning kids - If however you do find yourself there on a date, leave and go a block up and a block over, there's a more suitable bar for you to make cow eyes at your gorgeous date without some dude murdering "my generation" on a plastic guitar.
I wish I lived closer to this place. If you're a beer connoisseur you will love this place. 20+ different beers on tap served by friendly and knowledgeable bartenders. I also managed to try the chicken quesadillas, sweet potato fries and regular fries - all were great and reasonably priced.
I definitely need to go back there some time.
Great choice of beers on tap, and Swick has the best bar food in Queens.
Great little neighborhood bar. Easy to remember location- 35th and 35th- great service, and a decent clientele. I went on a Friday night at 11:30 and it wasn't overly crowded. Met a lot of cool people and had some great conversations.
I know this place is fantastic. Now you do too.
This was a nice bar. The beer selection was sizable and there are plenty of seats to sit at. It's clean, dimly lit and has sports on the TVs if that's your thing. (Not mine!)
I was there on a Wednesday, randomly, so I missed out on all the "nights" they seem to have - karoke, games, etc. It seems like the place to go for you social butterflies out there.
They also have food, but alas, I did not partake. I had some very delicious beers instead.
great neighborhood bar. walked in the other night at 245am and got treated like family here. great friendly service. engaged in some hilarious conversations with the locals. played some eating contest trivia, drank quite a few pints of lagunitas ipa.... good times!
The best beer bar I've seen in queens and one of the best beer selections in terms of draught i've seen. 26 beers, including a Lambic. wow. and the beers they do have are good ones, including some you won't find in many other places. It's a nice place, clean, and reasonably priced.
I subtracted one star because they gave the girl in our group an orange in her blue moon, but no orange for me. twice?! how do you forget the orange.
anyway, nice place. definitely a good time if you're in the area and looking for a good bar in queens.
25 beers on tap! Nice. But a lil expensive for Queens.
Get the wings. They are amazing as is the rest of the bar food. I would caution you away from the burger, but everything else will really impress. Amazing draft beer selection that they'll let you sample to your hearts desire.
Real close to the movie theater, and this is a great spot to hit up before and after. Also good for any random night looking for mischief.
A few friends came to town last week and drank at Sunswick until I got out of work. I met them there (only three blocks from my apartment) around 6 PM and was immediately ashamed for not having been there before. The clientele was mostly twenty somethings and a few grizzled old men. In fact, not only did one old guy challenge my friend to arm wrestling, but the other grandpa drank his beer while he was in the bathroom. I'm not sure if this is the normal daytime crowd, but I can only hope that it's equally ridiculous at night. I'll be sure to come back on Tuesday for their two-for-one special.
For my 100th review, I think it's only right to talk about something in my own neighborhood.
I went to Sunswick on a Thursday night. I normally don't go to bars in Astoria because no one else wants to schlep out here and the ones around me are mostly Irish pubs, so this was a rarity.
Sunswick has a lot going for it. 24 beers on tap, and interesting beers too--even a lambic! An impressive bar menu with basically every single kind of drunk food you could possibly want. A good amount of seating and enthusiastic bartenders. Thursday night happened to be their karaoke night, clearly b/c either the owners or regulars have awesome voices and like to sing. The bartender belted out Jeremy and he sounded just like Eddie Vedder. I am usually not a fan of public karaoke but I didn't roll my eyes once!
Downsides: The music was WAY too loud for talking (even when it was between karaoke songs). And the bar has a bit of an overproduced feel. From the outside it looks like it's going to be a dive bar where you can sit and chill but inside with the loud music and disco lights, it felt like they were trying to do a bit too much all at once. Also, it was on the pricey side for Astoria.
Sunswick is located near a bunch of not-so-great things coming into Astoria on 35th Ave. I've only been here a little more than half a year and in that time, an Applebee's, a Panera and a Starbucks all opened up by the UA movie theater. There's also a Pizzeria Uno right there. So at least there's Sunswick doing its own thing and appealing to the youngish, new people in the neighborhood. They just need to decide whether they're a dive bar or a party bar (and I hope they pick dive!).
I went there the first week it opened. I was worried that this place was going to either A.) close quickly like Tupelo did or B.) would turn out to be yet another unless you're old/Irish/football freak bar. I was pleasantly suprised that neither was the case. I moved to Astoria back in 96 from Woodside and was looking for a regular dive hating to go to meet my hipster friends in Williamsburg who would brag about their dozens or so beers on tap (me having to settle for Miller or Bud or Coors). Back then it was a nice quiet bar and one could get lost in there and be your typical barfly.
Fast forward 10 years later and it still has a great selection, amazing food at a great price. The crowd has gotten bigger for a lack of a real good bars in the hood. There were one or two dicks that were sitting at the bar who were taking up stool space by putting their feet on them one night and the bartender was pretty oblivious to it which kinda pissed me off. I live in NJ now (don't get me started) but I like heading down here for a brew in the afternoon when possible when its quieter.
It only gets 4 stars from me since it gets a bit crowded in the evening and no real area to stand around barwise.
Sunswick is my boyfriend's favorite spot. He knows it MUCH better than I do (he'll stop on his way home from work, throw down a beer quick and come home). I've been there a couple times though, and this is what I've gathered....
They've got an incredible draft selection: I think it's something like 26 beers on tap, and they're always changing them up. My boyfriend gets particularly excited when Bitburger makes an appearance.
They treat him well: He somehow escapes from there with severe discounts and leftovers from 6 packs that they just give him because they have no use for them.
They treat him TOO well: There is a certain bartender who enjoys flirting with my boyfriend in front of me. I reckon she'll also enjoys getting her 2 front teeth punched out. This is one reason a star is lost. Don't disrespect, son.
Their food is actually good!: Try the chicken club with chipotle sauce. Yums. Also, the waffle fries.
Be careful on "open mic night": WTF. We saw a band playing a washboard. It was so bad we actually were driven out of the bar. That's where the other part of that star went. Other than that, music is usually very good (they have one of those computer jukebox playlists and they let you pick the music if you want).
This is definitely the best bar in the area....it's mostly hit, but be careful not to miss.
If I lived in this neighborhood, then Sunswick would be my neighborhood bar. I've been once during the late afternoon, when it was pretty empty but not dead, and once on a weekend night, when it was pretty crowded but not packed to the gills. The pub grub was pretty good - the jalapeno poppers were bigger than expected, the mozzarella sticks were hot & stringy, and the guacamole with homemade blue corn chips was really tasty. Nice that they have a comfy couch where you can just sit and chill.
They also seem to have a pretty full roster of weekly events - everything from karaoke to stand-up comedy to live music. Something for everyone, I guess. Too bad Sunswick isn't in my neighborhood, otherwise I'd give it that 5th star.
I was a little confused when I got to Sunswick-- it looks a little bit like a pub, with a gramaphone and rocking chair used as decorations.... but there were also a few computer bar games and a huge variety of jewel-colored trrendy liquors and stuff behind the bar.
Anyway, my confusion grew less and less important the more I drank, obviously, and soon it didn't matter. The staff put up with our nonsense like champs, the wings are killer, and the beer selection is really, really good. Didn't get too crowded-- it was a Tuesday, I guess-- and we scored the primo couch corner later in the night.
I'd go back, if I found myself around the place again.
Even though it wasn't on the menu, they whipped up some mashed potatoes for my mashed potato craving wife - awesome.
Tons of beer on tap, the food was all really solid, the game in HD in the background and the music was a good mix and wasn't too loud
What more do you want? It's a great place to sit, chill, and have a good time. The bartendress was also really nice and helpful.
You can't tell me there's anything wrong with 24 beers on tap, solid pub grub, and some great laid back company. This is the best goto bar when my gf and I are sitting around and one of us says, "Wanna go grab a beer?" And the peeps behind the bar are always generous when it comes to a free drink, here and there. For God's sake, go get a drink, man!
I need to amend this review...or rather, make a plea to the owners. You have a wonderful bar, why not make it better? Please consider, for next football season, investing in more TVs and the direct tv NFL package so you can show all of Sunday's games. Maybe even a beer and wing special...I'm just saying, when i walk past on Sunday afternoons and see the place only moderately full, it depresses me. Sunswick could be Astoria's/LIC's premiere bar to catch your NFL team. Currently Broadway Station is the closest neighborhood place to find the NFL. And frankly, Sunswick's wings are better. A lot better. You have some time to think about it, so take your time. That alone could convince me to sign my lease renewal for another 2 years.
My favorite in Astoria!! Great beer selection and the pub grub is good as well. The beer list is written out on a chalkboard above the bar. The bartenders are really good about describing a beer if you have a question about one. I would recommend the burger with waffle fries.
I have never been there for a game but have seen a projection screen and a few flat screens which show local games. There is a computerized jukebox that has just about every artist under the sun.
Sunswick is a good spot to hit up after the movies or on a quite Saturday night.
Stopped in here the other night for a quick drink with the gf and a friend. Thought it would be a hole in the wall, but it's a decent place. Huge selection of beers on tap, everyday has a special event or theme going on. I was there on karaoke night and although I'm not a fan of karaoke , I ended up having a blast. This is a definetly a local bar though, it seemed like everyone knew everyone, except for us lol.
Noise noise noise....smoking weed, doing coke and drinking beers! (just had to throw that one out). Sunswick. I've been to this bar three times and never cared to ask for the name. Why? Because all three times I walked out with the same impression. "So overpriced!". Trivia night? WTF? Is that all they've got to lure people in? What a joke! Would you pay $6 for less than a pint of Brooklyn Ale? Be it, they've got a lot of different beers on tap but at those prices. What do they think this place is? Manhattan? No thanks, I'll keep walking!
a beer drinker's paradise!! 25 beers on tap, all but 2 are on a constant rotation so you are always bound to see a new beer every time you go. there is a also a large selection of bottled beers and food. i've never had the food but it always looks and smells so good.
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: Pubs
Here's the places I go that I've given five stars…
The fiance and the best friends live in Queens, so…
Destination restaurants that I will go out of my…
If the beer selection is good, I will forgive most…
A sampling of my local encounters...whether I like…
Some bars that serve cheap beer and drinks all…
