Mike "Cakes" W.'s Profile

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.

I was here with some friends last night. While we were distracted playing with our new 3G iPhones, we did take the time to note that the miso soup was excellent (maybe not technically miso, but hey). The service was attentive, but the place was half empty. i guess everyone was in line at the Apple Store.

The Korean BBQ was good, but without the theater of the Koreatown joints. Somehow I ended up not drinking as many OB's as I usually do. Again, the iPhonedling might have had something to do with that.

All in all, not a bad spot - but make sure you request the BBQ table if you're looking for the full experience. They have several tables without the BBQ pits.

When I was in grad school at NYU, our class was organized into "blocks" of about 65 people each (think "homeroom" for twentysomething future-masters-of-the-universe-in-our-own-minds types). Each of these blocks staked out its own turf early in our two-year program. One block was seen frequently at the Stoned Crow. Another liked Josie Woods. One seemed to disappear to TriBeCa with alarming regularity. My block had the Fat Black Pussycat (we just called it "Fat Black").

In my two years in the Village, I can safely say that I have occupied every seat in this bar (at the bar, in the wooden booths up front, and in the velvety lounge in back). I have probably consumed more booze here than any man should consume, total, in a two-tear period.

Yet, I can't remember one night when I wasn't annoyed by the bouncer, or when any staff member even seemed to recognize me as a familiar face. The velvet room was interesting (because it was unexpected), but they had lots of crazy rules back there - kinda like your grandmother doesn't mean for you to actually "live" in her living room. The crowd was nothing special, and I never came here on weekends because it turned into some sort of "club" with a line.

So, why the hell did we come here? Oh yeah, the late happy hour. We were students, after all - and apparently without the resources of that TriBeCa block. Showoffs.

Finally I've found some decent sushi in Astoria! I've been meaning to try this place for a while, but it seems like I always got the urge on a Monday (they're closed Mondays). So, I put it in my calendar, and ordered in on a Tuesday. Well worth it.

Thanks to the suggestions from other Yelpers, I tried the edamame pot stickers and blackened tuna roll - plus a spicy tuna hand roll. I didn't love the pot stickers as much as everyone else, but will try them again when I visit the restaurant (maybe delivery's not kind?).

I thought the sushi was delicious, although I didn't try any straight sushi/sashimi pieces (this is really the test for me).

Delivery was fast and courteous. They actually quoted me the total on the phone, grabbed my number from caller id, and got it here in about 15 minutes. These are all unheard of in my Astoria delivery experience. And the price was fair.

All in all, a good experience. I look forward to eating at the restaurant itself very soon!

This is a favorite among my business colleagues, and I definitely enjoy it. The highlight is probably the relaxed atmosphere in the bar before dinner.

I was most recently here on a Monday night. The soundtrack was heavy on the 80's, and it was probably still a decade or two too "new" for the average patron that night.

Steaks are very good, but not life-changing. The decor and atmosphere are probably not quite up to what you're paying for (lots of patrons in t-shirts and sweatshirts, for instance). The wine list is a disappointment. They have a few good ones on there, but nothing terribly "special." I had the Penfolds Bin 128 shiraz (available by the glass), which wasn't bad.

I thought the service was excellent. The young serving crowd here is very attentive and up to providing a "New York Steakhouse" experience, without the attitude you might expect elsewhere. The coat check, host and valet service were also friendly and efficient.

When I'm staying on Strong Island for a work dinner, I'm always happy to go here, but you're probably paying for a bit more than you're getting.

This restaurant/bar in Tarrytown seems pretty nondescript from the outside (easy to miss in the little shopping strip). But it's a decent little find.

I was told that I really had to try one of their burgers. So I did - the "Old English" burger I think it was. It was on an English muffin and there was bacon involved. It was very tasty.

They also have a very extensive beer list. This was the second time in a week I've had Sam Smith's - the Nut Brown Ale. That's a good week. So, kudos for the beer list.

The service was fine - but maybe a bit crabby. However, the place was empty on a Sunday night and I think it was more "friendly crabby" than bitchy.

Although the game was still going, they held to their 9:00 closing time. This is completely understandable since we were the only ones there, but it begs the question: why is this place so dead when the Giants are in the NFC Championship? I guess it isn't exactly a sports bar...

So, go for the burgers and beer, but catch your night games somewhere else.

This new little Brazilian bakery looks like a good addition to the neighborhood. I stopped in for a latte - about half the price of Starbucks or Esparks.

I wouldn't have known it was Brazilian, except everyone was saying "ciao," and they had mixto quente on the menu behind the counter.

I wasn't there for food, but I'll definitely return when I have time to eat, too.

Believe it or not, last night was my first taste of Ethiopian food! And this was not a bad place to finally try it out.

We arrived around 8 PM and were seated right away. The place was full by the time we left, but we got there before the rush hit. It didn't take us long to settle on the combo platters (1 veggie, the other not).

The food was delicious (especially the lamb), and surprisingly filling for the apparent portion size. I attribute this to the spongy injera bread, but it could just be that the huge platters made the portions look smaller than they are.

Next time I'll probably try the lamb dish, some apps and one of the odd wines they had on the shelf in the area where our waitress sort of watched over the diners. And there WILL be a next time.

I have a bad habit of letting my hair grow well after it should have been cut. Sure, I revel in the paradox of looking like a hippie when I'm actually a capitalist foot soldier, but the motivation is really a fear of the BAD HAIRCUT. And I don't much like the whole process, anyway.

Since I moved to New York, I've gotten most of my haircuts at Astor Hair - the arena of barbers that'll process you as soon as you arrive and have you out in ten minutes flat. Of course, the price of this convenience was a string of hit-or-miss haircuts. Because of this uncertainty, I tended to procrastinate any time I needed a haircut.

Well, today, I think I found my new barber. I dropped into Modern Barber Shop (right under the N at Broadway) to see if I could find a better solution than Astor Hair.

I waited for about five minutes, then sat in Nick's chair. I gave my instructions, and felt pretty confident that he understood them. He even asked for clarification on one or two points. Throughout the process, he made pleasant banter with me and the other patrons and staff. This is clearly a very friendly joint. And, more importantly, I could tell he wasn't completely scissor-happy, which helped me relax.

When it was all over, he reiterated what I asked for, and showed that he'd delivered, complete with the hot shave touch ups. I was happy with the service and the results. And the price ($10 before tip) was not bad at all.

O White Castle, thou hast finally Cured my Crave!

I had a taxi drop me off here on my way home at about midnight so I could effect my long-awaited reunion with a "Slyder" (that's how it's spelled - check their site).

I can't say there was anything particularly special about this White Castle. It wasn't dirty and the staff were friendly by NYC fast food standards (no one hit me). They had the complete menu and service was fast. I got my crinkle fries and a few sliders To Go, and headed out the door with my transparent goodie bag to start the walk up Broadway.

It was a cold night, so I ate the fries as I walked. Experience tells me that the fries will get really cold really fast. That was fine. I was home in about ten minutes and ready to dig into the sliders. The first one was fine - not great , but fine. I wondered if it, too, had cooled down on my walk. By the 2nd or 3rd, I was really suspecting something was up, and I never got to the 4th little guy.

I was SICK. Maybe the cool air had congealed the grease, or maybe my palate had finally matured, but I could NOT handle these burgers. I thought I was gonna yakalak. I didn't. It wasn't food poisoning or anything. It was just not appealing to me.

For those who love White Castle - I understand. But I'm also glad to be free of the incessant urge to down incredibly unhealthy tiny burgers sold under a parapet.