Best-of list · City Guide
The best bars astoria queens nyc has right now, from the oldest beer garden in New York to hidden cocktail bars on Steinway Street. James Harlow picks 10.
The short answer
10 ranked rooms follow. How we picked is at the end of this guide.
The best bars astoria queens nyc has to offer are some of the best value in the entire city, and the neighborhood's bar culture is more interesting than its Manhattan neighbors tend to give it credit for. We have been drinking through Astoria for years. The Greek beer gardens alone make the N train worth taking. These 10 are the places to know.
Astoria runs on two main bar strips: Steinway Street below the elevated train and Ditmars Boulevard to the north. Both deliver consistently, and the neighborhood's Greek and Middle Eastern roots mean you find things here that do not exist anywhere else in New York.
How we picked
Astoria is the best neighborhood in New York for a night out that costs half what Manhattan would charge for the same quality. The beer garden culture here is genuinely irreplaceable. Bohemian Hall is the one everyone needs to see at least once. Albatross is the one that surprises people who came expecting neighborhood bar standards.
Take the N or W to Ditmars, start at the top, and work south. The neighborhood runs late and the L train back to Manhattan is always there when you need it. Do not rush the middle section of the evening.
James has been writing about New York bars since 2011. He has a soft spot for Astoria's beer garden culture and considers it the most underrated drinking scene in the five boroughs.
Last reviewed 2026-02-10 · The editors recheck hours and closures against current local coverage.