Elite Event: Seafood Showdown at Off The Hook Raw Bar & Grill

Unilocal + seafood + catching up with my faves = my heart jumping with joy!
Cozy with swings, Off the Hook provided a nice hump day break. Drinks of the night consisted of the Shrubb Punch, Negroni and Cucumber Martini — all made from Clément Rhum. There were nice servers walking around taking drink orders so that everyone didn’t have to crowd around the bar to get a drink. Although the plan was to try all three drinks, my conscious got the better of me — stuck to just a couple of the punches, which I was told was the strongest one.
Onto the food — loved, loved, LOVED the crab balls. I also really liked the presentation of the clam chowder in the tiny espresso cup. All night, I was eyeing the baked oysters but always seemed to miss them because the servers did such a great job of spreading the wealth, so every time I moved to where I saw people eating, they would serve the area that I just left! But in time, I finally got my hands on one and wooo, I wished I had gloves — it was HOT. It was mm, mm, goodness. I managed to get a second and will have to come back to try some of the raw stuff. The calamari, I found, was pretty standard and the yuca frita was pretty good too.
Thanks to Jando and team for always introducing me to those hidden neighborhood gems!

Great seafood and heavy handed drinks, it was a winning formula for a great night.
Even after arrive a little bit late, there were still a couple of bites to eat going around. The lobster bisque was delicious. Warm, thick, creamy, and with the perfect amount of salt, the tiny cup I had made me wish I could sit down and order a full bowl. The fried calamari was on point, as it should be, with an excellent crispy breading that didn’t fall off, and a tender, perfectly-​cooked inside.
The venue itself is a cool spot, I mean, how many restaurants do you know of that have swings in it? Yes, swings. Sure, your Brooklyn/​Manhattan hipster bar might, but seafood restaurant? I don’t think so. There’s a modest outdoor area which is great in better weather. I can’t imagine that it’s appropriate to be cooped up inside when eating delicious seafood. You should feel the breeze on your skin and sun on your face, albeit mildly polluted Astoria air, but still.
The staff, of course, was great, and the owner was friendly. The choice of cocktails was nicely varied and well poured. As always, thank you Jando for giving me a reason to get out during the winter season!

Yay! I was able to attend a Unilocal Elite Only event! Sadly, I was only able to drop by for the first fifteen minutes and about two minutes after the event ended, but it was great seeing Jade, Jando, Michelle, and all the other lovely people I neglected to name.
I had one of those fruit punch drinks and I was hyped up! Odd that I was hyped up after consuming an alcoholic beverage but that’s what Unilocal Elite events do to you. Everyone seemed so friendly and I wish I had been able to stay longer (I had a meeting a short distance from this venue).
The venue was very small but cozy. I should have listened when my physician told me to lose weight! I’m too wide for these venues!
Thank you, Jando and Nelson, for a great evening!

What a fun time for my very first Unilocal Elite event! I think I might have been the first one to arrive since I didn’t bother to go home after work, and thought it best to just show up and wait. The service staff were incredible. From the moment I stepped foot into the place, I was warmly greeted. One server in particular, I think her name was Madeline or Magdalena? was so incredibly kind and attentive to me the entire evening (I think she must have sensed how overwhelmed I was being a newbie). Anyway her and the rest of the staff were very welcoming, patient, and friendly.
I had a chance to try the clam chowder, BLT, and calamari. Sadly I never got a chance to get my hands on those delicious looking oysters, but everything I did have was very nice. For drinks, I tried the negroni and the martini. The negroni had a great layering of flavors, though a bit strong for my personal tastes, but the quality was quite good. I preferred the cucumber & lime martini which was very fresh and delicious.
The look and feel of the establishment is fun and really brings home the seafood feel. I can’t wait to come back here on a normal day to try out more items on their full menu.
Thank you for hosting such a fun event, Jando!

Beside loving Unilocal,another stuff that I love is seafood, putting both things together imagine what I can get; good food, good drinks, and great company.
The place is very cozy, it have a outdoors place that make perfect for summer time, it also have a indoor place, the only bad thing is that is very small.
The drinks: you had the option to choose from Negroni, Shrubb Punch, and Martini Cocktail. I went with the Shrubb punch (Punch mixed w/​Clément Rhum) all night. The punch had a nice balance of rum and juice, which made for a great appetite.
The food: consisted that was a lot of variety of finger foods.
Fried Calamari: with the dipping sauce, very tasty, the crispiest and chewiest at the same time and the sauce is giving it an extra touch.
Clam Chowder: The first time that the server brought this in the tray, I thought It was a little espresso or coffee, because it came in a little cup, but it was a good Clam Chowder With one or two little cute breads that floated. The taste was great, not too salty, nor too heavy! but very hot, have to be careful with your tongue with this one.
Crab-​Cake Balls: tasty and crunchy with a good size, one of my favorite of the night.
Oysters with bread: not a fan but this one wasn’t bad.
Wait there were sandwiches? Where? I didn’t see it. :(
Yuca frita: want I can say about this one, I am Dominican, so I have to love the Yuca Frita.
The staff was exceptional in service, fast, attentive. Even the owner was bartender.
Thanks J. ando, Sierra, Nelson and the great staff of «Off The Hook Raw Bar & Grill» for this great event.

Offfff the hook !!! What??? Omg What a night. Full of Laughter, Good drinks, and Excellent Food !!! I can say they Step It Up Big Time from my last visit. The staff was courteous and welcoming. Love the ambience and YESSSSSSS The Bathroom was much cleaner. :D!!!
(Off Hook Raw Bar & Grill) What a great time !!!
The place is absolutely welcoming and refreshing, there’s a inviting Outdoor Area perfect for the summer!!! Ohhhhhh and part of the decoration They have Swing’s inside the restaurant … Pretty clever, after a few drinks who wouldn’t want to swing a little! (Hehehe)
The Food … Grilled Oysters topped w/​a Crostini, (My Favorite of the Night) Fried Calamari is always a + in my Book, Clam Chowder Soup~ Hot Hot Hot, perfect in taste and just enough!!! Oh man and they had YUCA FRITA!!! Love The Clement Punch Drink, not too sweet and perfect blend. What a way to bring back a Customer !!! Yayyyy I am deft a Off The Hook Fan!!!
Thanks to Jando, Nelson, Sierra & The Off the Hook Raw Bar & Grill Family for making a Wednesday Night feel like a Friday’s Night !!!

Seafood? Check. Down the block from my apartment? Check. Cold as balls outside? Check. Seriously, how in the heck was Jando checking people in outside in just a vest? That’s some superhuman stuff right there.
Upon walking in, I walked directly to the bar in the back (as per usual) and grabbed me a tasty negroni. I’m not a big rum drinker, but that was pretty damn smooth. The bar was pretty packed, but a waiter was coming out to the people and back and taking drink orders. That’s what I call service!
The cucumber martini was even better, and I stuck with that drink for the rest of the event. I’m a big fan of summery, refreshing drinks all year round, so this definitely hit the spot. I had a poor and scarring incident with white rum in my past, so the fact I couldn’t even taste it was awesome!
I really enjoyed the clam chowder they served in the little espresso-​sized cups as it was the perfect manner to serve a creamy soup like that. I definitely appreciate not having to clumsily fumble with a bowl/​cup and spoon when I’m trying to hold an in-​depth conversation about the finer things in life… like monkeys, or if a tree falls in the middle of the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?
The calamari tasted par for the course, but certainly fresh. I didn’t get a chance to grab any of the crab cake balls, but they looked freakin’ amazing!
Had a nice conversation with Glen about Off The Hook, and it basically amounted to wanting the place to be a chill spot to relax with seafood and rum (two of his passions). I can totally get behind that.
I live literally around the corner and down the block, so I’ll be back for sure!

I honestly can’t stop saying how proud I am to be an Astorian! Third Queens Elite event I have been to in Astoria and each one makes me happy to be part of this diverse, dynamic, and soulful neighborhood. I wasn’t going to sign up for the event since I am allergic to shellfish, I know such a bummer right? Does anyone know of a magic pill that could take the allergy away? I have passed by Off the Hook many times however, and had always wanted to check it out but due to my allergy was afraid there wouldn’t be many things for me to eat. I was glad to discover otherwise!
As soon as I arrived a server came up to me and took my drink order. Loved the immediate attention:) I’m not much of a rum drinker but the cucumber martini was hard to resist. I was glad I had it, enjoyed the lime and cucumber mix with just the right amount of booze. I probably would have had more than I could handle if I wasn’t on antibiotics (Womp, Womp)!
One of the first food items served was a clam chowder soup in cute tiny espresso cups. I wanted one so badly and heard from fellow Elites that it was a delightful treat for the freezing cold weather. Definitely would love for my husband to try it. Next, was the calamari! Oh man so perfectly crispy and with just the right amount of salt I wanted the whole tray! Thankfully, there was plenty to go around and I was able to have many servings of it. I heard the fried clams were just as good which is good to know for the seafood lovers in my life. The pollock BLT was served next and yes, yes, yasssss! The breaded fish with the bacon and the mayo and the lettuce and tomato were such a great combination of flavors!
I have to say I agree with Jando that Elite Only events are the best ones! It’s great to get to mingle with our vivacious and passionate food lovin community. The reggae music playing in the background and the nautical theme decorations of the restaurant including the chain swing and anchors give the restaurant such a nice touch and set the mood for a perfect evening with some of my favorite people. I was also happy to see that they had a rum not in many bars in the area-​Brugal-​a rum straight from the motherland, La Republica Dominicana!
As always thanks to Jando and the Off the Hook owners and staff for inviting us to this awesome event! I will be sure to return with the husband for date night or some of my seafood lovin friends and fam.
Oh and one more thing, best Unilocal swag ever at this event! I went home with Unilocal beer sleeves, silicone tray, playing cards, and earphones! Love rocking my swag with pride and telling everyone Unilocal ahem Queens Unilocalers do it better:)

Love the restaurant name, décor and location in Astoria! Upon walking in the restaurant, the first thing that caught my eyes were the two swings hanging from the ceiling. I was already in love with the place. I wandered over to the bar area and was offered three different types of drinks: negroni, cucumber, and punch. I went with the punch which had all three of the rum combination. I thought it was pretty strong. Later I went back and got the cucumber mint and was hooked on that drink for the rest of the night.
The food consisted of a variety of finger foods. There were crab bites, grilled oysters, pollock BLT sliders, calamari and clam strips, and clam chowder. I was fortunate to have been able to try all of the above minus the crab bites. The food went out super fast I felt like I was in a race to grab whatever was on the plate. The food itself was appetizing but I wish I could have enjoyed it more since it was either overly hot or I was rushing myself to get another piece.
Thank you Jando and Unilocal team for putting together this fun event. I met new Unilocalers and caught up with old friends. It was great seeing everyone again!

Let’s just say, with off the hooks drinks and a off the hook Unilocal staff equals an Off The Hook ParTay-​Tay!!!
The drinks were absolutely amazing and very potent. Just the way I like it!!! The calamari and oysters was delicious. I will absolutely plan a group gathering for a future function. The ambiance was very tranquil with a plethora of bravura candles. I thought I was on the set of the «Thousand Years Video.» Great to bring someone you would like to impress.

I burned off my fingertips as well as the roof of my mouth due to grabbing & shoving hot seafood-​y things into my mouth last night. Each key stroke I’ve input in this review, thus far, has been with painstaking determination and herculean levels of tolerance to sting-​ing digits. This begs the question, were the lava hot offerings that were sampled last night (which were recklessly seized with bare hands, and even more recklessly shoved down the gullet) worth the aches, pains, and peelings of today??? To put it simply, yes… I don’t regret the way I conducted myself last night. I should mention that I’ve endured more pain before in the past (some of the same or similar nature… and some being of a different sort entirely); needless to say, no tears should be wasted on behalf of this writer.
Upon approaching Off the Hook at the start of the night, I observed our fearless leader, Jando, braving the elements of the frozen outdoors. Such bold disregard to the sub Arctic temperatures, and with nothing on but a puffy vest as protection… Reckless? Perhaps (but then again, so is yours truly, as evidenced in the preceding paragraph). Bad@ss though? That’s an unequivocal yes from this Unilocaler! In sum, such feats make me proud to have Jando as CM of the best borough. But you all already knew that.
I must say, after not having seen a good number of the fine Elites of Unilocal since events of yesteryear… finally getting to see, talk, and catch up (with these aforementioned folks) may have actually been my favorite aspect of the night. Plenty has happened in the world, and in the microcosms of our respective lives… as such, with a large temporal window of perspective separating last night from whatever the last rendezvous of 2015 was, with respect to these aforementioned Elites, came some legitimately interesting and «cathartic» banter. I won’t lie, the booze probably helped too (more on the part of my peers referenced herein, as opposed to myself… I ended the night a «mere» three deep).
It was almost as unparalleled a delight to meet a lot of new faces; I’m not one to typically approach new people unless pushed to the brink (nothing more desperate than a cornered fox, etc.), so a respectful nod to those who introduced themselves… it was a real pleasure to meet the lot of you (they know who they are)!
As for the wares that were sampled last night, this particular writer feels as if it’s safe to say that the food’s time-​spent-​out-​of-​the-​cooker (be it oven, stove top, or deep fryer), into my hands, and ultimately into my mouth was somewhere in the area of 1 to 30 seconds. An uproarious golf clap to the speedy servers hustling to and from the kitchen to achieve these ends; it was as if I was standing in the kitchen, popping cooked things into my mouth upon cooking time completion.
And what cooked things were consumed last night? Very good question from those inquisitive minds… I forewent the baked oysters topped with crostini and the chowder; as a self created lactose intolerant, whether or not it was the truth (or a lie created by rogue-​ish minds) the baked oysters (allegedly) had cheese in them, so that was an easy pass for me (although I held a scalding hot oyster shell in my hand for at least a minute until we came to the determination as to the cheese). Even easier was the decision to skip out on the chowder; it may be a yummy cream based soup to you, but it is liquid dread to me (sorry for the graphic description).
However, I had plenty an opportunity to burn off my finger prints by picking up mini crab cake balls, yucca fries, and calamari after calamari after calamari. The cucumber martini (the only drink that needed to touch these lips), served as an effective panacea in alleviating the delicious pain brought about by the food; after a few glassfuls, the senses (and inhibitions as to certain person (s)) were diminished, the cold vessel soothed my digits, and the cold refreshment calmed the inferno that was ripping up the roof of my mouth.
All in all, another great success in the County of Queens. A tip of the hat to the super friendly and efficient Off the Hook staff (owners/​managers, servers, bartenders), and massive daps to Jando and crew, you guys just keep on outdoing yourselves!

The Drinks Were Really Great Here. I Think The Bar Staff Really Went All Out For Us.
And The Servers Made Sure That Food Was Circulated Around The Room.
It Was A Great Get Together With Close Unilocal Friends «And No Pesky +1s» (LOL)
Unfortunately I Did Not Get To Try The Crab Cake And Baked Oysters. But Again, The Drinks Were The Real Highlight.
The Space Is A Little Small But Very Intimate. I Love The Old Bar Lighting and Swings.
Great Get Together. Would Love To Come Back To Try More Food.
Thank You Jando and Nelson For A Great Midweek Break!

My favorite event to date!
Off the Hook Raw Bar & Grill is a small restaurant in Astoria. This nook is cute and artsy with tons of wood work. Upon entry is the kitchen — yes it’s all exposed. There is a one unisex bathroom to your left. Two swings — yes swings! — right before you enter the dining room. The dining room is small with funky art. The bar is located in the dining area. In the warmer months, they open the doors from the dining area to their outdoor patio — I will definitely return to check that out.
The bar served 3 specialty drinks. I only tried the cucumber infused drink — it was delicious and they were generous with the liquor (muchas gracias for that!). The server brought out a small selection of appetizers at a time. I got a chance to try the fried calamari, BLT with fried fish, yucca fries, and fried crab. Everything was scrumptious! My favorites were the calamari and yucca fries. The calamari was served immediately out of the fryer and the accompanying marinara sauce was super robust. The breading was well seasoned so it tasted super yummy with or without the sauce. The yucca was definitely freshly cut and extra crispy. The accompanying sauce was delicious, too. I wish they brought out the trays two at a time as there were some dishes I didn’t get to taste.
Oh and the company — wow! my fellow Elites are such great people. I chatted with the ones I’ve met at other events and I met more wonderful people. The vibe was chill with loads of laughter. It was obvious that everyone was having a genuine good time.
Thank you to Jando, Sierra, and rest of the Unilocal team for organizing this event. Thank you to Off the Hook Raw Bar & Grill for the hospitality. Thanks to my fellow Elites for the laughter.
Happy Dining!

What helps push your ass over the midweek hump? An awesome Queens Elite event with amazing people, fantastic rum cocktails and tasty passed bites! Off the hook for sure!
I arrived on time to the L-​shaped space with the kitchen near the front and bar (along with their impressive rum vault in the back). Nice décor and artwork throughout, funky and sturdy looking swings (that became quite the popular photo spot) and all the usual tables removed making for a great way to mingle. A chill playlist providing the sounds in the background making everything very festive.
I tried the Negroni, which they were making with Clement Rhum (as all the drinks were) they were using a nicely aged rum for this so it didn’t taste like the gin based negroni I usually love, but the aged rum acted more like a whiskey making this drink more akin to a Manhattan. Regardless, I loved it and it had a great alcoholic punch! With everyone raving about the cucumber martini I had to have one and that was equally delicious, perhaps a bit sweet for my taste. It would make an excellent summer cocktail.
I can not report too extensively on the food because I was too distracted with my fun conversations with fellow elites and those fine cocktails. Also, I am not too into pretending I am a fish in a fishbowl — swarming as soon as the food hits the water. I tried the clam chowder, a piece of calamari and crab cake (ball, but crab balls sounds funny) and thought they were tasty. The calamari was made well and very tender.
Thank you Jando and Sierra for yet another incredible event. Thank you to Off the Hook for generously hosting us and allowing us to come party with them for a bit! Off the Hook is a great, low key spot that is a bit off the beaten path, but well worth finding. They have outdoor seating in warmer weather that along with their excellent seafood and extensive rum menu may make you believe you are on a caribbean island somewhere. Looking forward to coming back when I need a vacation day!

Great hump day event Jando!
Off the hook is a small seafood restaurant and bar.
The owners were gracious enough to host a room full of us Unilocalers; serving us rum based cocktails and small bites for this evening.
Loved their crab cake and baked oyster.
The drinks kept flowing as one of the owners served as bartender.
The servers worked so hard to get people food.
What was unfortunate was the amount of food and distribution. Some people got 4 oysters and some got none.
I loved meeting the new Unilocalers and seeing old and new friends!
I also loved that my hubby was able to attend and share in some of the fun!
It was wonderful to meet so many people!
And I liked that we some of us got to chat afterwards for dinner.
Thanks Sierra, Jando and Nelson!
Thank you, Off the Hook owners and staff for the great event.

Elite Event on a Cold Wednesday Night at «Off the Hook Raw Bar & Grill» The HEAT was on HIGH (Literally) with ever Unilocaler in attendance mingling & just having a good time, Smiles & Laughs filled the air.
The spot is small yet cozy w/​a outdoor seating area! & a set of Adult Swing’s located inside the restaurant … The food was on point. Grilled Oysters topped w/​a Crostini was juicy & flavorful & Calamari fried perfectly, but hands down the winner of the night was the YUCA Fries soO GooD!
Drink choice of the night was the Shrubb punch (Punch mixed w/​Clément Rhum) it did your boy in.
Good times all day every day with *Da Squad* I also had the pleasure, of meeting some new Unilocalers always a plus! Big ups toO Jando, Nelson, Sierra, Clément Rhum & The entire Off the Hook Raw Bar & Grill Family for throwing such a Dope Event.

Unilocal Balloons are a must! I missed the Unilocal memo on this, BUT it is the THING TO DO at an elite event: A selfie with a Unilocal balloon. It all started with 1 balloon, but the craze is taking off. I am resisting right now, but I may do it at the next event. lol
The place was well decorated with Unilocal swags, interesting wall art, but the center piece of this restaurant are the SWINGS! It is a first for me, but I never seen swings at a restaurant. It’s pretty amazing.
Tonight– there were 3 drinks option (negroni, shrubb punch, and martini cocktail). I tried all 3. The negroni definitely bought the alcohol. The punch was good. At the end of the end, I think the winner was the martini cocktail. That was delicious. I had to be careful not to have too many.
I got a chance to try the grilled oysters, pollock BLT sliders, calamari, clam strips and clam chowder. The clam chowder came in the smallest cup I ever seen. Note to self: Time to invest in these cups. It was a great way for the Unilocalers to try the food. The chowder was well balanced– nothing was too salty or creamy. It blended very well. I preferred the clam strips over the calamari. It was very much a contrast. The clam strips had more flavoring in the batter mix. The calamari was more true to the ingredient. The grilled oysters were delicious– leaving me the urge to have more. The pollock sliders were tasty.
It was a fun night. Thanks to the Off the Hook RAW Bar & Grill, Clement Rhum, Jando, Sierra, Nelson and others for putting this event together. It was very enjoyable evening.

I am loving these Elite only events.
I am also a big fan of Seafood. Unfortunately, I haven’t had much luck with fresh seafood restaurants in NYC. For some reason the West Coast eateries do better on this one. I am so happy that I got to experience this restaurant in Astoria, a quick train ride away from midtown.
Tonight we got to sample calamari, chowder, and crab cake. Of course, paired with cocktails. My favorite was definitely the crab cake! The seafood served here was delicious! You can taste the freshness.
The staff were all so wonderful to us Unilocalers. Thanks to Jando for organizing another great Queens event. You are the best.

Great event tonight at Off the Hook Raw Bar & Grill. It’s a small space but the ratio of people to space was divided up well. It was a elite only event and made for great mingling. Always a favorite of mine. So i caught up with some new and old elites.
The Clement Rum and rum punch was my drink of choice tonight and a nice balance of rum which made for a great appetite. The seafood was on point and fresh. My favorites were the grilled oysters with crostini on top. Nice flavor, briney, and garlicy. The crab ball a twist on the crab cake. Fried up but had sweet lump crab inside with a aioli sauce. Very tasty. The clam strips and calamari were fried up well and cripsy. Also the clam chowder was hot and tasty for this cold night.
The space is small but is a great neighborhood spot for a bite to eat. Nice bar area and a outdoor patio area as well which would be great in warmer weather. Thanks to Jando and the Unilocal team as well as the folks at off the hook raw bar and grill for setting up and providing a great event.

Love, love this mingling with cocktails and finger food event!
I didn’t want to drink anything too strong so I got the Martini with the base of Clément Rum. It was light and really yummy… I even got a second but that was my limit as I am such a lightweight.
Thank god I sorta filled my belly with the endless Fried Calamari — very crispy mmmmm, Fried Clam Strips — wow definitely my favorite dish of the night, Fried Fish Sandwich — very delicious with the layers of lettuce and tomato and I totally burnt my fingers trying to pick up the Fried Oysters or Clam topped with a Crostini, and how could I forget Yuca Fries… I love it way better than a potato… am I right lol =)
I had such a blast with my peeps… you know who you are yo and finally got to meet Kevin C. and Joshua V.