Sanford’s Restaurant

The brunch here is a delight. Sweet or savory, they do it all. Had an absolutely killer Nutella waffle!!! AMAZING. The brunch special is a good deal. The space is nice and the staff lovely. No wonder there’s a line on the weekend
Happy hour is also a solid bet with dollar oysters. We would recommend the pork belly as well– a total decadent treat!

Pros: Gouda stuffed duck burger is deliciously tasteful. It gives off a different flavor that’s welcomed in a burger. Great alternative to red meat. The bun is tasty and the cheese is sophisticated.
Butternut squash ravioli is super good to start with.
Spacious since the relaunch and no wait time depending on time of the day.
Cons: No longer open ²⁴⁄₇. Closes at 1am since the renovations. Drinks can be pricey if you are thirsty. Try some fat free water as an alternative. :)

I went to Sanford’s twice and I’m about to go again Saturday morning. The first time, I ordered their oysters, nutella smores waffle, and the steak skillet. The second time, I had their Mimosa and the steak skillet.
The first experience was more intimate by sitting in the booth area followed by my good friend’s company. The quality of the food was beyond excellent. The second experience was more chic and youthful as I sat alone at the bar. One thing I noticed was the skillet wasn’t as hot and it came out a little too soon to be my order but I still had no major complaints.
In terms of service, I always enjoy the attentiveness of the entire wait staff in spite of the hustle and bustle of the completely-​changed Astoria demographics.
I look forward to eating and relaxing there with good ambiance and good food with a family member Saturday.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Sanford’s, mainly because of how long the renovations took, but it was well worth it to drop in. The place is much bigger and expansive, and the food and service is still the same, or maybe a tad bit better. I got my usual chicken pallard and cannot complain, it’s still the same. I’m happy that they’ve expanded, because I came in once with a party of about 10 and accommodation was an issue, not anymore.

I’ve been here twice for brunch (and ordered delivery from here several times). Their $ 18 prix fixe deal includes your choice of coffee, cocoa, or tea + 2 alcoholic beverages (bloody mary, champagne, kir royale, or screwdriver), and an entrée.
This time around, I had the cocoa, bloody mary, and steak skillet – all of which I highly recommend. The bloody mary was strong and had a nice kick to it. The steak skillet is large (took home half) and delicious. My friends got the bistro burger and chicken schnitzel and seemed to enjoy both.
I’ve also had the cobb salad (usually good) and crabcakes benedict (meh). Some menu options are definitely better than others, but overall it’s a solid neighborhood brunch spot.

Duck burger, corned beef hash Benedict, crab cake Benedict, butternut squash ravioli and a few stoli screwdrivers were what I ordered throughout my last 2 visits.
Staff was great and was always there checking up on you. Service, price, and drinks get a 5 star food was just all mediocre. Though I have to say the almond sauce that the ravioli was in was AMAZING. Not too heavy not too overbearing and paired perfectly with the not too sweet or bland butternut squash ravioli. Corned hash was too salty, duck burger was dry and tasteless, crab cake Benedict was pretty good. Overall great place for the value during weekend brunch or that $ 18 for 2 drinks and an entrée deal. Definitely would go back.

I love breakfast so when a group of us wanted to grab brunch we went to a restaurant in Astoria that didn’t have the usual 30 – 45 min wait. I was excited to try this place since a friend had raced about the food. To her credit, she is vegetarian so this place seemed to deliver when it came down to non-​meat items.
While I did appreciate that the restaurant offered meals below $ 10, I was not crazy about the Monte Cristo sandwich I ate. From now on, I will not pair meat and cheese with French toast, that was probably the most bizarre combination of all. I was pleasantly surprised with the side of potatoes that came with the sandwich I tried my boyfriend’s chorizo wrap, but felt the flavor was lacking. But if I must pick between my sandwich and his wrap, I would probably pick his wrap. The place was cozy, but definitely make sure you arrive before 11 am on Saturday if you want to find a table for brunch without the customary half hour wait.

Tried Sanford’s for brunch. Always a long line wrapped around the block and we were able to get a 2pm reservation. They have amazing brunch deals — $ 18 for two cocktails, entrée and hot drink: coffee, tea, hot chocolate. The truffle mac and cheesy was rocking in my mouth. I had the truffle sandwich in a ciabatta bread. It was good but not life changing. I’ve tasted my husband’s beef, eggs and potatoes skillet dish and it was very good. I’d come back to try other entrees the menu has a large variety of brunch items. We’ve made it to the bar at 4pm for happy hour and did some bourbon tastings. I hear this spot is open 24 hours so this is fantastic!

What a way to ring in the new year other than a Saturday brunch with great company of friends. Sanfords is rated «Top 100 in America» for brunches. I’ve definitely been here before for dinner and brunch but this encompasses all those experiences. This place is great and always has been. They even decreased their wait time for tables by expanding the restaurant. It used to be a minimum of 30−45min wait. But now it’s a paltry 15min wait. The food is highly pleasing, along with the atmosphere. Brunch prix fix runs $ 18 with 2drinks of choice. Our group of six went for the Steak skillet, western omelette and quesadilla. All were very filling and big portions. We couldn’t even finish individually, never mind collectively. Large in part due to my friend LEO being on a «diet». He is usually the finger sweeper upper of the group (love you bro!). The meal hit the spot and opened up a monthly brunch inspiration for the crew to dine and catch up. It culminated with Nutella pancakes and ultimately a good bye to anyone’s NEW YEARS Resolutions of «eating healthy». Those pancakes thooooooo!!!

Ehhh, thought this place would be better than what it was. Went here today with the girls for brunch. Hit there at about 12 & the wait wasn’t too long, but it ess definitely crowded.
The waiter wasn’t that great. He kept coming over asking if web were ready to order. We had questions about the brunch menu and he kept walking away. We also had to call him back several times to bring creamer for coffee because he never asked what we wanted and just brought milk to the table.
We finally ordered and it took a little while for our appetizer to come out. We ordered the truffle Mac & Cheese & that was really good.
The other orders were 2 omelettes, 2 steak skillets and crab cake Benedict.
My friend didn’t like her crab cake benedict. She didn’t even eat half. The other two girls that ordered the omelettes said they were good by that the homefries were cold. The one who had the crabcake meal was brought the wrong order at first. She didn’t wait long for her actual order to come though.
My steak skillet I asked for my eggs over medium instead of poached & they were over hard and for it to be in a skillet it was cold. The portion of steak in the skillet was way off from the potatoes but if you love meat then I guess that’s a good thing. There was a good amount in there. My other friend didn’t care for hers much either.
I looked at pictures before going and I’d been there years ago so I was expecting more. Maybe I would return for dinner another time. But not for brunch.

The hubs and I kicked off our New Year’s with brunch at Sanfords and I was beyond excited. I’ve been wanting to brunch here for quite a while and was expecting it to be less busy on New Year’s Day but boy was I wrong! The wait was about 45 minutes which wasn’t horrible, however, there were a good number of people waiting.
We put our name down and proceeded to wait. As we looked over the menu and placed our orders, we enjoyed each other’s company and before we knew it, more than 30minutes had passed and we still didn’t have our food! It wasn’t until I asked about the status that the food finally came out. I understand that it’s busy, but I would’ve expected someone to at least let us know the kitchen is a bit backed up given the long wait!
We ordered the Steak Skillet, Croque Madame and the Truffle Mac & Cheese to share. The Truffle Mac was the best out of the 3 we ordered and the other 2 were lacking in flavor. I really wanted to LOVE this spot as I’ve heard great things but was left unfulfilled. The portions are generous, however, but there wasn’t anything that really stood out. The décor of the place is amazing so kudos on that front!
Will I return? Maybe not for brunch but I wouldn’t mind giving dinner a go here. We’ll see!

No clue how I’ve been dining in and ordering delivery from here for years and never reviewed! Really love this place. Service is always excellent, the food is divine, and that damned duck burger!!! And that Reese’s Pie… damn, y’all. Just… damn.
Go. Just go.

I suppose I should preface this by saying the food here is wildly uneven. Roulette-​style dining, one could say. So why the four stars? Let’s get into it, jerks.
The cocktail program — on f*cking point. This is the most extensive liquor list in Astoria. There are Pappy Van Winkles (unless they’re just using the bottles, in which case, holy hell), my favorite rye (F.E.W.), and enough gins that I had at least 3 martinis with 3 different gins I’ve never had before. Plus, the bar is sexy. This is a good place to meet a date. Wear a tux, sip a martini. Now you look like an idiot. Kudos. Stop taking my advice.
I was there for dinner, and first off, the calamari was IMPECCABLE. Soft, toothsome, like they just spritzed it with hot oil. Perfect. However, the OTHER appetizers… less so. The meatballs were fine, almost seemed pre-​cooked. The pork belly was perfunctory, like they felt like it had to be on the menu, and cooked it out of spite. It tasted like spite. Chewy fat, hard meat. And a bigger issue (though probably common in an all day restaurant like this) — the sauces on the meatballs and pork belly were the same. Generic sweet BBQ sauce, which, surprise, suited neither meat dish.
However, the entrée, a pasta special that was something like a farfalle pasta with cream and sausage and cheese, like a mac and cheese that slept with your spouse, was sexy and rich and bred contempt in other pastas. It should be a regular item, because I was all over that like a guy who preferred pasta to «looking like a decent human being in front of a date.»
So, minus a star for the perfunctory dishes, but full marks for AMAZING cocktail selection, late night hours, incredible calamari (this place would be getting hit up on eater or the infatuation if everything was on the level of the calamari), and pasta that you feel OK being cuckolded by.
I’ll be back for brunch.
Nevermind that, just find me at the bar. I’ll be the one in the tuxedo… t-​shirt.

This is a review of the newly expanded Sanford’s which took over the store next door to accommodate its large crowds. I only come for breakfast and brunch so I have no clue with regards to the bar or the dinners here.
Brunch is great, lots of choices with the steak skillet being my favorite. The frittata is also a great choice with blueberry pancakes also a tasty option. The expanded space is nice since the old place was a bit crowded. My favorite spot in Astoria for brunch.

Go– to spot for late night meals back in the day. When they closed for expansion the waiting began lol. Once they reopened I was excited to see that a lot of my favorite items were still on the menu and that they still gave that assorted bread bowl while you wait. I like the new additions they have made to their cocktail menu. It is massive now. The truffle mac and cheese is a must when you come here. Their sandford’s wrap is also really good and you can ask for sweet potato fries on the side. I have also had their burgers which are not bad. The butternut squash ravioli is also another must have at this place. Can’t really go wrong at Sandford’s. There is something for everyone.

I’m probably a little biased writing this review because Sanford’s menu had almost NOTHING that was vegan friendly, and what I ordered had to be veganized.
I wanted a falafel wrap without the cheese — waitress told me the cheese was in it already. Alright, guess I’ll settle on the most boring menu item there is — roasted vegetable ciabatta without cheese. It tasted exactly how it sounded — very mundane and unspectacular. What saved my dining experience was the steak-​cut sweet potato fries which were unbelievably good — if only there was a little bit more for that $ 5 price tag!
Besides that, my friends liked their food a lot. My friend raved about the pecan crusted chicken. My friend liked her cobb salad despite her saying «no egg and no bacon» and there still being egg in it.
That being said, it is an upscale diner. Yes, upscale. And diner. Two words you probably have never heard of together! It is a very nice atmosphere and reminds me of a fancy place that serves only the most expensive of wines.

I’ve been to Sanford’s before the remodeling and to me it wasnt wow or something to be desired. However, now its a totally different experience. It is chic. Sanford’s is now a happening place to come to whether it be breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. Always remember to make rsvp’s in advance for Sunday brunch because they are usually booked all afternoon.
I came for dinner/​cocktails. Dinner for my friend and cocktails for me. She was feening for a burger so thats why we came here. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive. We ordered drinks. She got a Mr. Loosing wine and I ordered a Brown Derby. The Brown Derby had bourbon, grapefruit juice, and honey. A delicious concoction made by the mixologist. I enjoyed it very much. As for the food, I don’t necessarily remember what my friend ordered. Looks like it was a burger with bacon. I was not going to order, but decided to get an app of bbq meatballs. My friend enjoyed her burger and fries. The burger was juicy and flavorful and the fries were crispy and hot. As for the bbq meatballs, it was nice. Served in a cast iron pan, the meatballs were cooked well and the bbq sauce was good. Overall a good meal. Now we only stayed for another round, but you could tell the place was busy. The bar area and the restaurant was full. I shall come again for the Brown Derby alone. Ha.

The new Sanford’s looks amazing! But like several other people have said, the food has lost its luster a little.
My favorite and usually go-​to is the duck burger. I come here specifically to eat that. The last time I had it, I remember the gouda being ooey-​gooey and burning my tongue as I bite into my burger. But this past experience, I was very disappointed. Not only was the cheese not melted, it was almost as if my burger was left sitting out for a while. The cheese was congealed and the duck meat was not hot (but was cooked thoroughly). It did not taste anything like the duck burger I had at Sanford’s before it closed. I did notice now that it now comes with french fries, although not stated on the menu.
We didn’t get served the bread basket that they usually give you and the oysters took forever.
I would give this another shot, but this experience did not feel the same as it usually does when I dine at Sanford’s pre-​renovation. The new décor and whiskey bar do look great though!

I found this place on Unilocal and I was so excited to come.
Price/​Food:
For $ 18, you can get one entrée, two drinks, and coffee/​tea. I don’t know if such a good brunch deal exists in Manhattan. I got the steak skillet, and the amount of food was ridiculous. I’ll definitely try something different next time, though. As for drinks, the Kir Royale wasn’t my favorite, but I definitely recommend the Screwdriver. The drinks are not watered down like many other brunch places I’ve been to.
Service:
We came without making a reservation and everyone was running a little late. I put my name down and we were told that we would have to wait 30 minutes, which I expected based on previous reviews. We ended up waiting about 15 minutes. The food came fast, and the drinks were refilled very quickly. The servers were also very attentive and responsive. Can’t compliment them enough.
Ambience:
The place is pretty packed. There’s a bar area and numerous 2 and 4 seaters. The restaurant is dim and it exudes a fancy vibe. The music is great, and I definitely enjoyed hanging out there.
Definitely worth checking out!!!

Sanfords is back! Tears of joy!
Currently a soft opening 5PM-​1AM. The space is twice the size as before, and sports a gorgeous new bar. Their new whisky-​centric drink menu is devastatingly thorough.
We went straight to our old dinner favorites: Wild mushroom truffle risotto for me, pecan crusted chicken salad for him. Magical… although their risotto never had chicken before, but I also didn’t actually read the menu, so no worries.
Warm rockslide brownie bowl for dessert. Perfect portion of chocolates caramel-​y icecreamy goodness.
Can’t wait till they go back to 24 hour service.
Sanfords, I missed you! Don’t ever leave again!