Alobar

Good spot to try if you have not been before
Some of the dishes I’d recommend are the maple bacon popcorn, duck, and especially the pickled veggies starter — very underrated
price point could be on the high end for $$, depending on the quantity and type of dishes you end up ordering
the only thing we had that we didn’t particularly like was the bone marrow dish — which could be a personal preference. we found the flavor a little overwhelming

Nice location, good menu options, and an overall nice vibe. Unfortunately the service is remarkably poor. The bartenders and servers are friendly but appear to not care about their work or work performance at all. They are far more interested in standing in corners and chatting than providing customer service. If you plan to come here, make sure you have plenty of time.

Great spot, knowledgeable and friendly waiter, great waitress, (sorry forgot their names) and great food. I went with the picked peaches, maple bacon popcorn and the ribs as apps. Can’t go wrong! I rarely get chicken when I eat out but I was in the mood for it #destiny. The chicken was great! I recommend this spot highly !

This review is only for drinks, but it is a great spot! This was my first spot using the Queens Beer Book. Bartenders were friendly, offered tastes of the beers and kept the water glasses full. Nice selection of local beers and good whiskey selection as well. We couldn’t resist trying the quinoa whiskey as well. Looked like they had some good classic cocktails as well. Loved the décor, great old timey looking bar plus a hook at every bar stool. Will definitely be Address is 341 Hickory Ct Apopka FL 32 712!

Great whisky bar with amazing bartenders and friendly staff. Love the oyster happy hour.

It is a nice ambiance but it is way too expensive and pretentious for what they offer. I wasn’t impressed. I had pasta dish that had too much green peas in it. Given that I just came back from Italy that was just mediocre pasta dish. Wine and popcorn was good. I’ll probably won’t go back.

Alobar has become our favorite place in LIC since we moved here in 2013. It is truly a hidden gem and the best restaurant in the neighborhood and on Vernon.
The food is great (maple bacon popcorn, duck, the new pork dish, the pickled veggies to start, etc). The atmosphere is great as well. Jeff, the owner, is always welcoming and we have enjoyed his company as well. We even spent New Years Eve 2014 here.
As we move away from NYC this month, Alobar is one place that we would make a trip back to NY to come back to!

We came here for our anniversary dinner after a friend recommended Alobar. After reading the many Unilocal reviews of how great the New York Strip with Brussels Sprouts were, we decided to check it out.
We called and got a reservation, but since it was pretty rainy, there were only about 6 customers. It’s a fairly large restaurant with plenty of seating in the back and the music is a mix of rap and hip hop. We were seated in the back next to the kitchen and were immediately helped.
We found out that it was our server’s first night and his manager followed him throughout the night giving him suggestions on what to say and do, which was pretty distracting, but we didn’t mind it very much.
To our dismay, they no longer offer the New York Strip and Brussels Sprouts and instead have a Hanger steak, which was pretty disappointing. We ordered the hanger steak anyway and it was extremely fatty. The server also forgot to ask us how we’d like our steak cooked.
Housemade Potato Pierogies, $ 13: Delicious! Definitely recommend as they make them at the restaurant, but the portion is very small. You get three pierogies for $ 13
Maple Bacon Popcorn, $ 8: This was one of our favorites; the maple popcorn tastes caramelized and is the perfect mix of chewy and crunchy. The bits of bacon were the perfect add-​on.
Grass-​Fed Hanger «Steak Frites», $ 29: The hanger was extremely fatty and it comes with a spicy, minty green seasoning which we did not care for, but the steak fries were very good.
Pickled Cauliflower, $ 5: We ordered the cauliflower not realizing it was pickled. The cauliflower came out raw in a jar of vinegar and it was our least favorite. At the first bite, you get a mouthful of vinegar. Since we ordered it, we weren’t going to say anything, but the manager noticed that we weren’t eating it and asked if we’d like to swap it for something else. He recommended the mushrooms.
Mixed Wild Mushrooms, $ 8: I normally don’t like mushrooms but these were so flavorful and delicious! The texture was great and the portion was very large. The manager said the mushrooms are imported and they are very proud of them. Definitely give them a try!
Overall, the majority of the sides and appetizers were pretty good and the service was average. Definitely wouldn’t recommend this place for an anniversary dinner, but it might be good for a Friday night with a group.

This place is truly a hidden gem! I might be biased bc this is where my BF and I reunited after months. The ambiance, staff and food are all great. It has this rustic look and feel, menu has just enough options and the flavors are delightful. We ordered chicken pâté– it came with a berry jam and pickled veggies — SO creamy yet light, fried pierogi and drinks! They don’t have Cabernet but the waiter recommended something close to it (forgot what it was) — it was delicious and strong. Their drinks in general are really good! I think we stayed there for close to 4 hours– it was just such a great vibe. Staff was very knowledgable and nice.

Very delicious restaurant. These guys really know how to do meat, although I must say one of my all time faves here is the mushroom toast. Went for brunch recently and the pork and grits was really satisfying. Service is pretty good, but a little hit or miss depending on the server.

Came here because it was close to where I was staying, and the reviews it had were very good.
All I can say is, they were right!
Food was amazing, I had the NY Strip steak with a side of Brussel sprouts, and it was not only perfectly cooked, but the seasoning was also amazing. Meat was well rested, and honestly, I could not fault a single thing with my meal.
I washed it all down with a great Pino Noir which they had by the glass.
I will be coming back!
Highly recommend if you are in the area, or if you are not — make the journey — it is worth it!

I came here for a friend’s bridal shower last year and was pleasantly surprised. They closed the restaurant for her event and catered it quite nicely. The food was impeccable and really allowed her family to entertain. The food was fresh, presented well, and had a family style proportion.
I would definitely go back and hope to sooner than later.

A pretty nice restaurant bar on Vernon Blvd. We came here for a family brunch, after trying LIC Market and being turned away by a 1 hr wait. My sister noted that it was never crowded at Alobar, and it’s easy to see why, as the space is pretty ample. There were a lot of other families with small children in there as well, although there were also a number of tables that were empty. After we left however, the place really started to fill up.
We were quickly seated, and ordered pretty quickly as well, since my dad HATES waiting. I ordered the chicken BLT, which was excellent, and came piled with a good amount of thick-​cut, crispy bacon. The chicken breast was also incredibly juicy and it was all accompanied with a mound of hand-​cut, super crispy fries. I also tried the pig and grits, which was pretty rich and delicious, and the pork was extra tender. We had heard good things about the maple bacon popcorn, but decided to forgo, as my nephew couldn’t eat things like that, and it was better to keep those types of foods away from his sight, lest he get jealous, ha.
Service was great, and was very helpful by going out of his way to get an extra high chair for my nephew, after most of them were taken by other infants in the restaurant. Prices for lunch were pretty reasonable, with my chicken BLT with fries only being about $ 14. I don’t know if that’s more expensive in the realm of LIC, but as a Manhattanite, I’ll go for a quality chicken BLT and fries at that price any day.
I usually spend my Saturday mornings with the fam in LIC, and it’s good to know there’s a solid place for comfort food on Vernon. I’m actually surprised that it’s never that crowded, like LIC Market or Café Henri, but I guess they don’t really push the brunch as much as they push the dinner/​bar scene. Don’t know if I’ll ever be back to try their crafted cocktails, but I will likely be back for a casual family brunch or dinner.

Very pricey, but great for ambiance and service. I came here for dinner. Small plates (you’d probably have to eat 2 to be full) cost ~$ 15, large plates (eat 1.5 to be full) are ~$ 25.
Small plates — we got the steamed PEI mussels (tasted pretty standard like any other mussels. Honestly, I’ve never figured out how mussels can be dressed up to be amazing tasting). Also got the Sangria Braised Octopus, which I really enjoyed, and Heirloom Cherry Tomato Salad, which I was meh about because it’s salad and wasn’t anything spectacular.
For large plates, we got the Berkshire Pork Schnitzel, which was ok as far as schnitzel goes but a little dry and not authentic (if you were looking for authentic). Overall, the meal came out to ~$ 75 for 2 people. It’s a good once in a while option if you’re looking for something nice, but the taste wasn’t overwhelmingly good for me to come here often.

I have been here few times with my boyfriend, just for drinks a few bite/​appetizer snacks, and we really enjoyed.
The atmosphere and the overall rustic design is really welcoming. Service is great, servers are nice, and food is delicious.
Last week I went in with a couple of friends that want to eat a proper meal, or a burger, and I realized this is not such a place. Dishes that are not appetizers are expensive, and portions are small. We ended up just drinking few beers and go somewhere else.
In general I really like this restaurant, but it’s definitely not for hungry customers. It’s a yes for aperitivo, drinks and shared bites.
I still have to try their brunch thou, which seems pretty amazing!

So far this has been my favorite restaurant in LIC, would definitely recommend.
I came here for dinner.
The restaurant is beautiful and I don’t think that they have designated waiters, since everybody was taking care of us, which made the experience better.
I had a burger and it was good but not really spectacular. I had a really good salad on the side. I would say the burger was simple but you could tell that they had use good ingredients.
I also had a toast with egg and mushrooms and that one was spectacular. I thought it was really delicious.
Another thing worth noticing is that they told me they overcooked my burger so they had to re-​do it (I honestly didn’t think I waited that long). So they gave us complementary popcorn with caramel and bacon. That was also really yummy. I loved how the flavors combined, really good combo, just don’t let it sit, it gets greasy and gross.
I will definitely come back

So, I finally was able to stop by and try Alobar !
I think it’s only deserving I write a note about my dining experience .
As I approach the restaurant I can’t help but notice the rustic and inviting look, the inside of the restaurant was as equally welcoming.
The service was excellent, asked for suggestions and was quickly and patiently taken cared .
We started with a few appetizers, with great presentation each dish complemented our choice of wine creating a splash of familiar ingredients and becoming exotic.
The food altogether was above standards, Chef Greg Profeta sets the bar high in the culinary industry .
Overall, an awesome place I’m sure the ambiance is great, I just happened to be there early.
Thanks to the staff and compliments to the Chef !

Visited for brunch and was greeted and seated right away.
The bread brought to the table had good flavor but was cold and hard. The mimosa was tasty. The manmosa tasted like a Blue Moon with oranges.
The Wild Mushroom Toast sounded good but just wasn’t satisfying. Had some strange flavors and wasn’t enough food. The Baked Huevos Rancheros needed some seasoning and some hot sauce or something. Way too bland to be a Mexican dish.
I like the effort put into trying to modify and create recipes but they just really didn’t work out well.

This restaurant knows how to serve! Came here with my fellow Unilocalers one weekday evening. Not crowded at all. We had originally scheduled for a later reservation but the restaurant asked if we could come earlier instead and in turn was offering free dessert for our accommodation. You had me at free dessert!
We ordered a couple of small and large plates which were all so good. I highly recommend the maple bacon popcorn, Berkshire pork belly, sangria braised octopus, roasted beet salad, and half roasted chicken entrée. Tender and juicy!
The dessert was 3 large cold scoops of Coffee & Donut, Nutella, and Twix ice cream. Now that’s what I’m talking about!

Saturday brunch is always something I look forward to every weekend because there’s EGGs involved! and this week my friends and I have decided to try Alobar over at Vernon Blvd in the Long Island City area.
Alobar is an American restaurant/​bar that’s perfect for days when you want to relax, read a book while sipping some whiskey or munch on some Maple Bacon Popcorn.
It’s located on Vernon Blvd between 46^th road and 47^th ave. Not hard to find and easy to spot.
Parking doesn’t seem to be an issue even when I came on Saturday at around 12pm-​ish, there were plenty of street metered parking along Vernon Blvd and more street parking on the residential side streets.
This review is for the Saturday brunch only!
TWO things that stood out immediately–
1. Is the host the actually owner of the restaurant? Whoever he is, he is doing a GREAT JOB of making people feel welcome as they walk through that door. He is polite and greeted everyone with lots of enthusiasm, shook each one of our hands and introduce himself to us and even when we were leaving, he ran out the door to say goodbye to us. Whoever he is, they need to keep him around!
2. That music they play is ridiculously good! A lot of good solid old school music (and I’m not even old) being played and different genre too, over the course of our brunch, we heard some RnB, Rock, Hiphop, Pop, and even some Rap, whoever is keeping that playlist, keep up the good work!
First impression of the restaurant/​bar: Everything wood and industrial but cozy and warm. The smooth marble top bar definitely caught my eyes as well as the different bottles of whiskeys they have on display.
Our party of 5 got there at around 12:00ish and was greeted again by the super friendly and enthusiasm host, who told us that their kitchen is a little slower than usual today since they had two big parties going on in the back. We said that’s fine, we got no where to go so he got us seated in the front immediately!
We pretty much ordered one of each item on the brunch menu and honestly they all taste great but our highlights were:
Maple Bacon Popcorn– How do you not love something like this? It’s BACON and it’s POPCORN! the popcorn are fresh and is infused with bacon flavor. the bacon obviously delicious but the maple syrup gave the bacon and popcorn a lot more depth, it’s sweet and savory at the same time. taste bud overload! You should try this even if you don’t like bacon because you’ll fall in love with that maple syrup! MUST TRY!
Wild Mushroom toast– If you are not a mushroom person obviously don’t get this dish but if you are a mushroom lover then you are in for a treat! Think about it for a second– smoked ricotta, red wine onions, mushroom and mushroom jus topped by a sunny side up egg. OMG the flavor, the taste and texture is just overwhelming– you get the crunch from the toast, creaminess of the egg, smokiness of the ricotta, sweet/​tartness of the red wine onion and the woodiness of the mushroom… oh just so delicious! A very well executed dish! now if they can only make the portion a little bigger! MUST TRY!
Chive & Crème Fraiche Scrambled Eggs– There is nothing really unusual about this dish until you taste the scrambled eggs and your first question would be– how do they make these eggs so fluffy??? The eggs were super creamy and it melts in your mouth! The chives added great flavor to the already awesome and fluffy eggs… I can eat those eggs all day if it ain’t a cholesterol problem… the homefries ain’t weak neither, they are the squarish type so they are all crispy on the outside and soft on the inside– just the way I like it!!!
Price: reasonable for drinks and above average price for food even though they were delicious!
Overall: The atmosphere, the people, the food, the music and the drinks made Alobar a great place to be in for all types of occasions! The cozy atmosphere and the friendly people will definitely get you hooked. I will be back again to try their dinner menu and of course the Maple Bacon Popcorn!