The Sparrow Tavern

I didn't think it was anything too spectacular. I had the veggie burger.  It was good but not orgasmic. I think I had my hopes too high because I saw it on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. Oh we'll.

Try the fries!! They are sooo good..crispy, herby and dangerously addictive! Everything that I tried was delicious. The Sparrow Tavern is a small, (almost divey) low-key place  to just hang out. The cocktails were pretty good and had a decent amount of alcohol. I am definitely returning to try the other stuff on the menu.

I'm sorry to report that the Sparrow is kinda overrated.  Is the food good?  Yes.  The pulled pork is divine.  The brunch eggs are tasty. They do something to the tater tots that are transcendant.  But it seems to me that the Sparrow is banking more on its hipster reputation (loud music, tattooed staff, etc.) than anything else.

The food and cocktails here are overpriced.   The food I'll make an exception for because it is one of the only American cuisine restaurants that you'll find in the area (Astoria is very heavily Greek and Italian food). Honestly, though, the menu is drastically inflated.  The drinks are Manhattan-prices as well.  The cocktails taste OK, but I'd almost rather have a better cocktail from a fancy cocktail bar in Manhattan if I have to fork over that much money for it.

Indoor seating is loud.  They have eclectic music taste, not all of it good.  Indoor seating is preferable to outdoors, where you would be seated along 30th Street, aka an on-ramp to the nearby highway.  Definitely sit indoors.

Additionally, the wait staff has a tendency to give customers attitude.  I assume that they are buying into their whole hipster reputation thing?  Whatever the reason, I've been going to Sparrow for about two years and many, many times, I have gotten snotty comments or rude facial expressions from a couple of the waitresses.

I'll keep going to Sparrow for date nights and meeting up with friends. However, they could really improve in a lot of areas.