This place sucks! When I saw them building this restauarant I was excited for a new bar/restaurant/beer garden type of place in the neighborhood. When i went there I was thoroughly dissapointed.
The place looks great and has a great atmosphere but they are trying way to hard to pull off the "hipster" bullshit feel. The food was expensive and not very good. The beer was expensive and didnt taste good. I'm not even sure if they have regular ketchup and mustard to help you eat some of there dry food. They have a full bar but dont stock normal mixers like Coke, Sprite, Seltzer, club soda etc. Your forced to get there homemade Ginger Ale with one of there drinks that tastes like home made trash. The employees have shitty attitudes and think there better than you cause there like OMG HIPSTERS AND THIS GINGER ALE IS LIKE TOTALLY ORGANIC MAN.
They always have bands playing while your eating. The bands are usually playing loud and awful music. The band consists of 5 people from either Williamsburg or Ohio in overalls. When I was there they were playing the banjo so loud I couldn't speak to or hear anything that my friends were saying. I think they do this on purpose so you can't tell your buddy next to you how bad everything is.
I wish this place would turn back into a blockbuster. It is a waste of a good space!
Much was left to be wanted from "Strand Smokehouse", as this Astoria BBQ joint struck out in my book. I checked this place out for the first time on a Saturday evening with some friends, and was pretty disappointed that it didn't live up to my expectations. Let's just say that my taste buds were left Stranded from experiencing any real flavor that evening.
Strike 1
FOOD:
Ok, so first impressions are that this food will rival any of the places down south. They have these huge slabs of beef brisket and short ribs laid on top of wood carving boards, with juice oozing out from all sides, and their knives slicing through the tender meat like butter. The crispy layer of spices will make you salivate where you're standing. Seriously!
So, one mac and cheese, a slab of corn bread, a cup of pulled pork, and $16 later, I find myself apologizing to my taste buds and my wallet .
The Pulled Pork was literally so one dimensional in flavor, lacked salt, and lacked sweetness of any kind. Most of all, it tasted burnt. To my surprise, when I got the bottom of my cup, I had a large burnt layer of pork. I rest my case.
The corn bread was incredibly dry and overall, just a crumbly frustrating mess to eat. The only good thing about it was that it's a huge portion.
The mac and cheese...oh man where do I start....NOT GOOD. In fact, it was dried out so much from probably sitting there all night in a cup, pre-made, and when I finally got through the dried layer of macaroni, the cheese was so thick and lacked, once again, any salt or real levels of flavor. Kraft makes better M&C..lets be honest with ourselves people.
About the only thing I'd loved was the house hot sauce that they have on every table. Made most of my food tolerable to finish.
One last note: NO BBQ SAUCE at the table???
Strike 2
MUSIC:
I understand they want to continue with the southern BBQ smokehouse theme and play some "country music" for all of us in the background. Frankly, they should have just put a CD of Darius Rucker or Luke Bryan, or whomever on. You could barely hear them and when you did, they didn't sound like they were playing much of anything nor did they even sing. Seemed like they were mostly keeping beat/time and playing the same thing over and over.
Strike 3:
DRINKS
Got myself a "Havana Affair" and boy did it try to have an affair with my liver. WAY to strong and not enough lime/cola to cut through it all, while being inside of a tiny mason jar/mug. Bartenders could definitely use a refresher in pouring techniques/basics. Not sure why they think by making it stronger I'm going to buy more in the long run. Also, it would have been nice to see more iced / frozen drink options considering this place has no air conditioning, there's mobs of people around you, and when it was 101 degrees yesterday.
So in the end, I probably will not be rushing back to this place anytime soon or making any recommendations to my other friends to visit. With a few tweaks, Strand could be a great eatery/bar, but who knows when that will happen considering I'm review number 190.
I absolutely love the design of The Strand, which is why I've been four times now, despite my displeasure with the food. The outdoor, front seating area was so nice before the heat became sweltering, and the cafeteria-style inside allows tons of freedom to linger and not be disturbed by servers, plus the Southern-style drinks are delicious and creative. But...as a vegetarian with mostly carnivorous friends, I am continually coaxed to return and will have to say no next time, because the sides are atrocious. I always put on a brave face when meat-loving pals want to go to a BBQ joint, and tell myself it's more for the company than the food, but eating at The Strand is actually harmful to my health in a roundabout way...I end up eating nothing, and drinking just as much as my companions, which always hurts in the morning.
Why can't meat-centric restaurants make quality sides? They might think vegetarians aren't people they need to consider...or that we aren't people at all (Anthony Bourdain!!!)...but we do comingle with their meat-loving patrons, who are sometimes talked out of going to myopic establishments like The Strand. The mac and cheese is overcooked elbow noodles and American cheese slices congealed together...the worst I've ever had. The cole slaw has an extremely bitter taste and even more bitter aftertaste. The cornbread is dry. The corn-on-the-cob is fine. That's the only item I have to thank for hangovers that end at 3pm the next day rather than 9pm.
I don't expect BBQ proprietors to worry too much about those of us who can't eat their claims to fame, but completely ignoring us isn't cool, either.
Awesome short ribs. One rib= 1lb ... kind of lame since most of it was the bone, but i still got more because it was that good. mac and cheese is super creamy and  you know you need to run a marathon to work it off good. a jug of beer is about $23 and they have a great selection. I also got the Roadhouse "who care's its punch" $7.
We had a great time but it was really hot there.
They have plenty of booster seats and little kiddies running around!
My review is based on the last 3 visits to Strand, all within the past week. I had a great experience two of the three visits. As I'll explain, how you or your guests deal with disappointing food should really determine if you decide to come by. There's a bit of "you never know what you're going to get" when it comes to the menu. For example, I had cole slaw on two of my visits and it tasted different both times. My table mates indicated they had had a similar experience with the chicken. Sometimes the chicken is dry; sometimes it is amazingly moist. Â On my first visit, I really enjoyed the smoked corn on the cob, and hoped my friend could try it on the second visit. However, it wasn't offered the day of my second visit. The restaurant does post its daily rotation of sides and meats on its website; however, it isn't always convenient to check that before making plans. So, it isn't the sort of place where you can say, "I love the mac n cheese and I really want my out of town friends to try it" and just roll up and it's being served. If your plans are lose and you are a "roll with the punches" sort of crowd without picky eaters, then I highly recommend the Strand. However, considering the menu is limited, especially if your group is at all picky or hard to please, then I'd just come to the Strand for drinks or snacks. Also, if you are with someone who can't stand waiting in lines then the fact you have to wait in a line for food and wait in a line for drinks will probably be a complaint point. To me, this is no big deal, but I think we all have that one in the group where something little like this will just annoy him/her to no end.
Highlights:
Pros:
Large, beer hall style seating that accommodates large groups
Easy to talk to new people
Live music
"open air" feel of dining room in the summer
Meat by the pound
Usually tasty, reasonably priced food
Friendly staff and patrons
Cons
Inconsistent menu
Drinks aren't that cheap
Not quiet
I've been to The Strand Smokehouse several times since they opened. So far, I've never had a bad experience. Â Â When it's crowded, the place gets very noisy and can get bit difficult for me to talk with my friends, but I think that's how beer hall usually is. Â
Price for the food and beer is bit high for Astoria, but as long as it is for good food (pulled pork and mac & cheese are my favorite) and good selection of beer, I can't really complain about that.
I am conflicted about this place. I want it to be amazing in all respects - there are a few things to like, and a few things they can improve. Broken here into four areas:
1) Atmosphere - Chill place, has an awesome outdoor patio and they play live music
2) Food (Brunch) - Unique from what I can tell, quite tasty too. Would definitely recommend giving this a try.
3) Food (Not Brunch) - Not very good. BBQ is not up to BBQ standards for my palate. Seems to be shipped in from somewhere (wheres the smoker?). Because they run out, selection can be slim.
4) Drink - Two thumbs up for the beer selection! So compliment that delicious brunch with a good strong drink, or wash down that not so delicious BBQ at dinner.
I held off writing this review until I visited John Brown's to really get a good read on the neighborhood BBQ - which is a relatively new phenomenon.
I have to say, maybe the worst I've ever had outside of Ranger Texas in Jackson Heights which is now closed. The burnt ends were anything but. 80% fat and nothing to chew. The place is really nice and the live music is good but the drinks are a bit overpriced and the food, quite frankly, borders on inedible. They don't even fully smoke their stuff. They finish it off with a pizza oven. If you don't believe me walk down the block to Bakeway and take a look in their back yard - that's where they do the actual cooking. Yes, crazy, I know.
Bottom Line: This place *looks* great but that's about where it ends. You can easily spend $100 here and walk away feeling really taken advantage of. Avoid this and hit John Brown's in Hunter's Point. THAT'S real barbeque.
Had brunch here with a friend who was curious to test this place. The have picnic tables inside and a stage.
I ordered the Meat and Potatoes which came with a big hunk of beef short rib that was oh-so-tender that i would order the same thing again... My friend got that pulled pork and grits which was also very good.
I highly recommend the beef short rib during brunch...well worth the price. it's so much you may want to share.
There was live hill billy / country band playing while we ate!
Probably more like 2.5 stars.
The ribs were pretty damn good, fall off the bone meat. Â Sides are ok but nothing special. Â The BBQ sauce on the table was the worst thing I have ever tasted. Â In fact, I thought ours had gone bad or something, but when we asked a staffer they said no that was how it always tastes. Â Yikes... this is not good. Â I recommend you don't use this on any of the food as it will just ruin it.
Music was fine if not a bit too loud, it was hard to hear my friends at certain points.  Great selection of brown liquors and an ok beer selection.  I expected this as  it is what they are known for.  No tabs which is annoying.  I'm also not a big fan of the huge picnic table and bench seating, it makes for unhygenic eating areas.  It would be better if they had a few less picnic tables and had a few more normal sized tables for a less hoe down feel.
All in all not a bad place but one I'm not burning up to get back to.  Maybe with a  large group and only to drink and hear music.
I always describe Th Strand as a "good showoff bar." Whenever people come to the neighborhood, this is usually the first bar I bring them to. After all, they've got good music, good food, and a good beer selection.
So, why not 5 stars? The little things. The fact that they refuse to have bar tabs on the weekends is an annoyance. Plus, if you happen to be hungry between 3:30 and 5/6 on a saturday or sunday, you're out of luck. By then, wait service has ended but dinner hasn't been served yet. Meaning that they have food - you just can't have it. Plus, you can burn through a lot of money pretty quickly at the Strand.
That said, I'm happy to have them in the neighborhood. They're fun. Hope they stick around for awhile.
I find if disappointing how poorly this place does on Yelp. I love Strand, and welcome it as an addition to the neighborhood. The food is really good. I'm sure, yes, you could find better BBQ in Kansas City/North Carolina/Texas/wherever, but for Queens, it's really, really, REALLY good. I find their pulled pork and brisket both to be better than nearby Butcher Bar's, for example. I've also enjoyed their cole slaw, potato salad, and pickles sides. I don't love their mac & cheese, which a lot of other reviews pick at, but can also see that others may love it (my husband does like it a lot). And the space is fun and comfortable enough, and I'm happy with the space as a music hall. If you're looking for quiet BBQ, I guess Butcher Bar or even John Brown's is going to be more to your liking (uh, or leave Queens), but if you're looking for good BBQ, good drinks (LOVE the Veranda) and good atmosphere, I totally recommend Strand Smokehouse.
(I will say, short ladies, their ladies' room bathrooms are really awful, and for whatever reason, the toilets are about four feet tall which is awkward and uncomfortable.)
Unbelievably huge space with big communal tables and an awesome rotating beer list (including a tasty house brew courtesy of Singlecut).
It can get a little loud inside, but the back patio somehow always stays significantly quieter (and has plenty of seating and greenery). The food is good but not great--unless you have already had a few of those beers in which case it'll be exactly what you want. Solid whiskey lineup, and I've heard good things about the infused liquor "moonshines."
If I were rating The Strand as a restaurant it might not get 5 stars but as a bar it's pretty perfect. Really surprised it's not higher rated.
My birthday was this past weekend, and I chose this place because I haven't been before, love barbecue, and needed a subway-accessible place for mostly Queensters and Brooklynites. Â
No reservations are taken, but I was assured that I would be able to find a table. Â Right after we arrived I got lucky and barely snagged the last table available - whew! Â It was right next to the stage, and the band struck up 20 minutes after we sat down, much shouting and repeating one's self. Â Service was a bit inconsistent. Â We had to wave off bussers twice from removing glasses, but then when everyone was finished eating, I ended up carting my tray back to the counter. Â
When the food arrived it looked very appetizing, Texas-style meat market with butcher paper, but looks were definitely deceiving. Â Pulled pork was so salty it was inedible, and the mac and cheese was more like Velveeta with some pasta thrown in. Â This shocked me, as most of the Yelp reviews raved about it. Â My favorite dish? Â Mac salad, which I could make at home and save the money. Â
The cocktails are the only redeeming factor. Â I had the Veranda and the Ca$h Money, both served up in Mason jars just like they do in the midwest. Â After a while we were sweating so bad we had to leave, not much air circulation much less cooling.
What a disappointment. Â So many things I love all in one place - biergarten-style seating, BBQ, cocktails and beer, outer boroughs location - was too good to be true.
Went here Saturday for what i thought would be good food and some drinks and it turned out to be the total opposite. CAN YOU SAY SALT??? I get it,more salt you use the more people buy drinks,but how bout installing a blood pressure monitor on your smoke filled backyard? Music was so loud it was annoying, service sucks and the bussers try to take your drinks that are still full. The smell of cigarettes coming from the backyard is annoying and disgusting. Is that really macaroni and cheese?? NO!!!
Overall its a great concept and nice setup but its the furthest thing from a beergarden or smokehouse. And the guy sitting on the chair next to the bbq in the street should really think twice about how he blows his nose.
I came here on a Wednesday night for a friend's birthday. I had never heard of this place and I enjoy BBQ food so I was excited to try it. This place is huge! They have seating outside in front, a huge indoor seating area and a back patio. I was so surprised to see how crowded it was when we got there. You sit where you can at long picnic tables, so it was hard to find a seat for all of us.
Half of the table went and stood on line for food (the only way you can get you food, they don't offer waiter service) and half stayed at the table. It was so noisy that the servers could barely hear what we were ordering. You can chose to get as much types of meat as you want and they charge by weight. My boyfriend and I got 2 pulled pork sandwiches (which were pretty small, not the size of a full sandwich) that came with a free cold side so we got pickles and bbq potato salad. We also ordered a corn bread, a few slices of brisket and mac and cheese. Our total was about $26 but it would have been more if not for the free sides. When the other half of our table went to get food they ran out of many of the meats!
Drinks are served in mason jars and instead of napkins you get cloths, not cloth napkins, more like wash cloths you use in the shower! There was a band playing and I really felt like I was in the south, it was definitely an interesting experience. There is a second line for beer and it was crazy long because I think there was a happy hour special going on. The pulled pork sandwich was pretty good, it had a good chipotle sauce on it. The brisket was good with not much fat on it. The mac and cheese was way too thick for my liking. I love mac and cheese but this was just too much heavy cheese- one of my friends didn't finish there's and an hour later it was all congealed as one- looked pretty nasty on the plate and made me think ew that's now in my stomach! The bbq potato salad didn't really taste like bbq sauce, it was just darker. The corn bread was a huge piece but it was very dry and crumbly.
This place was nice and really stuck to the theme but I'm not sure if I would recommend it especially since they run out of food!
I really wanted to like this place... awesome atmosphere.. booze a flowing... but the food.. was just disappointing.
We went on a Saturday night around 9:30 PM and we arrived to see a menu with the following items:
Pulled Pork
Beef Cheeks
Pork Belly
Coleslaw
Now, I understand places run out of things.. but this was a Saturday night and it was literally the last of it all.. I would've imagined that a place like this would be ready for a crowd.
Anyway, my three friends and I each ordered Beef Cheeks and pulled pork.. unfortunately it was the last of the last and was swimming around in what looked like greasy meat goodness. Unfortunately we got back to the table.. and while the meat itself was tender (sans for a few bones in the pulled pork), each of these two items, were the saltiest pieces of food i've ever had in my life. Literally, it was unbearable.. and we all felt pretty sick after. I understand adding some salt to get people drinking more, but this was ridiculous.
Will I return? Perhaps, I guess every restaurant has a bad night.. though I would be cautious going on a busy night.
Overall: Salt, salt... and more salt.
If asked to describe The Strand Smokehouse, I'd liken it to an indoor Studio Square with fancier drinks and way better food. I dropped in with no expectations having never heard of the establishment before. I'm still surprised that I hadn't heard about it previously. We're not talking about a hole in the wall that's tucked away, off the beaten path. It's enormous, on a main strip and, judging by the volume of patrons on that evening, extremely popular in the area.
I had a thyme infused gin based cocktail that was original and off the hook. They offered a large variety of whiskeys and bourbons, and an impressive beer selection that provided a balance of familiar favorites as well as harder to find varieties. On a busy night, the bar is packed and extremely busy. Don't wait to polish off your drink before heading back for another round: you may as well sip while you wait. The enormous space attracts the masses, but the staff does an excellent job of doling out drinks in an efficient manner.
While I didn't personally try the food, I KNOW it was all delicious. I can vouch for this as all conversation ceased once the BBQ hit the table. My companions were all too busy stuffing their faces to entertain idle chit chat and small talk. And once they had finished what was on the table, they returned to order more. Going back for seconds is always a sure sign that the food was on point.
They had a live band playing during my visit. While bluegrass isn't my flavor, I appreciated the authenticity they tried to stay true to and the atmosphere they were trying to provide.
Good pulled pork and ribs (we only had the ends because it was another 45min wait for a rack...juicy and delicious). Mac and cheese was creamy. And brisket was good too. And nice atmosphere. The band was good. But for me personally it makes the place too loud. At least we sat outside so we could still hear ourselves over the music if we screamed :) but I think most people like the band and didn't care that the music was loud.
Review Source:Until I tried the meats, I thought this place had terrible food. Â Now that I've been more often I'd say the meat and drinks/drink selection are GREAT, but the sides are really below par.
The Place: Love the back patio, love that the communal seating isn't as spread out as at beer gardens, and live music is always a plus! (Country, rock, and the things in between). Great for groups!
The Service: On regular days it's self serve, but bar staff is friendly enough.
The Food: Short rib straight FELL off the bone- SO delicious, juicy, soft; truly perfect! Â I can't comment on the sauce since everyone prefers it differently, but I personally thought the flavor was decent. Â I did supplement generously with the BBQ sauce on the table, but the meat.. still pretty ammazing. Â Pulled pork was also delicious! Â The moonshine-- too strong for most, but if you want to try I'd say the cinnamon-y one is most palatable. Â The mixed drinks as a general rule are pretty good, and the beer selection is excellent.
However. Â Sides? Ehhh. Â The grits are decent, mac & cheese tasted alright but was a little congealed, cornbread tasted alright but pretty dry, and the guys having pecan(?) pie next to us suggested we skip it. Â Had a hot dog of some kind once, it was meh.
Anyway, if you go: just spring for the meat. Â (Bring a sharing buddy- those portions are huge!)
Saturday Brunch Review:
Food: I ordered the chicken and waffle; my buddy had the "short" rib. The rib was HUGE. Meat slid right off the bone! My waffle with chicken had some special seasoning on it. Whoa. Yes, we also ordered a few alcoholic beverages with brunch. Namely, beer. There are so many beers to choose from and, contrary to what my large tummy and generally overweight self may suggest, I am no connoisseur when it comes to beer.
Service: extremely responsive and friendly. I was surprised that this venue didn't give out business cards. Aside from brunch time, it looks like more of a serve yourself type of place. Why the venue decides that it's table service during brunch is a mystery to me.
Decor: this venue seems to have some new age sustainability focus. There are cloths in place of napkins and they don't seem to waste much. The plastic mugs may feel cheap but they're a good idea - imagine drinking a little bit much and dropping it on the floor. Yeah. Won't shatter =).
My boyfriend and I were very excited to try the Strand but we ended up being disappointed. While the ambiance is good, the food is below average. We had the short ribs and they were just OK, the sides however were not good at all. The mash potato was super dry and had absolutely no flavor. The mac and cheese was basically macaroni with melted cheese on top and tasted like it came out of a box, and not the good kind. I think the place has potential, but they need to step up their game food wise.
Review Source:I finally stopped in here tonight.
I ordered the Burnt Ends and the Brisket with a side of Mac+Cheese and piece of Corn Bread.
1)
The Burnt Ends: Â More fatty than burnt.
2)
The Brisket: Â Feh. Somewhat dry, even with barbecue sauce, which dribbled out of the bottle due to the liquor pouring cap, and it was a little tough to cut with a butter knife. Really GOOD brisket should come apart at the touch of a fork.
3)
The Mac + Cheese: Â More like Mac minus Cheese. (I think the cashier recommended some hot sauce for this, but I don't think it would have helped.
4)
The Corn Bread: Â It's a little foreboding when the cashier not only advises you take butter for the corn bread, but places some on your tray.
5)
Finally, beverages: Â If you don't drink alcohol, your choices are Severely limited.
The do not have brand name sodas, just some local weirdness and Ginger Beer.
Otherwise, they have water on the tables, in Jack Daniels bottles.
I think if you visit there, or I decide to be brave enough to try again, it might be better to go earlier in the day when things are fresher.
Limited weekend brunch menu - cafeteria line doesn't open till 4:30pm.
Although I dig the idea of a buffet bbq, after sampling some of the brunch items, I was a little disappointed. Â
To Sum Up: Â Yes to Meats and Mac & Cheese. Â No to about everything else.
I had the Sunny Side Up - Two eggs sunny side up (obviously), Grits, Pulled Pork. Â The eggs were nice and runny and the pulled pork was good too. Â But the grits were dry, a little too congealed and tasteless.
The biscuits and corn bread were super dry. Â My baby seemed to love them but not me. Â The Oven Roasted Taters were greasy chunks of potatoes. Â Unimpressed.
The mac & cheese was pretty good. Â Very creamy.
And, like, no vegetables anywhere. Â I know it's a BBQ/Southern style place but come on. Â Not even some collard greens? Â And potatoes don't count.
It's a fun place to hang with a big group as we were. Â I know they're on the new side so hopefully they find their footing with their Brunch Menu and figure out what they do best.
Came here for a friend's birthday. Â They had a band playing that night. Â Pretty cool. Â The space reminded me of Papa's down in Houston (minus the band).
The lines were long but not terrible.  They ran out of the brisket so my friends and I ended up getting the burnt ends, pulled pork, beets, and mac and cheese.  YUUUUUM!  The prices were pretty decent too.  I believe they're half the price of the city?  I got a tea that had some herb in it... by itself, not so good... tea w/ the food?  Very good  =-)
I wish I were better at restaurant terms for the different positions but there was a guy who walked around to make sure no one had questions or issues. Â That was a nice touch.
I was initially excited to see a new restaurant open up in the old Blockbuster location. I went here back in April for brunch. I was lucky enough to go when it was quite empty even though it was a Saturday afternoon.
I had their pulled pork omelet with home fries. The omelet was okay but their home fries (that had the appearance to bean sprouts or fishing bait) was very bland, had an odd taste to them and was dry. My girlfriend had their pancakes with a generously large side portion of pulled pork. The pulled pork was juicy and good.
They have communal tables, being that it is set up as a beer gartien. During their weekend brunch is the only time they have table service. Generally food and drink is ordered at the counter and you can sit wherever you like.
All in all, it was a nice decor and atmosphere. Our waitress was friendly and attentive however I was a bit disappointed with the food at the price. Would I go again? Maybe, to see how their normal service is like but I am in no rush to do that, which justifies my star rating.
Actually really upset at Yelp right now because I had a super detailed review of this place and apparently there were two listings so some reviews were deleted. I know I reviewed on this listing because my photos are on this one...unless somehow photos were merged together and reviews were not.
Beer and booze here is great. Mac & Cheese is dense and pretty awful unless you like only copious amounts of American Kraft Singles on your elbow pasta and no creaminess. Their pulled pork is okaaaaaaay, the brisket is disappointing (and I paid extra for only the burnt ends...first off, who charges extra for burnt ends? Also, if they manage to mess up the best part of brisket then I can only imagine how uninspiring the rest of it must be).
All the food here is overpriced except for their lackluster Mac & Cheese. The growlers are a pretty good deal.
This place isn't a smokehouse, they get their meats delivered from somewhere else so occasionally they'll run out of food.
My old review was so much better. GRRRRR.
I wanted to love this place. Â
Before heading to the Strand I had heard it wasn't "real" BBQ but rather an Astoria interpretation of classic American 'que. Â No problem, I love the multicultural foodie vibe of my 'hood and was ready to be dazzled!
I spotted the long tables, experienced the "barn" vibe, heard the country music playing and sighed...heaven! Â I'm from Texas, and thought I'd found a little piece of home right in my own backyard. Â Then I ordered the food...
They ran out of brisket (this was 7pm on a Saturday night, y'all) and I was given a bizarre London broil alternative. When I told the server that I would like only half a pound, he gave me well over a half and when I asked for less he argued back, saying "its close enough." Â Really? Â Horrible customer service. I didn't want to seem cheap, so I let it go.
My "London broil" was tasteless and somewhere between room temperature and cold. I'm not going to bore you with a description of the awful sides. Â They were bland and terrible. End of story.
By the way, if you would like to order a beverage (even a nonalcoholic soda) you must first pay for the food you've ordered and then jump in another line at the bar to order a drink. Â Are you kidding me? Â
Our "meal" (I put it in quotes because it was so disgusting we couldn't finish it and left hungry) cost over $50. Â
I am giving this review two stars instead of one because the location is FANTASTIC. Someone put a whole lot of love into the design and layout of the restaurant. I think this would be a really fun place to get drinks with friends. I'd just avoid the food if you know what's good for you and your pocketbook.
As I read these, I'm trying to figure out why there are so many negative reviews. Â First off, if you want authenticity, leave New York City. Â There's nothing remotely authentic bbq-wise, anywhere in the Northeast. Â We all make do with what we have.
I went here twice this weekend. Â Yeah, I enjoyed it that much. Â We went on Friday night and had the pulled pork, brisket and some leg of lamb. Â Most of the sides were out, so we had the mac and cheese. Â The pulled pork seemed to be a bit overseasoned but nevertheless moist and tasty. Â The brisket also pleased my palate--cooked perfectly with correct meat to fat ratios. Â This being Astoria (and the owners being Greek) the leg of lamb caught my eye. Â And it did not disappoint. Â Rare with some nice pink smoke rings, the lamb was delicious. Â The mac and cheese was good--nothing too intense or noteworthy, just good mac and cheese. Â The atmosphere is young and rowdy--there are plenty of yahoos here and it gets loud, but it's not enough of a turn off to keep this old guy away from some good local 'que.
Their brunch is also one of the best deals in the city. Â Very tasty and generous portions and they serve cold brewed iced coffee which is always a good sign. Â I wouldn't recommend traveling too far for the Strand, but if you're looking for good bbq in Astoria, this is the only place to go.
3 stars. A good place for a get together with friends but the drinks were lacking. The drinks weren't bad but they weren't great either and with prices like the city, it could be better. I had the cucumber moonshine and for $8, I wasn't impressed. The "in the hedges" and "brine and barrel" were meh too.
As for the food, the brisket was definitely the winner. The burnt ends were okay and the pulled pork  was greasy. The mac and cheese was average and the pickles were pickles.
Overall, reminded me of Texas. Enjoyed the openness of the venue but I think the food is better at John Brown Smokehouse.
I came here on Memorial day weekend and it really was a great time. I'ts a cool venue, good atmosphere, and crowd. The beer selection is good and they serve all american bourbon out of wood barrels. They're is out door seating, and its good for groups with picnic table style tables.
As far as the food goes, the bbq selection is welcome. I've only had the the short rib, which was extremely tender and falling off the bone. No complaints there, and I will most certainly try other bbq menu items on my return.
My only gripe would be with the mac and cheese which they list as "smack and cheese." I was really looking forward to it once I ordered, and the name would suggest that it was really really good. Maybe lip smacking, I thought. Unfortunately no, more of a figurative smack to the face. The only words that come to mind when describing the mac and cheese here is bland. And at five dollars, your better off saving your money and stocking up on Krafts mac and cheese.
Overall, Its a cool place to hit up with friends for a brew and, if your hungry, some bbq. It is a bit expensive, so don't forget to hit the atm.
You know what - the fact that this place doesn't have 4.5-5 stars already is a GOD DAMN SHAME.
Seriously - what is going on folks. I hauled my ass out to Astoria from Battery Park after a friend with good taste shared some pics of the GIANT FLAGONS OF BEER and explained the place.
Walking down Broadway in Astoria, a bunch of ho-hum storefronts and then BAM - am I in Austin, TX? I practically expected BALD EAGLES to be roosting in the porch of this place - it was overflowing with freedom and pride.
You walk in and BAM - where am I? There are GIANT BARRELS that flow whiskys and bourbons. There is a STAGE. There is a MAN CARVING MEAT.
We approach the bar-maid and EACH ORDER A GIANT FLAGON OF BEER. Yes - 64 ounces per person.
Moments later we approach the MEAT CARVING MAN. We make our selections and he SLAPS CARVED MEAT down on a piece of paper. No f-ing plate needed, just some damn paper. Amazing.
Back at our table a feast was brewing. Succulent cuts of brisket, pulled pork, burnt ends, LOIN of the god damn pig. Phenomenal.
What's next? Oh ya, there are sides. F-ing CORN bread. Pickles. OTHER STUFF.
You know what? You don't want to leave Manhattan? It's too far - I mean there are other BBQ places in the city - why come out here? I'll god damn tell you why - because this place is LEGIT.
Ask yourself - do you love America?
I have to admit, I may have been a bit buzzed by the time I sat down...oh who am I kidding? Day drinking all day at Studio Square leaves you with a good buzz, and what better to go with a buzz than BBQ? 4 girls ate 2 helpings of mac and cheese, and a half pound each of mashed potatoes, pulled pork, pulled chicken, turkey and brisket. Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn. My personal favorite was the pulled chicken, but I loved the brisket too. Everything was amazing. I love how they weigh it and just plop it on your plate. Their beer selection is impressive--half that list was something I'd never heard of. Great place to try a new brew.
After all the beer and the BBQ goodness, I'm sad to say I couldn't hang--had to call it a night before the band came out.
I went to the Strand on a rainy, cold, Saturday of Memorial Day Wkend, and was pleasantly surprised. Â I've walked into the restaurant once before around 9pm on a Saturday night and they were sold out of everything except the burnt ends. Â So, my boyfriend and me went pretty early, around 5pm to see what the full menu featured. Â We found out that it is a "cafeteria like concept" where you order at the counter, pay, and seat yourself.
The space is cool, with big wooden tables that feature whiskey bottles filled with water and three different sauces.  We shared the brisket, pulled pork, mac & cheese, potato salad, and cornbread.  Brisket was nicely cooked and really good in the BBQ sauce.  Pulled pork was ok, could have been seasoned more.  Mac & cheese  - good and potato salad - good.  Cornbread would have been much better served warm.
Would I return? Â Yes, not because I'm craving something on their menu but because the space is chill and the people are friendly.
I generally trust Yelp reviews. Â For that reason, I will almost always Yelp a restaurant before I go there and think long and hard about trying out a restaurant with less than 3 stars. Â That being said... it BOGGLES MY MIND that this place only has three stars on Yelp. Â And honestly, it makes me question just how much I can trust Yelp reviews.
The food is frickin' amazing. Â FULL DISCLOSURE - I've been here three times and all three times I've gotten brunch items. Â So perhaps I'm not the authority on how good their BBQ is. Â However, all of the barbecued meats I've gotten with my brunch orders have been delicious.
To highlight a couple of my favorite menu items:
The Pulled Pork Omelette is probably one of the best omelette's I've ever eaten. Â It's just SO good. Â The pork is flavorful and juicy and the sharp Monterey Jack cheese they pair it with just complements it perfectly.
Today, I had the "PBLT" which is a pork belly, lettuce, and tomato sandwich with spicy maple aioli sauce on brioche bread. Â Just thinking about it now makes my mouth water. Â The pork belly was seriously one of the fattest, juiciest, tenderest, pork bellies I've ever eaten.
Other brunch items that I've tried and would get again: Short Rib with 2 Fried Eggs and hash; Chicken and Waffles.
Other things I like about the Strand:
- Usually you have to wait to get into good brunch places in New York, but I've never had to wait to get a table at the Strand, which is probably because the place is huge. Â I don't mind waiting for really good food... but not having to wait is always a plus.
- They sometimes have live music, which I really enjoy.
- In the bathroom, they have large floor to ceiling mirrors which can be really helpful if you're on a date and want to make sure that your skinny knit tie complements your gingham shirt the way you thought it would.
So, I live in Jersey City and I was out in Queens on a Saturday afternoon. Â A friend took me to the Strand, where they were serving brunch. Â Hipsters or no, I LOVED the space -- the big cavernous room with the rough-hewn picnic tables. Â (Not sure I would love if it was filled with people and loud music, but it wasn't.) Â Apparently, unlike their usual modus operandi, brunch is not pick-up at the counter, it's table service, and they couldn't have been nicer. Â Call me an easy target, but I got a kick out of the water in the big Jack Daniels bottles on the tables.
I only ordered three things, and they were all great. Â I'm trying to watch what I eat these days and only splurge when the calories are really worth it, and this food made me swoon. Totally worth the calories, I didn't think twice about cleaning my plate. Â
I had a half-chicken that was smoked to perfection, and had a slightly sweet crust, and was just crazy good. Â It was served with a waffle (fluffy and yummy, though no crunchy outside, but no matter) and a drizzle of yummy sauce, which the waitress described as "sort of like honey mustard but with maple syrup" - that's about right. Â With the waffle, I needed coffee, which didn't disappoint.
I can't wait until I have a good excuse to go back!
It's a-ok here. I went in yesterday for the first time, with my husband. We'd been hearing very mixed reviews, so it took us a while to visit.
I was shocked by the enormous portions they served for brunch. My husband got the Sunny Side Up, which featured a huge pile of grits, topped with pulled pork and sunny side up eggs. The grits were pretty bland, but the pork was tasty. I got the Fried Chicken and Biscuit. The collard greens were great and I loved the biscuit. I am sad to report, however, that I wasn't a fan of the fried chicken. There was a bit too much breading for my liking and the skin that was left on the chicken was really fatty. Overall though, we were pleased.
They had a good beer selection, and some of the cocktails looked interesting. I love the spacious feel in there, too. It would be a great place for a bigger group of people.
We'll definitely be back for a night when they have live music. I think with a few tweaks, it could be a solid 4-stars.
1.5 stars. Â With so much potential the Strand BBQ was a big let down. Â They miss the marks on so many levels it is hard to know where to begin. Â With the good:
They have a really nice beer selection primarily from local breweries. Â Though I find the locavore focus on beer a bit funny because the grain and hops and spices to make these beer could have come from anywhere so its a bit much. Â The room is big, spacious and open so it feels like your outside when really not.
The best part of the meal were the pickles. Â But this is probably because they were Ricks Picks and not actually made here.
And the bad:
They are trying WAY too hard. Â Another reviewers sentiment rings true to me..this place is just a big phony. Â From the faux western decor, to the food, it was like a bunch of - dare I say - hipster douches started a BBQ joint without ever actually eating at a real one. Â
The hipsters serving from behind the counter (while in and of itself not a bad thing) were very unfriendly and looked like they had never had real BBQ in their lives.  I was watching the most annoying of them (long black hair, and hipster goatee) trying to cut  the expensive BBQ meats and he couldn't without turning the meat into a shredded mess.  By the time he got to my order, he put a 1/2 lb. of pastrami and burt ends on my plate in one huge chunk.  WTF????  Now I had to slice it for myself and my wife on a tray with paper on it.
They also wouldn't give me a bun because 'they were all counted out for sandwiches. Â Is this a factory or a restaurant. Â Because they neede their bun counted I could eat my meal the way I wanted. Â Again, WTF???
The meats were ok. Â The pastrami had a little too much peppercorn on it, the burnt ends were the best that I had (but not where near the awesomeness of John Browns) and the pork was over smoked and overly greasy.
Now for the sides. Â The brussel sprouts were the best, but not a hard feat. Â I loved tha when I ordered mac n' cheese they guy said 'I do mine with cinnamon, is that ok?' Â All I could think to myself was 'WHY????'. Â It was like watching Top Chef when the contestants try something way way wrong just to be special. Â This was special alright, especially bad.
Ditto with the coleslaw. Â 'I do my cole slaw with Sage' says the man behind the counter. Â Why of Why would you do that? Â Coleslaw has just about the same ingredients (regionally of course), but never, never is there sage. Â And it doesn't work.
Did someone say Phony?
The bean were UNDER COOKED. Â I can never remember crunching down on beans before. Â The sauce wasn't great but non offensive either. Â The cornbread was good because they didn't stray too far from the basic boxed variety, but it was straight from the fridge cold.
I probably would have given this place 2 stars but the service and overall experience actually knocked them down one star for me.
The clarify, this is really more of a 2.5 star review.
Nestled in a busy section of Astoria, Queens,The Strand Smokehouse is built in what locals tell me was the remanants of a Blockbuster Video. Â This gigantic space is filled with big picnic style tables, a stage for a live band (including banjos and drums on display) and a long counter split between two sections: the bar and where you order food. Â Don't let the host at the front fool you, this is not some fancy sit down joint, this is a cafeteria style, down home style, git some food and beer in yer gut style eatery.
Meat is ordered by the pound, and as the night goes along any items they run out of are quickly erased off the chalkboard above the serving area. Â The host was super nice and explained just what it was we were seeing and encouraged us to ask anything we wanted about the menu.
The decor is like Hollywood's idea of a Western bar but taken to a polished degree. Â It's not dirty, but it's definitely got a rustic look with wood making up most of the decor from the floor to parts of the walls to the tables and seats themselves. Â Behind the bar are big barrels with various names of bourbon and whisky brands painted on them. Â The bar gives you a "pitcher" of beer in big jugs that once held bourbon. Â Water at the table is kept much in the same way alongside seasonings, bbq sauce and mustard. Â This place is absolutely aces when it comes to atmosphere. Â To roun dit all out the music being played is all American "greatest hits" style complete with Johnny Cash. Â All this I approve of.
Service was also friendly and quick. Â Despite there being a line, my food was delivered as quickly as I ordered it. Â Here's the breakdown (and sadly, the disappointment). Â
PULLED PORK
Good, moist but underseasoned. Â I wound up having to put some bbq sauce on it to really kick up the flavor which then made it average, but I've had much better elsewhere in the city.
TURKEY BREAST
Really nicely smoked and juuuuust on the edge of being too dry, meaning it wasn't but if it sat another five minutes under a heat lamp it would have been cardboard. Â It was seasoned nicely and I found myself thinking it would make a really good part of a big sandwich.
BEEF CHEEKS
Big chunks of tender meat in the middle with some beautifully crusted parts at the end. Â The seasoning was perfect and the texture very satisfying. Â My favorite dish of the night.
BAKED BEANS
Underdone, under seasoned and dry. Â Need I say more?
BISCUIT
Sadly, I think this thing probably would have rocked my socks off when it first came out of the oven. Â I have no clue how long it had been sitting on the shelf before I got it, but it was crunchy. Â Yes...crunchy. Â Biscuis, my friends, should NEVER be crunchy.
CORN BREAD
Like the biscuit, I htink this would've been totally awesome had it been fresh, instead it was getting dried out and thus a lot of its flavor, texture and appeal had gone with it.
Overall, I was disappointed in the food. Â The "experience" of this "Western" themed establishment was fun, and I found myself thinking that this place would've been a much better place to have drinks than eat. Â I won't be rushing back any time soon.
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