Rapture Lounge

Kinda sad because I heard Rapture Lounge had closed, so I ran by the other day and come to find out, the location is up for rent :(. Not sure what happened, but I’m guessing they will not be re-​opening since there are signs up for rent.
I came here on a first date a few months ago and was very surprised with the place he chose. Rapture Lounge has a more intimate setting because they have couches everywhere, rather than sitting at a table for an interview.
The drinks were large and delicious, and came at a good price with happy hour every day. We ended up there for hours on end, and the server took care of us all night long.
Hopefully they will straighten things out and re-​open again one day. This place is special to me and I would love to be able to go there again.

My experience at the Rapture Lounge was decent. They have a really awesome happy hour special, all drinks are half price, this includes the super fancy cocktails. Might I add that all of their super fancy cocktails had really epic names. I had the WTF? drink, so good and so many strawberries, and I love strawberries. They didn’t skimp on the alcohol either. My friends ordered some food and said it was pretty good as well.
Things started to go sour due to the service provided. Now I don’t normally ever go out to Queens, it’s far and I don’t exactly intend to spend a night out on the town there, but it was my friends birthday so I was making a very rare exception. The place was not super packed and it took all of us a while to get our drinks. One of my friends never received her drink and they still wanted to charge her for it. They were also having a burlesque show that night so if we wanted to stay here we would either have to pay or go outside when it started. The people getting ready for the show also tied up the bathrooms so I was waiting around ten minutes to just use it quickly.
Honestly if you live in Astoria I say check this place out and give it a chance, but if you do not I would not bother, it is not worth traveling for.

I made my first visit here this summer after work. My boo picked me up and we headed here for happy hour. We got here pretty early. At about 5 on the dot. The place was empty. But we stayed. Why? The couches!
The happy hour is great. The drinks are awesome, Cool names and they’re strong. The only issue was that the music sucked!
It’s a pretty chill spot. Very comfy for just relaxing after a long day. I wish I had friends so I can bring them here lol.
The food wasn’t bad either. I believe I had these jalapeño poppers and boo had some tacos.
My only suggestion aside from better music would be to maybe have a couple of games like Taboo and such. I’m so down for a game of Cards against Humanity along side some drinks!

Loved it!
Went here the other night with my boyfriend and his best friend. We had a great time. There are couches everywhere and the baseball game was on TV. Boyfriend loved that :)
I got the 1 – 900 drink — it certainly did it’s job! I only needed to have 2 of these to get the feeling I get from around 9 rum and cokes, haha. Well worth it! The music was a little crazy (they kept switching genres lol) but overall I really liked the experience. The music wasn’t extremely loud so you could have decent conversation here which was a definite plus.
Loved the couches, the bathrooms were clean and they have a cool disco ball for you to stare at haha. Our server was also super attentive and nice — he frequently came back to our table to make sure that everything was alright and that we had everything we needed. He also gave great recommendations for food and drink.
My only complaint here is that the food was a little bit pricey for what it was — $ 9 for chicken fingers and we only got like 4 or something. Other than that, I really liked this place.
It seems like a great place to bring friends or a date because of the couches. Great ambiance! I’ll definitely be back just for that 1 – 900 drink. Didn’t even make me sick! lol. Love it!

Great décor (love the luxurious antique seating), great original drinks (hello, tie me to the bed post!), great music, friendly and fun owner, great bartenders and good food. They also now have plenty of live music, a comedy night, etc. Oh, there is also outdoor seating. It’s a win/​win. :)

I ordered a blue moon on draught — good! Not stale or skunked, which lately has been rare in the bars in astoria.
However, I ordered a $ 10 quesadilla with no meat so there was supposed to be cheese and mushrooms. When the plate came it looked like two mini quesadillas and there was not mushrooms or jalapeños like the menu stated. The guy took it back gladly and they remade it, I can tell. For the price though, the quesadilla was way too small, see the pic.
The lighting is awesome and its comfortable with plush couches.
Ive been here before and the ambience was good and the garlic fries were delicious and the appropriate size.

We celebrated my bf’s b-​day here yesterday. The cocktails were ok, prices are ok too but NOT A FRIENDLY CREW over there. Totally rude to customers! There was live music, it was supposed to be ‘background music’ kind of but the poor guy who was singing forced his voice too much/​too high that we had to go out and hang outside for a while. As professional musicians we didn’t like this. I myself am a professional violinist, performing nearly since 18years, hated the attitude of the bartenders/​servers when i just asked to switch off one speaker which was on top of our head. The guy goes ‘you need to wait 20 more minutes until the music ends’
That wasn’t a performance or music! We all know what singing and music is and we are the customers. You can’t yell at a customer saying to WAIT.
We weren’t rude at all.
And by the way when i brought my drink back to the bar to say that its too sweet, wasn’t a lie. I know what a sweet cocktail tastes like, you don’t teach me what i like /​how i like it!
Never going back again!

Let me just start by saying that on the walk to this place my friend and I passed a ton of other bars/​restaurants that looked like so much fun so, I had pretty high expectations of what Rapture would be like. Sure enough Rapture was dud.
I will admit it is a pretty interesting little place. It’s has a atmosphere and vibe all it’s own. I can’t say I had a bad experience here, but it certainly wasn’t amazing either. Let’s start with décor. Rapture is a pretty cozy place with lots of couches everywhere. So, if you’re on date this might be a good place to start or end your night. I don’t recommend staying over an hour as the music sucks, and there so much else to do in that part of Astoria, but we’ll get into that later. It was pretty empty and relatively quiet in there (aside from the strange music playlist) on the Friday night that I went.
The food was just ‘eh’. I had the empanadas and a order of fries. I know you can’t expect too much of greasy bar food, but believe it or not I’ve had way better. Also, don’t let the slutty drink names fool you they’re not all they’re cracked up to be. I had two «1900 FUCKMEUPS» and you’re damn right I expected to be fucked up by the time I was done, but no such luck.
Probably the strangest this about this place is the music. I assume it plays off of some kind of itunes or ipod, but you never really know what’s going to come blasting out of those speakers. One minute it’s love ballads and the next it’s 90s hip hop. Don’t get me wrong I have no problem with different genres of music, but it would be nice if they could just pick ONE.
All in all this was just a 2 star establishment. One star for the chill atmosphere and another star because I felt bad just giving them one.

I was looking for a good place to take the boo out for Father’s day but not somewhere rowdy. I don’t know if it’s me hitting 30 this year, but I’m so over the crowded, extremely loud music-​that you can’t hear the person you are talking to, and sweaty places anymore. I wanted to go somewhere fairly early in the night that had drinks and food, which rapture has. I read the reviews and said let’s give it a shot, and as you can see with my 4 stars-​it was def worth it.
Okay so no surprise here, parking sucks, but that is a given since it’s Astoria. We did eventually find parking though. Like other stated they have happy hour EVERY DAY of the week 5−8pm. Am I the only one that loves this? Used to a lot of places doing it mon-​fri. There, I gave you an excuse to start your day drinking on the weekends. As I get older I love day drinking, haha! Get home at a decent hour, no hangover the next day, etc. My body just can’t hang the way it used to.
Okay enough of me getting old. So we just missed the happy hour because we arrived at 8. They have a few tables outside which were all full of ppl drinking the happy hour drink (which was Sangria pitchers 2-​for-​1 for Saturday). We opted to sit inside since it was a little bit chilly. A small decent sized spot filled with couches. There weren’t that many ppl inside but 8 pm for a Saturday is def early to go out. We had a choice to sit in whichever couch we wanted. Waitress came over right away and we started out with our drinks. I decided to follow the advice of other Unilocalers and ordered the «1900-f*ck-me up» and he ordered «sex on the sofa», now weather both of those things literally went down that night is a different story. ;-) Let me keep it real and say I’m not a small girl by any means but this drink had me feeling NICE! It was good but strong but good if that makes sense. His drink was delicious also but a bit sweeter than mine. The drinks were about $ 11 each & came in big glasses-​to me totally worth it and great deal by NYC standards! No lie I had two drinks and was feeling lovely. For food we decided to order a few appetizers and eat it. We got: empandas, flautas, and coconut shrimp. Going back again I would order the flautas and coconut shrimp again. The empanadas weren’t horrible at all but weren’t great either. We ate everything.
The waitress wasn’t bad but wasn’t amazing either. She made sure we had our drinks and brought our stuff out in a timely manner, which is what’s most important I guess. Like I’ve stated in other reviews, I appreciate and reward excellent service while going out. Ppl would be surprised what a smile or small talk for 30 seconds might do to make your night feel great. Oh and not sure if it’s the time thing but they do add on the gratuity automatically which you will see on your bill anyway, just giving a heads up.
Overall, I want to DEF come back, especially for happy hour! So happy I found this lil gem in Astoria off the strip. It’s a great place for dates, friends, etc. Oh I forgot to mention they did play music. It was a lil random but not in a bad way. I forgot the song they played then riri came on… lol. we looked at each other and just laughed. I liked that the music wasn’t obnoxiously loud also. Give this gem a try if you like my review.

This is a pretty fair bar. Reasonable prices for the neighborhood, good drinks, good food.
Why five stars? I was here a few weeks ago enjoying some drinks with friends. A crowd of people come in with two babies and a toddler in tow. They were turned away and told «This is a bar, you can’t bring children here». Thanks Rapture Lounge.

Local, comfy casual bar/​lounge. Lotsa of sofas and couches to lounge on and talk. Small outdoor seating area for catching a spring breeze while u sip your drink. Parking is possible with some patience. Music is an eclectic mix of oldies to rock to wtf is that?! Nice first date place– not overly loud (on a weds)

Came here for a joint birthday. I called the night before and was able to get a spot for 20 people. There’s a happy hour of 2 for 1 drinks everyday, 5−8pm, which should keep everyone happy and past the verge of tipsy. Definitely a good bang for your buck. I especially like the dirty names for the drinks. My favorite was the «WTF?» The drinks are strong. The couches are what give this place it’s comfy edge and casual/​friendly ambiance.
It’s a hidden gem. And I want it to stay that way, so I’m conflicted as I write this review.

Astoria has so many little gems in it. I really love being from here … so every time I’m in town I’m finding a new one.
My childhood best friend and I met here after not seeing each other for years. It was perfect. There were a ton of drinks specials and a full menu of all different kinds of food. We got the cheese empanads (which were made in tostones), the chicken empanadas and the hummus plate. Everything was good and fresh. Pita was warm and soft and the dipping sauces complemented everything well.
Our drinks were strong and made just how we ordered them. And then we found out about the all week happy hour and special night themes. This place is great!

Oh my. Rapture Lounge is sort of like the Shalel Lounge of Astoria, except less pricey and just way more fun. Dimly lit, romantic, sexy, eclectic and beautiful décor with lovely appetizers and drinks.
We came here for New Year’s Eve (no cover charge, no wait) and are so glad we did. Arriving around 6:30, the place was just starting to warm up so we were able to get a seat on one of their massive, soft couches with absolutely no problem. They played amazing music and their fruity, delicious 1900-​Fuck-​Me-​Up drink did its job as I can’t remember any of it. 2-​for-​1 drinks for happy hour until 8.
It was a much better place to spend NYE than in the crowded hustle and bustle of the city. It was a more intimate, relaxing atmosphere with cool people looking to spend time with their friends or significant other in a more low-​key setting. The place did start getting more crowded before midnight, but there was still room to move around which is a plus.
The service was stupendous. Our waitress was funny, upbeat, engaging and very personable. She accommodated our requests for pictures and made the experience really great. A couple actually got engaged right in front of us here and the waitress caught it all on camera! Totally magical moment.
And THE FOOD. Oh, the food menu was what attracted me to come here in the first place and it did not disappoint. We got the chicken flautas (so good and slightly spicy), garlic fries (a bit too skinny for my taste but plentiful portion) and the chicken pesto burger (mouthwateringly good, very strong cheese). Even now I salivate at the thought of eating those chicken flautas again.
Also, they have events like comedy night, karaōke night, open mic and live music days — every day of the week there is something incredible happening, coupled with awesome drink specials. Can this place get any more perfect?
I will definitely be back.

This is a decent bar lounge in Astoria. The couches and feel of the place is very comfortable and homely. It’s a great place to play board games. They only had one bartender working on Saturday at 8pm, so it takes a while to get a drink and it seemed like she wasn’t too happy. The beer selection is very limited and they had no beer on tap.

I love Rapture. Also, I love the bartender that plays Gaga, Madonna and Britney album tracks during the week. The drinks here are really, really strong. I don’t think I’ve ever just gotten a light buzz from any of the mixed drinks here. The Sangria is probably the worst/​best, I’ve seen them make it. So much liquor. Like a long island iced t with some fruit and wine. Insane.
Just as everyone else has said, the décor is awesome. The All in the Family painting, the local Astoria art, the couches and the lighting make this lounge look somewhere you’d see on TV and wish was real. The clientele is also really cool – young, hip, a pretty heavy gay crowd, which is nice and can be difficult to find in Astoria.
Also the food is standard fried bar food, but when you’re drunk, I really highly recommend the mozzarella sticks and buffalo chicken tenders.
So glad to live less than a block from this place.

My boyfriend and I stopped in for their happy hour the other day, and we chose to sit at a table out front since the weather was really nice. Who doesn’t love 2-​for-​1 drinks until 8pm? Especially when some of their house cocktails have naughty names, like «Tie Me to the Bedpost» and «1−900-F*CKMEUP» Both of which, by the way, taste great and pack a punch. Our food order consisted of their jalapeño poppers, buffalo chicken sandwich, and grilled chicken pesto sandwich. All of it was very good, and the serving sizes were just right. The couches inside look really comfortable and add to the appeal of Rapture. I’d like to come back with friends for their 2-​for-​1 sangria pitcher special on Saturday nights!

This is that place that you think of in your head that you wish always existed but didn’t think ever did.
It is bar, with live music, interesting drinks and lots of COUCHES, COUCHES!!! It’s awesome! You can just hang out and relax and there is outdoor seating.
I think this is what life outside NYC is. I think. Even though it’s Astoria.
It’s still a really cool place. I could see myself coming here with a book and hanging on a couch reading said book and sipping on a drink while listening to live music… I kind of want to do it now.

I’m going to keep my review at 3-​stars because I have faith. But my experience this past Saturday was enough to make me not want to return to them for anything other than happy hour.
My friend and I arrived at 5 on the dot for happy hour. The place looked closed… like…the a/​c wasn’t even on. They turned it on when they saw the looks on our faces.
Also, there was only a kitchen dude and the bar back. We picked our couch… but no one came to take our order. I walked up to the bar to ask for menus and to place an initial order. The bar back, rather frightfully, informed me that the bartender was on his way, and it should only be a few minutes more before he arrives. Uhm… I started working in food service at age 14. Servers have to be in 30 – 60 minutes before a shift… and bartenders at least that early… but ok. Whatever. I want my drinks.
So I told him we were fine with him making our drinks. Again, the bar back frightfully said that he could, but the bartender might not like the way he made them, so it was better to wait.
Uhm…what!!! But we remained patient, because the bar back was really sweet and nice to us.
The bartender strolled in at 5:30. Mind you, this was 30 minutes in to happy hour, and there were already four tables in the joint. My question: «So happy hour goes to 8:30 today, right!!!» He logged in to the ordering system, and went around to take orders. No apology was given for his lateness, he didn’t greet us, nothing. Simply, «What can I get you?»
We ordered. Instead of making drinks, putting them on a tray, and serving everyone, he made and delivered drinks one at a time to each table. So we eventually received our drinks… but the extra shot of pineapple tequila I ordered came five minutes after, though they were ordered as part of the first round. Seriously!!!
Also, the quesadilla my friend ordered looked less appetizing than anything I could make at home… and she said the guac tasted off… maybe sour… but she couldn’t eat it.
He eventually came around for our second round. We ordered. It came. I ordered two very different drinks. They looked and tasted the same. Uhm… why was this?
Lastly, I had to walk up to the bar to get the check. That was the only time he paid attention to us, looking to see if I would tip, I presume. I put my card in the little slot, and put the folio up so he would get it. he saw it. He never came. I dropped off the folio to have the card run. He gave it back without a thank you.
Uhm…no. I started coming here years ago and liked it because the drinks tasted different than each other, and the service was on point. Maybe this was an off day. But you put your best people on a Saturday night shift, right? Is this now the best Rapture has to offer?
I’m seriously going to have to exhaust other area options before trying Rapture again. I mean, the drinks pack a punch. It’s a really awesome happy hour deal. And decently heavy handed for a 16-​oz drink. But that kind of piss poor service when you’re charging Manhattan prices in Queens does not fly, y’all!

This review is for the cocktails and service alone — we didn’t get any food, unless you count the pineapple slice that had been soaking in tequila for 2 weeks. Winning!
I went with my friend and we sat at the bar, but I noticed there seemed to be a lot of couch seating and the place was pretty packed. It seemed like everyone knew everyone, so there are a lot of regulars.
The drinks were all $ 11, which isn’t that bad for New York I guess. As the other reviews stated, they all have clever names like «Jealous Bitch» and «Tie Me To The Bed». We started off with a WTF which is mashed strawberries, basil, balsamic vinegar, vodka, sugar, and sprite. Now, I’m normally a Grey Goose Martini guy, so «fruity» drinks aren’t normally my thing; but this was a special trip so I was just going with it.
Next round I got a Belgian Dip, which was waffle vodka (didn’t even know there was such a thing), banana rum (again, what), and maple syrup with whipped cream. You will get sick drinking like this unless you have a stomach of steel — but I do so it’s all good.
Finally I had a Cracker Jack which was popcorn vodka (jesus christ), butterscotch schnapps, and Godiva white.
All the drinks were tasty, including the 4 (yes four) free shots of pineapple infused tequila the owner, Roberto, gave us. Just like my other review for Via Trenta, I was stoked to get such friendly service from the owner. We were literally at the door, MC Hammered, and Roberto ran up to us with another 2 shots of tequila. This guy is a legend and if you go, ask to see his back tattoo which was some pretty spectacular ink if I do say so myself.
I had an eye-​watering migraine until the afternoon the next day (had wine and drinks at Via Trenta before hand), but it was worth it. Although I’m never drinking again, I swear this time ;)
I know there are bars in Meatpacking that have more refined cocktails with exotic ingredients, but if you are living/​staying in Astoria and want a guaranteed good time, I would definitely check this place out. I’ll be back next time for sure.