Sugar Freak

Nice friendly place with great ambience. Had a special on Hurricanes for $ 5 which were pretty good — light and flavorful.
Our group of 4 ordered the French onion soup, chicken and dumpling soup, hush puppies and Cajun calamari for starters. The chicken and dumpling soup and French onion soup were excellent — though a little pricey for $ 9, as were the hush puppies. The calamari wasn’t great great — chewy instead of crisp — kinda disappointing.
The blackened shrimp and potato salad were pretty good but the jambalaya was low on chicken and sausage and quite forgettable. Would never order it again.
Dessert was deep fried banana pudding — delicious– and beignets with banana cream — definitely nah!
Would come here again and try different stuff.

Sugar Freak is a New Orleans style restaurant. There aren’t many items that you can find in NOLA that you can’t find here. Jambalaya… got it! Po boys… got them! Muffuletta… got it too! Abita on tap… of course!
I missed out on my opportunity to try a muffuletta in New Orleans, so I opted on trying it here. The portion size is huge, and the dish is played nicely. It comes with a salad featuring a pecan vinaigrette. I felt the bread on the sandwich was way too thick. This may be how it is traditionally served, but the bread overwhelmed the contents of the sandwich. I would not recommend the muffuletta.
My girlfriend ordered the crawfish Mac n cheese. The macaroni was unimpressive, but we did enjoy the whole pieces of crawfish. I would have liked for it to be creamier and for the top layer to be crispier.
The service was attentive, friendly, and accommodating.

Adorable spot! Every staff member was extremely friendly and wonderful.
The menu is extensive and the food was amazing.
I had the Eggs in Purgatory (if I’m recalling the name correctly) which was eggs over cheesy, creamy grits with a perfectly spiced tomato sauce (not too spicy).
I was SO full, i couldn’t order more but everything looked amazing. I’ll be back SOON!

First time here at sugar freak but a regular in Astoria! Love the ambiance and the community of hipsters overflowing the room! The food here is by far top notch in my book! Can get a bit crowded and leaving less arm space to maneuver around but it gets the job done! Only been here once but I haven’t gone back as of yet. Not that there is anything wrong with the food but didn’t find myself in that part of Astoria in a while. If you’re looking for good chicken, look no further! If it’s just to get a quick bite or a drink with a few friends, you will not be disappointed!
Until next time Yep Family!

Love this place! It’s New Orleans style food! They have a great brunch menu. Hush puppies are a go to app, bottomless 1.5 hour drink for about an extra $ 15 and the brunch bread pudding is amazing!
beignets with the dipping sauce was okay. Surprisingly the ambrosia was yummy!
Pro tip: head over right before they open and wait in line. There is a HUGE crowd and after 20 mins you will have about a 30 min to an hour wait

This is a really cute brunch spot on a nice day. The wait wasn’t extremely long, which works since they do not take reservations. They provide unlimited mimosa, Bloody Mary or Beer brunch. Definitely worth it. The serving sizes for the drinks are HUGE. I was only able to finish two mimosas.
I had the French toast with banana foster which was ok. It wasn’t quite banana foster, as much as it was slices of bananas inside of maple syrup. My friends had the jambalaya and the crab egg Benedict, those were definitely a must try.
Definitely not my first boozy brunch option, but worth a shot.

Hands down the best New Orleans themed restaurant I’ve been to in New York. All the staples — jambalaya, gator, Abita, po’boys, grits, you name it! They have a muffuletta which isn’t quite the same as the NOLA version, but still delicious.
Also — you HAVE to try the fried banana pudding!

I came across this place on Unilocal of course :-)
When I first saw it I read it quickly and thought it said «super freak». That caught my attention lol (I thought wtf) so I checked out the pics which looked delicious. I realized it said «sugar freak».
I was already planning to come to Astoria for the Cultural Festival that Sierra B posted so I figured kill two birds with one stone
It’s a cute little vintage spot. They have bottles as lamps, the bathroom is old school and has a radio which was different but I appreciated it. Danced a little while washing my hands lol
I came to the bar, took a couple of pics for my Unilocal buddies (Hey guys) I ordered a swamp juice which has vodka, triple sec, blue Curaçao, pineapple juice & oj. I thought they forgot to put the gummie worm & was disappointed since little things like that make me happy. I realized the gummie worm was at bottom of cup *sigh of relief*. The drink was ok, I can taste the alcohol, I thought it was gonna have a fruitier flavor. Wasn’t expectin to feel a little buzz in the am but I can’t complain lol
I ordered the chicken fried chicken w banana foster waffle. The waffle was soft n fluffy, I like a crunchy outside soft middle. Guess it can be ordered «well done». It had a good flavor tho. The chicken had a crisp coating on it w a light flavor. I never eat syrup on my chicken but since it’s my brunch meal w waffles I drizzled it on there and it actually tasted good. The syrup moisturized the meat
The service wasn’t all that, maybe because I was at bar or because it was busy. They were doing their own thing as if I wasn’t there but if I asked for somethin they gave it to me. I feel $ 18 for chicken n waffle is steep and that’s not including the drink. Breakfast is usually cheaper.
Ps: I’m a Li girl so driving around for parking is annoying and I ended up w a $ 35 ticket. Everybody else was parked there & I didn’t see a sign so I don’t get the problem *shrugs*
#YelpIsLife

We discovered this place through Unilocal.We were on our way to a party in Queens and wanted to grab a bite beforehand. The place closed at 11 and –as much as I hate to be one of «those» customers — we showed up at 10:45. They graciously seated us and we didn’t feel rushed at all.
Sugar Freak is a very intentional hole in the wall. The Louisiana theme is consistent throughout the restaurant — even in the bathroom! Mason jars are a staple here and are used for drinks, seasonings and even lighting! I thought the plate adorned wall was a nice touch too.
I ordered the crawfish boil (for a very reasonable price) with a side order of biscuits. The biscuits were ok. I was hungry and they did the job. Perhaps if I wasn’t quite as hungry I would’ve asked for a side of butter. I’m sure that would have brought them from «eh» to «good.» I tasted my fiancé’s side or cornbread and it was very good.
The crawfish boil was delicious! It came with a generous amount of crawfish, corn on the cob, potatoes and sausage. It was perfectly seasoned… Spicy with just enough salt. The flavor tasted especially good on the corn and potatoes. There was more than enough to share. If we weren’t planning to go out afterwards, I honestly wouldn’t have shared and would have instead wrapped it up and brought my leftovers home to enjoy later.
The people with me ordered the chicken and waffles. I can’t speak on the taste but the dish — specifically the chicken — looked excellent. Pure white meat and crispy. They said it was very good. My fiancé actually wanted to order more chicken but sadly, the kitchen was closed. I’ll have to find my way back to this place when I have more time.

It was a gloomy Sunday afternoon and we were hoping that the weather would discourage people from coming out. We were wrong! There was a line out the door and people seemed more than willing to stand out in the rain.
Normally we would just give up and leave. But it was quite early in the day and neither one of us was starving. We decided to see how long the wait would be. While the waitress warned us the wait could be as long as an hour we were seated shortly, probably within 15 minutes.
Now, like most restaurants they try to maximize real estate and force as many tables and chairs in together as possible. But southern comfort doesn’t mean hovering on top of the person seated at the table next to you.
Our waiter was quick to greet us and take our order. Not much of a conversationalist but that’s fine. We opted for a side of macaroni and cheese and for entrees we went with the Crab Benedict and chicken and waffles.
Within 6 minutes (I timed it), our food was served. 6 minutes is absurdly fast. Either the food was sitting there or they just simply cook everything before hand and they simply pop it into the microwave.
Honestly I was never able to get over this fact and didn’t find myself enjoying my meal. Also, when my girlfriend requested for ketchup, they brought out ketchup packets.
I probably would give this place anther change but not anytime soon.

Calamari-​a bit under fried but the marinara sauce it was served with was good
Hand cut fries– too small of a portion for $ 4! Tasted so good and we ate them too quickly that we needed to order a second serving
Cornbread-​freaking deliciousssss!
Mac n cheese– hearty portion, really cheesy!
Shrimp po’boy– decent sized sandwich, add more sauce next time otherwise the bread seems too dry, good flavor though
Zeppolis and their home made vanilla ice cream-​best thing we ordered there thus far

Came here for Mothers Day. Expected a long wait but they were able to accommodate our party of ten with no reservations. It was a bit cramped. The place isn’t very big. The staff was very friendly. They took care of us right away. The menu is Cajun/​creole and southern fare. We ordered a variety of dishes. Crawfish etoufee, jambalaya, chicken and waffles, shrimp po boys, crawfish Mac n cheese, fried seafood platter and fried chicken and red beans and rice. Also hush puppies, deviled eggs and pork ball appetizers. The food was great. Everything was seasoned well my mother enjoyed her collard greens which is saying something cause she is so picky. For dessert we tried the banana pudding both regular and «fried» versions. Although tasty, my kids say they like mine better. This one was minus the Nilla wafers.
If you’re ever in the area do stop in and try the food. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
Oh I forgot to mention the chicken and dumpling soup bit was heavenly. Nice thick broth tender chunks of chicken, dumplings with carrots and celery.

If you’ve been to New Orleans, then you know the food is on another level; you also know that getting a craving for said food is hard to quench. Sugar freak can totally satisfy that craving and then some.
Sugar Freak embodies the funkiness of New Orleans; the vibe and décor suit it perfectly. The food, the food is sensational.
Beers on tap were Abita. We started off the with the hush puppies. Large fried puffs of corn were delivered alongside 2 dipping sauces. The hush puppies themselves were light and airy with a perfect crispness outside. The dipping sauces brought them to another level. The honey chili sauce was my favorite, no the condensed milk sauce was, no… I couldn’t decide.
Moving on to entrees, the red beans and rice was delicious as was the corn bread that accompanied it. The catfish and crawfish étouffée was splendid, it could have been spicier, but that didn’t deter me as I almost licked my plate clean. The collard greens were just about perfect, it was a fabulous meal.
We grabbed a banana pudding to go and it was creamy, decadent and bursting with bananas; it’s an excellent version.
Between the food, the atmosphere and the awesome service we experienced, Sugar Freak made for a wonderful dinner.

What’s Not to like about this place!!!
In a nutshell
1. Excellent food
2. Excellent drinks
3. Great service
4. AMAZING MUSIC
5. Great Ambiance
We were here for my birthday Brunch. We had a wait time of 30 minutes for two, not bad for a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. I ordered the Chicken and cornbread waffles with Banana foster sauce. What can I tell you… It was heaven!
The waffle melts in your mouth and the white meat chicken breast was crispy on the outside, and juicy inside.
My date had the catfish over grits. I tried some I cannot begin to explain the rich flavor I savored. This is an excellent southern style restaurant with amazing cooks! I highly recommend this place. it’s worth traveling to.
The swamp water drink is good if your in the mood for a fruity Pineapple taste. I think he best drink in house is the Bloody Mary. They make a over the top Bloody! If you can visit this place you are in for a treat!

New Orleans food! And… two vegetarians. This was a surprisingly good combination.
I told my friend that I was going to take her out to dinner for her belated birthday and after some time, she decided on Sugar Freak. I looped in my other friend who lives in the area.
They don’t take reservations, but at 6:30 on a Friday evening, we were able to snag a table. The inside of this restaurant kills me (in a good way, if that’s possible). Mason jars and vintage lightbulbs everywhere. Very Antique Garage (a less garbage-​esque) variation in SoHo (which I need to also review).
There aren’t many vegetarian options, which is to be expected, but what was available looked good. I had the Mufaletta Sandwich that comes with grilled veggies and some random iceberg salad thrown into the middle of the dish, and a side of sweet potato fries, yum. My veg friend had their veggie stew that had chunks of tofu in lieu of meat. My other friend had their mac and cheese with bacon bits.
The sandwich was GARGANTUAN. It was cut into fours and I was only able to have a quarter that night. My friend had another quarter, and the remainder was dinner for two separate nights, nice. I tried their veggie stew; though it doesn’t have the most flattering presentation (read: it looked digested), it was super yummy and had a kick. My friend liked the mac and cheese.
Service was decent, but it was obvious we were getting rushed out in light of the crush of folks waiting to be seated. Okay, it’s Friday, I get it. We all had leftovers to take home and the guy brought styrofoam cartons, bags, and a soup cup for us. Every place is different, but having the patrons bag their own leftovers is a personal peeve of mine. Either way, I’d come back.

A taste of New Orleans right in NYC that truly blessed my heart. Let me preface this with the fact that NOLA is my happy place. I love the people and the food so to find a piece of that close to home is everything.
The location captures the feel of Louisiana extremely well without being chesssy. It feels 100% authentic from the menu to the décor, menu, and fixtures. Think mason jars, sweet tea, bomb as entrees and some good old beignets to top it all off.
The décor is consistent throughout and visible in all elements. There is a wall decorated with plates, jars hanging, an out house style bathroom with pull string flush, lights hanging in the dining area and lots of blue grass bumping in the background.
I had the Blackned Shrimp Po Boy and lemonade. The lemonade was a bit sweet but that’s nothing a quick splash of water didn’t fix. The shrimp was nice and spicy but not overwhelming. The bread was nice, crisp and supported the fixings well, the pickles were super juicy and flavorful. I prefer my Po Boy with Cole Slaw with a kick but this one had iceburg lettuce and tomatoes. Overall I loved it. It was served with an additional garden salad and that was nothing special but an appreciated attempt to create balance in a meal that is otherwise carb and calorie filled.
Upon leaving I ordered beignets. They come in an order of 5/​$ 8. Not bad. They are relatively smaller than the ones you’d get at day Café Du Monde in Nola but on are they awesome. They pack amazing flavor and to send your palettes into overdrive they were served with some type of a banana sauce /​purée which I have never had but it was divine. What a way to end a meal.
I would def return. The reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because on a very cold and snowy day it was freezing while we dined.

Sugar Freak has been on my list of places to visit. After all of the rave reviews I had to check it out for myself. The menu is not extensive and the pairings of items didn’t make much sense to me.
I eventually settled on the fried shrimp po’boy. Although it was edible I was looking for more of a kick with the spicy mayo that adorned the sandwich. I also wish that the side wasn’t a salad. I was on lettuce overload from the side and from the sandwich.
I paid an additional $ 3 for sweet potato fries. I really wasn’t looking for a semi-​healthy meal. My shrimp po’boy was lacking. Although edible I wanted more spice, more seasoning, more of anything. It wasn’t bad just not what I was expecting.
From some reason in my mind I pictured SF to look differently. It reminded me of an old school speakeasy from the décor to the menus. I’m in love with the old school bathroom. I especially enjoyed the washbasin. At first I didn’t know how to flush the toilet, after looking around I figured it out. Be sure to hold the chain down once you pull it because the system is a bit slow.

Shes a Sugar Freak! Sugar Freak! Shes sugar freakkkkayyyyy!
Its a difficult task finding good ol southern creole or quality southern food period in Queens. Sugar Freak has been on my bucket list for sometime. So, after my friends and I left our Queens Unilocal elite event, the down home cooking cravings hit.
I spotted the creative sign and window from 30^th Ave. It was a empty house due to the snow storm and aftermath of Valentine’s Day. The décor is southern kitchen. There are alot of cool vintage items and abstract items thrown around. A collection of plates on the wall can be viewed towards the back of the restarant.
We were seated immediately and our menus were placed on a place mat with every President on it to celebrate President’s Day. We studied the menu and my friends decided on Po Boys (Po (oor) Choice!) and I had the Crawfish Mac & Cheese. Whats unfortunate here is that Mac and Cheese is not a side dish. If i wanted a platter the side choices dont include Mac & Cheese. The service was fast and the servers were courteous. Nothing over the top. Our food arrived and my Mac and Cheese was creamy, cheesy and full of Crawfish! Worth the $ 12. Nothing else on the menu was eye catching. My friends Po Boys… full of iceberg lettuce. Nothing exceptional. Menu was reminiscent of Bourbon Street in Bayside. Maybe I shouldve come for the Brunch menu…
The décor scores stars here. With the uniquely designed outhouse for a bathroom. Equipped with a chain to flush the toilet and an old Metal tin basin to wash your hands.

I have been here on two visits and I have to say it went from good to really good. I came on my second trip with Luci B since she has a rather healthy obsession with Cajun/​Creole food and we were both pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food we received. This place was good for us since we are both big fans of food from Louisiana. When we arrived around 7ish on the weekday, it had a decent number of tables occupied, when 7:30pm hit, it got packed! The place has a very cool vibe and the décor is awesome, so get there early.
The food:
Gumbo– Chicken and Andouille sausage in a dark roux. Served with rice. This was awesome! It was my hands down favorite dish of the night, there was so much complex flavors. You can really tell they put time and effort to develop the flavor of the roux with the rice and the Andouille and all the flavors worked out perfectly. There was also a slight kick of heat, which was a nice welcome addition.
Jambalaya Mac and Cheese– Mixed with spicy Creole tomato gravy and Andouille sausage. I really enjoyed the flavor of this, I loved the spicy aspect because it cut some of the richness and heaviness you normally get from mac and cheese. The flavors really worked and this dish was well thought out to balance the flavor, my only criticism would be the macaroni was too soft, I wish the macaroni was less cooked. But overall, I would get this again.
Spicy Dark Meat Fried Chicken with Biscuit– I thought the fried chicken was made well, it was not greasy, it was juicy and it had good flavor. I did find the chicken to be a tad one note and I wish it was a tad more crunchy but still good. The salad was very well dressed, the dressing was properly coated and it was light and refreshing and it was a nice palate cleanser after the fried chicken. The biscuit was nice but it was kinda dense.
Crawfish Étouffée– A spicy Cajun stew with Louisiana crawfish. Served with rice. This had a good pronounced crawfish flavor in the broth, I thought this was a flavorful dish but paled in comparison to the Jambalaya dish. This is worth trying.
Fried Popcorn Okra– I love Okra and I enjoyed the flavor of these but I thought the Okra was a tad too soft, I like my fried Okra to me a little more firm, I also thought the Okra ran a tad salty. I was hoping to really love the version here but it was just OK.

My best friend calls New Orleans my one true love. I seek out every Cajun or Creole restaurant in the city, and I finally went to NOLA for the first time this year. I had put off coming here for a couple of reasons, one of which was just a fear of disappointment. But I finally made it out here and the verdict is in– I’m a fan.
This is likely the closest you’re going to get to NOLA in NYC. The food is flavorful, fresh, and satisfying; and I think they do a good job of getting as close as you can without having access to fresh local ingredients from the South.
Me and Ben L. ordered the fried okra, the jambalaya mac n cheese, and the gumbo to start. Because there is no such thing as too much food, especially not Cajun food, OK? The fried okra was the only real miss of the night. I thought the batter was a little too thick, the okra lost inside of it. But the mac n cheese was off the charts! They mix in a creole tomato gravy and andouille– I mean yes to alllll of that. It’s a bowl of carbs I can happily drown in. The gumbo was also really good. I think it was actually my favorite item on the menu. I always have such trouble describing gumbo when it’s good, so you’ll just have to trust me.
For our entrees we ordered fried chicken and crawfish étouffée. I like the skin on my fried chicken a little crispier then they serve it here, but the meat was cooked to tender perfection. The étouffée was damn good. Way, way better than I ever could have hoped for. The crawfish flavor was IN there, they weren’t just tossed in as an afterthought. And I swear my leftovers tasted even better the next night. This place needs more attention than it’s getting.
They have Abita on tap, Pueple Haze, Turbo Dog, as well as the root beer (I didn’t even know this was a thing!). And Pimms Cups. The décor is colorful and warm. New Orleans jazz plays in the background. And the bathrooms are awesome. I may just move in if they’re willing to rent me out a table.