The Sparrow Tavern

Like many, I’ve been wanting to try The Sparrow Tavern since seeing it featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. It’s taken me a while, but happy to say that I FINALLY made it there for lunch today.
As excited as I was to try this place, I had some apprehension after reading some very mixed reviews on Unilocal.Those reviews weren’t going to stop me, but perhaps they helped to lower my expectations a bit.
The good news is, my expectations were not only met, but well exceeded. We really enjoyed our meal.
So, here’s the scoop. I have a friend who lives in Astoria, and we decided to meet at The Sparrow Tavern so I could meet him for lunch. It’s a Thursday afternoon, and when I entered the bar/​restaurant at 12:45 pm, there was just one other person who was finishing up their meal.
Needless to say, not wait for a table, and our server (who was also the bartender at that hour) could not have been more friendly or attentive.
We were both FAMISHED. Here’s what we ordered —
Quesadilla — we initially ordered one to share, but it was so delicious we ended up ordering a second. Unique mix of greens and cheeses. Yes, it was a bit greasy, but this is a gastro-​pub, not a health food place. I would totally order this again.
Egg and Brie Sandwich w/​Applewood Smoked Bacon — this was my main course. It came with what looked like a lovely green salad, that I didn’t touch. I was too busy stuffing myself with all the pub-​grub. The eggs were cooked PERFECTLY. Bread was delicious and there was a generous amount of cheese. I dare say, and I love bacon, that the bacon was almost lost in this sandwich. I’m not sure it made much of a difference, but the sandwich itself was a winner. Would definitely order this again too.
Tater Tots — yep, this was mine too, although I did share! They were tater tots. IMO, you really cannot go wrong with tater tots. They were done nice and crispy, with some fried onions scattered on top. Another winner.
French Toast — my friend got this, and he loved it. Made with a croissant and he added a side of bacon, which looked to be perfectly done (not burnt to a crisp).
Add to that a glass of wine, a Guinness and a cup of coffee and the total tab (including the tip) was ~ $ 85. OK, this is where people will say, «WHAT!?». Sans tip, the meal was $ 73.50. It was ALOT of food (with two alcoholic beverages), and 2 hours later, I’m still stuffed.
Is this an inexpensive lunch? No. Was it a good value for the money? IMO, yes. Will I go back to The Sparrow Tavern? Most definitely!
As an aside, this is a very small space. I’m super glad that my first visit was during a slow time where we could just relax, chat, listen to the music and enjoy the food. My guess is that dinner is a very different experience, but one that I look forward to trying.

We needed brunch and we needed it without wait. My sister and her fiancé have been here before as it’s a shared hobby to try and go to Triple D places whenever possible. Just cause. So when they brought me here after a night out in the city, I was very excited.
My sister and I ordered mimosas, because hello, brunch, and we spent some time debating on what to get. I ordered the egg and brie breakfast sandwich with apple smoked bacon. It comes with a freshly tossed salad. In addition, we ordered a round of rosemary fries for the table. holy cow. gastro heaven.
When my egg and brie sandwich made it out to the table, my sisters jaw unhinged, ‘there’s a whole thing of brie on there,’ she said, sticking her nose into my sandwich (not literally)
However, she was so right. I quickly chowed down on my salad (I always save the best for last), dabbed some Cholula hot sauce under the bread, and then cut into the egg and brie sandwich to make it easier to eat. One bite and I couldn’t put it down. The runny egg getting sopped up by the melting brie and the perfectly crisped italian bread was perfection. A true savory delight. As I said in my photo caption of the sandwich, it’s a contender for my last meal options (not that i’m going to prison or receiving capital punishment anytime soon…)
The restaurant itself is so charming, it has the same kind of vibe as my adorable hippy college town in the hudson valley, which i miss. Which is probably why I wasn’t surprised they’d be churning out delicious meals.

On of my favorite spots in Astoria. The food is amazing and never disappoints. Great music at perfect volume, no sports monitors, very friendly and laid back. Love the pulled pork and the brunch menu in general.

Brunched so hard here for a friends birthday brunch. Loved everything about this place. We got there early to put in our name for a rather large group, especially considering the size of this place. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. Drinks were tasty and food was spot on. I got the egg and brie sandwich and the French onion soup. Best sandwich I’ve had in a very long time. still thinking about it!

I have dined at The Sparrow Tavern a number of times and really like the food that they serve. It’s a small but cozy spot that is great for a drink or a bite to eat. The employees are really nice people and are very attentive. Due to its size, it can sometimes take a long time to get a table, but if you go at non-​peak hours, it’s not an issue.
As I said, their food is good, but I think it’s overpriced. Nothing outrageous, just more expensive than it’s worth. Also, because the kitchen is small, you aren’t allowed to ask for any substitutions in your meal.

Ok, I do love this place, but I still hate the consistent smell of alcohol that this place has. Not that I do not drink, I just do not like that beery smell that place has.
So, onto a food. This place has by far best burger around, definitely in Astoria, better then Minetta in my opinion. That juicy patty with buttery bun, yum. I do however think that good burger needs to have piece of lettuce on it. I know a good burger when I see a bib or so called Boston lettuce on it. Rarely places use that lettuce for burgers, but it is the best lettuce to accompany a burger. I do mind getting charged $ 1.50 for some bundle of lettuce for my burger.
Now onto a problem I do have is that during brunch hours they offer burger but with muffin instead of a bun. I do have major issue with that, because my kids do not like muffins and substituting it for a bun should not be a big deal. I think that is absurd, if I ask you politely to get my kids burger in a regular bun instead of muffin, do not point to me to read a fine print where it says «no substitutions allowed.“Sweat potato fries and order of truffle aioli, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
I have not really tried that many dishes here, mainly because the burger is so good. It would be great to get mac and cheese back on the menu.

My first brunch here, I’ve come many times for dinner which has never been disappointing. Egg n Brie sandwich I split w my friend it was deliciously gooey just enough Brie eggs cooked to perfection… After came the most delicious goat cheese smoked salmon omelette real hand cut fries wow, bacon eggs w home fries for my friend I stole some home fries very well spiced just all over great brunch. Bloody Mary was on point … Staff so attentive once again mr Evan you rock! also forgot to add I ended my brunch w one of the best lattes I’ve ever had made by Kieran master at lattes n all around great bartender

The sparrow was really enjoyable. The music was good, atmosphere was simple and laid back.
The chipotle Bloody Mary was so good and smoky. But quite spicy.
We both had the steak and eggs with rosemary fries. Everything was very yummy. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 was because the steak was very small.

Intentionally divey looking place with delicious but pricey food. Brunch burger, plus brie, plus bacon on an English muffin plus rosemary fries — pushes $ 22. May be worth it, I split it with my husband, but we definitely could have each had our own. About ten beers on draft. Many local and some big name beers– from mikkeller to lagunitas. Kind of unusual selections. Bartender was nice, casual, helpful without being effusive. Would definitely return.

So I went here for brunch with my girl. I ordered this brunch burger. It looked good. Unfortunately, it didn’t taste all that great. I feel like it wasn’t even seasoned. My girlfriend ordered the veggie burger and she really enjoyed that. The rosemary fries were. ok. Not the best brunch spot but worth visiting at least once

The Sparrow Tavern is a cute, quiet, and cozy place; most groups there were 1 – 4 people. Participated in a 16-​person birthday brunch here on a crisp Sunday afternoon. It’s a relatively tight place, but they made room for us. There’s a bar area where you could wait for your party. While waiting, a friend got the fries, which were seriously good. Our waitress was really sweet and handled our entourage well.
I don’t think that the food was anything memorable. I ordered the smoked salmon omelette ($ 13) and a latte ($ 4). The omelette was not bad, but it was small and didn’t fill me up, so it definitely wasn’t worth the price. It came with the option for fries or greens. And sadly, there were no latte refills. So nourishment-​wise, it was slightly disappointing. It’s a sweet neighborhood spot, but I didn’t see anything special about it.

My friends and I were waiting for the Bohemian beer garden to open so we stopped in to grab a drink and a bite to eat. Our party of seven was seated immediately without a problem. There was a drink special for $ 4 beers (Amstel Light, Yuengling, etc). I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and an Amstel Light. The pork sandwich was delicious; juicy pork marinated in a barbecue sauce that was just right. Service was friendly and prompt.

Wonderful food and we had a full meal… but we had half a bottle of wine left and asked to have the cork so we could walk back to our apt. Was told sone BS about NY requiring a special bag to be able to carry it out and they couldn’t find the cork…
Servers and bartenders need to know the rules. Yes a patron can carry out an open bottle… bottom line they were too lazy to find s cork
statuteN.Y. Alcoholic Beverage Control Law § 81
4. A restaurant licensed to sell wine under this section may permit a patron to remove one unsealed bottle of wine for off-​premises consumption provided that the patron has purchased a full course meal and consumed a portion of the bottle of wine with such meal on the restaurant premises. For the purposes of this subdivision the term «full course meal» shall mean a diversified selection of food which is ordinarily consumed with the use of tableware and cannot conveniently be consumed while standing or walking. A partially consumed bottle of wine that is to be removed from the premises pursuant to this subdivision shall be securely sealed by the licensee or an agent of the licensee prior to removal from the premises, in a bag such that it is visibly apparent that such resealed bottle of wine has not been tampered with. Such licensee or agent of the licensee shall provide a dated receipt for the bottle of wine to the patron.

This is my third time at Sparrow over the past ten years. The reason I go so infrequently is because of the price. The wait staff are all quite attentive and polite, and the food is delicious, but the price is a major sticking point for me.
That said, I had the chilled beet soup with dill sour cream and a side order of tater tots and both were amazing. The flavor balance is masterful on both. I didn’t know it was possible to elevate tater tots, but the carefully blended spices they used really kicked it up a notch.
Again, I am not denying the excellent food and service here, but with so many local options in the neighborhood, the price tag means this is a place I rarely choose when there are so many more affordable choices. I would recommend checking it out though because the food is worth a visit.

Stopped in with a friend for brunch on a Saturday morning, shortly after they opened at ten. (When we left at eleven, it still wasn’t too busy.) We were seated immediately and given menus. A few of the dishes that caught my eye were the cilantro egg sandwich, the pulled chicken with eggs, and the grilled cheese with truffle oil.
I ended up choosing the cilantro egg sandwich with a side of bacon on a brioche roll. It came with a side of salad. Pretty solid brunch, great alternative to the busy Manhattan scene, and a bit less expensive too.

I have mixed feelings about this place. The place is definitely a no frills, dive bar. The tables and chairs are all mismatched. The room is dark and there was not much decoration.
The food didn’t meet my expectations. My boyfriend and I ordered the veggie patty with fries, macaroni and cheese with smoked ham and chicken wings. The veggie patty was on the bland side. The fries had rosemary and caramelized onions was a nice touch to the fries. The macaroni and cheese was ok but the ham was not smoked. The wings had good flavor but I felt that the wings were very small.
I thought the food portions were on the small side and the prices were slightly higher than I would have liked to have paid.
The service was excellent. Our waitress continuously checked on us and was very attentive. She filled our glass of water often.

Great food, but a little on the pricy side. They’re more expensive than some places in Manhattan I’ve been to. But regardless of price, the quality of the food lives up to it.
For my entrée I had the scrambled eggs and chicken tinga with a side of lamb sausages. I highly recommend this dish. The lamb sausages were amazing too; they were very juicy and it was cooked perfectly. We also had some drinks on the side. The smoked Bloody Mary was delicious, but a bit weak. Still yummy though.
For dessert my party and I ordered the chocolate banana bead pudding and the blueberry ricotta cheesecake. It took them a long time to make the dessert (even longer than the main dishes actually) but they were making it completely fresh. After trying our desserts it was definitely worth the wait.
I most probably will try this place again if I’m in the area.

It was featured in the Food Networks, Diners drive ins and dives and I had to try it. The décor is very classy. Its very romantic. As for the main attraction, the veggie burger omg was it the best veggie burger I have ever had. It was omg delicious. Definitely worth it. Served in a pita with fries. .. a plate of goodness. Definitely try it. My bf tried the quesadilla with swiss chard and it was delicious and crispy. The cocktails were amazing, that we each had two. We invited my friend. She tried the food and cocktails. loved the place so much she came again for the meatloaf. It a must if you want delicious food, great ambiance and great cocktails.

I fully enjoyed the Sparrow and I’m glad it’s in my neighborhood. The rave reviews had left me slightly underwhelmed, but I will return to try their spring and summer menu.
Fantastic comfort food.
I had the chicken pot pie. I thought Martha Stewart came down from Connecticut and cooked it her damn self! Flakey top, scalding inside, salty cream, and garden like fresh veggies. It was hard not to get a perfect bite despite not having any crust on the bottom.
I’m glad I was able to try it before they change the seasonal menu.
My date had the pulled pork. It was good, but was clearly over seasoned with curry. The menu did not state it was a curry dish either. The potato mash was cooked well and was refreshing, and not doused in salt like most potato dishes I’ve had recently. The green beans were also served cold.
I wanted a coctail but was left with hot ciders and the like for their cocktail menu hasn’t changed, so I stuck with a pilsner to lighten my pallette. No complaints.
Dessert was a chocolate cheesecake, homemade vanilla whipped cream, with caramel drizzle.
A thin layer of solidified chocolate sauce topped the moist cocoa cheese below.
Nibbles of the mint spring garnish concluded our stay.
Over all, Sparrow was slightly less than what I expected, but surely a gem.

Brunch food that you won’t mind waiting 40 minutes for folks.
Given it was a valentines day but I’m guessing their kitchen just moves a little slow in general. Saturday morning everyone was waiting for their food for quite a long time (some with gloomy faces while others were a little too drunk to care)
That being said. Sparrow tavern makes for a perfect brunch spot. Rustic décor, friendly staff and Croissant French toast?!? I’m sold. It was really really good and I’m not even a French toast person. I love when places have a few classic dishes that you want to keep coming back for.
If you like savory dishes to start the day, do yourself a favor and get the prosciutto and Brie omelette. That’s probably a no-​brained honestly. Prosciutto and Brie on anything is amazing but an omelette can easily be done wrong. This one is totally worth it.
The one thing I was disappointed In was my cilantro and egg sandwich with bacon. It looked so promising but turned out to be a little dry and the bacon was that kind of sad bacon that is a bit floppy and chewy without any crisp to it. Not fun.
Either way, we had a really nice brunch experience here and I would come back to try their famed veggie burger another time.
P. s.Seriously though, get the croissant French toast.