Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Queens

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Queens? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Il Poeta

4.7

4.7 (59)

$31 to $50

Italian

Forest Hills

About the restaurant

Il Poeta is an Italian restaurant with a Northern Italian cuisine. Chef and co-owner Mario Di Chiara has over 20 years experience in the most famous Italian restaurant in Venice and NYC with 10 years work experience in Cipriani’s restaurant. In summer 2011 the Italian Government award Il Poeta with "Ospiutalita Italiana nel Mondo" meaning that it is a truly authentic Italian restaurant (so far we are the only Italian restaurant in all Queens to have this award from the Italian Government).

Top review

JOJO

Dined on Jun 15, 2025

Our waiter was help ans attentive . Place was clean food was good. Price was reseasonable. Would come again l.

Villaggio Ristorante

4.7

4.7 (375)

$30 and under

Italian

Whitestone

About the restaurant

Our earliest childhood memories include making homemade tomato sauce in our Nonna’s driveway located in Corona, Queens. Being apart of five children, we all had our jobs. From cleaning bushels of raw tomatoes to jarring the sauce with fresh basil there was always enough made so you never left Sunday dinner hungry. Made at our family owned restaurant, Villaggio, you can now enjoy our family recipes. It’s the closest thing to our Nonnas driveway. “Come to Villaggio, where your treated like family” - Bon Apetito! The Loccisano Family

Top review

JillVIP

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

EXCELLENT! A wonderful find from a simple online search for an Italian restaurant in this general area. A true gem. Meals were fresh , delicious, and generous! Our waiter Bobby was welcoming, warm, and wonderful. A definite two thumbs up!

Il Falco Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (481)

$31 to $50

Italian

Long Island City

About the restaurant

II Falco looks to serve you with the most delicious and finest Italian cuisine in the area. Inspired by the original owners of II Mulino, Gino and Fernando Masci, Bolivar acquired the love for the Italian kitchen. This has given them the experience in creating and mastering familiar pastas such as the wild porcini mushroom ravioli with black truffle cream sauce. From the sea we have branzino cooked in sea salt, as well as fresh seafood with angel hair. For meat lovers we have a choice of delicious veal chops to rack of lamb to PorterHouse Steak. We look forward to providing you with outstanding service and make you feel just like home.

Top review

DeannaVIP

Dined on May 31, 2025

Very good dining experience. Nice ambiance and food was excellent!

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Experience

Thursdays are now BYOB at Il Falco

Jiang Nan

4.7

4.7 (9)

$30 and under

Sichuan

Flushing

About the restaurant

Here at Jiang Nan Restaurant, we work hard to ensure that your food is served Sichuan style It is also our full intention to provide you with the high quality of service that you deserve.

Top review

Paul

Dined on Jun 15, 2025

Nowhere better to be found in NYC for Peking Duck.

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Experience

Happy Hour

Botte Bar

4.7

4.7 (48)

$30 and under

Italian

Astoria

About the restaurant

Welcome to Botte Bar, a cozy small size Italian restaurant specializing in Roman cuisine and traditional Italian cocktails located at 25-07 Broadway in Astoria, Queens. It is our pleasure to serve you delicious, inspired Italian dishes from Rome.

We offer a selection of cicchetti (small plates), and a large selection of pastas, appetizers, salads, seafood and meat dishes and a selection of rotating specials. We handpicked our selections of Italian wine to complement our menu.

We have a full bar with a signature cocktail menu, where you can also enjoy a full dinner.

Top review

JhoanVIP

Dined on May 1, 2025

Very small spot, but super cozy. Food is great and so are the drinks. Everything tastes super fresh and the employees are very friendly. Their happy hour menu is really good too, with a few appetizers, oysters and drinks

Westville - Long Island City

4.7

4.7 (36)

$30 and under

American

Long Island City

About the restaurant

Westville is a warm and relaxed neighborhood go-to for simple, delicious food.

Top review

Jonathan

Dined on May 28, 2025

Food was very good (and fresh). I got plenty of salad in my burger which I appreciated and everyone else’s food was also good. As it’s a new location, it seems the kinks are being worked out as there was some confusion as to who was doing what, but this will be worked out in time, I’m sure. Happy hour was great! Overall, a great stop for a last minute bite.

Bad Habits

4.6

4.6 (145)

$30 and under

Contemporary Latin

Astoria

About the restaurant

What's your Bad Habit? Immerse yourself in Bad Habits Astoria and experience great food, great vibes, great times.

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Rich

Dined on May 30, 2025

Bad Habits has a great bar vibe and the food is surprisingly good. For bar food, it is diverse and well prepared. The service was exceptional, managing to the friendly and not in the least overbearing. Would go there again anytime.

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Experience

Weekly Specials at Bad Habits

Experience

The Bad Hour

Baraki

4.6

4.6 (73)

$31 to $50

Greek

Bayside

About the restaurant

You’ll want to put this stylish Queens addition in your personal hit list. The ambiance gives a Manhattan cool vibe with unique greek small plates & signature cocktails. The bar’s still the best place to be, whether you’re in a pair or dining solo. Catch our live Dj & celebrate date night, friends night out, & even brunch in our garden. This is everything anyone could want from a New York hot spot right in the heart of Queens.

Top review

KimVIP

Dined on Jun 9, 2025

Service was great and everything served was different - fresh - and delicious!

Nisi Estiatorio

4.3

4.3 (116)

$31 to $50

Greek

Astoria

About the restaurant

Welcome to Nisí Estiatorio! Our Astoria restaurant is a celebration of Greek culture and cuisine, with a contemporary twist. We are passionate about providing an authentic dining experience that showcases the rich flavors and traditions of Greece while incorporating modern techniques and ingredients. Our team of chefs brings a wealth of experience and creativity to our menu, using only the freshest and highest quality ingredients to create dishes that are both flavorful and visually stunning.

Our restaurant is more than just a place to enjoy delicious food. We believe that dining is an experience, and we have created a warm and inviting atmosphere that is perfect for a casual lunch, intimate dinner, or special occasion. Whether you're looking to share a meal with friends and family or celebrate a milestone moment, we are here to provide exceptional service and an unforgettable experience.

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing our love of Greek cuisine with you!

Top review

NIKITASVIP

Dined on Apr 20, 2025

The food was delicious, the service was impeccable, and the ambiance was perfect. Highly recommend!

Austin's Ale House

3.9

3.9 (149)

$30 and under

American

Kew Gardens

About the restaurant

Austin's Ale House is a Bar and Restaurant in the Kew Gardens area of Queens, New York. It has an expansive dining area with a large mahogany bar, a comfortable lounge with a fireplace and a casual dining room. An outdoor patio is available in the warmer months. The bar features multiple HD televisions along the walls, so guests can watch any popular sports games while enjoying a drink and a meal.

The menu at Austin's Ale House is full of delicious American cuisine, ranging from sliders and sandwiches to seafood and specialty salads. Popular options include the Shepherd's Pie, Austin's Chicken Sandwich and the Short Rib Sliders. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are offered on the lunch, dinner and patio menus. Austin's Ale House has more than 40 bottled beers and 20 craft beers on tap, as well as cocktails and wine available at the bar.

Top review

JEFFREY

Dined on May 27, 2025

Boys night out to enjoy the Knicks game! We were warmly greeted. A festive specials list for the occasion was all we needed. We enjoyed all of the appetizers; wings, quesadillas, flatbread pizza and sliders. All were terrifically priced. Oh and $7 pints too. Great large flat screens and energetic servers. We had a great time. Highly recommended

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Experience

Happy Hour

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