Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Queens

OpenTable

Updated May 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!

Nick's Bistro

4.9

4.9 (704)

$30 and under

Greek

Forest Hills

About the restaurant

Nick’s Bistro is a full service bar and restaurant providing unique Greek American cuisine in a contemporary, neighborhood bistro setting. The owner’s, Mario and Alfred, set out with the goal of creating an elegant establishment that will make you feel right at home.
Sitting at the corner of 72nd and Metropolitan in Forest Hills, Nick’s Bistro, lights up the night, welcoming in all patrons with the promise of authentic Greek home cooking. The upbeat service, dark wood décor, black granite bar, and glowing bottles, create a warm and friendly environment for all those who dine.

Top review

CatherineVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Hubbies Burger was great. Cooked perfectly. Best french fries. Small salad w lamb gyro was great. Perfect for my dinner. Shared a Greek cannoli for dessert, delicious.

Dee's

4.8

4.8 (918)

$31 to $50

Italian

Forest Hills

About the restaurant

DEE’S
An Italian Dinner House with an American Twist

Offering a relaxed and upscale dining experience in Forest Hills, DEE’S is your casual neighborhood restaurant with a New York City feel.

Relaxed luxury comes together with our family friendly menu, white-table cloth service and upscale decor creating an inviting and affordable respite from the everyday hustle.

Whether your looking to share a wood-fired pizza or savor a three-course meal, DEE’S is your urban familiar escape to joyfully gather with friends and family.

Top review

PenelopeVIP

Dined on May 2, 2025

Great meal and wonderful service. Definitely will be back.

Botte Bar

4.8

4.8 (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

4.8

4.8 (32)

$30 and under

American

Long Island City

About the restaurant

Coming Soon!

Top review

DustinVIP

Dined on May 3, 2025

Service was attentive and personalized, food was reliable. The crispy chicken sandwich is the best item on the menu imo (been 10+ times to Westville) and the ice cream scoop in the desserts is impeccable.

Villaggio Ristorante

4.7

4.7 (370)

$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

Gilbert

Dined on May 3, 2025

The staff are attentive. Our waiter, Bobby, understood I had a food allergy and made sure that the food was prepared according to my needs. Food was delicious and amply portioned.

Il Falco Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (478)

$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

MarnieVIP

Dined on Apr 12, 2025

We were meeting family in the Long Island City area because it was a halfway point. I found Il Falco on Open Table and it was a wonderful experience. The servers were professional, attentive, and friendly and didn’t rush us. The food was delicious. We really enjoyed our appetizers and meals. The atmosphere was lively but not too loud. I wish we lived closer because we would love to go again.

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Experience

Thursdays are now BYOB at Il Falco

Experience

Mothers Day

Bad Habits

4.7

4.7 (143)

$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.

Top review

Ruby

Dined on Apr 5, 2025

The ambiance is amazing, will definitely be going back, my choice of food was the sancocho and I was dissatisfied, it was lukewarm, lacked seasoning and tasted more like stewed chicken. The drinks were great. My group of 8 did the bottom less brunch, their food was great they ordered the burger, the tres golpes and the chicken and waffles. Very spacious seating for a small location. The vibes were spot on and the Dj was phenomenal (Dj Chino🫶🏽)!!

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Experience

Weekly Specials at Bad Habits

Experience

The Bad Hour

Baraki

4.7

4.7 (71)

$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

BriVIP

Dined on Apr 25, 2025

Always an amazing new dish to try, friendly staff and a great overall ambience!

Austin's Ale House

4.6

4.6 (146)

$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

Robert

Dined on Apr 1, 2025

Jessica and the staff were amazing. The food was also amazing.

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Experience

Happy Hour

Nisi Estiatorio

4.4

4.4 (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!

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