76 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • NOVEMBER 21, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
dining out
Rivercrest debuts on Ditmars in Astoria
BY JESSICA MILITELLO
For months, Astorians have walked past
Rivercrest, a restaurant and bar that was
yet to open on Ditmars Boulevard, curious
as to what it would become. Th e windows
were papered over, with large-print
text reading, “Good things come to those
who wait, but we still have to wait a little
longer. We promise it will be good.” Its
signage teased “curated beers” and “craft
cocktails” as well as eats, but passersby
knew little else.
Aft er setbacks in renovation and construction
stemming from dealing with an
older building, the wait is over: Rivercrest
held its long-anticipated opening at the
beginning of October. It’s an all-in-one
bar where locals can see sports games
or enjoy movie nights while indulging
in cocktails, beer and tasty dishes made
with the eclectic Astoria neighborhood
in mind.
Th e bar has a vintage vibe and plenty
of fun artwork, and it even includes
a speakeasy-style bar to encompass all
of Astoria’s interesting and quirky history.
Th e four owners, Mark Whelan,
Martin Whelan, Shane Chrystal and Ciara
O’Sullivan, sought to create a fun atmosphere
for patrons to gather for sports
games or get-togethers — or just to escape
for a bit and unwind.
Rivercrest’s owners are certainly experts
in giving customers what they want;
Martin and Mark Whelan are the owners
of 11 bars, mostly located in Manhattan,
such as Maggie’s Place, Stout and One
Mile House. Th at’s where the Whelans met
O’Sullivan and Chrystal, who worked at
these spots in roles ranging from bartender
to manager over the course of about
15 years. Over time, they also became
good friends, so when the idea came up
to open a new location in Queens, taking
their great employees and friends
along with them was the obvious choice.
O’Sullivan and Chrystal celebrate a landmark
of being fi rst-time business owners
with the Whelans.
“We wanted the neighborhood to have
one bar that you can go to that you can
get a really good cocktail, watch a sports
game, and try any number of the dishes
that we have, and just a fun, laid-back
atmosphere and a good time,” O’Sullivan
said. Th e bar is named aft er an interesting
piece of Astoria history — the River
Crest Sanitarium, which was located on
Ditmars Boulevard and 26th Street from
1896 to 1962, when it was demolished.
Th e ramp and gatepost that led to the sanitarium’s
rear entrance still exist today on
26th Street, but the ramp now leads to a
fenced-off dead end as the land is currently
home to St. John’s Preparatory. Th e sanitarium
tended to chronic and mental illnesses,
but celebrities of the era and people
of affl uent backgrounds oft en went to
River Crest as a retreat because of the lavish
property and sprawling landscape. Th e
bar pays homage to this interesting piece
of history with artwork, like a glamorous
woman with electroshock wires adorned
on her head, and a bathroom that features
Rivercrest
33-15 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria
347-808-7887
rivercrestny.com
@rivercrestnyc
a large vintage advertisement for the sanitarium
across the wall above the sinks.
Rivercrest’s food menu pays homage
to the Astoria melting pot with eclectic
and fun dishes like street tacos fi lled with
everything from Greek chicken to Baja
fi sh, which have been extremely popular
since the bar opened. Burgers like the
Rivercrest Standard have been a big hit
with customers. Another tasty choice is
the harvest grain bowl, which consists of
ingredients like toasted farro and barley,
chickpeas, pomegranate, roasted sweet
potato and feta with tzatziki sauce. A
brunch menu is coming soon.
Th e owners try to source their ingredients
locally and make everything in
house.
“We source as locally as possible,”
O’Sullivan said. “We want to try to stay
within the community; some things you
obviously have to source from elsewhere,
but our hot sauces are from Hellgate —
it’s an Astoria brand. Same with beer as
well. A majority of the beer options on
the menu are from New York, but some
that aren’t local are so good that we put
them on.”
Th e bar’s menu features quite a list of
craft beers and cocktails. Some cocktails
that are already big hits are the “hard to
stay sober,” made with Tito’s grapefruit,
rosemary syrup and soda, and the “Fire of
1901,” which consists of Viva tequila, jalapeno,
pineapple, fresh lime, smoked chili
bitters and coconut water. Th ey also have
cocktails on tap, like their seasonal red
sangria and the classic old-fashioned.
Fun events are in the works, such as
movie night, which will consist of a feature
fi lm and a special menu option that
complements the evening’s entertainment.
Right now, the neighborhood is becoming
familiar with the area’s newest addition,
with passersby stopping in to experiment
with what the bar has to off er.
According to the owners, it seems like
locals agree that it was worth the wait;
Rivercrest has been brimming with customers
so far.
“It’s funny because we weren’t expecting
it to be so crazy right off the bat,”
O’Sullivan said. “But as soon as we opened
the doors, it’s been full. We basically doubled
staff from what we originally thought
we would need, so it’s been great.”
Four more chances to see the classic
comedy audiences have fallen in love with.
“Wonderfully performed.”
“Amazing! I loved it!”
A Queens Theatre Production
Neil Simon’s
Barefoot
in the Park
Directed by Brant Russell
Through Sunday, Nov. 24
Newlyweds Corie and Paul have just moved into their new home,
a fifth-floor walkup with no bathtub, little heat and a hole in the
skylight—apparently the honeymoon is over.
Neil Simon’s biggest Broadway hit has it all—quirky neighbors,
meddling mothers-in-law, advice-giving telephone repairmen, and
plenty of laughs. In other words, all the ingredients for
a breezy comedy where love ultimately conquers all.
Tickets: $20-$40
Save $10 with Code: COURIERBAREFOOT
Call the Box Office at 718-760-0064 or
visit www.queenstheatre.org to purchase tickets.
Queens Theatre is located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, next to
the Unisphere. FREE parking. FREE shuttle from Mets-Willets Point
Station on the 7 line to theater front door begins 1 hour prior to
curtain.
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