Queens is the most underrated borough when it comes to food. When I talk to people about NYC, they instantly think about Brooklyn or Manhattan but I am here to drop some Queens gems on your palette. Austin’s Ale House is one of them.
My first adventure to Austin’s Ale House was extremely laid back. They had a casual dress code, was serving brunch, and they are in a location where I could find any parking near. The restaurant is big, so when you walk in you can either go towards the left to the bar and lunch area or to the right for dinner. There was also an outside patio area that I didn’t learn about until after I got home and went on the website. There were televisions with the World Cup on and a family rooting for Ecuador in the middle of the room. My father and I decided to sit in the main lunch area surrounded by dartboards, paintings, and a random lotto machine.
Once we were seated, we received our menus. I chose the steak & eggs Father’s Day Brunch Special which included mini muffins, bagels, a fruit cup, and a MIMOSA. My dad ordered a cheeseburger and onion rings (a pretty simple meal, if I were him I would have ordered the most extravagant item, knowing my daughter is paying the bill). Our waiter, Andrew, was really invested in us. He shook my dad’s hand, told him Happy Father’s Day, expressed how he wishes he could be home with his but he is working until 11pm, and told us if we need anything, “Just yell, scream, shout.” Service is important to me; my ideal waiter is timely, checking in at the right moments, and FULL OF PERSONALITY! Andrew was exactly that!
So we’ve talked about decor and service but what about the food? My starters of a fruit cup and bread were good enough to hold me during the wait. The steak & eggs were delicious! I had very specific orders that my steak was medium well and my eggs were scrambled well because I HATE runny eggs. Instead of using AI sauce, I used the restaurant’s own steak sauce, it was the precise balance of bold and spicy. The meat was tender and flavorful so I didn’t have to chew forever. My father said his burger was good, I’m not a burger person so I didn’t take a bite, but I did try the onion rings and loved that they actually had real onions inside instead of that fake mushy stuff.
