Gastroteca

What a surprise! We are a family of four and each one of us loved our dish. The atmosphere was casual with large industrial windows allowed natural light into the restaurant. I was surprised how noisy the restaurant was especially since it was less than half full. But the food was wonderful! The Texas toast is a decadent outrage. And our dessert, the chocolate cake with chocolate gelato was one of the best desserts we have had. We will definitely be coming back here!

The food was exceptional. High five to the chef.
HOWEVER… BIG NOTE TO THE MANAGER:
SERVE WHAT YOU ADVERTISE ON THE MENU
I don’t know about everybody else, but if you advertise the salmon with Broccolini, don’t give me sautéed spinach! I know the difference!
Also, how fancy! A pear and Gorgonzola chopped arugula salad!
Funny – that arugula looked a whole lot like regular romaine lettuce.
Take pride in your word.
WE NOTICE.

Cool place from outside, but the whole experience was bad. I liked the interior of the restaurant and the whole vibe. They play nice jazz on the background and they also play old movies on the projector which is nice. But the food is not that great. I ordered asparagus parmigiana for appetizer for 10 $ and it was like in a cheap diner restaurant. After that i ordered a cocktail and I couldn’t drink it at all, it was that bad. Then I ordered Stella and they brought me just a bottle without a glass and with a paper all over the bottle. And then i ordered salmon, they overcooked it, so i got almost black salmon, and they didn’t provide a lemon for salmon. I know i may sounds picky, but when it comes to pay for a dinner $ 100 for two, I would like to have a nice experience and nice food. I wouldn’t recommend this place.

I’ve come here for dinner on a few occasions (always with a reservation) and the food is always good. Our frequent server, Anna, makes great recommendations on wine and food. Last visit we had the salmon and horseradish risotto and it was the best dish I’ve had there. The salmon is cooked rare and is delicious. The risotto was flavored perfectly (warning, there are peas in it, in case you’re not a fan, BUT the people at my table who don’t like peas still enjoyed it!). Seriously, we didn’t want this dish to end! It was just a special the night we went, but we hope it makes it into the regular menu! *hint hint*
The crostini apps are always a treat, highly recommend trying the 3 for $ 10 deal. The kale caesar salad is an unexpected jem, with crutons and bacon tossed in.
Organic Montepulciano from their wine list is also highly recommended.

I have now been here several times, to include ringing in the New Year, and it is hand’s down, my favorite spot in Astoria. Whether I just want a cocktail, or a gorgeous steak, I always leave full and happy. I am on a mission to bring everyone I know to Gastroteca!

It’s ok.
Probably not to go back to though.
Besides always being over booked for since there isn’t many decent breakfast and brunch spots in Astoria anymore, the food is just not great.
It’s just ok.
We ordered the classic eggs Benedict, the hollandaise sauce was pretty good but everything other than that was blah.
The muffin on the bottom was black burned and you could very much taste it, the ham on top was pretty cheap ham that you could get in a deli. And it was served with hand cut fries, that were not done. I literally tried 5 of them and gave up, they were completely raw potatoes with only outside done. So not eatable.
We also ordered a latte, they did a decent job with it since they don’t have a coffee machine to make a real one.
And we also ordered the Nutella stuffed French toast, which was pretty good. It would be great if they served it with some berries to contrast the heaviness of all that sugar, dough and Nutella.
Cute, but not great, probably not coming back.

Went here for brunch on a Saturday. Got a seat right away which was really nice. Good menu with a variety of choices. Note they only have whole milk when ordering lattes which deterred me from ordering one but my brother got a mocha latte and enjoyed it.
The spinach and goat cheese omelette was pretty good. The piece of toast and the home fries it came with were delicious. My brother said that his dish, the smoked salmon crostino, was spicy and ok. Not sure he would get it again but he agreed that the bread and home fries were great and he would come again to try something new.

A real treat! From the service to the food, it was really excellent — great gf options!
We live not too far and have been wanting to try it out for some time. When we arrived, we immediately loved the atmosphere — cozy, soft lighting and not too loud. We were seated right away and immediately greeted by Allison (hope I spelled that correctly). She was just the best. Attentive, knowledgeable, accommodating and really gracious.
We ordered shaved Brussels sprouts to start — delicious. And for dinner, we had the Pollo Rosemary and Linguini with clams. Highlights included how tasty the chicken was. Often, chicken can get super dry but this was really great. Get this if you go there!
I loved that I could easily sub gluten free penne in for the linguini and it was still super delicious. The sauce combo with the bacon and clams was really unique.
I would go back in a heartbeat and try other things and take a few friends when they visit. Most of all, I’d say the #1 highlight was Allison. She was excellent.

We stumbled on Gastroteca on a whim due to other Unilocal reviews! And we don’t regret it. The exterior of the restaurant needs a sign for newcomers though.
Upon arriving, we were seated at a table for two right away. The waiter came by asking for water preferences and drinks. We had tap water with a glass of orange juice. The juice was so fresh.
Our entrees consisted of steaks and eggs and the crispy gnocchi. The steak was medium and the eggs were well done sprinkled with Italian seasoning Which was an interesting mix up! The fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, absolutely perfect. As for the spinach salad it was dressed lightly. No complaints.
The crispy gnocchi was not as crispy as I wished. They were a little soft and mushy. The gnocchi was dressed in a pesto cheese sauce that was great and topped with more cheese. Who doesn’t love cheese? But delicious nonetheless. If the portion was smaller it would serve as a great appetizer.
Overall, I would recommend this restaurant to my friends and I will definitely be back to try the grits and carbonara.

What I liked about this place was that it was cute. But other than that I would not go back. I went here after work one day with my two coworkers to get an early dinner & drinks. We were the only ones inside at about 3:30 in the afternoon. Upon entering I smelled mop cleaner throughout the place. That bothered me.
We were told we could sit anywhere. I liked the set up of the place. It’s very comfortable and quaint.
I didn’t care for the menu at all. It is very sparse. They have two sandwiches and one burger choice. A few brunch items and several pasta dishes that they claim all pasta is in house made.
No bread basket brought out, no sangria on their menu.
I ordered a chicken club sandwich. The bread was too hard. They had melted cheese on top of the top bread then places a wet pickle spear on top which wet the bread. There was supposed to be a garlic aioli on the sandwich but there was barely any. The avocado was turning brown. And there was maybe one or two very thin slices of chicken breast on the bottom. The prosciutto that it was supposed to have on it didn’t taste good at all. It came with fries. Those were crispy and seasoned well. But not worth $ 12 at all.
The waiter took out order and never came back. We had to all the host for more napkins.

Quality dining at this «gastroteca.» I was at my friends’ catered wedding reception here, so we got to navigate our way through much of the menu. Everything was good, from soup to nuts.
We started with oysters and tuna crudo, a very tasty prelude to the main events. Competently mixed drinks were flowing.
For me the standouts were creamy polenta, veal meatballs, balsamic glazed lamb ribs, and the arancini (mushroom, truffle, and stracchino). Wow.
There was way more food than I could eat without bursting at the seams. Needless to say, worth a visit.

Came here for brunch while trying to put off the Sunday Scaries and this place was so excellent it had me thinking it was Saturday.
Bloody Mary aficionados will love the Freddy Kreuger, Gastroteca’s spicier take on the drink, made with jalapeño infused vodka.
I had the fried oyster sandwich that was cooked perfectly, albeit it was the size of my face and I could barely get through it. The waitstaff is extremely friendly, and the place was busy enough that you felt like you were at a happening place without feeling claustrophobic.
Sesame Street was being played on the projector, which is actually an amazing thing to watch when you’re a few Bloody Mary’s deep. We asked the bartender if they had put it in on purpose, and they confirmed that it was in fact intentional. How sweet. I’ll definitely be back.

Food and service was great — we were the first ones in and the service was really helpful
The eggs Benedict for brunch is a must.
Also they have a good selection of drinks

I’m in love with Eggs Benedict so when we arrived, that was all that was on my mind. When I cut into my eggs, immediately water spilled out of it all over my plate then followed the yolk. My entire meal became wet and soggy including my home fries. Everything was also flavorless (most likely from all that water).
Staff is friendly and courteous but I probably won’t return.

Came here on labor day for brunch. There were seating available outside, but since it was humid I rather stay in. The waitress took our order and it took forever for the food to come out. She said the kitchen was backed up, but it wasn’t like all the tables were occupied.
I got myself the California benedict, because everyone on Unilocal seems to be getting that. Upon arrival the dish just look sad. I understand that getting a benedict is not a big dish, but at least give me some more home fries. By the way I thought the home fries had more flavor than the California benedict.
The only thing I would say that is good about this place is the décor, and their toast with nutella which was delicious.

I went here for brunch with my sister on Sunday August 30^th. I had the waffle with caramel sauce and an almond based whipped cream. It was so delicious and my two year old niece approved! I just wish that it would have come with eggs I had to order them separately which whopped up my food cost to 16 bux. The décor of the place is beautiful and I’m interested to see what dinner is like although I have seen the menu to know it is more on the pricey side. There are better brunch deals pricewise in Astoria. My sister had a chicken club sandwich that was dry and had slightly burnt toast. She wishes she would have gotten the California eggs benedict she had been debating over, the people next to us had them and they looked so tasty. Would definitely come back since it is such an overall nice spot and service was relatively good.

Came here around 11am for Saturday brunch. The place was pretty empty so we were given a choice between indoor seating or outdoor seating — we chose inside. The place looks like it was just renovated or they do a really good job at maintaining it.
Our waitress did a great job with recommendations. I got the California Benedict with a side of home fries, both were simply delicious. One of my friends got the Polenta, which was very filling. My boyfriend and other friend got the Chicken Club, which they both liked. At the end, the waitress was kind and patient enough split the bill on three cards for us.
My friends also surprised me with the nutella filled Sugar Dusted Texas Toast to celebrate the completion of my Master’s. It cute cause they even put that sparkler thingy on it.
This place is great, highly recommended.

I promised to write a review for this place before Steph gets an opportunity to go here. I came here last night with a friend after we realized we were both starving to death. He frequently comes in for brunch which he said was pretty good. It’s not the boozey I’m going to get you crunked under the table style brunch but they have delicious rustic Italian foods with a modern twist that they claim all endorse fresh ingredients found locally in Astoria.
For dinner we split the appetizer trio of bruschetta ($ 10): Fig Jam, Ricotta, and Prosciutto — Kind of a standard toast spread, it was tasty but not the best of the bunch. Stracchino, garlic, mushrooms — My personal favorite and definitely the most flavored with a rich thick soft cow’s cheese. Sicilian Pineapple, mascarpone, chili flakes — Absolutely nothing was wrong with this. It was sweet and spicy and pretty much perfection.
For my entrée I ended up going with the Crispy Gnocchi ($ 16): Pistachio pesto, spinach, and a liberal amount of shredded ricotta salata adorned on top. The dish was flavorful and I enjoyed the crispy exterior of the gnocchi which you don’t typically find. The pastas definitely tasted hand made. Portions I will say for $ 15 – 20 dishes are pretty small as hell. While it was personally filling for me because of the density of the pasta and the richness I still usually expect more bang for your buck. This is Astoria after all. He ordered the Linguini Limone ($ 14): Accompanied with ramps and 4 cloves of garlic. I swear I tasted bacon and eggs in this but maybe I’m just crazy. It was sinfully decadent and very similar to a carbonara with extra lemon and garlic. Again, small portions — heavy dish. Service was pretty fast and excellent so I am not sure what all the other Unilocalers are complaining about. Though, the restaurant was pretty empty when I attended. Don’t forget to use your 10% off coupon through Unilocal because I totally did but I’d be willing to give the restaurant another shot, pats Unilocal app lovingly.

Where do I start? We dropped by Gastroteca on a Sunday for brunch. It was our first time there and the décor from the outside drew is in although the ratings were not very high.
I ordered the Bloody Mary to start and I must say, it had all the works but the taste was uninspiring. In it was cauliflower, celery, pickle and an olive amongst other fashionable ingredients but the flavor of the drink tasted watered down with only a bit of spice to show for it.
For food, my girl got the California Benedict. She didn’t seem to mind it much but she would later say it was just ok.
I ordered the smoked salmon crostino with greens (trying to be healthy). The salmon was fishy and when I took a bite of the salad and I felt some sand but I hoped it was my imagination and finished the first bite. But my second bite made me have to spit the food out. I had to hunt down a server to complain and ask for home fries.
Not being satisfied, we got the check only to find out they had charged us for coffee which we did not order. When I pointed this out to a server, he told me he’d get our server to fix it but the check came back with no revisions, forcing me to get up, go to the bar and make it more obvious.
My final (and additional) thoughts on this place is that the employees are there more to socialize than to actually work a living. They were all just standing around or running around and not paying much attention. This place is not even worth the Unilocal check-​in and 10% discount!
«Worst experience ever.» — my fiancé when I told her just now that I’m writing this review

Gastroteca is a very airy gem in the residential areas of Long Island City, perhaps bordering on Astoria? I love their high ceilings, tall windows, outdoor seating, and décor. Our waitress was very enthusiastic and knowledgable of the menu. My friends and I all had their smoked salmon crostino, which is an Italian variation of the classic brunch Norwegian Benedict. While the salmon was fresh, the egg perfectly half runny, crostino toasted to excellence, I still prefer the classic on English muffins.
I also highly recommend their mango juice. Drink it before the ice melts because it has the perfect consistency right when it’s prepared. I didn’t like their iced coffee so don’t come here for good coffee.
Dessert, we tried Panna cotta and tiramisu. I would skip the former and dig in the latter, yum! Best tiramisu I have had in Queens!
Bonus 10% off bill when you check in on Unilocal!It was honored no problem.

Had a lovely brunch here with friends.
Came on a Saturday around 11:30. We were seated immediately. The service was very attentive, and the food was great.
The menu has interesting and inventive brunch options. We were all satisfied with the taste and portion size of our dishes. I had the Nutella filled Texas toast. It was a delicious dish– the toast was not too doughy, nor too sweet. Well balanced and tasty.
The restaurant has nice sunny outdoor seating.
Definitely recommend for a casual brunch.

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner to celebrate our anniversary since our first date was brunch here a year ago.
How disappointing! I don’t blame the servers, who kept apologizing. But the food was SO slow to come out. We sat there for almost 30 minutes before being offered bread for the table. We ordered the fig jam, ricotta, and prosciutto crostini, the Brussels sprouts as an appetizer, the risotto with sweet sausage and kale, and the salmon.
The server described the Brussels sprouts as «sautéed with bacon and garlic» but when they came out they were limp, tasteless, and late! No sign of any bacon or garlic — it tasted like they were just steamed with some salt and olive oil.
The crostini was delicious but maybe we were just ravenous.
Finally! The entrees! The portions were way smaller than expected. My risotto was more watery than creamy, and the beans dominated the taste.
The salmon was kind of bland, but the sauce and corn did spice it up a little. We definitely left here hungry.
All in all, 100% not worth it. I won’t be coming back here, for brunch or dinner. I recommend Café Bar down the street.

I’ll take my parents here when they visit NYC.
My reservations were happily greeted despite arriving a few minutes late.
Talk about finding a golden egg, here’s my experience.
My date and I opened with Kale Caesar Salad. It was perfectly dressed in homemade mediterranean caesar; it shined well on the ripe kale. The oils, seasonings, and cheese, blending perfectly with white anchovie paste. The salad was on par to what I’ve had in $$$$ steak houses.
It was topped with sugar-​cube-​sized croutons and bacon lardons. A dish to remember that prepared us for the entrée.
The entrée was presented open faced to my date with thumb out of the plate– something you see at a 5 star restaurant.
Again, the service and style was impeccable.
Entrée being roasted rosemary chicken on a bed of potatoes mash surrounded by a lovely moat of gravy. Topped with a duo of de-​skined roast plum tomatos.
Each bite was worth every chew.
If I had one request as a chicken going to slaughter, I would ask for this to be my fate.
Desert was presented in the same method, respecting my girlfriend.
A coconut panna cotta spired with a golf ball mango sorbet and pineapple chutney, sitting in a shallow layer of guava soup.
If Gilligan and his crew had this coconut dish, the whole squad wouldn’t have left the island.
After our meal, Chef John the owner himself, came out to greet us and thank us for our patronage. Did they think we were critics from michilen, NY times???
This was a very special service that I will not forget. Unbelievably awesome in pretty much everyway.
An unforgettable meal, excellent service, and adorable atmosphere. I really hope this place is as good on super busy nights.
I was sad it was over, but happy that it happened.