winegasm eatery

Right around the corner from my place, I love coming here after work. It's a nice alternative to staying late in the city and cabbing home. I just wish their kitchen was open late as well.

Pros: location, wine and food selection

Cons: no food service after midnight

Posted 06/22/09

I just wanted to comment on this little spot me and my friends recently stumbled upon. I was initially both curious and slightly put off by the weird name but once inside I was pleasantly surprised, decor and ambiance were A++, it was a Tuesday night and the place was hosting an ''Open Mic'' event, at first there were not too many people and the gentleman behind the bar said it was a "calm before the storm" and true to his words about an hour into the event the place was packed with young "new age" Astoria crowd. I have been living in this neighborhood for a few years now and always wished there were more places like this one with a Manhattan "feel" .. so I think this place might save me a trip to Manhattan on occasion! Overall, really impressed, staff was minimal ( I only saw 3 people including the cook) but really friendly and the food was excellent, we tried some smaller and larger shares (goat cheese stuffed peppers and bacon mac & cheese) REALLY awesome! Wine selection seemed extensive I am not a big wine drinker but glass of Italian red they recommended (a Super Tuscan? ) was spot on. Great addition to the neighborhood!

Pros: ladies, ambience, food!

Cons: none

Posted 02/23/09

Really nice place, decent selection of wines and the staff has good recommendations but VERY small portions for the prices.

Cons: portion size

Posted 02/08/09

Traditional wine bar with seasonal cocktails and inventive apps. Gracious hosts provide attentive service that makes you feel at home. Open mic nights supporting local artists, generous brunches and educational wine tasting classes are among the many incentives of this place. Much needed for the area.

Posted 01/12/09

Just lovely! Walked in Friday evening, it was fairly busy but not crowded. It is so welcoming and cozy. Sophisticated but understated and relaxed. Love the central communal table (fantastic for large group parties!) The staff are a great team, very friendly. Iif you are not a wine expert, don't worry - the staff will pick the bottle or drink that's just right for you.
We had a devine bottle of Pere et Fils Pouilly-Fuisse. The food was excellent. Althought they do not serve dinner portion meals you can fill up on the delightful shareable smalls orders. Try the goat cheese filled peppers, Gasm carrot spread or scallops - all so yummy! We had a wonderful evening. Excellent for dates!

Pros: Lovely ambiance, friendly service, great wine, location

Posted 01/10/09

everyone that works here is soooo friendly! all the food and wine we have tried here was awesome!
can't wait to go back again!!!!!!
thanks winegasm

Pros: great service, good food, great decor

Cons: none

Posted 01/03/09

Went to Winegasm for the first time last friday, me and my boyfriend had a great meal, felt the ambiance was really nice , liked the menu selections a lot, we loved the idea of entire menu being offered in family style, tapas where you can mix and match different options. My personal favorite was roasted peppers stuffed with herb goat cheese...they were awesome! My boyfriend had crab cakes followed by filet mignon he said they were some of the best he ever tried! Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable and they put together a wine flight selection to go with our meal. Overall great and charming little spot well worth checking out!

Pros: menu, price, wine selections, staff

Cons: none yet

Posted 12/28/08

I don't understand what the buzz is all about. The wine is okay and the cheeses they serve you are tiny. It is very expensive for queens and the piece of cheese i ordered was paper thin. There are a lot more fun place to go to for better value in Astoria. Do yourself a favor and skip out on this on.

Pros: Bad service, expensive, tiny portions

Posted 11/23/08

Such mixed feelings when writing about my dinner at the winegasm eatery . I enjoyed it, two of my three courses were exceptional, and the service was top-notch. But my main dish was underwhelming, and the timing between courses felt too long. I also felt the atmosphere was a bit on the stuffy and hushed side - perfect for some, for me, looking for a little more life in my surroundings.

Cons: service,food

Posted 10/18/08

Went here with my mom, who has major food allergies. The restaurant was very accommodating and my mom really enjoyed her meal. I also had a coupon which lowered their prices a bit. The service wasn't as good as I remember, but it was still perfectly acceptable.

Pros: fresh food

Cons: staff

Posted 09/29/08

about 6 of us ladies went there on a weds night. i would definitely return, but here are some things that might be helpful . 1. they're in the process of re-doing their menu so about 3 entrees weren't available. i believe it should be all set next week??!!! 2. it can get hot in there so if it's a humid night i could see it not being comfortable sans any a/c (try to sit closest to the outside if possible). 3. you'll have to try the spicy almonds!! the food was delicious when it did come. 4. the wait for food can be a bit long, but worth it. it's more of a wine bar so the tiny cooking station can only do so much at a time. 5. the wait staff and managers are fantastic and totally accommodating. this is a low key swanky place. it's great for an intimate date or for a group.

Pros: very nice wait staff/excellent food/intimate atmosphere

Cons: long wait for food/ a lot of food was not available on the menu b/c they were changing the menu

Posted 08/20/08

I am Executive Chef James B. Lucas founding team member to winegasm and I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has exprienced the dinning pleasures that I worked so hard to create at wingasm.
I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews .
As I move on to other creative ventures I would like to let astoria know that i will miss this place and the wonderful people who enjoyed my creations on a daily basis.
I would also like to ensure you that the team that I was blessed with will still remain to ensure the excellence that has been established in the foundation of this soon to be great bistro.
Hope to see you soon at winegasm thanks agian astoria !!!
Your in my heart and mind forever EXECUTIVE CHEF JAMES B.LUCAS WINEGASM ASTORIA QUEENS NY.

Pros: fresh and healthy food

Cons: n/a

Posted 07/25/08

Wow, this place is killer ... it has awesome food and wine and is not a sore spot for the eyes either. I like their music choices as well.

Pros: Great place to meet people

Cons: None as of yet

Posted 06/05/08

Like the enviorment...
less of the cheesy "astoria euro trash' and more of the neighborhood, cool peeps that can't afford or care to do Manhattan and others who live in proximity.

Athough everything is good... it could be better. It would be great if they rotated the wine selection and menu.
We have gone there at least 5 times in the past six months and nothing has changed. all the same. enthusiasm is there, but creativity beyond the original thought is lacking.

Winegasm... please change the menu weekly... at least monthly! Change the menu to reflect the seasons of different regions of wine that you carry. Pair the wine with the food. Offer suggestions on the menu.

I like it, but I want to love it! Please make me winegasm...SOON!

Pros: friendly staff, great atmosphere, neighborhood 'artsy' feel

Cons: decent wine, need to change up wine selection and add more creativity

Posted 06/04/08

OH my God this place is awsome my man and i stopped by after a busy day at work in manhattan he is a Chef and I work front of the house mangement we where both out of it after a busy saterday at work and needed some down time and the winegasm gave it too us with more...
we loved the decour and wine excellent chioce by the glass after a few wonderful glasses we got something to snack on an couldn,t stop.
we enjoyed 5 courses of smoke duck imported ham from spain and this mac and cheese that would make my mother ask for the reciepe.
the grand finale was the foie gras with shrimp I thought I was back in france it was cooked perfectly witch for me is rare in the states.
the price list just right.
service needs polishing.
can not wiat to go back and see what wonders the Chef has come up with next.

Pros: the wine and food with great decour

Cons: service needs training

Posted 05/24/08

We enjoyed brunch for the most part.
My girl friends and i past sevral busy brunch spots only to discovery a gem off the main drag .
what a treat no long lines and we seated our selfs with service right away.
At frist we where not impress by the menu witch was limited but when our server told us about a few items
we got just what we where looking for fair eggs with fresh beans goat cheese and something that look like spinach it was ok, but I wish I would of ordered the french toast after seeing my room mate wolf down this dish that was stuffed with some kind of fruit and some kind of fresh strawberry sauce.
everything was pretty to look at , but too much egg to eat it took up the whole plate and came with some type of potatoe that was great looked stange but tasted wonderful.
service was fair, but the room made up for all that was missing.
the old world look and feel made all of us feel like we where dinning at a kings round table.
We even recieved some type of toast with butter and jam that made me feel like i was at my grandmother on holiday.
the best part was the check very affordable i think we have found a new place to gather on week ends .

Pros: decour

Cons: limited menu

Posted 05/11/08

I enjoyed dinner with my date there a few nights ago ,it was the best exprience I have had in a long time.
I live in Queens and work in Manhattan when I asked my date what would she like to do she said go to france for dinner so a good friend suggested a new spot that was local called winegasm and wow we had arrived in europe with out the long flight.
The decor was dark and chic I ordered a wonderful steak with melted blue cheese and a wonderful red wine sauce that blew me away and my date was very happy with the freshness of her salmon and how pretty it was plated and presented to our table.After finishing every bite I went over to complement the Chef on a great meal and was even more amazed when I saw the size of the work space in this open kitchen.
I still can not believe that such wonderful treats can come out of such a restricting area the only word i can use is magic I thought that Guy must have a magic wand to accomplish what we where seeing with our own eyes as the wait staff scrambled to the roar of service yelled out by the cooking staff.
My date said that she didn,t want her white rice because she was getting ready for her summer wardrob and before I could finsh my steak her fork was digging into my rice because her,s was gone.
Our wine was the perfect match.
The only let down to such a great meal was the dessert selection.
I guest with such a delight 1st and 2nd course and such great wine and attention i expected an equally as great pastry chef sending out more magic.
over all we will be back agian and agian and agian...

Pros: The food makes you feel like your in a 4 star resturant

Cons: needs larger dessert menu

Posted 05/09/08

I found this wine bar a refreshing addition to the up and coming Astoria scene. The first thing that strikes you is the decor - dark wood dominates the space, and in combination with the subtle lighting adds to the feeling of warmth and cozyness. The wine list is very extensive and wonderfully diverse, and is accompanied by a light yet satisfying food menu. Some really interesting flatbread combinations on there - wonderful selection of cheeses also. The staff was very helpful and friendly, and we even got to meet the chef. The check was a nice surprise as well. All in all, it was a wonderful experience, and I will definitely be going again.

Posted 05/07/08

Great place for escaping from Astoria ... Attentive owners and amazing small dishes. Great place to meet some new people as well.

Posted 05/07/08

I have some friends in Astoria and have enjoyed coming with them to this newly opened spot. It is a refreshing alternative to other bars/restaurants in the area - offering top quality wine and food without the treck into Manhattan. The food is both light and satisfying - they have some inventive appetizers and quite an extensive array of options, especially considering this is a wine bar.

The wines are excellent and there quite a few options by the glass. The management and owners interact with everyone in the restaurant, making recommendations and pouring wines themselves.

Overall, this place has a warm - local bar feeling with the upscale ambiance & menus that one would expect in Manhattan. I'm excited about the wine tasting classes and new events coming up at this venu!

Pros: food and wine menu are great, ambiance is upscale, reasonable prices

Cons: parking may be challenging

Posted 05/04/08

From the moment you walk in, the place makes you feel welcome. The wine list is delightful and the owners are wonderful people who recommend you the best of what they have to offer. Great appetizers include great cheese assortment and my favorite roasted beets and baby fennel salad. I have brought many of my friends there since the opening and they always has a great time. People are starting to even come from other parts of town just to check them out. The place is definitely changing the face and feel of Astoria. I also heard they will be holding wine tasting classes in the near future. So definitely keep this place on your top 10 list to checkout.

Posted 05/01/08

Went to Winegasm last Friday and really enjoyed the atmosphere. I ordered a bottle of the Malbec and was not disappointed...Also, it was actualy nice to meet a couple of the neighbors from the hood. I like this spot because it?s very different from the other places around here...looking forward to this Friday :)

Pros: Ambience

Posted 05/01/08

Never has it happened before that after a 3 course dinner and 2 glasses of wine I went to another restaurant to eat normal food. It is a wine tasting place that serves some light appetizers to go along. Don?t confuse this place with a restaurant and don?t take your date there! Too pretentious and expensive for Astoria.

Posted 05/01/08

I came to Winegasm with my girlfriends on Saturday night and fell in love with the place. Really cool spot. The decor is beautiful and the ambiance was perfect for a quiet girls night. The somelier personally recommended a few different reds for us that were great, and we shared two spreads one with goat cheese and the other with prosciutto and pesto. So good. We also tried the croque monsieur, equally good. The staff was really welcoming, and over all we had a blast. We will without a doubt be coming back soon.

Pros: Decor, food, wine

Cons: None so far

Posted 04/14/08

beautiful decor, straight-forward but foodie-worthy menu (except the "signature" truffled dip...total baby-food texture), lots of wines to choose from. enjoyed meeting the chef, really nice guy, seems super enthusiastic about the menu he's put together. the down side is the rest of the staff, way too much attitude for this neighborhood. hovering, obnoxious. generally when i go out in the neighborhood i look for something relaxed and comfortable, but it was hard for my date and i to relax when our waiter (the somelier??) was over our shoulder the whole night.

Pros: decor, wine list

Cons: music way too loud, snooty staff

Posted 04/13/08

Really like this joint - really good small dishes and vino; my boyfriend and I met the French owner and thought he was amazin..Looking forward 2 returning.

Pros: romantic

Posted 04/08/08

The place was really great, particularly considering it just opened. Nowhere to go but up at that point. The food was great... broad assortment... with involved owners interested in the opinions and input of their customers and keeping them happy. Cocktails were great... wine list was certainly on its way up... and overall its a worthwhile repeat, no question.

Pros: great package

Cons: none yet...

Posted 04/05/08

All the chicness of Manhattan without the pretentiousness. Decor is stunning, food is downright affordable (all items below $10) and the wine selection is impressively chosen by an in-house sommelier. Owners are friendly guys too.

Posted 03/31/08

We went here last night, which apparently was a special friends, family, and neighbors night. (They officially open 4/2)
The owners were there, and were really warm and friendly. The atmosphere, decor, etc. was great.
And the food was incredible! I can't wait to go back for the bacon-wrapped prunes on a daily basis! Seriously fantastic!

Pros: ambiance

Cons: hven't found one yet

Posted 03/28/08