Cuckoo’s Nest

Went on a Friday night and it was a good experience. We were a party of two and got a table instead of the bar. We started out with a mixed drink and got three appetizers. The drink size seemed small (honey jack w/​Sprite and a Jameson w/​ginger ale) but its actually more than you might think. The glass cups they use were just conceiving. For $ 6 each, it’s a pretty good price for drink. Food wise: the curry fries were okay, the calamari was pretty good and the chicken tenders were my friends favorite. Portion wise for appetizers were on the large size especially the tenders. But hey, not complaining because we were full and have leftovers for the next day’s lunch. The bathrooms are clean and I personally liked the music they played. I sang along to quite a handful of songs. The only complaint I can pick out is when we got our second drinks. We ordered two long islands but it took a longggg time. The server apologized and said that she’s waiting for the bartender to make it and if she knew how, she would’ve made it. I guess she made our first drink and I have no complaints. Getting a beer would’ve been quicker I assume. Other than that, I would come back again.

The best steak sandwich I have ever had. I used to get it with onion rings, but they got rid of that option. The bartender there is a real gentleman and an overall nice guy. They have a bunch of TVs there and mostly play games with NY teams. Their loaded nachos are good too. Not a huge selection of beer but good enough.

So I’ll be honest. I feel extremely unwelcome in this place everytime I go (3 times). I can only sum this up as racism. I’ve had friends go and they enjoy it. But when I go I always have the worst service. The bartenders give me the worst looks like as if I spat in their face. I always tip and always say thank you. Never once have I heard a your welcome or been greeted with a smiling face. In fact they seem completely disinterested in taking my order. (Total of 5 people in the bar). Ill see them smile and laugh with other patrons but yet I continue to get stares and smart ass responses to very simple questions. I wasnt loud, I wasnt rude, I didnt steal a seat, I did nothing to deserve such treatment. In short I will never return to this place and will be sure to tell everyone I know in woodside about my experiences. If you are a person of any color other than white the. I highly recommend going elsewhere. The only positive things I can say is that the drinks are cheap and the food is good. Thus 2 stars.
Thanks

Probably the best fish n’ chips in Woodside Queens nothing like it. I don’t go for the pub I go for the food!

I absolutely love this place and it has become my neighborhood go-​to spot. My friend and I hold our weekly wine nights here. Great food and drinks, a laid back and fun atmosphere, and the best people around. Tanya, Sinead, and Bridgit are amazing and welcoming. So thankful for this little neighborhood treasure!

Sharon the bartender is a legend! She introduced me to bloody Mary’s with bacon ! Best brunch by far in NYC

Food was really good but the staffs were really unkind. Good food but horrible service.

Irish Bar + McGregor’s 13 second knockout = One Great Night

This place is terrible I don’t know what you people are eating but it absolutely sucks. The first time I came here I ordered chicken nachos. The chicken was hard and the chips were the colorful dyed chips that are ultra greasy and leave a colorful stain on your plate (no Bueno). Even though I was displeased I decided to give it another try because of the reviews stupid me. I ordered their chicken Caesar salad and it had to be the nasties salad I ever had in my life, like how do you mess up a Caesar salad?! Wasted $ 20 on garbage. Not coming back.

Not bad. We went here to see an MMA fight. Nice layout. We had Nachos and it was good. The service was good up until 11:00 PM when we were cashed out. The waitress said, «I been working since 10, I had no sleep and we (the waitresses) want to watch the fight.» So the bar was 4 – 5 deep and we were on our own even though we came here early to get a table, paid our 10 bucks to get a seat and the establishment tells us to fetch our own drinks? That turned us off and we left soon afterwards. That got me pissed, since they could have made at least 200 dollars extra on drinks but we departed. Sad they dont want to make more money. Bars in better places would serve tables until 1 AM. Just my opinion.

A communication snafu left my friend stranded outdoors one dead winter night, with luggage holding all his worldly possessions and no cell phone. It was already closing time, but the owner of Cuckoo’s Nest welcomed him in with his hearty Irish brogue. A half hour later (sufficient time for me to zoom from the airport, and way past closing time), the owner welcomed me in when I tapped on the window like a timid bird. It was all very romantic.
Of all the Irish pubs in Woodside, Cuckoo’s Nest is my favorite. There’s rarely a slow evening here — always lots of Irish people hanging around the entrance smoking (but it sometimes blows right back into the bar). Game days are taken seriously, with multiple flatscreens around the room as well as blackout curtains and a projection screen against the front wall.
They have a full kitchen. The food is normal, tasty pub fare — less blatantly Irish than Sean Og’s (even the curry and chips here is unusual, served covered in scallions), but everything is brought hot.
Walk in and seat yourself, but note that there’s waitservice at the tables. Some of the two-​person tables have cozy armchairs where you feel like you’re going to melt right into the leather.
Especially because of the owner’s hospitality, but also because it’s just a great pub, Cuckoo’s Nest is my go-​to for a pint of Blue Moon with someone I like.

Who knew this cool bar existed in Woodside!!! I came with my good friend for a unexpected Monday. Definitely great times. This Irish pub was very cozy and cool. We sat in lounge chairs and not only had a brusky but also ordered food. The staff was friendly. I wasn’t trying to go all out on a Monday night, but I did order Angry orchard. Actually we both did. It was very refreshing and so happy the waitress brought cups of ice. The food menu is expansive. I was planning to order a caesar salad, but couldn’t resist when I saw crab cakes. So that was my choice. My friend ordered a steak sandwich without the fries. We try to be good when we go out. Ha. The food took a few to come out. We both were happy when the dishes had a side of salad. Score. The food was delish. The crab cakes were actually shaped in the form of a ball. There was a spicy aioli that complemented the dish. The salad with balsamic vinagrette was delicious and on a bed of mango. Very nice dish. I enjoyed it very much. The steak sandwich was delicious as well. The steak was tender and cooked well. My friend enjoyed it and finished it. She also enjoyed her salad. The ambiance was very chill and great for a relaxing evening just chatting or watching Monday night football. I will definitely be coming back.

Yesterday few of my neighbors and I went to Coocko’s nest for beer to cool down on very hot & humid day. The food and beer was nice and we enjoyed ourselves until live band start playing Irish music and they opened the doors and windows mind it it was one of the hottest July days almost 95 degrees and humid. We grabbed the check and moved to another bar where AC was on and we can hear our conversation. It’s not a good idea to have doors & windows open on hot summer day!

Woodside bars… «a dime a dozen».
Let me tell you something, maybe its all the competition in the area but the bars by the LIRR they know how to cook!
I have yet had anything not tasty at Cuckoo’s Nest and being from the neighborhood I am there a lot. Cuckoos Nest is a nice mix of seated dining, they have these really big padded chairs you can eat in, and bar dining. I prefer seating at the bar, but that’s just me. I have also noticed the bartenders are more attentive then the servers. The servers tend to be over worked and can be a bit slow. (sorry guys! Love this place, but its true… servers either need more help, or better training).
All in all a great place. Food is REALLY good. I’ve had pasta dishes at the irish pub that are delicious! If you are in the area, and you need help deciding… read this Unilocal and there is your answer.

A few steps away from the loud, chaotic Sean Og’s lies Cuckoo’s Nest – a quieter, friendlier neighborhood bar with live acoustic music, and the kind of sit-​down bar where you can enjoy the three joys of life: beer, food, and live music. And small/​long talks, if you’re into that.
Cuckoo’s Nest has easily made its way to being one of my favorite bars in the neighborhood. The drinks are reasonably-​priced and the food is pretty good. It’s a lot like The Kettle, but less crowded. The drinks are reasonably-​priced and the bartender, Spuddy, is a real Irish gentleman with a fun personality! The Taco Fries are delicious, but they can be a hit or miss.
It’s never packed in here and there’s always enough space for you to sit and stand. Not a huge beer selection – they only carry about 1 or 2 different beers of each kind. If you’e not looking for anything loud, rowdy, or crowded, this is a good staple to fall back on.

Great food and service. Sharon is absolutely an amazing bartender and Tanya is a great server also. Great lunch options and dinner options.

My favorite Irish bar in the area. Try their curry fries. The food is actually really good. The layout is half bar half restaurant. The restaurent gest buys at dinner time. They have live bands on friday sat nights.
Joe the bartender is a cool and funny guy.

On a recent trip to New York, I didn’t realize that I’d be staying way the heck far from the city in one of the distant ‘burbs out in Long Island. «Don’t worry, you can just take the LIRR to get to the city.» Fair enough. Unfortunately, what wasn’t mentioned was the near 90 minute commute time on the LIRR to get anywhere remotely into the city.
Anyway, I got off at Woodside, because it was where I could supposedly switch from LIRR to MTA, and find my way into the Bronx, and partially because coffee turns my bladder into that of a five-​year old’s, and combined with the hour on the LIRR, it was time to get off the train.
Now I don’t like being one of those people who seeks out a McDonald’s and uses their restrooms and runs, because the chivalrous part of me thinks that any establishment should get something back from me for providing a service. After walking a block off of the Woodside station, I saw a Rite Aid, and I figured I could use their ATM, and possibly find a restroom or something. But then I saw the neighboring sign of a place called «Cuckoo’s Nest» which was obviously a bar, and then thought the same thought that all closeted alcoholics think from time to time: «or maybe it’s a good time to stop for a beer.»
So, into the Cuckoo’s Nest it was, and it was a cozy, dimly lit bar, where people were glued to the televisions, watching Premier League football. I can dig.
And so to not make it obvious that my objective was the restroom, I sat down at the bar and ordered a Queens Brewerly lager, because my rule of travel is to not consume anything that can be consumed at home, and there’s no better thing to try than a local brew.
Go ahead, call me a tourist for this one, but I have to say that I was blown away by the simple notion that the people working at the Irish pub, actually had Irish accents. Like seriously blown away at that. But I loved it.
Anyway, a lot of words for a pint and a bathroom trip (which was surprisingly clean and not frightening like small pubs have a reputation for), but for the most part, I look back at my trip fondly and brief stop at the Cuckoo’s Nest was a part of it.
Eventually I’ll be back in Queens, since I’ve never visited Citi Field, and given the chances that I’ll require the LIRR then too, I think Cuckoo’s Nest has a high probability of being visited again.

I was in the area & my friend & I decide to grab a drink. the place itself is nothing crazy, large bar area & typical bar décor I liked the shinny disco ball hanging from the ceiling.
We sat at the bar I got some Stella beer, can’t go wrong & a Jack & diet for my friend both always a good choice.
Since we just sat for drinks this review is short & sweet, decent bar to just chill in.

Great food and service. Was a slow night on a sat but all in all a great Irish pub.
What’s great is they serve food really late which is great when your out having a few beers and get hungry. That’s an A PLUS for me.