R.I.P. Sidetracks. Blown up in explosion about 2:30 AM this morning. Nothing left of the newly renovated restaurant. I was only in there once, saw it remodeled twice, better each time. Hope it rebuilds soon.

Visiting NY with my dad, we originally went to some other bar but they didn't have food. I was first deterred because of the high prices of their cocktails, but they ended up having $5 rail and martinis. So, we stayed. My dad ordered the shrimp but didn't want risotto so he opted for the mashed potatoes and spinach. The sauce was good! The shrimp could have been a bit more flavored, but they were huge. The bartender was super nice and chatted up my dad about the World Cup. Good atmosphere and clean restrooms.

Went for Sunday brunch this past weekend. We got there at noon and requested a table for 6. They suggested that without a reservation it would be hard to accommodate us but that we could sit at a table in the bar area and dine there. We got a great high-top table near the windows in the front. We started with tater tots for the table and ordered our $20 unlimited boozy brunch cocktails (option of mimosa, Bellini, Bloody Mary, Yuengling or Bud Light). My first unlimited cocktail was a Bloody Mary but switched over to the mimosas because it was too strong and not very flavorful. Our food came out prompt and correct. I had the seafood Cobb salad with shrimp, crab, scallop and bacon... DELISH! Great service and friendly tentative staff. Definitely a neighborhood keeper!

Sidetracks Restaurant & Bar is a neighborhood bar/restaurant. It is a pretty big place. Huge bar that seats 30 plus. Plenty of TVs. Large dinning area which can easily seat 80 or so guests. Private Room in the back. I mean if you are meeting a couple of friends or holding a dinner party for 50; they can do the job. Very comfortable anywhere you sit; at the bar or table. I was here for a charity event in the back and had a great time. Staff was accommodating with the drink. Food was tasty. Good time had by all. While I was drinking Bud Lite, Sidetracks has a good variety of beer in a bottle, as well as draft beers. Same for liquor, lots of choices. If you can't find an adult beverage here, you have issues. Service at the bar very friendly. CC friendly. My buddy told me they have live music on occasion. Sidetracks Restaurant & Bar is one of the nicer places in the hood. Definitely, a date place or for family gatherings.

While I realize it's not everyone's favorite venue, I've been fortunate to rarely experience the same hiccups in service at Sidetracks by sheer timing alone (weeknight visits mainly) and I've managed to enjoy the venue for what it is: a casual eatery and/or a decent happy hour spot. From an interior standpoint, this is one of the nicer looking establishments in Sunnyside. That may sound like a bit of a reach, but considering the hood's amount of pubs, small'ish dives, and food cart culture, it's not a stretch. The interior is well lit and intimate at the same time and is surprisingly modern and clean. Layout wise, the drinks and entertainment are on one side of the venue, while food and seating is on the other side. Brilliant. Unlike most of the Irish pubs and bars throughout the hood, Sidetracks also happens to operate as a restaurant. They do have a nod to the Irish side in Chicken Curry and Shepherd's Pie, but the rest of the menu is fairly eclectic. On a whole it's a lot of soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, a dash of seafood, pizzas, and burgers. It's not diner food per se, but it's really solid for what it is. I would have no qualms bring a date or a group of folks to enjoy some grub since everyone will have something to eat. The bar is where I'd usually spend most of my time. Bartenders are nice, there is usually a game playing on one of their small screens, and the ambiance is generally more of my speed. Prices are solid during happy hour, but beware of the crowds over the weekend. The place is practically a different animal.

One of my go to places in the neighborhood. I normally sit by the bar area and it can get pretty packed sometimes, but I have also eaten in their dining room. They offer a really good bar menu with a lot of variety, from basic mozzarella sticks, beef satay, chicken cooked a variety of ways, shrimp, pizza, dumplings, etc. I personally love their chicken wings (sauce on the side), nachos, burgers with mushroom and cheese, shepherds pie and fish and chips. Over the years, I tried a lot of different items off their bar menu, and dinner menu and everything has always been delicious. They also have a decent drink menu. On certain nights they do have live music with a pretty good lively after work crowd. I find that its a great place for groups The atmosphere is always fun, pretty relaxing.