Istria Sport Club
“This time it's the Istria Sports Club, an unlikely destination for many who are unfamiliar with Istria or Croatia.”
“The members only/ old men's card club environment is a little intimidating if you're not prepared.”
“Doesn't matter when you go here you can find a bar full of old men watching soccer.”
Istria Sport Club
Takes Reservations: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Coat Check: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
1 review
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Ok, first off, I'm Istrian and I've been coming here since I was 4-5 years old so I'd like to consider myself a subject matter expert on this place (since previous reviews contain some misinformation) in particular and Istrian cuisine.
As far as I know, this is the one of the only places in NYC that serves strictly Istrian fare. A handful of other Istrian owned spots in Astoria, under the banner of 'Northern Italian cusine' serve a few Istrian plates here and there, but going here is going to a small spot in Pula or Labin, Croatia. Now, keep in mind, we are Croatian, but we have a different cusine, compared to Croats from say Zagreb or the Dalmatian coast. We have some Austrian influence, Venetian (Northern Italian ) influence and Slavic influences in our dishes, which usually makes for some damn good food.
The upstairs is usually reserved for large parties and get togethers. The main dining area is downstairs. As soon as you walk in, you have a bunch of tables where you can usually find old school Istrians (say hi to my dad on Sundays) playing card games like tresette and briskula and sipping on wine and beer. Then to the left you have a small dining area with only about 7-9 tables, with another glassed in area outside with additional tables. Behind that area there is actually a bocce court that anyone can play on, weather permitting!
The menu is small but very good. If you are going here for the first time and like pasta, GET THE FUZI, YOU WILL THANK ME LATER! Fuzi are a homemade type of Istrian pasta and it's usually served with a light veal sauce. In a word: DELICIOUS. It's almost as good as how my family makes it. All the veal, chicken and seafood dishes are fresh and well executed. If you aren't in the mood for fuzi, definitely try the gnocchi, branzino (european sea bass) or any of the fish dishes. I wouldn't go with the cevapicici or mijesano meso, since us Istrians aren't really known for that. If you want cevapi or more Balkan style food, try Djerdan, Ukus or Cevabdzinica Sarajevo, which are all in Astoria as well.The wine selection is good as well. The wait staff is very friendly and professional, although wit some of the wait staff, English isn't their strongest language. Nothing in here is really pricey, whether it be the drinks, wine or the food. You can easily have a dinner for two, appetizers, a karafe or two of wine and spend under $80.
Although the menu is limited, definitely hit this spot up for a small taste of Istrian cooking. And a little FYI, don't refer to the people there as 'Croats', most people there like to be simply reffered to as 'Istrian'.
One last tidbit, they don't take credit cards, so plan accordingly.