The Bonnie
“The food was fantastic, the drinks were lovely, and the ambiance is similar to sweet afton.”
“I hear good things about the avocado toast but love the salmon sandwich too much to give it a shot.”
“The cocktail menu has something for everyone, but the Imperial Dandy is a good choice for a whiskey drinker.”
The Bonnie
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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*Review is for drinks only*
Came here on a Saturday night around 10:30. We almost passed the Bonnie up in the hopes of stumbling upon greener pastures, but then…there it was. The cocktail menu was staring me straight in the face and had this whole Alice in Wonderland "DRINK ME DRINK ME" thing going on. I couldn't resist. We made the right decision.
Walking in, this place doesn't scream "beer garden" to me. Low lighting, very intimate vibe. Beer gardens, in my experience, are pretty bright and boisterous. That said, the cocktails were what called to me here so I was already in that frame of mind when I entered data collecting mode. You've got some larger tables in the front space with minimal bar seating, and some smaller tables with a second bar in the back. Overall the decor here is cute/quaint. Cool light fixtures, cute wallpaper near the bathroom, exposed brick, lots of wooden accents. There's something slightly hipster about the vibe here but not in an in-your-face kind of way.
The drink menu at the Bonnie is quite diverse. They make use of all spirits in their cocktail list so there's something for everyone, a well-priced draft menu (10-15 beers, nothing too exciting but props for featuring local breweries!), a few specialty shots and some standard wines (all can be ordered by the glass).
I was pretty certain about my cocktail order before sitting down, but we got side-tracked quickly (okay it was really just me, thanks to my ADHD). What I did not notice while skimming the menu outside was a SPICY PICKLEBACK option, which I've only encountered at Whiskey Tavern in Chinatown. So obviously that needed to happen before anything else. Unsurprisingly, these did not disappoint. And thankfully–unlike my night at Whiskey Tavern–I managed to be satisfied with just one of these. My liver might've had a panic attack otherwise.
My cocktail, which I'd highly recommend if you're looking for a cozy, comfy, happy, warm and fuzzy fall glass of yum, was the Good Ol Boy (brown butter-washed bourbon, amaro, pear nectar, burnt orange, lemon, spices, angostura bitters, garnished with a pear slice). Even if you're not a whiskey fan, you could conceivably enjoy this drink–bourbon flavor isn't strong at all. This wasn't the best cocktail I've ever had by any means but it really hit the spot on a cold December night. And if I can't convince you to hop on the whiskey train, try the Marionette (spicy/rich/tequila-based). My friend was very very pleased with it and gives it a ringing endorsement.
Just to give credit where credit is due: I had zero complaints about the service here. A few of the reviews I've seen for the Bonnie are none too kind in this department, but our server was pleasant, personable and efficient.
I would like to update this as I was a bit typsy from said brunch…. and I am not one to be rude in my reviews. Because they weren't "rude" to us…. it was just kind of like we weren't there.
We waited about 30 mins to sit… no big deal, we had some wine. When we finally sat…. it was literally 20 mins before we got ANY service at all.
At this time its about 3:45, brunch is over at 4. We asked if the lunch menu was an option… another No. Okay… no big deal.
Again… another 20 mins to come back and take our order. Food came out relatively fast, but that made sense because:
Food:
Chicken and waffles- chicken was ok, waffle was super soggy and undercooked.
Eggs Benedict- WAY over cooked. Had to send this one back
The Avocado toast- super small and super salty, egg over cooked.
The small potato dish thing- literally nothing in it.
20 mins to get a check….
I have been here for night time drinks, and honestly The Bonnie is beautiful. They did an AMAZING job on that place indoors and out.
Did we have get and "off" day? Maybe….
Will i go back for brunch- nope.
I have been the Bonnie a few times now, mostly for drinks but once for brunch. First of all I love the ambience. They have a great back garden, a good section inside for large groups, and 2 bars. It is so nice to be in a place that doesn't feel overcrowded. Brunch was only OK – no real vegan options so I got the avocado toast without the eggs, which left me paying $15 for toast with avocado on it. Tasty, but kind of ridiculous. So I won't be back for brunch, although my earl gray cocktail was delicious. Evening is great though. They have fun cocktails and a great selection of beers. Bartender is friendly as well. Fries are delicious and I am excited to see that they have a vegan sandwich option on their new fall menu. I haven't tried it yet but I am looking forward to it!
We want to drink & chill while enjoying the warm weather thats why we came here because they have outdoor seating. The interior of this place is great!
So we sat outside & the waitress gave us the brunch menu. We ordered drinks since were really there to drink. My friends got the ommegang witte $5 and I got the bloody bull $8. My drink is great! Its spicy and I enjoyed it. My friends enjoyed their beer too. So while drinking we decided to get some finger food and we ask the waitress if we can get the menu again. They don't have interesting finger foods & only have 5 types which includes fries. Fine, we got the fries. Its that plain fries that you do all the effort to make it taste good. We add salt & dip it into the ketchup. We wanted to get more food but we didn't like any. They serve brunch & don't serve their regular menu at the same time.
Overall, I love the place & the service. But their food is okay. For brunch they have those basic type of food like avocado toast and other stuff. Not really impressed by those simple food.
An almost exact replica of Sweet Afton, but maybe even a little less good.
This place is pretty mediocre in the grand scheme of Astoria dining. First of all, we've seen this. It's on 30th ave and 34th st. It goes by a different name, and it has nearly the exact same menu.
The Bonnie does pump out a similar quality of food and service. So nothing new there either. At least it doesn't disappoint. The food value is pretty decent too.
I had the burger and kale salad. They were both solid. The beer selection is decent. And the cocktail menu is just as good as Sweet Afton.
The only pluses I can find about this place is the parking is not bad in the area. And the table is served with a large bottle of water so you don't have a server continually coming to refill your glass. Oh, this happens at the other place too? Great! I guess I'm bored with it already.
Expensive. No brunch specials. Small plates. we had a couple pretty decent cocktails but they were so expensive we didn't go for a second round and the fact that there are no sides served with the brunch entrees– at their price it just seems like it better be super delicious and it was just Eh. Too many other choices nearby to go back to this one. see ya, Bonnie.
Went here on a Monday evening. Pretty empty. Really liked their outdoor space in the back. The mac and cheese was excellent, and my friend liked his burger. Pretty good selection of beer as well. This is a great add to the neighborhood.
I had my 32nd birthday here a couple of days ago and the staff were on point and so great to us as we got a little rowdy. Bonnie has got a special place in my heart. And all my Brooklyn friends, who getting to come to Astoria is generally a mission, also loved it. I can't wait to get some more outside time in their backyard this Summer.