Timeless Trends Served on 36th Street
Image by Maria Shinas
Looking around Astoria one may find various restaurants and cafes that consume the busy streets of the community. Many of these places are fairly new and follow the growing trends of our time, but what about the places with a little bit more history? Restaurants like The Astor Room are truly unique to Astoria’s culture, bringing both trendy dining and an experience unlike any other to diners six days a week.
The Astor Room on 36th St. in Astoria opened as a restaurant in 2011, but the history that comes with the room, is timeless. Originally, The Astor Room opened in 1924 as a commissary to the film studio it was attached to. Here, actors and filmmakers alike once made many of their films, ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Rudolph Valentino. The historic room was used as a part of the studio for several decades, and even to this day, is still used for some film scenes, despite being a full functioning restaurant now.
“You can see us in season two episode three of Orange Is The New Black,” stated Mark Atkocaitis, the general manager of The Astor Room. “It’s incredible how much film history came from here. So many silent films were made here,” he said.
While The Astor Room is used more for dining purposes now, it lives within the great film lot of Kaufman Astoria Studios. Many films and television shows are produced right in the backyard of this historic room.
General Maganer Mark Atkocaitis
Image by Maria Shinas
“Shows like The Slap, and upcoming productions with Neil Patrick Harris and J. Lo all film around here now,” Mark stated. With so many productions happening around the neighborhood, it’s no surprise that hungry production crews and casts often stop in to The Astor Room.
Guests at The Astor Room can always expect something extraordinary happening, aside from the phenomenal entrees being offered.
“My goal is to always end my shift knowing that we had a busy night and helped create an experience for our customers that will make them happy, especially since going out to dinner is such an investment now a days.We want to make it truly memorable for them,”explained Mark. “The Astor Room is really about creating an experience, that’s the great part about it,”
From cabaret nights to jazz nights, to historic artwork and weekly happy hours, there are various factors that contribute to the overall experience while dining with The Astor Room. From the second you walk down the stairs, guests are greeted with a truly unique vibe from this establishment, located right in the heart of the arts district. The Astor Room is located at 34-12 36th St., directly across the street from Frank Sinatra School Of The Arts. For reservations, please check out astorroom.com or call 718.255.1947.
– by Kristen Nieto `15