CRONIN AND PHELAN • ASTORIA, QUEENS

[Cronin and Phelan is part 13 in a series of tidbits from the chapters of my book Bars, Taverns and Dives New Yorkers Love, published by the good folks at Rizzoli Publishing. You can order it online now at Powell’s, Amazon, Rizzoli, and Barnes & Noble.]

The owner of Cronin and Phelan is Mike Peacock, and Irishman who came to the U.S. back in 1968. He’s been there since 1990, and plays the role of a tavern host with grace and easy enjoyment. It’s guys like Mike who make a pub or tavern what it is. The personality of a place often comes from the top down, and in Queens, with dozens and dozens of Irish taverns and pubs, personality is a huge differentiator. You’ve got your old man pubs, your young guy pubs, your yuppie pubs, your family pubs, and your Archie Bunker pubs. All kinds of pubs in Queens.

Cronin and Phelan’s has, for an Irish place, a beer hall sort of vibe, with a mix of patrons (singles, couples, families, old, young, men, women) and a surprisingly extensive menu. It’s a good, all-purpose place, where you can hang out, have a drink and a filling meal at a fair price, and get a feel for that part of Queens.

Best Time to Visit: Friday evenings. Head to the right and have a seat at the bar for a round. Then hop over to the left side of the room for dinner in the dining area. It’s the best of both worlds.

Best Seat in the House: The end of the bar toward the front door. Easy bartender access, great view of the whole bar.

Drink: Guinness. Jameson. Let’s not complicate this.

Getting There: The E, R, and M trains stop at Steinway Street, just one block away. (Queens caveat: on weekends—due to repairs, construction, and acts of the good lord—double check the train schedules. Don’t be a fool. Don’t make the same mistakes I’ve made. You’ve been warned, boyo. You’ve been warned.)

What Else? 

• Longtime bartender Dave Cremin is known do work a little magic at the bar. The kind with playing cards and such. Slight of hand. If you’re lucky, you can catch him doing his thing during his evening shifts at Cronin and Phelan.
• Cronin & Phelan’s sits just half a block off Steinway Street, named for the family that founded a piano factory up the street. As long as you’re in the neighborhood, why not check it out? Steinway offers tours on Tuesdays, nearly all year long (but not in July and August). Book in advance, space is limited: info@steinway.com or call 718-721-2600.

Next up: the Ear Inn of SoHo in Manhattan, another chapter of my book Bars, Taverns and Dives New Yorkers Love, which you can order right here. Limited-edition signed prints of the bars are available here.