Make no mistake: This burger and brews establishment in the heart of Long Island City is bursting with character.
The Baroness is located in Long Island City, right off of the 7 train. For those who don’t know, this neighborhood is relatively new; it relocated from Court Square. The old location was a little run down and tucked away behind a lot of construction, but now it’s been renovated into a modern space that can be found on the corner of Vernon Boulevard and 21st Street. The new location has more accessibility to nearby restaurants and businesses, making for an overall more convenient experience for everyone involved.
The bar is owned by couple Melanie Lemieux and Kyle Radzyminski who are amazing contributors to the LIC community great hosts–they care about their staff and customers, which makes for a relaxed night out. Plus, their bartenders know how to make a killer drink!
The main bar area offers a wide variety of games (and I’d like to note that, in spite of the sign, the staff gave me a funny look when I asked to play).
The space is lively and there’s nearly always something going on, from live music to drag queen trivia.
The beers are superb. They have a wide variety of burgers: some are basic and straightforward, others are unorthodox. If you’re looking for something more traditional, the Classic cheeseburger is great; if you want to be more adventurous (or just feel like being weird), try the burger with peanut butter or egg.
As far as what to order, you can’t go wrong with:
- The Maple Bacon Old Fashioned
- Any of the draft brews
- The pretzel pops (!)
- Any burger that strikes your fancy (though I typically stick with the basic Judith)
Lastly, don’t miss a trip to the bathroom–we recommend visiting both (the one upstairs and the one downstairs): both bizarre but utterly amazing tributes to Celine Dion, who apparently made a visit to their bathroom many years ago.
