On the Border in Holtsville

On the Border is a Mexican Grill and Cantina. The one I go to is located in Holtsville by Island 16 movie theater. I love this place because the food is delicious, the drinks are perfect, and it's never too packed. It's not as laid back as a Chili's but it's not anything fancy. The prices are very reasonable for both food and drinks. It has a large eating area and a bar off to the side and you have the choice to sit and eat at a table to to sit at the bar. 

On the Border offers catering services. You can select from their menu and choose anything you want. You can also choose from the party platters that they have for something quick and simple. They offer full services when you choose them to cater. They will have servers for parties as little as 50 people to ones as big as 5,000 people. They also offer "Order Online" it's very fast and extremely convenient.

They make their guacamole from scratch and they also make it right in front of you if you request it. They hand press their tortillas every hour so they're always fresh. Their motto is "Things are always done a little fresher on the border. It's no different here."

Rating: I would give this place 4 stars. The only thing I would change is that they add a smaller bar to the outside area just to make the place more dynamic.

Fanatico in Jericho

So, for this blog, I've decided to branch away from the bar scene and decided to focus on a restaurant. Fanatico in Jericho is one of of favorite Italian restaurants to go to. They have a wide variety of Italian dishes to choose from and the prices are very reasonable considering you get very big portions. The service there is fantastic and food comes out very quickly after you place your order. They have a huge dining area so even when it is busy, you never have to wait to long to get a table.
Another thing that I love about Fanatico is that they also serve pizza for walk-in guests. This is very convenient for me because I work to the Waldbaum's next door to Fanatico. Whenever I'm on break and hungry I can just walk over there and get whatever I am craving. They have specialty slices of pizza, rice balls, chicken rolls, and much more. The great part is that it doesn't take long to make at all. I have enough time to eat, and relax during my break without being late when I go back to work.
Rating: I give Fanatico a 5 out of 5! The food is great, no matter what you're in the mood for and they have a full bar if you want to drink there too. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who may be craving Italian food or pizza!
-Bruce

TJ Finley's in Bayshore

 

TJ Finley's in Bayshore

 

 

I went here over the weekend for my best friends birthday for the Pumpkin Fest. The first 100 people were given mini pumpkins to drink out of instead of a pint glass. It was packed, the bartender said this is equivalent to their Thanksgiving Eve night. They were also having a Halloween costume contest which was cool. At each of the tables you have your own tap, you can pour and see how much each drink will cost as your pouring (think gas station pump.) 

 

This is definitely a beer drinking bar, no dirty martinis and cosmos please! They have beers from all around the world. On Tap they have 26 choices, 48 bottle selections and 7 different cans.

Finley's has some good grub as well, typical bar food but with a twist. We ordered a whole bunch of appetizers like the beer and cheese fondue, beer battered buffalo rings, and of course wings. They also had Thai peanut sauce wings, I am a Thai food lover so of course I enjoyed those!

 

 

 

 

 I love how TJ Finley's has this sign to get customers out of their normal drinking selections. Personally I love trying new drinks but one of my friends sticks to what she knows she likes. This was a great board to let her try new beers she would like, and she loved them! 

 

Rating: My friends and I give this place a 5 out of 5. Awesome music, loved the beer selection and especially the mini pumpkins we drank out of. We will definitely be coming back soon. 

Cheers,

Court

Miller's Ale House in Levittown

One of my favorite bars to go to is Miller's Ale House in Levittown. There are 65 Miller's Ale House's around the world. One of the reasons this bar is so popular is because it could satisfy any need you might have. Miller's is a full bar, and a full restaurant. If you're hungry, you can sit down with friends and family and eat, and if you just want to hang out and drink, there is a full bar and plenty of space to hang out. Miller's always has food and beer specials which makes it one of my favorite bars to go to. After 10PM everyday, their appetizers are half off which is good for people who have been drinking and have the munchies!
Another thing I really enjoy about this bar is that they have multiple big screen TV's to watch whatever sports game you may be interested in. They also always show the UFC and boxing matches whenever there is a big fight going on. Miller's is also very convenient because the parking lot outside is huge. You never have to worry about getting a parking spot there which is the case with some other bars. Many bars have tried to duplicate what Miller's does but haven't had the same success. Miller's is almost always busy at night and the service there is great. The food comes out quick and the waiters deliver your drinks very quickly to keep the customers happy.
I would definitely give Miller's a rating of 5 out of 5. If you're looking for a fun night out but don't want to spend too much money, this is the place to go! It's very convenient and is almost always a good time!

Bottoms up!

-Bruce

Minus 5 Ice Bar in NYC

Minus 5 Ice Bar in Midtown

Ice bars have reached an all time high in popularity since the creation over in Norway and Sweden many years ago. They are opening all around the world with very high clientele. 

 

 

The crowd at Minus 5 is basically tourists staying at The Hilton upstairs. The line can get rather long but moves quickly (how long can you stand being in an igloo?) There are three different packages you can choose, I chose the regular one which was absolutely fine. 

$20.00 Entry Only includes the Ice Bar Experience, Parka, and Gloves.

$45.00 Fur Coat Package includes the Ice Bar Experience, plus a Faux Fur Parka Upgrade

$75.00 VIP Package includes Ice Bar Experience, Faux Fur Parka, 1 Speciality Ice Cocktail, a Russian Hat to wear and bring home, and one photo. 

The issue I have with this place is the only time I would want to be in an Ice Box is when it was sweltering hot outside but once you get in there after 5 minutes you are NOT dressed for the freezing cold. You are allowed to wear sandals and heels but you will freeze. There is no locker room to keep your shoes in or bag so you have to go in as is. It really is a double sword, you want to cool off but once you do you freeze. The only times this bar makes money is during the summer months.

Rating: 2 out of 5. It is beautiful inside, the ice sculptures and colorful lights are gorgeous but that is the only reason why it did not get a zero. I do not like how expensive this place is, they should give you boots or something for your feet because when it is 100 degrees outside you will not catch me in heavy boots that are needed for this bar. Maybe it is good for my fellow Swedes, but not for this American girl! 

Ch-Ch-Cheers,

Court

Black Sheep in Mineola

Black Sheep in Mineola is one of my favorite bars to go to. While it may not be a popular spot for people in their mid-twenties to go to, it is still a very fun place to be. Black Sheep is known for having a wide variety of craft beers to choose from. They have 75+ different bottled beers, 25 different beers on tap, and their own hand drawn cask. Personally, I like this bar because every time I go there I can pick a different beverage to drink. If you're into trying different things, this is the place to go!
Another good thing about this bar is that it is only a five minute walk from the Mineola train station. This is good because there are always new faces in the bar. My favorite aspect of the bar is that they serve free hot dogs all day everyday and there is nothing better than free food when you've been drinking! It is a good spot for people to go and hang out with friends. They have a happy hour from 4-7PM everyday where beers on tap are only $4 each. The bar has 11 HDTV's so it is also good for going to watch any type of sporting event.
Ratings: Personally, I would give this bar a 4 out of 5. The only thing missing from the bar is a full kitchen. While free hot dogs sounds great, you can only eat so many hot dogs before you get sick of them. If this bar had a full kitchen, it would definitely get a 5 out of 5 because of how unique this bar is.
<Bruce D>

BrickHouse Brewery in Patchogue

If you're looking for great food, fun people, and the best beer on Long Island, this is the right place for you. The BrickHouse Brewery is located at the corner of Havens Avenue and Main Street and it is the oldest commercial building in Patchogue.  It's where Long Islanders go when they want to enjoy a great beer and a great time. It's easy to find and there is a large parking lot for customer convenience. 

The BrickHouse has ice cold beer that is brewed in-house, they have assorted domestic beer and foreign beer. Their menu ranges from fresh oysters and seafood, to mouth watering steaks. Everyone knows that wings goes perfect with beer, that's why they have 25¢ wings on Monday's when you sit in the taproom. BrickHouse also serves burgers, sandwiches, and large variety of surf and turf specials.

BrickHouse has lots of great live music events every night of the week. Tuesday's are Country Karaoke and Saturday's they have Long Island bands play! You can't go wrong with BrickHouse Brewery. Whether you want to drink with friends or just eat and hangout. 

Ratings: I would give this place a 5 out of 5. With the option to eat drink or both, there's something for everyone to love. Check it out and tell us what you think! 

Pops in Long Beach

Even though it is officially fall, this weather still feels like summer! Pop's Seafood Shack and Grill is an amazing place to go for some summer fun. I have been going here for three years now every now and again during the warmer months. 

 It is not a strictly seafood based restaurant, they have the all American, burgers and fries as well. I personally enjoy the west and east coast oysters for an appetizer and the lobster roll for dinner. It is a beachy theme so bring your flip flops- I made a mistake the first time I went there with 6 inch wedges (fail). 

There are three parts: the deck (sit down dinner), south beach (dance floor), and the fire pit which is my favorite spot. The fire pit has all beach lounge chairs you can sit around a fire pit and they serve beer and wine in this section. The beer is sold in mostly cans which makes it even cheaper (score).

PS- They have special events going on every night throughout the week like Mussel Monday and Flip Flop Thursday! 

Rating: I would give this place a 5 out of 5. I really did not find anything bad about this spot. My only complaint is I wish it was open year round! I will be there for the season opening Memorial Day weekend! 

Cheers,

Court

About Our Blog

We are three college students; Courtney, Bruce, and Stephanie who go to Farmingdale State University. We love to try new food and drink venues all over the island. 

We are going to cover places along the Ronkonkoma train line. From Stephanie who lives the farthest east in Holbrook to Bruce who lives closest to the city in Mineola. 

Throughout our blog posts we will take you to all of our favorite spots that are affordable yet trendy. You will get our honest opinions of places whether they are negative or positive.