Park Side

On any given night at Park Side, you’re going to hear at least three renditions of “Happy Birthday.” Other tables drink to anniversaries and graduations, or anything else that warrants sharing giant platters of swordfish, and shrimp scampi on rice. Queens residents have been celebrating special occasions at this Italian restaurant in Corona since the ‘60s, back when it was called the Corona Supper Club. Rumored to have mafioso ties, this place is as old-school as it gets, with white tablecloths, suited-up servers, and an affinity for Roman busts. They have all the red sauce classics you’d expect, but specialize in seafood, and you can tell. Stick to the sea creatures, avoid the veal, and get a table in the garden room. It’s filled with potted trees and shrubs, with windows that look out to even more greenery.

photo credit: Alex Staniloff

photo credit: Alex Staniloff