The Long Island Bar

The Long Island Bar looks kind of like a diner from 1950, and despite its name, it’s equal parts restaurant and bar. You can either stop by and drink a few gimlets in silence at the bar, or you can get a booth and snack on some cheese curds and smoked trout spread with rye crackers. What you really want, though, is the burger. It has two patties, a squishy bun, and an almost excessive amount of cheese. Bring a few friends and start your Friday night here. Or have an impromptu date at the bar (or on the sidewalk patio) with someone who appreciates martinis as much as you do.

photo credit: David Lee

Food Rundown

Martini

Drinking a well-made martini is one of life’s great pleasures, like the C train showing up just as you walk onto the platform or how often Owen Wilson says “wow” on film. And LIB makes an excellent one that goes heavy on the super briny olive juice. Order one as soon as you arrive and repeat as necessary.

Fried Cheese Curds

If you enjoy fried cheese even 1/100th as much as we do, then you should order these. Even better? They come with french onion dip.

Smoked Trout Spread

This spread is the perfect thing to hold you over between the cheese curds and your burger. It’s a little mason jar of cream cheese topped with trout roe that you get to dip fish-shaped rye crackers into. Or you can mix it all up and actually spread it on the crackers like an adult. The choice is yours and yours alone.

The LI Burger

Fact: nothing tastes better after a few drinks than a double cheeseburger with pickles, a dangerous amount of cheese, and fancy sauce. Except if you add the optional woven disk of bacon. Also, the fries are great - freshly fried, not too thick, and perfect for scooping out any leftover trout spread.

Little Gem Salad

No one comes here to eat a salad, but this one is actually pretty solid. It’s dressed with a tangy shallot vinaigrette, pepitas, radishes, and Manchego cheese, and is one of the better bar salads we can recall.