Astoria, Featured, Food and Drink
Jul 28, 2016

An Update on Uncle Jack’s Meat House and Speakeasy on Ditmars

As we reported in April, the former Square Hardware space on Ditmars is being drastically made over into Uncle Jack’s Meat House, a restaurant and speakeasy from Willie Degel of the Uncle (…)

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As we reported in April, the former Square Hardware space on Ditmars is being drastically made over into Uncle Jack’s Meat House, a restaurant and speakeasy from Willie Degel of the Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse chain.

A new DNAInfo article provides us with some new information about this mysterious meat shop, including the clandestine top-secret way of getting into their bar area. To access the basement-level speakeasy-style bar, you’ll need to find the correct door located in the bathroom area, make your way downstairs, and then pass through another door with a look inspired by the outside of a meat locker. At that point, a password will be required to enter.

How does one go about getting this password, which will be changed every day? It will be given out through the restaurant’s social media accounts, and shared with regular customers.

As for the menu, they’ll be a focus on fresh, farm-to-table ingredients, with the final selection changing consistently to keep up with what’s freshest. Some of Degel’s signature dishes from his other restaurants will be included, such as a massive 24-ounce rib chop dubbed “The Fred Flintsone,” and a fan favorite steak sandwich that’s served at the MSG outpost.

However, there’s a major push towards creating a younger, hipper vibe for the Astoria location, resulting in a menu full of smaller, shareable plates. Appetizers will include items like Spanish octopus, lobster tacos, and chicharrones, with full meals like sandwiches and burgers also available.

What do you think, Astoria? Are you excited for a password-protected speakeasy bar and meat shop?

Uncle Jack’s Meat House will be located at 36-16 Ditmars Blvd.

 

About Lindsay Goyette

Lindsay has been eating and drinking her way through Queens since 2011. A casting director by day and Astoria explorer by night, you can usually find her checking out live music, theatre, or the newest neighborhood spot to enjoy a craft beer.

5 Comments

hmmmm

Would have been nice to get a decent steakhouse with reasonable prices and offerings all of the neighborhood can enjoy.

one of the reasons i haven’t gone to The Pomery is i’m not paying $20 for a goddamn salad with chicken on it. i don’t even drink but the food i have heard good things about…..still, $20 for a salad. come on.

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Anon

This place looks lame (and I’m a meatatarian). I moved to Astoria years ago to live in an inclusive, fun neighborhood – not a pretentious, password requiring douchebag haven. WHA, why is this place so special to you such that you keep posting about it? There are so many other cool happenings (how is Mothership coming along?)

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Mackenzi Farquer

It’s actually not important to us at all. We just write a really inclusive array of articles, and this had an update. There’s no additional information about Mothership available, otherwise you bet we’d have written that up by now.

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Ryan

I’m all for new businesses in the neighborhood, but this sounds like another overpriced, over-hyped bar/restaurant. The Manhattanification of Queens continues…

Reply
Mel

Astoria is NOT Williamsburg! I hate the idea of a pretentious password protected speakeasy coming to Ditmars.

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