Reviews Far Rockaway

The Vibe

When you think of America, which words come to mind? Huge? In your face? Unapologetic? Super-size? Yeah, that. Far Rockaway is quite a bit of that. However, Far Rockaway is also New York cool – urban, fun, loft-like and bursting with fruit flavour. Well suited to its location on Curtain Road in Shoreditch, ‘the heart of the creative district’, we both really enjoyed our evening here. The layout is labyrinthine with several different nooks to explore, the drinks list is fun and expertly executed, the pizza hits the ball out of the park and the walls are plastered with conversation starters. If you come here and the conversation dries up, ditch the date. STAT. The staff are passionate and friendly about this quirky hang out and once you’ve spent an hour here, you start to see why.

The Order

The buzzword here is fun. House creation cocktails are a good way to start the evening. The ‘Stairway to Heaven’ (Tanqueray gin, Limoncello, peach liqueur, strawberry, lime and lengthened with bubby) and Purple Haze (Pinky vodka, pomegranate and cassis liqueurs, cranberry, lime and finished with a flamed orange peel) have our stamp of approval. The ‘Lithium’ (Stoli Vanilla, Manzana verde, lime and sugar spiked with Pink champagne) and ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ (Finlandia smothered melon, hints of Xante pear and vanilla lemonade) almost finished us off. I didn’t have the nerve to try the indulgent Peanut Butter Cup; comes garnished with a Reese’s peanut butter cup and as the menu says, ‘gym membership not included.’ Nom nom.

There are also Milkshakes: peanut butter, banana, Oreo in addition to the regular flavours. Craft beers by the bottle, draught beers, draught cocktails – yuhuh, you heard me correctly. I think you are getting the picture. Food-wise, it is typical US fare here: 18” pizzas made to share, corn dogs, mac ‘n’ cheese and curly fries. It’s a bit of a laugh to split portions with your date. Just don’t take it all too seriously, ya?

The Game

We visited on a week night and it was chucking it down outside. My date and I were both in need of a stiff drink. The bar man got onto preparing our order quickly. Soon, the rain and the tough day sailed off on a sea of vodka. The bright, neon interior is quite something to behold – pure escapism: the lounge we were in had a ceiling made from skateboards, there are Marvel comic references everywhere you turn and the set pieces are real talking points. We enjoyed the cabinet of mini Star Wars figurines, the comic book library and the actual prop from the Super Girl movie. If you do as we did and come mid-week, you can have something yummy to drink, share some nosh and enjoy the chilled vibe. Come later in the week, a Thursday or a Friday, for more buzz and more people if that’s your date thang. We’re old and like to be able to hear ourselves think.

The Faults

It has a tendency to get busy and may be full to the brim. Go early to avoid disappointment.

Sex Factor

3. Leave your specs on, let your inner nerd come out and let your hair down. You might be surprised.

I haven't actually tried the food at Far Rockaway, but I know it has a really diverse drinks menu, all of them with great flavour. It's a cool place to just hang out and they've really put in a lot of effort to make their interior decorating stand out - which it does.

They also have fooseball and other games you can play which makes it a great place to lounge about. Truly depicting what shoreditch is all about, a locals recommendation for a chill night out.

Visited the Far Rockaway on a Saturday night. On my way there I saw a lot of queues for various places in Shoreditch, however there wasn't one for that specific bar which made me a bit suspicious, but having got in I realised that it was huge and there was enough room to host a large amount of people. Two bars and the amount of staff meant there was no wait to get my hands on a drink. They have a variety of amazing cocktails at fairly reasonable prices varying from £7 to £9, and also a big choice of beers and ciders. I opted for a cocktail called 'Red Red Wine', which was red wine with a twist of other spirits which totally satisfied my needs! Cool but tame music meant that I could easily socialise with my friends. Big tables and comfortable seating also helped. The design makes you never stop looking around! Skateboards on the ceiling, graffiti on the walls, random posters and canvasses create a great atmosphere. Table football and pac-man tables complete any kind of occasion you might have come here for!

After a drink at The Rotary Room (now shut), M and I decided to grab one more drink elsewhere since we were far from home, so we walked for a few minutes to get to Far Rockaway on Curtain Road, a Queens NY inspired bar and diner covered head to toe in urban art. We stuck to Camden beer (pale ale this time) and had a wander around. The arty bartenders were keen to show us their favourite pieces, which is a good way to break yourself in when there is so much to see. It is a big site so it could have ended up looking a bit tacky, but they have carried off confidently, and as a result it's a fascinating place to drink.

There are lovely little touches all around, including security cameras dressed as vultures, skateboards lining the ceiling, and bottles adorned with faces looking out at the street. If you ask nicely, they will show you in to the private room which is full of some pretty risqué art from Saki & Bitches.

There are some interesting bottled beers, though they are fairly pricey so you might want to stick to draught. Food-wise there is plenty to choose from, including 18" pizzas, burgers and sandwiches. You should be able to find a table as it is huge, though I can imagine it will get crazy busy here at the weekends.

There is one particularly cosy section that feels more like a café, with a wall of comic books for you to pick and choose from. It looks like they have a vast collection, though I'm not an authority so I can't really comment any further than that. I highly recommend paying Far Rockaway a visit, but don't expect to sit still! It might be best to go during the afternoon on a Saturday or Sunday for a drink and a good look around, or perhaps some quiet time with one of their 4000 comics.

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited along to one of the most anticipated bar launches of the Autumn. I had walked past the shell of Far Rockaway a number of times throughout the building process and I always had to stop and peer in to try and make out just what this place was going to be like. The result is a positively ginormous space, taking its inspiration from New York's compelling urban culture and brimming with creativity and party vibes. Inside the setup follows a modular layout to cater for every kind of visitor, from intimate couples to large groups. A roster of top-flight street artists were pulled in to create unique works of art especially for Far Rockaway. However it doesn't stop there! There are a ton of unique and bespoke pieces of art to be found, my favourite being the neon work by Andy Doig. Pictures paint a thousand words though so I think I will shut up and allow you to sneak a peak at the pictures and see just what a spectacle it is for yourselves.

Not too shabby hey? It was a serious feast for the eyes with some awesome detailing! However, we were here for a different sort of feast though. The Far Rockaway menu follows the decor with an NY inspired snack-style assortment, ranging from 'Pizza By The Slice' and Spit Roasted Chicken, all the way to Baby Back Cola Ribs and Pulled Five-Spice Duck!

The drinks offerings were just as interesting with cocktails on draught, such as the Pornstar, a mix of Vanilla Vodka, Passion Fruit, Passoa, topped with Bubbly. The ever popular Frozen Margaritas make an appearance, with Frozen Daquiris and Pina Coladas joining the party too and there's also a great choice of craft beers to choose from, perfect for the beer enthusiasts.

I ordered a customary pint of cider and then began to peruse the menu. To start, we chose Parmigiana Popcorn Shrimps, succulent and covered in a crispy batter. These were topped off with a Chipotle Ketchup that added a touch of heat and a great smokey flavour that is synonymous with the chipotle chilli. We made light work of them and we were soon questioning our waiter on what main was the perfect dish that screamed Far Rockaway.

Enter the beast that is the Garbage Pie! An 18" pizza base, covered in USA Sausage, Meatballs, Pancetta, Artichoke, Onion & Mozzarella!! It was absolutely massive!

The Garbage Pie is a must for any meat fans that love their pizza. The base was nice and light and not too crispy. I like my dough soft and my toppings aplenty and that is exactly how it came to the table. It was covered in a delicious combination of Sausage, Meatballs and Pancetta, making each mouthful a small celebration in your mouth!

We were slightly ashamed to admit it but the Garbage Pie did manage to defeat us! With only one huge slice still left in the dish, it was a hard decision to back down but definitely necessary. Therefore we waved the dessert round, even though the selection of Double Chocolate Brownie, Vanilla Bourbon Cheesecake and the Rockaway 99 did sound like the perfect sweet treat to end the night on.

Far Rockaway is fully open now and ready to meet your every demand! Whether you're looking for that slice of NY's food scene or a big night out with a bloc-party vibe or even a laid back lunch, sitting with a cup of jo and enjoying one of the DC comics from their 4000 strong collection; Far Rockaway has it all! Get down their and join the party now!

Enjoy!

We The Food Snobs x

My new favourite bar. Excellent decor ranging from skateboard decks on the ceiling to cool US gig posters on the wall and comic books in a book case make for an interesting setting. Drinks are London prices so don't expect much change from any notes, but the range of drinks is phenomenal. The bar staff are generally friendly and even when busy they remembered my order thru the night.

This is a newly opened restaurant, so they are very attentive. That said, the place is huge. And to go with their American theme the food portions are also massive. To start I had some shrimp, which was filling by itself! To follow I had a pizza, which was so large it wouldn't fit on the table. It came on it's own stand. Tasty but far too much for, I'd say, even two people. Also with taking a saunter around the restaurant as it festooned with lots of musical memorabilia.

My friend celebrated her birthday at Far Rockaway a couple of weekends ago and after reading some of the reviews on here I have to say I was a bit put off about going. When we arrived we were greeted by a door host who politely asked us if we had a booking and then escorted us to our area asking us how our days were and wishing my friend a happy birthday as we went. We all got IDed as standard in London and I did notice that the men in our party were "patted down" by the bouncers but it was no more aggressive than anywhere else. We actually had a bit of a laugh with them as we waited in the queue and when they saw how much stuff my boyfriend had in his pockets. The rest of the night was lovely and the food portions! Well, all I'm going to say is they are definitely American sized portions!!! Loved the ribs and the pizzas and will definitely come back soon to try the chicken burger. Rockaway ROCKS!

Spacious. Not too busy. Good food and wide array of drinks. Cool decorations on the wall. If it were anywhere else it would be busy, but im shoreditch trendier places take the crowds.

Always such a good atmosphere when the boxing is on. Get in early doors to bag a good seat with your mates otherwise you either run the risk of standing with the crowd or worse yet, outdoors in the queue when the fight has begun.

Fun bar with great decor, friendly staff and lots of space to spread out. Drinks aren't cheap but they are good quality, with cocktails made with premium spirits. Bar snacks are good.