You are reading

Uncle Jack’s Meat House to Open on Ditmars Boulevard First Week of December

Uncle Jack’s Meat House, opening at 36-18 Ditmars Blvd. on Dec. 4. (Photo courtesy of Uncle Jack’s Meat House)

Nov. 22, 2017   By Nathaly Pesantez

Uncle Jack’s Meat House, the spin off from the national steakhouse chain, has an opening date at last as it prepares to open its doors in early December.

The restaurant, located at 36-18 Ditmars Blvd.,will begin to serve patrons on Dec. 4, almost two years after initial plans for an Astoria site were announced.

Willie “Jack” Degel, a Queens native and founder of Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse and other restaurant projects, developed a design for the low-key eatery—where servers will wear red Converse sneakers—that includes a grill and speakeasy, the latter which is said to be accessible through passwords sent out to the Meat House’s mailing list and social media accounts.

The new American grill restaurant was supposed to open last year, in the fall of 2016, but issues with the Department of Buildings slowed the process, as the single locale was once two distinct buildings, which the city wanted Degel to adhere to. In addition, most of the building’s interior had to be redone, said Robert Smith, director of operations for the restaurant.

Menu items at the moderately priced, casual farm-to-table restaurant include entrees like long bone pork chop, seafood based dishes, steaks, burgers, sandwiches, and other grill staples. Appetizers and sides include mashed potatoes, roasted mushrooms, collard greens, mac and cheese, and a variety of seasonal salads. A custom dessert menu will also be part of the dining experience.

A cocktail menu will also be available, along with a selection of scotches, bourbons, wines, and locally brewed beers.

The Meat House can seat up to 90 people in its 1900s-style dining room and 32 people at the bar with room for an additional 40 to stand. The Roaring 20s speakeasy bar in the basement can accommodate up to 30. An outdoor seating area for 30 is also in the works for the restaurant.

The first Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse opened in 1996 in Bayside, Queens. Degel, who is also the host of The Food Network’s Restaurant Stakeout, opened the first Meat House brand of restaurants in Georgia, which promises to bring quality, prime steaks and meats to patrons in a low-key, informal environment.

The Astoria location is already taking reservations on Open Table, and will initially open for dinner, from about 4 p.m. until around 11 p.m. The restaurant will open for brunch and lunch soon after.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

15 Comments

Click for Comments 
Guy from FlushTown

DOB needs to get their shit together. They work slower than molasses. Delaying this for years and delaying Mothership Meat Company for going on 2 years now too. Its ridiculous. All the while the owners need to keep paying rent. Like opening a business isn’t hard enough. Its ridiculous.

Reply
meatetarian

The more meat the better. If you want to subsist solely on kale and quinoa move to San Francisco.

Reply
Vasso

Is there an elevator for accessibility to the speakeasy in the basement for patrons in wheelchairs?

Reply
Anonymous

People are overly jealous and it’s very very upsetting to see human nature falling to new lows. The man building this had worked smart and very hard and also taken risks which is why he’s successful. The low people disliking your statement have done none of this so far in their meager lifetimes. And no I am not affiliated with this establishment.

Reply
Anonymous

Depends what you consider successful. Success to people isn’t always the same, that’s very objective. You can be very rich (successful) in your terms but be broke when it comes to real values in life. You can’t bring money with you, but you can bring a legacy. Money nowadays is a number on a screen. So when you’re talking about success and belittling people who don’t have as many commas in their bank account, maybe they’re richer than you are at heart, because they’re values don’t correlate with yours.

Reply
Anonymous

Never in my comments did I belittle anyone with less commas in their account, as I myself an not financially wealthy either. What does bother me is that people not willing to take risks, make sacrifices, and work hard in life criticize those who do. Those are not the values our great country was built on. America became strong and the envy of the world by embracing those attributes and not the opposite. I find it dissapointing and scary these days the fact that young people are so against capitalism and a free market these days. It seems as if so many more people are just looking for a handout these days as opposed to getting out there and getting it. Money may not be everything but it’s good to have it. I don’t think anyone can argue with that…

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

DA Katz introduces Kimi, the facility dog providing comfort to Queens crime victims

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz introduced one of the newest members of her team on Wednesday as part of her office’s public information campaign during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Kimi, a 2-year-old golden retriever/Labrador retriever, has been appointed as a facility dog to provide comfort and companionship to crime victims and witnesses. “Kimi has been an extraordinary addition to our team here at the Queens District Attorney’s Office,” Katz said. “She’s affectionate, highly trained, and has already assisted survivors and witnesses and put them at ease.”

Mets to host playoff watch parties at Citi Field

Oct. 3, 2024 By Ethan Marshall

As the New York Mets look to clinch a trip to the National League Division Series Wednesday night in Milwaukee, the team announced that beginning as early as Thursday, Oct. 3, Citi Field will be hosting watch parties of select away games during the playoffs.

Op-ed: Time to register, license, and insure motorized two-wheelers before our streets become even more dangerous

Oct. 2, 2024 By Tom Grech, Councilmember Sandra Ung and Assemblymember Sam Berger

Businesses are feeling the impact. From Astoria to Flushing, sidewalks and streets that once allowed shoppers to stroll safely have become obstacle courses where two-wheelers zip past at alarming speeds, weaving between pedestrians and cars with little regard for the rules of the road. When customers are concerned for their safety, they are less likely to visit, which hurts both business owners and the wider local economy. Haphazardly parked two-wheelers frequently block sidewalks and parking spaces in our commercial corridors, making it more difficult for customers to access our local businesses. This is especially true for seniors and individuals with mobility issues, who now have the added challenge of navigating around e-vehicles to shop at their favorite stores or eat at their favorite restaurants.