Donovan’s Pub

Been hanging out in Donovan’s for 30 years. Great place to hang out with friends. One of the few bars left in Woodside /​Sunnyside from my youth.

I’ve been meaning to come here for a long time now. I finally got a chance and stopped in for a quick lunch.
I got to tell you that’s about the best burger I have ever had. And that includes places like Jackson Hole, Molly’s and any other place in New York.
Great service, reasonably priced, I will be back again very soon.

I came here with my boyfriend last week and we fell in love with their burgers. Our waitress, Christine, was awesome too. We had a really good experience and will definitely return.

There are many reasons that Donovan’s is an amazing experience. It is a true quintessential pub that has great food, attentive staff and patrons that are happy to be there with a great story to tell.
There is a reason that these burgers are constantly ranked on the BEST burgers in NYC list year after year. It is because they are one of the BEST burgers in NYC. They are juicy, fresh and tasty and pretty much made the same way for decades. They have a good thing going, know to keep it that way and avoid a change. You’re not going to go wrong with other choices on the menu either.
The waiters and bar tenders are professionals. They have all been in the hospitality industry many years and their attention to a customers needs are top, they have solid knowledge of their product and they attend with a sincere smile.
The patrons, if they’re a regular, one who hasn’t been there for years or new are happy to be there and the smiles show. Yes, the beer being poured helps this happen. Go back if it’s been a while, keep going if you still do and if you’re a tourist take the 7 train you will be more than satisfied and happy you went out of your way.

There’s not much you can complain about at Donovan’s. Though it is a pub, there is no feeling and smell of a stinky old pub. The people are welcoming and the tables are clean. You can always find a family eating dinner with kids or a group of old friends enjoying some wings. This place is just an old neighbourhood hangout with good food.
Through several visits, we’ve had burgers, wings, poppers, and grilled chicken sandwiches. Oh yea, and beer. The Guinness was perfectly poured each time and tasted perfect. They also have a good selection of popular taps and some craft bottles. You can easily find something to wet your whistle.

Visited here during an apartment-​scouting trip to Queens recently. I was not disappointed. My girlfriend and I both got burgers, both medium. Hers came out much more well-​done than mine (as in, not medium), so mine was way juicier. It tasted fine. Nothing to write home about. The fries were a little too soft and not salted enough. I could fix the not-​salty-​enough part only.
I would come back for a couple of drinks and some food, but I’m sure I’ll find somewhere that does bar food a bit better in the area.

Only been here with throngs of diehard Mets fans before games. Had a meeting in the so came in just to try and keep the Mets vibe alive for tonight. It is quiet for lunch and the staff is all set to serve. Went with the French onion soup to start and enjoyed it. It was quaintly served with a slice of toast baked on top. For the main course I had the delicious Greek salad with salmon. It was flavorful and the perfect portion for lunch. #letsgomets

Looking for a burger in NYC? Go to Donovan’s! My family and I have been coming here for years and it never disappoints.
Burgers — The burgers are always juicy and cooked to perfection.
Onion rings: hands down the best onion rings I have ever had. My family always orders them as an appetizer. They are that good.
Beer is cold, service is fast, and the mashed potatoes are homemade and delicious!

It’s rare when you feel that you get more value from a restaurant than the price of the check. That is always my experience at Donovan’s. I always get greeted by the bartender as I open the front door. The hostess meets me with a hug and is so disappointed if she has to tell me that I have a 5 or 10 minute wait for a table. The owner is usually right there as well, and will definitely stop by our table to check on our meal. There are many great choices, but I am hooked on their classic cheeseburger. It is a true hamburger of tender, juicy beef with no gimmicks. They have added a choice of pretzel bun, or English muffin which really adds to the burger.
If you feel like just samplers and drinks, the cheeseburger sliders are the best appetizer in NYC. Make sure you try the French Onion soup as well.
It’s also a great party venue if you are not looking for a big hall. This year alone I celebrated my son’s graduation, my parents birthdays and my son’s confirmation. They have a great party menu at a very fair price. I love this place.

It still a great little pub with a nice selection of food. Should be better prices for food and they charge for refills. Prices are high enough no need to charge for refills. Nice staff very accommodating for large size parties. We always go after cast show. They will be around for a long time just don’t be stingy lol.

Ordered «The Donovan’s Burger» and it was delicious! A soft, juicy burger that isn’t greasy, and doesn’t fall apart in your hands. The fries were thick cut wedges that were great as well.
Not too packed on a Saturday night. The live music was also cool!
For two burgers and fries, the bill came out to $ 23.84
Check this place out!

Really great burger. My family has been going to Donovan’s for generations, many parties have been celebrated in this old school beloved woodside pub. Back to the burger. always cooked perfectly to order juicy deliciously seasoned, a nice char from the grill and a toasted bun. I go with the cheese burger, sometimes throw on some bacon — yum! The thick crispy steak fries, more like wedges are perfect. Also worth mentioning — shepards pie, lion of pork (dinner special), also on dinner special menu broiled fillet of sole (any of the fish specials are usually quite nice). Almost forgot to mention– they make a mean french onion soup! For an authentic Irish pub dinner in NYC you want to go to Donovan’s ;)

So, I wanted a pub burger. I could walk into any number of Irish bars in my own neighborhood and get one, but where’s the fun in that? I remember reading about Donovan’s years ago and figured it was time to check it out. Turns out I’m really happy with that decision.
We couldn’t get a seat at the bar because the two chairs at the end had a «reserved» sign placed by them. That was an interesting quirk. I’m hoping it was for some regulars who were delayed, because by the time we left they were still empty. Anyway, we sat down and ordered beers, and I was happy to receive an imperial pint. I can’t believe there is a place in this city still serving 20 oz. of beer for $ 6.
Ordered my burger medium rare with onion rings as the side. It came out cooked perfectly and exactly like my ideal pub burger should be. Cheese on both top and bottom bun! This small detail is often overlooked. The onion rings were legit onion donut rings with nice thick batter.
Definitely worth a trip on the express 7 when you want something a little more interesting than a diner burger and feel like exploring Queens.

Probably one of the better burgers in the city that did not come from a steakhouse (and priced accordingly too). The burgers are offered with a wide variety toppings. Personally, I love the fact that I can get a runny sunny side egg on the meat patty.
The medium-​rare I ordered was very nicely seasoned and flavored, and I was very happy with the texture which melted away as your teeth sunk in. Definitely a place I would revisit if i’m ever feeling a nice beer and burger.

Donovan’s offer’s a solid burger for a decent price. Their legendary burger with toppings ranges from 15 – 17 dollars and comes with steak fries. The steak fries are fresh out of the fryer and crispy. The burger was juicy, had a good sear, had fresh meat…
Simply a good solid burger. It was just hard to say they are the best burger in NYC after eating something amazing like American Cut’s burger.
We got to sit in the dining area. Don’t let the dim lighting in the front fool you, Donovan’s has a large space for parties in the back and side. Next to the bar, they were catering a graduation party. And behind our dining room, the pub was catering a reunion party.
The owners and staff were amazingly attentive and friendly. They came out several times to check our mood, our take on their burger, to ask to refill our waters and to refill them. I suspect this was because my friend chatted up the host and told him we were part of Burger Club.
(Shhhh! Don’t tell them that! We don’t want the staff to change the experience for us!)

Looking for a good burger? STOP and go don’t any further… there’s a reason why they have been rated Number 1 yeah that’s right I said Number 1. Located in the heart of Woodside and its busy little Irish community where there’s an Irish bar on every block and yeah most of them have food and burgers but let’s be real, there not Donovan’s or there burger for a matter of fact.
You’ll find this local gem on the corner of 58^th street and Roosevelt Avenue underneath the number 7 train.
Once you walk in all you see is a long bar and some tables to the left of it. Keep on walking in the hostess which he or she will take you to one of two dining halls they have
The first one which is straight ahead has a few steps to walk down is pretty dim inside maybe due to all the dark wood none the less they have some tables in the middle and booths off to the side. The best part the fireplace, I love to always sit in this room especially in the winter time when the fireplace is on, nice and toasty when your sitting next to the warm fire.
Now I know by now you want to hear all about the burger. Okay well here you have it: Amazing-​mouth warming good, cooked to perfection and huge. You won’t be disappointed.
The service is good and you’ll surely be served by a woman with a strong Irish accent so listen closely if you don’t understand the accent.
Enjoy your burger!

You heard me… ONE star.
I am Woodside born and bred, having taken a hiatus in Astoria I now live on the main land again. Being super excited to go have dinner at this Woodside staple… I was HIGHLY disappointed and slightly offended.
We went on a Friday during lent which means my options were limited, but I wasn’t worried. The menu had plenty of meatless options. You know what they also had? A nasty waitress who couldn’t care less about my experience there. Turns out I wasn’t missing much because this «famous burger» was over cooked and under seasoned.
I went with the shrimp scampi… Garlic, white wine, butter… How bad could that be?
TERRIBLE.
I’m on this new kick where I refuse to pay for something that’s not good. So I kindly asked nasty waitress to take it back and her response was «do you know how many of these I served?» The answer to that is «one is one too many lady». I asked it to be replaced with a salad and she looked at me like I just made a joke about her mother. The «salad» was a few greens, a carrot and balsamic out of one of those 1.99 bottles.
I give credit where credit is due… Their Mac and cheese app was good.
Manager came over to ask about my scampi… I just said the truth, look it wasn’t good. No garlic no white wine no flavor.
Normally this is where I say, maybe it was an off night and I will try again. No I won’t. There is bad service and there is rude. Our waitress was RUDE. Which is why against everything I believe in she got a pretty small tip.
Such a shame because the atmosphere in there is so cool and quaint. But I am a woman of my word. Never Again.

TOP PICK — BEST BEEF BURGER IN QUEENS
$ 10 – 12 will get you one of THE best burgers in NYC.
Believe the hype
They offer thick juicy ½ lb burgers that are delicious and perfectly Grilled.
Do yourself a favor and order it medium rare and get your napkins ready.
If you’re not into plain cheeseburgers, they have about 9 different varieties which all offer different toppings.
The burgers come with a decent portion of thick cut steak fries or massive onion rings.
For appetizers, the calamari has a nice thick batter and cooked well. Definitely not your typical rubber seafood some places have.
Recommended this place.
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Looking for the best burgers in NYC? Check out my NYC Burger List

Cozy Irish Pub. This is the main location; there’s another one in Bayside. Nice, simple bar, separate large dining room. Interior décor is rustic, simple, and has a homey and cozy feeling. They have a decent variety of beers and ales, as well as, your typical array of heavy liquors. I stopped in one evening with a friend and we each had a pint of Smithwicks. I’m not a big beer/​ale drinker, but this particular style had good flavor, and is very drinkable.
For food, my friend had an order of wings and we each had a different burger. I forgot what he ate, but I had the burger, The Sebastian, which had aged Swiss and mushrooms, cooked medium. I wasn’t impressed. Burger was very dry and overall flavorless. That burger was definitely NOT medium. LOLL
Despite the failed burger, I think I will be back to try some of their other beers/​ales on tap.

Complete definition of a neighborhood GEM! One of the most juiciest burgers i have ever had!
Every time i eat here my plate is a watery mess from all the burger juice that spills out after each bite. The burger itself is so big that i have to squash down the burger just so i can take a bite lol
Make sure that when you eat your burger, you eat it over the plate or your shirt may not like you much after your meal is over. Just goes to show you that Donovan’s has perfected their technique as they have been serving great burgers in the Woodside neighborhood to locals for many many years. Thank you!
Do your self a favor and stop by to see what the locals know! only thing left now is just to figure out how the heck they get their burgers so juicy so that i can recreate that Donovan’s burger magic at home!