Queens’ Nights: Celebrate College-Like Antics in Astoria

“No fights tonight,” said the bartender, whose latest brushes with “violence” include being pelted by bottle caps and having TV police chases of the mulleted variety projected onto his back as he shuffled around behind the bar. Surprising words inside a place that looks a lot like a college hippie’s first apartment, complete with impressive candle drippings, a raised hookah hideaway, Astoria youth killing beers (Stella Artois, $5) and bottles (no wine over $25), and velvet couches of questionable cleanliness. Also like college, a celebratory attitude toward drinking prevails, with $10 mix-tastic cocktails like Sex on the Sofa (raspberry vodka, peach schnapps, orange and cranberry juices) and 1-900-FCK-MEUP (raspberry liqueur, raspberry vodka, triple sec, Southern Comfort, melon liqueur, coconut rum, amaretto, cranberry and pineapple juices) and $4 shots. The free botanas (snacks) promised on the menu never came, but that’s cool, ’cause the café menu offers everything from guac and chips ($6) to savory crepes ($8) and coffee ($2.50) to help you pull it together before band practice. One Wednesday a month Rapture turns down the lights even more and hosts its own version of movie night—local filmmakers screening
their work.