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5 Towns / Far Rockaway Master Wiki
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Restaurants & Eateries – FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE LIST SEE: https://vaadhakashrus.org/establishments/
  • 550 Restaurant / FiveFifty – Upscale meat chop-house with creative plating (Central Ave.).
  • Adams Glatt – Butcher counter plus hot Israeli grill (Peninsula Blvd., Hewlett).
  • Ahuva’s Grill Express – Shawarma, laffas and salads to-go (Rockaway Tpke.).
  • Anju – Street-food–style Asian-fusion; small-plate focus (Cedarhurst Ave.).
  • Apron Masters Kitchen – Cooking-school storefront now selling prepared Shabbos meals.
  • Bagel Boys On Central – Classic NY bagel & dairy café; early-bird breakfast specials.
  • Barbacoa Burger House – Craft smash-burgers and smoked meats (Spruce St.).
  • Bean & Berry / That Pizza Joint – Dairy café with Detroit-style pies and açai bowls.
  • Berrylicious – Frozen-yogurt & crêpe bar (590 Central Ave.).
  • Blissful Events – Boutique caterer; seasonal boutique pop-ups (Far Rockaway).
  • Bogo Pizza – Buy-one-get-one pies & family combos (Rockaway Tpke.).
  • Bravo Kosher Pizza – Slice joint in Broadway Commons, Hewlett.
  • Burnside Pizza – Neighborhood pizza and salads (Inwood).
  • Café Chocolat – Dairy crêperie & chocolate café (Central Ave.).
  • Capri – Contemporary dairy Italian (Woodmere).
  • Carlos & Gabby’s – Long-running Tex-Mex grill (Washington Ave.).
  • Carving Block – Smokehouse meats, deli platters and pastrami on rye (Cedarhurst Ave.).
  • Central Perk Café – Breakfast & brunch spot with greenhouse seating (Cedarhurst Ave.).
  • Central Pizza Co. – Thin-crust & grandma pies plus pasta (Central Ave.).
  • Chap-A-Nosh – NY deli subs, burgers & the famous sesame chicken (Central Ave.).
  • Chefah Catering – Upscale off-premises caterer; lavish Shabbos packages.
  • Chickies – Crispy chicken sandwiches, fingers and salads (opened 2021).
  • Chimichurri Charcoal Chicken – Latin rotisserie & homestyle sides.
  • Doma – Upscale meat; rave steaks but some find portions small.
  • Hibana Hibachi – Tableside teppanyaki show; mains get mixed reviews.
  • Holy Schnitzel – Long-time chicken-sandwich staple; quality noted as uneven of late.
  • Off The Diet (“Famous Pita / Tanami”) – Israeli grill & shawarma on Broadway, Hewlett.
  • Sandwich Bar – Build-your-own panini & salad bowls (Rockaway Tpke.).
  • Smash House – Smash-burgers; faux-cheese Philly hailed as best value combo.

Groceries / Supermarkets / Meat Stores
  • Bingo Wholesale – Rockaway Tpke. Opened Feb 2024; huge kosher selection, liquor outlet next door.
  • Gourmet Glatt – Flagship kosher super-store; famous but pricey and challenging parking.
  • Stop & Shop – Lawrence – New, spacious branch in former K-Mart site.
  • Seasons – Central Ave. branch; solid prepared-food counter.
  • Kol Save – Budget meats and close-dated grocery deals.
  • Keneret Fresh Market – Butcher/take-out (Mehadrin 5T).

Shuls & Minyanim
  • White Shul (Kehillas Bais Yosef, FR) – Large Ashkenazi; multiple daily minyanim & learning programs.
  • Red Shul (KBYT) – Late-night Selichos & popular shiurim.
  • Shaare Emunah – Sephardic on Peninsula Blvd.; daily minyanim.
  • Hachaim V’Hashalom – 24-hour Beis HaMidrash-style minyan factory.
  • Other busy shuls: Aish Kodesh • The Shteeble • Yeshiva Darchei Torah • YFR Beis Medrash.

Hotels & Lodging
  • Five Towns Inn – Lawrence – Basic but walkable to many shuls.
  • Rockaway Hotel & Spa – Boutique option near beach; confirm eruv routes.
  • Hyatt Place Long Island/East End – About 1-hour east; bundles Aquarium tickets.
  • Standard JFK airport hotels (Hilton, Courtyard, TWA, etc.) are 10–15 min drive if you have post-Shabbos transport.

Things To Do / Attractions
  • Atlantic Beach Boardwalk – Closest ocean access; bridge toll $2 (Long Beach bridge free).
  • Long Island Aquarium – Riverhead – Full-day family outing; Hyatt guest discount available.
  • Woodmere / Hewlett Shopping Stroll – Boutiques & cafés; Target mini-store at Bay Harbour Mall.
  • Seasonal: Kapparos drive-through (Caffrey Ave.), Purim carnivals, local food festivals, etc.

Trip Reports (“TR”)

Restaurant Reviews / Ratings (from forum members)
  • Smash House – “Best value in the bunch… fake cheese outshines every other” – shiframeir
  • Hibana Hibachi – Fun show but mains “too salty” for some diners – Agoldsc1
  • Crave – Good food yet concept “made no sense”; closed Jan 2025 – Dan
  • Ondas – “Some of the best steaks I’ve ever had” – mochjas
  • Capri (Woodmere) – “Amazing and always empty – hope they stay open!” – Bookish
  • Early takes on Crave vs. Smash vs. Graze burgers – multiple mini-reviews in the main thread.



Services & Misc.
  • Precision Auto Body – Inwood – Frequently recommended for honest, quality work.
  • Cedar Plumbing – Reliable local plumber for small leak & boiler jobs.
  • Gas deals – Conoco (Peninsula & Rockaway) often cheapest with app discounts.


Help keep this wiki current! Edit this wiki in addition to replying below.


« Last edited by mevinyavin on May 23, 2025, 01:30:26 AM »

Author Topic: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread  (Read 1028104 times)

Offline shiframeir

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2480 on: February 25, 2020, 11:08:33 PM »
Lots of pluses and minuses in 5towns, but the ability to sneak out with the Mrs and walk to a quality place like cork and slice at 9:30pm on a Rosh Chodesh Tuesday night is pretty great. Usually the place has disappointed (being good but not great), but this meal was perfect. Maybe we should always go late...

Offline DTM

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2481 on: February 27, 2020, 05:38:54 PM »
Any truth to rumor that Bingo supermarket is moving into former Staples location on Rockaway Turnpike before Pesach?

Offline mercaz1

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2482 on: February 27, 2020, 05:47:21 PM »
Any truth to rumor that Bingo supermarket is moving into former Staples location on Rockaway Turnpike before Pesach?

that would be huge
please let this be true

Offline stooges44

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2483 on: February 28, 2020, 11:45:14 AM »
Any truth to rumor that Bingo supermarket is moving into former Staples location on Rockaway Turnpike before Pesach?

This has to be like the 5th rumor about bingo coming in as many years, I'll believe it when I see it. The GG monopoly never let so why would it be different now?
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline Mootkim

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2484 on: February 28, 2020, 12:07:18 PM »
This has to be like the 5th rumor about bingo coming in as many years, I'll believe it when I see it. The GG monopoly never let so why would it be different now?
What does it mean to "not let"? Do they take everyone who tries to open a grocery to Beis Din?

Offline sammyp

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2485 on: February 28, 2020, 01:38:05 PM »
What does it mean to "not let"? Do they take everyone who tries to open a grocery to Beis Din?

They don't take them to Beis Din. They pay them off and convince them it wont work.

Bingo was seriously considering opening in the Five Towns. But someone is strongly convincing them they wont make it here, and that people here wont shop in that type of store, even if they will save money.

I was just in Bingo to purchase all our Purim foods, and it's just amazing how KolSave/GG are ripping us off.

Offline Agoldsc1

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2486 on: March 04, 2020, 03:06:55 PM »
Fresh from GKR News e-mails:

"Bingo Wholesale, the "Costco" of Kosher stores, is opening a new location on Rockaway Turnpike, that will hopefully be open before Pesach, according to a source we spoke to at the Boro Park location. The store has locations in Monsey and Lakewood as well. Best of luck on the new location! Stay tuned for more updates as they come in".

Offline mercaz1

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2487 on: March 04, 2020, 04:07:01 PM »
Fresh from GKR News e-mails:

"Bingo Wholesale, the "Costco" of Kosher stores, is opening a new location on Rockaway Turnpike, that will hopefully be open before Pesach, according to a source we spoke to at the Boro Park location. The store has locations in Monsey and Lakewood as well. Best of luck on the new location! Stay tuned for more updates as they come in".

i hope this really makes GG lower their prices and be competitive

Offline ethana

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2488 on: March 04, 2020, 04:10:06 PM »
Just go bingo... gg ain’t that great

Offline Agoldsc1

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2489 on: March 04, 2020, 04:14:16 PM »
i hope this really makes GG lower their prices and be competitive

Can't see how it wouldn't.

Offline sammyp

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2490 on: March 04, 2020, 04:18:55 PM »
i hope this really makes GG lower their prices and be competitive

GG will do what they did with KolSave. Lower their priced for a few months, then hike them up again. Probably hoping yo keep people away from Bingo until Bingo chokes. Then they'll go back up.

GG's ego will not allow them to realize Bingo is a much better store and has a much better selection. GG just sells what they get a good deal on, never passing saving to their customers.

Offline stooges44

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2491 on: March 04, 2020, 04:22:28 PM »
Fresh from GKR News e-mails:

"Bingo Wholesale, the "Costco" of Kosher stores, is opening a new location on Rockaway Turnpike, that will hopefully be open before Pesach, according to a source we spoke to at the Boro Park location. The store has locations in Monsey and Lakewood as well. Best of luck on the new location! Stay tuned for more updates as they come in".

This has to be like the 5th rumor about bingo coming in as many years, I'll believe it when I see it. The GG monopoly never let so why would it be different now?
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline Agoldsc1

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2492 on: March 04, 2020, 04:26:29 PM »


I hear that, but generally GKR is very in-the-know, and they don't release information until it's been verified.

Offline stooges44

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2493 on: March 04, 2020, 04:40:42 PM »
I hear that, but generally GKR is very in-the-know, and they don't release information until it's been verified.

What's GKR?
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline Agoldsc1

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2494 on: March 04, 2020, 04:45:44 PM »
What's GKR?

Great Kosher Restaurants (Elan Kornblum). 

Offline Mootkim

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2495 on: March 04, 2020, 05:10:57 PM »
Anyone know when Fialkoff's is officially opening?

Offline Yef

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2496 on: March 04, 2020, 05:30:30 PM »
GG will do what they did with KolSave. Lower their priced for a few months, then hike them up again. Probably hoping yo keep people away from Bingo until Bingo chokes. Then they'll go back up.

GG's ego will not allow them to realize Bingo is a much better store and has a much better selection. GG just sells what they get a good deal on, never passing saving to their customers

You make up most of the you keep rattling about. I was at bingo yesterday. No selection. GG has every type of everything. Shop wherever you’re think is best and stop bashing so much.

Offline sammyp

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2497 on: March 05, 2020, 12:58:09 AM »
GG will do what they did with KolSave. Lower their priced for a few months, then hike them up again. Probably hoping yo keep people away from Bingo until Bingo chokes. Then they'll go back up.

GG's ego will not allow them to realize Bingo is a much better store and has a much better selection. GG just sells what they get a good deal on, never passing saving to their customers

You make up most of the you keep rattling about. I was at bingo yesterday. No selection. GG has every type of everything. Shop wherever you’re think is best and stop bashing so much.

If you work for GG, just say so. You want to argue about service and class, there is what to argue about. But selection?!? GG has one "Jewish" brand of each item. No choice i.e. of Geffen or Liebers etc.. It's whatever they get a deal on. Bingo has much more and for half the price. I go to both pretty often.

Offline Agoldsc1

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2498 on: March 05, 2020, 09:39:47 AM »
If you work for GG, just say so. You want to argue about service and class, there is what to argue about. But selection?!? GG has one "Jewish" brand of each item. No choice i.e. of Geffen or Liebers etc.. It's whatever they get a deal on. Bingo has much more and for half the price. I go to both pretty often.

+1. Based on post history, @Yef seems to have a strong interest in convincing Bingo to stay out of the 5T area.

Offline safsel

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Re: 5 Towns/Rockaway Master Thread
« Reply #2499 on: March 05, 2020, 11:46:52 AM »
While i would be thrilled for bingo to open in 5t i have heard this most recent rumor is sadly unfounded