Live at a lounge near you

Live acts will rock your night out

Dinner, drinks and bands of all kinds playing small settings across Queens

by Mark Lord Chronicle Contributor

Long gone are the days when residents of Queens had to travel to “the city” to find venues offering both fine dining and live entertainment.

Restaurants and bars abound right here in the borough, offering opportunities for locals to enjoy a complete evening (or afternoon) out in their own backyard, with many providing showcases for veteran entertainers as well as up-and-coming musical talent. And the performers are as varied as the population of the most diverse place on Earth.

Take, for instance, Dylan’s Forest Hills, a bar and music venue specializing in Southern infused comfort foods.

“We’re all about music and art,” said owner Brian Urbina, a professional musician and motion picture production designer and art director for whom owning a music venue was a lifelong dream.

His love of music is evident everywhere, even in the restaurant’s name: It honors his 5-year-old son, Dylan, who was, in turn, named after legendary musician Bob Dylan.

And the décor reflects Urbina’s knack for decoration.

“This was my baby to design,” he said. “It’s a beautiful, personal space. The bar top is all record albums. Our logo is a guitar neck.”

The venue’s website indicates that “we want to put Forest Hills on the map as a destination spot for food, music and entertainment.” Urbina is mindful of the neighborhood’s rich musical heritage.

“Forest Hills has a musical background,” he said, pointing to such artists as Simon and Garfunkel and The Ramones. “There has always been a big musical community here.”

With that in mind, Urbina presents what he describes as an eclectic variety of performances.

Music is on the menu most nights. Fridays and Saturdays are generally devoted to bands playing jazz, rock and other genres. An open mic, featuring Dylan’s All-Star Band, takes over on Thursdays. Singer/songwriters perform on Wednesdays, often alternating with comedy acts and other diversions.

“Every week we have something different,” Urbina said. The one consistency, he added, is the quality of the performers.

“With my contacts, I can get acts that wouldn’t normally come to Queens,” he said. “It’s a real-deal place.”

Dylan’s is located at 103-19 Metropolitan Ave., (718) 880-2872; dylansforesthills.com.

Family-owned and operated since 1977, Bungalow Bar & Restaurant in Rockaway Beach offers seafood and American cuisine, with the menu changing seasonally, along with panoramic views and a wide variety of musical attractions.

According to one partner, Sean Tubridy, the neighborhood, devastated by Hurricane Sandy, is experiencing a renaissance. “The town exploded in popularity as a destination for good times. We get everybody — young and old, families,” he said.

The venue, which is open yearround and provides a casual dining experience with both indoor and outdoor seating, offers Trivia Night on Mondays, with tables competing for prizes, and DJs every weekend.

The entertainment factor really picks up with the arrival of warm weather. A variety of acoustic performers ply their craft on Fridays beginning at 5 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. Different one-man bands perform on Thursdays on the outdoor deck, with talent being drawn from a group of regulars at the venue. And big-name concert acts turn up on occasion, including, most recently, one-time Arista recording artists The Bogmen, an indie rock band from Long Island, which made a return visit earlier this month.

Bungalow is located at 377 Beach 92 St. in Rockaway Beach, (718) 945-2100; bungalowbarny.com.

In the mood for chowing down on some traditional Mediterranean dishes while engulfed in the sounds of a bouzouki being plucked nearby? Then Dionysos Taverna in Astoria might be just the place you’re looking for.

Owner Paraskevi Roussopoulos suggested that finding a Greek restaurant with live music is all but impossible these days, even in Manhattan. That is why she is proud that her establishment, named for the Greek god of wine, can provide exactly that.

“Americans want to try Greek food,” she said. “And there are many Greek people in Queens.”

While the venue recently took a break from live entertainment, Roussopoulos indicated that it will start up again at the end of the month.

One of the more popular attractions has been a trio of singers who generally perform on Friday and Saturday nights starting around 9 p.m.

Their repertoire of Greek music has been a big draw among the Greek locals. The nights they’re on the place is filled almost entirely with fellow Greeks, Roussopoulos said.

Dionysos is located at 23-15 31 St. in Astoria, (718) 932-3231; dionysostavernanyc.com.

Not too far away you can experience a touch of Brazil courtesy of Antonio’s, which opened in Astoria in October, offering a dash of bossa

The house band plays on open-mic nights at Dylan’s in Forest Hills.

PHOTO COURTESY BRIAN URBINA

The Bar Scene