Beija Flor

"Salgadinhos Your meal at Beija Flor should start with salgadinhos. Now that we’ve saved you a bit of time, use it to decide how you want to construct your five-piece appetizer sampler. The good news is no matter how many cheese, chicken, or cured beef fritters you choose, you’ll pat yourself on the back for a situation well-handled, especially if you douse them all in the bright, herb-filled mayo that comes on the side." - matt tervooren

"Just two blocks from the N and Q trains in Long Island City, you’ll find a raucous party that happens to come catered with expertly grilled picanha. Whether you go to this spacious restaurant on a Tuesday or a Saturday, the long antique tables start to fill up by 7pm and stay full until closing time at 11pm. With neon blue light, and floral garlands hanging from the ceiling, Beija Flor is a prime spot for birthday or bachelorette celebrations—you’ll hear loud, frequent toasting over the live samba music. The fried red snapper is a good option for sharing, as well as a sizzling steak platter that’s pure asmr. " - Neha Talreja, Matt Tervooren

"The supporting actors outshine the A-listers at Beija Flor in LIC. Sure, we’d happily eat a bucket of the chicken coxinha, but dip them in the bright, herb-filled mayo, and you’ll nearly forget about their crispy shells and juicy chicken. The picanha is perfectly grilled, but the flavor of the meat plays third fiddle to the smell coming off the sizzling skillet, and the best yuca fries in the city. And the feijoada is smoky and full of fatty meat, but somehow, the collard greens on the side end up being one of the most memorable things here. One main character that can command the colorful, hanging flower-covered room on its own is the moqueca, which has a slightly sweet broth you’ll drink straight from the bowl (or pour over an extra side of rice). photo credit: Emily Schindler" - Matt Tervooren

"In a Long Island City neighborhood sprouting new hotels and condos, Beija Flor (“hummingbird”) showcases Brazilian food and drink in a cocktail lounge setting. The menu is a little shorter than most Brazilian restaurants, concentrating on grilled meats, but also offers other typical fare such as garlicky linguiça sausage served with crumbly farofa, and muqueca, an African-Brazilian seafood stew. Don’t miss the cocktails that provide a choice of cachaça (a sugar cane liquor), and a premium caipirinha, the national cocktail of cachaça, lime, and sugar, decorated with a piece of sugar cane." - Robert Sietsema, Carla Vianna

"For Brazilian bar snacks and drinks: Beija Flor — “hummingbird” in Portuguese — is a part restaurant, part cocktail lounge in Long Island City. Huge murals grace the outside, and the interior provides comfortable seating around a bar overhung with strings of flowers. The Brazilian liquor called cachaça is the focus here, with several invented cocktails as well as ramped-up caipirinhas, but the food menu is equally likable, focusing on simpler dishes featuring meat and seafood. Bar snacks such as pão de queijo (cheese bread) and linguiça (sausage) are also offered." - Eater Staff