An array of food and drinks from Jungly in LIC. Photo credit: Jungly.
April 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello
Trade in the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle for something a little more ‘Jungly’—the fun restaurant and event venue that continues to bring flavor and flair to Long Island City.
Located at 12-23 Jackson Ave., Jungly first opened its doors in September 2022. The concept was launched by Queens natives Rohan Aggarwal and Suraj Patel, the duo behind the popular Forest Hills eatery Queens Bully. With a sleek, spacious interior, a rotating lineup of weekly specials, and regular live entertainment, Jungly offers an upscale yet playful escape from the everyday.
The name “Jungly,” derived from the Hindi word for “wild,” reflects the spirit the founders wanted to bring to the neighborhood.
Guests can enjoy outdoor dining now that the warmer weather is here. Photo credit: Jungly.
“We feel that every New Yorker has their own wild side, and we wanted to bring that wild side out at Jungly,” said Aggarwal.
Aggarwal, who grew up in Queens, said he witnessed Long Island City’s transformation from industrial zone to dining and nightlife destination and knew it was the right place to launch their next venture. Building on the momentum of Queens Bully’s success since 2017, Jungly blends quality food, cocktails, music, and community into one dynamic destination.
“I’ve been visiting [LIC] since I was a child, and I saw the drastic change from industrial buildings turned into massive sky rises, people moving in, and really cool restaurants and bars opening up,” said Aggarwal. “The inspiration to be in Long Island City was because it’s such a beautiful neighborhood in Queens that has changed in front of my eyes over the last 20 years, and we always wanted to be there.”
Jungly has a large selection of cocktails and mocktails. Photo credit: Jungly.
Before launching Jungly, the space had operated as a beer hall, with the bar as the centerpiece of its expansive interior. But Aggarwal and Patel saw its size as an opportunity to reimagine the layout into a dynamic, multi-experience venue. Today, Jungly features three distinct rooms: a private event space, a spacious main dining area, and a lively bar zone, each with its own energy and purpose. Guests can enjoy a seamless evening that might start with cocktails at happy hour, lead into dinner in the dining room, and end with live comedy or a game in the bar area. The flexible design allows for simultaneous events, giving visitors a choose-your-own-adventure style night out.
Bao Buns from Jungly. Photo credit: Jungly.
Jungly’s menu is as eclectic and lively as its atmosphere, offering a range of dishes inspired by global culinary traditions. Popular items include house-made flatbreads, Jungly-style fries, bao buns, chicken malai kebab, and shrimp tacos, all ideal for sharing. For heartier appetites, the large plates menu features bold, flavorful options like Szechuan chicken and waffles, rasta man pasta, and Jungly fried rice. There’s something for everyone, including a full drink menu with signature cocktails, beer, wine, and mocktails, all crafted in-house.
Flatbread pizza and cocktails from Jungly. Photo credit: Jungly.
Recognizing that many local venues are busiest on weekends, the owners designed Jungly to be a weekday destination as well. They offer nightly entertainment and rotating specials to give guests something to look forward to after the workday.
“I feel like in Long Island City, business is really busy on the weekends, so we try to change that,” said Aggarwal.
Jungly keeps the energy going all week with a calendar full of events and happy hour specials. Guests can enjoy live jazz on Wednesdays, trivia nights on Thursdays and Fridays, and weekend brunch, including a $30 Sunday brunch buffet.
Jungly has live jazz music on Wednesday. Photo credit: Jungly.
Their next marquee event is a Kentucky Derby celebration on Saturday, May 3, kicking off at 6:57 p.m., just in time for post time. The festive evening will feature classic Southern fare like fried chicken, biscuits, and bourbon mint juleps, bringing a taste of Churchill Downs to Queens.
“It’s not a common event in New York, but I’m a thoroughbred racing fan,” said Aggarwal. “It’s very American, and it’s something fun for New Yorkers to experience.”
For a full list of events and weekly specials, visit Jungly’s website or follow them on Instagram at @junglynyc.
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