Went downstairs just to get a drink. Looks like they have an upstairs as well for food. The service was friendly and we had a good time. It's cool speakeasy vibe. read more

Best sushi north of NYC, this is an iconic restaurant and bar, along with a steak house as well. Wonderful historic decor of NY political culture read more

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Best real sushi around. Saso is a master sushi chef. If you want the real deal, this is it.

I ordered grilled salmon to be cooked medium over a Kale Salad. The salmon came and was cold in the center. The Kale was mixed with Ceasar dressing even though I specifically asked what the "iconic" description meant. I was told that the salad used a balsamic vinigarrette. Overall an overpriced meal with no waste ruin to detail I'm serving the food. Great waitress / Megh. read more

Omakase: a Japanese phrase used when ordering in restaurants meaning, "I'll leave it up to you". - And when you come to Albany War Room, you should absolutely leave it up to Saso for your sushi. Reservations at 6pm on a Thursday, it wasn't too crowded. The space small and there's plenty to look at as far as decor. It's some how quirky but upscale and intimate. Service was consistent and very friendly. We were going to sit at the sushi bar but the seats were a little uncomfy so we opted for a table. Reviewing the menu, I wanted to try it all, so we splurged a little and went for the Omakase. This is a dining experience filled with small crafted plates and the quality of everything was otherworldly. Omakase menu on 3/2/2023: Edamame MISO Soup House Salad Striped Bass Tataki with Ponzu Grilled Black Cod with Miso Emiko roll-Yellowtail Tartar with Wasabi robiko 1 pc of each-Toro, Salmon, Mackerel, Masago with Quail Egg, Eel, Shrimp Plum Roll (4 pcs) Citrus Fruit Salad or Mochi Ice Cream To start, the Miso soup was the best I ever had. Such a simple soup with strong umami flavors, somehow elevated, a great start to the meal. Followed by edamame and a light house salad with an awesome house made ginger dressing that makes it stand out. Then came the good stuff. The Stripped Bass Tataki was so fresh, the ponzu, scallions and the sweet and tender fish was a flavor bomb. So balanced, nothing needed, a perfect plate. But, the plates kept getting better. The Black Cod with Miso was pretty much the star of the show. Borderline orgasmic flavors that you just had to shut your eyes and enjoy every bite. Buttery, melt in your mouth, delicious cod with an amazing miso glaze. This was the best thing I've eaten on a long time. This dish made the omakase experience a 10/10 for me, and we haven't even gotten to the sushi! The grand finale was a large array of sushi. Two rolls and 7 individual pieces. This was quite the tour of sushi and I loved every bit of it. The nigiri was traditionally prepared with a dot of wasabi between the fish and the rice - perfect. The fish quality was impeccable, just look at it! The star of the plate was that toro and I saved it for my last bite. We weren't really a huge fan of the sour plum roll, but it was nice to try something new. The War Room far exceeded my expectations. We finished the meal with the green tea mochi in a plum sauce, it was the perfect not-so-sweet treat for the end of this meal. After this amazing experience, many carafes of sakes and great service and ambiance, we left loving it! I would go back in a heartbeat and order this again. I really hope they run a rotating omakase that changes seasonally! So yeah, get your reservations in ASAP. read more

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After seeing this place in a Reddit thread "Romantic Places to Eat In The Capital Region". My husband and I decided to try it out. Oliver was our server, he was super attentive, very informative about the menu/drink items and he played a large role into why we will be coming back to The War Room. As for the food, the sushi was some of the freshest I've had in the capital region, it was a beautiful presentation. I had the lobster mac & cheese and my partner had the chicken parm for dinner. We both almost finished the plate it was so delicious. For dessert we got two espresso martinis and a sticky toffey cake. So GOOD. The only downside was how expensive the cocktails were ($19 for Tito's espresso martini & $18 for another specialty cocktail) The table of 8 next two us also had a similar experience about how good the food and ambiance was. Will be going back to try some more sushi and the grilled cheese sometime soon. read more

Albany War Room Tavern - Sushi plate - Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

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I'll start with the positives.. the atmosphere was nice. Decor was cool if a bit quirky. Nice open window in the dining room. Negatives... we ordered the chicken parm. That was almost $40. No pasta. They served it with broccolini. Chef's kiss was they added teriyaki sauce on top of it. Next, I ordered a Kir Royale. Explained it was champagne/prosecco with a little chambord. They bring me chambord and soda water in ice in a double old fashioned glass. I let the first one slide because the waitress was swamped. When I finally get her over to us, I explain again how the drink should be made and proceeded to give me the exact same drink. Both totaled $38! I'm giving this place 2 stars because of the dessert. Flourless chocolate cake. That was the only good thing we ordered. I ordered the filet mignon and it was okay, nothing special. As a foodie exploring the area, I will definitely not return and not recommend this establishment read more

Yasuo Saso has been a legend among foodies in Albany. He became famous for his sushi and noodle house, which he operated for many years. Unfortunately, I wasn't living in the area at the time. I moved here after he'd already closed up shop. So when the news broke that the sushi master was back and serving up his amazing dishes at the Albany War Room, I had to try some for myself. My husband and I sat at the sushi bar, where we were greeted by Saso. We got there at about 1:30pm on a weekday, which turned out to be just in time. We didn't realize that the tavern stops serving lunch at 2pm. We ordered sushi and sashimi. Saso's meals live up to the hype. The fish was so fresh. Saso was able to bring out the amazing flavors with simple ingredients. It was all great, but the Spanish mackerel sushi was a taste sensation that I'd never tried before. Our server was Jeff. He was efficient, friendly and very helpful. We wanted to share a lobster mac and cheese, which sounded positively decadent. It was great, too. Thanks to Saso, Jeff and the kitchen staff, we were served lunch, drinks and even a delicious cheesecake by 2pm. I like the themed decor. Since the tavern is just steps from the State Capitol, the photos and artwork on the walls celebrate American politics. It's impossible to miss the moosehead over the fireplace --a salute--to Theodore Roosevelt. Both Saso and Jeff took the time to speak with us. The atmosphere is laid back and we never felt rushed. Our meal was wonderful. We'll have to come back and do it again sometime. Next time, we'll arrive a little earlier out of consideration to the staff. read more

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I've been to the War Room a few times. The place is intimate, clean, and well designed. I love all the photos. The sushi is fresh and expertly made. My fav is the Vegetarian Dinner. The restaurant was particularly packed today and I was alone, so I sat at the bar and enjoyed a great conversation with Saso. I will definitely be back! read more

Albany War Room Tavern - Vegetarian Dinner - Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

Had a very pleasant experience this evening. Nice location and ambience with very good service. Menu has nice variety of traditional options and then lots of sushi. Both theor burger and the bison burger were great. Thanks read more

Albany War Room Tavern - a table with wine glasses on it - Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

The atmosphere was really nice, and definitely unique. It took about 25 minutes for our server to show for our order, and another 40 for our food to be done. The burger was not cooked enough, and the lobster roll wasn't cooked properly either. The burger was decent, but I'm not happy with the price I paid for bad service and poor food quality. read more

I should never visit a new restaurant in the first month after they have opened. And this is not really a sushi restaurant, either. It is a 3-floor political museum / cigar-and-cognac room / steakhouse / basement bar - with a cramped 4-seat sushi bar tucked in the corner of the 1st floor. But I have wanted good sushi here in Albany for a while. And I have enjoyed the personality and culinary skills Chef Yasuo Saso and his 40+ years with a sushi knife, ever since he ran his own sushi restaurant in Albany 15 years ago. So it goes without saying that the sushi is very good, and although there was a limited selection for my visit (menu is not fully complete yet), I was still very pleased. Unfortunately, some other fundamentals of this restaurant/bar seem to still need a bit of work. The server apologized for, "the machine adds a surcharge for using a credit card," which he could have mentioned before I asked for my check. Surprise hidden fees always annoy me, no matter how small. Also, there was no POS system working yet, so the check itself was hand-written. A bit of an oversight, if you are opening a business that you hope for a large percentage of political tax-write-off type of business. And perhaps they can add a few different selections of sake. I will return. And hope that the problems on the technical are cleared up. 2023 01 12. read more

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Many may remember Saso's (Cathy in tow) on Central. After years working on another focus, Saso is back. The interior of the restaurant is high end casual and filled with historic politic centric photo and nostalgic items. Tablecloth and napkins and an led light I loved, instead of that stupid battery votive candle. The server were available to make the meal move along. Saso managed to show far and above all others in Albany what sushi can be. The ingredients all seemed super fresh. The rice isn't just an afterthought, adding delicious flavors to each item. I had melt in your mouth salmon sashimi. I save a piece to make sure to have it at the end. I'm not much of a drinker but I had a Saso's Revenge. It was fruity and packed a punch. Good things take time. This is well worth the wait for excellent sushi. My wife had a corned beef sandwich with fries. (Weirdly, it for into the meal). She could only eat half and loved the crispy salted fries. We all shared pork bao. We ate it so fast .... No picture. We peeked into the bar. It looked inviting for a drink before or after dinner. Maybe next time!! read more

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Have you seen Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares? I'm surprised this restaurant is still open honestly. Terrible service, terrible food! Confused environment. We had bad cocktails and 2 bland appetizers while we waited 45 minutes for our sushi. Then the waitress comes and asks us if we'd like dessert? Well, we hadn't had our sushi yet. We could just tell she was confused and looking through slips at the register. My husband proceeded to tell her we did not want the entrees if they hadn't been started yet. She replied "ok".... Another 15 minutes just to get our check and be able to leave to go get dinner! We will never return. Do yourself a favor and skip this place. read more

Thanks to Anthony from the Renaissance Hotel Albany, when sharing the negative experience, he immediately informed the Owner of War Room, Todd, and managers, Toni & Tina. They immediately spoke with me & my colleague, apologize for our negative experience elaborated that such behavior was unacceptable for their place of business and offered us a complimentary meal and drinks. This was unexpected and much appreciated of their gesture to make things right. We took up the offer and enjoyed a tasty meal, good service & pleasant social environment. Thanks again for caring to provide a solution, changing our views and adding a welcoming touch for a few out-of-towers. read more

Giving 4 stars because of the service! The service was great, I can't say who my server was because everyone helped to make sure that I had good service and an exemplary experience. My meal wasn't anything special flavor-wise.. the salad dressing stood out to me the most, and the kindness everyone showed. read more

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We had dinner at the Albany War Room last night before a show at The Egg. First off, the restaurant is less than a 5 minute walk from The Egg, which makes it super convenient when downtown for a show! We were greeted, seated and served by Jeff, who was great to us all night. We got the zucchini fritters as an app which was awesome. I was picturing French fries type preparation, but what came out was light-as-air fried cream puff type dish with puréed zucchini on the inside, and a chili and pineapple sauce on the outside. Delicious! I had the sushi and sashimi dinner; super fresh and big, buttery smooth pieces of fish. Among the best I've ever had. My wife had the filet mignon: seasoned and cooked perfectly, with a baked potato and a broccoli rabe side. She said it was also among the best she's ever had. Oh yea, great cocktails too! We chatted a little bit with the manager, and told her what a great spot and great experience it was. All around awesome. Nice job to the staff! We will definitely be back! read more

Had a great experience here in the middle of November. The sushi was easily the best I have had in Albany over my 10 years in the area (ordered several more times after having my first order with the tartare), and my partner's filet was cooked perfectly. The staff was attentive and dining room warm and inviting. Will likely be making this a one monthly dining spot. read more

Albany War Room Tavern - Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

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Food and service was great. Stopped in for lunch. We sat at the bar. Had the lobster roll. It came out fast and was delicious.

Ok this place amazed me. All my favorites in one place. Cigars,steaks,and sushi. Sasoo is the sushi chef and if you know anything about Albany, you would know he is the best in the city. The steak was cooked perfect paired with a great wine. Well done to the owner and med rare for my steak. I'm sitting next door with a cigar, and the world is right. Thank you GOD. read more

Albany War Room Tavern - Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

The most excellent place in Albany fantastic new spot in Albany. A block from the captital close to the egg. Fantastic great food really everything is excellent. Daniel was a fantastic host very hospitable. For everyone's knowledge there is a credit charge up charge so no surprises for a new place. But definitely please be good to be this place happy hour prices from 4-6. So feel free to stop by after work. Down stairs is a great bar. You can order food everywhere you sit so feel free to sit where you want to. Sushi chef is Sasso traveled all over great sushi. Rich is an excellent sous chef definitely fantastic food as well. Give these guys your time. read more

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Waitress was incredible , one of the best I've ever had l. I had the aged ny strip with roasted potatoes and broccolini. For it not being a steak house one of the best steaks I've ever had. Vibes were cool and different, was extremely impressed with eveything. read more

Really expensive for the same food you can get .5 miles away at 1/2 the price. The food was fresh and the service was good given the rush that came in. read more

Beautiful location in Albany's downtown BUT food was not the best, 42$ Swordfish came with raw zucchini fritter, $35 Lobster roll was minimal meat but many French fries. Service was not there, room was cold. Please be aware quality is not there. read more

One of my favorite places. Hey, you can get a corn beef sandwich anywhere but not one that looks like this. And the sushi by world famous Sasso is to die for. Also if you have the pleasure to be waited on by Toni, your meal will be a 10. read more

Albany War Room Tavern - The Best corn beef sandwich in Albany - Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

Bad and over priced food. Many other places worth going to. Service was friendly but very slow. Yuck.

Fruit flies in the soy sauce. Server forgot to put one of our sushi orders in which essentially added 45 min onto our dinner which was already subpar. Didn't even offer to comp our meal or at least one of the dishes. Not going back read more

The good was excellent and the service was top notch and attentive. Lobster roll and brisket was excellent!

Great food and atmosphere! The sushi chefs know their stuff. Can't wait to go back for Omokase!

Stopped in for lunch today while in town for work. Christina was running the bar solo and was an absolute pleasure! Corned beef sandwich was also great! Will definitely be back whenever I'm in town! read more

Went here for a business dinner with coworkers and management. Glad it was on the company card and not my own. The food was rather delayed which the owner apologized and compensated for. Very small eating area. I had an absolutely delicious swordfish, wasn't a fan of the polenta though. Interesting environment. read more

I usually am not one to leave bad reviews but I feel that the experience we had warrants this. We waited for around 75 minutes to get our food after ordering. The food, when it finally arrive, was unimpressive - expensive though it was. I ordered the lobster roll ($34) and ended up finding a piece of the shell in my sandwich. The lobster itself was chewy and tasted as though it had been left sitting out for awhile. My MILs chicken parmesan was salty, and my husbands bison burger was meh. The blue cheese (though I will admit I'm not normally a fan) was particularly horrible. Overall, this place was very expensive, especially considering the quality of food, and to be honest is just not worth it. We actually watched a couple that had sat across from us leave the restaurant because their food was taking so long. Reading through the other reviews maybe this was an off night but who knows. read more

Saso was absolutely amazing this evening - the sushi we ordered was phenomenal (including a special "firehouse" lobster roll that isn't on their standard sushi menu). My personal favorite of the night was the Omega 3+C roll (it has lemon slices on the top, which was intensely zingy and refreshing when paired with the fish). If you're not into sushi, a great appetizer to try is the zucchini fritters, which had a fantastic sweet chili sauce that I couldn't help but try to sop up as much of as possible. We had a 6:15 reservation and the space was pretty empty when we arrived - apparently we had just missed a big rush. It picked up a little after we ordered but nothing felt rushed. Our server, Mac, was also very kind and genial! When one of our table had trouble finding parking Mac specifically gave us directions to relay to him and made kind conversation with us in the meantime before returning to other tables. read more

Bad service. Would rather hangout than take orders. Asked for menus they told us we had to wait to get them. Bartender took order and proceeded to make several other drinks before making ours. read more

Food was very good. We didn't order sushi but from the kitchen. However they are charging a service fee for using a credit card??? I believe it's against the law in NY read more

Service and food was very good. Wine selection was also great. Easy to find location for a late Sunday dinner.

Cold fish...hot saki.... What could be better? I eat here often and always enjoy the food and ambience. Not really a place for tourists, they'd be more comfortable at a corporate chain restaurant. The War Room is for a far more seasoned traveler. read more

I just posted this in Google. Thought it needs to be said again. The worse place for family dinner. The place was less than busy. They were swatting flies when we showed up for dinner. The waiter greeted us with "do you have a reservation". The place was empty and they should be happy we showed up. Two other small groups showed up after us and they never asked the same question. Is it the way we look, dress, ...? We order from the menu. Nothing special. 1 grill cheese sandwich and 3 chopped salads and one appetizer. The appetizer came first as normal. Then we waited for about an hour and nothing. The next table walked in, order sushi and more expensive items on the menu. They wer served their order within minutes. I can attest that The sushi chef was very good at his craft and he made the order quickly. He is the featured chef and there was only one order. In comparison, what was the kitchen doin with our salad and grill cheese? The apparent owner explained that the salads were special order. The explanation is the bacon. The bacon was not hot when we ate the salad and there was nothing special about the salad, other than it makes me and my family sick at the feeling of disrespect in a state that is supposed to be tolerant. All the picture on the walls were political and does not really imply inclusiveness. All in all, when I got upset and ask for the check, that is when the food came out. What a coincidence! Never will I ever step foot in this place. The atmosphere and the people are reminiscence of other parts of this country. I am a native New Yorker! I have never been so disrespected in a NY restaurant. The name should have been a dead give away. Lesson learned. read more

Lunch service was abysmal. Waiter was not presentable and unhelpful. Left mid conversation several times. Never cleared the table without being prompted. Never brought one of the appetizers. Food was subpar and sushi was dubious at best. The "manager" was inexperienced and unprofessional. They had only one waiter for the entire restaurant. There were only two lunch menus to be shared by every table. Several menu items were unavailable. Ambience was not tasteful. Unless you're a history buff who enjoys enormous black and white photos of dead presidents. Overpriced menu items ($30 for poutine?? $22 sliders??). No children's menu. Will not be returning. read more

The cocktails we ordered were watered down and heavy-handed with the syrups. Took 30-45 minutes to get the starting appetizers of miso soup and a house salad. When I received the next appetizer, the miso marinated black cod, I noticed that it was encased in plastic. The dish was cooked in plastic... The waitress came back with what I assume was a redone dish and apologized saying "don't worry this is on us". The rest of the appetizers were okay at best. I gave the additional star for the nigiri and Chef Saso. The sushi was fresh and tasted very good, and the chef was very friendly and had great conversation. The night ended off with receiving the bill and seeing that the full amount was charged with nothing being "on them". We were not looking to ask for handouts, but definitely did not appreciate the poor service etiquette. If this is how they run the front, its not difficult to imagine how they handle the kitchen as well. read more