I love getting the beef noodle soup. So good. Have eaten in the restaurant once and the restaurant…read moreis clean and the service is great.

The stewed beef chuck, which is really beef noodle soup, was ok. Good portion size, good amount of…read morebeef and bok choy. If you get it to go, they put the noodles and stuff on a tray that sits on top of the broth, which is really cool. The broth was lacking in flavor, very bland. Their lo mein looks like it would be good, but it tasted really strange. Broccoli and beef were good though. The beef was very tender and flavorful.

First night in Albany brought us to Albany Ale and Oyster…read more Great food and beer here! Whenever there is a Main Brewing Company beer on tap anywhere I am sure to get it. They are an elite beer company. The tuna tartar was delicious and fresh, I really enjoyed it. The oysters on the east coast are always amazing. My wife loved the clam chowder, I tasted it and it was very flavorful. The people with us got an amazing charcuterie board! It was very well put together. There is lots of conversation going on around us but not so loud you can't hear your own.

My partner treated me to lunch at Ale & Oyster. While I was excited to come, my expectations for…read morethe resto were not entirely met: -Our server ignored us for at least half an hour. We couldn't easily flag someone down to take our orders. -Our waters tasted like fish water :( -I ordered a house salad with added shrimp, but I only got 3 pieces of shrimp. It didn't feel like it was worth my money. Not sure if I would return again.

Cardona's Market is a traditional Italian market that feels like stepping into a neighborhood deli…read morein Italy. The shelves are stocked with imported pastas, sauces, and specialty items that make it hard to leave empty-handed. I ordered the Chicken Cutlet Sandwich, which was outstanding with a perfectly crispy cutlet and fresh ingredients. The macaroni salad was a great side, and the cannoli was the perfect sweet ending to the meal. If you're looking for authentic Italian flavors and a true old-school market experience in Albany, Cardona's is definitely worth a visit.

I wandered into Cardona's Market for lunch and immediately got that small‑town Italian deli vibe:…read moreseparate counters for Deli items and Sandwiches and shelves of various Italian goods for sale. I ordered Joe's Special, and it was exactly what I hoped for: a well‑balanced stack of chicken cutlets, mayo, cheese, and bacon. The large was big enough for two meals. Albany turned up a lot of Deli options, Cardona's is a clear stand out.

Came here for lunch after airport run. This place is nothing fancy. They have a small menu. Order…read moreand pay by the counter and they will bring your food to your table. Our ramen were delicious, the meats were tender and have nice flavors. I just wish my broth is hotter ( temperature hot). Will definitely come back.

It looks good in photos. But is not good in practicality…read more Tonkotsu ramen: Overall preparation was great, it was hot, pork was nicely cooked. But Flavors were not good at all, poor quality ingredients. - broth flavor: 2/5, does not taste good. Not quite awful, but unpleasant. - pork char-siu: 2/5. Not good. Not much flavor. - soft boiled egg: 2/5. No flavor. Bland. Not properly prepared. And why cabbage? That's a weird choice. Gyoza: 2/5 Also prepared very nicely. Cooked perfectly. But flavor inside was devoid. Tastes like nothing, just the chewiness of chicken and slight unpleasant taste of mediocre cabbage. Service and ambiance are fine.

Live in the area my entire life and went to Iron Gate for the first time, sorry I've missed it!…read more Food was delicious, table of 5 and everyone loved everything, pancakes, omelet, sandwich, all yummy! Our server was sweet, attentive and easy to talk to, she shared some history of the building. Now, the building, absolutely beautiful! The architecture is stunning, perfectly decorated and used in a way to preserve the look of the mansion! Will definitely be back!

Very busy spot. Would not recommend for a large group as they only take reservations day of which…read moremade planning a bit harder to do. Service was okay, they were definitely a bit overwhelmed and thus we didn't see our waitress a ton. Food was good, everyone loved the pepper jack hollandaise but the cornbread was very dry which was a let down. A solid spot for breakfast. Would probably come back for a 2 or 4 person outing.

I stayed one night at the Renaissance because I was overnighting in Albany and it looked close to…read moreCity Beer Hall which looked good on Yelp. Well that's a confusing sentence. I walked the half block from my hotel room and saw the lighted sign on the building drawing be to City Beer Hall. The bar is old school wood, long tables, and people generally having a good time. I was alone so chose the bar for sitting because that is more convenient for me and the wait staff. The beer menu was long with a few regionals new to me. Too many sours though for my taste, but those are popular now. I am not going to talk about the beers available because those will surely change by the time you read this. I ordered a beer and checked out the food menu. There were some good looking items on the menu, I really wanted a good pizza after my earlier airport pizza debacle, but a whole pizza was too much for one guy. I discussed the food choices with my friendly bartender and settled on the chicken nuggets and a side of fries. The nuggets are hard breaded from thighs and pretty good. The fries were crispy, well seasoned, and overly abundant. Overall the meal was great! It was Thursday night and they had a trivia-like game that was related to Family Feud so I played that. Might have stayed a little later than I should have but the beer was good. I was looking at the beer refrigerator and saw Fiddlehead IPA and asked my bartender about it. He was not really keen on it but that is the best beer they had there, but that is one really good beer. Later I notice that was the beer they were giving you if you ordered the $8 beer and a shot, which is an excellent value! There was some kind of drama this night. There was a lady who first tried to order Jager Bombs for her table and the bartender told her sorry we don't do those so she ordered Tito's shots instead. Well this ended about how you would expect with her losing a credit card and blaming everyone in sight for her problems. The bartender and manager were S-tier professionals managing her and keeping the food and beer flowing to the rest of us. Guys, thank you for your service! If you are in downtown Albany and you are hungry or thirsty hit up the City Beer Hall.

I was staying at the Renaissance down the street for a conference at the Albany Capital Center. I…read moreneeded a quick dinner before I went to do more work in my room. The City Beer Hall fits the bill. Located on Howard Street, the City Beer Hall has the local hangout vibe for professionals in town like me and locals wanting a beer and a pizza and fun times. The building at one point housed the city's old telephone company, and now is a cool pizza bar joint with a speakeasy that wasn't open when I went. The large room that houses the bar and long communal tables with high ceilings and large windows is like a Biergarten that is works great for happy hours and evening hangouts. Pizza wise, I was pleased with their Hot Honey Pizza that balances sweet, savory, and spicy flavors between its delicious crust, pepperoni, creamy ricotta, tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh basil, and a lovely drizzle of hot honey. I enjoyed the pizza with a Ommegang Blueberry Falls that was a "Blueberry Kolsch" whose crisp and slightly sweet flavors balanced well against the spicy and savory I was noshing. The only downside was I found the service behind the bar to be a bit slow and distracting from conversations with other customers. I felt I was forgotten until I finally flagged for the check. But overall, the City Beer Hall was a solid experience highlighted by their hot honey pizza.

The copper crow is great they have unique dishes! I loved the stuffed haddock! Also the calamari…read morewas good! They have lots of seating and a cute lounge area! Great for a date night.

First visit to The Copper Crow and definitely not our last!…read more We had a 6:30 reservation and were seated almost immediately. It took our server a few minutes to make it over to us, but the restaurant was hopping, so it was understandable. She asked if we were heading to a play afterward (smart question--I imagine they're great at getting theater-goers in and out on time). Since we had nowhere to be, we were happy to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. We started with the Crab Rangoon Dip... and WOW. Ridiculously good! If you're debating whether to order it, don't. Just do it. Our entrées were very good--maybe not the kind of meal I'll be dreaming about for weeks, but definitely well above average and full of flavor. Service was on the slower side, but honestly, it gave us more time to soak in the ambience and enjoy the evening. The menu is unique, and there were several other dishes that caught my eye, which gives us a great excuse to come back. Overall, a wonderful experience, and we're already looking forward to our next visit!

I really like Bountiful Bread and I go their frequently, mostly for their morning glory muffins…read more Their sandwiches, soups, and salads are just special and made with care. For example, my simple breakfast sandwich (pictured) was on a full ciabatta sub and it had spinach. The server, who is always there in the morning and always so kind, suggested an array of veggies when I told her I did not eat pork. The decor is peaceful - light brown wooden aesthetic. It would be a cool place to study. The only thing I do not like at BB is their coffee. They have a nice selection of bottled beverages, and if I really want coffee, then I go to Uncommon Grounds, but not until after I get breakfast from BB.

This place was absolutely incredible, probably the best club sandwich I've had. The ingredients…read moretasted fresh and their bread homemade. I loved their strawberry & cheese danish which was excellent! Will definitely be back soon!