The service and food were excellent! Only downside was we couldn't get a booth in the dining room.

Great spot found in Yelp. I had been to Albany a few times the past couple of years. We found this restaurant one later afternoon as a place to have a celebratory lunch with family and friends. It had some great reviews and cool history. The food was really good. The service was very good and I would not only recommend but would go back again when in town. You could see it had been around a while and many locals enjoy it there. Good sign. Still quality shined through here. Good Italian joint for sure. read more

Visited today ordered lasagna wasn't aware the recipe contains sausage. As a patrons who subscribes to a specific religious diet I was disappointed that the menu didn't reflect that ingredient. The waitress made an accommodation and the ravioli appetizer arrived with spinach all over the top of it. Needless to say, I don't like spinach. The waitress rudely exclaimed I'm sure they won't remove that from your bill! I didn't request anything to be removed from my bill,! Very disappointed as this was one of my favorite restaurants! read more

One of the best Italian restaurants in the capital region. Small - make sure to always make reservations. Dinner can be pricey but well worth it. Wait staff is hit or miss, but the owners are lovely and the pasta sauce is to die for. read more

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The best Italian food I've ever had. Service was excellent. Veal sorrento and veal Marsala were top tier. Portions were huge and flavor was not lacking. There was not one bland thing we ate. Calamari was super fresh. Even the complementary bread with a trio of things to dip is super good. Don't know how everyone's review isn't a 5 star read more

I rarely upgrade my rating on a restaurant, but D'Raymonds has proved that it deserves it. I've ordered the Seafood Alfredo several times and each time it's downright exquisite. To construe, the ribbon pasta is so good. The pasta is fresh, homemade, and flavorful. In addition, the Alfredo sauce is probably the best Alfredo sauce I've had. It's rich, creamy, and mouthwatering. Likewise, the seafood is incredibly fresh. The lobster, shrimp, and scallops make this dish one of the best. Now, it is a bit expensive, the dish is about $25, but the portion size is massive. They give you so much that I can never finish the entire meal. Also, the price is worth it for the quality and flavor. The moral of this review is that D'Raymonds is one of the best Italian restaurants in the Capital Region. read more

D'Raymonds - Pesce Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

Iconic spot. Alot of recommendations on this establishment and certainly can see why. Wait staff are professional and on point. Vibe was hustling and busy on a Thursday night. Wine and drinks very good. All dinners were excellent and plenty of it. Garlic is the theme here... Italian! read more

Excellent !!! Food portions are amazing. The food is always delicious. Hospitality here is always great.

Best Italian food in the Capital Region, their cream sauces are amazing. Highly recommend the Rigatoni with sausage in pink vodka cream sauce and the Pollo A La Nastro. A must visit. read more

Pretty good Italian restaurant in Albany. Decor makes you feel old school typical Italian restaurant. It's probably need here for a while as most customers seem to be a regular here. Service took a while. We stood by the door waiting to be seated a lot longer than I wanted. They were busy but they weren't full either. I started thinking we are being ignored as we look like out of town visitors. Food itself was solid. Generous portion size for lunch. Full bar here. I think they do well for dinner. read more

D'Raymonds - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

Great food and service! Recommend the lobster ravioli and veal. Great vibes- cant wait to return!

Everyone loves this place. It's regularly voted best restaurant in the area. I don't understand that enthusiasm. The food is good. But nothing special. Maybe I'm wrong but this place seems completely ordinary to me. read more

Excellent food would most definitely come back with the family.Especially would bring my kids or husband great service.

We were a party of 4 for lunch. We ordered apps, soup and entrees.Apps came out quickly but no soup. Eventually our entrees came out and our waitress said" Kitchen catastrophe" you HAVE to get the soup to go since the entrees are here.????? everyone around us had their soup w/o a problem. No accomodation for her screwup"D RAYMONDS doesn't do that!!! really? Never been to restaurant where the customer is wrong. Forgot to mention that even without getting the soup our entrees were cold.BEST ITALIAN? not anymore read more

Was in a trip and met a local somewhere in Lake George. I was staying in Albany and asked for a recommendation for a great Italian restaurant that didn't have the word Olive or ketchup for sauce. She recommended "D'Raymonds" as a must go to place... My friend and I took the recommendation and went. I'll start off by saying, it's probably one of the better places, if not the best, for the immediate area. It was only about a mile from my Marriott Hotel, so convenience also wins! We did not have reservation and they were busy (better be for a Saturday summer night). We wound up eating at the bar, which was ok with us. Maths place, overall, is quite outdated, but good looking inside. It's in a tiny strip mall-like parking lot and doesn't stand out. The inside, is dark, woody, and has an older clientele. The portions are huge. We were told the chicken parm is was the best. I'll say this, it was juicy and look great. The taste was good. Needs a little more garlic to be great... a bit bland, but still pretty good. We had clams Casino... also good. A little loose/liquidity on the filling, but the roasted red pepper was great. Could have used a little more finally cut peppers, onion, and bacon, but it was still really good. Our pasta side was rigatoni a la vodka and it came with sausage. Also good... the pasta was cooked perfectly. The sauce was a bit too much, but, again, good! We had our drinks and called it a night. Overall, a solid Italian place. If you're staying here or live around the area, you should eat here. Just be ready to walk out with a take out bag, cause portions are big! read more

D'Raymonds - Chicken Parmigiana, Rigatoni ala D'Raymond, Finished Clams Casino - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

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Having heard great things about this restaurant, we ate dinner there for the first time yesterday. The ambience and need for reservations were as described by others. After waiting about 10 minutes for our reserved table, we enjoyed bread with a nice selection of dips/toppings, huge appetizers, huge main dishes and desserts. As noted in other reviews, the service and the foods were ALL quite excellent, with one glaring exception. Our server noted that my chicken piccata came with either pasta or potatoes & vegetable, and I chose the latter. Such a mistake! The potatoes had apparently been previously roasted and then fried, resulting in a pile of greasy, gray slop. The vegetable, asparagus, was huge, so the stalks were woody at one end and mush at the other. It was surprising that the chef (owner Greg C. we were told) let it out of the kitchen. It was a very bad note for an otherwise great dining experience. read more

I can only highly recommend the food, the service and the ambience they were treated this old man great

Once again another killer meal at D'Raymonds! We bought another couple and they accommodated her with this awesome seafood dish. The service, food, price was amazing. I highly recommend, make reservations ahead. read more

0 out of 5 stars. I called for 4 hours straight to make a reservation and they don't answer their phone. Drove there, then the couldn't accolade a 6 top until 9pm. Absolutely horrible customer service read more

I would have liked to have given a higher rating however after numerous visits unfortunately I cannot. We always make reservations. Only about 25% of the time we are seated on time. This is a rather small restaurant. There is not much room to stand while waiting to be seated. They always say we should wait in the bar but that is a pretty small area and it is by the entrance so when the restaurant is busy there is a lot of jostling with folks coming in or going out. Service is generally pleasant - they actually have some very nice waitstaff folks - but service is often pretty slow. It seems like a prime meal times the kitchen is unable to keep up. As far as the food is concerned sometimes it is really great but sometimes not. If you ask to have something sent back because it isn't right you can be treated as if you did something wrong. However not to be completely negative when the food is good it is extremely good. This restaurant is not inexpensive which we don't have a problem with when all goes well. However when things don't go well you don't get a "warm and fuzzy" feeling when you receive the check. As I mentioned we have gone here numerous times but they are too inconsistent to be able to receive a higher rating from us. read more

I was so disappointed in the food. I had friends and family take me there for my birthday. I ordered zucchini flowers for an appetizer and they came out where they must've been frozen at one point and the inside was still cold. And then my dinner came out 45 minutes later and it was cold. I heard so many good things about this restaurant so I decided to go there but never again when I go back and I would never recommend it. read more

Best Italian in the area Need to make reservations way ahead Bar menu great deal Suggest it highly read more

Draymond's (4.5/5) I've been going to D'raymond's for as long as I can remember, and it was our family's go to take out choice during the early days of the pandemic. If you are looking for a great Italian meal in the Capital District, this is the place to go. I firmly believe that the current Yelp score of 3.5/5 is an incredible underscore for this restaurant (not that D'raymonds needs a high yelp score to remain busy). We decided to make a trip back to D'raymond's while I was home for the holidays and the food was excellent as always. For wine my dad and I ordered a bottle of the La Crema Chardonnay to split. While the wine was good, I do believe the restaurant would benefit from an improved wine list. We were then brought out a basket of bread that came with a red-pepper artichoke spread, butter, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar (I usually put some butter and the red-pepper artichoke spread on my bread as they go great together). While it wasn't the case this time, sometimes the waiter will bring out some small fried doughs before the meal (they are pretty inconsistent with bringing them out. I think we have gotten them maybe 10% of the time we've gone, but if you wanted them I'm sure they would bring them out if you asked). For an appetizer we split the Diver Scallops Au Gratin which was good (lots of butter as seen in the picture). However, my favorite appetizer here is without question the Tuscan Calamari which is always incredibly tender, and probably my favorite preparation of calamari I've had. Other appetizers we have gotten that were very good are the stuffed mushrooms (Funghi Farciti), Sicilian Meatballs, and the Mozzarella Caruso. For entrees this time, I ordered the Veal Antonio, my Dad and brother ordered the Veal Piccata, and my Mom ordered the Veal Di Grancio. The Veal Antonio has become one of my favorite meals ever since ordering it for the first time for take out early in the pandemic. The veal is always very tender and the dish is a great combination of flavors. My dad says that the veal piccata here is his favorite preparation of the dish and one of his favorite dishes in general. He contemplates trying something different almost every time we go but can never get himself to do it (he's been coming to D'raymonds since the early 1980's and has only ever ordered the veal piccata, the veal di grancio, and the fettucini alfredo). I've had the veal piccata many times myself and it is also my favorite preparation of the dish. The veal di grancio is another excellent dish that I get from time to time when we go, and would definitely recommend it to anyone. All of these were served with a side of pasta which comes with D'raymonds red sauce. The sauce has grown on me over the years, and it is one of my favorite red sauces. It's more bitter than most red sauces which some may not enjoy(I will admit I didn't when I was younger), but I've come to love it over the years. Another entree I could recommend is the Pesce Alfredo which was my go to for years when I was younger. It's a great option if you are looking for a pasta dish. With that being said, I also think there are numerous misses on the menu. While I almost never deviate from any of the veal or the pesce alfredo I once got one of the gnocchi dishes and wasn't very impressed. Reading other Yelp reviews, I've noticed that people getting the steak are usually unimpressed and give low ratings. This is the case for a few other dishes, and I believe it drags down the overall rating of the restaurant. If you stick to any of the veal dishes you're likely not to be disappointed, but otherwise you may want to see what other yelpers liked outside that section of the menu before ordering). For dessert we ordered a piece of the cheesecake which was very good and I would order it again. I do wish D'raymonds would offer printed menus for dessert, as the waiter has to list them off when you ask. If you haven't been to D'raymonds yet, it's a must go to restaurant in the Capital District. The food is excellent and the staff are all great. It can be hard to get in so make sure to make a reservation in advance! read more

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Make sure they are open before you leave your house. We had reservations and only found out they were closed by looking at the menu before we left. We didn't not receive a call about them closing for the day. We made the reservation the week prior for a birthday celebration that had to be cancelled due to finding out less the. An hour prior to leaving. read more

Love this place. Best Italian, hands down. I low key like that not every one thinks it's great- that means I'll get a seat. Can't get a reservation because you call and no one picks up? Just give up because that means they'll pick up my call and I'll get a reservation. They are a little nook that you probably wouldn't notice unless you were looking- do me a favor, don't look for it, so I can get in and get my veal. If you don't like it, great. That means Mike is pouring my drink and Eric is bringing me bolognese. The staff here is stellar, but don't come!! I need to get in! Thanks y'all! read more

Amazing food! Large portions enough to take home extra. Delicious homemade sauce. This is my top pick for Italian.

Absolutely delicious food. So many good options on the menu. Good service. We will be back.

Went for lunch and had a mostly great experience. The food is very delicious here. Everyone enjoyed what they ordered except for one of the people in our party of four. I ordered the Veal Antonio, which are veal cutlets baked with prosciutto, eggplant, red sauce and fontina cheese served with a light lemon caper sauce. So tasty. My girlfriend had lobster ravioli that she really enjoyed. Even my salad was delicious. These people know their way around flavor. Just a couple of missteps by the server who grabbed the water pitcher by the spout and manhandled the grating cheese with his bare hands. Awesome old style traditional Italian restaurant I can see why this place is always busy. We definitely will return read more

D'Raymonds - Veal Antonio - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

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I was born in Brooklyn, grew up in New Jersey, and have lived in Manhattan for 25+ years. Let's just say that I know good Italian food. And D'Raymonds is my favorite Italian restaurant. NY & NJ used to have a lot of really good old-school Italian restaurants like D'Raymonds, but they've all been forced to close due to astronomical rents, and replaced by the likes of Chase and CVS. I always look forward to eating at D'Raymonds when I visit my in-laws. The best veal dishes ever. I may take the Amtrak up there for another meal real soon read more

D'Raymonds - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

Wow, an excellent meal, even more impressive being in Albany NY. A legit Italian restaurant with an overall A+ experience. The waiter was excellent providing good genuine feedback on the food and drink, and his suggestions did. It disappoint. Bread with red sauce, oil/vinegar, and butter options was a great start to the meal. Zeppoles followed which was unexpected. Scallop appetizer was awesome!! Soooooo good. All three of us had different veal dishes which were all A++. I had the veal Antonio which was outstanding. I forgot how much I dislike Grappa which has nothing to do with the restaurant. When I'm back in Albany, I will be back here for dinner. read more

Very ordinary. Noisy. Nice service There are better choices and some better choices at better prices read more

Dirty and A Lot of Attitude! This place is filled with attitude. Their food is passable but the bathrooms are disgusting. Floors and walls need a paint job. My fish stunk and I sent it back. Not recomended. read more

Can you overlook some basic dining room set up and cleanliness? If so then you'll be able to really appreciate your meal - if not maybe get the food as takeout. The restaurant is a cute spot, but we arrived for dinner fairly early when they opened and there were crumbs and debri all over the carpets and booths that should have been cleaned up before dinner service as it was the first thing you see. Then once seated we noticed our glasses were dirty. Not just some water spots but completely textured with something. No matter what we ordered drinks wise the glasses just seemed so off putting. After that being our first impression you're probably wondering why the heck I'm giving 4 stars still? Well our server was great, our appetizers - French onion soup and shrimp cocktail were excellent. Then our meals were also really great - veal parmigiana and manicotti. Also the bread and dips to start were so good! We enjoyed our time there, the crowd does skew older so it was busy even quite early just as a note to make reservations if you can even for 4:30 when they open. read more

D'Raymonds - Shrimp cocktail - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

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Went to dinner tonight with coworkers and what a piece of heaven from above. I'm a consultant traveling to Albany NY every other week for work, and our coworkers are always looking for new and interesting places to eat for dinner. This place has the best Italian food in Albany NY that I have tried in the past year since I started traveling to Albany. My sirloin steak with scallops was like heaven and the potatoes were to die for. The appetizers are absolutely wonderful! The service was terrific! This restaurant is truly a treasure to find in Albany NY. Everyone needs to come here for dinner for the experience! read more

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The food here is great but their reservation system is from the middle ages. As many have said, they don't answer the phones half the time. Our server said management is aware of this , which makes it even more pathetic. Ever hear of online reservations ? It works for everyone else - perhaps they should try it. But the food is superb- even though they don't care about customers getting through. read more

Went there for our anniversary and had a fabulous time! Why have we not found this restaurant until now.? Several seafood entrées sharing with family, sweet environment. We will be back. read more

Best Italian food we've had in the Capital Region of NYS so far. Old school taste, executed perfectly. Peroni on tap always a good sign. Service outstanding. read more

Honestly, it was just ok. Food/service/ambiance was what you'd expect from a strip mall italian place. Nothing bad but also nothing that would prompt me to return. If I could give 3.5/5, I would definitely do that instead. read more

Everyone's got one: that hometown Italian American restaurant, that reminds them of grandmas - just better. The staple dishes you can find in Little Italy, where the plates are more like platters. The atmosphere, dark and rich. And you swear you see Tony Soprano in the back corner. That's D'Raymonds. Known for their veal and what I would describe as a "overwhelming" menu. This place has everything you could want: chicken, veal, fish, steak. No problem. Pink sauce, red sauce, white sauce and cream sauce. They got 'em all. So don't just expect your standard Francesca, Marsala, bolognese or red sauce preparations. Call ahead because this placed was packed by 6:00 on a Tuesday and skip lunch because I'm not joking about the food portions. read more

D'Raymonds - Upgrade to the vodka sauce because it's creamy and delicious. - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

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Alright, this is hands down the best Italian food that I've had in the Capital Region. I came with friends on a Thursday night with reservations for 7pm. We were seated immediately and promptly lost ourselves in the extensive menu. Good thing the fresh bread with whipped garlic butter, tomato aioli/paste?, and olive oil and vinegar were unlimited. I was also surprised by the 3 powdered sugar covered fried doughnuts. Food: All 3 members of our party were completely satisfied and stuffed by our meals. My meal, the Veal D'Raymond, came with the entree and a side of pasta with tomato sauce. It was more than enough for one sitting and has fed me at least 2 more times so far! My veal was tender and well seasoned with mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and Italian sausage in savory tomato sauce! I would highly recommend this dish to anyone who loves a good tomato sauce base. Service: Molly was amazing! She greeted us with a smile and joked about our inability to decide on entrees because the menu was so big! If all the servers here are as sweet and accommodating as Molly, then this place really is a gem. Overall: We saw groups dressed casually and more formally for what looked like date night. We felt comfortable in jeans sweaters, so this place is good for a casual family dinner too. If not for the higher price point, we'd definitely return for great food with great service. Make sure you call for a reservation first because this is a hot spot! read more

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