Where everything oozes charm! We were in Albany on Saturday afternoon and it was that weird hour, way too early to be dinner and a bit too late to be lunch, but we wanted a snack and a drink. I found Dove + Deer on Yelp and knew we had to make a stop. The name alone drew me in! Located in a historical building (read up on the menu), there's an pretty sidewalk cafe area, both with awning and without. As if that wasn't alluring enough, a peek inside confirmed that this place is 100% irresistible. I'll have a cocktail anywhere there is stunning atmosphere. And then I looked at the menu and was so thrilled to see several vegan options, especially on such a small menu where everything seems special. Although there was a pressed tofu wrap with fries that sounded delicious, I wasn't yet hungry enough to get both that and the impossible to pass up Kung Pao Brussels sprouts (you better believe I was *this* close to ordering both. And if you're here for dinner, the green curry bowl might be more your speed, fellow vegans! Our waitress was kind, attentive - let's just say it: all around perfect. It was one of those rare perfect early summer Saturday afternoons where I had to wonder why we didn't make this more of a habit. Enjoying a cocktail (The Grocer. I've never met an elderflower cocktail that I didn't want to marry) and a small plate (god, those Brussels were phenomenally crispy and slightly sweet, slightly sour, slightly nutty with the peanuts), on a beautiful street of brownstones, trees and flowers. read more

Dove + Deer - The Grocer... a perfect summer cocktail to enjoy on Dove + Deer's perfect patio. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

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Celebrated the end of the working week at Dove + Deer, a local eatery that has fine food down to an art. The menu may be on the brief side, but what you get is premium. I enjoyed a glass of prosecco before tackling a classic wedge salad, updated with bacon, blue cheese crumbles, and a dill-chive dressing that must be tasted to be believed. Seriously, this is tremendous. For my main, I had a beautiful flank steak, seared to perfection, with potatoes and onions topping it and a sriracha inspired sauce that was likewise yummy. I had awesome service, and the dinner was great. I'm leaving 4 stars, not 5, because someone at the bar put prosecco into a wide-mouthed glass, instead of a tall flute. You don't want those bubbles going flat faster than they need to! read more

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Never made it in. They "lost" my reservation, even after I called to confirm. It was raining and cold that day too, which just added to the sourness since there was no warmth in the apology over putting my family out. read more

Extremely poor service. Had us waiting 45 minutes for our meal with only two other parties in the restaurant. Nobody checked on us and I had to get up to go to the bar to ask for things and pay the bill. Meanwhile, the party next to us was taken care of no problem and served in a timelier fashion. read more

Food and service were excellent! Had smash burgers w/truffle fries and super fresh salad greens.

Outstanding service, cocktails and food that never disappoints. I love Dove and Deer! I've been enjoying the Kung Pao Brussel Sprouts since they were doing take-out service during the pandemic. The Tofu Banh Mi sandwich was perfect - tangy, crispy, with a soft baquette that didn't make your teeth fallout. My only complaint is that it gets really loud, but that can also feel lively depending on your mood. read more

Great food, great wine, great time! Marina was amazing and treated us like family. 10/10 would recommend!

Food was very fresh. I got their spicy Caesar salad with salmon. It was delicious. The greens with the shredded parmesan combination made the salad robust. Then that spicy sauce part of it enhance the flavor. If you go definitely get this. I would get this 3 times over again if I had the funds lol. No but seriously it's good. I will say though the salmon was a bit over cooked and could use more flavor to it because it was lacking on that end. You won't be too full but satisfied even if you don't get appetizers. I still think you should order it because you never know you might like the salmon. My experience definitely can be different from yours based off tastebuds and how the cooking staff feels that day lol. The service was great. The waiter was the one who told me to get the Salad. He knew what he was talking about which shows even the staff eats the food there which is a great sign and was very polite and nice. I forgot what drink I got but that things got me tipsy fast. Off that one drink so the drinks are good as the food. In addition, if you have a spouse bring her here at night they have nice areas where it can come off as romantic. My spouse and I had great conversations at this place and felt really comfortable there. read more

We had a great meal at this restaurant. A word of warning... people know about this restaurant and you will probably have to wait. They don't take reservations. We arrived at 6:30 on a Friday night and were told the wait would be 15 to 20 minutes. It turned out to be over 30. We spent the wait time at the bar where we shared a bottle of Montepulciano D'Abruzzo. We noticed a lot of other people were drinking it as well. It was a smooth wine that tasted great. When we got our table, we both ordered the Peruvian Chicken and Rice dish. It took around 15 minutes to get our food. Both of us felt the dish was excellent. The chicken was prepared perfectly and had a nice mix of Peruvian spices. The fried plantains were done perfectly. The rice was a jasmine rice with coconut. You could really taste the coconut. It also had a very faint crunch to it. I'm not sure if it was intentional, but we both liked it. Overall, the dinner here was excellent. We will put this one on our list for future dinners. read more

Always a great spot for after work meet up for drinks and food, especially getting outside or even in the sun drenched side bar.

Good food nice atmosphere great for lunch. Overall a positive experience. Service was solid.

I have no idea why anyone reviews this place in a positive manner. 1 star for location. The food is good-- for Albany-- but it's not anything super fantastic. I want to specifically call out the weird and lacking service we received. Ordered drinks and there was literally no booze in them. Meaning .5 oz or less. Sent one back, full, right away and she still charged us for it. Tacky at best, super annoying though. Food was ok but would never go back here based on the horrid service and exceptionally crappy overall experience. I read they're closing and it makes sense. Our server was not attentive and was beyond awkward to speak to-- acting like we were bothersome. read more

Pork Osso Bucco: delicious. Broccoli Sandwich: different but also yummy. Brussel Sprouts appetizer: divine. Beer selection: great! Service: impeccable. Parking in the area: yikes! read more

Dove + Deer - a sandwich and fries on a plate - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

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A Great "Meet, Drinks & Bites" Bar As their website proclaims, the Dove and Deer is a restored bar in downtown Albany. They offer a cozy atmosphere for friends to gather, enjoy a date night, or stop in for a drink. Our first visit was a date night - our anniversary - so our expectation wasn't quite on the mark. During our visit, the bar and restaurant were filled with a younger crowd meeting up for drinks and small bites creating an environment full of chatter and laughter after a day's work. If that's what you've got in mind, the Dove and Deer is the establishment to visit. They've got great cocktails, good service, and a lively atmosphere that is popping with energy. ATMOSPHERE (4): Based on the website description, we were expecting a quieter, cozy space. They should invest in acoustic panels for the dining room. DRINKS (5): We ordered The Grocer and Dewitt. Both were excellent cocktails and apparently quite popular as we saw others order them throughout the dining room. FOOD (4): We ordered the Beet Hummus appetizer which was large enough for us to share. Four slices of grilled baguette were placed atop beet hummus alongside a salad of mixed greens, olives, roasted beets and topped with feta cheese. It has a great combination of flavors, and we thoroughly enjoyed the dish. My partner ordered the Crispy Chicken sandwich which came with a heaping serving of fries. While the chicken was cooked well, there wasn't anything that sets this chicken sandwich apart from others. They offer bacon with an upcharge but should consider adding it at no cost to kick it up a notch. The shoestring fries (my favorite kind) were perfectly crisp but had a heavy hand of salt - making them a good choice to pair with a draft beer. I ordered the Pork Osso Buco. My guess is the shanks were baked and then seared over a flame grill giving them a deliciously crisp exterior; the pork itself was moist and cooked to perfection. I found the demi-glaze added a nice depth of flavor to the cheesy grits. The kale was cooked well and had a tangy hint to it - perhaps some vinegar. All-in-all, it was a good, solid dish. SERVICE (4): Our server was quick to greet us and guide us through drink and menu options. Our drinks came out quickly as did our appetizer. I was worried that our main courses might come out too early - given how quickly our drinks and appetizers came out - but the meals were timed perfectly. Our server checked on us midway through our meal to ensure all was going well. QUANTITY (5): The serving sizes were plentiful; you won't walk away hungry. VALUE (4): We felt the craft cocktails and appetizers were well priced. We had mixed feelings about the cost of our entrees. If you're looking for a cozy, romantic date night, this probably isn't the right place; for that, go across the street to their sister restaurant, Rosanna's. That said, we will go to the Dove and Deer again, but with different expectations in mind: for cocktails and beers and to break some bread with friends. read more

Dove + Deer - Pork Osso Buco - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

After seeing such glowing reviews for Dove+Deer, I was eager to try it out. In light of this, it did not live up to the hype. To manifest, I ordered the Central Square Burger with fries. The burger was topped with cheese, fancy sauce, caramelized onions, and lettuce on a sesame seed bun. I bit into the burger with high expectations and the burger did not meet them. To clarify, the burger was overdone and the meat didn't have a lot of flavor. However, I did enjoy the fancy sauce, but there wasn't enough on the burger. On top of that, the caramelized onions were enjoyable and made the burger better. In addition, the sesame seed bun is a pass for me unless I'm eating a Big Mac. The burger wasn't bad, but just average. On the other hand, I liked the fries. They weren't groundbreaking, but they were quite tasty. In a nutshell, Dove+Deer is decent, but it didn't live up to the hype. read more

Dove + Deer - Central Square Burger - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

Dove + Deer is a very trendy spot with a cool dimly lit ambiance and equally trendy menu. Ambiance- I loved the ambiance. It's casual but also boujee enough for a romantic date. It's perfect for small groups or a date. If you're coming with a large group like I did, definitely plan ahead and come early! Otherwise you'll wait for a long time for the few tables they have for large groups. Food- Cauliflower masala. This item is very trendy at other restaurants too. This dish was disappointing. The masala seasoning was very weak. It resembled a masala dish without the spice or savory flavors. I think just a tad more seasoning and this dish would've been a 5/5. read more

Dove + Deer - Cauliflower masala- wish it had more spice and seasoning but still tasty - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

One of my favorite restaurants in Albany. The D&D smash burger is my favorite menu item, but I recently branched out and tried the clams (served with a corn and chorizo salsa of sorts) - which was also wonderful. My husband loves the chicken sandwich. The cocktails are great but they also have a number of cans and draft beer/ciders to choose from. The food/drinks and service are consistently good, and it's very comfortable inside. A favorite seat is in front of the window, where one can watch the world go by. Highly recommended! read more

Dove + Deer - Clams with toast points - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

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Amazing food. Small, intimate atmosphere. Our server was attentive but gave us space and privacy. You have to get the ramen!

Literally perfect. I come here once a week for a glass of wine with friends, and order takeout when I'm working on Washington avenue. The Spicy Caesar Salad with Crispy chicken is to die for. read more

Came here for dinner Pros: - Homey upscale atmosphere - Friendly staff - The Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts app and The Grocer were delicious - Two gender neutral restrooms Cons: - The cut they used for the Crispy Chicken Sandwich was difficult to eat and wasn't tasty even though it was drenched in sauce - The pulled pork sandwich was very dry read more

Coming back on here because every time I go to Dove + Deer I think about that guy who wrote a review shortly after they opened that said "...but in my opinion they will fail. I give this place 6 months before they close...I'm sorry, but I am a business man, and this place just doesn't cut it in this area. Mark my word" and then I just laugh and laugh. Consistently delicious food and drinks. Most recent visit consisted of trashcan fries and the green curry bowl -- I wanted more of both as soon as we were finished. This place just cuts it; mark my word. read more

Went for late night drinks and nosh-Urban atmosphere attentive service and fresh vegan and other menu items. read more

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Almost perfect. This place has more of an upscale feel at pretty reasonable prices. I will definitely be back here, because it is clear that this place can serve great food. Trashcan Fries: Crispy shoestring fries loaded up with all the right stuff (gouda shavings, sous vide egg, and garlic aioli, among other things). This is great for sharing; for two people, this was a very good amount of fries so that we were satisfied but not overloaded before the main dish. The garlic aioli was so good with these, and the herbs were really refreshing, mixed in with everything. I don't remember exactly what they were but they were plentiful and complementary. Green Curry Bowl: This was only okay. I expected a bit more of a punchy dish here; the flavor of the veggies was a bit overpowered by the taste of coconut and the amount of veggies relative to the noodles was a bit lacking. I would suggests more cauliflower and less coconut. Overall, not a bad dish, but I expected more. If this is not a popular dish, I would actually replace this on the menu, because I am sure this place would do other things much better. For instance, I tried a bite of the Pulled Pork Sandwich, and it was divine. If I had ordered that, I would have left completely blown away by the experience (it was extremely tender, juicy, and very flavorful). Price: 4/5 Quality: 4/5 Quantity: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 read more

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This is a gorgeous restaurant and bar! Class all the way with what they chose for decor and furnishings. Drinks good! Food (what we had) good! Service not good! They are all too busy talking about themselves to each other to serve customers. And I haven't heard swearing from staff in ear shot of customers in a place like this ever! When is that ever acceptable? It took 15 minutes to get a drink. And there where ONLY 3 tables. feel bad for the owners that clearly put a lot of time and money into this place and the staff obviously don't care. Or maybe I don't feel sorry for them, get your staff in order. But it's hard to get good help! The service is really bad! read more

First time at this establishment and I was charged for bread that I did not order? Here is the short version: we ordered a few appetizers to share prior to ordering the meal, some of the appetizers came with a couple of Italian bread wedges so you could dip into, the beat hummus and the whipped ricotta with pistachio and honey. As there were 5 of us, and the waitress noticing we were almost through all the bread, she indicated that she would get us some more bread. Of course we welcomed that. Then when we received the bill, I noticed that there was a charge for bread, and here I thought she was being mindful. It was not a big deal, but sorry, I spent almost $180 on the meal and you charge me $1.50 for bread....lmao. Anyway, the meal was kind of ok in general. Did not live up to my expectations, but was eatable! The best dish was honestly the chicken wings. read more

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The new owners of this spot have done an incredible job with transforming the space. I've been meaning to check it out for a while, and I was recently able to pop in for lunch. More than anything else, I was tempted by the D+D take on Utica Greens. For some reason or another, this winter I am kind of obsessed with braised greens, and these can take many forms. You should know, these are delicious, and I'd highly recommend people come down for a comforting bowl of greens, sausage, and chicken broth for lunch. Not only is it satisfying and warming, but it helps you feel like you're eating more vegetables. Hey, it's January. We all have our resolutions. Are these Utica Greens? Not really. They are too brothy. The bread comes in the form of grilled toast, instead of bread crumbs incorporated into the dish. The meat is sausage instead of prosciutto. But none of this takes away from the experience. I might even prefer this take over the heavier version from CNY. That said, I might ask for the toast on the side next time. With such a brothy version of greens, much of the beautifully grilled bread got completely sodden, before I got around to eating it. At some point I hope to return to try the broccoli sandwich. Although I may wait until late summer for that one, and keep my fingers crossed that it stays on the menu. Anything that has tomatoes on it, is going to be better when tomatoes are in season. I'm also looking forward to return for drinks at the bar, because not only do those look wonderful, they have two legit cork dart boards. I love darts, and have my own set. So I'm always happy for an excuse to break them out. Who else is down for Darts + Drinks at Dove + Deer? read more

Dove + Deer - The Utica greens - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

I am glad I visited this nice restaurant in Albany. Service 5/5 Burger 5/5 Potato crisps 3/5 Almira 2/5 (light and bland) Whiskey in the rocks 5/5 (quantity) Chipotle Sauce steak 4/5 (good but could have been better) Fries 4.5/5 Drinks in general 4/5 Hygiene 5/5 Ambience 4/5 Will probably return to this place if given a chance. Liked the seating and the service. Very nice people. No major complaints. read more

Dove + Deer - Almira and some other cocktail I don't remember. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

Great date spot, nice atmosphere and friendly staff. The food has always been very tasty. I also believe they are farm to table. We will return! read more

If you don't mind waiting a very long time and assuming you aren't extremely hungry the food here tasted GREAT! I wanted to lead with the taste and of course the staff are the most courteous and just plain NICE so the experience was altogether good. However, we drove 6 hours from NY for business and then another 2 hours so we were hungry and just wanted to eat quick. We didn't expect the hour wait time :( perhaps it being a Saturday night had something to do with it?? Now we were also hungry so we didn't anticipate the small portion size yes! I said it ... but hey -- Tasted Great ... a bit on the expensive size but I can live with that -- would come back THE AMBIANCE IS WONDERFUL read more

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It was a place I wanted to try for a while. We tried the burger and chicken wings. It was delicious. Even though we went at a rush hour, the employees were extremely kind and friendly. read more

Walked right in which was very nice. Place is so adorable. I ordered the spicy kale cesar salad which was why I picked the restaurant originally just from looking at the menu. It's a small menu and not a lot of choices for my husband but he got the wings. My salad was hands down best I've ever had. Fresh yummy kale, perfect amount of dressing and the spice was just right. Ordered the Selling Sunset drink and it was delicious. I don't normally do mixed drinks as they are too sweet but loved this one. Husband enjoyed his wings but mostly enjoyed that I found a place I loved so much. Only problem I had, was I couldn't finish my salad. read more

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This small neighborhood cafe is an extraordinary dining experience. The Brussels sprouts are excellent and the Dove & Deer version of an Ole Fashion is amazing. read more

The spicy kale Caesar salad with chicken was delicious. I wish I lived nearby so I could try more items off the menu--it all looked so good, and the salad gave me the confidence that the rest of the menu is probably amazing too. It's also super cute inside, and the staff was nice. Great restaurant. read more

Eclectic offerings with some food dish staples you might expect. Nice spot with a busy yet not overly crowded feel. It's off the beaten path and isn't located with other businesses read more

Great atmosphere! Drinks are good and have interesting twists. I tried some of the appetizers all of which were really good. Service was good. Will come back read more

This place is pure New York City style restaurant and a very diverse menu the food is Over the top

Love this restaurant! My BF and I used to go all the time when he lived on state street. Such a cute spot with fabulous food and drinks!

I have only been here a couple of times since it turned over from the former CSP. I'll admit I really loved CSP, because It was my after work spot for a few years. So part of my grumpiness about Dove + Deer is just because of that comparison - things have really changed. The atmosphere is much less relaxed. Our party was scolded for moving chairs (outside! On a weekday when they weren not busy at all) and for asking for separate checks. Our waitress was attentive but not exactly warm and friendly. I also think the food is lackluster, especially with moderately high prices. I tried the cheese plate, which was just meh. The eggplant toastie was disappointing, with a very tough and bland chunk of eggplant that made it hard to eat. On a positive note, the fries were cooked to perfection. But that's not enough to justify the prices and strict attempts to enforce a classier atmosphere. read more

Dove + Deer - Eggplant Toastie - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York

Very, very impressed with this new spot! I'm kind of jealous of those living within walking distance with such a cute place to go not only for an excellent meal, but interesting drink options, and overall just a cool place to hang out. Visited a few months ago with friends for dinner, and we all enjoyed our meals and the experience. The ambiance is very relaxed, yet trendy. The dim lighting, and rustic, yet modern decor would make for a great intimate date night OR a fun girls night. Our group shared a couple of apps - the fried mozzarella and the shaved cauliflower. The mozzarella was obviously delicious. I just wish there was more of it to share among the three of us. My girlfriend had to convince me to try the cauliflower, and I'm so glad I did. The description sounded weird, but the taste was fantastic. Perfectly tangy, crunchy, and flavorful...and as an added bonus, it's healthy! I have been wanting to recreate that dish since we went. For dinner, I opted for the chimichurri steak, which was cooked perfectly, and plated very nicely. All of our dinners' were presented impressively, and tasted delicious. We were all satisfied with our meals, and the overall experience. read more

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Dove & Deer is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The renovations were much-needed and are beautiful. It's a lovely historic space with great bones, so I'm glad to see something worthy fill the space. Their cocktails are amazing, but they also have cheap beer if you don't like to splurge on the fancy stuff. Their menu has affordable small plates, and depending on what you get there's enough to share (the scotch egg is only one egg, but the empanadas, mussels and Dove & Deer board are plentiful). The lunch and dinner menus have something for everyone, and the most expensive item on the dinner menu is only $23. They also have creative and amazing specials every day. Don't skip dessert! They have some fun and delicious options (my personal fave is the cider belly donut ice cream sandwich. Yummm). The service is great and the ambiance is wonderful. It does get busy on Friday and Saturday nights, or if there is a show at the arena, so plan ahead. Otherwise, enjoy! read more

Dove + Deer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Albany, New York