Any time we visit our daughter at her nearby college is a great time, Illusive made it even…read moregreater! We ran an errand nearby and I found Illusive on Yelp. We approached just as they were opening for the day on a Saturday. (Slightly after noon) Not seeing many cars in the neighborhood and having the gps seem to "arrive" outside of an empty lot was an inauspicious start but when we pulled fully into the lot, we saw that they had put some work into the place and it had a nice modern look. Didn't get to take advantage of the nice outdoor seating area because the weather was rainy. We were greeted by friendly staff and seated at a comfortable table. Our timing was impeccable because the place was full within the next half hour. Our waitress deserves her own paragraph! She knew the menu inside and out and had tremendous pride in the food served and the awards they've won! Illusive is a "foodie" restaurant, every dish is elevated yet remains unfussy. For appetizers, we shared the street corn dip and tater tot poutine. The street corn dip was creamy and zesty. The tater tot poutine was revelatory, the cheese was melted perfectly, the gravy wasn't some jarred nonsense, and the tots themselves were crispy. I enjoyed the different textures of it, some more cheesy and some more gravy. My wife enjoyed a chicken Caesar salad and my daughter enjoyed a grilled chicken pesto sandwich. Her sandwich was a nice enough portion that she finished it leftover for dinner! I enjoyed the buffalo lemon pepper wings, the sauce was a nice blend of heat and zesty flavor. I appreciated the amount of wings they served, some restaurants are going for "shrinkflation" but Illusive provides a full portion! We received quality and personable service throughout a delicious meal, we will gladly return!

This spot has the location of an unknown restaurant with little to no street recognition -- until…read moreyou step inside and look at the menu and realize it's actually an award‑winning place. As the name suggests, this restaurant is a bit elusive. It's hidden from street view and, unfortunately, sits right next to a highway ramp. That said, once you're inside, the location quickly becomes irrelevant. I've tried a few things here over time, but most notably, the burgers. Every burger I've had has been excellent -- I honestly haven't tasted one I didn't like. We also tried the wings, which appear to have earned some awards of their own, and they absolutely lived up to the hype. They looked and tasted fantastic. Each wing was carefully garnished with chives, and the sauce was generously slathered over them. They were messy, indulgent, and downright delicious. I personally love getting down and dirty with wings, though I could see how that might not be everyone's preference. The staff have always been pleasant and helpful. While the food can sometimes take a bit longer to come out, it's clearly made with care and has always been worth the wait.

The food was good and tasty, everything was clean, our waitress was awesome. The kettle chips are…read morebetter than anything in store shelves. If I'm back in town I will definitely visit again. Beautiful town and the street has a lot of shops.

Bad service. Slow. Disinterested waitress. Ok. That happens. No big deal. Typically at a brewery…read moreyou get decent food - usually a scratch kitchen or at least a lot of fresh stuff. The "buttermilk chicken sandwich" was 3 sh*tty out of a bad bag frozen chicken tenders. Seriously. Deeply disappointed - buyer beware Boneless wings ? Out of. A bag Fries ? Same. Gross My recommendation- there's a lot of other super high quality restaurants in Albany and good breweries too. Avoid kitchens that false advertise and feed you frozen food out of a bag

Real chicken, real beef. A juicy burger. A flaky crusty tender. Sauces were tasty…read more They have a VHS/tv playing fun movies, and throwback 80s classic music. The generous seating references bowling alley chic. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff anticipate questions and needs. Our order was taken promptly and food followed nearly as soon as it was cooked so it arrived piping hot. Delightful. Downside: no restroom so you're in a situation of handheld food and no ability to wash your hands before you eat. Come with clean food grippers!

I just got the pleaser of meeting Bob at herbys burger on lark. Outstanding customer service an a…read morebeast at milkshakes. I ask for him by name everytime Im in there. Nobody can get the ratio right. Im telling u whenever u can, go to herbys on lark st an ask for Bob an thank me later!!!

Great location just outside of the Amtrak station, whether it be for a quick snack, drink, or…read moredarts. If passing by on the lakeshore limited you will have an hour break and I highly recommend walking across the parking lot and saying hi to June. Fun and relaxed atompshere makes a great break in the middle of your journey. Don't forget some dog treats for the very sweet JJ. Skittish but loves a scratch when in the mood.

Fun bar that was converted from a Firehouse. Friendly bartenders and a good selection of beers on…read moretap and in the bottle. Great place to wait for a train! Did not try the food, but the couple next to me seemed to like their burgers. Will certainly stop here next time I'm in Albany.

Son of Egg is a Korean-American fusion spot serving affordable, flavorful comfort food in a casual…read moresetting. Conveniently located near the Amtrak station, it's an easy stop for travelers or anyone looking for a quick but satisfying meal. The menu blends Korean flavors with American classics. I ordered the Crispy Chicken Sandwich, which came with crunchy chicken katsu, tangy katsu sauce, and fresh shredded cabbage. I also tried the seaweed soup, and both dishes were excellent. Pairing your meal with one of their Korean beers is definitely worth it. The restaurant itself is small, casual, and family-owned, which gives it a welcoming and authentic neighborhood feel.

very cool little cafe with delicious food. it also seems to double as a venue for comedy shows and…read moreevents so i definitely gotta come back to check out the nightlife scene here.

Since Restaurant 605 does not accept take out orders, I decided to give their other location, 605…read moreSmash a try. With that being said, I'm glad I did because 605 Smash was very good. To explain, I ordered a double cheeseburger with cheese fries and it was delicious. To breakdown, the cheeseburger was excellent. The meat was juicy and tender with top tier flavor. Likewise, the sauce on the burger was sweet and tangy which elevated the flavor. Similarly, the potato bun was fresh and tasty, but the bottom of it was a bit soggy. It was simply a great burger. In similar fashion, the cheese fries were pretty good. To make clear, the fries were hot, crispy, and flavorful. Furthermore, the cheese was great and really made these fries special. In summary, 605 Smash is a great place to grab some burgers and fries.

The burgers here are fantastic; great flavor, cooked perfectly, and honestly one of the better…read moresmash burgers I've had in the area. I'm gluten-free, so I choose not to have the potato bun, which is a bummer because it looked amazing. My only gripe is the upcharge for a gluten-free bun. I completely understand paying a bit more for specialty products, but a $3 add-on felt a little steep. It actually kept me from ordering my own burger this time, so I just snagged a bite of my partner's (which was excellent). **I have had the gluten free option before and it was good, but udi's isn't my favorite (doesn't have very clean ingredients). Great tasting burger overall, but I just wish the gluten-free option felt a little more reasonable (or perhaps had a higher quality GF option for the higher price tag).

Not sure how I haven't reviewed Chez Mike yet. This is one of our favorite spots, service is always…read morefriendly and quick. Coat rack made of silverware is adorable. I get fried calamari almost everywhere I see it on a menu and Chez Mikes is the best I've had BY FAR. Menu changes with the seasons, the olive butter with bread is fantastic, even for those who don't love olives I'd recommend it. Hidden gem!

Thirteen years is a long time to have been away from Chez Mike. We've mentioned it multiple times…read moreover those years as a possible dinner location but somehow always ended up someplace else. Gathering with friends on this occasion seemed to be the trick. The restaurant was reasonably busy when we arrived at 5:15 on a Tuesday and all of the unoccupied booths already had reserved signs on them. When we left at 8 p.m. it was still almost full of customers. We sat at the bar with a Chatham Helles Lager ($7) and a refreshing Mocktail ($5) made with cucumber and mint while we waited for our dining companions. Upon seating our party of four into one of those reserved booths, my wife and I started with the Seared Halloumi Cheese ($13) as a shared appetizer. This dish was so attractive and appealing looking that our dining companions also ordered it after we were almost finished with our serving. Maybe our raving about the wonderful flavor of the cheese, the beautiful sear markings, the refreshing aspect of the watermelon pieces, the texture contrast of the pistachios, and the flavor of the honey-sherry vinaigrette also had something to do with their decision. For her entrée, my wife ordered one of the daily specials, Pan Roasted Cod ($35). Served with steamed rice, braised Swiss chard, sweet potato, and a slightly spicy "Holy Trinity" creole sauce, she was very pleased with the dish. My taste of it echoed her sentiment. As I've written previously, I don't get to enjoy lamb at home so I will frequently order it when it's available while dining out. Therefore, the Lamb Feta Burger ($23) had my attention. It was served on a toasted baguette (the same that is served as the delicious bread for the table with calamata olive butter), with caramelized onions, arugula, garlic aioli, and French fries. The lamb was fresh, moist, very mild in flavor, but with only a slight noticeability of the feta cheese. It was delicious! The French fries were served perfectly, hot and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Cups of coffee after dinner were rich and full flavored. Finally, the cubes of brown sugar that I was so pleased to see served thirteen years ago are still being served. Hurrah! Service was friendly and welcoming.