Food was ok. A little too Americanized Greek preparation. The falafel did not have enough garlic. Grape leaves were decent.

Love this place. Another hidden gem in North Greenbush. Nabil and his staff make you feel welcomed every time you come. Their menu is really interesting and diverse. Every meal I have had has been delicious. Love their Mediterranean Plater to start. The ribeye special is one of the best around. During this time you can order to go! You will not disappointed. read more

I'm a fan of this place! I've tried a handful of things on the menu. If you're new to this restaurant get the Mediterranean Platter to try a bunch of different things. I try to eat healthy and they have quite a few options! My favorite being the Green Salad with Grilled Chicken. I also like the Salmon salad and the chicken kebab! I don't gravitate toward Lamb so I haven't tried any of those dishes but it seems they do a great job with everything they made so I bet it is good! read more

I lived in Rensselaer about 11 years ago, and this place was a solid 4 or 5 stars, but something feels old about this place now and a little, generic.. I'm not sure if the product is of poorer quality, but it def didn't taste as great as it was back in the day. That being said, I plan on going back soon to give it another shot. Maybe this was a fluke 1 off experience. The place could def use a decorative refresh, but heck - if the food is good, I will eat off a table in the parking lot while sitting on a bucket lol. To be continued. read more

Have been a loyal customer for a few years. Food is good but a little pricey and the last time we ordered to go food the pita bread was stale. We called tonight for a pickup order and was told no pickup orders tonight. We will not be bothering anymore with this place. To many other great restaurants in the area. read more

This is one of our favorite restaurants in the area. Always a great experience with both the food and service. Our waitress was very attentive and pleasant. The place was busy and with only one waitress on this evening, she did a fantastic job. We started off with the dolmas and they were terrific. Great flavor and wrapped to perfection. I got the Beef Stroganoff and my wife got a chicken kebob. Both were delicious and cooked well with great flavor. We will definitely be back. Thank you Garlic Lovers for such a great time tonight!!! read more

Why hasn't anyone told us about this place before? I found a deal on Local Flavor and decided to give it a try. It was one of the best meals we've had in a while! They had a gluten free menu and were very accommodating of my dietary restrictions. The food was fantastic! We will definitely be back! read more

Stopped by for my first visit to Garlic Lovers Corner last week. After the visit I can't understand why there are so many glowing reviews. Maybe because it's cheap and local. Maybe because it's something different. We came here with an hour to get dinner and be finished with it. Seemed easy enough, it wasn't entirely full and it's a smallish restaurant. Service dragged. There was one waiter for the all of the occupied tables and a hostess who would clear plates and bring water on occasion. I wanted a club soda, they didn't have it. How about a ginger ale? No. They don't have a fountain system, just cans. So, we stuck with water. Least it was icy and replenished as needed. We didn't see our waiter for awhile so we decided it would be smart to order everything at once. We chose the falafel as a starter, the chicken piccata special, and a beef kabob. The appetizer came out fairly quick, it is fried after all so we were hoping it wouldn't take long. The falafel was very crunchy on the outside, which we enjoyed and the stuffing was moist and had a nice flavor to it. The hummus was fantastic. I finished most of it on my own seeing my daughter doesn't like hummus. Her loss! Time came and went and after a good 20/25 minutes after finishing our appetizer, and seeing a larger table who had ordered after us get their food we requested ours be wrapped up to go instead of brought to the table. When they were brought out my daughters chicken piccata, it had tomatoes on it. She had requested and said multiple times "no tomatoes, I don't care for them" "just make sure no tomatoes". We tell the waiter it's wrong and that she doesn't want it and he says "ok?" "I'll get the manager". Who strolls over and makes sure I never want to come back. He asks what the problem is, I tell him she asked for no tomatoes and he says "well, there were no tomatoes." "those were sun dried tomatoes" "we use them in almost everything". So I explain to him no tomatoes means no tomatoes, sun-dried or not. His response? "Well, what do you want me to do". I told him we'd been there close to an hour, we just got our takeout and had to go so either he could make it the right way in 2 minutes or take it off of the check. He disappears for a good 10 minutes and I have to grab the waiter to explain the situation. The waiter tells us the tomatoes are already in the sauce so there's really no leaving them out and he'll just take it off the bill. He goes to do so and the manager comes out with a new dish and I tell him to just forget it, he's not understanding me, he took forever and even if he picked the tomatoes off it's not going to be ok. RIDICULOUS! Had he not fought so hard to keep a $20.00 meal on the check, I'd have come back and given the place another chance when we had more time and Debby would have ordered something different. Instead he lost customers, including us and the people who have asked me how it was. As for my dish. The steak was ok, tough and not as flavorful as I expected. Though it wasn't hot by the time I got to it. Maybe it's better if you get to eat it at the restaurant. I also got some backlava to go and it was bland, tasted of oil/grease and had a sweet sauce over it to most likely compensate for the lack of flavor. Ironically on the way out my daughter caught site of a sign that read "while we appreciate compliments, it's criticism that makes us better". I had to laugh. Would I go back? No. Service was incredibly slow, place was understaffed, main dish was just ok, beverage selection is lacking, management is argumentative, and there are far too many other local spots to support that will provide a much better experience. Maybe the manager should hire another waiter or have the hostess do both or switch positions. They really don't need a specific person to seat people in that size of a place. 1 star for the falafel and hummus and for the waiter finally getting us out of there! read more

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I had high expectations for this spot because I love garlic. Maybe that was my mistake. I called and ordered a falafel pita lunch. The menu says fries or special side of the day, but the guy on the phone didn't tell me the special or ask me which I wanted so I had to ask him myself. Other things that irked me were: 1. $.50 surcharge to use credit card on checks under $15 (silly) 2. didn't include any plasticware or napkins, or ketchup packets for fries 3. couldn't taste garlic in hummus and there wasn't much, so the falafel and pita were pretty dry (and $8 for falafel is over the top, more than Manhattan!) This is the only restaurant of this type in my immediate vicinity, and I love kebabs, so I will try something else next time and hope for better results! read more

Yummy yummy yummy! The food here is really, really good. For the price it should be! It's very fairly priced. You don't get a ton of food but that's fine by me. I prefer quality over quantity. The inside is a shocker because it's doesn't have much pizzazz from the outside. Really nice inside and very nice friendly staff read more

The lamb was so soft and perfectly cooked, I was able to cut it with a butter knife. The owner/chef came out and greeted us. My salad, falafel, hummus, tzakiki sause was AMAZING. this is one of my favorite Greek places to eat and I've been to many fancy ones read more

Love that garlic flavor? This is your place. The smell in the restaurant is amazing. Food is all very tasty Nice atmosphere good parking Will return read more

Excellent food and price! A mix between Mediterranean and Greek food, food was flavorful and fresh. Do try the kebabs and the tzatziki sauce! So yummy! Pita was warm and delicious! read more

The Quiet Restaurant With An Odd Shape. That's what the take-out menu should say. Sure, it's in a strip mall, but it's alright inside. The space is bigger than you'd expect, and there's a good number of tables. We came here for take-out, but I'd like to stay there to eat sometime, too. Eating there, also, would allow me to drink more of their hibiscus tea, which is poured from a tap in a big, ornate glass pitcher, and which the guy at the cash register let me try. Definitely get the tea when you're there. As it was, we had a spicy grilled chicken salad, with chunks of goat cheese, and 8 stuffed grape leaves. All really good. I think this one is going to quickly take a slot in my go-to Friday night take-out dinner options. I'm looking forward to trying more of their goods. read more

I really liked this restaurant. A classier feel than I was expecting, which was nice. Loved the ambiance. Who I believe to be the owner was walking around greeting people and helping out. He was very friendly personable. Some of the prices are a bit high, but the portions completely make up for it! It was all so delicious. I definitely recommend it. (But probably not for kids-based on menu selection and prices) read more

This is my absolute favorite Mediterranean restaurant. The food is amazing and they have a beautiful wine bar. My favorite is the chicken Dijon and the Mediterranean plate. Also the owner and workers are very kind. I find myself coming here weekly. Such a great place!! read more

My boyfriend and I have fondly nicknamed this place "The Garlic Clove". We frequent this joint often - we shoot for at least every other week. If we cannot make it (we have very busy schedules) I will order takeout after I teach aerobics Friday night. No menu is needed - I know exactly what we want. I often make the mistake of stuffing myself stupid with appiteasers. They have the best hummus I have ever tasted...and they will give you extra pita bread if you ask :) Order the Mediterranean platter with extra pita bread along with the stuffed grape leaves. Oh my God. What was I thinking? Once again I have put myself over and now my boyfriend is snacking off my entree because I can't finish. And of course this adventure would not be complete without their fig/date cake. Do yourself a favor - order that one to go. It's better savored when you are not about to rip your pants from all the awesome grub that you just consumed. Last but not least - look for the Chicken Dijon on their specials. It literally is the best dish I have ever had in my entire life. Seriously. I think they put crack in it. I keep scribbling in their guest book "CHICKEN DIJON :)" every time I go. Yes - it's me - I'm the one doing it. You all need to put that on the regular menu. I only had it once I cursed at our favorite waiter when I tried it. I said "Victor, what the he11? This is the best thing I have ever tasted." I asked what was in the sauce and they said that they would have to kill me if they told me. I am still trying to master the alchemy of that awesome sauce. Now, I probably shouldn't be writing this because now all of you are going to know Renssealer County's best kept secret. And don't let the outside of the restaurant fool you - this place is the bomb diggity. Did I mention you can bring your own wine? This place doesn't serve but so what when you can bring your own and they will open and serve it for you. Mmmmm...I am going back this Friday. See you all there. read more

My mom and I love to go out and eat when I'm home for the holidays so when we saw a restaurant with "Garlic" in the title it was a no-brainer that we had to try it. Upon entering the space, just after 12:30, the shock of how dim the back dining area was really hit me...and bothered me.. After being cooped up inside because of the snow storm, I did not want the sun hidden from me. After reading the menu we decided to go with the Mediterranean Plate (hummus, bab ghanough, tzatziki, falafel, tahini) and a large Greek salad. After a few minutes our waiter comes out and says they ran out of falafel... very disappointing since it was only 12:30 on a Thursday. So we had to downgrade to the GLC plate with pita. It was good, though I really wanted the falafel and my mother had never had it before so she was let down (disappointing my mother removes 1 star). The hummus was good, but honestly I don't think I've ever had better bab ghanough or tzatziki, and I've eaten a lot of each. Then our salad comes out and we barely picked at it since a) it was boring b) the house dressing has a very earthy taste to it and is a green paste instead of a dressing. Overall, I didn't love it, and I doubt I'll be going back. read more

I visited there while visiting Albany. My friend told me she had visited a cute Middle Eastern restaurant and said it was really good. I thought, "Yeah, right, a good Middle Eastern restaurant in Albany...how good can hummus be?" My preconceptions were further confirmed when we arrived at the place and it was in the corner of a strip mall. We walked in, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the decor and the setup of the restaurant. It is very cute and has an intimate, cafe sort of feel to it. The waiters were very friendly. We ordered the appetizer that included an assortment (including hummus). Everything was sooo good!! I was very impressed! We had the snapper dish and it was also delicioso! We ordered baklava for dessert and that was gross. The baklava was made with peanuts and didn't have any honey on it. I also am not certain that it was made with phyllo dough- it seemed more like puff pastry dough. Other than the baklava, my only other complaint was that they didn't serve alcohol :-( Some wine would have been nice. read more

Went here on Saturday night with great expectations for a four star yelp review. I was actually pretty disappointed... First, the bring your own bottle of wine no longer applies (I of course brought my own wine and it just sat on our table), now they sell their own wine $6-10 per glass. Appetizers: We had the grape leaves which were just ok. A little on the bland side and nothing that I would care to have again. Main course: I had the lamb stew (which I would give 4 stars) it was very tender and delicious. My husband had the lamb kebab. The waitress warned that this would be served medium, to which he replied "perfect!". They actually came out pretty well done and were fairly tough and not very flavorful. I feel like there's more flavor on "fake meat" from any street cart in Manahattan. Dessert: We got the baklava to go. It was made with peanuts! I'm no expert on greek/mediterranean food, but all the baklava I've ever had in the past contained some combination of gooey chopped walnuts or almonds or pistachio smothered with honey. This one contained dry chopped peanuts and barely any honey or syrup or whatever the sugary goodness that is usually inside baklava! Again, greatly disappointing. Atmosphere: Very cute restaurant, nice ambiance and good service. I'm very sorry to say that we probably will not return. Sadly, I have to agree with Katie V in that the food lacked flavor. I feel that Athos, although more expensive, is a significantly better representation of greek/mediterranean food and flavors. read more

Great little Greek place. Food was good service was solid. Nothing out of this world though. read more

The Good: Most of the food was really, really good. I shared the tzatziki plate which tasted awesome! but had a little too much bread - I was kind of super full by the time my meal came). I got the house dressing on my salad and I really didn't like it. It was greasy and bitter so I didn't really eat any of my salad - which rarely happens. My dinner was uneventful - a fish special but my date had the lamb and it was ahhmazing, I would recommend getting it. I don't think I've even had lamb before and now I dream about it because of this lamb. The Bad: General atmosphere & awkwardness We went on a Tuesday night, around 7:45 we were seated. We were asked by the hostess for our drink requests and received them quickly. After that we were never asked again if we wanted another drink. I was able to get some water but only have asking twice for it. At one point I realized the hostess had left and there was only one man working, I'm assuming it was the owner. I joked with my date that he was the only one here and he was also cooking the food, that's how it felt because he was running around and then disappearing for a while in the back. He once took a take out phone call and I could hear him yelling to the person on the phone about either it was too late to place an order or something else. The place was dead, only 2 other patrons in the place. It was around 8:30-ish. The whole thing was awkward. I'd go back, but maybe on a weekend to avoid awkward quiet, slow restaurant stuff. The food was worth it. read more

I had to update my review since I've been here a few times now. Every time I've gone I've really enjoyed my meal. Many of the items have a Mediterranean flare. The falafel is absolutely delicious. I spent some time in Israel and honestly it comes very close, if not better than some I had there. The portions are very large and everything is fresh. There are many different types of dishes, something to please everyone. I really like getting their chicken kabob which is really good, but I have tried other dishes and they are also outstanding. Prices are fair considering the large portions and quality of ingredients. One time I came here and ordered the chicken dijon and seriously it was enough for almost 3 meals and it was delicious. The servers are attentive and friendly. We even got to speak to the owner. He came around asking everyone how their meals were which was really nice. The place itself is pretty casual and kind of unassuming in a little strip mall. Don't let it deter you though, it really is great! PS. get the hummus!! it is SO GOOD. read more

Second time around and I really did not like it at all. The salad had some weird, bland cucumber dressing and the tomato was not ripe at all (a shame this time of year). I ordered the steak, and they neglected to put any sauce on it or season it in any way. It was tough and fatty. The food was reminiscent of mediocre wedding fare. Service was fine, but the food left something to be desired. Flavor, mostly. read more

4 star food. 1 star service. I'm being generous with a 3 star review, because I'm happy there's an option like this exists in the area. The salmon and chicken kabobs have been quite good, and the interior of the restaurant is nice. But back to the service... you can't charge $19+ per entree and leave empty water glasses and wine glasses on the table for half an hour. That's just bad business when people want to order more drinks, or at least have some water after a very salty meal. I'm not even sure we actually had a specific waiter or waitress serving us because no one ever checked on our table. read more

Falafel - when it is good, it is good, and here it is GOOOOOD! Family and I went again Saturday, just as dinner service was starting. The sign on the door actually said closed, but we opened the door and were welcomed in by a professional waitstaff. It was our first time for dinner and we started with the falafel and hummus appetizer. Essentially a deconstructed sandwich that got us all excited about dinner here. My boys each had the lamb kabobs - tasty, tender, and hot. I had the eggplant routini - I wasn't sure what that would look like at a Mediterranean restaurant, but it was so good that I had to stop sharing as everyone at the table was eating it. My wife had a forgettable chicken dish, but that is her fault for ordering chicken at a restaurant. The only downside was the rice - it was just bad. Fortunately there was plenty of food with each dinner that we did not need it. Funny that the server never asked about it as none of us took more than a single bite - but oh well. If you have never been, don't let the stipmall turn you off. And as you walk in/out you can browse the tattoo parlor. We will be going back, and soon. read more

The food here was fantastic. I'd been craving kabobs so that's exactly what I got. My only complaint was that there were three small pieces of chicken, and I'd rather have had a couple more of those and less rice. But the rice was fantastic and flavorful, as well as the veggies. And they are not kidding about the garlic, lottts of it mixed in with the veggies and it was yummy. I also got the pita and hummus appetizer and they seasoned the pita slices, which I loved, and the hummus was perfection. Bottom line- would definitely eat here again! read more

My husband and I decided to try this restaurant out for Valentine's day (also our wedding anniversary). We have a small child, and it is near our home, so made the reservation for 4:30. I must admit, having been born and raised in Boston and having only lived in Albany for a year, I have NOT been impressed with the food in the area. That's only because Boston's culinary scene is more advanced, which is what you would expect from a larger city....but I digress. You have to deal with what you can get. I love this place! It was so good and I was very impressed. I mean, when we pulled up...I thought..oh god, it's in a strip mall. When you walk in, you can obviously see that they were trying with the decor. It's dimly lit, nothing special....but I found it to be pretty romantic. The waitstaff and hostess were also very nice and attentive, despite having to wait on multiple tables at once. The food really stands out though. I loved the dressing on the salad and the warm pita wedges they started us off with. I also could not get enough of the lamb stew. It was the best lamb stew I have had since I went to Ireland. My husband ordered his steak medium rare, and it was def. rare, but he liked the bleu cheese sauce. I don't think dessert is a strong point here, but it was Valentine's day, so the hearts were a little generic. I doubt they made them themselves, but if they did, they did a good job. We will def be returning. It's fairly inexpensive ($19 - 30 for entrees). I hope they have take out, because I already want more of the lamb stew. read more

Food is amazing here... :) We love the hummus and falafal served here read more

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Got the baba ganoush (sp?) and a falafel pita. It was just okay. I've had a lot better falafel and hummus and baba ganoush. It was a really cute place though. Also thought it was a little pricey ... baba ganoush was $7 and the falafel pita was $8. read more

Went there for lunch today but called-in our order before we went. The food came out much quicker than usual (which means it was around a reasonable amount of time) so that definitely helped. I recommend doing that to save some time (or maybe we just just beat the rush on a Friday afternoon by 5-10 minutes). The food was pretty good as are the portions, prices are fair and 4 hours later I'm still full. read more

Delicious take out! A bit greasy but loved the salad and pita breads. Everyone really liked their meals as well.

Good authentic middle eastern food. Prices are reasonable, unfortunately the service is VERY slow. Call ahead or plan for at least 75 minutes. The lamb is fantastic as is the hummus. read more

I've been here twice in the past month and have had enjoyable meals both times. We've had a couple of different appetizers and entrees (chicken and seafood) and enjoyed everything. Being a horrible beer snob, I found the beverage list to be a little lacking. The prices are fair for the portions served. I think my favorite thing about this restaurant is the relaxed pace of the meal. There isn't that rushed sense of get your food, eat, and clear out. There is a definite, but not lengthy, wait between courses but it's nice to relax, sip your drink, and talk. I think that's something many of us have forgotten about when going out to eat !! read more

Stopped here for lunch with a coworker, don't let the outside fool you this place has great food and a great atmosphere. We both really enjoyed our meals and had wonderful service. I'll be going back again soon! read more

This is the best Mediterranean food I've ever had. I come here all the time. Their hummus is incredible. I'm Egyptian and I feel like I'm eating at home. Their chicken picatta is also my favorite. The owner is so kind. You have to try this place out. It's my absolute favorite! read more

I travel for work and eat out a lot. It's hard to find healthy food that's also tasty on the road. This place has it! Baba ganoush with warm pita for appetizer, followed by falafel. Awesome baba ganoush! Tasted so fresh, with a little extra olive oil drizzled on top. They offer choice of fries or salad so i took the salad. Three balls of crispy fried chick pea on a bed of greens in a pita with sauce. Salad had white beans, diced tomatoes and greens in light dressing. Unlike some i have had, not too salty! Left a little room for dessert, so another healthy option: Fig and Date cake. Wow, so good, both in taste and presentation. Rare treat for this field service engineer. read more

Had a birthday dinner here with a friend expecting the taste of garlic in at least one dish but no dice. Except for the fact that the babaganoush tasted slightly burnt, the seafood and fish dinners that we had were pleasant. read more

What a find!!! Yes! Amazing versatile menu, with some items that truly look Mediterranean. We had a Shrimp/pasta entree, the Mediterranean platter and Eggplant rolotini. Excellent wine selection and a dessert menu we hope to sample if we have room on our next visit! Nice gentle atmosphere- the outside storefront is deceiving- inside its elegant and inviting. Sooo happy we found this place we'll be back soon! read more

Garlic Lovers Corner - Greek Near Me - North Greenbush, New York

This place is consistently good. I've been here probably 7-8 times now in the last 8 years, and the food has always been perfect. It has never disappointed. This time around, I made a reservation for a party of 4 in advance for a Saturday night. Place was packed, so it's good that I thought ahead to do that of time. We ordered the Mediterranean Plate sampler (tzatziki, baba ghanoush, hummus, dolmas, falafel, and a garlic sauce with warm, fresh pita bread), the apricot lamb stew, chicken pesto pasta, and lamb kebabs with grilled vegetables and jasmine rice. Service was ON POINT. I don't know if they have hired more staff in response to the earlier Yelp reviews regarding the slow service a few years ago, but the speed and quality of service has definitely improved over the last few years. I love this place. Now that the service is better, I will start coming more frequently since I know it won't take 2 hours to get dinner. Give it a shot. You won't regret it. read more