This place is truly a hidden gem located just steps away from Washington Park. What really stood out to me was the staff--they were absolutely amazing, welcoming, and kept the entire place incredibly clean and well designed. Combined with the cool upper bar vibe, pool room, and darts, the great service makes this a must-visit spot in the area read more

After 2 drinks they would not let me in told me I was to drunk absolutely garbage service from bar tender and security most likely letting under age girls no Id read more

I've been coming here since moving to Albany. It's your classic pub. Great place to hang out with friends and have a casual night out.

If I could leave .00000000000001 stars I would. Went out for my good buddy's birthday tonight and got denied service because of out of state ids. I love supporting local business and checking out bars in the capital region area. I found tonight's experience extremely annoying and I believe the owners should invest in some good identification equipment. Maybe look for some new bartenders too (this is me being respectful). read more

Love this place. I always order a Pinhook Bourbon neat. One of the few establishments in Albany that stocks GOOD whiskey, not cheap blended swill. Security is tight and effectI've. As you can see by the review, they are excellent at keeping the imposters out. Fake ID technology has come a long way, but these guys at Lionheart are hard to fool. read more

Been coming here for a while and are friends with some of the workers there, but suddenly everything changed. The security/bouncer/clown staff is the most rude, insecure, delusional group of people you will ever meet. Their egos are so fragile and high because they work at a local bar. One of the men, Albert Tiburcio, assaulted my cousin last night by violently pushing her and her friends out of the place for no reason at all. I came to pick them up as their DD, and I was met with extreme threats "I'll beat the fuck out of you" "Get the fuck out" He even went on to tell my cousin and her friends "I'll fucking smash your face in the concrete." Unacceptable behavior for a such a mid job. And by the way, if you're one of the last decent bars in Albany, you should think about how you treat your customers even if you're a bouncer. Your job not only is to control the environment, but to also convince guests to return for another fun night. Once the word goes around that you act like this to your customers you'll have no business left because everyone would rather go party at Saratoga. read more

Came here on a Saturday night. Crowd seems to be very very young. Not what I was expecting coming in. Drinks were reasonably priced. One reason this place ranked so low for me was that they closed the bar before 1 am on a Saturday night when their bar was full and website said 3 am. Bartenders were exceptionally rude to my friends when he tried to get darts. Hard to want to come back when there are better bars on lark. read more

This place is horrible. Arrived with a group of 8 (of age, of course) individuals on a calm Wednesday night ready to spend some money. We were quickly and disrespectfully declined. This is a bar for sad old people who don't know what fun is, and they hate Jews. They sadly turned down my 2 Jewish buddies but let everyone else in. The bouncer is about 5'4" but acts like he's 6', it's obvious he needs this job for his ego. Anyways, if you're looking for a terrible, horrible time, you should go here. If you have self respect, you should NOT go here- read more

A great bar for good craft beer. Centrally located in Albany. On Sunday's they have happy hour "All Day" with a awesome selection. There is no food to purchase at this bar but they have a free popcorn machine; that counts as food doesn't it. It's supposed to be a pick up are but I don't fine that to be true but then again I'm usually with a group but alone tonight but others are in a big group. I enjoy the beer and the atmosphere.the bartenders are always very helpful with your craft beer selections and are very good at taken care of their customers. There is rarely a long wait to get a brew. read more

Came for my friends 21st birthday and they didn't accept my new VA Real ID. Sure it's out of state, but then they continued to not accept my friends either, who are all NY. Even scanning they didn't believe it and were rude. A bouncer came up and bent my ID, luckily didn't break it. They then kicked out the rest of the group that already had drinks. Horrible service and attitude, never coming back. read more

It's a cool spot. Drinks can get pricey. Crowd is pretty young. Can get pretty loud on busy days . Music selection is okay. Not my fave place, but it's not a place I avoid either. Check it out & catch your own vibe. read more

Lionheart is the go-to place for a good time, whether a Tuesday at 7 or a Saturday at 11. I live within walking distance, and it's always a reliable place for a beer and some fun. Their beer selection is wide and usually fairly decent - I tend to prefer IPAs, and they usually have 4-5 of them to choose from. Drinks are cheap and the bartenders have an awesome sense of humor. They have a pool table and tons of dart boards - for a $10 deposit kept at the bar, they'll give you all the materials, and deposit is returned when the materials are. Occasionally they'll have live music (Shout out to the Patty-O Trio!!) or karaoke night - always something fun. If you've had too much, or just want a nice snack, fill up on free popcorn from the machine. If you're looking for a reliable good time at a relatively chill bar, lionheart's a great option. Close to Lark street and other bars as a pregame spot! read more

i love this bar. my friend works here and he always stops what he's doing to do shots with me no matter what.

Overall I'm a big fan of Lionheart. Its close to my house, has a great beer selection, mad dart boards and a small patio out front. This is one of the few bars in the area where you can get a brew from The Alchemist brewery out of Vermont. This is a pretty big deal for beer nerds. Lionheart also recently announced that they are renovating a space above the bar to be turned into a nano brewery. So that's pretty cool, too! This place definitely gets college-y on the weekends.I still go there and have had myself a damn good time on a Friday night, throwing back pints and stuffing my face with popcorn as it spills all over the floor and down my shirt. You know what I'm talking about.. Like others have said, I have had some mixed experience with the bartenders here. Most of the time I get an apathetic impression from them but I've also had downright rude service here. Maybe that's part of the charm? To be fair I have also had some very nice interactions with the bartenders as well so who knows what's going on there. It doesn't really seem to matter as this place is always bumpin. It definitely doesn't matter to me because I go there weekly and have every intention of continuing to do so. read more

Wish I could give it no stars. I had a close friend of mine kicked out by a bouncer for no reason and then was jumped outside of the bar the beginning of this year. Just found out this happened to 2 other people a few weekends ago. Also, just a warning... apparently all of the cameras in the bar are "fake" or "don't work" read more

I liked this bar! It's nothing fancy, but it's a large bar with the a/c cranking. There's plenty of seating and pool tables and darts in the back. There is minimal outdoor seating in the front, right next to the street. The best part of this bar is their happy hour! They have h. hour until 7pm which is $1 off their already affordable beers and well drinks. Sundays is happy hour all day! Another great part, free awesome popcorn. I will def be back! read more

Probably some of the meanest staff I've ever come across. Multiple bad experiences. Bartender hit my friend with a leg and then kicked her out. He hit her and asked her if she wanted to get f*** kicked out. I've never had a good experience there and I recommend going elsewhere for a good night out. read more

Brought my girlfriend for her 21st birthday, we got there at midnight and the line was about 2 minutes and the bouncer was nice. The bar was very busy but we got our drinks quickly, we made our way to the back of the Pub where the pool table and dart boards are and we had a great time. We will definitely come back. read more

Yeah, about this place. So I've only really been on weekend nights, especially during the holiday come back to Albany season, and its quite the horrid sight yet I was there solely to see old friends, which is always a good time. couple things: There are too many golf/company-logo polos and pleated khakis here from the over 30 crowd. Throw in a few town racists and desperate local girls seeking a better night away from Jillian's and that whole debacle of a strip, its lots of drinking with smoking in the alleyway, pool in the back, and just not a lot of overall intelligence. Across the street is a much better place to have a drink, the Lark Tavern. Oh there's a gas station next door. Not that that matters. read more

Idk what is with all the bad reviews. Like yeah it's Albany and everything sucks here but this is the best bar you're going to get unless you go to Saratoga. Bartenders are fine never had an issue. Never waited to get in either. Second floor is basically for hookups which is annoying this generation sucks. read more

This bar has no clue how to run a business, their lead bouncer at the front door needs a serious ego check...kicked me out for using the bathroom and claimed I had a had a fake ID AFTER LETTING ME IN, and I'm 23, never go here unless you want to be barraged and harassed, seriously read more

One of the worst bars that I've ever been to. Staff are incredibly rude and it's an unwelcoming environment. Do not go here if you value being treated with respect. read more

Disgusting "bouncers" who have zero manners. They cursed at us even when we explained we were waiting for our Uber ride home 15 'minutes before closing. Bizarre as he only kicked certain groups out and let his friends stay back. We've been here for the past 4 years before they became the new hip underage bar. Now we understand exactly why Jimmy left as this bar does not stand for what it used to be. read more

This went from being a nice pub to way too big and packed with "kids" just looking to get wasted and cause trouble. Way too loud, dangerous to have tables in a gas station parking lot and the employees also have no control over the place. This isn't Lionheart's fault, but the loser dirt bikes and ATVs make it miserable to sit outside anywhere in the area now. There are better places. read more

The staff here are horribly rude, and it's packed with college frat boy idiots. The beer selection is great, but it's not worth it to torture yourself. Three of my friends and I were recently here early-ish on a Saturday night, and were kicked out. Let's review our infractions, shall we? 1. Asking for Ketel One instead of their regular vodka. 2. Requesting the drink that we had already paid for (the bartender denied ever taking my friend's $20). How terrible of us, right? I mean, obviously we were being horribly unreasonable. According to the bartenders, that is. They need to get some new staff, and quickly. read more

Typically this place is super fun but I just tried going and the guy at the door was super rude. He insulted my boyfriend and turned us away for being at capacity even though there were hardly any people inside. Why is the kitchen closing before the bar is closing when all customers are supposed to be ordering food? We shouldn't be turned away just because YOU decided to close your kitchen early read more

Although the Lionheart consists of a single structure, it is in actually two different bars. (This phenomenon is also known as the werewolf bar). On weekdays and before 9PM on weekends, the staff is friendly and attentive, the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant, and you can enjoy yourself without difficulty. As bonuses, there's free popcorn (you will eat way more than you said you would) and the arcade game Big Buck Hunger - one of the most impressive accomplishments of American civilization. Skip forward a few hours and to the weekend. The bartenders (the very same people as before mind you) suddenly become horribly abrasive and troglodytic and the bar space fills up with the most spoiled degenerates you ever had the displeasure of laying eyes upon. Forget about the free popcorn during these full-moon periods; there's usually a fat white girl whose taken it upon herself to stand sentry next to the machine and frighten off any who could potentially steal her buttery sustenance. In some, if you go to the daytime bar you'll probably have a relaxing time if nothing else. Go to the nighttime bar and you'll wish you were dead. read more

Lionheart has been one of my favorite bars in the Albany area. The owner is nice guy and the setup of the bar is better than most in the area. They generally don't make you follow the COVID food rule at night. However, the two bouncers that work the front door on the weekend are two of the rudest and most unprofessional people I've ever encountered. The bouncers do a great job of making you feel unwelcome from the second you get there. Fortunately, there's several other options for bars in the area where you won't be harassed read more

My observation: Lark Tavern is where the fun, 25+ crowd goes Lionheart Pub is where the drunk, 22 and under crowd goes Filled with frat boys and scantily clad "ladies", this pub is a college drinking hole with the decoration of a classy drinking bar. The bartenders adore themselves; case in point--when my boyfriend asked if they had Blue Light, the bartender snorts out "we don't serve any *%$#ing Canadian *&%$!!" I threw a "get over yourself" tip his way at the end of the night by paying only for my beer and walking over to Lark. Stick around long enough, though, and someone in the back is willing to let you get first dips at the popcorn, or will play you in darts or pool. And you can let THEM handle the bartenders when you get your winner's drink. read more

I have a love-hate relationship with the Lionheart. I hate it on a Saturday night when it's filled with obnoxious college students and it feels like a total meat market. However, on a lazy Sunday afternoon when the weather's warm, the Lionheart is my favorite place to sit outside on the patio with the dog after a few hours in the dog park. The bartenders are really nice guys and they always offer water for the dogs that stop by with their owners. It's also great to come here after work (and after the dog park) for happy hour, which features great specials. That's pretty astounding. The bartenders know me by my order - and some by name - at this point and it's come to a point where sometimes I don't even have to order before they have my regular poured for me. Now that's the kind of service I like. I'm allergic to beer (tell me about it) but like to at least feel like I'm drinking a pint by drinking hard cider. Lionheart has hard cicer on tap, which makes me really happy. I wish the place still had music and open mikes though like it used to when it was over where Bombers now is. And it could definitely use a little updating. The free popcorn is an appreciated, perk. read more

0 stars. bouncers carried my best friend out while he was unconscious and acted like they were pissed. My friend needed CPR and they were pissed he was "too drunk". Care about the people who come to your bar and know when to stop fucking serving them rather than tossing them on the street when they are unconscious and telling his friends to back off. never will come back. read more

While the cider here was excessively drinkable, and the popcorn excessively free and abundant, and the Captain Morgan's girls wearing excessively short skirts giving out free shots, there was something missing. Not many places to sit, but maybe that's the way these bars are supposed to be. A few pool tables and some darts are clearly obligatory, but...but.... This place is too popular, filled with the excessively preppy frat crowd. By the time we left, the front portion was so crowded, we could barely get out. Someone poured beer all over my friend's sweater. And the floor was nast. The bathrooms also proved problematico. Exceptionally small, with saloon-style foldy doors. Two stalls, but no standing room for waiters. Not a good sitch to find yourself in. I'm sure I will find my way back here sometime, though. We had fun desipite the crowd and stuff.... read more

Nice little dive bar, good beer selection. The bar tenders were not very friendly though. Has a nice back area with a pool table and darts. Standard bar in a area that offers some better options. read more

When I first came to Lionheart, I must have been drunk, because I was very surprised and pleased to find a bar with such good beer selection on Lark. However, on many more sober trips, I could feel myself slipping from my original 4 star feelings. How could this have happened? Pros (While the lights were out) + Look at all those pretty taps! + Non-hipster girls on Lark?! + Patio! + Mmm, popcorn... Cons (Turn the lights back off!) - This beer seems expensive... - Who are all this sororiety and frat kids... - Fight! Duck! Watch the beer fool! - This bathroom seems small and incredibly dirty. - I'd play pool or darts, but I can't get anywhere near the tables - What's that burning smell, is that the patio? With the burnout on frats and expensive drinks, it's just not as fun as it was. It's a shame too, since before the crush of people, Lionheart was a cool place. It's just too popular for it's own good. Yogi Bera may have put it best, 'nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded' read more

It wasn't that impressive. Drinks are not strong, no good music. Also, they don't serve any appetizers which is again a big disappointing.

Hmm, I wonder if management will ever read this... If so, omfg, please stop turning up the volume of the music as the night progresses! Evenings at Lionheart are fine, when you can actually have a conversation. But the managers stay one step ahead of the crowd, upping the music to make the place seem exciting. By 11pm or so, the whole atmosphere is unbearable. On the other hand, the Lionheart does provide an intriguing challenge to the drunkards. It can be almost fun to strategically navigate through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of collegiates, especially in winter when everyone has their obligatory puffy coats at their sides because the bar doesn't offer a coat check. But that kind of environment is only enjoyable after you've put down several drinks. read more

This place is my Cheers. The stale smell of beer and warm popcorn haven't changed since I frequented back in 2010. I usually visit at Happy Hour and the same bar flies who have been coming for eons are still fixtures atop the bar stools. The beers are typically excellent. But to be clear, I have never ordered anything else BUT a beer. I don't necessarily encourage you to do otherwise. That's not why you come and melt into the surroundings. You come because you want a place to sit. Where the bartender knows your name and doesn't bother you. You want a place that is accepting. You want a place that is nonjudgmental. You may also want a place with some darts. This place has darts. I'm told the scene picks up in the late evening and becomes somewhat of a dance scene for the college-aged. However by this point, my lonesome barfly friends and I have long gone. If you want to be where you can see the troubles are all the same: Lionheart Pub. Also the word "pub" is used very loosely as they only have potato chips available. read more

Lionheart Pub is a great location and beer. Weekends are too crowded with grifters. Bouncers are crude, no places to sit: everyone mills around. Pop in, booze-up and leave! read more

I wish I could give this 3.5 stars. I can't give it 4, as this place turns into something I kind of hate after 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. It's not much better after 10pm on Thursdays, but at least on those evenings the meat market is mostly graduate and/or law students, as opposed to undergrads. For happy hour, however, it's one of my favorites. If they served food, it would be even better (popcorn alone simply doesn't cut it on most evenings). You know, however, that you're a regular when the bartender cards your friend, but won't look at you're ID - "Oh, I know YOU'RE okay, you're in here all the time!" - at that point, it had been some time since I had been in for a pint. I like that Tuesdays feature $2 pints (as opposed to $3), which makes for a nice midweek happy hour, if we're feeling up to it. And, with summer fast approaching, I imagine we will. I note, too - summers are quiet and lazy at this pub, which makes it all the better. read more

Blah blah blah. This is a college bar. Blah. Probably one of my least favorite spots until recently when it started slowing down a bit. The two bars in the place never really cut down the amount of wait time that you need to get a drink. I've been visiting much more lately. There's two guy bartenders (I know, really narrowing the search for who they are) who can have attitudes, and they're pretty slow. The tall blonde lady bartender is so cool and funny, definitely worth visiting. She's a big reason for why I'll go back. Other than my gripes, most of them slip away when I enter the alcohol-fueled haze that sets in after about an hour of being there, which I would say makes for a great bar. read more