Absolutely Outstanding Colombian Food!…read more Hands down, some of the best Colombian food we've ever had! The restaurant is small but absolutely beautiful, with a warm, inviting atmosphere. And the music was amazing, it really added to the experience and made us feel like we were transported to Colombia. From the moment we arrived, John Eduard, the owner, and Valentina, our waitress, were absolutely fantastic, warm, attentive, and genuinely committed to making sure we had a great experience. I enjoyed the Bandeja Paisa and asked if they could substitute the flank steak for skirt steak. Even though it's not on the menu, they made it happen and it was absolutely delicious! My husband and son had the La Tabla Mixta for Two, and the meat was incredibly tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. And the desserts were to die for! Every bite was better than the last. The food, service, hospitality, atmosphere, and attention to detail were all exceptional. We will definitely be coming back every time we're in the area! Highly recommend this little gem to anyone looking for authentic, delicious Colombian food and a truly wonderful dining experience.

A really nice little hole in the wall Colombian restaurant. Not the prettiest looking place, but…read morethe food, drinks, and service were all excellent. The kids got mac and cheese (looked like Kraft or some equivalent) and the kids chicken (which was SUPER well seasoned and somehow really moist and tender despite being almost as flat as a crepe). My wife got a couple (gluten free) chicken empanadas, which were quite tasty, we both got queso arepas with sausage (which we both thoroughly enjoyed), and I got the arrow con pollo (a touch on the dry side, but oh man was it really tasty). Not a place to go out of the way for, but a place I definitely wouldn't mind stopping at again if I find myself in town.

Not one, not two, but 3 separate credit card companies sent immediate fraud notifications after our…read morecards were swiped at this restaurant. I went here on Saturday, on Monday morning my credit union called letting me know they are increasing fraud protection on my account because I swiped my card at this restaurant. The owner was asking us to Zelle her money. We are still monitoring our cards to make sure everything is okay. We went to multiple restaurants in Albany during the course of the weekend and this didn't happen anywhere else. And the drinks are watered down. Don't come here.

Where are you celebrating life today? Viva Empanadas is a…read moregreat spot to do just that! The Albany location at 90 N.Pearl Street is visually stunning while the empanadas are a true fiesta for the taste buds. Popped in for a late lunch where we enjoyed the tropical lemonade and the empanada special. Shrimp D'verde, Spinach & cheese, and Colombianita for me Classic Cheese, Vegan-licious, and D'verde for my friend The gentleman at the table across from us ordered the rotisserie chicken which looked and smelled amazing - might have to go back to try it soon! They also have a weekend brunch menu served from 10-2 that looks epic.

Food was alright! Took about 15-20 mins to get food after ordering. Parking is difficult. We…read moreordered a few different empanadas and unfortunately they mislabeled or the lid moved idk but their system of labeling on the lid didn't work for us. I'd like to suggest wrapping each in a labeled parchment or something to prevent this from happening again. Try the yucca fries and another suggestion to the restaurant or those ordering this is to offer pink sauce for these fries :) (mayo catchup and small splash of vinegar)

We love their food! The empanadas are delicious and the service is superb. We're so fortunate to…read morehave an excellent Peruvian restaurant in our neighborhood.

On this visit to Encebollados El Idolo, I brought along my daughter who is always interested in…read moretrying new foods. We decided to try Bandera or flag. It's a rice dish featuring a combination of beef tripe, tuna, goat and shrimp, inspired by the yellow, blue and red colors of the Ecuadorian flag. It was a big dish that was priced at about $28. We decided to share it. It was the first time I had tripe or goat. The tuna was cooked through. It was very fishy but I think it was intentionally so. The shrimp and plantain were great. The dish was nicely prepared and beautifully plated but I never would have been able to finish it alone. Our server was a friendly young woman, who came back a couple of times to make sure we were okay. It helped that we knew some Spanish. The restaurant has plenty of seating and was clean. My daughter was so happy to eat such an authentic dish. She looks forward to coming back.

Food was sooooo good. Portion was huge! Great value for price, I think I got at least 3 or full…read moremeals out of it. The one pet peeve I had is I ordered from the printed menu, 2 items. 1 was listed at $19 and the other at $22. My bill was $58. I don't know if the menu was old or what happened, but it was more than I expected. I'll try it again.

Had a great experience here. Starter chips were warm, crunchy, and salsa was original and tasty…read more My enchiladas and poblano sauce with the rice was excellent and the quesadilla's were packed and very tasty. This place is well decorated and plays authentic music, tables were sort of funny/sticky feeling to the touch but were clean. Will most certainly be back, a wonderful place.

This place is great. Friendly fast service. I've never had chimichangas and man I was blown away. I…read morehad the chicken variety which was Amazing. This plate fills was huge and I could barely finish it. My daughter got her favorite; shrimp burrito. Full of shrimp and perfect amount of cheese. The restaurant is spotless and it wasn't busy when we went. Highly suggest you try em out.

My wife and I have been there twice! It is outstanding with its fresh homemade ingredients and…read moreservice! Prices are great! This place ,in my opinion , is one of the best in Schenectady!

Los Chamos ("the kids/the guys") is a Venezuelan restaurant on State Street. This stretch of…read moreSchenectady offers some diverse family-owned restaurants - Pakistani, El Salvadorian, Jamaican, etc., to name a few. In this case, the cuisine offered at Los Chamos is Venezuelan. Upon entering the establishment, I noticed a music/karaoke machine in the front corner. Tables were interspersed in the main area which surrounded a bar and ordering station. A preteen sat at one of the tables, playing on her phone. A young man worked the ordering station. Early on a Saturday afternoon, noticing a fridge with beers displayed, I ordered a Modelo and looked through the menu. I ordered a Chile Colorado and empanadas con pollo to go. Two things right off the bat - 1. First taste - It was good food. It was satisfying in a way that spoke of generational recipes rather than or despite culinary training. It is soul satisfying stuff. 2. If you can finish this meal in one sitting, good on you! Generous portions and the heartiness of the meal add to the "warmth" of the experience. A couple of details - the mayonnaise-based sauce for the empanadas was something I'd never tried before - lots of garlic, cilantro, a bit of water to loosen it, maybe some vinegar for acid...I liked it. The braised black beans had a little chili heat to liven it up. I'll definitely go back. I may not be fluent in Spanish or be knowledgeable about Venezuela but I find the food to be inviting and soulful.

We were in town helping our daughter move into off campus housing nearby and the woman at the…read morecoffee shop next door recommended Viva Cinco de Mayo. My expectations weren't too high because I didn't know if Albany had a thriving Mexican community. Viva Cinco de Mayo blew me away! We sat in a comfortable outdoor dining section. Our waitress was extremely helpful! The menu was extensive and felt authentic to me. My daughter ordered chips and queso, clearly house made chips were outstanding! Her chicken and cheese quesadilla was also delicious. My wife and I shared some of the best tamales we've ever had! So fresh and vibrant, chicken with green salsa. My wife enjoyed three tacos and the sangria. I absolutely loved their pozole with mole sauce! The hominy was perfectly cooked. Their fresh Tamarindo juice was also delicious! Truly an awesome lunch!

Nice restaurant to get Mexican food. Not very busy on a weeknight, many to-go orders. Excellent…read morefood, big portion and perfectly seasoned. I like my huge plate of chilaquiles, big portion of steak and chips. They know how to cook rice and beans here. Rice is not too mushy and soft, just the right texture. I wish I had room to try their tres leche or flan for dessert. Next time Service could be more attentive. I think if you know some Spanish that would be ideal, because they got my order wrong. Parking, just street parking. you should able to find some parking on the street nearby

I visited for lunch on a weekend and they have a huge outdoor covered patio as well as air…read moreconditioned dining room. My finance and I were welcomed as soon as we walked in. Their regular menu is huge and they had a specials menu as well. I ordered the shrimp quesadilla with a side of guacamole and my fiance got the carne asada burrito from their specials menu. We were served complimentary chips and salsa, which were delicious. Both of our entrees were good as well. My fiance raved about his burrito too. We'll definitely be back to try more things!

What a lovely place. I've driven by so many times and wondered about stopping in. Wonder no more. I…read morehad an awesome time at Salsa Latina in East Greenbush. For starters, I was impressed by the bright, cheerful decor. The painted furniture depicted charming village scenes of people, places and animals. There's a friendly hostess to greet guests by the door. Our server was nice and helpful, too. My friend ordered carne asada ( beef) tacos and I ordered chorizo (pork sausage) tacos. They are generous with portions. Our corn tortillas were stuffed with meat. Plenty of sauces, refried beans, chopped onions, cilantro and sliced limes came with each dish. The food was delicious and certainly authentic. I ordered a virgin pina colada since I was driving. It was wonderful. It tasted like dessert in a glass. I honestly don't know why this place didn't rate higher. Customers had nice things to say but were stingy when giving out stars. For my part, I think my Salsa Latina experience was worthy of 5 stars.