On December 6, 2025, our wedding day unfolded inside the Polish Community Center in Albany, and it felt like stepping into a holiday dream brought to life. From the moment we arrived that afternoon until the last song played, this venue became the heart of our Christmas celebration--warm, glowing, and unforgettable. When we got engaged in October 2023, we searched everywhere for a venue that felt like "us." We visited beautiful places, but nothing gave us that feeling. Then one day, we saw an event at the Polish Community Center online and decided to go see it for ourselves. The moment we walked through the doors that December, surrounded by garlands, lights, and Christmas trees, it was like the universe said, "This is the one." We knew instantly this was where our story needed to be told. We were blessed to work with Barbara, Kelly, and Anna--three of the kindest, most dedicated people we've met. They listened, guided, reassured, and brought our vision to life in ways we couldn't have imagined. They cared about our wedding as if it were their own. During our tasting, we tried their vegetable lasagna with a white sauce for the first time, and it left us speechless. It was warm, comforting, and full of flavor--just like everything else they offered us. Every choice we made with them felt right. Because our wedding fell between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the timing was perfect. The venue became a breathtaking holiday wonderland. The stage was framed by Christmas trees glowing softly behind us. The garland around the mirrors sparkled with warm lights and festive bows. The bar area transformed with tall, beautifully decorated trees. One staff member even hand-designed ribbon and ornament themes for all the trees in the entire building--details we will never forget. The linens and custom-folded green "Christmas tree" napkins completed the look, making every table feel like a page out of a holiday storybook. On the day itself, everything came together like a perfectly wrapped gift. The appetizers during the cocktail hour--bacon-wrapped scallops, spinach artichoke dip, spring rolls, meatballs--were outstanding. Ted and the bar staff created magic with our signature drink, Lucky's Magic Mistletoe, named after our beloved dog. Guests absolutely adored it. Just before our grand entrance, my wife experienced a small wardrobe crisis. A staff member noticed instantly and called Kathy, who arrived like a guardian angel and fixed the dress with skill and grace. She didn't just save the dress--she saved the moment. While that was happening, more staff brought us plates of food to make sure we ate, knowing how easily couples forget to do that. They cared for us in a way that felt genuine and deeply heartfelt. When our guests first walked into the ballroom, the reactions said it all. Gasps, smiles, whispers of "wow." The 12-foot Christmas tree, the decorated bar trees, the glowing garlands, the gold plates reflecting the lights--everything shimmered with holiday warmth. Sitting together on the stage as newlyweds, quietly taking in the view of the room, we were able to breathe, smile, and truly absorb the beauty of the moment. It was a gift we didn't know we needed. Dinner was exceptional--flavorful, filling, beautifully presented. I still tell people that the vegetable lasagna is one of the best dishes I've ever had. Our dessert and candy tables were massive hits. The staff arranged everything perfectly and replenished items all night long. Guests still talk about how friendly the staff was and how incredible the bartenders were. We could never thank the Polish Community Center enough for what they gave us--a wedding that felt like walking into a living Christmas card. A night full of warmth, beauty, and love. A celebration we will cherish forever. To Barbara, Kelly, Anna, Ted, Kathy, and every staff member who helped create our dream: thank you. You gave us more than a wedding. You gave us a memory we will hold close to our hearts for the rest of our lives. We recommend the Polish Community Center without hesitation. If you want a wedding overflowing with heart, care, beauty, and magic--this is the place where it happens. read more

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While this listing is for the Polonaise Ballroom, it is best known in the area as the Polish Community Center or the PCC. I'd been here several times over many years for luncheon meetings and other similar work gatherings. I was aware that there were times when the members of the PCC would make and sell Polish food to the general public, but I never took advantage of the opportunity. With so many restaurants closed or only selling takeout during the COVID-19 restriction period, I decided to take advantage of the PCC's announcement of what I now understand is a monthly event selling a variety of Polish food for takeout. How it works. They announce on their web page the date of the event and ask you to call a day or two ahead to place your order. During the pandemic you can choose between curb-side pickup or indoor pickup. You must wear a mask to be allowed inside. This event is so popular that you are likely to have to wait for your order even though you will have an assigned pickup time. The food for my 4:30 pickup time was not ready until 5:00. A friend with a 5:15 pickup time did not receive her food until 6:15. The menu includes pierogi, golumpki, kielbasa, and sauerkraut. The Polish Platter ($14) has a good portion of everything and comes with some rye bread. Only one filling is available for the pierogi and that is potato and cheese. I will say that even though the organizational effort could benefit from some improvement, if you're a patient person you'll survive the wait and likely believe, like me, that the food was worth the wait. read more

Polonaise Ballroom - Polish Platter. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Albany, New York

The staff was very nice and accommodating, without Barbara we wouldn't have been able to do our show. Thank you so much!

The OC Ski Club had it's first meeting here since March 11, 2020... To celebrate we decided to have a Welcome Back Party for our Members on June 4th . The staff (even planner Wanda, Chef Maria, Bartender Teddi and wonderful servers!!!) were very courteous & helpful as they served an unusual buffet for their venue... We had a Taco Buffet with homemade Gazpacho!!!! The soup, queso, beef & Chicken tacos, rice & beans, nacho chips and accompaniments were a hit!!! read more

I have been here several times for model train shows over the years. It is an okay venue. Parking seems decent, the edges of the lot are frequently filled by people who don't seem to understand what the painted lines are for. Inside, the room is large and well lit and heated fine. However, the kitchen/bar area on the side leaves a bit to be desired. I find their food selection to be a bit limited (even for a train show), but more egregious is that it frequently is dirty. They might only have one employee working, but he or she is too busy to bus the tables. So, if you go in around lunch time expecting a clean place to get your food and perhaps eat it, you will be disappointed. It isn't the worst I have experienced, but I now just go for the trains. Worst memory was getting a danish last year (which was wrapped in cellophane) and having it taste like onions. The person packaging them had previously cut up onions and not bothered to change gloves. Yuck! read more

We had our annual holiday party recently at the Polonaise Ballroom. As a dance organization, a good dance floor is a must. Their large wooden floor is wonderful, but the Polonaise provided a lot more to make our party one of the best ever. The hall was decorated in red, white and black, elegant and festive, the hot and cold appetizers were plentiful and delicious and the main course was served hot and on schedule. The staff was attentive to our every need, pleasant and helpful all evening long. We have already booked our party for next year! read more

The food is amazing and the staff (especially Barb) goes out of their way to be wonderful!!! Highly recommend!!

This past Thanksgiving Weekend, Sunday 11/26/17 I had the pleasure of running the Albany Book & Ephemera Fair at the PCC. This was our first time in the venue and I could not have been more pleased. The logistics of the move in / move out were made remarkably easy with ample load in doors, & an absence of any stairs or other impediments. The staff was responsive and the physical plant of the exhibition rooms was first rate. Good lighting, comfortable chairs, temperature was very comfortable and the food in the restaurant, especially the Polish food was wonderful. A stand alone dedicated parking lot accommodated our large crowd throughout the day. I have already booked our 2018 date in October next. My thanks to Ursula and the entire PCC staff and volunteers! Garry Austin read more

I really didn't want to celebrate New Year's this year. I just wanted to curl up, watch Mariah Carey (we all know how that turned out), and the ball drop in the comfort of my comfy couch. My cousin called me on December 30, 2016 and asked me what my plans were for the (usually) festive holiday. I told her of my uneventful plans and mid-sentence she stopped me and said, "oh no you are not, get in your car and come to Albany." I was like, "Albany for NYE?" "YES!" she shouted. I got up looked in my closet and told her she was lucky I had a brand new dress in there. The next day I drove 2.5 hours from Westchester, NY and went to the PCC for NYE. I walked into the massive hall filled with tables decorated in white and blue and snowflakes hanging from the ceiling. I stopped for a second to take it all in and the words "oh my" came out of my mouth. I turned the corner and saw an appetizer buffet filled with shrimp, crab cakes, and cheeses. At this point, I was like "okay this might actually turn out decent." I sat at our large table filled with people I'd never seen before. Everyone was so warm, friendly, and ready to party. Someone stood up and shouted "shots?" and I replied, "you don't have to ask me twice." We started doing shots at the open bar and dancing to fun Polish and American music. The DJ would even join us on the dance floor and sang a couple songs and he even had the crowd singing. Everyone really got into it and was having a great time. Before dinner, the new Club President, Henry Mazur, got up and made a speech (in the Polish & English) and you could tell how excited and touched he was by the crowd's response. He mentioned that there were people from Russia and Chicago joining the festivities. There was such a sense of community and excitement in the air. It really made the party a lot fun. We counted 2016 away and went crazy at 12 am. Everyone was super excited and blowing horns, kissing and hugging. It was so special. Around 1 am the best thing on the face of this earth came out, RED barscaz. If you are not Polish, I will let you in a little secret. If you are drinking all night and you have some red barszcz soup in the middle of the night, it is better than a slice of pizza after the club. After some more dancing and laughing, we ended our night. The ride home is another story I would like to thank everyone at the PCC for an amazing time and the staff did a great job! I will definitely go back for their other parties! read more

This place is TERRIBLE. We had a party here and were totally blindsided by the deception and the shady business practices of the people running this place. We were shown a big beautiful room, we loved it so we booked it. When we showed up to to set up the night before the event we were amazed to see another party setting up in our room!!!! We were told that we were down the hall in the back. They actually divided the room that we paid for in half and rented the other half out to another party. So we had the pleasure of listening to a wedding reception during our party. I could go on forever about a bunch of other things that went wrong that night because of their incompetence but there is no point. These people are SHADY and I would never do business here again. Do yourself a favor and look somewhere else!!!! read more

We've had our annual event here for years without complaint. It is what it is and we are grateful to have a venue. It's not worth more than they're charging. The ladies make us great Polish food every year. I don't like some of the guys who run it. They're overly concerned with what we put on our tables unnecessarily. Otherwise it's fine. read more

reviews in the last week Great venue and delicious food but everything else was a disaster. We paid for the whole ballroom for a graduation party,but only half of the ballroom was setup. Was told there was going to be a sound system that we can use, but it wasn't working so got the microphone to make the best out of it. We figure it's a small issue and didn't want to be upset over it and enjoy the evening but as we progress more and more issues surfaced.The dinner was served with missing main dish item. Kids were supposed to have their own buffet setup, instead it was setup with the main buffet. All these mistakes, They simply said oh well, it's our mistake but your bad and even though everyone already ate we will bring your missing item and if you don't need it take it home. Even the server said "I feel bad for you,". The person in-charge "Ted" didn't care about anyone's feeling or their mistakes. There was no reasoning with Ted, he didn't listen and didn't care. I was upset on how things were unfolding and wanted him to acknowledge the mistakes but he would not listen. I even asked him how he would feel if this was his party and all those things that happened to me was happening to him but no response. he just ignores you with a great smile. Also, I had a open bar and my guests later mentioned they were charged for drinks and were short on changes as well. He also charged me almost $434 for drinks/w 20% gratuity that i do not think could've consumed by 30 guests. Also i was charge $2 per glass soda that was supposed to be part of the banquet package. I paid top dollar to have this party and i was taken to the cleaner by the Ted and his crew. Makes polish community look really bad. We also run non profit in the area as well but this one is one of most poorly run establishment that only cares about ripping people off to make few dollars. Never going there again and people be aware, you will be ripped off to the extend that you have never experienced... read more

We started planning a party for 50-75 in January for an October date. We called and got a good price from the PCC. We put a $500 deposit down and went through the details of arrival times, bar costs and menu in person and received a contract. Met three people, the cook, the event coordinator and the club president. Two weeks before our date WE called (they did not call us) to talk final numbers and we were told that they had booked a wedding in the banquet room we had reserved. They tried to give our (now we knew) 70 person party a conference room or a garage instead. I was stunned and disappointed at the unprofessional behavior - tried telling us they had different people handling reservations but it was the same two women we spoke to in February. Clearly they had gotten a larger party or friends or members and took the booking. I would not have been so upset if ANYONE had called. We ended up at Malozzis instead with great service. Call Malozzis. Same price, better venues and service. Avoid the PCC at all costs! read more

Recently had my wedding at this venue and it was absolutely amazing. The food was out of this world and the guests are still raving about it. The hall is beautiful when set up and the staff is so helpful. There is so much included in the packages that they offer and there are also extras that we found out about when we were booking our wedding here. I HIGHLY recommend this venue for anyone that is looking. read more

RUN QUICKLY AWAY FROM THIS DISASTER!!!!!! From the time I booked this venue it was a nightmare! I recently had a party on 10/10/14. Upon booking this venue with Annette in July, I was told everything was in order. When I went pay my deposit at the designated time, Annette was not in the office, and my booking date could not be found. When it was "found" I was ALSO told a wedding reception was going to be on the same day and they would just use the dividers to separate the parties. After making complaints and speaking with a member from the Board of Directors, I was assured my party would be the only event that night, and was given another party planner to plan my event. I was given a contract with prices approved by the Board of Directors member to accommodate any previous inconvenience, and was told the only thing left was to pick out the colors for my decor. Three weeks before my event I CALLED to set up an appointment, only to find out that they "lost" my contract, did not call me, and could not remember any of the negotiations recorded. And the contract I received as my copy was BLANK. Now locked into this place because my invitations were already out, I went through several meetings and revisions of a new contract. The week of my party, I noticed I was being charged extra for a service I was not receiving, and they REFUSED to change the price. When I challenged the price they threatened to cancel my party DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT! When I ask to speak with the Board of Directors, the event planner contacted her in which she openly refused to speak with me. The night of the event my out of town guest had difficulty finding the place because the sign was broken and there were no lit areas around the venue, which I was not informed of until asking about the sign. Some of the wait staff were really nice, while others appeared very nasty and disrespectful. One of the wait staff was upset about having to work the coat check that he ignored me and one of my guest looking for assistance. The tables were cleared wasting food when guests directly requested to leave their food on table, and the food would be thrown away while guests went to get a beverage. To top it off, after the event was over, I HAD TO CALL SEVERAL TIMES and made two failed trips to the venue before receiving my deposit ALMOST A MONTH LATER! Although I tried to make the best out of this special day, the stress of this venue overshadowed the experience. LESSON LEARNED! PLEASE LEARN FROM MY EXPERIENCE! Don't be dazzled by the beauty of the ballroom. IT'S NOT WORTH IT! read more