Union Seafood on Central Avenue in Albany is described as "Chinese meets Louisiana," according to…read morethe restaurant's website. I've been there before and the crazy, giant fiberglass crab on display in the entrance is always a hoot. So is the fiberglass shark head on the wall in the dining area. I like a place with a sense of fun and humor. I also like this place for its seafood boils. The good news is that this restaurant--which was very good to begin with-- has gotten even better. Last time I showed up, the server brought the seafood boil still in its boiling bag and cut it open in front of me. It was up to me to reach into the hot bag and pull out its contents. There was steam everywhere. A hot mess, indeed! This time, the kitchen took care of the boiling bag for me. Instead, they beautifully arranged the boiled seafood on a large platter. Wow. It looked amazing and tasted even better! This time, I'd asked for a Number 4 with mix of seasonings, including garlic and butter. There were: one big lobster tail, plenty of shrimp, clams, crawfish, potatoes, corn on the cob, hard boiled eggs and extra veggies. It was described as enough to feed three people. Coincidentally, we were a party of three. We also ordered a Cajun Fried Rice for good measure. We really didn't need it. We were so full. The fruit drinks were great, too. Union Seafood is a franchise with locations in Troy and Schenectady. They're owned by Larry Weng who also opened Ji Bei Chuan Rice Noodles & Ramen on Western Avenue in Guilderland, according to local news reports. In celebration of May being AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Month, it's probably fair to say that Asian-American owned restaurants such as Union Seafood have added much variety to the overall dining experience in Capital Region. Vive la différence.

Union Seafood is one of those spots that keeps things simple and lets the seafood speak for itself…read more Everything had that fresh, straight-from-the-kitchen feel, and the portions were satisfying without feeling overdone. I also liked that the flavors weren't trying too hard just good seafood, seasoned well and served hot.

We used to come here when it was the Lighthouse and then stopped coming after having a not so great…read moreexperience at a banquet hosted right after the change. Recently, we decided to try again and have eaten outside on the patio 3 times where it is an absolutely beautiful atmosphere eating by the water. We joke that it is like being on vacation for the night. The food is good, some dishes better than others but overall enjoyable. The prices are a little high for what you get. Our waitresses have always been kind and efficient. One of our top 5 most frequent restaurants visited.

Amazing!! In town for nephews graduation and we came across this gem…read more.. Fantastic service, menu superb... food ( fish and chips, superfood bowl and wagu burger ). Delicious

Was one of the best places! We came the same time last year and this was a stop. incredibly fresh…read moreoysters. Eight different varieties.Tedie got fresh whole billy clams I got a white fish sandwich whatever white fish they cut fresh that day didn't check which one it was. No need it was delicious. Crabcakes phenomenal and a restaurant where you can go in and buy fresh fish right from the counter definitely makes it one of a kind. let's just say it was so good when they said it in front of us I didn't take any pictures because I was more interested in eating. service is amazing but then again the owner was the one that was serving us, And just the inside of it is a quaint looking restaurant a very very clean restroom. And lots of goodies to purchase if you like!!

It's been two years since I said we were looking forward to returning to try their bowls or fish…read moreand chips. Well, at least we kept our word today when we ordered their two different bowls for takeout. My wife ordered the Fishbowl ($30) with the grilled fish of the day (salmon), cherry tomatoes, quinoa, feta, peaches, arugula, and basil lime vinaigrette (she said no to onions). She could not get over how tasty the quinoa tasted and wondered how they prepared it. She also thought the peaches could have been a little sweeter since we are in prime peach season. While the salmon was just slightly overcooked we'll attribute that to it continuing to cook as we drove the meals home. Even with those minor negatives, she said she would definitely order the dish again. I chose the Poke Bowl ($35) for my meal (my first ever poke bowl) with marinated raw tuna and salmon, edamame, cucumber, watermelon radish, snap peas, nori, avocado, sesame seeds, scallions, and pea tendrils, all over sushi rice with ginger gochugaru oil and soy sauce on the side. This was absolutely delicious. It was a wonderful blend of fresh flavors and textures. If I have another poke bowl somewhere else I only hope it can come close to measuring up to the enjoyment I experienced with this one.

I was here on a layover and got half a pound of peeled shrimp along with half of a pound of the…read morelittle neck clams. It was fresh and delicious with all the flavor sauces, little bit of everything! I took a little bit to come out maybe 15 minutes or so, but it was worth it. Hot fresh and delicious. Also really friendly staff.

Stopped in here while I was in town for work and had a pretty mixed experience. The atmosphere was…read morenice and it seemed like a good spot to grab seafood, but the service was noticeably slow throughout our visit. It took a while to get drinks and place our order, and we found ourselves waiting more than expected between courses. That said, the food itself had some highlights. The crab was absolutely amazing--fresh, flavorful, and definitely the standout of the meal. We also really enjoyed the shrimp cocktail, which was well-prepared and hit the mark. Unfortunately, the mussels didn't live up to the same standard; they lacked flavor and just weren't our favorite. Overall, it's an okay spot with some strong dishes, but the slow service and inconsistency in the food would make me hesitate before returning.

So good! Best in the area. The fish fry and corn fritters are soooo good. Quick and prices are…read moregood.

What can I say other than "eh." I would not go out of my way to go back, but I can also say it is…read morenot the worst I've had either. The food was fresh. My Fish did not have much flavor. My companion's fish was overcooked a little. They do offer non fried options which I think is a great option. So many fish shacks around here do not offer that option, so I hope they continue to do that.

this is my go to spot for korean food! kimbap, rice cakes, tofu stew so yummy! servings are perfect…read morefor sharing. staff has always been kind. i'm familiar with their latham location which is not BBQ it's more of a smaller cozier interior. central ave location has the hot plates for BBQ which i did not try, bigger interior and lots of tvs. same menu items though & many korean snacks and ice cream available to purchase.

I'm so conflicted about reviewing this place. Their BBQ is glorious, but trying their a la carte…read moredishes gave a sense of bitter dejavu because the food was as puzzling as at Seoul Korean Restaurant that basically put me off for life. Here's the gist: - Tangsuyuk (aka sweet and sour pork): any person calling themself Korean should know at first glance that how they present the pork and the sauce just ain't right. The lightly battered pork strips should be served on a plate, not in what reminds of Arabian Nights. The sauce gets even more puzzling. What makes tangsuyuk sauce so magical is (1) the delicate balance between the sweet and sour, (2) thick, gloomy consistency that coats the battered pork, and (3) FRESH sliced veggies that typically include cucumber, carrots, onions, woodear mushrooms, and colourful capsicum. Instead, what they served was a runny, overly tangy concoction with frozen peas and carrots (!?!?). Needless to say, we didn't even eat half of the stuff which prompted two different staff to ask if we needed a takeaway box (we said no). When we pulled up the photo of this dish on their menu and online that shows a wonderfully authentic presentation (which we fully expected to havd on our table) and showed it to staff, they had this uncomfortable body language that indicated they knew what we got on our table was an abomination, but they apologised and said what we got was what it was. I'm so baffled as to why they didn't make even the bare minimum effort to slice some fresh veggies, which I know they have available because I see them in side dishes and appetisers, for the sauce. - Nangmyeon. A lot gets lost in translation but basically, what I expect is...well, again, what is depicted in the menu photo. What I got was a very poor, austerity version and I barely ate half of it. The nauthenticity and poor presentation of these a la carte dishes are a direct replication of those of Seoul Korean Restaurant. What is puzzling is how awesome their BBQ is, from the marinade and soybean soup to the egg souffle, purple rice, and the side dishes. So, my star rating leans towards the BBQ experience vs a la carte, and that's my recommendation. They have a lot going for it and they got a lot of things right, from the tasteful music selection and industrial-meets-pocha vibe to the flat screens showing endless footages of Korean goodies preparation. Staff are patient and friendly, even though it took some effort on the latest visit to get the cheque sorted due to administratively caused overcharge. I hear they have good soon tofu and kimbap. I hope they continue to improve and get the locals on board because I'm glad they're here and I want them to thrive.

Fabulous visit to Ember & Cork. It was a group of 4, 3 of whom had never been before including…read moremyself. The Espresso Martini was not on the menu but they were able to make it. For appetizers, we ordered the oysters and burrata and prosciutto toast. I did not try the oysters but the others said they were good. I would order the toast again. For my entree I ordered the steak frites. One of the best steaks I've ever had. Perfectly cooked to medium rare. Had a lovely crust on it. For dessert, we shared the bread pudding with salted caramel gelato, burnt basque cheesecake and pear fritters. All three were delicious but the bread pudding was the standout. I highly recommend ordering it. Also have to mention our server Frank who was lovely and very attentive. We had a lot of questions, if there was something he didn't know he was very quick to find out the answer and was very thorough.

I was really excited about Ember and Cork. I really Love the…read morenew revitalized downtown State Street and I visit frequently. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant with free parking after 5. The menu reads exciting and includes a lot of fun and modern ingredients, the space is bright and inviting and we had great service. The cocktail menu was small and uninspired, but we enjoyed a few cocktails. My favorite of the night was a dirty martini with house stuffed blue cheese olives. Their aviation inspired cocktail called Flight 99 was okay, but left me wanting an aviation. We decided to get a few appetizers the share over some cocktails and didn't order any entrees. We started with the Shrimp Ceviche and the Foie Gras Torchon. Both plates arrived and the presentation left a lot to be desired. The shrimp ceviche was good but the baby corn and sweet potato were weird. It didn't belong at all. I don't know if it is traditional or what but it just took up space, made the presentation uninviting and added nothing to the dish. The chips were great though and the shrimp were large and of great quality. The Foie gras torchon was like a chilled pate, it was alright. 4 tiny slices of toast was not enough for the plate, the green strawberry compote was a good pairing, the dressed greens were fine but again, didn't add much to the dish. We heard the special of soft shell crab and wanted to order it. For the second round, we ordered the bone marrow and soft shell crab. The bone marrow was maybe 3 bites, the bones were very dry and didn't have much marrow to scrape so that was disappointing. The soft shell crab was a large portion and was very good and treat to have during the season. However, it was $65. Maybe our fault for not asking but that price is obscene for that dish. It was soft shell crab over spinach. We were pretty full and ended the meal with bread pudding which was fine. Our bill before tip was $280 for 4 appetizers, 6 cocktails and a dessert. I was sticker shocked. I really regret not asking the price on the soft shell crab. The food did not live up to the hype at all and I don't think I would return based on the quality and prices.

The space is stunning, the vibes are high, the service is top-tier, the cocktails are creative and…read moredelicious, and the food was outstanding. I may be biased, Mediterranean is my favorite but the flavors and presentation were truly beyond compare. I only wish I had room to try more! There were so many dishes on the menu I wanted to order, but sadly, there's only so much room. We shared the grilled halloumi and charred carrots. My husband had the Branzino special, and I had the lamb gyro. Every dish was absolutely delicious. But the only thing I managed to photograph was THE most creative cocktail special I've ever had the privilege of trying, thanks to Colin. I absolutely love sitting at the bar with a knowledgeable, creative mixologist who is genuinely passionate about their craft. That kind of experience makes a night feel extra special. 10/10 experience. I think we just found our new special place.

Came on a busy Saturday dinner party of 5 without a reservation. The hostess was so kind. They were…read moreable to find us a table, only caveat is that it was in the vault room. And quite frankly, that was a cool area. You could snap a photo inside the giant safe. The restaurant used to be a bank. So think high windows, high ceilings, open space with beautiful tile flooring. The food did not disappoint. We had a mix of their lamb and seafood dishes. They gave a great twist to the predominantly Mediterranean menu. The cocktails were crafted wonderfully. Im very taken back on this gem of a restaurant in Schenectady NY. Great place for a date night, celebrate a special occasion, or just to have good drinks and food.

Words that come to mind for me regarding Mi Bandera would be informal, friendly, authentic. I'm…read morepretty sure it's a family run restaurant, as I could hear children in the back of the building. The menu features all the different types of cuisine you would expect in a Peruvian restaurant: Peruvian/Hispanic, stir-fries, and pasta dishes. Fish also features very heavily on the menu, which of course means many ceviche options too. We started with roasted corn nuts brought to our table, followed by beverages of limeade and purple corn beverage which was mildly sweet with cinnamon added. Our entrees were fairly simple, a beef stir-fry with fried rice, and grilled chicken on french fries with rice and salad. These came out quickly. The portions were more than adequate, and my simple side salad was better than similar side salads I've gotten at fancier restaurants. Small bottles of yellow and red sauces are provided to spice up your meal: yellow for fairly spicy, and red for REALLY spicy. For me, the yellow sauce was perfect for my chicken and my rice. Meals here seem like dishes you would have visiting family and friends in Peru, and I would not be surprised if Mi Bandera already has a loyal set of customers they would consider family and friends.

I finally found something that is so different, and I have always liked raw seafood which was hard…read moreto find except in Japanese restaurants but Peruvian raw seafood has much more flavor, and so delicious. It was amazing. The waitress seemed friendly, and cool. I told her I am deaf, and she was okay with that. We still communicated just fine. I want to come back there even I live one hour, and about 15 minutes from there! It would be a worthwhile trip!

We had a seafood boil one time and it was very good. The wings are the best thing to eat here and…read morethey're a deal 20 wings for I think $22 plus tax and they are nice big meaty wings with great sauces. Try it

- fast delivery - lobster tails are large and juicy…read more- buy one lobster tail meal get another free At least today it was - potato was soft - corn was good and crunchy - sauce was good - huge amount of fries - bbq wings were good