We had a wonderful dining experience at Risotto and it made me wonder how I didn't find this place sooner. The restaurant has a great atmosphere and the food is delicious. We started off with the Arancini and Corn Chowder (which was the special soup that night. I had the Chicken Francese Risotto and my husband got the Steak & Seafood Risotto. The service was great, everyone was very friendly. Definitely will be back again! read more

We had 11am reservations for 8 and were1st to arrive at open and they had the back door open on a cold fall day. The entire party was there momentarily and had to ask for our food order to be taken after 30 min- watching them, they had all staff making drinks but they said only one person was bartender. Simple drinks 3 mimosas and 3 bloody Mary's still a few mixed up(spicy, no olive, lots of olives). We all ordered risotto breakfast items. It took another half hour to get our meals we had to ask for the Sriracha drizzle which was described on the menu. Tea, breakfast bowl and the cheeseburger, risotto were excellent. The timing was off some people did not receive their dishes for a while so we had to start eating. We inform the waste staff we had a show to get to and Schenectady and still had to ask for the check. Bathrooms were clean ambience was pleasant. If I were to guess I would say the kitchen was not prepped and ready to go. Luckily, we got to our 1pm show but not much time to spare. So if you're not in a hurry and not too picky, I would definitely recommend their breakfast, the unique offerings of comfort, risotto bowls. I would prefer my egg to not be well done on top not sure what their protocol is, but we weren't asked. read more

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Not surprised that they have closed. It is a shame. This was always one of my favorite go to places when I visited Albany. However, it deteriorated terribly. My last visit there I was the only person in the restaurant and despite a bartender and a server I could not get my drink made correctly and I couldn't get any service and I walked out. In the past, the bartenders and servers were very friendly, but the last time they were terrible, miserable, unfriendly, and not attentive. read more

Basic breakfast nothing crazy. Service was less then good. But they add an automatic 20% tip on every table. Tables are so close you bump into people behind you. When I asked to move the waitress was ugh umm yeah I guess. Not coming back here. Should of read all reviews. read more

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Went for the bottomless brunch and they were super accommodating. We had a large group and we were seated in a great spot. The drinks were LARGE and well worth the price. Food was great all around although we wished the sides of tots were a bit larger. Will be back soon, a great spot for small and large groups alike with very attentive service. read more

Great food and service Love the atmosphere Menu changes keep it interesting Great read more

Meh. Went to lunch at Risotto and had their signature salad. Service was incredibly slow. For $14, my salad featured two pieces of overlooked shrimp and some strips of chicken that was unbearable dry and burnt. The balsamic dressing had too much oil and not enough of a balance with the balsamic; the sundries tomatoes were a nice addition but got lost in the mediocre greens. One of my dining companions had the signature risotto; it was over cooked and over seasoned, basically a pile of mush. The environment seems like it would be fun for a happy hour, but the food was a disappointment. read more

Risotto - Signature salad with additional side of tzaziki. - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

I will never go to this place again. The waitress was nice but other than that it was bad. Took an Hour and a half to get our food. The room was freezing. The waitress didn't specify what was in the specials, just told us what they were. so if you have any allergies I'd stay away from those. The special that I got was awful! The rice Tasted like someone cooked it in Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal milk. Definitely not worth the wait. read more

Excellent upscale dining. Strong recommendation. We went on a weekday with all the regulars. Everyone was happy and having a great time. read more

Risotto - Yummy chocolate desserts - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

Great food at a reasonable price. Enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was great. Worth the time to visit and enjoy a great meal.

We walked in at 1:40pm on Saturday, got greeted at about 1:50pm & were told they're closed at 2pm. Meanwhile the bar was fully packed & we saw drinks being poured. She was a snotty female server who didn't want to seat us or acknowledge the 10 minute gap we had while waiting to be seen at the front door. She did recommend going elsewhere in the plaza but we didn't bother. We won't ever try here again. Hopefully the owner sees this & addresses it. Good luck if you try them out read more

Came here for a birthday dinner just in time to enjoy the last couple minutes of happy hour. The $3 house wines were a nice surprise! The ambience was very refined and the interior was nicely out together. The food was overall above average. The calamari was generously portioned and absolutely delicious. The crab cakes were also well seasoned and cooked. The larger plates were a bit disappointing relative to their price. Wasn't the biggest fan of the Duck risotto- the duck was delicious but the flavor of the risotto itself wasn't as well balanced as I was expecting it to be. The Surf and Turf entree was ok- the actual amount of salmon and proteins was rather small. More than half of the plate was just roasted potatoes. Overall I would rate the food 7/10. Definitely enjoyed the appetizers more than the entrees. read more

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Horrible service Dead trees on the patio. I use to like this place feeling run down

Had the chicken and waffles. On a scale of 1 to 10, it was a 5. Chicken was hard and the waffle were meh. Next time I'll order something else. The service was good! read more

Wow what a great spot for a delicious brunch. I came here on a Saturday with a group of 4 others. When I arrived, we were the only ones in the restaurant which was surprising to me because they have a great brunch menu. I was having a hard time deciding what to order because there were so many great things to choose from. I decided to go with something a little different and got the continental chicken and waffles as well as the bottomless mimosas -for 11$ you really can't beat it. Our mimosas were served in really large goblets which is a good idea because I didn't have to worry about asking for a refill every 10 minutes. Our group also ordered the bacon, sausage and cheese risotto to split because it just sounded so good. They are called Risotto so their risotto better be amazing. When my meal arrived, it was really well presented. The chicken was nice and crisp but not too crisp and the waffle was good. The eggs on top were fluffy and the home fries had a nice kick to them. My only complaints would be to serve the syrup on the side only and not on top because this is a very rich dish if you put too much syrup on it. Also, the waffle was a bit small and could have been bigger. The risotto was one of the best things I've ever had for brunch. Seriously. Even as leftovers it was amazing - so much flavor. Overall, I thought it was a delicious meal. Definitely one of the best brunch spots in Albany if you are looking for unique and classic breakfast dishes. Prices were extremely reasonable considering the quality and taste of the food. Service was great and friendly and the atmosphere was nice. I am looking forward to coming back! read more

Risotto - continental chicken and waffles - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

It is only natural that if you go to a restaurant that has a particular dish as part of its name you would expect that dish to be the restaurant's specialty. So you try the pizza at Tony's Pizzaria, the oysters at the Otto's Oyster Bar, the ramen at Toshi's House of Ramen, and the pickles at Emma's Pickle Emporium. Right? Wrong! Or maybe we're just not a natural couple. We only tried food from the Tapas section of the menu on our first visit to Risotto, so we never got to try any of their risotto. Well, they did have four different preparations of this northern Italian rice dish, but the Tapas menu had about five times as many offerings of non-risotto dishes and many of them were singing out to us. So the risotto will just have to wait for the next visit. For the record, there were also about eight entrees that don't include risotto. The Tzatziki sauce in the Mediterranean Plate ($10) was excellent. This plate also included stuffed grape leaves, mixed olives, and a cherry pepper relish that were very good, and prosciutto wrapped melon that was just okay. The Falafel Plate ($7) had two large excellent falafel croquettes along with a very good roasted red pepper hummus and a very ordinary traditional hummus. The mussels in the Bourbon Mussels ($9) were tender but very small and my wife was turned off by the texture of the sun-dried tomatoes in the bourbon cream sauce. I thought that she might have thought the sauce was too sweet for her or that the bacon flavor was too predominant, but she was fine with those two characteristics, just as I was. The Stuffed Trio ($9) of braised pork and goat cheese stuffed piquillo pepper, crab and Gorgonzola stuffed mushroom, and panko encrusted deviled egg with horseradish cream, were all very good but not outstanding. Service was a tag-team of several individuals who were pleasant enough, but their coordination seemed very haphazard. However, we were able to promptly receive an additional basket of pita when we asked. Only bottled beer is available and pretty much run of the mill brands at that, the exception being a couple of hard ciders. The vinyl covering on our table seemed sticky in places and the noise level was very high in the small dining room we occupied. It was much too easy to hear the conversation of the foursome on one side and the twosome on the other without even trying to eavesdrop. read more

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Hidden gem somewhere in the middle of Albany! Wanting to get something good but not far from work, I found Risotto. Great looking menu selection and unique with Risottos and Mediterranean well prepared dishes. I got the lunch special of any 2 risottos and wish I could've tried them all. As I usually make risotto with mushrooms or asparagus, I had to try the vegetable risotto. It was then a difficult choice between the chicken and (3) cheese or the short rib, bacon, and cheese risotto. Settled on the latter and was rewarded with the greatest of flavors. All the pitas looked great, and even the soups and salads were creative without being eclectic. Will definitely repeat. read more

Risotto - Lunch 2-Risotto Special. Short rib, bacon, cheese risotto on the left, vegetable risotto on the right! - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

I was kind of skeptical when I found out this restaurant served Italian - Mediterranean cuisine. I feel that some fusion restaurants do not execute all that well and should probably stick to only one type of cuisine... in this case, I'm not quite sure yet. Risotto is located in a strip mall across from Albany Memorial Hospital. It could easily belong somewhere else instead. The atmosphere is simply casual and seems like it could take on larger groups as well. The menu covers some very interesting items like teriyaki chicken, hummus, grilled cheese, pitas, crab cakes, burgers, risottos, lamb meatballs, ceviche, and porchetta. But there's more. I ordered the arancini: fried 3 cheese risotto spheres with spicy tomato sauce, garlic and fresh herb mascarpone. That was a delightful and appetizing start. I then had the falafel pita and side salad in lieu of fries. The pita bread was in the tougher side and I would have preferred it to be softer and fluffier. The falafels were decent but lacked the cumin and coriander flavors I like moderately strong. My friend had the gyro pita and said the same thing about the pita itself.. not soft enough though the tzatziki sauce was plentiful and gyro meat tasty. I feel the need to go back and order more of the Italian side of the restaurant and update this review. Perhaps a risotto itself I suppose if that's the name! At this point I'm not sure whether or not this place can truly claim what they offer as Italian Mediterranean simply because the menu appears to be somewhat scattered. I guess we'll have to see! read more

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I went for bottomless brunch with a group of friends. We made a reservation and had no trouble being sat quickly. The mimosas ARE HUGE! Even the bottomless ones. read more

Had the salmon, was very good, also had the lemon cake also very good.The waitress was knowledgeable and very pleasant.

Stopped in for brunch today and was beyond disappointed. The restaurant was hot and stuffy and there was a terrible stench. Thought it was just the entry way so we opted to be seated. The food was horrible all around. All of the poached eggs were over cooked. My poached egg slide off to the side while the waitress was carrying it and she just laughed and said oops as she set it on the table. The crab cakes were burnt yet cold. The hollandaise congealed and the english muffin had a texture I can only compare to rubber flip flop. Even the fruit was mushy and obviously not fresh. Won't be visiting again, in fact I wish I hadn't the first time. read more

Risotto was delicious. Staff was very friendly. I enjoyed the meal, but there was an off smell to the restaurant. I noticed it immediately when I walked in the door. Not exactly sure what it was, but having worked in kitchen's most of my life it seemed like the grease traps may need some attention. I would still return again, the food was good. But I hope whatever was causing the smell is taken care of. Would bump this too a four or higher. read more

Risotto's staff was very nice but, the rest of the experience was less than desirable. Chicken was overcooked and couldn't bite into it. The apps were the best part of the entire menu. Out of the entire group we had, only one ate more than a few bites of food Turn around time to place orders and receive food was longer than normal with only a few tables seated. I won't return and scratch this off the list. read more

I have been to this restaurant 3 times in the past 6 months. They have a nice brunch menu, bottomless mimosas etc... On all 3 occasions I ordered one of the eggs benedict. Each time I have specifically asked to have a "poached egg" not a hard cooked egg. Yesterday 12/8/2019 we were there with a large group celebrating a birthday, many ordered the eggs benedict, I did as well and asked specifically for "soft poached" much to my and others dismay, all of our benedicts were overdone. I'll add that our food came out to our table very slowly, several were still waiting for their overcooked benedict when most of the table were half way through their meal... Eggs benedict are not eggs benedict when the egg is HARD BOILED... Unfortunately, this will probably be my last visit, at least until they learn how to poach an egg correctly... read more

Risotto - This is not a poached egg... - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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Food was fantastic! Had 4 different entrees in our group. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal. Server was pleasant and very attentive. Everyone in the restaurant and bar seemed to be having a great time. Highest recommendation. read more

Two words: Bottomless Mimosas. I went one Sunday morning to meet some of the girls for brunch. The promise of bottomless mimosas definitely drew me in. They did not disappoint. I was sure it was going to be mostly orange juice, but I was surprised when it was actually a good mix of alcohol. The bottomless poinsettias were stronger. I will say I was a bit bummed we couldn't mix and match. The waitresses come over and fill your glass every so often. The food was also very good. I ended up with chicken and waffles. The portions were a bit small, but this was brunch. Everything on the plate meshed well together. One of my girlfriends got some sort of omelette - which was also very good. The point where a star is lost is with the customer service. The waitress took a long time to refill glasses. The one we had was not very friendly and did not engage with us at all. She was very matter of fact about things. I would go back and try my luck again because the food was really good and...bottomless mimosas. read more

Food is always great. Endless mimosas or pointsettias for $11. The continental is amazing! (Chicken and waffles with eggs, choice of meat, and cheese. Don't forget he side of potatoes!) another birthday brunch success st Risotto's! read more

Risotto - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

Went for brunch after seeing a few good reviews on Facebook. We got chicken and waffles and a breakfast risotto. Both were amazing. Portion sizes were reasonable. While the food was great, it took quite a while to come out of the kitchen (not the waitstaff's fault, who were super speedy). It also got super loud in there around noon. Otherwise, delicious and would go back! read more

Risotto - Steak and egg risotto - really well cooked and cheesy! - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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**First - before the review: if you have not been here before and plan on using your GPS/maps app it will bring you into a residential area across from Livingston JR high school. The actual location of the restaurant is actually about a mile or so down the road on the left directly across the street from Albany Memorial Hospital** As for the restaurant and food, I enjoyed a nice brunch with my girlfriend. Arrived a little after noon and there was no wait. Restaurant was pretty empty which was a nice change of pace. We odered mango and regular mimosas ($10 each) which were generous in size and very good. As an appetizer crab cakes ($10) which were very good size, roughly 3.5oz each (2 per order) and very delicious with the side sauce provided. For brunch, we both ordered steak Benedict ($12) and a side of French toast ($5). Grilled teriyaki steak tips, toasted english muffin, poached eggs, and srirachi hollandaise, side home fries. Small portion of steak but was packed with flavor. Not a large portion of home fries on the side but were made well. Side of French toast was a generous portion of 3 whole bread slices/ 6 half slices. And we're very good. Overall everything in total was very delicious and staff was friendly and helpful. A little pricey as our total was roughly $65 Before tip, but a hidden gem with very good food. Would definitely recommend read more

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I would give them 4.5 stars if that was an option, because there are a couple of TINY improvements that I think could have been made, but I'm rounding up to 5 because I think this is a place that should get more recognition for their delicious food. Went in for brunch on a Saturday (we had a reservation, though I don't think that was necessary because we were the only ones there upon our arrival). We were greeted promptly, and the service throughout our meal was excellent. I opted for a coffee, but a couple of others in my party ordered the bottomless mimosas, which were served in very large glasses, and at $11 a piece, you can't beat that price. For food, 4 out of 5 of us got the continental chicken and waffles, and one ordered the crab cake benedict. We were all also torn between a few options, so we got the bacon, sausage, and cheese risotto to share. The chicken and waffles were served with homefries, that had a nice kick to them. The belgian waffle was topped with fried chicken, scrambled eggs, and bacon. The meal was delicious overall, but I did feel my chicken was a TAD dry. Also, I would recommend they refrain from putting syrup directly on the chicken and waffles, and solely serve it on the side. Not everyone enjoys syrup on their chicken. The risotto was absolutely incredible and very unique. I literally have nothing negative to say about it. Maybe just that it is extremely rich, so it was a good thing that we opted to get it as a dish to share, because I don't know if I'd be able to finish it. Prices were very reasonable overall, I ended up paying $20 towards the bill and that was for a coffee, a full meal, and a portion of another. And this was for what I feel was a gourmet brunch, a few steps above a diner experience. I really enjoyed everything, from the flavors, to the presentation. I will definitely be back in the future and will try out some other options. read more

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I ordered the crispy chicken and it lived up to its name. I put a picture up here so you could see it. It was a little spicy with lots of colorful veggies and it tasted as good the next day as it did when it was served n They also included a house salad with a tasty balsamic dressing and wonderful bread with flavorful dipping. They have a comfortable outdoor deck that the wife and I love in the nice weather. Highly recommended. read more

Risotto - Crispy chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

Smile. Lunch was good. Colorful, fresh, plentiful and simply prepared, everything that hit the table today was met with approval. The prices are very fair and the servings will fill you up nicely and make you feel happy, even when you feel like poop. Several of us ordered "You Pick Two" ($11) - 2 half portions of soup, salad or a risotto. The vegetable risotto was cheerful and creamy and light, with cherry tomatoes, artichoke, red peppers and spinach. The meatball risotto was tart, the meat tender/soft, Italian herbs and friendly with onions. Garlicky beans and greens grinned with lots of them greens. The pasta fagioli was buddy buddy with the beans and pasta with a gentle spice. Lovely. The salads served on the side were beaming - fresh, with nicely proportioned ingredients. That blissful balsamic on the side is a good thing - it was maybe a bit too sweet for the spinach salad. Pick gyro, chicken or falafel, pita or ciabatta. I had the "traditional" pita with falafel ($8) (along with spring mix greens, tzatziki, tomatoes and cuke). It was tasty and I think it made everyone else laugh watching me try to eat it and losing the battle. The whole thing fell apart in my hands, stuff plopping out all over the place. It was served with fries or a chickpea salad but enough with the chickpeas, chickie. The fries weren't fresh cut but they were nice and crispy. Jaguar tried the "srirachi" pita with falafel - rich with sauteed peppers and onions and then some melty-in-your-hearty cheese. Also kind of a mess but she was cool about it. Risotto offers up a selection of soups, salads, risottos, pita wraps and burgers at a fair price with very friendly service. Walk in blue, walk out yellow like the Mediterranean sun. Smile. Life just got a little bit better. Love, Zena read more

Risotto - Srirachi pita with falafel was spicy but smooth. - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

First time checking out Risotto. Overall, it was a comfortable experience and the food was good. I had the chicken and waffle continental breakfast. Their chicken had flavor and potatoes were well seasoned. However, the waffles were airy and lacked that good crunchy bite. The eggs were average at best and the bacon was burnt. I appreciate the large portion sizes that they provide for their bottomless mimosas. The customer service was responsive to our needs. I would recommend others to try it out and i would be open to trying it out again. read more

Risotto - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

Based on my experience here I would love to know how this place has 4 and a half stars. My best guess is the bottomless mimosas. I stuck with the brunch menu and a coffee, which somehow managed to taste both weak and burnt at the same time, just to put it out there the coffee here is actually terrible. Coffee is usually at worse nonoffensive but this was nasty. I got the crab omelet, my wife got the chicken and waffles. They arrived suspiciously quickly. For the good points:. They used real crab, the eggs weren't overcooked, and the homefries were crispy. The bad was everything else. The fried chicken somehow managed to taste soggy and bone dry, for some reason there was a sausage under it and the whole thing was covered in shredded cheese. None of it went together, especially with the sweet waffles and syrup. The omelet was inconsistently filled so one bite would be full of crab and the next would be entirely egg or spinach. The tomatoes were undercooked. Everything was so underseasoned that the food was aggressively bland. We also had a weird situation where the food came out quickly enough that it was almost certainly just assembled and warmed up, yet after that the service was extremely slow. It took a good 25 minutes from when we finished eating to when the server finally ran our card, each step of the process (clearing plates, delivering check, picking up the check, running the check) taking 5-10 minutes to complete. I actually had my card out when she delivered the check and rather than taking it she immediately turned away and walked out, not reappearing for almost 10 minutes. One more issue is that the walls and floors don't do a good job of absorbing sound so on a busy day you will have a hard time hearing each other, at least where we were seated. I don't leave many negative reviews but this place does not deserve almost 5 stars and I have no plans of ever returning based on our experience read more

Good food, huge portions and great service! They bring out pita and hummus to start the meal which is really nice and unique. I had the buca vegi pasta, which was really flavorful, but would have liked the pasta a little more al dente. We all really enjoyed our meals! read more

Risotto - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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We enjoyed another great dinner at Risotto. Love the Chicken Francaise Risotto which seems to be our favorite. The calamari was a little too spicy for me but enjoyed by others. We felt very safe there being the only table in the restaurant. However, the servers mentioned they had a full self-distancing night b4 and this was the night b4 NY Eve. The 5 stars definitely is for the Chicken Francaise. read more

Wow!! Everything was amazing from start to finish. We went for brunch, everything was tasty and fresh. Prepared perfectly and came out quickly. The server was very attentive, but not overbearing. For 3 adults and 2 children, our bill was only $65. Cannot beat that, especially with the endless mimosas. I am already planning my next visit!! read more

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As other reviews have said, the restaurant had an odd smell to it and the food was nicely presented but just not good. Ordered the kebobs - Chicken over cooked and tough, rice, peppers and onions not seasoned (at all) , and dish not served hot. Portion size of meat didn't warrant $26 price tag. Waitress was very sweet but her service was very slow and inattentive. No reason to return. read more

My husband and I have lived near Risotto for about 4 years. I've driven past it a thousand times. He always said "let's try it" and I said no. We've been so disappointed by food in upstate that I've become totally unwilling to try new places. It's in a weird area, the name is goofy, and all sorts of other meaningless, dumb, reasons on my part. For some reason we went the other day when we learned they serve breakfast. It was excellent. Food tasted great, atmosphere was good, service was lovely, price was fine. We were so excited. We went back again for dinner a few weeks ago. It was fantastic. He had a the Marsala and I had pan seared chicken with risotto. I inhaled my food. The place was PACKED so clearly we were late to the party. Looking forward to going back as soon as we can. Can't stop thinking about it. read more

Great food reasonable price, appetizers were good. Cocktails are only eight dollars each I would definitely come here again. Great and quick service. Very friendly all around read more

Risotto - Amazing risotto - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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