Beautiful atmosphere, friendly and efficient staff, and delicious food and drink…read more Portion sizes could be bigger, but honestly this a place to look good and fancy for a date you're trying to impress. It's not a great bang for your buck place that will fill the gut. The Spanish octopus, for example, was delicious, but the serving size is small, and it's in the share category on the menu! It's got a great view outside and was certainly packed during Valentine's day weekend. I'd recommend going if you want the experience.

Went here for a dinner with friends on a weeknight and we were seated right away. The place is…read morebeautiful! It would make a nice spot to grab a drink, sit out on their patio, which overlooks the river, or enjoy dinner in their main dining room. Since we were a large group, we ordered several appetizers, including the Ricotta Bread, Smoked Burrata Skillet and Tuna Tartare. Everything was absolutely delicious! For my entree, I ordered the King Crab Spaghetti, which had lumps of king crab mixed in the pasta. It was light and flavorful. I definitely recommend it! They also have a ton of cocktails, wines and a few beer offerings. I got a Watermelon Mule mocktail, which was so refreshing. Our server, Sarah, was so friendly and attentive to our group. I highly recommend Sea Smoke for a delicious dining experience!

I've been a customer for over 20 years. Rick, the owner, is exceptionally conscientious about the…read morefreshness of the fish and shellfish. As a native of the Mediterranean, I've always had a deep need for shellfish. For years I gave up trying to buy mussels or clams--even from some of the best stores in New York--because the quality just wasn't there. That changed when I started buying at Pura Vida. The freshness and quality here are unmatched, and I can finally enjoy seafood the way it's meant to be.

Everything what we buy is fresh and delicious! The fish is good, the prepared is good as well!read more

I came here looking for some good seafood. And I ended up with some well OK seafood. I should know…read morethat being I'm in Albany, New York lol The restaurant was empty when I got there. Apparently everyone was ordering to go. The service was very good. The one girl counter that dealt with was very friendly. I got the number two combo with a pound of shrimp and a pound of crab legs it was cooked well. The sauce was very good. Seafood was not super fresh and the crab legs are pretty small. Overall, not terrible, but nothing spectacular.

We went the first time because I was missing the Gulf Coast shrimp I enjoyed as a younger lady. The…read morelocation is a bit difficult to get in and out of, maybe it's just my anxiety. I love this place. Staff are friendly, the seasonings are spot on, fresh seafood, delicious fried food. I'm from the deep, dirty south and it is so hard up here to find good seafood. This is great seafood. I am in love with the fruit teas. The shrimp are always juicy and plump. They will mix the garlic butter with the Cajun and it hits the spot every time. I took a point off because the napkins are too small and not enough. You almost need a good washcloth. We never use the bibs you just dive in and enjoy.

Italian restaurant in downtown Troy. Friendly staff in a cozy classic cucina. The food was very…read moregood and I say that as someone whom just returned from living/working in Italy the past two years. I will be back next time I visit my son whom lives a block around the corner.

Our first time at LoPorto's...it was an exceptional dining experience! It is a cozy restaurant and…read morereservations are a must. Our friends dined on escargot and seafood Fra Diavolo. My husband and I shared the clams casino, he dined on Veal Saltimbocca and I enjoyed their Veal Sorsese. Our meals were outstanding! Their portions are generous. The food is perfectly seasoned. Our friends absolutely enjoyed their meals. Our veal was nice and tender and the vegetables were so terrific I could picture their recipe belonging to their Nona and passed down to them. My husband truly appreciated that they allowed him to have the potatoes and vegetables with his veal. The staff are friendly and make sure everyone is enjoying their meals and drinks. A lovely, lovely meal!

Best fish in the area without question, we travel from Saratoga to get fish here! There fish is…read morefresh and when you walk in there is no fish smelll, because it's fresh!

Have been here twice- can't seem to take a picture because we're so excited to get the fish& chips…read more Huge portions w/ fries & slaw or Mac salad. Perfectly cooked, no 'old fryer oil' taste ever. We re retired chefs so usually cook at home- but this is The Bomb! Very reasonable prices on the whole menu. Not fancy inside but clean & neat- order at window & they'll bring it out . Small condiment bar w/tartar, cocktail, chili sauce& ketchup. This will be a regular stop for us.

I'm out of superlatives for Hooked, but since it had been a while since we had been, I thought it…read morewise to update my review. This is a haute cuisine place that is masked by the casual dining atmosphere. Seriously: top notch chef, original recipes, a core dedication to quality seafood, paired with a fresh fish counter and some prepared food to go. We usually go for something special, but tonight I decided to get an old childhood standby, fried clams (the Boston Basket) and the fish burger sandwich. I did not expect either to be as transportive as they turned out to be. The fried clams were as delicately done as I've ever had: not crispy, but not too floppy, with excellent breading. And while I prefer my clams naked, we tried all three of the dipping sauces -- a remoulade, tartar sauce, and cocktail sauce. Now normally I loathe cocktail sauce and can take tartar sauce or leave it, so I figured we'd eat up the remoulade and ignore the other two. Still, I gave them little nibbles. Man! The cocktail sauce was like no other I've had, with a heavy hint of horseradish and a far fresher flavor than I've ever had. Then the tartar sauce -- genius! It had a delicate spicing, with capers providing a floral backdrop. That was only a preliminary, as the fish burger proved to be complex, with hints of multiple kinds of fish, and a fennel-based spicing. I ended up having that afterglow, as if I'd had a couple of cocktails and was sitting next to a fireplace, that is the hallmark of truly fine food at an advanced level. We also had the usual outstanding service, attentive without being pushy. I seriously think Hooked should consider splitting into two restaurants: one where the ambiance is upgraded to match the high caliber of the food, and another cheaper one that is strictly fast casual and takeout, and they'd more than double the business. There is a restaurant back where we come from in California, Turtle Bay, that did this with fine dining on one side and the quick, simple, and affordable food on the other side, with a big shared kitchen between them but with completely separate ambiances. That way I could come back more frequently, and still have the original Hooked for special occasions!

I finally decided to give Hooked a try after hearing many great things about their lobster roll…read more With that said, I'm glad I did because the food was delicious. To explain, I ordered the cold lobster roll with fries and it was great. First off, the lobster was tender, incredibly fresh, and they loaded the roll with it. Likewise, the roll was perfect. It was airy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. My only issue with the lobster roll was that it needed more mayonnaise. In the same manner, the fries were phenomenal. To make plain, the fries were scorching hot and seasoned to perfection. Also, they had a crispy exterior with a fluffy interior. These were simply great fries. Essentially, Hooked offers great lobster rolls and fries.

Chef Nondo creates exceptional, authentic, Italian inspired meals at this beautiful restaurant and…read moretavern. Whether you choose his famous veal, wood-fired pizza, pasta dishes or seafood you will leave feeling nourished by both the exquisite flavor and combinations on his plates and his hospitality, which is matched by his team. Worth a trip from anywhere! We will be back on every visit to the Capital Region.

Our experience last night at the bar was amazing! the atmosphere was so welcoming and comfortable…read morethe food was delicious but the best part was the service!

Totally blown away by this restaurant. The service was casual but attentive, the staff dressed…read morecasually and the vibe very laid back but everything was on point. The menu is varied and offers something for everyone. I absolutely loved our first meal here and it was just appetizers. I can't wait to come back and try the Ruben and lobster bisque. We are planning to return here several times during our next few weeks in Albany. The parking is challenging as the back lot shares with at least 3 other restaurants but it is well worth the effort

My partner treated me to lunch at Ale & Oyster. While I was excited to come, my expectations for…read morethe resto were not entirely met: -Our server ignored us for at least half an hour. We couldn't easily flag someone down to take our orders. -Our waters tasted like fish water :( -I ordered a house salad with added shrimp, but I only got 3 pieces of shrimp. It didn't feel like it was worth my money. Not sure if I would return again.

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.

I went here while on a trip to Albany to see the capitol building. It was nice…read more I ordered one of the seafood boil combos. It was a delicious mess. It had shrimp, crab legs, beef sausage, potatoes, and a half ear of corn on the cob. It came drenched in sauce, which was messy, but the taste was well worth it. The servers were very friendly, and the food came out in decent amount of time. Not super-fast, but not slow either. The place was also nice and clean. I would definitely go again, if I'm ever in the Abany area again.

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.

Ive tried this once last year and i like it. Brought my friend there yesterday. They have combo…read morechoices. We chose the 1/2 lb shrimp, 1 lobster tail, clams, crawfish. It's a lot and the seafood is fresh. I would say 3 people could share. We had it mild and mixed sauce. Maybe order hot next time since i did not taste the spiciness. We both enjoyed it. Price is not that bad. The place is huge but kinda datk inside. Service is great though. For dessert we got the coconut cake. It is kinda frozen. But it taste good. Surely coming back!