Went to Thursday night "Love Island" airing... Was the only group of girls beside 1 other group, we…read morecould not hear the TV and there was a group in the back room loudly talking - we asked for closed captioning and an employee came over to touch the remote and did... nothing. I actually got up and grabbed the remote to put closed captioning on myself. Now the bar... When we walked in at 8:30p we waited till 8:45 to finally be greeted by the bartender as a training barback stared at us doing nothing for the entire time. The bartender had an undeserved, terrible attitude and spent over 10 minutes making a single specialty cocktail. Our second drink was treated similarly, though this time she demanded we leave the bar area we were standing at to move to the other side where her male coworker was making our last drink. It was so obviously direct disrespect and distaste for us as customers, I will not be returning. Oh, then last drink where my non-confrontational quiet friend got our third round - they served her vodka beverage from the same shaker as my mezcal drink and it tasted just like that, a mix of vodka and smoky tequila... no thanks. Bathrooms? No toilet paper. Drinks were actually delicious though, except for Kristen's third! Not busy enough to excuse this hospitality.

Illium Brewing Co is a beautiful space. It's aesthetically pleasing and has lots of lovely modern…read moretouches. Plenty of room for larger groups too! I came on a Saturday night and the DJ was pretty good. I'd love to come back for their weekend brunch and try some of their menu items.

For context, I rate products and businesses on a simple scale: 5 stars means I love it, 4 stars…read moremeans I like it, 3 stars is okay, 2 stars means I didn't like it, and 1 star means I hated it or think it's unsafe. The Roosevelt Room in Troy was a great experience from start to finish. I was honestly expecting a standalone building, but it is tucked into a strip mall near HVCC. That said, parking was easy and stress free, which is always a plus. This was our first visit as a party of four, and the service was superb. The attention to detail really stood out and was noticed immediately. Our waitress checked in at the right times, kept drinks filled, and made sure everything came out exactly as expected. Meals are made to order, so substitutions were no issue at all, and it was nice to see gluten free options available. When you walk in, you pass through a curtain and are immediately greeted by a coat attendant who takes your coats, which instantly gives the place an upscale feel. The ambiance is well done, with soft lighting and nice background music. It is on the smaller side and dimly lit, but that is clearly intentional. The menus actually light up, which was a unique and thoughtful touch that fits the atmosphere perfectly. We had reservations and were seated right away. It did not seem necessary on this particular evening, but I would definitely recommend them on a weekend given the size of the space. The food itself was excellent. Everything we ordered was very tasty, and the presentation across the board was impressive. Desserts are prepared by a pastry chef and were just as good as the rest of the meal. It is definitely on the pricey side, but that is to be expected for the level of service and atmosphere. This feels like a special occasion type of place, and in that context, it is worth every penny. We really enjoyed our night and would absolutely come back. There was also a sign mentioning live jazz on Fridays, which sounds like a great added touch. Overall, a very strong 5 stars.

Finally got to visit The Roosevelt Room. What a treat! We stopped in one late afternoon for happy…read morehour. I LOVE when nice places offer nice happy hour deals! Located in a strip near HVCC, once through the doors you are greeted by a friendly to welcome and direct you and we were directed to our goal- the bar. First, the design and decor are beautiful. It has clean, updated mid-century modern design that's very cool and elegant. At the bar we we had the pleasure of being served, hosted, by Erika and Ed. Wonderful mixologists who made our time there a true delight. We had scrumptious, perfectly made cocktails and our apps were delicious. Before our apps arrived, we were given an amuse bouche (manchego cheese with fig.) What a nice touch. Will definitely be back.

Loved supporting this black owned business! We came on a Saturday night and there was a DJ playing…read morea good mix of everything. Our mocktails were super tasty and tropical with a hint of guava! Bartenders were also friendly. There's some additional seating upstairs and in the back patio area.

Have been a couple of times. The owner and staff are very friendly. They have some interesting…read morebottles to try. When I did not know what I wanted, the owner actually took some time to tell me about some of the different bottles they have. That's customer service! You see that so little these days. Plus there is a cool little outdoor area in the back that you could not even tell is there from the outside. Best of luck to you!

We waited an hour for a table. We waited an hour for our food. Our waitress was lovely and comped…read moreus drinks. She nearly saved the day. Nearly. My salmon was incinerated. The potatoes were over-salted. The snap peas were good with sour cream and dill. I don't know. Go for a drink and make sure you're not too hungry because the kitchen moves at a glacial pace and the front desk person has no intuition on how long you will have to wait for a table.

My recent experience at Finn's was exemplary from beginning to end…read more I stopped by Finn's with a colleague for dinner. The exterior and the surrounding neighborhood doesn't really give a good indication of the goodness you'll find inside Finn's. Immediately upon entering, I was met with a lovely and bustling dining room. My colleague and I sat comfortably at a high top table. We began our experience with cocktails I got one of their specialty cocktails (it was a rye cocktail--I don't exactly recall the name of it). It was spirit forward and delicious. For my dinner, I got their chicken schnitzel. It was hands down the best chicken schnitzel of my life. It comes piled with a perfectly dressed caesar salad and topped with trout roe. My good gracious--I'll be dreaming of this dish. It was perfection. Our server was so kind and just wonderful throughout our experience. Can't really say enough--wonderful from beginning to end! Get to it!

This place is simply outstanding! My sister and I were out for the evening and went here for…read moredinner. When my sister saw a entree called Quintessence teriyaki Chicken, she became extremely excited & happy. She explained to me, that this is one of the best dishes she ever had at the restaurant Quintessence in Albany. The server "Liberty" was fantastic as a server! I told her how happy my sis, with this hoping it was like the original entree she had. Liberty said, It is exactly the same because that Chef is here! Very happy sister. The Chef him self delivered our entrees with a smile and a thank you for the appreciation of his dish. We enjoyed it immensely. Then the owner came to our table and was happy to see how much we enjoyed our dinners. She was very warm and welcoming. Also, the ambiance of the restaurant is a relaxed vibe. I have been in Food and beverage for 40yrs and this establishment is definitely OUTSTANDING, all the way around!!!!!

I tried Emry's last night for the first time & had a great experience! The drinks were amazing and…read moretheir wings were some of the best I've ever had. The staff also went above and beyond to make sure I felt safe eating my food due to my celiac disease restrictions. Having a dedicated gluten free fryer is such a green flag!! Outside on the patio is such a cute vibe.. definitely will be coming back!

My wife and I stopped by with our three friends about 8pm on Saturday night. I was pleasantly…read moresurprised by the nice ambiance and decor with what looked like a copper top ceiling, a main bar, a few raised tables and 2 cozy leather chairs that made me think of enjoying a nice after dinner bourbon in the study of an late 19th to early 20th century study of a business tycoon or politician from that time period.. The bar tender, Noah, was impressive and friendly in that he knew his liquor stock very well, and could explain the flavor intricacies of the various types of bourbon, vodka, and gins. They also offer some non,-alcoholic beverages for the "designated driver" of the group too. We watched Noah make everything from regular and "dirty martinis" with fresh ingredients, as well as one drink where he used a butane lighter and some tiny cedar chips in a straining tool above the drink to give it a fresh, authentic smoky look and flavor. Noah knows his stuff!!!!! The patrons were friendly, diverse, and easy to socialize with if you chose to do so. The establishment is pet friendly for "socialized pets" with a water bowl outside the establishment and some free Milkbone treats inside. Keep in mind that this establishment is a "tasting room" with the majority of products from the New Scotland Distillery, but there are other options. Just don't expect to get a Bud Light Draft or food here. The only downside is that parking in the Lark Steet and State Street location is difficult to obtain without some effort, but we managed to park our vehicles 2 blocks away. This is not a direct criticism of the establishment because the experience is well worth this minor potential inconvenience. We would definitely go back there again, especially for the specialty drinks or the flights and half flights of their bourbon and vodka products. Thank you once again, Noah, for a pleasant and educational evening!!!

This place is very nice -- welcoming, artsy, comfortable, small but personable. We live across the…read morestreet, and my husband and I wanted to give it a try. Unfortunately, it was not a great experience. The bartender served our drinks with no napkins and no lime. Details are key in a place like this. It was also loud, and it looked like a birthday party was happening. If that was the case, maybe the place should have closed to the public to accommodate that celebration. People were loud and drunk, and the birthday boy was saying vulgar things. We will not be coming back.

We came here for drinks after dinner downstairs at Emry's Garden. They do not take reservations but…read morethere was plenty of space indoors. The vibes resemble a den/ men's cave. Lots of paintings, mirrors, red velvet, arm chairs. The drinks menu is limited but the bartender can make anything. We got a variety of drinks, they were all good. The music isn't as loud, which makes for a nice evening if you want good conversation.

What a gem in Troy! Dark, warm, cozy, lively spot. Perfect ambiance for a night with family and…read morefriends or a great couples date night. To find a speakeasy with a full food menu is unusual. We arrived slightly after it opened and it was already toasty warm with music playing and we were greeted right away. You can sit wherever you want at the little tables or on the couches. Food was great, drinks were even better and the service was friendly and prompt. The music volume was perfect for talking without shouting. After we ate we took our drinks to the couches and the waitress brought over games without us even realizing there were games. Such a fun night, highly recommend this spot for a really great night out!

This restaurant is everything I don't really like, but I still had a good time. We arrived after…read moremaking reservations the day of on a Saturday evening at 7:45PM. It was darkly lit inside (with pinkish/red lights no less); it was extremely loud to the point that I had trouble understanding what my wife was saying (which might not be the background music!); and the prices were expensive. The entire night they played 1980s New-wave British music which I don't mind, but had it been something I detest I would have lost my mind. We were seated at a tiny table with a small candle which provided some actual heat on the cold winter night. Our server was extremely helpful and though he didn't have all the answers he did offer to go and find out. They have a long menu but it doesn't have a lot of food options on it, with most of the pages devoted to alcohol. They had only one dessert option when we were there. My wife and I both ordered the Hanger Steak with fries, mushroom sauce, and green salad (about $40 each). Hanger steak is my favorite cut and hard to find so I jumped on it. Food came out in about 25 minutes, which is amazing considering how small their kitchen is. The steak was cooked perfectly (they didn't ask how we wanted it), smothered in a lovely mushroom sauce, and covered an ample portion of crispy homemade fries which were so good I would have thought them bagged frozen items. Even the basic salad which was just various types of lettuce was great. They aren't cheap, but they are focusing on "farm to table" and that means quality food at commensurate (fair?) prices. Burgers and chicken sandwiches are $15, so if you want something lighter but still tasty you can go that route. Speaking of light, if you go into the bathroom on the right you will find a cold, dark, tiny room lit solely by a PINK bulb. It feels like being on a spaceship (as if I know what that is like), and after when you leave seeing the main light in the restaurant is very jarring. It was a fun experience but not inexpensive and not one that checks the boxes that I look for in a restaurant. Dark, loud, and cramped might be hip for the young or "save the earth" crowd, but I am too old to give up creature comforts for such things. The food, though expensive, was absolutely outstanding in every way though and I won't forget that steak for a long time.

We stopped in to celebrate a new graduate in the family. The drinks were so-so. Just not boozy…read moreenough. If I'm going to pay about $15-$18 a cocktail--it better be good! The food here is delicious, three of us ordered the burger and fries and one of us ordered the fettuccine with crab meat. The fries really stood out. My daughter was afraid to order the fettuccine but she was so glad she did. The waitress was super nice and it is cozy inside.