The Ruck is an establishment of Troy, NY. They are your neighborhood bar with an incredible staff who always go above and beyond to make you feel at home. We love to go here at least once a week! Recommend the medium garlic parm wings and an Al Bundy read more

Was so happy to be out on a Saturday evening. Post COVID menu is basically burgers. The FATBOY, a Ruck staple is now gone. Plus, now there are only 8 wings in an $11 order. No where on the menu did it say that. Overpriced beer and as others have pointed out, not very friendly service. I'll not be back and we've been going there fir almost 20yrs. Gentrification at its finest or that's how it seems. read more

Review time kids! So I've been here a few times and always had a great time! Decor is well...it's a bar! There's no denying that and the owners are proud of it and they should be! Here is a short list of reasons to give this place a shot. 1-The wings and burgers are amazing! 2-The service is always very good! 3-if you can't find a beer to like here,go home. Pro tip; the wings tend to run on the hot side, you've been warned! read more

I find it hard to believe I have never been to The Ruck until this past weekend but ‍. My boyfriend and I visited for a hangover remedy and it worked! I had a great Bloody Mary - with bacon! My boyfriend had a beer from a very excellent array. We shared the tots with cheese and bacon and all the goodness. It was delicious! read more

Went in on Wednesday which happened to be WING WEDNESDAY. Which is awesome I must say. I got the Buffalo garlic parm and they were good! Got a couple other items which was also good. Nice beer selection, but the bartenders are where it's at. Two of them were just plain awesome. Will always stop by if I'm around read more

Another Troy stalwart. A bar/pub with a great list of craft beers and a menu that is classic pub, done with refinement. Burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads and much more. Yum! read more

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Rudest service I ever received. The bartender treated me like a dog. When I ordered a beer at the bar he commanded "Sit Down!" as if I were an animal, and not in a courteous way. The Ruck really isn't a bar anymore, it's a restaurant. It's not a place that you can pop in to grab a beer, they require that you order food (in the ~$10-15 range) and then you may have a beer only with your food. I was rudely told this from the very rude bartender. I wasn't hungry, so I left, and was glad to be out of that place. This place used to be one of the cool-ish spots to go in Troy. The "atmosphere" has been obliterated, and the vibe is now actively hostile. Treating customers with such contempt is disasterous for a business. read more

so the first thing I noticed was the.friendly clientele; making room @ the bar for me! next, all the taps of REALLY GOOD BEER! Micro rows from all over & bottled beer from near & far! I came for the wings & was not disappointed! no frills, crispy & dry, even with medium sauce. Great local bar. Come for the beer; leave with a few new friends! Cheers! read more

The Ruck - The bar - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

Rude and unprofessional service - I have never been this disappointed in the service of any other business/establishment. I came to The Ruck excited and eager to try it out. This was the first bar we went to, without ordering any drinks or food, we were asked to leave and we were refused service. An employee was waiting outside the bathroom after noticing my girlfriend and I (an LGBT couple) - we were refused service in a rude, tasteless, and discriminatory way. I can honestly say I never imagined this would happen to me, and I am extremely disappointed. The employee was rude and refused to provide us with a sensible explanation as to why we were being asked to leave (without having ordered any drinks). I will not be supporting this place, to say the least. read more

Man does this place have a lot of good beer. Seriously good beer. Went for an afternoon around troy on a Sunday post foot ball season. Bright interior, seat yourself but service was very very slow. Ordered the vegan wings with vegan BBQ-hot sauce and vegan blue cheese. I do not know what the vegan blue cheese is made of but it is divine and chunky. The sauce was tasty flavors but not Hot. It had a buildable heat, but with only 4 wings, I never got to mouth on fire. Maybe with 6 it would do it. I also found the texture to be a bit odd, more like tempeh than seitan, and that could just be that I do not know what Seitan does when deep fried. This is absolutely the first time I've had them. If anyone else has experience with that, please let me know. read more

Hanging up my hat from this place after the rudest bartender ever, asking a few questions prompted the belligerent fella to kick us two ladies out. As it goes, if your establishment says it's open until 12am and we arrive at 11:15pm, be kind enough to explain your error without going on a rampage. We Uber'd directly there since the establishment was listed as open until midnight, which ended up being a waste of time and unfortunately tears for my friend who became upset by the mistreatment. I've been coming here ten years plus and the owner is quite a lovely man, but has hired a few questionable staff. Which, I suppose, might happen from time to time. So it will be awhile before we try again, in hopes by then the staff has turned more friendly. read more

First time back in many, many years. It's still The Ruck, but so much better! The food was great and the menu covers all tastes from Millennial, Vegan, Vegetarian, to hard core Carnivore and everything in between! Loved the wings and the deviled eggs, would have ordered more if I had more room in my belly! Amazing beer selections and to top it off the bartender was amazingly helpful to newcomers like us, as well as to obvious regulars as they arrived. I recomend it for lunch dinner and a late night hot spot. The Ruck is reborn and if I'm late to the game and everyone already knows this, my apologies. read more

Great draft beer and cider selection! Friendly and knowledgeable bartenders. Cool venue. Tasty apps especially White Man Wasted!

Nice place for a lunch. Wings were good. Clean and service was great. Will be back

Love. Nothing but love. The beer - amazing. The wings - amazing. The vibe - amazing. And there are so many things about The Ruck that I still haven't tried. They do beer classes, and I've been wanting to get in on those. They have vegan wings, which I hear are delicious and are on my short list of things to eat. Plus cool events happen here all the time, which I perpetually miss. Connect Four Game Night?!?! I want in. Amazingly, I was able to make it out for cats and bathrobe night that involved people showing up in their bathrobes (and some dressing up like cats) in celebration of National Cat Day. That was a weird and wild time. The chef does great things besides just wings. But it's so hard to get anything else when I come here, because the medium wings with a great beer is pretty much my idea of heaven. Heaven has gotten a nicer facade recently. And it's a shame to see the dark and divey exterior fade into ancient Troy history. But it's what's on the inside that counts. And The Ruck still holds the keys to my heart. read more

This was my first time at the ruck since their relatively recent face lift and I wasn't disappointed. We came in starving looking for lunch and the waitress was attentive and got us squared away with drinks right away. I opted for the Napa cowgirl a chicken burger with avocado and a chipotle mayo. It was just what I was looking for. The flavors blended together perfectly. Although it was a bit zestier than I'd like it was good so I fought through the kick. My husband ordered the wing burger and he said it was good. They offer your token bar food and do it reasonably well. We've had the usual suspects when it comes to bar food: the mozzarella sticks, wings, fries, burgers and walked away satisfied each time. The beer list is respectable and despite how busy it gets we've always been able to get a good table on a weekend afternoon. read more

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I rate places based on what they are, not what they might be. The Ruck is a craft beer, wings and burger bar, with friendly publicans and live music, and they are firing on all cylinders. It's not trying to be fancy, it's not trying to be a cocktail bar, or trying to be a restaurant. It's damn good at what it does. The wings are delicious, the staff are knowledgeable and friendly, and the live music (including my nephew, who plays here now and then) is varied and high-quality. But for me, it's all about the beer. I've been in many bars with larger selections. I've been in many bars with odder selections. But to consistently find this selection, in this bar, in this neighborhood, is just amazing. The selection is good, varied, and carefully "curated" by beertenders who select quality beers across a wide range of styles. It's been a bit different on every visit, with new beers coming and old beers going based on what's out, what's seasonal, what's interesting, and what complements the rest of the tap array. I am a draft craft beer nut (beer snob, man with a beer problem, choose your fave description...) who attends the GABF annually for research and I am hard to surprise. I'm even harder to delight. The Ruck manages to do that pretty often. I have never been unable to find a tasty, interesting craft beer, well served at the Ruck, and usually sample 3-4 different varieties. Serve me a pint of Firestone Walker IPA, throw in some real Buffalo-style Wings, or a damn good burger, and I am transported back to my high school days when the dive was called Sutters. Except now there is great beer here, the wings are WAY better, and I'm actually of drinking age. read more

Was in town to play in a golf tournament and I was in my nearby hotel at night in the mood for some casual wings and found this place on Yelp. It is in Downtown Troy which has seen better days but there are some cool spots sprinkled in among some "sketchy" spots. Went here and the crowd seemed "hipster" and the bar was full of local taps. I had on a polo and shorts and did not fit in but was very comfortable very quickly. The bartender Buckley was very efficient and did not balk when I said that I had a lot to drink while golfing earlier during the day and was in the mood for a coke instead of a beer. He kept it topped off as I was a but thirsty. I got an order of the cheese sticks with melba and a dozen wings medium. The cheese sticks seemed fresh and not frozen and were excellent. I had the melba sauce once before when in the Albany area and, while different, was good. The wings were large and well cooked. The sauce was just the right heat. The blue cheese was the perfect consistency. Someone must like flats as my order was mostly drums which I actually prefer. Looking forward to a repeat visit when I pass through the area again. read more

Mic check 1,2.The Rapping Reviewer.. yo, listen up! Hopped in my truck, went to The Ruck, sampled some beers, said what the.... HECK! Yo, yo. Friends said meet me at The Ruck, with any luck, you'll meet a girl and she'll want to....TALK! Yo yo! Outro: Real good food, real good times, Rapping Reviews, all the best Rhymes! read more

Their food is so good!! I am craving it at least once a week. A lot of vegan options as well. I love the Robs super hot dry rub because I'm a spice addict. Their hummus flatbread is ridiculously delicious. Beer is great too. I went to a vegan dinner here for Valentine's Day and it was the best food ever. I didn't realize how "gourmet" the Ruck could be considering it's my usual 3am spot as well, but they have an incredibly talented chef. read more

The Ruck - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

Definite bar atmosphere with limited menu. Wish they would change it up some. Food is good and have been there multiple times.

The food was good and the drinks were okay. I felt that the "double" was lacking. Service was also good despite getting my order wrong, they fixed it promptly. I would give it another try! read more

I really like The Ruck. The food is solid. You must get the wings with the blue cheese. The beer selection is good and the staff is happy to give recommendations if you need. Your non- beer drinking friends are welcome too, there is a full bar and wine. *If crowds aren't for you, I would highly recommended not coming on a Friday or Saturday night. It gets crowded quickly, it's a friendly crowd but no personal bubble space. read more

Ah, The Ruck. After moving to Troy in 2016, this was the first local restaurant/bar I visited and I became an instant fan. Long list of craft beers that updates daily, full bar, and bottles of the big brands kept under the bar if you just want a Bud Light. The atmosphere is great, with TVs showing the day's games and old tap handles hung in the rafters. What sets this place apart from other bars is the food. Yes, The Ruck has your typical bar fare (including mozzarella sticks with raspberry melba sauce, an Albany favorite). They also happen to have some of the best chicken wings I have eaten outside of Western New York, with the wings actually as crispy as you'd get in Buffalo. Burgers here are amazing, too, being large and juicy. The one downside, and this is a major one, is the high food prices. Beer prices are pretty reasonable compared to many restaurants, but the food here is not cheap by any means. Like, after tax and tip, you're looking at $15-20 for one person just for an entree. With pints of beer starting at $5, the cost adds up quickly and, before you know it, you've dropped $30+ on dinner for one person. Food prices were lower when I moved here, but the amount they have risen has gradually driven me away. I prefer supporting local businesses whenever possible, but the food prices are a tad high for what you get. $12+ for a burger and fries is high and $11 for 8 wings is borderline excessive and quite a bit more than the famous wing places charge. Overall, about 3.6 stars. Yelp doesn't allow partial stars, so I'll round up, because the positives outweigh the negatives. Great atmosphere and great food, but the prices are quite a bit more than most other places in the region and it is a place I'm only willing to visit if out of town family/ friends are visiting. If prices were a little more reasonable, this place could easily be close to 5 stars. read more

Visiting my friend in Troy, I was brought here to experience the wide selection of beer and good food. There were enough dark beers that I had a few good drinks without duplication. Nothing mainstream is on tap, and I like it that way. For kicks, I had a "fat kid style" burger where the chef throws on whatever he wants. I specified "medium rare" and "bacon." I ended up with an unevenly cooked burger (parts were almost rare, parts were medium well), but the toppings were amazing. There were Mediterranean olives on there and they somehow worked. The bacon and ham were just overflowing the sides. I think there was chili on there as well. I took the drippings and they made an excellent fry topping. (Side note: the gravy and cheese fry toppings are below average. Do what I did.) Overall, 3.5 stars. I'll round up because I enjoyed the Fat Kid and the great service, but relatively high prices are tugging the opposite direction. Why not try it yourself? read more

Quick Look: Great "Bar" in the heart of Downtown, Troy. Big hit with the college crowd but you will also find a mix of older locals and industry people depending on when you visit. Great for trivia on Monday nights. In Depth Review: The Ruck has come a long way since it was Sutter's. I recently visited with family and joined their team on a Monday night for trivia. Was surprised how busy The Ruck was by 7pm and how many people were playing team trivia. Please note: this is serious trivia. These teams are playing for real and playing for blood, I mean bragging rights. The questions are not easy and the best teams have a variety of demographics w/ their team members. Good news is our team actually placed in first and won! The beer and drink selection is abundant and very affordable. Enjoyed sampling their many mico-brews they had on tap. They were cold and poured perfect. Wife enjoyed the mixed drinks. Price points were super reasonable. Couple opportunities for improvement: 1) poor ventilation / air conditioning. It was sticky & uncomfortable as the night got busier in the room. 2) Better quality wing sauce. They used the larger sized chicken wings (that I like) but the sauce tasted like it was created using ketchup, barbecue and Tabasco sauce. Had a strange consistency and the ketchup was the overpowering ingredient. They were not the orange shade that I like to see my Buffalo style (medium) wings. Summary: The Ruck is a great neighborhood bar that turns into a rowdy college bar late night. It's a watering hole that you can feel safe going to in Troy. They will make you feel welcome and keep you hydrated. read more

The Ruck - Buffalo Wings (medium) - had taste of ketchup, barbecue & Tabasco sauce - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

Troy is a very surprising place, there are many hidden gems and "The Ruck" makes the list. Chill, ultra-chill, sooo chill if you don't know you need to go to the counter to place an order you could just sit at a table all night and I don't think anyone would be bothered. When I finally figured out I needed to order I was clued in if I could delay for just a few more minutes the wings are on special; and special they were. It's a happy moment when the Judah Friedlanderesque master chef shouts your name over the top of Trivia Night to signal, your wings are ready.Probably the best wings I have ever had, anywhere. Really nice mix of people here and a super selection on tap including Stone, Ommegang, Clown Shoes, Old Rasputin, Dogfish Head, Harpoon, Delerium Tremens, Unibroue, and many more. Recommended! read more

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I came here with friends , they said the wings were great. There was live music which was great. We ordered wings which took 40 minutes to get. Garlic parm & Thai peanut. The Thai peanut were great. The garlic parm...were so god dam hot, there was no garlic or parm!!! VERY disappointing!!!! I will not be back!! read more

Oh, The Ruck. Been going here for many years and am friends with pretty much all of the staff. Dave has done amazing things with this place and it's been cool to see it transform over the years. From the days it was a super divey college bar to now being known for its craft beer selection and amazingly good pub-style food, you really can't go wrong with The Ruck. I've started and ended many a night there and have always been thoroughly pleased. No visit to Troy is complete without spending time here. read more

This place has something for everyone. It can pass as a college bar, a beer snob bar, a townie bar, a dive bar and a foodie joint all at once. In fact, that's a good description of the cross section of people you'll see in here. Sometimes it's jam packed, sometimes it's completely dead. I had been a regular at The Ruck for years. When I first started it was a pretty generic college bar, now it's a legitimate gastropub. Chef Rachel's menu is constantly evolving. She takes the familiar comfort/American food items and makes them "hip" (for lack of a better word). I loved the KRS-ONE especially. Though any of the quesadillas are great too. The classic "wing burger" is simple but awesome. Oh yeah, the wings are probably the best in the 518, too. As for the beer selection, it's top notch. Plenty of the best IPAs, stouts, wheats, experimental styles and whatever happens o be the "it" sub genre of the moment. The Ruck was one of the first venues outside of Vermont to get kegs of Hill Farmstead. In fact, there almost always an HF keg on tap. They carry a wide selection of craft brews: ZERO macros on tap anymore! The menu changes daily and they have good beers on special. I appreciate that they offer most everything on tap in 4oz, 10oz and 16oz pours. Stick with 4oz so you can sample as much as possible. Service has always been good and it's only gotten better. They now actually have a hostess who'll seat you if you want to sit in front. If you sit in back or at the bar and order food they'll bring it to you (for years they'd just shout out your name). The second floor is a bar-within-a-bar "The Next Nevel." If you want a quieter atmosphere, definitely check it out. There's even a THIRD floor for VIPs and special events. My only major compliant would be that the chalkboard beer menus are scattered around the pub; why not put them all in one spot? Surely they have the room. A minor compliant would be that the downstairs restrooms just look dingy and dirty. However, the bathrooms on the third floor look like something out of someone's house. Special thanks to Bob and Nuzzy for their involvement in the local homebrewers scene for hosting semiannual competitions and for allowing the Albany Brew Crafters homebrew club to meet upstairs rent free. :) read more

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This place gets it! Excellent vibe with the bartenders and waitstaff. It's fun, eclectic, chill, and the service is perfect. Jared and Mike and Courtney especially, while I am sure the rest are just as cool. Excellent brew selection, wings that stand out, and quality burgers. You feel like you belong at THE RUCK! Tom Puszkarczuk read more

The Ruck - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

They have a great open mic on Thursdays that I attended. Great vibe with some talented comics - I really like this place, the vibe is cool, a melting pot of personalities in a college town. Good drinks with cool bartenders and talented comics. read more

Amiable beer bar with a most attractive plywood front and no sign out front at all at present, which means anybody hot on my trail might have been shaken off by the time I ducked in. I got table service when there is no table service (those in the know, of which I am one now, go to the counter to order food - please read the invisible signs indicating this), and had a Full Breakfast with a Liquor Pairing well after breakfast time (I love places that cater on Saturday afternoons to Friday hangovers, even if I can't muster up the energy for a hangover anymore). They had just run out of the IPA I ordered but the barkeep knew his suds so well I ran through a list of what I liked and he poured me out a perfect substitute. So the beer is fresh and the staff fresher. Er, something like that. The kitchen manager listened intently and with good purpose to Otis holding forth about the proper fryer temperature for wings, and that kind of interest and initiative deserves to be rewarded with your patronage. I'm only sad there won't be a dramatic reading of that particular dialogue by a Real Actor, because it really deserves immortality. The major downside of my visit today was the suspicious company of vaguely desperado-ish people I drank and ate with. I was regaled with stories about Korean food and how Google glasses work with sun shades, clearly the wrong sort of people to hang out with. The fact I enjoyed it heartily just proves I'm no good. A special thanks to the Ruck-Master for setting up today's visit, you know who you are. Sometimes your life changes in a moment you never expected. read more

They must have gotten a big head with all the renovations and hype lately. They officially have the most expensive wings around. $12 for 8 wings! I'm more upset with the serving size than anything else. Who serves 8 wings in an order? Also it would be nice if they told you ahead of time how many was in an order since it used to be at least 10. read more

Best wings and blue cheese, bar none. The blue is an old secret NYC recipe that's been handed down and never disappoints. Fantastic beer on tap selection and great vibes, this place is worth a stop any time you're in the capital region. read more

I want to give 3 1/2 stars, but rounding down for the dicey atmosphere. So, I know this is annoying but companion & I wanted to split a burger. I am a medium rare gal, & he's a medium-medium guy. We asked if one half could be microwaved a bit more than the other after grilling. The waitress assured us she would make sure it was right. Well, it was a nice try, but there was no difference and, hey, I get it, how annoying to the kitchen staff, but I'd have preferred honesty. The burger was tasty but overcooked for me. Kinda noisy and there were few people there at the time we were. Can't say I'll be back before I try the other 17 new burger joints in the capital district. All of them. Enjoy- Troy. read more

Good wings and german beer selection. Ordered a big wing order during Superbowl Sunday and they were fast and efficient!

I came here Thursday night when I flew in for business. The bartenders were very attentive, never overbearing and knowledgeable about all the beer on the menu. One of them helped me select a local cider called the 9 pin and it was sweet and delicious. I also ordered mild wings and they were hot and tasty! The blue cheese dressing was so good; I found myself closing my eyes at one point to savor the goodness of it all. The prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is very chill; definitely try coming during happy hour to get the most bang for your buck. If I ever get a chance to come back here, I definitely will! read more

The Ruck - Mild wings and the 9 pin (a local cider). Delicious! - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

worst customer service. slow. never answer the phone because of "technical difficulties ."pay ur bill, and have your slow bartenders answer it like every other bar. i'd give 0 stars if i could read more

Pros: lotsa beers, friendly bartenders. Cons: place smells like a fart, full of college kids and meatheads. read more