We tried Yono's for the first time last night after gazing longingly at the menu online many times. The service was excellent, and every bite of my food was delicious. Our waiter was helpful and solicitous without being overbearing or snotty, and our food was promptly served. We had a four course meal with wine for under $200, so while it was expensive, I didn't think it was out of line with the quality of the food and service. I had foie gras to start and lobster and prawns in pernot sauce for my entree, and my husband had pork belly and cheeks followed by filet mignon. We agreed that the pork starter was among the best dishes we'd ever had. Another great note was the homemade caramels with our dessert. I don't like sweets very much, but real caramels are always an exception. If I had to complain about anything, it would be that we were unfortunately seated right next to the service station. For the quality of service and food, there should be no "bad" seats in the dining room. I really wish Yono's were somewhere other than the Hampton Inn...if you park in the valet lot, you have to walk through the hotel lobby and past a bunch of conference rooms, and that's not exactly the atmosphere I'm going for when I go out for a nice dinner. read more

Five of us went for the Tasting menu and I had the wine pairing to go with it. Service is top-notch. I would say the tasting menu was good value for the price. Similar ones in SF Bay Area easily cost 50+% more. I have been to many fine dining in the Bay Area including some of my favorites such as Luce @Intercontinental, MKT @Four Seasons, Chapeau! @Clement, Gary Danko, La Folie, Keiko, Gaspar Brasserie, Plumed Horse in Saratoga, Le Papillon, Alexandar, and Parcel 104 in Santa Clara. Good for special occasions and a date night. read more

My husband and I had a fantastic dinner last night at Yono's. The staff was welcoming, efficient, and highly professional. Live piano music added warmth to the understated and elegant room. Noise level permitted easy conversation. Then there was the food.... Excellent appetizers of pork belly and tuna tartare were delicious and seasoned perfectly. Braised short ribs similarly wonderful. Will definitely return if I am back in Albany. read more

This place is fine, I'm sure. But it's in no way an Indonesian restaurant!! On my way through Albany, we planned to stop there because we thought it would be fun. Couldn't tell from the Yelp reviews that it's really a bougie American restaurant so we were expecting super-delicious Asian fare. Fellow travelers, don't go here thinking you'll get a quick yummy meal. It's more of a fine dining romantic spot. We didn't stay and eat because we couldn't have the over $30 a plate prices for your standard protein, starch and side entrees and the smarmy server we had. Menu was pretty uninspired. There were a couple node on the app side to Indonesian food but that's all. read more

Drove all the way from Westchester to try this fine dinning restaurant. It's was delicious. Service is exemplary . The food is amazing. Ambiance is beautiful. And i got to meet the Chef "YONO". He stopped by our table and I just love to meet a great chef from my country. Highly recommended. And will be back soon. Definitely Worth the trip. Garrett was our server. And he is great, knowledgable and very accommodating and always on top of things. read more

There's a lot of hype about the place. It's way over priced. Our server wasn't very efficient or helpful. We ordered a glass of wine at the bar before dinner, (DP's) and it was $14.00 a glass. We ordered our 2nd glass from inside Yono's and it was $16.00 a glass. Same wine, same bar. I wouldn't go back. It was average, at best. read more

Last night we celebrated my parent's 40th wedding anniversary at Yono's. We had the entire venue to ourselves, a group of around 30 people. It was the perfect size for the intimacy of our occasion. I can't say enough about how incredible the staff was to myself and my family. I'm actually kicking myself that I didn't catch their names to drop in this review. I've been in the service industry for over ten years and this is the type of staff a restaurant owner dreams about. Dominick, the owner, was a class act and went above and beyond to accommodate our needs. I don't generally write a lot of reviews, but I think its important that people who do such a phenomenal job get recognized for it. We'll definitely be back to Yono's soon. read more

Overpriced, very small portions, poor acoustics. I could barely hear my husband across the table without shouting. It was our waiter's first night and he knew nothing about the menu and had to go back to the kitchen numerous times to provide us with explanations. We wanted to try this restaurant because it came highly recommended. My opinion-save your money. read more

Simply an Outstanding Experience Excellent food, wonderful ambiance, outstanding service. In every way superior to 677 Prime. Gigi and Jeannine were so attentive, but never intrusive. They were there to answer every question, make appropriate suggestions and have fun with us. The food was hot, well presented and full of interesting flavors. read more

After recently dining in some of the country's best establishments, I really didn't have high hopes for this place. Yono's website and the local papers are very complimentary of Chef Yono, but this really does showcase the distance between Our waiter really pushed the Indonesian menu, while almost skipping over the French menu, but upon further inquiry we decided to go with an 8-course tasting. Food-wise, the meal started off well, but nearly flat-lined with a incomprehensible simple and under-garnished arugula salad. Our amuse-bouche to start off did not come with a spoon, causing us to look classless as we tipped our heads back trying to drink our "soup". Also, our waitress, who explained our dishes well, kept slamming our sparkling water bottle after every refill (slightly annoying, although I doubt anyone else would feel the same). Overall, the pork belly and short rib were the most flavorful dishes, but sadly had little Indonesian flare. This maybe one of very few future visits to Albany, but I'm sure there are some other restaurants worth a visit. 3 and 1/2 stars for the attempt at a tasting menu, but for the price point, It cannot compare to Redd ($75). 1 and a 1/2 off for the service miscues and less than stellar menu. read more

I recently dined at Yono's for my birthday and I was truly amazed. I had been to DP before for drinks and was impressed with the drinks there. They escorted us to our table where our menus were waiting for us with my name printed on the specials menu wishing me a happy birthday. My Boyfriend and I each received a free glass of Champagne for my birthday as well. The waitstaff was extremely professional and knowledgeable. Particularly impressive was one of the members of the bus staff's exquisite beard. I was also worried that we were going to be looked down upon as we were slightly under-dressed and I was using a Groupon. Neither seemed to affect our treatment in any way. The dining room was nicely decorated, pretty much what I expected. Regarding the Piano singer (who sang happy birthday to me as well) he is extremely talented but I could see it being loud if you were in the lower main dining area whereas we were tucked into a corner on the upper section so it was not overpowering in any way. Now, the best part, the food! They first brought around their bread tray with an assortment of 3 different breads: a pretzel roll, cumin-something, and lime-something (sorry). I had the cumin bread which was tasty and the BF had the lime which he said was good but I did not try. Next was the amuse bouche. A cauliflower bacon lardon soup served in a miniature teacup which was DELICIOUS! For appetizers we split the Foie Gras on a cider waffle with an apple sauce which was phenomenal. We also split the Sate four ways and had the most amazing sate sauce and how can you go wrong with Pork Belly and Lamb? For my main course I had the Pork Tenderloin which was so unbelievably tender and had a delicious sweet soy sauce. My BF had the Cod which I didn't try because he wouldn't let me have any so I'm pretty sure it was good. For dessert we split the daily creme brulee which was Orange Cinnamon and the Kentucky Bourbon Nut Pie. I highly recommend both. I cannot wait to return to Yono's for another wonderful experience read more

This is first class service at its best. My husband had the 24hr braised beef which came with a beef egg roll, veggies, and 2 flash fried rice patties. Delicious!! I had the pork tenderloin, which came with rice, veggies, and a mouthwatering ginger sauce. Also, delicious! The complimentary appetizer and dessert sampler was a very nice touch as well. Wish I could eat here every night! read more

There are many times when I am surprised by a restaurant that is new to me and Yono's was a wonderful surprise. The atmosphere was elegant yet inviting. The service was outstanding. Our server Adam was knowledgeable and totally invested in our pleasant dining experience. They even had a velvet stool for my purse... So NYC.. The food was outstanding...the Lobster bisque was creamy and packed with flavor and the butternut squash risotto was better than we have ever had before. The braised short ribs were Melt in your mouth delicious. I would definitely go back again. read more

We tried the 8 course tasting menu with wine pairing. It was a lot of fun. The staff is laid-back but attentive. the decor is beautiful. The food was creative and delicious. Its fun to be escorted back to a secret beautiful dining area. read more

A really interesting mix of upscale American and Indonesian cuisine. My boyfriend and I had the buffalo and Indonesian sampler respectively. They were both top-notch. read more

Yono's has unique food that's got Asian touch in some very American dishes including short ribs and fried chicken breast. My friend had the tuna tartare as his main dish, which he said came with two different sauce but he would have preferred single sauce instead of the mix. I tried their short ribs, which came with a ball of fried rice I enjoyed and "lumpia", another word for egg rolls. The meat was tender and okay, sauce wasn't too overwhelming so I was able to finish, but egg rolls were a little on the saltier side. For desserts, the cheesecake was very nice and the ganache chocolate cake was very very thick, so if that's your thing then you might like it a lot. Overall, the food is good but nothing special. I must say though, I really enjoyed the different carrots they served in both my main dish and the salad I ordered. They all tasted different and I really liked the sauce they used on them. The place has a back room that's got chandeliers and quite fancy, and has a different vibe than the front space near the bar. The place would work for special occasions and night outs. read more

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Ordered a few dishes to go - shrimp Pad Thai and Crispy Duck. Both were pretty good - duck was a touch overcooked and the Pad Thai I wish was also a bit more firm to the touch (TWSS). Had a nice kick to it, though. I can't say much about the service because I ordered from my hotel room. I think it took a good half-hour for them to prepare it, though. Not amazing, not terrible. read more

I don't get it. Something was very wrong last night if even half of these reviews are correct. The owners should refund our money. I was here with my son on a college visit so I wasn't going to make a fuss but under other circumstances I would have sent absolutely everything back since I ate nothing. Nothing. The food was awful. Who was cooking last night? Beautiful restaurant. Piano player. Incredibly warm and friendly staff. Delicious little amuse bouche soup. Then- the Indonesian tasting menu. Chicken satay consisting of tiny pieces of the stalest driest inedible unseasoned chicken, a chopped salad with zero flavor, a lobster soup that was watery brown tasteless unseasoned glop and the last course: on the plate a greasy cold piece of short rib, a small lump of stale rice, a noodle dish of some bok choy and a few microscopic strands of noodles. It didn't approach gourmet, it didn't approach acceptable. Maybe alacarte is better? So disappointing. read more

A fantastic culinary experience with the traditional Indonesian Rijsttafel, which I recommend! The waitstaff go above and beyond.

I have always wanted to go to Yono's. I recall it being voted Metroland's "Best Restaurant in Albany When You're NOT Paying." This always intrigued me. I saw there was a groupon for it and that was all I need to put me over the edge to go and try it. My husband and I had such a good time I can't even say. It felt so special and different. We got dressed up and had a wonderful night out. Someone was playing the piano the service was excellent and not snobby at all and the food was great. My husband had not have lumpia since his time in the navy and we really enjoyed it. I had the special (kangaroo which by the way tastes like a lean steak) and he had some seafood dish i don't recall. We also had a pork belly appetizer which I loved. I would absolutely go again however plan to wait for another groupon as it is an expensive place. I recommend going for a date night! read more

Have been going here for a few years. This last visit was not good, food was Luke warm, fish was dry, the pretzel rolls, which we all love, are not rolls anymore, more like just balls. It's just not as good and unfortunately I will not go back. Even the time before this visit was only fair. read more

Try the tasting menu, it's presented perfectly, timed well, each dish is unique but everything goes together so well. Nice portions. Staff and service is top notch! read more

As good as it gets if your in the mood for indonesion or french food. Very expensive, wine list is a little bit overpriced. Hardly anything for the $50 pricemark. Mostly $100 and up. Have been here a few times, last new year went here with 2 others and did the 8 course tasting...lets just say it was great but the bill was $505 before tip. Service is definetly top notch, usually a piano player. read more

Yono's it's hard to say anything bad, its extremely good, the wine list is extensive, the food is amazing, it's decor is beautiful. Almost like walking into a multi million dollar mansion's dinning room. I love the food, but it never rises to the top of my list when I think to go out, I don't know why that is the case, because once I am there I always say to myself I should come back more often..check it out... It's definitely worth your time and money. read more

Very tasty Indonesian. The decor is a bit pretentious (feel like your in a Versace commercial) and I think maybe this restaurant has some illusions of grandeur, but you can't fault the food. It's pricey, but I don't mind paying a bit more for something a little special. Certainly not to be expected in a Hampton Inn! read more

Another worthy restaurant, with high skills, inventive ideas and a hell of a wine list. It is off the beaten path, a block west of Pearl Street in Albany. I had lunch and the delicate Indonesian fare was a delight. It's very good. It certainly deserves a try. read more

I so wanted to love Yono's. I've wanted to go for years but couldn't justify the cost until I saw a discount on Groupon. We went to celebrate my husband's birthday. Yono's is well-known for its service. In fact, the stars here are for the service. But we even experienced a few hiccups in that. The first, we were seated next to a noisy bachelorette party, and without even having to say something, we were quickly whisked to a different table far from the noise, the staff full of apologies. The staff boasts that they work closely together to provide stellar service but nearly everything that was brought out by someone other than our waiter was placed in front of the wrong person (of course they were bending over backwards to be friendly). And while we enjoyed our waiter, my husband ordered the steak special and was given the steak from the regular menu. He didn't send it back because by that point we were done. Sadly, the food was a major disappointment. The amuse bouche was supposed to be a playful BLT "shot". It consisted of chorizo in a tomato based emulsion. It was served in an espresso cup and the chorizo stuck to the bottom of the cup and was dry and crunchy. The tomato emulsion was tasteless. I ordered the Indonesian tasting menu. The portions were not at all well-thought out, they were overly large and there were repetitive items over the different courses. I've had thoughtful tasting menus that consider portion with each step - that's one of the key elements to a good tasting menu. I can eat a lot but this was ridiculous. By the time the main offering hit, I was uncomfortably full. The soup course was alright, but everything else was greasy and tasted like day-old leftover takeout. Even if I wanted to eat it, I couldn't. It was fun looking through the wine list and the bottle we chose ended up being the highlight of our evening. Even with a Groupon, our night on the town was outrageously expensive and not at all worth the price. We won't be returning. read more

I booked a table for 9 as a special meal to celebrate a birthday with colleagues while in town for a conference. After reading the reviews on Yelp, I expected a very nice meal, which we got. I hadn't bargained for how long it would take to get it, however, nor how bad the service would be. Half the party and I showed up early and were seated right away, which was great. We ordered appetizers, which were small but delicious and came out quickly. We waited for the rest of our table to trickle in but were kept in good supply of water and yummy bread. So far, so good. However, sometime after we ordered our entrees, things went awry. I think much had to do with the fact that our main waitress was called away on an emergency, but clearly she hadn't handed off her responsibilities well and we fell between the cracks. The waiters who replaced her were great at changing out silverware and chargers unnecessarily and bringing us round after round of water and bread, but not so great at bringing us any actual food. Two or three people in our party had ordered the multi-course tasting menu, which was a huge mistake. The servers brought their courses out totally randomly, and never seemed entirely sure of what belonged to whom. They also never asked the rest of us with only one course when we wanted our food served, so instead we had to wait until the multi-coursers were served their final, "main" course -- two and a half hours after we sat down, and 90 minutes after ordering. And that was after two of us had to actually ask for our mains to be served ASAP! Luckily I heard from the rest that the food was very good, but by the time it arrived I was so hungry that I barely tasted it. The asst. manager did serve us herself and eventually apologized for the slow service, comping us another bottle of champagne and our dessert. However by the time they'd changed our silverware yet again, it was nearly 10:30 PM and I was too tired to wait for dessert. I left before even getting to sing to the birthday girl or eat any cake! In all, it was nearly four hours from the time we sat down to the time the rest of the party left. That's fine if you're all doing a multi-course meal and are served amuse bouches in between, but not if you only have one course coming and have to sit there watching while your friends eat course after course. A restaurant of this caliber and price should know how to cope with a situation like this without an issue, and should not have taken so long to serve us. One star for service, another because the food was pretty tasty (or so I hear.) read more

If you want great food and amazing service then this is the place to be. Everything was just perfect! I haven't had service like this in a very long time. Duck was perfectly cooked! I just can't say enough about the service, it was absolutely perfect! read more

Dined here recently for a special occasion. The service was great and the food and wine were very good too. However, I have to give 3 stars because of the value. I am a person who prefers quality over quantity any day, but the main course portions were very small. Had my husband and I not ordered a first course, we would surely have left hungry. The bread offered is very good, but again, very small portions. For future special occasions, I think we'll go to Mezza Notte. read more

Best hotel restaurant I have ever eaten in, but don't even think in those terms...this is an excellent restaurant, period. I can't recommend the coho salmon highly enough...a delicious array of flavors from the fish to the distinctive accompaniments on the plate. Looking forward to a second trip to try different menu items...unless I just can't pass up a second helping of the salmon! read more

This place was super fancy and nice. I took my friend here for a graduation dinner and she loved it. It's super fancy (dress up!) and the prices are what you would expect of a high class restaurant. The food was good, and the menu constantly changes. There was calm live music which made the dining experience even more memorable, and the atmosphere was exactly what I wanted. It is the nicest restaurant I have been to in Albany, but to be fair, I haven't gone to too many fancy restaurants in Albany. Our server was actually Yono's wife, and she was awesome. There were very great waitresses that came to gracefully take our plates and present our next course. Yono himself even made an appearance to make sure everything was okay and to talk to everyone. If you have a special occasion (anniversary, graduation,birthday, etc etc) this place should really be on your list. read more

My buddy Todd F. took me here, since it's virtually his second home, and I had a great experience. Great food, great atmosphere and worth every penny. Enjoy. read more

Dined here recently with the Groupon. We opted for the 8-course grand tasting menu. Waitstaff was extremely pleasant and professional, and made sure that they would accomodate any food allergies/preferences. The piano man was playing light classics (e.g., "As Time Goes By"), and was not overbearing at all; he provided a nice background ambience. The restaurant was serving five tables this evening, so it was not busy or loud at all. However, if there is one negative, they need to keep the door closed so stragglers don't wander and outside noise doesn't bleed in. As for the food, eight courses were served--11 if you include the amuse bouche, complimentary bread servings, and mignardises as the final touch. Highlights included the tuna tartare (pink and delectable, served over shaved avocado), foie gras (1-2 oz. serving of buttery duck liver over french toast square), soup (may have been a pho; contained chicken, but the broth was standout), and cheese course (which looked like artwork you'd expect to see at the MoMA; goat milk ice cream in this course was interesting). Other courses served were roast pork, roast duck, a scallop dish, and bananas foster. Everything was good. Bill for two meals, two glasses of wine, tax and tip, plus Groupon discount, was well over $200. It's pricey, but worth it and I'll probably come back for another special occasion dinner soon, or when I have guests staying in town. Plus, it seems like the staff can customize your meal and you can always get something new all over again on subsequent visits. read more

This is our go to restaurant to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and just for a wonderful date night. Any time we have foodie friends that come into town this is where we take them to show that Albany has a foodie culture as good as any other city. I have tried new foods like alligator and kangaroo here, along with having the staples served in incredible ways with great sides. And don't skip dessert. Fun jazz music too. It is always a night to remember at Yono's. read more

Food 100%. Service 100% Best of all the Dessert!! 1000%. Garrett did a fantastic job as our server. Go to this restaurant if you want great everything!!! read more

Absolutely FANTASTIC; by far the best meal and ambiance I have had in upstate NY. Our server was exceptional and food delectable. We enjoyed lamb, duck, scallops, halibut, oysters, crab, and even lobster bisque. All exquisite in flavor. Even the drink my server offered was ambrosial! Can't wait to go back. read more

Class will out. If you have it, it's hard to hide and this restaurant is CLASSY. From seating all the way to incredibly good coffee, every move is orchestrated with the diner in mind. Our "Host", Josh - far more than a waiter - made us instantly comfortable with precise descriptions of menu items; fetched my soft drink and proceeded to bring not one but three different wines for constant companion to taste. That settled, we dove into entrees not wanting to overfill on starters although everything sounded wonderful. Fillet of Neah Island Halibut for the wine sampler was a fabulous dish with Mussels, Shrimp, Sea Scallop in addition to the aforementioned Halibut. A Ginger Lime sauce topped the plate nicely. For the teatotaler, Twenty Four Hour Braised Beef Short Ribs "Rendang". No words to describe the tender flavor of the beef. Add in 2 starches and 2 delectable veggies and you have a filling, satisfying meal. All of this served on fine china with silver service, Class. And, oh...the coffee. You might guess that Yono has his own special blend which, along with a fine sorbet concluded a most memorable dining experience. Go when you can. You won't be disappointed. read more

We had such a lovely evening at Yono's! The food is absolutely delicious and all of the staff were fantastic. The highlight of the evening were the braised short ribs but we also loved the amuse bouche, the beer & carrot salad, and the crispy chicken. Wonderful wine list too! read more

Where else can you get Kangaroo steak?! Great place for a romantic dinner or special occasion. Everything from the apps to the Kangaroo (consistency similar to pork, tastes similar to venison) to the complimentary cookie tray that comes with ordering dessert was outstanding. read more