Visited this rustic spot with my Mom for beers and an early dinner. When we first walked in I was a little like, "Mom where are you taking me?" since the neighborhood seems a bit run down and the bar was filled with guys day drinking. Mom just walked by these guys and proceeded to the dining area and began perusing their specials. They have the usual pub fare like burgers, sandwiches and salads and some Mexican style options like nachos and jalapeño poppers. Lots of draft selections including Fiddlehead, a personal favorite. The dine in seating away from the bar was relaxed and comfortable. I wasn't expecting much given the atmosphere but the food was very good. The salad I had was nice with romaine lettuce and an assortment of veggies. Mom enjoyed their burger. Reasonable prices. I'd gladly return here now that I've been introduced to its understated charm. read more

Always great food and service! Never disappointed with either! Highly recommend anything on their menu!

It's a classic Troy staple. You can't miss it!! The wings are great. The atmosphere is what you go for.

So I'm not going to lie stepping into the Ale House was a little off putting for my friends and I but I'm so glad we stayed! The off putting part is simple..... it didn't look as welcoming and friendly as it TRULY is!! The people who worked there AND the clientele were happy, friendly and engaging! Now on to the food. Without a doubt the hot dogs are the price performer. $3.50 for a chilli dog..... yes and THANK YOU! $3 for fries to go with.... Don't mind if I do!! The hot roast beef super was tasty but unremarkable. THE WINGS, very reasonable prices and family friendly atmosphere are why you'd go back again and again!! read more

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Love this staple in Troy. The best wings by far. The only thing I can complain about is the draftiness. When the heat is on it is warm but the minute it turns off it gets a little chilly. It will not stop me from coming back though! read more

If a place claims 'Award Winning Chicken Wings' you can probably see me running towards them. Very happy I finally made it to Ale House for a night of fried foods, wings, pitchers of IPA, and friends. This pub is in a sort of dead area of troy, and is the definition of a whole in the wall. However, I did not come here for an upscale dinner, I came here for wings, and I will walk into just about anywhere for some good wings. We were greeted by a friendly man behind the bar, and a friendly waitress. It was a little past 8pm and we had a party of 9 to be seated. It was pretty tight inside but a kind group of three switched tables so we could get the large table setting. The brew list was pretty good and we settled on getting a couple pitchers of Single Cut IPA. We were a ravenous bunch and started with mozz sticks, onion petals, jalapeno poppers and 3 orders of wings (medium, hot and tequila). The mozz sticks were average, but you did get the choice of melba, which is important around these parts. The onion chips were served with horseradish sauce, which i really enjoyed, and the popper were super good, we got two orders of those. As for the wings, they were really good. I think the sauce was a little thicker than I'm used to, not very buttery, but it really packed a punch. I think the medium wing sauce was spicier than most other places and the hot definitely brings the heat. The tequila sauce was my favorite, it was not your average sauce, tangy, a little sweet and a little heat, I would pick that sauce again. The actual wings themselves were huge and meaty. You could tell they were fresh and freshly cut down from whole wings. Respectable. Now, I do wish they were crispy. The batches we had we not super crispy and I think they would have knocked out of the park with a little more crisp. The wings were great, we ordered a second round of all of them. we also ordered more poppers and mozz sticks. For beers, apps and wings, it was about $22 per person split evenly. The place is definitely doing some good things with their flavors and fryer, and I would definitely come eat those wings again. Try the tequila! read more

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The Ale House is the definition of a dive bar, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have great food. To get underway, I ordered the mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. The sticks were the standard frozen type, but they still were crispy and fine for what they were. The problem is the tomato sauce with it was ice cold. How hard is it to microwave a sauce for 45 seconds? Anyways, I moved on hoping my experience would change and it sure did. To elaborate, I ordered the rib-wing combo which was a daily special. With this in mind, the ribs were pleasing. They were tender with an excellent seasoned rub on them, topped with barbecue sauce. The rub had tons of flavor and the barbecue sauce's sweetness matched perfectly with it. Then, I turned my attention to the infamous Ale House wings. I ordered them medium and these wings met the hype. Every bite delivered a savory, crispy crunch. The thin and smooth medium sauce was exquisite. And under those lies the tender and springy chicken meat that floods the mouth with its umami-laden juices with each bite. These wings were the real deal and were easily some of the best I've had. Recapping, the Ale House has good ribs and amazing wings, but stay away from the appetizers. read more

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Best wings, best people! Great local tavern. Love the atmosphere and food. Simple. Local. Love it.

Chicken Wings. Hands down, the best around. I used to go to The Ruck, but last time the wings looked like they were from week-old chicks. Never seen wings so tiny. I've gone to the Ale House ever since...as a lone patron, never felt weird. I recommend the Hefeweizen to pair. read more

Out of wings by 4pm for Super Bowl! I guess I'll hv to put my order in the day b4 next year. Was looking forward to trying them, I heard they're very good. read more

There are wing cooking professionals at this dive bar in Troy. A dive is an understatement. They gave us paper plates. The lighting in the dining room is dim. I am fairly certain the air conditioning was not on and it was August. In addition to wings my group of 9 ordered jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks and their version of a blooming onion. All three were fried deliciousnes. Loved the mozzarella sticks and poppers. They gave an over abundance of sauce with each. It is called the Ale House and the beer selection was decent. They offered pitchers of the good stuff. The real draw here is the wings. Clearly not frozen, they came out in all kinds of weird shapes demonstrating they were chopped off a whole wing by hand. Decent sized, perfectly crispy. We ordered them three ways. Tequila, Medium and Hot. They offered an award winning hot sauce on the side. I didn't touch it and two of the heat chasers in my group were not really impressed with the heat level. The Tequila Wings had a sweet element to them and not much sauce. I liked them, members of my party loved them. The medium wings were perfect IMO. Drowned in incredible wing sauce. The hot sauce was also very manageable. I would have no problem ordering them again. The blue cheese was perfect too. This is a top 3 spot for wings in the Capital Region. It may be a dump, located in an out of the way spot but that would not stop me from making the trip again and again. read more

Ale House - Perfect, crispy wings. Sauce you want to swim in. Incredible blue cheese. - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

Amazing. I was passing through and staying the night and looking for a local establishment with good food and saw the reviews for this place. I was staying at a local hotel and decided to walk. I got halfway there and didn't feel real safe in the neighborhood (and bad areas don't usually bother me), so I retreated and decided to drive. I found a spot near the front door so all was good. The building is amazing. Old. Old old. Character oozing out of every cracked brick. Walking in the front door, it's the type of place where all the local townies sit at the bar and all heads turn when an unfamiliar face walks in. Don't let that stop you. The place was slightly smoky. Not from cigarettes but most likely poor kitchen ventilation. The interior is authentically rustic and unimpressive. But then there is the food. I had a burger, sweet potato fries and a Hefeweizen. Best burger ever. Maybe the fries too. It's easy to screw up sweet potato fries. These were perfectly done. The burger had a nice char to the outside. Almost crispy but the inside was perfectly medium. The service was great too despite the same guy being the waiter, server and tending the 7 locals sitting at the bar and I'm pretty sure he cooked my meal too. This place gets my highest recommendation despite the sketchy neighborhood nearby. To be fair, the area right around the restaurant seemed fine. It was the neighborhood between there and my hotel that seemed sketchy. Eat here. It's fantastic. read more

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Don't get me wrong... I agree the wings are fantastic. I do have to admit that my preference is towards the classic Frank's and butter combo. But these changed my mind about the supremacy of Frank. We did take Andrew J's reco, and got them "medium crispy" and that was a very good call for an introduction to the place. Next time, I will try them hot... because I know that it will end up hurting me in the end, so to speak. Maybe it's just that I'm getting old, and fantastic wings are still just wings, and don't get me as excited as they used to? Or maybe it has something to do with my new found vanity and concern for my vascular and digestive well being? Hard to put a finger on it. This was not disappointing at all, and next time I am in the area, I will certainly try to come back. And I will sing the praises of this place to all my friends back West. The Capital District is a helluva wing town, and I am just not ready yet to award wing supremacy to one place. Yet. - - - Update: The Ale House comes in a close number two behind Scubbers on wings alone. Wings with beer - Ale House takes it. The beer selection at Scubbers is weak. But the wings are clearly better there. read more

Ale House - Wings - Medium Crispy - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

Wings are worth every star and if your lucky you can catch some music at the Hanger on the same night

The finest burgers I have ever encountered anywhere on this planet. Really. On a bad day they are good. On a good day they are fantastic. On a great day they are indescribably delicious. But I do miss the steak sandwich... :) read more

We were seeing a show at the Hangar on the Hudson across the street. We decided to stop in at the Ale House for an early dinner and drinks. What a great idea that turned out to be. The staff at this neighborhood bar are friendly and helpful. The menu is simple. We went with the specials. I had the blacked chicken sandwich, my wife the turkey BLT. It was inexpensive and the food was great. A nice selection of craft beer (draft and cans) as well as your standards. If you're in the area, definitely drop in. read more

Nice people relaxed atmosphere feels like an Irish pub without being obnoxious and some of the best wings I've ever had if not the best wings. I love this place and whenever I pass through Troy it's a must stop! read more

Love their fish special on Fridays during lent. Haven't had a bad meal yet mostly do lunch visits.

Best.Wings.In.The.Capital.District. Yep, I said it. These are in my opinion, the best wings in the capital district and I am extremely picky about wings. Don't come here for the decor or the ambiance, just come here for delicious wings. It's not the prettiest place in the world - when you walk in there is a decent sized bar and behind that a dining area with probably around 10 or so tables. I don't think the decor has changed in years, but that's part of the beauty of the place. The menu has (yep) wings, appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, and even some main dishes. I've only had the wings here but everyone I've been with who has had other things says they're good, but really you come here for the wings. They even offer different flavors and special flavors on some nights. I personally always order 10 medium extra crispy and they have always come out perfect, never once have let me down. The prices are fair and the waitstaff here is friendly. There are definitely the "regulars" here. If you're a wing connoisseur, you need to come here. I guarantee you won't want to eat wings anywhere else. read more

Besides having the best chicken wings in all of NY including buffalo (unless you like them all bread batteries and covered in boss sauce). Everyone in there from the customers to the staff is cordial and friendly. The food is great , the beer is delicious. It's a one of kind, not to be missed old style tavern. Go there! You won't regret it. read more

Always good food here. The chicken chili is particularly good today! It's lunchtime so I'm not drinking :-) but their wine and their beer are great too. read more

A little sketchy looking but looks can be deceiving. Wings. And sweet potato fries. Garlic parm is the best here hands down. The hot is a little too tangy for my liking but my friends said that the medium was pretty good as well. Service is super friendly by whom I assume is the owner/manages the place. He was constantly making rounds to refill our drinks and make sure we had anything we needed. read more

Ale House - Hot wings. Look delish! - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

Best wings in the capital region? I'm not sure yet. I really like Junior's (Albany) wings and I've heard good things about The Ruck (down the way in Troy). But, I'll tell you what, it doesn't matter. Eat all their wings. Simply amazing. Crispy, large, and reasonably-priced. So now that you've came for the wings, stay for the amazing beer selection. I'm a Mahar's regular and there were some beers on tap that i haven't tried. I imagine they keep the selection fresh so I'm not going to bother listing what they had when I was there. A final note on the location. They're right across the street from plenty of parking and, while the place doesn't look like more than a neighborhood worker's hole-in-the-wall, it's really sweet looking inside. Lots of wood, murals in the bathroom, and a classic dining room- bar room split. Finally, the service. I was there about a half hour before closing and figured I deserved at least a small frown or extra foamy beer. Much to my delight, the staff was very cheerful and inviting, even for a couple of latecomers like my friend and I. read more

Ale House - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

In my opinion, the best wings in the Capital Region. We always get more than we can eat to bring them home and reheat in the toaster oven and get them super crispy! The place is very divey and that's ok cause it's been in Troy for decades! Good beer on tap always! Every day they have specials including Steamed clams for $9.99 most days. They have live Irish bands from time to time. The Ale House is a staple in Troy and a must for WINGS! read more

Wow! Used to eat & drink here regularly back in the 70's. The Ale House hasn't changed a bit. It's like a trip in a Time Machine...with good food and beer for the ride. read more

We came for the wings but are still talking about the carrot cake.... The wings were crispy and flavorful but the cake was to die for. Moist, with roasted buttered nuts inside and the richest cream cheese frosting-OMG! The bartender and our waiter was a gem. A must stop in Troy; Don't let the weathered sign out front deter you! read more

The Ale House? More like the FAIL house. Yuk Yuk Yuk. Okay, I don't like when people review places that they didn't actually try but let me break it down for you. My partner in crime and I had never been here and after reading the wonderful reviews we decided to check it out. From what I read it seemed like a place to relax, drink a good beer and perhaps make that bad decision to order some bar food and that's just what we were looking for. First of all, it's one of those places that everyone stops what they're doing and looks at you when you walk in. Obviously a townie bar. I had to hover over people at the bar to check out the beer selection because they didn't have a list written anywhere else. My findings were disappointing. The beer selection was rather pitiful for a place called the Ale House. There was a room in the back to sit but there was no direction if you could seat yourself or had to wait, we would have asked someone but the only person who seemed to work there was chatting it up with the regulars. If you have read any of my other reviews you will know I don't mind crappy service or divey little hole in the walls IF there's something else to make up for it. Since there was not one beer either of us wanted to try, we weren't hungry (and I don't eat chicken wings) and the place was just too awkward so we just turned around and walked out. ( We went to Holmes and Watson's if you were interested) I'm giving it two stars because I feel 1 star is too drastic for a place I was only in for 5 minutes and I'd be willing to give it another shot if someone who liked the place wanted me to go but I'll never return on my own accord. read more

I could literally walk here if I needed to. The wings have been exceptional in this dive bar for as long as I can remember! They always have a good beer selection and it is always full of local Troy New York residents. If you are looking for great wings and don't feel like going down to the rock this place is exceptional! Be sure to ask for your wings crispy and you will not be disappointed read more

This little dive is on a quiet residential street in Troy. You'll probably drive by and and not even notice that it's there. But the Ale House has the best wings in the United States, and probably the world. This is coming from a chicken wing FANATIC! Try a small order of their Award-Hot wings. They're "holy shit" hot, but still have such an awesome flavor. If you're within 100 miles, swing by for these crispy AMAZING wings. read more

Ale House rocks my socks. I pine for this place much more than any grown man should. I ate there at least once a week for a several years, both lunch and dinner, and enjoyed many a music show to boot. Short list: - Wings: Hot, sloppy, and crispy - Burgers: Any of them - Reuben - Sweet Potato Fries - Onion Chips with Horseradish Mayo The wings deserve an extra special mention though. They've won the local "Best Of" multiple years, and rarely disappoint. I would make it a point to include an order in every single meal. Great pub food. Great rotating beers. Great staff. Go here. read more

We went to the Ale House last night mainly because of all the great reviews here. We've lived in Troy for 7 years but have never been to the Ale House because it's sort of in a weird, run-down ghetto area. Driving by, it really doesn't look like a place anyone would want to eat at. It's very dumpy both inside and out. I have to say that a person shouldn't trust everything they read here on YELP. Sadly, our experience was quite different than most other YELP reviewers. I ordered the BBQ wings, a cheeseburger (med-well) and fries. My partner had medium wings, a turkey sandwich and fries. My BBQ wings were cooked perfectly but they lacked any BBQ flavor. They needed more sauce. My burger was overcooked to the point that it had a thick burnt crust on the meat patty. The only thing that was OK was the fries. My friend said his medium wings were good. As were the fries. The turkey sandwich was supposed to have cranberry sauce on it but it was dry. No sauce at all. He had one bite. We took it home to the dog. We each had one drink (mine was a cape codder and his a non alcoholic iced tea). The total bill was $45. I left a $10 tip because the service was good. It wasn't her fault the food sucked, For what we got for the $45, (not including the diarrhea and cramps we both ended up having last night) I felt that was about $15 too much. They allow smokers to smoke right outside the open double doors of the dining room. The cigarette smoke blows inside the dining area where people are eating. They might as well be smoking inside. That was not cool. Smoking should be done far away from any diners. There was a single TV in the back room but the volume was turned all the way down. There were speakers hanging from the walls but no music. It was a pretty dreary and boring place to be. Ending thoughts: Had the turkey sandwich came with the advertised cranberry sauce, if the BBQ wings actually had BBQ sauce on them, had the meal and drink total been around $30 and finally, had we NOT gotten diarrhea and cramps a few hours after eating there... I would have given this place a 3 or maybe a 4. read more

Who has the best wings in Troy - the Ale House or the Ruck? Tough call, but you are going to get great wings and beer at either place! I give both these places 5 stars. Go to the Ruck is you want a limited (but yummy) food selection, more beer selection, a fun bar atmosphere, and to cozy up next to some college co-eds later in the evening. Go to the Ale House if you want to sit down, be waited on, have more food selection, and not have the noise volume override your conversation. My friends and I will often randomly declare it "Ale House Night", and we all gather there. It's laid back, not pretentious, the wait staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is conducive to conversation and catching up with each other. Surprisingly, Wednesday night is Mexican night, and they have great Quesadillas! In general, I recommend the wings (Regular Medium wings, and the Tequila Chipotle wings), sweet potato fries, and carrot cake! The Ale House has also started hosting the Front Parlor Storytelling series on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 7:30. This is an amazing night of storytelling, and definitely worth checking out. I wouldn't recommend going here for dinner alone on that night - the place is packed, and you don't get a seat unless you show up before 6:45. Check out more information about the Front Parlor nights here: http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2011/08/10/front-parlor-story-night-at-the-ale-house read more

I'm not sure how this place still exists. It's dirty and the food isn't good. I ordered chowder that was probably the worst I've ever

Great wings, really meaty, 10 are more than enough for 1 person, large selection of tap beer, ambiance leaves something To be desired read more

An easy 5 stars. The wings get my vote for best in the area and they always have a good selection of beer on tap. The rest of the menu is good but I have a hard time ordering anything else than wings and beer. The atmosphere always gets me, its a neighborhood bar but you can sort of tell this is an out of the way place for a lot of people, and as Mike P. mentioned on some nights it has a family restaurant feel to it. But it all works, that is another reason why it is so great! Reminds me of a lot of the pubs I visited in Ireland, with the mix of locals and tourists, everyone feeling at home and having a good time. I wish this place was in Albany, I would be there every week and would probably have gained 25-50 pounds. read more

If you are in this area, you have my condolences. There are places where I live called "Ale House" that are modern restaurants. This place is an ancient dive bar that happens to serve food. However, there is nothing else in the line of restaurants for several miles, and if you're on your way to the airport in Albany, this is along the way. The food is decent, and the place isn't filthy, although it has seen better days. I wouldn't go back, because I will make it a point not to be in this area ever again. read more

I keep wanting to come back here & I'm not 100% sure why. The wings are great, but the menu is pretty average. The clam chowder (which I'm big on recently) is Manhattan style. Maybe its the old school never been updated since the day it opened decor. Maybe its just that I love dark dank hole in the walls. Whatever, I love this place. read more

This place could really be such a dive! It is dark and old. There were quite a few people at the bat at 7pm on Tuesday. It was a nice night and the doors were open for fresh air. I sat in the dining area, had a few beers and got 10 wings. Beer was cold and wing sauce was really good. I should have offered those wings crispy as they were huge like drumsticks. Plenty of parking and you can sit outside on a nice night. Nice 3 piece band playing the night I visited. A bit out of my normal circle but will totally come back for a beer in the future. read more

Ale House - Pubs Near Me - Troy, New York

Fabulous food. Definitely try the Reuben. It was the best Reuben I've ever eaten! The burgers are great-I would recommend medium versus medium well. They are well known for their wings which are fantastic! read more

I don't get to go to the Ale House as much as I would like, this is a great spot. This place has barely changed over the years and still has some great wings. The menu has a nice rotating selection as well as a few staples, everything came out fresh and quick. I tried the reuben and loved it. I definitely look forward to coming back again soon! read more