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    Ama Cocina

    3.8 (17 reviews)

    Order Ama Cocina Takeout or Delivery

    Ama Cocina Photos

    AMA COCINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Ama Cocina

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    Street Corn
    Kristen K.

    First visit to Ama Cocina was a success. We went earlier in the evening on a Saturday so it was the perfect environment with a two year old. Their happy hour specials are from 4-5:30pm on Tuesday-Saturdays which includes guacamole for $10. We weren't given a kids menu but were charged a "kids price" for the cheese quesadilla ordered for our daughter. That was a nice surprise. Ama Cocina is owned by BMT Hospitality, the team behind other favorites of mine Junior's and Cafe Madison.

    Dorato Burrito  and Blueberry Kiwi Margarita
    Santaliz G.

    The layout of the place is so nice! Only thing is that garage door thing doesn't really accommodate for the cold. I will say, the staff are very friendly, and the food comes out quick. It is a bit pricey but the food tastes good. The drinks were well made (I don't think they were stingy on the alcohol.

    Bar area
    Tim R.

    Food was good and not terribly expensive. A little different vibe with the upbeat/modern music playing. Staff was friendly and no wait for a table. You do have to pay for chips and salsa and I would give the salsa a 4/10. Not a ton of flavor and very runny. Ordered the burrito and was definitely a good sized portion. Flavor was good (carna barbacoa). No sides come with it. Happy hour looked decent from 4-6pm with $5 house margaritas and $3 oyster shooters

    Burrito
    Lori R.

    AMA cocina is a really cool place in downtown Albany for drinks with friends. I absolutely loved the vibe of this place- the music was good and the bar/wait staff were attentive and so friendly. Service was excellent. I really enjoyed the complimentary chips and salsa (the salsa was **fantastic**). We ordered a burrito and some tacos, and we're not a big fan of either (though the items looked incredible to the eye), which is why I took off some stars for this review. Overall, I highly recommend stopping by for happy hour, and I would consider trying different food items to see if there is something tasty on the menu. Logistical note- street parking only in a busy area but you can definitely find a spot close by.

    Sam M.

    Ama Cocina was BANGIN!! The food was phenomenal! With a full menu of options from tacos to burritos and bowls, you can't go wrong. You're getting fresh, authentic Mexican food here! Can't forget to mention the drinks! The bartenders clearly know what their doing! There's your classic margs, but your traditional drinks with a twist. I'd definitely recommend the old fashion!

    The Weston Burrito

    The food was great. Services were a little slow and did not check in on us for refill on water. Hearty meal and the ranch sauce was awesome.

    Carne Molida beef burrito and a house cab.
    Dale B.

    Extremely good burrito!! Actually, the cab was very good as well. Not sure what happened to the warmth of my bartender. Had she been as friendly to me as to her co-workers, her tip would have gone up 40% more. I travel all across the US and Canada providing transportation for the music industry. Needless to say, I have become a food/establishment critic. The staff plays a huge roll in this. Bartender P threw a negative vibe my way when asking for my check. Other than that, I strongly recommend this place.

    Empanada beef tacos

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

    The food and service were great!! Loved the atmosphere in the place too! Chill and good vibes! Best place in Albany so far!

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    Dove + Deer

    Dove + Deer

    4.4
    (190 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    What an excellent lunch spot! It's a must stop!…read more We came here for a quick lunch spot after a tour of the state capitol. Well worth it! The Smash Burger and Chicken Wrap were great. Seasoned to perfection and very tasty! The house salad was ok nothing to report home about! Service and ambiance were great. I would return here for a dinner! Highly recommend.

    This review is strictly for brunch on a Sunday, and directed at ownership/management:…read more You guys, really? First, your Brunch menu and food are excellent, when we finally got our food - after roughly an hour of waiting - I was instantly reminded of why Dove and Deer is great - bold flavors, excellent preparation, gorgeous plates all in a city that desperately needs it. Second, I really felt bad for the 3 people responsible for running an entire restaurant on a Sunday (two waiters and one person in the kitchen). They did their absolute best, were so kind and apologetic, but obviously completely stressed out and frazzled. Tables got up and left after waiting for someone to get back to them - and we almost did too. It's unfair to restaurant staff to put the burden of running an entire place on them. I get if someone called off and you're short staffed 1 or 2 people, but did everyone call off? Besides 3 people? Come on. You have a real opportunity to be a go to brunch destination, my advice is to staff appropriately and give it a real go or risk customers not getting to experience the greatness that is your food - and taking their dollars to someplace far more mediocre. The only reason this isn't a 2 star or 1 star review is because of how hard your staff tried, and how good your food is (when it finally shows up).

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
    Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
    Entrance

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    Entrance
    New Scotland Spirits Tasting Room

    New Scotland Spirits Tasting Room

    4.9
    (12 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    Veteran-owned & operated
    Women-owned & operated

    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!!!

    Greeted by lush greenery, and gently splashing fountain at the door- a few steps down into a wood…read moreand leather light filled cozy retreat. The greenery continues inside with plants adorning a large picture window. Every surface gleams and the place smells fresh and clean... The bathroom is impeccably spotless. Classy attention to detail is the order of the day at New Scotland spirits tasting room. Our bartender, Noah, was welcoming and knowledgeable and our drinks were delicious. We will definitely be back.

    Photos
    New Scotland Spirits Tasting Room
    New Scotland Spirits Tasting Room
    New Scotland Spirits Tasting Room

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    L'Roca

    L'Roca

    4.7
    (18 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    Boyfriend and I were in Albany NY for one night - he wanted to go to Cheesecake Factory, but the…read morewait is apparently typically long on a weekend night (I have no idea - never been there!) so we decided not to chance it, and uber'ed from our hotel to this restaurant, hoping it would be good. I'll be honest - my heart sank as we got there, I almost cried. The neighborhood is *sketch*. The outside of the restaurant didn't look like much - but I felt better once we got in. Beautifully decorated with great lighting, lounge-style atmosphere. Great Latin music. We sat on the bar side as it was less busy. Beautiful bar with lots of options! Bartender made us **amazing** margaritas... omg were they strong! Loved it! Since we had never been there before, we played it safe. First we went with a fried calamari appetizer - not the best, but not bad - but then it's not typically something you'd order at a Mexican food restaurant. Boyfriend had the street steak tacos as main - hold the cheese as he forgot his lactaid, lol - and I had the steak quesadilla. Delicious! We loved it. The steak was especially well seasoned, not overcooked and sides were yummy. We ended the evening with churros - definitely homemade and on par with the ones we love at El Mirador in NH. Boyfriend even took his life in his hands and had some of the ice cream, couldn't resist - it was that good! Overall, as Boyfriend put it - this is absolutely a hidden gem type of spot - service was spectacular, food was delicious and we would totally return! (**Seated next to us were two young women on an obvious first date - girl #1 showed up, then girl #2 showed up a few minutes later with a big bouquet of flowers... what a nice touch! We just wanted to put it out in the universe - we hope you guys make it, you were super cute :)**)

    L' Roca was good. Food was tasty. Atmosphere is very nice. Service was a little slow at times. I…read morewasn't in a rush, but arrived hungry at lunchtime on a Saturday. I was warmly greeted, seated, and given a menu and then it took some time, well after I was ready, to be visited to place my order. No biggie, but I was ready and it wasn't busy, with guests at 1 other table. When I finished my meal, I waited again. Not a huge problem but a lot of side work was being done vs providing service. I let server know I was all set and he acknowledged then continued to make drinks for kitchen staff. I had ordered lemonade but after checking, it looked like they were out, so he offered the juice (without explaining). Food was very tasty. Lunch was $37 before tip, for 3 tacos meal, 3 empanadas app, and the fruit drink.

    Photos
    L'Roca
    L'Roca
    Pepper Steak

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    Pepper Steak
    The Argus Hotel

    The Argus Hotel

    4.1
    (8 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    This is a review of only the cocktail lounge. Friends from out of town were staying in the…read morecarriage house behind the hotel and we agreed to gather in the lounge for a drink or two. The building itself is impressive, although maybe not quite as impressive as the castle-looking building next door. Our party of seven settled in at the bar as there otherwise did not seem to be a large enough table for all of us to gather around in either the main lounge area or a small room off to the side. The dark wood paneled walls, large fireplace, assortment of easy chairs, couches, and high desktop table gave off a feeling of warmth and welcoming. The friendly bartender introduced herself (sorry I've forgotten her name) and informed us that spirit-wise, the bar was capable of preparing the standard, traditional drinks like Manhattans, martinis, etc. All beers were poured from cans, and at my request, she recited the names of about six that were available. I don't believe anyone in our party inquired about the wines that were available. The building simply calls out for an explanation of its history. Upon our request, the bartender offered to provide either the "brief" or "full" option. We requested the full history. She was obviously well up to the task. You would be amazed at the variety of things you could learn here. Just to touch on a few key topics that were mentioned, consider Alexander Hamilton's wife, puffed rice, Bab-o cleanser (cue up the jingle), Bishop Gibbons, and an orthopedic surgeon. I don't know what the normal food arrangements are in the Lounge. I'm guessing that our out-of-town hosts requested some snacks for us as a few bowls appeared with mixed nuts, crackers and cheese, fresh grapes, humus, and warm pretzel/croissant rolls, and a plate of prosciutto wrapped cream cheese. Overall, the atmosphere here is simply friendly and inviting. I think it will become an occasional gathering place for our local friends when looking for a place that is quiet and relaxing.

    A beautiful boutique hotel it just had its grand reopening last week! It's absolutely gorgeous…read more If not for attending an event here last evening I would have missed this slice of architectural heaven! The owners have renovated it with great care. The rooms are furnished with just the right amount of furniture allowing the room to feel light and airy. Each room is designed with the right amount of seating for flow and multiple conversation points without anyone feeling crowded or being interrupted by another conversation. Although the rooms have dark paneling the large windows and French doors allow for an abundance of light. The backyard is lovely and flows into Washington Park! Imagine having a whole park as your backyard!! I would love to come back for a stay!

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    Warm & inviting cocktail lounge.
    Warm & inviting cocktail lounge.
    Rusty old TP holder
    Rusty old TP holder
    Expired fire extinguisher

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    Expired fire extinguisher
    Wellington's

    Wellington's

    3.5
    (143 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Great food, the chef was warm and personable, Natasha is an incredibly efficient and friendly…read morebreakfast server, and Steven behind the bar makes incredible cocktails! Ambience is modern luxury, Highly Recommend

    This is a very nice space, definitely a pleasant place to hang out. There's a large bar and open…read morespace seating, essentially within the bar. Menus are exclusively online. There was a "Notini" on the bar menu which I attempted to order and was told that despite it being on the menu, they don't have it. Likewise an Athletic NA beer I tried to order. They do have Heineken 0 which I consider worthless (doesn't taste anything like Heineken, or much of anything at all). I gave in and had a very nice Pinot Noir. My husband had an excellent Jack August bourbon (straight). We shared with our friends pork sticky buns and lobster mac and cheese. Actually, these were quite good The dinner entree menu is quite limited. Two of us had the salmon with quinoa. It was pretty good, though a bit dry and less tasty than described. Our other friend had a burger which he seemed to be satisfied with. My husband ordered steak, which was cooked perfectly but was frankly a lousy piece of meat. It was thin, dry, and chewy. Overall, we're unlikely to return for dinner, though it's a nice place for drinks and appetizers.

    Photos
    The dining room from my seat with the bar behind the counter partition.
    The dining room from my seat with the bar behind the counter partition.
    B.Y.O. Egg Sandwich is served with iced coffee.
    B.Y.O. Egg Sandwich is served with iced coffee.
    Extra dirty gin martini.

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    Extra dirty gin martini.

    Ama Cocina - mexican - Updated July 2026

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