I've had this place bookmarked for awhile and finally decided to give it a try. One of the reasons I kept putting it off was because I thought the menu didn't look much different from the typical pub fare in the area. But after eating there I found they have curated their own unique versions of the classics. We started with an order of 3's company wings which was a mixture of buffalo, garlic parm, and lemon pepper sauces. The sauce was pretty good but I like my wings crispy and these were not. For dinner I got the Backstage burger and upgraded to poutine fries. Now I'm not the biggest fan of a traditional poutine but I wanted to try it anyway because it looked good. The burger was cooked perfectly and the beef they use is very good. The poutine fries were enormous and apparently only half the size of a full order. If you like poutine you'll probably be into them but I thought the gravy was a little thick and not that flavorful and the cheese curds didn't melt as much as I would have liked. The real sleeper hit though was the Mac & Cheese. I wasn't expecting anything special and was pleasantly surprised. Definitely would come back for that. When we showed up it wasn't too busy but they were full by the time we left and I got the feeling that reservations are preferred. read more

Backstage Pub - Backstage burger with poutine fries - A burger with a bun, beef patty, and cheese is placed on a slate serving board, accompanied by a bowl of poutine fries topped with gravy. - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

I've had many friends tell me how much they love backstage pub so of course I needed to make a point to try it myself. My husband and I stopped in on Black Friday. The bar was full but there were some open tables. The bartender was quick is welcoming us and another server was fast to come to the table and get drink orders. Here is what we ordered: All American Thigh: fried chicken thigh, American cheese, bacon, hot pickles, honey mustard on brioche Backstage Burger: bacon jam and BSP sauce. Farm fresh from highland hollow, Schoharie, NY Chicken Wings w spicy caramel bacon bourbon sauce Espresso Martini Pork Belly Brussel Sprouts: shaved brussel sprouts sautéed with pork belly, garlic, strawberries, walnuts with maple sriracha drizzle. Only things that were a little miss was the chicken wings while a good size could have been crispier for my preference and the chicken for my sandwich could have been seasoned more. I would definitely go back though, my husband loved his burger and was very impressed with their bourbon selection. I also loved the sauce we got on the chicken wings, it was sweet with a little heat. read more

See all

They have made some great changes over the years! I really only stop in here during the wing walk or the soup stroll, but I made a reservation on a show night to check out the new menus. I have seen a lot of rave reviews lately so I wanted to try it. We started with drinks, we ordered from their exciting cocktail menu and wow! I loved the drinks. I even got a show with the smoked old fashioned. They have a great tap list, but their new focus on cocktails was amazing. We had to try the pork belly bites! I love a fatty and succulent piece of pork belly. The bites were really good, one piece I had was perfect, but the rest were pretty chewy and the meat was dried out. Still a good dish but could be better executed. For our meals, we ordered the American chicken sandwich and the chopped cheese. We split the sandwiches to get a taste of both. I enjoyed both the sandwiches, and the sides were good too. The chicken sandwich was a thigh piece, which was perfect. Thighs are so much better. The chopped cheese was big and messy but totally delish. Overall I would definitely come back depending on what I am craving, great pub grub and excellent cocktails. read more

See all

The party booked there. It said wheelchair accessible, but it wasn't!! It was snowing, so I gave up trying to get in with help. Also didn't know there were so many upstairs and no elevator I cannot comment on food and drinks as I couldn't get in for the party. read more

It's small inside (but awesome), so thankfully we made a reservation for a Proctors show night. We were greeted immediately and seated quickly. The entire staff made sure we had what we needed throughout the night, checking in often. They have a nice draft beer variety including local breweries. We also tried a speciality cocktail with gin and pineapple that was perfectly balanced. For food we did the special deviled eggs which were horseradish and bacon, pork belly bites, tuna appetizer and burger. Everything was awesome, not a bad bite, everything was fresh and delicious. We really enjoyed our experience here and already planning the next trip. read more

See all

So I've lived in Schenectady my whole life and there are some real gems in that crappy city. And this has become one of them. It used to be a smoky little bar with a bunch of old people. It has changed into a younger man's crowd with trendy food and an enormous amount of liquor, really good liquor. We had some great drinks made with care from the young bartender and he was super friendly too. We had a chicken sandwich was was really good too. I think the owner was there talking about bourbon and showing a guy around. We all sampled some varieties and it was a fun time. You gotta go here! read more

Crowded inside this tiny ass Schenectady bar. It was only open a few minutes and all the seats were already taken. Backstage Pub has a tough hipster vibe if that can describe it. Lots of local beers on tap and strong cocktails. The food menu includes burgers, fries, and the typical bar stuff. After only being open not even an hour, the place was packed already. It doesn't take much to get a crowd. The inside is pretty small and has its share of regulars. Luckily there was room for one more at the bar. The service took awhile but it was understandable. It's about $8 for a basic cocktail. Things like Jameson and whatever. Meaty food menu. They have burgers and wings. It's about $5 for fries. They also happen to have salads if wanting to eat healthier. Good place if wanting to hang out at a bar. It's certainly not the best, but not the worst either. There's cheap beers and cocktails, and some greasy food like wings and things. read more

Backstage Pub - Jameson And Fries - French fries with ketchup in a white bowl and a glass of soda with ice on a wooden bar counter. - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

This place was recommended to my brother by another fellow yelp elite member during an event, a great suggestion for sure, grateful for the yelp community. From the outside it looks like a casual regular pub. What's interesting is, on the inside the first floor seems like a casual pub but upstairs has a nice bar as well with a more upscale seating and arrangement. The food is great. Don't forget to ask for their specials it's on boards as well to look at. I also think they host events , I could be wrong. The day we made a reservation they mentioned something like that. The food , is great all the sandwiches we tried had different flavors, and good in its own way. Pork belly brussel sprouts was really good as well. I personally like the Thai thigh chicken sandwich and backstage hot. Even the shlobster roll was good. Had a good portion of shrimp. The wings were also well cooked and have interesting flavors, id recommended trying the spicy caramel bacon bourbon. read more

See all

We made reservations for six since it is a small place to eat and get a table and were greeted right away with smiling friendly server. Menu is more Interesting pub food menu and my husband said best chicken sandwich ever. Great cocktails as well . Food comes out in timely manner . Only wish they had salads on the menu -- nothing lean and green on the menu. read more

Backstage Pub - Wicked chicken sandwich and tots - A chicken sandwich with fried chicken, coleslaw, and pickles on a bun, accompanied by a side of tater tots and ketchup. - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

The service was exceptional and the food matched the service. The pub was comfortable and very welcoming. We had a great experience! read more

Everything my group tried here was AMAZING!! The Mac n cheese, the tacos, the chopped cheese, the smoked tri tip, all AMAZING!! The bartender was able to make even all our weird drink requests and was so friendly!! Will definitely be back!! read more

Great margaritas and food! Had the brisket tacos and they were delicious! Quick and great service, too. Highly recommend.

Backstage is a great place, I've had drinks here many times but today was the first time I had the food and it was delicious. We ended up at The Library which is their more upscale bar, it is the same food. I don't drink bourbon but they had a great selection, according to my husband. He got a bourbon based cocktail off their specialty cocktail menu and he said it was delicious. We have a friend who swears that they make one of the best old fashioned ever. I had the bartender make me something, he made me a berry margarita which was delicious. He muddled the berries together. The food was fantastic and a big portion. Such a neat looking bar as well. read more

Backstage Pub - Chopped burger with a side of poutine - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

Backstage is located right behind Proctor's Theater and OrthoNY. This week, I had quickly fallen in love with this place. Although many say space often comes at a premium at Backstage, I was lucky enough three nights this week to walk right up to the bar, grab a seat, and order a brew and dinner. Thursday I had dinner and a brew. Friday, just a brew. Saturday, I had a reservation for 6 so my family could experience all the offerings. The atmosphere is certainly friendly and happy with both locals and aspiring locals. Ashley, Jake, and Amy(?) were our bartender/servers who took great care in all their work. Attentive to everyone at the bar or tables! Terry, the chef and owner, made his rounds through out each night to personally check on his patrons and their meals. Fraternizing with his regulars and not once without a smile and a handshake. He even checked on his staff to be sure they had all they needed. Epic! Thursday, I ordered the Backstage Hot Fried chicken sandwich. It came out perfectly cooked and the bun nicely toasted. The pickles added excellent flavor, the slaw was nicely seasoned and piled on with just the right amount. BUT-- I was so excited about the sandwich I forgot to take a picture. So... Saturday, I ordered it again and it was completely worth it. My wife ordered the Backstage Burger. She asked for it medium and as you can see -- it was perfectly cooked. The flavor of flame broil just wafting around. A simple yet so refined, pub burger! It was awesome. My father, had the Philly Cheese Steak. It came out in a near traditional Philadelphia style which didn't let down. Needless to say, every dish that passed me by left me saying either out loud or in my head "oooo... what's that? I want it!" Terry knows what he's doing. Finally, I said to one of the bartenders "the staff seems pretty happy". His response was a quick and uncomplicated, "definitely! Terry is an awesome boss!" Only one minor gripe... as much as I love the presentation of the food on slate, the slate added a bit of complication to my brains ability to comprehend not having a rim on my plate. For that I give a 4.9998/5! We'll be back! read more

Backstage Pub - Backstage Hot Chicken Sandwich with Fries - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

wonderful environment, dark corners but nice energy. i had their thai spicy chicken sandwich (without pickles) soooo yummy and juicy. its also nice that its right behind proctors and open pretty late incase you see a late show there! definitely coming back read more

If you visit on a Proctor's show night be prepared to wait for a table or sit at the bar. The restaurant is very busy. I ordered the nightly special braised beef with roasted potatoes brown gravy crispy onion straws and pepper demi glace. The dish was very comforting and the gravy flavorful. The bartender asked how I was enjoying my meal. I offered one suggestion, more demi glace, the dish was missing the pepper flare. One six ounce pour of white wine was a very reasonable $8. My friend order Hamm's beer because Back Stage is the largest purveyor of Hamm's in the US, at least according to the signage.The service and food was excellent and we enjoyed a nice dinner. read more

Backstage Pub - braised beef potatoes and gravy - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

What a little corner pub with great food drink and service! The grilled cheese with beef brisket and bbq deviled eggs were spot on! Let alone great beers on tap, Wednesday whiskey night, Ashley and other servers never let the glass get empty and if your up for some drama, Proctor's theater waits across the street! Enjoy! read more

Backstage Pub - Fiddlehead IPA and smoked brisket grilled cheese! - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

Excellent beer selection. Not your average pub food. My go-tos are their chopped cheese, philly cheese-steak, tacos. read more

The food was yummy and they have a good whisky selection to enjoy. The service was friendly and kind. It can get packed but that is good for them and after a couple drams with friends its a great place to hang out. read more

My first visit to the Backstage Pub was last night. I needed a place that was as close to Proctors as possible since we had someone in our group that can't walk too far (and it was rather cold outside). The interior is rather cozy, but we learned that there's seating upstairs as well (since there were only 4 or 5 tables available on the other side of the bar area). Our group of 4 was promptly greeted and seated. For appetizers, we shared the stuffed jalapeños and the poutine. They were out of fried pickles along with the regular "Tuesday Special" (tacos - they were wiped out by the cast/crew/earlier audience of folks from Proctors). Poutine was great: lots of gravy with just the right amount of cheese curds and solid fries as the base. Jalapeños were delicious; not too spicy with a nice creaminess. Main dishes ordered were burgers, fried chicken sandwich and salad (with added grilled chicken). Everything was served hot and fresh. Rave reviews on the burgers - cooked perfectly and served with a terrific pile of french fries. The fried (grilled is an option) chicken sandwich was reported back as "huge" and "great". My salad was just right and the moist, grilled chicken was seasoned well. It was a little chilly in the dining area and the decor is pretty bare bones. But....the service was friendly and as efficient as they could be since the bar was very busy. If you're a man, there might be a beard requirement. No kidding...I only saw one dude without a beard (and most of the female patrons didn't have facial hair...I don't think...). Last comment: The menu is very small and somewhat limited but the quality of everything was solid. I'd definitely go back again. read more

Backstage Pub - Menu - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

DO NOT USE YOUR CREDIT CARD HERE. I asked for the bill after we finished our meal. We were not shown the bill as their system is a handheld electronic machine, so we were not told the total or allowed to see an itemized bill. The server ended up charging our card for someone else's meal. Then when she realized she did that after the fact, she charged our food on our friends credit card without permission. When we to the restaurant a few days later, we were told "maybe they can just Venmo you." I was shocked to hear this...it's the restaurants fault and they didn't even have an apology about what happened. And to top it all off, the server made this mistake and they expected us to figure it all out even though it was their fault. On a lighter note, the food was very good which is why I was so upset this happened. If you go, make sure you pay with CASH! read more

Do you like Poutine??? Then I've got a recommendation for you!! Backstage Pub has hand cut fries and delicious gravy that accompanied with melted cheese curds create the best poutine imo. Friday's they offer a fish fry with hand bread fish that is excellent. Their craft cocktails and beer selection are on point. I recommend the jalapeño margarita. read more

See all

The menu here is fabulous. You always have new and exciting options on the blackboard menu. The service is impeccable with great attention to detail. And the cocktails...Yum! read more

Backstage Pub - Mexican Street Corn. - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

On April 30th we visited the backstage pub, we were greeted by very friendly faces. Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. We started with the poutine app that was absolutely delicious, for entrees we ordered the hot mess burger and backstage hot. Both were cooked to perfection and looked amazing. The portions were large which is perfect for our appetites. The service was also wonderful and will definitely be going back for more! -Bobby and Olivia read more

Backstage Pub - Backstage hot - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

A great little, local place in Schenectady! Great vibe and friendly service. I had the Backstage Burger and it was awesome! It's a big burger with lots of flavor and was perfectly cooked. Definitely will be back to this great little pub! read more

Backstage Pub - The Backstage Burger - excellent! - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Made it back for a second visit under new ownership with the intention of trying out their burger ($14) because a little bird told me they were fantastic..The little bird didn't lie. If burgers are your thing, run, don't walk, seriously run over there and try one for yourself. The burger is served on a delicious bun, might have been a potato bun, but nonetheless it was soft, fresh, and held the burger together perfectly. The burger was juicy, cooked perfectly, and complimented really well by the bacon jam and BSP special sauce. It was an 8oz burger which to me is the perfect size, and the ratio of bun to burger was spot on and the toppings were marvelous. As I mentioned in my first review -- the french fries are EXCELLENT and you would be remiss not to get them as your side. Finding a new favorite place for burgers most definitely brings this review to a 5-star rating, but the cherry on top is that I discovered their bartender/owner is a true mixologist and put together one of the best manhattan's I've had in a while. Instead of using a typical vermouth he recommended a substitute using Amaro Montenegro, an Italian vermouth that is a bit more dark and bitter but gave the manhattan such a complex depth of flavor that I hadn't tasted before. Schenectady is truly a city of many unique places, excited to throw this into the rotation & look forward to seeing whats to come. read more

Backstage Pub - BSP Burger - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

The new owner rocks. Small menu but solid choices; the mango wings will rip the inside of your mouth apart so make sure to balance them with the garlic parm. Good beer selection including at least one craft beer at $3 (know as "kick the leg"). A solid bar in Schenectady which can be hard to find. read more

See all

Closed and they are participants of the wing walk???? This made me super upset!!! We were really looking forward to this flavor of wings!! No bueno Backstage Pub read more

Really love this spot much more than i was first expecting. The Wednesday night trivia with Casey is super fun, I only wish it started a little earlier (currently 8:30.) We will be back on Wednesdays we want to stay or later than normal though, because this place is worth the rough Thursday morning. The current $3 draft special on Wednesdays also makes a visit a good idea! They run different food and beverage specials every night of the week, and often host various breweries for promo nights. Also - lots of room upstairs and a dart board, too. The food has gotten good reviews from my companions, but I've yet to eat more than a carrot. Next time bar food will be ordered for sure. Who's in? read more

Having been a big fan in the past of the Back Stage Pub for a pre show meal. To say I was disappointed with my recent visit is an understatement. They had been closed my last couple trips to Proctors, and was excited to see they were reopen with new ownership recently. Its close proximity always made it a favorite. The new limited menu was very small. Dinner choices included a salad, burger, BLT, or chicken sandwich. I assumed few items would be done well, another disappoint. I opted for the burger. With a non red meat eater at home, I enjoy a good burger or steak when I am out. The fries were hot and a good fry. I ordered medium and found outside over done, inside not cooked and roll charred as seen in the picture. Not enough time with a show to request a change so tried eating around the outside edge of the burger. It was topped with a BSP sauce, not sure how to define it but as best as I can figure it was intended to hide the bad burger. Might have been able to excuse if busy, bar was with Happy Hour 4-6 nightly but we were only dinner table at 6:15. That said, my dinner companion ordered a salad with grilled chicken. That looked delicious, fresh greens and she reported the dressing was tasty! read more

A nice little gem of a place... definitely has that "I could get comfortable here" kind of feeling ... service is great and with a smile. The tap list is on UNTAPPED. What's not to like? Music is great, their bar is well stocked and the food is quite good and inventive! read more

Backstage Pub - Very Tasty Wings. That perfect size that gets crisp and juicy at the same time... With a$2 Hamm's. Can't beat it! - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Love this place. Clean, great menu, delicious food. Great place to kick back and relax and enjoy a great meal.

solid... just always great food and the whiskey bar upstairs is pretty neat! Would always come here for a pre-drinking meal with my friends. Staff is always friendly and the old-timey but modern vibe made this a go-to. read more

We were there on a Saturday night. Bartenders are the best I have seen. Food is outstanding.

The Backstage Pub is the kind of bar I wish was located on my block. It was across from the street from my hotel and so it was laziness and desire to avoid the frozen tundra that led me here. But when I walked in, I found a delightfully warm and cozy bar with a wide assortment of good local beers, as well as a good variety of whiskey and booze. The bartender, Emily, was fun and friendly and made me feel super welcome. Just from sitting there, it's obvious that this is an industry bar where people who work at other restaurants and bars come to drink and eat. To me, this is incredibly high praise for not only the food but the type of place this is. The owner, who is also the chef, was incredibly friendly and the TVs were showing Christmas Vacation so you really can't go wrong. For food, I had the deviled eggs, which change daily and these were Curry Sriracha, having just lost out on Buffalo Bleu which sold out the order before. I also got the BLT, which was delicious with coleslaw (thanks for the assist, Emily). The vibes here were great and I would even stay at the lousy Hampton Inn again just to be a block away from this gem. Whatever you're doing, Backstage, keep it up. read more

Welcoming Attitude of Staff! Able To Customize to Whatever you wish to Eat! Quality of Food IS Excellent! If you visit Schenectady, you should visit this Wonderful Cafe & Pub! Great For ALL Ages! read more

We were staying in the Hampton Inn on state street and this pub was right behind the hotel. We had it recommended to us from visitors past but the reviews didn't look great but saw it was under new management and had a few very positive ones as of late so we gave it a try. So glad we did because it was excellent!! Our bartender, who's name I'm sorry I have forgotten, was extremely helpful with suggestions on beers and food. It was extremely refreshing to see a beer selection that wasn't almost all IPAs, there was an excellent selection of beers on tap and the first flight I had in a long time where I liked all of them! The appetizer special that night was buffalo deviled eggs, had never heard of such a thing! I'm not a deviled egg person but my husband got them and said they were really good. The presentation of them was very nice as will. I got the bacon-potato roses drizzled with housemate chipotle aioli and they were phenomenal!! The bacon is cut in house and I usually don't care for a thick cut but it was cooked perfectly. The menu is small but had many items i really wanted to try. I mentioned my son seeing the old menu on line and the 'deep fried grilled cheese' which he asked to bring back to the room for him. The bartender who also worked for the previous owners said 'in all honesty, that was kind of disgusting' lol and the one that they made now, which was not on the menu, was really great. I think it was sourdough bread (but don't quote me!) with Swiss, cheddar, fresh tomato, house cut bacon and again the chipotle aioli, served with fries (which I asked for more of the aioli for because it's that damn good). This was so freakin' fantastic and I'm SO glad I mentioned grilled cheese! And I suggest they do put it on the menu for all to see and enjoy! My husband got one as well minus the aioli but did get regular mayo and a side of thee house made blue cheese for his fries and that blue cheese was delicious!!! I know there are other good spots in the area but it's going to be tough to not want to keep going back here on every visit to see our son at Union! I hope anyone who may have been turned off by this place in the past give it another go because the kitchen is doing some really tasty things! read more

See all

Good spot. Tight bar/ eating area but They have an upstairs. Very friendly, attentive service. Good beer selection, wings & starters plus burgers, pasta & specials. Awesome wings! read more

Backstage Pub - The bar - Burgers Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Ordered the (almost) only vegetarian thing on the menu, the Greek Salad. It was totally inedible. Every ingredient was absolutely terrible: Rock hard, strangely colored tomatoes, olives were similar. The vinaigrette almost made me vomit. I hope the burgers are better? read more

This place is beyond great. The food they put out is top notch. You may go in expecting "pub" fare but you really get some gourmet cooking and very well thought out offerings. Everyone there is very friendly and the crowd is always lively and welcoming. Love coming here when we're up in Schenectady. read more