We came here a day early to celebrate Mother's Day, and I made reservations for 4PM on Saturday when they opened. It is a good thing I did, as there was quite a long line (30 or so people) waiting to get in when we arrived. We were seated quickly and had our food ordered within about 10 minutes. The interior has an old-school look and charm to it, and it was quite nice though a bit dark. Thankfully, there wasn't loud music blaring at all. Lots of tables were crammed together but, perhaps because they weren't to full capacity while we were there, it didn't feel cramped. I ordered steak au poivre, and my wife had the prime rib. Both were prepared well and I really loved my steak. I chose rice pilaf as my side and it was decent enough but didn't taste like much beyond rice and tiny red bell peppers scattered throughout. My wife had a baked potato. Our food came out within about a half-hour, which seemed fair for such a busy time. It came with a salad bar which was good but not great. The usuals were there, though at the end were loaves of fresh made squishy bread and huge chunks of cheese. I think if you took the last two away it would have been a very average salad bar. But I enjoyed it for what it was. We each ordered dessert: I had the brownie sundae and my wife the turtle cheesecake. Mine was excellent, though it was hard to see the brownie included because they served it in a deep bowl covered with whipped cream. My wife's cheesecake looked great though it was a smallish piece on a place absolutely festooned with caramel and chocolate sauces. All desserts are priced the same, which is an interesting concept. All in all, we had a very nice meal. It wasn't cheap, but it was good. I wouldn't recommend coming here for a burger, or solely for their salad bar. But if you want a special preparation of beef then you will likely enjoy yourself. Just make reservations first! read more

Went there for Mother's Day with 9 people. The waiter started out good, but after awhile he would just walk by without checking in once in a while. The next issue we had two small children and almost a hour went by and we haven't received our food yet.i ask the waiter about it he came back with everyone's feed except for the kids meal and also had a attitude and after that someone else started coming around. The food came out cold and my dish was wrong. I ordered the Prime Rib and got a Strip Steak that was tough and grizzal and only part of it was edible. We have been there a few times in the past and it's satisfactory, but this was the worst and will never go back. read more

We went to The Barn Cider last night to celebrate a birthday, and unfortunately it was one of the worst dining experiences we've ever had. My mother-in-law and I both ordered the lobster casserole entrée. When the food arrived, both dishes were completely ice cold. We informed the waitress, who took the plates back to the kitchen. When they returned, the casserole itself was warmer, but it was obvious the medallions had been left on the plate while everything was reheated. The result was completely overcooked medallions that were tough and tasted like hockey pucks. What made the experience even worse was the lack of concern from the wait staff. There was no real apology, no effort to make things right, and overall it felt like nobody cared about the poor quality of the food or our experience. We were there celebrating a special occasion and left extremely disappointed. Based on our experience, I would not recommend this restaurant. read more

Easter dinner at the Barnsider. The place was packed. Grateful to our waitress Liz that made sure we were taken care of. Thank you to all who worked today. read more

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There were 9 of in for Easter Dinner and from the bar thru dinner in the dining room we are well taken care of. The staff was great and our food came out in a timely manner. The place was packed, but that did not affect the service at all. We will go back. read more

Barnsider - Med Rare T Bone - Steakhouses Near Me - Albany, New York

I go there every year for my anniversary since this was the site of my first date with my now husband more than 40 years ago. My only complaint would be the prices. They seemed to go up significantly since the last time I had been there. The food was good. Salad bar was fresh. Service was excellent. read more

A staple of the Albany restaurant scene. We made a reservation and they were very accommodating. The service was excellent. The only critique I have is I think the food could use an improvement. The sirloin is a little tough. The veggies seemed like they were from a steak bag. I love the old school feel of this place and the it a little upgrade of the food it could be excellent. read more

Very wonderful evening! Restaurant is divided into two sections-restaurant and bar dining. Easy drink orders of Guinness which matched the dinner orders so well. Our party of four ordered (2) Iowa Hawkeyes and the 24 oz Sirloin for Two -all ordered Medium rare. The Iowa Hawkeyes are steak slices on a half roll, seasoned with garlic butter. One order came with fries, the other well seasoned steamed vegetables. The Sirloin for Two came with two sides, so, of course we needed to check out the salad bar, and also opted for steamed vegetables.The salad bar was simple, though it did have a nice variety of toppings. It was kind of fun cutting up your own bread for your meal. Our entire meal was excellent. Dessert was Apple crisp with ice cream and the strawberry shortcake. Can't forget our waitress being very conscientious and efficient . Definitely returning! read more

Barnsider - 24 oz Sirloin for Two - Steakhouses Near Me - Albany, New York

We went to the Barnsider on a Monday evening.It was busy but got aeatedright away. Our server was excellent. Love the teamwork. We had steak and lobster casserole. It was outstanding. Food , service , price. Excellent. Over price local steakhouses take note. Barnsider still the best for your buck. Great job management and employees. Thank you read more

What Happened to the Barnsider? We were a party of 6, ordered drinks, salad bar, appetizers, and main courses. Drinks were good. Appetizers were good but served while we were eating our salad, and the entree's were served before half our party finished their salad, salad appetizers and entrees stacked up on the table - RIDICULOUS. 3 of 4 of the 10oz Filet Mignons ordered Medium Rare came out Seared Raw. Broccoli was mush. No refill empty water. $400 plus tip. WHAT A RUSH JOB! Wait Staff is Completely Oblivious to how to serve dinner. Never Again. read more

Just left..burnt tips were fatty and dry, fries cold, meat covered in sauce. Not the greatest and pricey.

Had the 10 oz. prime rib for dinner. Very disappointed as 1/3 of the meat was total fat. Therefore, my 10 oz. piece of "meat" was actually 6-7 oz. of edible meat --- cost me $38. I've been going there since the 1970's on occasion, but has gotten worse over the past few years and will never be eating there again. I'm a senior and thought I would treat my self -- what a bust (and my budget too)! read more

A great "old style" restaurant with super food. We ate at the bar since the dining room was packed. The baked cod with baked potato was piping hot and well seasoned. The cherry pepper chicken was delicious. Attentive service from Doug the bar tender. A definite local hit. read more

Barnsider - Baked cod with baked potato. - Steakhouses Near Me - Albany, New York

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The service the salad bar the professionalism of the staff the food was magnificent and well cooked and prepared what a wonderful place to go to I recommended very much read more

Want to love this place because it is a nice place to take a parent that maybe doesn't want to spend over a hundred bucks on steak but the service here can't keep up with how busy it is. The place is overall dirty and old. Part is charm part is cutting corners. Service is slow, meat is fine if cooked to correct temp but last time 4/5 of the our dishes were incorrectly cooked. The service also was very slow and some dishes were cold. That said they comped our drinks and I didn't even make a fuss, just sort of mentioned in passing. So that was nice. read more

My mom and me had dinner at the Barnsider on Thursday, July 31st to celebrate that my Dr. told me that there is new procedure to treat my venous stasis ulcer that is awaiting approval from the FDA soon. We have eaten there for birthdays, Mother's Day and on nights that we wanted a good meal. We never had a problem with our food or any complaints since the number of years that we discovered this "jewel" of a restaurant. My mom had the combination dinner of half haddock and half prime rib, which she ordered Medium Rare . I had my usual dinner of pork chops that were on special. We had salad and cheese. I ate one pork chop and my mom (77 years old) couldn't really eat her steak and thought it might have been her dentures. I paid $130 ; which isnt too surprising, given the 3 $$$ on websites. My mom ate her haddock on Friday and was full, so she left it in the fridge. I went out Friday, so I'd eat mine on Saturday also. My mom never warmed her steak in the microwave more than 1 or 1:30 minutes, because she always said that she wasn't cooking it over again, just warming it; especially a steak. Look at the pictures of the steak and tell me that this is a steak that you would eat. It was HARD!! Look at the fork marks in the picture. Neither of us could cut it!!! I called them today, instead of going in last night during dinner or showing up this afternoon with the steak in the Tupperware container and appear to cause a problem. As a Black man who is 5'10 and 226, even though I patron the store, I had second thoughts going there and seem menacing. So, I called and asked to speak with the manager, and as usual was asked the reason for my call. I told the woman that I was a customer on Thursday and wanted to speak with him. He was hostile and told me that he would never eat food from Saturday?!?!!! He said that he couldn't do anything because we took the steak home! She wasn't hungry for it at that time! He talked to me disrespectfully, said that he had to talk to the manager and when i asked for specifics about when he dismissed it. Against my better judgment, I told him that I could come in person to show it or send a picture. Because he was loud and out talking me. I was wrong to assume that assistant managers have some authority to negotiate with an unhappy customer, rather than making me an unsatisfied customer, who threatened to write this review, rather HE HANG UP ON ME IN MID SENTENCE. I did write this for drama or retaliation. This is all true. I'm sorry that I have to do this in order to gain their attention. Mom and I are going to miss going there. Cordell Boone read more

Nice old school steakhouse. Good selection of tasty steaks plus fish, chicken... They have a good old-fashioned salad bar with a selection of veggies, cheese and bread. Not impressed with the bar on my last visit. Arrived before my reservation and had to wait 10 minutes to order a drink while the bartender talked with friends and ignored other people. The other workers were efficient and pleasant. Overall, I like the vibe and food and would choose it as my go-to steakhouse. read more

This old school steakhouse gets some hate, but still delivers for good food, good service and good atmosphere. I haven't been to Barnsider in YEARS. I have been exploring my high standards, enjoying high end steakhouses and fine dining, but I can't be mad at a local institution still delivering the same menu and same standards they were famous for a decade or two ago. My dinner was good, great even, especially at the price tag. I will admit, I didn't order what I was tempted by based on the reviews. This is the only place in the area that offers Beef Wellington, but I did skip it based on hit or miss reviews. I decided to order the classic and I left completely happy with the Prime Rib. I ordered the 16oz prime rib entree, served with the full salad bar and a side. The salad bar is a huge draw here. It is consistently stocked with fresh ingredients and the base offering of fresh and crispy romaine made it better than expected. I loaded that salad plate full of fresh veggies, the chunkiest blue cheese I have ever seen, fresh bread and sharp cheese. The salad bar is a meal in itself, and it just means you can bring home some delicious leftovers when you can't finish your entree. I requested my prime rib "as rare as you have it" and it came out perfectly pink and tender. I made a great choice, the meat was super tender and hit that red meat craving I had. A large 16oz portion was served with a huge baked potato, au jus and sour cream. It was as expected, maybe even better than expected. I can admit I have high standards when I go to a steakhouse, but Barnsider is so affordable I can adjust my standards accordingly. At $40 for a full prime rib dinner with side and limitless salad bar, this was absolutely worth the price. Our bill for 4 people was $177, 4 full entrees with salad bar and sides, a carafe of wine, and other non alcoholic beverages. *It was my dads birthday so his meal was 50% off, so add $20 without his discount* Overall, super affordable and still feels like a celebratory meal. I wouldn't hesitate to return if invited. I had a great meal. read more

Barnsider - Prime rib - Steakhouses Near Me - Albany, New York

Last Saturday went there with a group of six very busy my boyfriend had beef Wellington. They asked several times how he wanted it cooked. He said I'll leave it up to you. They said medium rare was the way that they served it and he said fine. It came out very well Done he sent it back. They offered him prime rib did not want the prime rib. it came out again and it was absolutely raw I had shrimp scampi, and the shrimp were so small and the amount of pasta that you got we both ended up going someplace else for dinner. We were still hungry. very pricey. read more

Great time at the Barnsider! Old school vibes and delicious food! Salad bar complements delicious entrees and warm bread! Service was friendly! Drinks were tasty! read more

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Food is good...I enjoy their Beef Wellington. Solid desert selection. Salad bar is a plus but service is definitely timely. One of the better affordable spots in the capital region. read more

The food was mediocre. Cooked well but very underseasoned. My main complaint was not the food, though. It was the fact that the kitchen staff were usually cell phones while cooking and touching the phone AND food at the same time. This is completely unsanitary and gross. Waitstaff was in charge of sides and were sticking their bare hands on the garnishes and putting it on the plates with no gloves. Dirty dishes were on the garnish station. The lack of cleanliness in this restaurant was astounding. I won't return. read more

Barnsider - cook using cell phone while handling food. - Steakhouses Near Me - Albany, New York

Great place, reminds me of old time joints with my grandparents! Front desk staff were super friendly and helpful. The restaurant wasn't overly busy but we did wait sometime for water and drinks initially following that everything came out timely. Salad bar is simple but filling and the cheese is my favorite part. Yum, who does love a hunk of cheddar to gnaw on during dinner. Steaks/meat came out as offered and were hot and flavorful. Dessert was AMAZING! Didn't even have room for it but we made some and it was worth it. We've been here before and will continue to come as it was a great dining experience! read more

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Quiet steakhouse with all the traditional trimmings. Great selection of meats and excellent service. Top notch salad bar.

I was looking for a place in Latham or Colonie for prime rib for my partners birthday and a few people mentioned Barnsider so I gave it a chance. That will be the last time. It was three of us, we all ordered different things and it was all a disappointment. The restaurant was super busy as it was a Saturday night, so loud we couldn't hear each other speak. I'm actually hoarse from speaking so loud, though I drank 5 cups of water to hydrate my throat. Anyway - the included salad bar was pathetic, just lettuce and carrots, onions, cucumbers and a few other basics. I was surprised and disappointed by that. My partner ordered a 20 oz Prime Rib and potato, his son had a steak and pilaf and I had scampi and a potato. The steak was requested as raw as possible and was over cooked. The prime rib was 50% inedible waste. His son's steak was completely "meh" and nothing to write home about. And my scampi... basically I think it was shrimp baked with some herbs and tomato and olive oil. If there was butter or garlic in there I couldn't say. The shrimp was over cooked. Very good baked potato though! The service was a bit odd - three people came by to offer water four times but once we ordered the wait time was extremely long for the food. I had to flag someone down and asked after quite a while and it was as about ten minutes later that the food came. When all was said and done we decided to skip dessert rather than risk more money. Wouldn't you know, when we wanted to just pay and leave we had to ask someone after waiting and waiting to get our cards run. So yeah. It was kind of sad but without drinks, desserts or apps it was $114 plus tip for 3 people so I guess it could have been worse? read more

Currently sitting at my table waiting for food after an hour. The service sucks, the waiter is disinterested and absent. Incredibly disappointing. The appetizer received, bacon wrapped scallops, were cold. I just heard the table next to me receive an appetizer and ask "Is this supposed to be cold?" Save your money and your time. I wish I did. Update: we got our food. The medium rare steak was bloody and raw. The food is flavorless. Truly so expensive and such a bad experience. The manager came over and asked if she could do anything to help us. I said can you? She said she'd be back and never returned. I was respectful to all the waiters but it's ridiculous to pay over $100 for such a subpar meal. read more

Went on this Friday evening and had dinner in the bar. Excellent service by Lisa, very attentive and friendly. we both loved the Hawkeye. Chef Vince served up hot and tender beef on a delicious grilled roll with fries. Everything was great!!! Thank you read more

We had a private luncheon at the Barnsider for my father's celebration of life and could not speak more highly of the service, attention, and food. The private room was sunny & charming. Our server Brian was outstanding and very sensitive to the flow of our event. The food (we gave the choice of steak & shrimp, steak & scallops, salmon or chicken teriyaki) was delicious, and the dessert (choc mousse cake) was a yummy way to end the event. Cocktails were just right and hit the spot. Really an absolutely perfect experience. Thank you, Barnsider team! read more

Food was delicious, service was excellent, I think I remember the servers name was Kevin and the ambiance was very nice. I would definitely recommend to others, and will go there again when visiting the Albany area. It was a special evening of close cousins meeting there for dinner from Fl., Vt. and upstate NY. A wonderful experience! A memory made! read more

This was our choice for our anniversary because we know Steaks here are 5 Stars-- Quality beef which was cooked to perfection as ordered. Melt in your mouth tender. You pay for what you get. Service is 5 Stars. Overall rating is 4.5 stars. The Salad Bar was back which pleased my husband. He made and enjoyed a huge salad. Check out my photos. The "slice yourself cheddar" and fresh rolls appealed to me since salad is hard on my digestive tract. He ordered a Sirloin medium rare and a baked potato. "No complaints," he uttered. Great steak! I ordered Baked Scallops and Tenderloin Medallions medium rare with vegetable mix. Very good. However, the Veg mix was frozen variety with a few fresh green beans added. The glaze on meat tasted too intense/sharp for me so I brushed it off. It detracted from the flavor of the tenderloin which was very tender! The baking dish used to serve the scallops was chipped which bothered me. Toss it out. The desserts sounded very good, but we opted out. Team service was efficient and friendly. Water was refilled immediately. The server offered us a choice of tables which was appreciated. Parking is plentiful. There is a ramp for handicap access. Otherwise steps lead to entrance. read more

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I'm a Canadian visiting and this place is TO LIVE FOR. Thank you Emily, Chris and Team. Halibut to Live For. Everything!!! read more

We came here from The Desmond Hotel. It may have taken 10 minutes from door to door. Easy to get to and there is plenty pf parking. We walked in and were immediately greeted at the door and brought to our tables (we were a big group.) This is one large restaurant with plenty of seating which made it ideal for us. Most of the local people have been here before. The place was not noisy since it is so large with very high ceilings. We sat down and our waiter came right to say hello and take a drink order. After everything was in place, he took our meal order. I reviewed the menu in advance since I new I was coming here. I knew that they were famous for their scallops and I just happen to be a lover of scallops. After the orders were taken we all helped ourselves to a nice salad from the salad bar. I do not remember the last time I was at a salad bar like this but it was fun. Everything was fresh cold and tasty. Then the Scallops came. You could get the 6 or 8 oz. serving. I went with the six and it was an ample size portion. The scallops are baked in sherry butter and lightly topped with bread crumbs. These were very good! Skipped on dessert, we really enjoyed our dinner. KUDOS's to the team at the Barnsider. read more

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Recommended by hotel we were staying at. This place probably in the 80's or 90's may have been good but the food wasn't and the atmosphere was old and not dirty but bla....bread was ok. Salad bar was big but all iceberg lettuce swimming in water. Actually used napkins to dry it. Prices were high and quality was not. Never again. Go to Applebees or Chili's before coming here. Sad.... read more

My wife and I have been loyal customers of the Barnsider for many years. We chose to dine there for valentines day. We both ordered the 10 oz Prime rib I paired it with broiled scallops I ordered my prime rib rare my wife medium rear. We also chose a shrimp cocktail for an appetizer, The shrimp didn't seem up to their usual quality the texture and flavor seemed less than good..The server was wonderful. The salad bar was great as always. Things went downhill when my meal came. My prime rib looked raw and sounded flat. I asked our server to bring my rib back to be cooked more. When it came back I found it to be tasteless. Our server apologized for all of this and took my rib off the bill. The scallops were ok. I must say this was my worst experience at the Barnsider in many many years. Perhaps it was because it was a holiday which of it self should be no excuse. Respectfully, Alex B. Smuckler read more

great food, excellent and surprisingly friendly service. You don't get that often these days.

For a steak house, I thought my steak would melt in my mouth, instead it was a bit tough and over cooked so it lost its flavor. The service was good and the salad bar was good. I would give it another try. read more

This restaurant was crowded even early, and I'm not surprised. There is a small salad bar (and includes only salad fixings and bread rolls) but that's a nice addition to the meal while you wait for your main course. We split the sirloin for 2, and the plate comes out sizzling. It was perfectly cooked, crunchy on the outside and soft inside. Plenty for 2 people and very tasty. The veggies it came with were fine. I was intrigued by the fried ice cream, which we got with the caramel rum sauce with bananas and pecans. Perfection! Reminded me of a bananas foster, but a great combo of hot and cold in each bite and a pretty unique dessert for a good price. Service was great, food was great, steak pricey but worth it, and a long list of dessert options. I thought everything here was top-notch. read more

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Can't say much for this place other than the salad bar was decent. First time eating here since I've been in Albany, NY, and must say was disappointed. Had two work colleagues with me, and they agreed. We all ordered different steaks, and the consensus was the same; not tender at all. Thankfully, we had nice steak knifes as all of us were working our biceps to cut through the tough steaks. I didn't get why it was so crowded for a Monday night, and then realized it was the AARP crowd. Must have given them some serious discounts to chew through the tough meat, especially the denture crowd. read more

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A terrible experience here last night. Went to subpar salad bar after ordering. Waited an hour and a half and still no meal. We were told ours was coming next. Another 20 minutes and nothing. Our party of 4 got up passed the manager and told him we were leaving. Terrible service, terrible management and a ridiculous amount of time to wait. Been going here 30 plus years and now never again. Shameful. Don't patronize this restauran! read more

I want to preface this review by saying that this is the first negative review I've ever written about a restaurant. I mention this to emphasize that I'm not someone who typically complains, but my experience on January 4th, 2025, left me deeply frustrated and disappointed. The Barnsider has been a cherished family tradition for over 40 years. Ever since I was a little girl, it's been our go-to spot for special occasions. This evening, I hoped to continue that tradition by celebrating both my birthday and my 12-year-old daughter's birthday there. We were a party of eight, including an infant and a toddler, with reservations at 7:00 PM. Unfortunately, what should have been a joyful celebration turned into a stressful and upsetting experience, lasting until 9:30 PM due to painfully slow service. Our first waitress was polite but clearly new and overwhelmed. She didn't seem familiar with the menu or basic offerings, suggesting half-and-half cream as a drink option for the toddler in our party because she didn't realize milk was available. While she took our drink orders quickly, we waited an unreasonably long time for someone else to take our main order. Meanwhile, other tables seated after us had their orders taken and meals delivered before ours. By the time our order was placed, we had already waited a significant amount of time, and things only got worse. After another 40 minutes, the toddler in our group was understandably famished. We asked if their meal could be brought out ahead of the rest, but even that took over 35 minutes to arrive. When the rest of our meals finally came, the quality was disappointing. My steak was overcooked, and my daughter's steak was burnt on the outside yet undercooked inside. Given how long it had taken to get our food, sending it back wasn't an option--we were already on borrowed time with two young children nearing their limits. To make matters worse, the delays meant we couldn't even enjoy the birthday dessert we'd planned for, leaving my daughter visibly disappointed. After the meal, I shared our experience with the manager, hoping to provide constructive feedback for future improvement. Unfortunately, his response was dismissive and defensive. Rather than taking accountability, he blamed me for not bringing up the issues sooner. What he failed to understand was that we were just trying to get through the meal without further delays or meltdowns from the kids. There was no apology, no effort to make things right, and no acknowledgment of how much this ruined what should have been a special evening. I had intended to purchase a gift certificate that evening for my father's upcoming birthday, but after this experience, I cannot see myself supporting The Barnsider again. The evening left me not only upset about the poor service and lack of care but also heartbroken over the loss of a family tradition that has meant so much to me for decades. read more