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    Cafe Capriccio

    4.0 (263 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Cafe Capriccio Photos

    Business Info

    CAFE CAPRICCIO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Capriccio

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    Nicole D.

    I arrived early for the reservation and enjoyed a perfect Cosmopolitan at the bar. The bartender was great at convo and welcoming. The three of us dined on the patio. The server brought complimentary bread balsamic olive oil , bread was crusty and hot. I loved my tagliatelle with sausage. My friend ordered a roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies. Other friend a pasta with shrimp dish. The only dish we didn't love was the shrimp dish. The shrimp had no flavor and there was too much broth in the bowl that had no structure. The one pasta dish didn't ruin the experience in any regard and we will be back .

    Steak Pasta
    Denise C.

    I walked into this old world style restaurant with a reservation for dinner and was not disappointed. I was shown to my table and the cozy warm vibe here is really nice. The staff was friendly and attentive without constantly having to check in on my table. It's always a bonus when they are able to anticipate your needs even before you are having to look up and find them. Now onto the discussion about my dinner! I can't say enough about how the pace that everything was being served was spot on. Not too slow but just right and you didn't feel like you were either waiting for a long time or rushed for that matter. We started with glasses of Chianti cause after all I am readying myself for quite the Italian meal! The bread came out with the cured meat antipasti that we ordered and oh my! It had cured meats obviously from the name of it and cheeses, and marinated vegetables what a start! For mains we had steak pasta, veal osso buco, flatiron steak and last but not least shrimp pasta. All I can say is wow, everything was cooked to perfection and our table was quiet. We are talkers so this was a rare moment haha. I can't say enough about the food, service and ambiance. All was just so so wonderful and the meal was fantastic. Lastly we had the tiramisu as if we weren't full enough but who can resist a goodie? If you're wanting a wonderful dining out experience, look no further as this establishment does Italian food right! You will walk out full and with a big smile.

    Amaretto chocolate chip cheese cake
    Tony C.

    Maybe my fav restaurant in Albany. Makes you feel like you are in Goodfellas when you are in there. Seems small but there is plenty of seating in multiple rooms. Make reservations! I got the "sorrento" chicken which had a layer of eggplant smothered in cheese and sauce. What a winner. The veggies on the side were cooked perfect too. Had to get rage cakes cheesecake for dessert. It was eggnog tonight, for the holidays. Wasn't my fav tasting notes but the cheesecake quality was top notch. Highly recommend.

    Fiona H.

    My boyfriend and I came for a special holiday date. 10/10!! Both the service and the food were top notch. We ordered meatballs as an appetizer, and the stuffing in my boyfriend's chicken was perfection. They also have NA mocktails. My peach drink was fabulous and a NA menu is a thoughtful way for a restaurant to be inclusive. 10/10!!! Thank you for making our evening special.

    Bradley S.

    I hadn't been here in over 5-7 years and it's better than I remembered. We had a party of 4. Beverages: Amalfi gin dirty martini, pear spritz, cybernetic, peroni. Apps: Grilled octopus, eggplant w/ four cheeses. Dinner: Salmon special, amatriciana cream homemade pasta with sausage, chicken francese with risotto, pork chop. Dessert: Pistachio & lemon cake. This is an institution! The service is impeccable. All of the pasta is homemade. The tomato sauce is very very good. The drinks are mixed perfectly and there's a great selection of beers, wines, spirits, cocktails and mocktails. The cutlery is fun with each steak knife being a different color handle. The parking isn't the best but there is on-street parking and pay-to-park options: 2 closeby lots and 2 closeby garages. There are a few steps to walk down to enter so I'm not sure about motorized wheelchair accessibility. I'm definitely adding this place back into the rotation and you should too!

    Kalpana D.

    This place was very warm and welcoming. We went here for date night. The Beet Salad is the best I have ever tested. Stuff shrimp appetizer is a must order. The pasta was undercooked. Fish was fresh and delicious. The ambiance was dimly lit and very romantic. We also order the pistachio cake. Not very sweet and very delicious. Staff was friendly.

    Amanda R.

    One of my favorite date night spots in my neighborhood. Delicious, freshly made authentic Italian food, with plenty of vegetarian options. The pasta here is hard to beat, but their menu is full of options. Cocktails are well thought out and well made. We love finishing our meal with dessert and a cappuccino. If you're looking for a traditional white table cloth Italian place, Cafe Capriccio should be at the top of your list.

    Empty table #2

    Manager Carli's Hostile Behavior Ruined Our Graduation Celebration We came to celebrate my wife's graduation--a special dinner with her parents, my brother, and his baby. Shortly after sitting down, we got word that my brother and his son couldn't make it due to illness. We let our server know immediately, and she kindly said the restaurant typically charges $20 per person for no-shows but wouldn't count the baby. She offered to check if we could order their meal to avoid the fee. That's when everything changed. The manager, Carli, came over and was instantly combative--raising her voice and insisting we owed $50, including a charge for the baby who wouldn't have eaten. She embarrassed us in the middle of the dining room, speaking loudly and aggressively while nearby diners stared. It wasn't about the money--we were happy to follow the policy--but the way she handled it was completely unprofessional. When we asked her to charge the fee to my father-in-law's card (he was treating my wife for her graduation), insisted on keeping it on my wife's. Then, to prove a point, she returned to the table once more, loudly reiterating herself and making sure we all knew who was in charge. There were several empty tables the entire time, despite the claim that they were fully booked back-to-back. We later learned that Carli is part of the ownership, which unfortunately tracks. After checking Yelp, we saw multiple other reviews describing similar interactions--guests surprised by her tone, publicly embarrassed, and then met with defensive or dismissive responses from Carli herself. It appears this is not a one-off incident but part of a broader pattern. When we left, Carli gave a sarcastic "congratulations" to my wife--her final dig. A special occasion turned sour over a $50 dispute that could have been handled with dignity and tact.

    Pork Chop, mashed potatoes and fresh green beans

    During our vacation stop in Albany we had another 2 absolutely incredible dinners at the iconic Cafe Capriccio! The first night I started with the green salad and I'm always amazed at how fresh the greens are and the tomatoes are always so juicy! For my entree I had the pork chop, so tender and flavorful with herbs and the sauce on top. The mashed potatoes and fresh green beans were so good! The 2nd night my wife and I enjoyed the best lamb-shanks you'll ever taste, along with more fresh greens, and fresh pasta and sauce! So delicious every time we visit!! And the service from the staff was also excellent! No surprise that Cafe Capriccio has been serving happy customers for 43 years! Wow!

    Other reviews
    Tammy F.

    Customer service is HORRIBLE. The manager is a hateful person who will actually call you if you don't leave a tip. Please see one star reviews on Google for details. Additionally the Italian food is FAR from great. I think people who have never went anywhere outside of Albany think it's great

    Risotto with jumbo shrimp
    Tracy C.

    Food, service, and ambiance were top notch! Our table shared a caprese salad and eggplant with four cheeses, which were both amazing. My entree of risotto with jumbo shrimp followed by blood orange sorbet was a perfect meal. Highly recommend!

    Lo, the Aperol Spritz

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    I won't bother with a long review. The food is average at best. The service is awful. End of story.

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    10 months ago

    Food and service were great as always! We were celebrating daughters engagement and the staff made and it even more special

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    Business owner information

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    Carli M.

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    1 year ago

    Food/service/atmosphere all excellent...will return 1000% when I'm back in the area. Highly recommend

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    1 year ago

    Sophia was an excellent server! Everything tasted great and the atmosphere was top tier!

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    Fruitti di Mare.
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    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.
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    Extra dirty gin martini.
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    Wine barrel
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