Came home early today and stopped for lunch; generally I do not do either of these things. Had the chicken coconut soup -- very fresh, light, most excellent. Also, the best grilled cheese sandwich I have ever had. And I'm a catholic -- quite familiar will grilled cheese and tomato soup, especially this time of year. Had a complex cheese mix on toasted bread, with mushrooms too. Not soggy, not buttery. Fresh food, nothing greasy, well seasoned. Service (Nicole) was spectacular as well. Schodack and East Greenbush residents: Realistically speaking, this is all we have as far as finer restaurants in the immediate area and we should support it for this reason, even if it was a little less than stellar. But it IS stellar. Highly recommend. read more

Let's talk about the bread and butter...unreal. The bread was fresh and crusty (in a good way), but this is how good the butter is: I ate the whole plate. The server stopped at the table behind us and asked if they wanted more butter. The table said YES. I'm glad I wasn't asked if I wanted more because I, too, would have said YES which would make this the night I ate two plates of butter. In public. It's served close to room temp, blended with some salty kalamata olives. It's like tapenade butter. I don't even really care for olives but that butter was amazing. My entree was also tasty - linguine with shrimp. It had a white wine sauce with chopped heirloom tomatoes and carmelized onions. My husband had jerk marinated swordfish. We cleaned every plate. I loved the bitty rice krispie treats that came with the check! We're from out of town, but Chez Mike is on our way to family that we visit a few times a year...we'll be back! read more

I've been to Chez Mike for multiple work functions over the past couple years. Consistently, the food has always been delicious. The menu is always changing so it's great when you go and have a new menu to review. The reason for my two star review is pretty much based on the service. I've never had good service during any of my visits. We visited this past week with a large party for lunch. We had 20+ people so we called ahead and provided them with a list of all the guests meal choices to help them out instead of one big rush. We didn't all come together, but all arrived within 15 minutes of one another. Some people were offered drinks while the rest of us sat there without one. The waitress finally came over to take our drink orders another 20 minutes later and then took our order for entrees as well (which was previously provided a day prior). The meals came and our drinks still hadn't been delivered. We had to ask multiple times for different items that were requested upon placing our order. Forget about refills, your one drink once it finally arrived after the meals was all you got apparently. I get that it takes extra time to fulfill the requests of a large party, but the restaurant should have had other staff on hand as there was only one waitress serving the entire restaurant during lunch time. Poor planning definitely resulted in unhappy guests. It was something that could have been easily avoided. It's a shame when a restaurant has great food, but subpar service. It doesn't make me want to come back even though I have always enjoyed their food. read more

I appreciate that they are always accommodating in putting together something vegan for me. My husband (not vegan) enjoyed both meals we had here. Looking forward to another visit soon. read more

Absolutely good ! Went for the first time on a business outing. Nice little spot in the plaza. Fried calamari and Order me the pan seared liver. Was not turned off at all. The bacon and onions added a nice flavor and texture then had the cream brûlée. Nothing but a good ole meal. read more

This is one of our favorite restaurants ever, certainly one of the best in the area. The regular menu, supplemented with daily specials, is small but mighty, offering variety while allowing the staff to really perfect the execution of each dish. I hate to risk jinxing it, but we eat here at least 1x per week, and I have NEVER had a bad meal, or even so much as an underwhelming one. That might not be impressive to some, but I'm a picky eater, and very particular. At Chez Mike, you learn very quickly to trust this man's palate. It's just that good. We're big fans of nearly everything here, but especially the brick roasted chicken, the short ribs, the burger, the steaks and the array of fresh desserts they cycle through. The pumpkin torte in particular, usually in around Thanksgiving, is worth hoarding by the dozen. They update the cocktail menu quarterly-ish, and those don't disappoint either. Whether we eat in or take it to go, it's presented and packaged so expertly that you can't taste the difference either way. And just when you've had your fill of drink, and meal and dessert and think you can't eat again for days, they add that little extra kick of complimentary house cookies that will somehow leave you wanting more (feel free to ask, they will oblige!). There's getting your money's worth, and then there's Chez Mike, a whole different value the likes of which you just don't see anymore. We are not worthy of Chez Mike, but we will continue to eat here as long as we can! read more

Chez Mike is definitely our new to go spot in the Albany area. It is rare to find such a well seasoned chef...one that knows how to cook both steak and sea bass to perfection. This place is not cheap but well worth the price for the amazing dinner that you get. My go to place as of now :) read more

Our favorite local place for amazing food and great ambiance. We've never had anything there that we didn't like (for he short ribs are AMAZING!!)! Service is also excellent!! Support small business, and go to Chez Mike for the perfect date night! read more

Really it does not look like much. It is a smallish place in a strip mall . But oh my gosh, the food is great. The menu is one of those that make you want to come back and try everything. And the staff is uniformly charming and helpful. They only had room for us in the bar on a Friday evening, but we felt lucky when we got Katie for a wait. Smart, knowledgeable and there when we wanted her. We will stop back on our way home!!!!!! read more

Great food!!!! It was pretty expensive and the serving size was average however the taste was amazing. I recommend going when you are in the mood for a fantastic taste and you have money you a willing to part with... dinner for 2 = $100 read more

I stopped at Chez Mike with my mom while passing through on a road trip. We were greeted by a warm atmosphere. The service was fast and friendly. I chose a special that had the most incredible flavor combinations! I only wish that Chez Mike was closer to where I live so I could visit more often! read more

While I hemmed and hawed about whether to give them three or four stars (the lamb burger I got my second time out was good but over cooked) there really isn't another local American restaurant that can compete with this place. While their location isn't ideal and their decor kind of bland, they do have great selections, good pricing and amazing service. Leah, our waitress, probably topped my list for best servers of all time. Their menu items are creative and they do a great job on cocktails, offering the classics with a bit of a twist. If you're looking for a solid experience with new american fare, this is the best place in the capital district. read more

5 were in our party and there were several 4 tops empty but they were not interested in trying to accommodate us at all and were rather rude about it. So we took our money to Teagans down the road and enjoyed a wonderful meal with excellent service. read more

Returned over a year later the other night, to find a varied and interesting menu. We shared a bottle of an Oregon Pinot Noir that fell flat, and then tried a very good McWilliams Shiraz that had much more body by comparison. 2 of our party had the Veal Cheeks special, one of us the meatloaf, and I had the short ribs. The short ribs were my favorite of everything I tasted, but I found it odd that my entree was the only one that did not include a green vegetable. I asked our server about this - the response from the kitchen was that I had mushrooms in my sauce. Ohhhhh- k. the brown sauce and mashed potatoes and savory beef were delicious, so I was not unhappy. I do think that for what it is, some of the entree prices seem inflated. Short ribs are from a cut that my mother used to call "Soup Meat" - not expensive, and from a part of the cow that needs long, slow cooking.So why the filet mignon price? And while I usually like Veal Cheeks, these were a bit sinewy and just not all that special. They sat upon very tasty sweet potatoes, however, and good al dente green beans- that I wish I had had! Much was redeemed when I heard the H.M. ice cream flavors of the day and pretty much exploded in ecstasy when she said;"Chestnut" - my all time fave that I hardly ever find ANYWHERE! I was rewarded with a very generous portion, and it was good. I also tasted the ginger ice cream which I thought was even better - with little bits of ginger in it. The chestnut ice cream did not have any pieces, and was less flavorful. My husband's tiramisu was dry and unexciting. So, with this mixed bag experience- would we go back? YES! I want to try the wonderful looking Seafood Chowder entree- I walked past a table and inhaled it - and wow, the scent was divine. Also, the burger just looks really good!! Why not? There is something for everyone on this menu. read more

Pretty good food and not too bad prices. I suggest the hamburger or the mac and cheese when its on special. Try the tea too with simple syrup sweetener read more

This place is fantastic. I've been an infrequent regular since they opened and they are consistently great. Great food, great service and the nicest place in the area. read more

Ok, so let me preface this by saying that I really, really wanted to like Chez Mike's. I gave it two chances, and both times I have been so disappointed by the food. I will say that customer service was good this last time, which is why I gave it two stars instead of one. I hope that's not too harsh. When my husband and I moved up here in late 2008 (we are lifelong Bostonians and had been living in the NE for the previous 5 years) someone recommended it because we had such a hard time finding decent restaurants up here. We were new to the area and all we could find were chain restaurants and when visiting my mother in law had tried a steak house in downtown and an asian fusion restaurant (uni's or something) downtown that were good, but not great. :( (Have since grown to love The Garlic Lover's Corner in North Greenbush and The Wine and Diner in Delmar). Anyway, we tried Chez Mike's in early 2009 and it was okay, but not great. I think my husband and a steak, which he liked. They gave me an end piece of salmon that was burned, which is all I can really remember from that visit, besides filling out a comment card (which I never got a response to). I do remember the decor being cute and the service was good as well. Now pregnant with my second child, we decided to give it a second chance for take out, because I had been craving seafood chowder like they make in Boston. We ordered the chowder for me, a burger (medium) for my husband, and a cheeseburger for my toddler son w/ apple slices. The woman on the phone was super nice. My husband's burger was charred on the outside and medium rare - rare on the inside, but he managed to eat it. My son's burger not only didn't have cheese but it was charred beyond recognition. The roll was burnt too. My soup was served in a take out box with nearly no chowder, but tons of seafood. Everything was cooked okay (except for the scallops, which were overcooked) but the broth (chowder) was under seasoned. The fish didn't taste great to me either, but that could be my pregnancy taste buds. I would definitely have liked more broth. Anyway, I called Chez Mike's and the same woman who took my order (super nice!) offered to mail me my money. I'm very grateful for that, as she said I didn't have to return the burger so I gave it to my dog, who also wouldn't eat it (when I say burned...I mean...it was BURNED). I'm happy they are refunding their money. So, like i said, I really really wanted to like Chez Mike's as we recently bought a condo right down the street and like the occasional night out and everyone else always seems to give it a good review. I'm not sure if it is because we are used to the culinary scene in Boston, where competition drives restaurants to excel, or if we have just been shit out of luck with choosing our food options. The customer service has always been good, I cannot fault them for that. Unfortunately, we won't be giving them a third chance. Edit: Nevermind, I'm taking back my extra star. Instead of me either coming in to pick up my money or mailing it to me (like the woman who answered my phone suggested), she decided to "refund" my debit card, which essentially means that she charged me twice, once for $33 and once for $43. That's fine, except I don't use this debit card often (I put money in it once a week for gas) and she essentially overdrew my account by $10 which I didn't find out until I left to go get gas. I couldn't GET gas (because they overdrew my account) and ended up running out of gas on the side of the road. I had thought it was going to be a five minute trip so I had left my cell phone at home so....I had to leave my car on the side of the road and walk (8 months pregnant) back to our condo. Oh, and I fell in mud. Thanks Chez Mike's. Next time please do what you're going to say, if you had said you were going to refund my account I would have put money in there to hold me over. ugh. I'm so disgusted. read more

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Chez Mike! We try to eat here once a month or so, as it is a bit pricey (can never resist getting appetizers, drinks, and dessert along with our meals...it adds up fast) and have NEVER been disappointed. The entrées, desserts, even the burger and salads are stellar. And the menu changes seasonally, so there's always something new to try. Some favorites: brick-pressed chicken, carrot cake, arugula salad, and the shabby chic. HIGHLY recommended. I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant. I only wish they did brunch too, I'd love to see what the chef can do with eggs or French toast! read more

Chez Mike is a welcome addition to the EGB area. There are so few places to go on this side of the river where the menu isn't strictly pub fare or fast food. There really is a desire here to serve quality food and offer a diverse menu. My wife and I are fans, as are our friends. read more

Choices for good dining in Rensselaer County are limited, as opposed to choices in neighboring Albany County. Chez Mike has been around for some time, but without much fanfare. Mostly due to its location in a strip mall in East Greenbush. If this place was in downtown Saratoga, it would be the talk of the town. I have eaten there twice in the last month and both times I had some of the most creative and delicious meals ever. The menu, which changes seasonally, gives so many great choices. Tonight I had Grilled Bison Striploin along with a Quesadilla filled with Sweet Potato, Mushroom and Goat Cheese. 5/5 stars..delicious. The staff was warm and friendly. Easy 5 star rating overall. read more

Stumbled into Chez Mike after 12 hours in the car from Chicago on the way to Bar Harbour! What a find....we are spoiled with all that Chicago has. We had the best ever food, from appetizers to main course. Everything is home made and wonderful. Sauces great! Wish we traveled thru Albany more often! read more

Was doing business nearby and yelped for a lunch location. Saw reviews and stopped in. Completely enjoyed the Thai pasta. Staff was attentive. I had water but see there is nice bar with beer, wines and liquor. I will be back before my work takes me to another city. read more

Delicious food, great service. Chez Mike is a bit pricey for the Albany area, but if value is the ratio of quality and price, Chez Mike does offer great value. The menu varies seasonally and the entrees are wonderful, truly innovative and scrumptious. Most recently, I enjoyed flat iron steak with a wonderful topping of caramelized onions, mushrooms and a touch of hot peppers. Wow! The garlic knot served with the steak was huge and yummy. The servers are friendly, pleasant and efficient. We will be back-- again read more

We had a large party of 8 that included someone with a gluten allergy and someone else with a nut/soy/fruit allergy. The waitress not only accommodated us easily, but she was very knowledgeable about food allergies and cross contamination. And when they brought bread for the table, they also brought a separate gluten-free bread without being asked. We really trusted the waitress and chef and appreciated the extra effort. read more

Service, 5 Stars: Arrived 20 minutes before our reservation time, 5:45, and was seated promptly. No long wait for water and drink orders and freshly baked bread with delicious Kalamata Olive Butter was a pleasant way to start the experience. We asked the waitress to name three of the most ordered dishes. She easily named the Lamb Stew, Brick Roasted Chicken and New England Style Seafood Chowder. She had tasted them all and recommended her personal favorite, the Lamb Stew. We spoke of the restaurant and she proceeded to state that all of her co-workers were very happy working there and that most of the wait-staff she works with have been there for years, a good sign of proper management. Chef Mike, owner and head chef, originally from Long Island, is well respected and liked by the wait-staff which definitely showed in everyone's demeanor. Food, 4 Stars: * Appetizers, 5 Stars: We ordered two appetizers, Little Neck Clams (always on menu) and Seared Scallop and Pork Belly (special that night). The scallop dish was a small plate order with massive flavor that contained one scallop, one scoop of coleslaw and one pork belly. I do not like getting overly full before my main meal and since we already had bread, I appreciated the portion size. The scallop was seared and encrusted with sage to perfection on both sides. Not chewy or string and no rough sand spots anywhere. It was plump and delicate and could be cut with a fork. The coleslaw was a homemade creation of sweet and savory creaminess. Just a hint of acidity provided a subtle tang that brought all of the flavors nicely together. It was not dry or sloppy. It was a perfectly refreshing complement to the pork belly and scallop. The pork belly was succulent, juicy and glazed with a light, smoky and elegant BBQ sauce. It was glazed just enough to experience the pork itself and appreciate just how tender it was. You could eat every bit of it, even the bits of fat. 12 Little Neck Clams, a welcome addition to the scare amounts of seafood we possess in the Capital Region, were delicious. Steamed to perfection and served over a sherry wine herbal garlic sauce with Chorizo Sausage. The sausage added a zip and a touch of saltiness that created a rich and spicy sauce. The sauce was reduced perfectly with the sherry, and the garlic was not overly applied. You could pick up the herbal notes in every bite which provided a great harmony of flavors. After the clams were gone we dipped the bread in the sauce and wiped the dish clean. * Entrée, 4 stars Lamb Stew: The couscous was cooked to perfection and the Almonds added nuttiness with a great texture of crunch. The yogurt sauce was thick although light and savory with minty dill flavor; a bit like tzatziki sauce only minus the cucumber. I found the vegetables to be very rich and heavy which needed to be accompanied with a little more "stew". The "stew" was, in my opinion, not a stew. The lamb was seasoned well but clearly overcooked and not braised enough for moisture. The dryness of the lamb added to the unpleasant consistency of overly rich, thick and heavy veggies on the plate. After a few bites I was too full to really enjoy much else. Brick Roasted Chicken: Perfect sear for crispy skin and so moist you didn't even have to use a knife. The Maple-Vinegar Pan Jus and Yukon Gold Mashed Potato with brussels sprouts complimented the dish well. The potatoes were creamy, fluffy and light. Not overly starchy or quick to fill you up. The Pan Jus was something you tried to dip everything on the dish in; it was not too salty, not too rich and delicate in every way. Chicken Lobster Crepenette: Chicken was equally delicious; however the lobster threw me off a bit. Not sure if I would order that again as I personally prefer the traditional surf and turf with red meat. The lobster was a bit fishy and frankly I think ruined the beautiful chicken it was entwined in. However, the dish came with a Swiss chard flan which made up for the underwhelming piece of crustacean. The flan was packed with flavor. It was almost like a quiche only much better. There weren't chopped pieces of chard sprinkled in the flan; they were large in-tact leaves throughout which added heartiness and texture to a rich and custardy dish. * Dessert, 5 stars: I ordered the flourless chocolate cake. It was absolutely divine. It came with a little dollop of whip cream on the side and was a deal-breaker that will force me to go back to this place. Moist cake with elegant fudge texture and perfect portion size made this dessert 5 star, hands down. It was not heavy like the all so popular molten lava cake we see everywhere that makes you have to leave in a stretcher. It was savory, sweet, light and everything in between, if there is anything else. read more

Went to lunch with a friend yesterday to Chez Mike for the first time. Sorry, but it will be the last. For the location and quality, the prices are very high for lunch and the selection is limited. The food was okay. Really it wasn't terrible, but a $13 sandwich that wasn't especially a large portion, just meh. Too many other good restaurants around unless you don't care about price and selection. read more

Always wanted to try this place and so happy I did. The food was perfection. Highly recommend the halibut.

Tucked away in the Hannaford plaza next to a dentist office and a cell phone store is this five star restaurant with a CIA trained chef!!!! Elegant atmosphere combined with exquisite food makes this restaueant my go to place when I have guests visiting from out of town or when it is date night! read more

Just had lunch here. It was very good. The lamb-feta burger was delicious and it was served on a French baguette with caramelized onions. My husband got the fish fry and my only complaint would be that it would have been perfect if it had a side of slaw. Mike is so inventive I'm surprised there wasn't some kind of upscale slaw. Like maybe kale slaw? Both my burger and the fish were served with fries(good) but even so, they looked a bit "lonely." Our waitress was sweet. Nice background music, subdued lighting. Very nice. Drinks looked fantastic and the dinner menu was very interesting. Will definitely go back -many times. read more

I went here for the first time last evening which was a Saturday with three other people. I had heard glowing reviews about the place. At best, I feel it was mediocre. Our server was very distracted and seemed to not want to be there. Appetizer we ordered was the calamari which was sloppily plated, and with very little flavor. I had the roast chicken which was fair. Served with mashed potatoes and spinach, both of which were cold. The drink special was fine. The food wasn't horrible give it a 3. Service maybe a two. Disappointed, I probably won't be back. read more

Amazing, not pretentious, good value, great service. One of the best finds, a real hidden gem!

A gem in a shopping center! Lovely atmosphere in this little cafe. Hubby and I shared the asparagus and salmon app. Followed by mushroom ravioli for him and salmon burger for me. Everything is fresh and delicious. Service was excellent. Be sure to make a reservation. read more

I was very surprised when I ate here! I had the burger and it was delish. The olive butter and bread were my favorite part. Wouldnt expect to find such a great place in a strip mall, def going again! read more

The food is portioned perfectly and the flavor is very good. I'm very nervous going to a place for the first time, but I'm very happy with our meal. The staff is friendly and help each other, which I seldom see. Thank you to Katie (waitress) and the entire staff for a great experience. read more

I have dined at Chez Mike a few times and I had a wonderful experience each time. Mike apparently used to be the chef at the Chatham House, and we had a great experience there too. The first time was in late summer. My husband and I were really interested because Mike changes the menu seasonally, and we both try to eat in season food as much as possible. The service was really slow that night but our waiter explained that the waitress had called in sick and he was the bartender filling in. So we settled in knowing it would be a slower paced meal and that was fine by us. I had a salmon dish with a corn salsa on top, and I really enjoyed it. Husband can't remember what he had, but I remember we watched with envy with each food item that was brought out to the other tables. Everything looked delicous! The other time we went for dinner we started out with the salmon spring roll appetizer and we highly recommend them. They were hot on the outside and cool on the inside from the smoked salmon and the seasonings were just right. What I really wanted to try that evening was the butternut squash ravioli and they were all out. I will definitely go back and try again. The nicest touch is at the end of the meal when we each got a little tiny dessert. Turns out that's Mike's signature. We got a little cookie (each) when we went for dinner and a mini muffin the time we went for brunch (which they stopped doing). Adorable touch. read more

Fantastic meal. The Veal Osso Bucco was so tender and filling. I even had enough for leftovers. The service was great and the restaurant was very nice. read more

Incredible restaurant. The chef is a genius. We had the venison, liver and bass. The butter they brought had black olives in it which was incredible. Dessert we had creme brûlée's and doughnut balls with a heavenly sauce. Can't wait to return. read more

This upscale restaurant is THE place to eat if you are in East Greenbush. The chef and pastry chef are both very talented. The menu has something for everyone and the specials always change. I've been here a handful of times and tried different dishes each time. I have yet to be disappointed by the service or quality of food. read more

Chose Chez Mike for a girls' night out and we definitely enjoyed it. My friend and I split the Zucchini pancake, which was a large zucchini pancake with smoked salmon slices on top and a tomato jam. Very tasty... I would probably come back just to have this! I ordered the short ribs, which were very tender, but a little greasy. Underneath the short ribs were mashed potatoes, which I would have liked a little more of. Overall it was very tasty. We also ordered two drinks.. the peach mojito and the peach and pineapple punch. Both quite enjoyable. We skipped the dessert this time around, but I'll probably be back to try the crème brulee. Overall, a good experience and I'll come back to try some of their other options. read more

In a sea if fast food chains this stands out. Never a disappointment or regret. The wine list is comparable and the staff is friendly. Get the burger or trout. You can't go wrong. If your willing to spend a little to get fantastic food you can't loose! read more