How awesome is it to be able to watch a head to head cook off between Chef John Ireland (2014…read moreChef's Challenge Winner) from Saratoga Golf + Polo Club and Chef Thomas Gulbrandsen from Saratoga Marriott Courtyard + Excelsior Springs BBL Hospitality?! From a cocktail competition kick off between Athos, Brown's Brewing, and Mingle to the People's Choice Competition with the following competitors: Cafe Calabria, Reel Seafood Co, Mazzone Hospitality, Capital City Gastropub, The Gingerman, BBL Hospitality Catering, New World Bistro, and Treviso by Mallozzis...it was an exciting evening to 'experience, sample and savor!' To benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region, this event was very unique and successful. Host Chad O'Hara (B95.5FM) was lively and a great personality. What a great cause this event was to support local children matches. The 4th judge seat was given to the highest bidder, serving among the panel of judges. Not only did they get to try all the amazing food, but being a part of the People's Choice Competition and casting votes for both food and cocktails was super fun and meaningful. My personal favorite was New World Bistro's pork belly with kale, a peanutty flavor, and caramel sauce. They came in 2nd as Treviso came in 1st with its roasted kale, pork, cornbread combination. Cocktail - wise, Brown's Brewing came in 1st with their popular vibrant orange cocktail if I remember correctly the Leela. This was their 2nd year winning in a row! Other samples worth mentioning include mozzarella and tomatoes with balsamic reduction, raw oysters and clams, seafood paella, watermelon gazpacho, and pulled pork mac n cheese. The evening concluded with the announcement of the 2015 Chef's Challenge Winner: Thomas Gulbrandsen and a variety of desserts presented by Mallozzi's (fruit tarts, cannolis, cream puffs, lemon tarts) + Stewart's ice cream sundaes. Kudos to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region and Excelsior Springs for presenting this awesome event, and also thanks to Yelp for the opportunity!

What makes an establishment like the Adelphi Hotel host a Yelp Elite event? Maybe they're doing it…read moreout of the goodness of their heart. Perhaps it's due to the persuasive powers of our Ambassador, Daniel B. But I think at least some of the motive is a hope we'll enjoy the evening so much we'll tell our friends and come back when the meter is running and give it a great review. (Since we can't review the restaurants themselves at the event but only the event itself, and nobody's going to see the reviews unless they check our profiles or troll through the Recents.) If that is the case, the Adelphi is going to get paid back in spades, at least by me. I know these establishments pretty well as a Saratoga local, but the prices are a bit high to put them in my regular rotation. Now, I can't wait to get back and have more of those enormous scallops swaddled in bacon at Salt & Char, or that pillow-soft salmon with the crackly crisp skin at Blue Hen, or that Dr. Pepper cocktail at Morrissey's. I also need to drink more of the very excellent house wines at the Blue Hen, like the unoaked Chard in the silver bottle or the oddly leathery Pinot Grigio. And figure out what Chef Chris is doing with the carrots that appeared as the base of several of the Blue Hen items to make them seem so delicious and exotic. Well done, Adelphi.

A five star review for a five star event at a five star venue…read more Over the course of two hours we were able to sample each of the Aldephi's three restaurants. A major undertaking for the restaurants and hotel staff. I was impressed with how well timed each dish was and that's to say nothing of the quality of the food. Each portion was just enough to really get a taste for what each of the restaurants had to offer, but not overwhelm the guests with so much food that we didn't enjoy the later offerings. The proteins, which included salmon, duck, and beef, were all prepared very well and each included a unique preparation method or flavor profile giving it an exciting flair. For example, in Salt and Char the strip steak was dry aged in a special salt cellar I believe, giving it a taste quite different than most other steaks I've tasted. A more complex and savory flavor that paired well with the buttery hollandaise sauce. As a non-drinker, I asked for a Shirley Temple at the bar and was amazed at the quality of maraschino cherries. I didn't get a chance to ask, but I suspect they make their own. I can honestly say I've never ever felt compelled to write about a drink so basic, but this alone warrants a mention.

We waited way too long to give the new Osteria Danny a try. Their complimentary bread with beans is…read moreunique and delicious. We split a bottle of prosecco which was also a great call. Our server was super attentive and offered to substitute something on the menu we didnt care for in a dish. I got the cod special that was light and full of flavor. Lastly, their Lumance, their version of a bolognase is like creamy and almost like an alla vodka. You wont regret any dish you get here. Their desserts were flying out of the kitchen and we chose the pistachio Gelato. It is a tighter, quaint, resturuant almost like you're in NYC, but it wasnt mobbed so it wasnt bad! We'll be back for sure

We saw many recommendations about having to check out Osteria Danny while in Saratoga Springs and…read morewe are always here for a good Italian meal! We enjoyed a delicious martini and the bread they put on the table. We are used to an olive oil mixture to accompany the bread but this came with a bean mixture, which was odd and we aren't the biggest bean fans so we avoided that. For our entrees, my mom got the Rigatoni with Chicken and Vodka Sauce. She said it was great but the sauce didn't look anything like Vodka sauce. I got the bolognese and my mom said the sauce in mine looked like vodka sauce. In any event the food was good. The place is pretty small, packed with lots of tables so it's bustling, it's loud (not a bad thing), and there's a lot going on. The one negative about it being a small place is that unfortunately we had to listen to a server complain to one of the managers for about 5 minutes about another co-worker and that was definitely not what we wanted as part of our experience. This place seems to care about presentation, as they are obviously a popular place to go in Saratoga Springs so this was definitely a little off-putting. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience by any means. Just a few little kinks to work out.

I got a seatbelt ticket on the passenger side on a busy Saturday morning in Saratoga a while ago…read more The ticketing cop was arrogant (cops in Saratoga are usually pretty cool unless you are fighting), and seem to enjoy making a spectacle out of pulling us over. I live 2 blocks from Broadway as my license states, and had been in the car for 30 seconds. I thought I'd see him in court as we agreed to after the ticket was issued but it was said he had a cold (I think this is a ploy to make this even more of a pain in the ass by making me go back to court) so he was not there. At my turn to appear before the judge my crime was made public and my defense (I'm running low on cash and would prefer no punishment) was rejected by the DA. Turns out no seatbelt is a moving violation and points on your license. In total is $180 and 2 points if you plead guilty. My crime was reduced to a monetary punishment of $50 and no points. I liked the judge, I felt like he was fair and I could respect him. The DA (He looked exactly like the guy from the office Creed Bratton) didn't seem to budge and I felt like it was he that was really running the show. It didn't take to long, I was in and out in an hour. All the cops and security were nice. I just feel like I should be above the law (like cops are), or at least I should only have to obey the laws that I agree with. I mean how many laws are there anyway? It's just when you get caught that you have to pay $50 and pick up the trash. I usually wear my seatbelt (it's said that people who don't have suicidal tendencies), but I feel like you should get one waring, and if you show up to court, dressed smartly and with you hair combed you should get a get out of jail free card. I'm not going to let it ruin my day. Justice (I like to think of Justice as that statue with the boobs out that during the bush administration had to wear a robe.... she is pretty hot) has been served.

Maybe I am a bit biased, but my mother works here and I personally know all the employees that deal…read morewith tickets and setting up court dates and the judges. They are all very nice and the new judge seems great. I've only met him once when he took office, but everyone is friendly.

Super amazing place! We went for lunch at 2:20ish not realizing that they didn't start dine-in…read moreuntil 3, but they were nice enough to take us and let us dine anyway! Bread and water, beautiful atmosphere, and great food. Would recommend if you like Italian without having to break your budget. We had the chicken parm with spaghetti and it was delicious! The spaghetti was homemade and thick, exactly the way I like it. Huge portion of chicken. Definitely recommend!

love Love Love Momma Mia's. I was introduced to this place last week by some colleagues that live…read morelocally in the area. All I could think of was Momma Mia's. Authentic, fresh and a bakery too... just wow. Tonight I had the Frutti de mares. I died and gone to an Italian seafood and pasta heaven... Ambiance is great, the folks here professional and always with a smile. Coffee is good.. The server lady was very helpful and in spite of all my questions, she smiled and helped. Busy night.. Remember to eat at your local grub so we all do not starve... Did I mention their dessert menu? I have died and gone to heaven...

Romantic, friendly, neighborly Chianti checks all the boxes. One of the best happy hours in SS…read morewhile also being a spot to enjoy a romantic dinner. The Servers remember you month to month, some of the best in town. Inviting outside and delivers inside. Enjoy!

We enjoyed dinner for with 2 adults and a child. The food was good with large portions, we shared…read morethe Bolognese and a salad. The server was attentive and friendly, the only negative was the restaurant was really loud.

Just not overly impressed with Taverna Novo. Maybe dining in is a better experience, but take out…read moreis just not great. Penne alla vodka portion was small, sauce great, but chicken really chewy and over done. The pizza crust was under done, but flavor of toppings were good.

Local friends of ours highly recommended Taverna Novo and we have been trying to get there for a…read morewhile. We finally made it with a different set of friends that were visiting from downstate...where Italian food is ubiquitous and awesome. It's a super cute, clean restaurant and our server was excellent. Food was a little slow to arrive but we had good conversation and had nowhere else we needed to be. We shared a couple of appetizers (meatballs and braised beef ravioli), each had our own entrees and snagged a couple of desserts at the end. Everything was OK. Nobody raved; nobody complained. Best entree review was the lasagna. Not sure if it was an off night but I'd like to go back and try the pizza sometime.

We chose Solevo Kitchen for a special-occasion date night, expecting a standout experience based on…read morethe price point and prior reviews. Unfortunately, the night fell well short of expectations. The evening started with the usual downtown Saratoga parking battle no fault of the restaurant, but worth noting. The free lot was full, it was below zero outside, and by the time we arrived we were already a bit rattled. We were seated promptly with our reservation, which was appreciated, but the dining room was ice cold. Tables are packed extremely close together; close enough that we were essentially part of the couple next to us on what appeared to be a very uncomfortable first date. If you're looking for an intimate or romantic dinner, this is probably not the place. The wine-by-the-glass selection was very limited only one cabernet option and the overall wine list seemed designed to push diners toward very overpriced bottles. Our server was slow to come over and didn't know the specials, which didn't help set the tone. We started with the spicy calamari, which was decent but nothing special about a 6/10. It was a bit chewy, which is disappointing for a restaurant positioning itself as high-end. For entrées, we ordered the salmon and the strip steak. Both were cooked properly, but overwhelmingly salty. If you love salt, this might be your dream meal. For us, it wasn't enjoyable we didn't finish our dishes and discarded the leftovers entirely. Maybe it was an off night for the kitchen, but given the cost and overall experience, we won't be returning. Saratoga has far too many excellent dining options to justify another try. We'd much rather spend our money at 15 Church or Chianti Il Ristorante, where the food and atmosphere have consistently delivered. Disappointing overall, especially for what was meant to be a special night out.

Oh, you must go! Eggplant Ribbon Chips are absolutely amazing!! Zuppa de Pesce was incredibly…read moredelicious and the portions are enormous, more than I could ever finish! Ambiance was great for an Italian restaurant, open kitchen and the food smells so good when you walk in!! Downside for me personally is the tables are much too close together....if you're looking for an intimate romantic dinner this would not be my first choice.

Everything about this restaurant is top notch . The food quality is a 10 plus . Never have I been…read moredisappointed . Our go to restaurant .

On a rainy Saturday night, we decided to try Three Vines Bistro which was conveniently located in…read morethe same plaza off Broadway as our hotel. The menu on line looked intriguing enough with classic Italian dishes and pizza to try. Upon entrance to the restaurant, it was surprising how empty they were despite relatively good Yelp reviews. It was already late (after 8PM in Saratoga Springs is considered late even for the start of the summer season with this being Memorial Day). There were only 2 other tables of patrons and by the time we finished dinner, we were the only ones left. The restaurant was clean looking and appeared to have ample staff between chefs/cooks which you could seen with a large open window to the kitchen and coal fired pizza oven, waitresses and a bartender. We ordered a wedge salad and a Bistro salad to start. Both were absolutely huge and could easily have been shared. Known for there meatballs served in a variety of styles, we ordered the Polpette Di Manzo which was 3 meatballs. The meatballs themselves were rather plain tasting, but the sauce made up for that. A half order of penne a la vodka and a full order of Pasta Primivera were both very good and rather filling for a late night meal. We didn't have room for dessert. One item for management to address is their on-line menu vs. their in restaurant menu which has a difference in pricing of ~$2 per item. Our friendly waitress said that the rain and cooler temps were keeping patrons away this May and of course this evening. Hopefully for Three Vines, the weather improves and they have a wonderful summer season in Saratoga Springs!

Best Christmas festival atmosphere…read more Piano bar down stairs, back up for dinner. Solid service, good wine list, mom's type excellent food, great sauce. A year doesn't go by without four or five family dinners at Panza's

My friend and I got some items for takeout from Panza's Restaurant for an early Saturday dinner…read more The takeout process was simple and only took up to 20 minutes from when I put in the call to receive. We ordered calamari, rigatoni with meatballs and chicken Parmesan. And the items came with a couple slices of bread. All items were just fine. Nothing particularly stands out flavor wise and not worth the particularly steep price tags. All in all, as we did not dine in, I cannot talk about the service, but the food was unmemorable.