This place makes fantastic cocktails. t had a great vibe, music was a perfect volume. Every drink…read moreI had was delicious as was my husbands. They had a nice variety of different types of cocktails on the menu, but each one was carefully crafted by the bartender. I had both the watermelon basil margarita and the clean slice, which was a clarified cocktail. Both were delicious. As a snack we had the baked Brie which was a perfect snack, delicious and filling. The staff was very friendly and attentive.

Loved the cocktails. Loved the staff. Loved the vibe…read more It was calm, dark, and cozy. It was a really great spot to end my night out with my husband to chat and have a well made cocktail. We can't wait to go back!

From start to finish, I was really unimpressed with The Daisy. Starting in the small crowded entry…read moreway, we waited nearly 10 minutes for staff to approach us. We had a reservation at 6pm and felt invisible when we walked in, just to be seated in a table 5 feet away. Maybe they were understaffed, but friendly staff could have gone a long way here. We started with cocktails and they were all good. We didn't really have opportunities to order more, so I only tried one. We started with the Fried Burrata and Caesar salad. The fried buratta was delicious but not enough bread, or a spoon served with it so most of the sauce went to waste. We loved the pesto on the dish. The Caesar salad was extremely underdressed and under seasoned. None of us enjoyed it. We then ordered entrees, I got the flat iron and they ordered the carbonara and the burger. The flat iron was ordered rare, and served blue. The steak and sauce on it was cold. I didn't complain because I didn't want to try and call her over, they did not check on us after the food was delivered. The sauce on it was okay but I think it took away from the flavor of the meat, very strong cumin and chili flavor, a little gritty. The fries were good and the broccolini was mushy and overcooked. The carbonara was also a miss, it was overly peppered and unpleasant to eat. This dish was ultimately sent back and we explained it was overly peppered and inedible, and she ordered something else. My friend who ordered the burger really enjoyed it and it looked great. The server was not accommodating at all and barely checked on us. We sent food back and the server just threw it away without a thought in the world, and it remained on the bill. At this point we just wanted to pay and leave. Bad service can ruin a night, and it put a damper on our girls night out. My photos came out impeccable, unfortunately most of it looked better than it tasted. I could look over bad service if the food was great, but when neither is, it's a hard pass from me.

Had dinner here last night for the first time. Fantastic experience. Cocktails, shareables,…read moreatmosphere, and service were all wonderful. We opted for shareables since we could not choose. Fried green tomatoes (gf), Caesar slad with grilled chicken, fried burrata with sourdough bread (absolutely delish pesto on top of the red sauce), and meatballs over polenta. We will be back.

What a beautiful restaurant!…read more Did you ever have a long day and want to drink a big glass of red wine with dinner? The Scarlet Knife put a check in all the boxes. I walked in with no reservations. I noticed the space is very large with multiple dining rooms. I'm tired, I asked for a table close to the open kitchen. Once seated, I'm given a large, leather menu. There are lots of great entree choices but after I review all the selections, I'm going with the SK Bistro Burger. The entree also has a wine pairing suggestion, a Cabernet Sauvignon. It's like they read my mind, I'm sold! I'm starting to read about the restaurant, they have a large wine cellar and was recognized by Wine Spectator with an award for excellence. My bistro burger arrives, I can see this is a well crafted burger. From the pretzel bun to the thick burger patty, Scarlet Knife served me a great meal that I would typically order at The Capital Grill. My only issue, the onion straws were cold. I scraped them off and continued with my meal. I'm just passing thru town, Scarlet Knife was a fantastic spot to dine and have a generous pour of award winning Cabernet Sauvignon.

Scarlet Kitchen has been on our must try list and I was happy to find they had availability for…read moreEaster brunch and were serving their typical brunch menu. We arrived early and were seated promptly; water was poured before we even had napkins on laps. This surprised me, as reviews indicated that service could be slow and this was a holiday. But this started a constant service of someone checking in on us every 2-3 minutes (I am prone to exaggeration for a good story, but I assure you this was true. I kept checking my watch to confirm). We put in an appetizer order (deviled eggs) that was served within a minute or two. These were well seasoned and tasty, ice cold from the refrigerator. It's not that they didn't taste fresh, but they were served to us so quickly that I know that they were prepared well in advance and only the warm pork belly was recently prepped. Our meals were served as the appetizer was finished (I was still chewing). At this point, we were 10 minutes into our seating. Our meals included steak and eggs, which I incorrectly assumed would require a little bit more time. Not true! Our plates arrived, piping hot and tasty enough...but boy did we feel rushed. Our server, the manager, bussers, and other attendants stopped by our table every few minutes. I recognize this was a holiday, but there was not a steady stream of people coming through the doors and plenty of open tables were available. Our conversation was repeatedly interrupted with these check-ins and we all took great care to eat the meal as slowly as possibly to stretch things out. At this point we were on track to be out the door in 30 minutes. As a table we made a decision to order dessert and we were able to savor and dawdle long enough to get us to one hour. $180 later, we finished our Easter visit out in the parking lot where no one was pushing us out. (I will note that several families arrived after us and completed their meals in 30ish minutes. What's special about brunch when it's that rushed?) I wish I could review the food better, but my taste buds hardly had time to register the experience. Entrees were hot but clearly prepared well in advance and kept at the ready under heat lamps or in warming ovens. The dessert was cold and sweet as appropriate, but had that prepped yesterday feel to it. This is not what I expect from a restaurant that markets itself as a fresh farm to table establishment. I don't quite regret going to Scarlet Knife, but there are enough quality restaurants in the greater area that I probably won't return.

Loved supporting this black owned business! We came on a Saturday night and there was a DJ playing…read morea good mix of everything. Our mocktails were super tasty and tropical with a hint of guava! Bartenders were also friendly. There's some additional seating upstairs and in the back patio area.

Have been a couple of times. The owner and staff are very friendly. They have some interesting…read morebottles to try. When I did not know what I wanted, the owner actually took some time to tell me about some of the different bottles they have. That's customer service! You see that so little these days. Plus there is a cool little outdoor area in the back that you could not even tell is there from the outside. Best of luck to you!

This restaurant is everything I don't really like, but I still had a good time. We arrived after…read moremaking reservations the day of on a Saturday evening at 7:45PM. It was darkly lit inside (with pinkish/red lights no less); it was extremely loud to the point that I had trouble understanding what my wife was saying (which might not be the background music!); and the prices were expensive. The entire night they played 1980s New-wave British music which I don't mind, but had it been something I detest I would have lost my mind. We were seated at a tiny table with a small candle which provided some actual heat on the cold winter night. Our server was extremely helpful and though he didn't have all the answers he did offer to go and find out. They have a long menu but it doesn't have a lot of food options on it, with most of the pages devoted to alcohol. They had only one dessert option when we were there. My wife and I both ordered the Hanger Steak with fries, mushroom sauce, and green salad (about $40 each). Hanger steak is my favorite cut and hard to find so I jumped on it. Food came out in about 25 minutes, which is amazing considering how small their kitchen is. The steak was cooked perfectly (they didn't ask how we wanted it), smothered in a lovely mushroom sauce, and covered an ample portion of crispy homemade fries which were so good I would have thought them bagged frozen items. Even the basic salad which was just various types of lettuce was great. They aren't cheap, but they are focusing on "farm to table" and that means quality food at commensurate (fair?) prices. Burgers and chicken sandwiches are $15, so if you want something lighter but still tasty you can go that route. Speaking of light, if you go into the bathroom on the right you will find a cold, dark, tiny room lit solely by a PINK bulb. It feels like being on a spaceship (as if I know what that is like), and after when you leave seeing the main light in the restaurant is very jarring. It was a fun experience but not inexpensive and not one that checks the boxes that I look for in a restaurant. Dark, loud, and cramped might be hip for the young or "save the earth" crowd, but I am too old to give up creature comforts for such things. The food, though expensive, was absolutely outstanding in every way though and I won't forget that steak for a long time.

We stopped in to celebrate a new graduate in the family. The drinks were so-so. Just not boozy…read moreenough. If I'm going to pay about $15-$18 a cocktail--it better be good! The food here is delicious, three of us ordered the burger and fries and one of us ordered the fettuccine with crab meat. The fries really stood out. My daughter was afraid to order the fettuccine but she was so glad she did. The waitress was super nice and it is cozy inside.

We came here for drinks after dinner downstairs at Emry's Garden. They do not take reservations but…read morethere was plenty of space indoors. The vibes resemble a den/ men's cave. Lots of paintings, mirrors, red velvet, arm chairs. The drinks menu is limited but the bartender can make anything. We got a variety of drinks, they were all good. The music isn't as loud, which makes for a nice evening if you want good conversation.

What a gem in Troy! Dark, warm, cozy, lively spot. Perfect ambiance for a night with family and…read morefriends or a great couples date night. To find a speakeasy with a full food menu is unusual. We arrived slightly after it opened and it was already toasty warm with music playing and we were greeted right away. You can sit wherever you want at the little tables or on the couches. Food was great, drinks were even better and the service was friendly and prompt. The music volume was perfect for talking without shouting. After we ate we took our drinks to the couches and the waitress brought over games without us even realizing there were games. Such a fun night, highly recommend this spot for a really great night out!

This place is simply outstanding! My sister and I were out for the evening and went here for…read moredinner. When my sister saw a entree called Quintessence teriyaki Chicken, she became extremely excited & happy. She explained to me, that this is one of the best dishes she ever had at the restaurant Quintessence in Albany. The server "Liberty" was fantastic as a server! I told her how happy my sis, with this hoping it was like the original entree she had. Liberty said, It is exactly the same because that Chef is here! Very happy sister. The Chef him self delivered our entrees with a smile and a thank you for the appreciation of his dish. We enjoyed it immensely. Then the owner came to our table and was happy to see how much we enjoyed our dinners. She was very warm and welcoming. Also, the ambiance of the restaurant is a relaxed vibe. I have been in Food and beverage for 40yrs and this establishment is definitely OUTSTANDING, all the way around!!!!!

I tried Emry's last night for the first time & had a great experience! The drinks were amazing and…read moretheir wings were some of the best I've ever had. The staff also went above and beyond to make sure I felt safe eating my food due to my celiac disease restrictions. Having a dedicated gluten free fryer is such a green flag!! Outside on the patio is such a cute vibe.. definitely will be coming back!

We waited an hour for a table. We waited an hour for our food. Our waitress was lovely and comped…read moreus drinks. She nearly saved the day. Nearly. My salmon was incinerated. The potatoes were over-salted. The snap peas were good with sour cream and dill. I don't know. Go for a drink and make sure you're not too hungry because the kitchen moves at a glacial pace and the front desk person has no intuition on how long you will have to wait for a table.

My recent experience at Finn's was exemplary from beginning to end…read more I stopped by Finn's with a colleague for dinner. The exterior and the surrounding neighborhood doesn't really give a good indication of the goodness you'll find inside Finn's. Immediately upon entering, I was met with a lovely and bustling dining room. My colleague and I sat comfortably at a high top table. We began our experience with cocktails I got one of their specialty cocktails (it was a rye cocktail--I don't exactly recall the name of it). It was spirit forward and delicious. For my dinner, I got their chicken schnitzel. It was hands down the best chicken schnitzel of my life. It comes piled with a perfectly dressed caesar salad and topped with trout roe. My good gracious--I'll be dreaming of this dish. It was perfection. Our server was so kind and just wonderful throughout our experience. Can't really say enough--wonderful from beginning to end! Get to it!

Went to Thursday night "Love Island" airing... Was the only group of girls beside 1 other group, we…read morecould not hear the TV and there was a group in the back room loudly talking - we asked for closed captioning and an employee came over to touch the remote and did... nothing. I actually got up and grabbed the remote to put closed captioning on myself. Now the bar... When we walked in at 8:30p we waited till 8:45 to finally be greeted by the bartender as a training barback stared at us doing nothing for the entire time. The bartender had an undeserved, terrible attitude and spent over 10 minutes making a single specialty cocktail. Our second drink was treated similarly, though this time she demanded we leave the bar area we were standing at to move to the other side where her male coworker was making our last drink. It was so obviously direct disrespect and distaste for us as customers, I will not be returning. Oh, then last drink where my non-confrontational quiet friend got our third round - they served her vodka beverage from the same shaker as my mezcal drink and it tasted just like that, a mix of vodka and smoky tequila... no thanks. Bathrooms? No toilet paper. Drinks were actually delicious though, except for Kristen's third! Not busy enough to excuse this hospitality.

Illium Brewing Co is a beautiful space. It's aesthetically pleasing and has lots of lovely modern…read moretouches. Plenty of room for larger groups too! I came on a Saturday night and the DJ was pretty good. I'd love to come back for their weekend brunch and try some of their menu items.

Our daughter is home from college and wanted to try De Fasios 216 for dinner. We made reservations…read moreand added she has a Nut allergy. We arrived 10 minutes early and were pleased to be seated right away. Inside is beautiful. One complaint about the inside is how loud it is. There is nothing to dampen the sound of all the guest speaking. The waitress came over and at times couldn't hear us either. The waitress was quick to provide us water and ask about drinks. Once she provided drinks, she asked about appetizers. They came out quick and were very very good. Foccacia and Meatballs. That's where it goes awry. We ordered 2 pizzas. 40 minutes went by without additional drinks or the pizza. Others in the dining room that were seated after we received our appetizers received their meals while we waited. There was a moment where the waitress looked over, and realized that she had not checked on us or we had received our pizza and you could see panic come across her face. 10 minutes later, she decides to stop at the table and apologize because there was a " rush on the kitchen, all at one time" however there were five tables in the dining room that were empty in an additional five tables in the bar area that were empty and no one sitting at either bars. We finally received our pizzas, however, you could tell they were rushed as the crust was not crispy and still doughy.. She apologized for having us wait. However, that did not make up for a very bad experience. As always, we ask, would we come back? And to be honest, in Troy there are so many opportunities for us to have Italian or to make our own Italian that I doubt that we will ever make it a second attempt. It's too bad because we love Troy and we love DeFazio's pizza from the original location. I wish them luck and hope that they can figure it out.

Run do not walk!! This is some of the best pizza in the northeast; heck, the country…read more So damn good! Street parking out front. The service is so friendly. Just awesome. And the interior was beautiful. Hard to believe o was in South Troy lol. Not noisy at all - very easy to carry on a conversation. The hangover cake is to die for - wow! Highly recommend!