Totally blown away by this restaurant. The service was casual but attentive, the staff dressed…read morecasually and the vibe very laid back but everything was on point. The menu is varied and offers something for everyone. I absolutely loved our first meal here and it was just appetizers. I can't wait to come back and try the Ruben and lobster bisque. We are planning to return here several times during our next few weeks in Albany. The parking is challenging as the back lot shares with at least 3 other restaurants but it is well worth the effort

My partner treated me to lunch at Ale & Oyster. While I was excited to come, my expectations for…read morethe resto were not entirely met: -Our server ignored us for at least half an hour. We couldn't easily flag someone down to take our orders. -Our waters tasted like fish water :( -I ordered a house salad with added shrimp, but I only got 3 pieces of shrimp. It didn't feel like it was worth my money. Not sure if I would return again.

Union Seafood on Central Avenue in Albany is described as "Chinese meets Louisiana," according to…read morethe restaurant's website. I've been there before and the crazy, giant fiberglass crab on display in the entrance is always a hoot. So is the fiberglass shark head on the wall in the dining area. I like a place with a sense of fun and humor. I also like this place for its seafood boils. The good news is that this restaurant--which was very good to begin with-- has gotten even better. Last time I showed up, the server brought the seafood boil still in its boiling bag and cut it open in front of me. It was up to me to reach into the hot bag and pull out its contents. There was steam everywhere. A hot mess, indeed! This time, the kitchen took care of the boiling bag for me. Instead, they beautifully arranged the boiled seafood on a large platter. Wow. It looked amazing and tasted even better! This time, I'd asked for a Number 4 with mix of seasonings, including garlic and butter. There were: one big lobster tail, plenty of shrimp, clams, crawfish, potatoes, corn on the cob, hard boiled eggs and extra veggies. It was described as enough to feed three people. Coincidentally, we were a party of three. We also ordered a Cajun Fried Rice for good measure. We really didn't need it. We were so full. The fruit drinks were great, too. Union Seafood is a franchise with locations in Troy and Schenectady. They're owned by Larry Weng who also opened Ji Bei Chuan Rice Noodles & Ramen on Western Avenue in Guilderland, according to local news reports. In celebration of May being AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Month, it's probably fair to say that Asian-American owned restaurants such as Union Seafood have added much variety to the overall dining experience in Capital Region. Vive la différence.

Ive tried this once last year and i like it. Brought my friend there yesterday. They have combo…read morechoices. We chose the 1/2 lb shrimp, 1 lobster tail, clams, crawfish. It's a lot and the seafood is fresh. I would say 3 people could share. We had it mild and mixed sauce. Maybe order hot next time since i did not taste the spiciness. We both enjoyed it. Price is not that bad. The place is huge but kinda datk inside. Service is great though. For dessert we got the coconut cake. It is kinda frozen. But it taste good. Surely coming back!

Josie's Table serves yummy food with fantastic service, in a lively atmosphere. If you are looking…read morefor a quiet place to dine, this is not that place. If you are looking for crave-able bites and you do not mind a bit of crowd chatter, go. You will not be disappointed. The only critique I had was that the cheesy dip and an herbed butter was served with already buttered bread. It was very greasy, and unnecessarily so. The mushroom pasta was incredibly good.

Came here for a girls' night dinner with friends and had a great experience. The place is clean,…read moremodern, and beautifully bright. The waiting area near the entrance is spacious, so you can comfortably chat while waiting for your table. The staff were very friendly and professional. My friend ordered the half chicken and I had the beef burger. Both dishes were nicely presented and delicious. The burger looked a little small at first, but it was actually very filling -- I didn't even touch the fries! We shared a cheesecake for dessert and it was light, fresh, and really tasty. Overall, it was the perfect spot to relax, catch up with friends, and enjoy a lovely evening. We'll definitely be back!

I went here with friend for a late Birthday celebration, and it was absolutely fantastic. Our…read moreserver was fantastic and I wish I remember his name(maybe Rich) but he was very personable and knowledgeable. We started out with a few appetizers, croquettes, pork belly, fried cauliflower, and bread. Everything was delicious and left you wanting just another bite even though the portions were respectable. Drinks were impeccable. Dinners ranged from the lemon gnocchi that I added scallops to and it was hands down the best gnocchi I've had. Pillowy soft and light, and such a smooth texture. Friend had the Korean chicken dish which he said was delicious and the best thing he has tried, same goes for the surf and turf meal which had shrimp instead of lobster much to my friend's delight. We ended dinner with dessert which was a homemade chocolate chip cookie w homemade vanilla ice cream which was served with a drizzle of very good quality chocolate. I'm looking forward to going again. It's a smaller place so I would recommend reservations. The place itself is cozy, and not too loud.

Dinned at Coray Kitchen to celebrate my wife's birthday, it was my first visit and I look forward…read moreto a return visit. Start to finish every staff person we interacted with was welcoming, attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. Definitely appreciated and noteworthy over the usual, requisite pleasantries. We both had specials - scallops with squid ink risotto and pork belly with tostones. Each dish was thoughtfully and creatively prepared, the proteins were cooked perfectly, and I appreciated the inclusion of some fresh, on-site grown veg. Also enjoyed the Latin American flare/flavor incorporated into both dishes. Dining prices in Albany have (bewilderingly) been on par with Boston and NYC for years now, so Coray Kitchen is certainly reasonable for a high quality meal. I also appreciate that the specials were priced similarly to on-menu items. Will definitely be back to sample the paella and fresh pasta, unless enticed away again by specials!

Stopped in here while I was in town for work and had a pretty mixed experience. The atmosphere was…read morenice and it seemed like a good spot to grab seafood, but the service was noticeably slow throughout our visit. It took a while to get drinks and place our order, and we found ourselves waiting more than expected between courses. That said, the food itself had some highlights. The crab was absolutely amazing--fresh, flavorful, and definitely the standout of the meal. We also really enjoyed the shrimp cocktail, which was well-prepared and hit the mark. Unfortunately, the mussels didn't live up to the same standard; they lacked flavor and just weren't our favorite. Overall, it's an okay spot with some strong dishes, but the slow service and inconsistency in the food would make me hesitate before returning.

I went here while on a trip to Albany to see the capitol building. It was nice…read more I ordered one of the seafood boil combos. It was a delicious mess. It had shrimp, crab legs, beef sausage, potatoes, and a half ear of corn on the cob. It came drenched in sauce, which was messy, but the taste was well worth it. The servers were very friendly, and the food came out in decent amount of time. Not super-fast, but not slow either. The place was also nice and clean. I would definitely go again, if I'm ever in the Abany area again.

4th time there and every time the food was delicious. As they say you get what you pay for. The…read morequality is worth it. The staff is worth it.

It was our first time trying this restaurant to celebrate my wife's birthday. They added…read moredecorations on our table and also gave my wife a small cake and candle which was a nice gesture. Steak was great and service was excellent. Our server was very friendly and even the manager stopped at our table to greet us. We will definitely come back.

$300 to eat on a plastic tablecloth on Valentine's Day, not even a candle on the table. I'm…read moreembarrassed I suggested the spot to my date. The experience felt stingy and rushed. I'm sad because I loved this spot and I'm disappointed the quality has gone down so drastically. Portions were very small and the food didn't taste special or interesting. The octopus came out room temp and had been sitting out. Entres lukewarm. The drinks were by far the best part of the meal and it took half an hour to get them. Service was all over the place but they get a pass because it's Valentine's Day. Do yourself a favor and try Rosanna's instead.

RESERVATION ONLY * WOW! What an amazing meal! Best carbonara I've ever had. Husband ate all of his…read morevodka pasta with chicken. High quality ingredients. Lovely glasses of wine. Service was great. You can tell the people working here take care of their space. Someone was always cleaning. Tiramisu was light and flavorful. What a great gem in Albany.

I recommend Nicole's Restaurant to anyone who is looking for delicious food and great portions…read more Food: the food was tasty, well made, and the portions were great. From the flat bread to the pastas, they all were delicious. Although, the chicken parm did not really impress. It was a bit bland and ordinary. But everything else was great. Service: I give the service over all a 3/5. The only reason is because when we first came in, we waited in-front of the door for over 5 minutes with no one to greet us, give us directions to wait or sit, the both bar tenders who saw us standing there, just ignored us. And we were pretty visible, lol, it was 2 adults and 2 children. At one point we had to ask the bartender if we wait there or do we go sit, and he answered to wait. Finally someone came and asked us if we had a reservation (we didn't) and was nice enough to accommodate. The waitress was very polite and friendly 5/5 for her. Ambiance: cozy, warm, private, and great for families. I recommend Nicole's....but be prepared to be ignored at first, no worries, it is worth it in the end. Lol.

A really perfect experience. The ambiance of Nicole's is romantic, intimate but not too crowded…read more Perfect for date night or girls night out. Highly recommend starting with the short rib and burrata flatbread. The pear martini is a very refreshing sipper cocktail. For my entree I had the chicken Marsala which was prepared wonderfully, great balance of sauce and mushrooms over the chicken and pasta. Enough to bring some home without being a huge portion for no reason. Highly recommend a visit here!

This is a beautiful restaurant. It is bigger than it appears. Our server ( Emily) was friendly and…read moreattentive. The crab Mac and cheese was delicious. I ordered the ribeye which was okay ( I requested medium rare but it seemed more medium). The butterscotch bread pudding was not overly sweet.

We went for my son's college graduation celebration. The vibe is really nice and gives a special…read moreoccasion vibe. The hostess and servers were friendly and accommodating. The apps were really yummy- beef tartare and a wedge salad. 3/4 of us ordered the ribeye. They were not very flavorful and my son's was overcooked. They were happy to take it back and give him another. The cut of meat did not look appetizing. I took my grouper home. The drinks were good but for $500 I thought the entrees would be more impressive.

Excellent lunch menu! Food was FIVE Stars. Moderate, fair…read morepricing for the good quality of food served and for the skilled preparations. Ordered: *Calamari app with marinara sauce --average; crispy coating was light and bland. Salmon with white beans, rice and vegetables -- *Salmon was cooked perfectly, moist not dry, fresh veg. Medley was not overcooked, flavorful. $20. *Strip Steak with mushrooms, baby potatoes and veg. -- Steak was cooked medium as ordered. It was tender and juicy, not fatty or tough. Liked it very much. The fresh mushrooms on top were good. The sauce/gravy was plentiful, a little too much for my palette. $25. White cloth tablecloths and cream cloth napkins on tables were very nice and elevated the dining experience. There was one pleasant server who did everything. She was very busy, so it took a little too long to pay bill. Warning to anyone with mobility issues-- There are eight steep steps to reach the front door. There was a good railing on one side. The restroom is up a long flight of stairs on the second floor! Happy I did not need to use it.

The seafood Alfredo was delicious. And the chicken paella was a great choice too! Love the intimate…read morevibes here. Perfect for a date night. Great wine selection. Expect to wait to be greeted. Worth waiting for.