Grabbed a quick salad while breaking for lunch. It was fresh, and the price was right…read more The dining area was busy but it was easy to find a seat. I'd go back.

For the amount of times I've gotten food from here, I'd be doing a disservice not reviewing it. I…read morealmost exclusively buy the daily "chef crafted special" if I'm getting something from here. The Thai Peanut Salad was probably my favorite regular item, but that section hasn't reopened since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered all the eateries for an extended period. Each week, the daily specials menu is updated online, so I know what I'm getting before I walk in. The chef special is where you'll get the most bang for your buck, typically hovering around $10. The variety and quality of these dishes is impressive to me. It's often something that's at least moderately healthy and a filling portion size. I've never had the pizza. The rice bowl section has been hit or miss. Daily grill specials are good, too, but usually not the most healthy choice, leading me to typically avoid it. As a final note, I've found the staff to be friendly and hardworking.

We headed to Cheesecake Machismo after a long day at two museums. It was a rainy day. When we got…read morethere and saw the sign outside, I was thinking, great, they have a few flavors left. When we got inside, the friendly gentleman (the owner, I believe), broke the news that he only had double Dutch left. He described it and hubby and I thought, well, that sounds delicious. We each got a slice to go. Service was excellent, prices were decent. The place is small but I can understand why they have raving reviews. Cheesecake Machismo knows their cheesecake. Husband carried the cheesecake slices on the walk back to our hotel and kept saying he could smell them. We were saddened to know they were not open the next day (Sunday) and were also closed on Memorial Day. We both wished we got an extra slice! Don't miss out on this special treat.

Small space with tasty treats. Lots of choices and all seemed tasty and a skittle unique don't was…read morehard to choose, but I went with maple. Prices a bit high but I knew that going in. For me it's a once in a while treat but definitely worth it!

I initially came in for some coffee however had to settle for Starbucks coffee (didn't have their…read moreown, ?) but seems place is modern, up-to-date & staff is accommodating & managed to get my coffee at temperature preferred before I toured the State Capital building & two more reviews released to the area are coming.

I just visited their recently opened (yesterday) "Italian Bakery" store which is just around the…read morecorner from their regular place. It is tiny and located in the same spot as several previous failed food places (waffles, ice cream, candy, popcorn, etc.). I had a raspberry cannoli and it was really good with sharp raspberry cream filling inside a crisp shell. The price was reasonable for a once-in-a-while treat, and they had other things like cakes and cookies. What I don't quite understand is why they don't just sell these items in their regular place. Why did they lease a separate spot out of the way that is hard to see or find? I dunno, but I wish them well.

Yes I had a coffee after my capital tour but so be it plus THIS time it's a local bunch plus local…read morecoffee as well. Vanilla flavored coffee this time but got temps right & served as I opted. Prompt service plus people who will help you even better.

This place (finally) replaced a previous vendor in the same location that sold coffee, baked goods,…read moresandwiches, drinks, etc. It seemed to take forever for this place to open and we anxiously looked every day as we walked by for progress. Finally, it is here! I don't drink coffee but I do occasionally need a rush of sugar in the afternoon and I missed the cookies sold here. So my friend bought me a cookie on opening day to try out. It was huge, very thick, and just so-so. It was very dry, and I suspect that they baked a LOT of cookies in advance of their opening day and this one got stale. To preserve the integrity of my review, I thought it prudent to try another cookie a week later which would probably better represent their "normal" offerings. It was much better, though still way too big for one person (yes... I can't believe I am writing that). So I split it with my friend. This place usually has a line out the door of about a dozen people, but we have timed it and discovered it cycles through in about 10 minutes or so. So don't worry about the wait.

The nugs were horrible under cooked!!!!! and the service…read moretalked back to me!!!!!!! to noisy in there !!!!!!!! in a summary HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is your typical McDonalds. It mainly serves state employees and visitors to the plaza. At…read moretimes it can get super busy (like, 20-40 people in line busy) and at other times there is no one at all in the lobby. The cafeteria adjoining it is used for all restaurants in the concourse, and it is a decent place to eat even though it is really dark (lighting wise, and color choice wise). They have your usual suspects that are found at most McDonalds. However, my favorite item (the McChicken sandwich) is not available. Not even at a marked-up price. They just don't offer that size chicken patty at this location. If they did, it would likely sell too fast to keep up with demand. As a result, my diet has gone a lot better than expected. You can order on your smartphone via an app., but since I have a flip phone I can't. That's okay with me, as I pay them to take my order. When they pay me to take my order, I will consider using the app. It opens early (6:30) and closes at 6PM. Those hours are for all seven days of the week, though I am not sure if they are accurate. I have seen them open on weekends during special events at the plaza, but never came here during a normal, non-event weekend. Fun fact: If you go to the McDonalds website and look up this location, it lists drive through hours. If you try that, the Police Department located next door would arrest you on the spot.

Went downstairs just to get a drink. Looks like they have an upstairs as well for food. The service…read morewas friendly and we had a good time. It's cool speakeasy vibe.

Best sushi north of NYC, this is an iconic restaurant and bar, along with a steak house as well…read more Wonderful historic decor of NY political culture

I had a work conference here and had the pleasure of having both a buffet style breakfast and a…read morebuffet style lunch. Breakfast was basic, but good. Eggs, potatoes, bacon, bagels. A few other pickings, but I don't remember. Potatoes were seasoned well and bacon was super crispy, just the way I like it! Lunch was different kinds deli sandwiches. Italian, tuna, and turkey. Chicken noodle soup, salad, chips and cookies. I had the turkey sandwich. It was tasty, until I had a bite of what I suppose was raspberry spread/jam? I felt it was out of place and not necessary. The chicken noodle soup was delish! Hearty and big pieces of chicken. Definitely made my insides warm on the cold day that Albany had yesterday. Service was great. Waitress made sure to clear out table of plates and utensils as soon as we had finished our meal. My only complaint that I have is that the bathrooms are all the way downstairs. So technically it's not fully part of the restaurant space as a whole.

I came here with coworkers while celebrating a special Office occasion. It was an interesting…read moreexperience that I might be willing to try again. First off, we made reservations and had our own table but I don't think they were entirely necessary as we saw lots of people come and go without them. Dress is very relaxes, with some people coming from work for lunch in suits and others in torn up jeans and t-shirts. Getting here was odd. It is off of a hallway off of the concourse, and though there is a sign it isn't obvious and I was glad I came with friends who knew the way. Upon entering the elevator, there were two options: restaurant (floor 2) and bathrooms (floor 1). Yup, they are on separate floors. The elevator dumps you in the very middle of the restaurant which I considered awkward. Leaving to use the restroom involves waiting in the middle again for the elevator, and then returning via the same manner. The buffets were wooden boards that were set up on saw horses in the middle of the room with power cords to the heaters and heat lamps. It seemed a bit amateurish but I suppose since they only do the buffet once a week they have to keep it easy to set up and break down. Every Thursday they do an Italian buffet lunch (and I don't think they do any other regular meal service) which apparently has various items that rotate. Today it was: Appetizers: Caesar Salad; Chopped Garden Salad; Grilled Vegetable Salad; Frittata with Four Cheeses; Eggplant & Tomato Compote; Crusty Bread Main dishes: Penne Primavera with Oil and Garlic; Rigatoni Bolognese; Chicken Parmesan; Porchetta; Grilled Vegetable Medley Desserts: Assorted Italian Desserts & Pastries (They had about 6 different dessert options.) The food on average decent. It is all served buffet style so dishes may get dried, sauces will congeal, and vegetables will weep water. I thought the chicken parm. was decent, I enjoyed the rigatoni Bolognese, and considered the frittata a standout dish. I took what I thought was a cream puff for dessert but it was filled with chocolate chip cannoli filling instead (I think). The staff were pleasant and frequently refilled the buffet. However, they kept taking our plates but wanted us to keep our dirty silverware which we had to put on the table cloth. By the end of the meal service, that cloth must look pretty bad. Prices were fair, I think $13 a person. However, it just felt really awkward at times. It felt like a restaurant was being crammed into a space that didn't really work (and at one time this was a really nice restaurant so I have been told). While it has the luxury of boasting the only buffet at the Plaza, I don't think I would come back unless there was another special Office function.

We had a large group head to El Mariachi to celebrate a friend's engagement and they absolutely…read morehandled it like pros! From the moment we sat down, the staff was incredibly attentive--our drinks arrived quickly and they were right there to take everyone's orders without missing a beat. What really impressed us was that all of the food came out at the same time and piping hot, which is no small feat with a big group! I ordered the chicken tostadas. I personally thought they could have used just a little more flavor, but they were still good and I definitely enjoyed them. If you're in the downtown Albany area and looking for a place that can handle a crowd while keeping service quick and friendly, I would absolutely recommend El Mariachi. Managing a large, celebratory group like ours isn't easy, but they did a fantastic job!

Stopped at El Mariachi before the MVP Arena show with my esposa, mi suegra, and a mutual friend who…read moresomehow knows everyone and no one at the same time. Weather was solid, so we sat outside -- big win. Sunshine, cold drinks, and a light breeze carrying the scent of sizzling carne asada. Chef's kiss. First off -- the drinks hit colder than your ex's last text. Margarita was so cold I think I saw it shiver. My wife said, "Is this lime fresh-squeezed?" I said, "Mi amor, I don't care if it was stomped by angels -- it's delicious." Food? Traditional Mexican, not that drive-thru Tex-Mex confusion. Real-deal tacos, cheesy enchiladas, fresh guac so creamy it had my suegra nodding silently like it was church. If she approves, it's legit. Service was quick, chill, and friendly. Our server hit us with the perfect combo of "do you need anything?" and "I'll leave you alone to vibe." Respect. She called my suegra "señora" with such grace I swear the tip doubled on impact. Pro tip: go early before a concert. Parking was a breeze, we were in and out, and still had time to people-watch all the chaos downtown. By the time we got to the arena, we were full, feeling muy bien, and ready to scream along to songs we only halfway know. Final thoughts: El Mariachi isn't just dinner -- it's a vibe. A pregame party with tamales instead of tailgates. Good prices, cold drinks, and tacos that'll haunt your dreams (in a good way). ¡Dale! Don't sleep on this place.