After three visits to the Electric Grinch, I know this for sure:…read more1. a nice selection of brews in draft, can and bottle form. All the bartenders have been super friendly and have given great service during my exchanges. 2. the craft cocktail menu seems to be a hit! The bar has been filled with fancy looking drinks the first two times I visited, leading me to choose my own fancy cocktail during visit #3 - the Jumanji, a rum based fruity drink that hit the spot. 3. I love, love, LOVE that we have found a new music venue for local tunes several nights of the week. I've seen one new-to-me artist and came back another night when a band I've seen before was visiting. Both nights had good sound, great lighting, and people dancing in the building. My kinda night! 4. the vibes are chill enough to not feel stuffy and updated enough to feel like you are in a trendy spot with the cool kids 5. haven't visited when it isn't chilly, yet, but I am STOKED to spend time on the outdoor back patio, after taking a look during my last visit. So much seating and space for porch beers. 6. the Simone's connection make the food avaialble a YES, PLEASE

I stop in here at least once a week and truly love the food, drink and atmosphere....yet I'm still…read moresurprised as I'm open to try new things. I just tried the following: 1) Simone's Award Winning Sticky Sumac & Pomegranate BBQ wings. There is hint of BBQ...but the seasoning (including the sumac & pomegranate) truly set it apart! Extremely tasty....and surrounded w/ great garnishes as well! 2) Electric Grinch "mule". The E.G. "take" on the craft cocktail Mule is the perfect blend of mint and ...even kicks like a....well....a mule! :) Service is always top-notch (even when busy)! Love the lighting of the establishment...and Mitch ensures the bands sound their best as he provides the PA system! Come see for yourself!

Backstage Pub came highly recommended by so many friends, and I can't believe it took me so long to…read morevisit! Since my first experience, I've returned several times over the past year, and each visit has been consistently excellent. The cocktail menu is outstanding, with a great selection of creative drinks. Their espresso martinis have become a favorite for my friends and me during our girls' nights out. The food is just as impressive--the appetizers and entrées are rich, comforting, and full of flavor, with plenty of indulgent, cheesy options that never disappoint. One of my favorite places to dine is the Library at Backstage Pub. It offers a warm, inviting atmosphere that makes every visit feel special. A special thank you to Terry and the wonderful staff for their exceptional hospitality and consistently providing such a memorable dining experience. I always look forward to coming back.

I've had this place bookmarked for awhile and finally decided to give it a try. One of the reasons…read moreI kept putting it off was because I thought the menu didn't look much different from the typical pub fare in the area. But after eating there I found they have curated their own unique versions of the classics. We started with an order of 3's company wings which was a mixture of buffalo, garlic parm, and lemon pepper sauces. The sauce was pretty good but I like my wings crispy and these were not. For dinner I got the Backstage burger and upgraded to poutine fries. Now I'm not the biggest fan of a traditional poutine but I wanted to try it anyway because it looked good. The burger was cooked perfectly and the beef they use is very good. The poutine fries were enormous and apparently only half the size of a full order. If you like poutine you'll probably be into them but I thought the gravy was a little thick and not that flavorful and the cheese curds didn't melt as much as I would have liked. The real sleeper hit though was the Mac & Cheese. I wasn't expecting anything special and was pleasantly surprised. Definitely would come back for that. When we showed up it wasn't too busy but they were full by the time we left and I got the feeling that reservations are preferred.

In the Albany, Capitol district this is the best free entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights…read morefrom 9:00 till 1:00 a.m.

Just a standard bar, which happens to be located inside a casino. Serves mixed drinks, shots,…read moreselect drafts, and canned beers at fair prices. Standard service, live band and DJ on a Saturday night. Plenty of TVs to watch sports.

There is nothing that equals the organ concerts at Proctors. Whether it's Goldie or George, under…read morethe hands and feet of a professional or amateur, you'll be amazed at the impressive sound. I've been coming to the concerts for about 20 years now and I'm never disappointed. Today's concert, with Nathan Avakian playing "George" for the first time in the Main Theatre and Claire Avakian providing vocals, was possibly the best ever. Thank you to the American Theatre Organ Society Hudson-Mohawk Chapter for presenting these wonderful concerts. Did I mention that they are FREE?

I am a frequent flyer to Proctors, so I need to update my old review…read more Proctors is my favorite theatre in the area. I love the location, abundant free parking, plenty of fabulous restaurants within a block or two, easy in and easy out every time. I know if I have tickets to a show at proctors, it's going to be a great evening. I average about 4 shows a year if I can. I love the selection of musicals and plays they host. There is truly nothing like live entertainment. The reason why this is my favorite theatre in the area is the general etiquette of the crowd. Once a show is on, the crowd is quiet, most stay seated until intermission, there are no concessions while the show is going, the ushers do their job to control people coming in and out during the performance. The theatre is gorgeous and you are truly able to enjoy the show in this environment. I really love it here. Service is always amazing as well. Everyone working here is always so friendly and helpful. It's just such a good vibe. Could the seats be more comfy? Yes, but that's literally every theatre. I would love a cup holder too, but that's life. My only grief is that I can't afford more tickets to go to more shows. I love Proctors, and you will too.

After a frustrating week at the office, it was time for spontaneous outdoor beer drinking and live…read moremusic with friends. The rain started falling right as we arrived - but a quick shift by staff and the musicians and the fun started indoors in no time. The staff was very friendly and the service was speedy, with the draft list posted on multiple screens throughout the space making ordering easy to manage from whatever side of the bar you are located. [i had the Brooklyn Bell Air Sour, because #Summer.] This place has a small town community feel, and was a fun, casual, place to unwind. I am v. glad we decided to try Jay St. Pub [it was all of our first visits] on a whim and think we will be back for more live music in the future.

Nice bar with a good selection of beers, a couple of dart boards, and a cool environment. Very…read moreclean and solid service!

I came here with an out-of-town friend to sample the Seven Points brews at the bar, but we decided…read moreto stay at the bar for a meal as well. I enjoyed the atmosphere here, as well as my Baritone American-style Porter. My brewery companion said his beers were ok, but he really enjoyed his pasta dinner. He travels to Italy frequently, and he said the pasta would be considered traditionally al dente in Italy, though perhaps not to all Americans' taste. I took advantage of the happy hour prices (which included a discount on my beer) to try the Eggplant Stack appetizer. The eggplant was cooked perfectly, crisp without being greasy, and the marinara sauce was addicting. Service at the bar was fun with the chatty bartenders. Besides coming back here to sample more beers, this could easily become one of my go-to Italian restaurants in the Capital District.

I had three great meals at Stella while visiting Schenectady for work! I enjoyed eating in the…read moredining room and at the bar during happy hour, which has some really great deals. The bar has a smaller menu than the dining room, but still has plenty of options. I highly recommend taking advantage of the happy hour deals. The restaurant is located in a sprawling but cozy historic building with many different rooms, and a music club upstairs. In addition to delicious pasta and other Italian dishes, they feature their own beers, which are fantastic. I really enjoyed the arancini as well as the corn fritters for appetizers, and the cavatelli with pesto and shrimp scampi for entrees. The complimentary freshly baked bread is soft and delicious. Don't miss out on a great Italian meal and craft beer at Stella Pasta Bar!

Staying over at the Landing Hotel with meh options to eat. Looked on Yelp to see that Katie's is…read morelike 1/2 a mile away. Beautifully decorated inside and out, all decked out for Christmas. We walked in and it wasn't busy at all. We were seated in the dining room and all the tvs had football on. Cute little lights on the tables lend to the ambiance. Our waitress took our order. I'm in an Irish pub so I HAVE TO get fish and chips and so happy that I did. 2 huge fish strips served over hot French fries. Did not disappoint! My husband had a cheeseburger. The next time we saw our waitress was when she "checked up" on us, after we already finished our meals.

My brother and I had lunch. Staff were friendly and responsive. I had the special steamed clams,…read morewhich were cooked just right but in a Guinness (I think) broth that wasn't really the right flavor for clams. The waitress recommended the sweet-potato fries over the regular fries--I had one, my brother had the other and both were very tasty and not greasy. He enjoyed his generous portion of fish and chips. I come up to visit family regularly and plan to come back with my husband. Katie O'Byrne's is next to the Schenectady train station which is how we discovered it--a great location for train travelers right next to the parking lot.

This is a wonderful venue, a restored old church located in an urban community in the middle of…read moreSchenectady county but is quite a gem. Not only is it an entertainment venue but an art gallery as well. Downstairs there's a cozy bar, a wonderful restaurant serving delicious food, a nice dance floor and great entertainment, whether it's a band, acoustic singer-songwriter or other musical group. Upstairs is a masterpiece you need to experience to appreciate, especially when a band is playing and everyone is on the massive dance floor. The owner has painstakingly restored this magnificent church and I highly recommend you check it out during the cold upstate months. Sandy can't compete with the warm weather outdoor patios of other places so look for the event schedule. There is lots of parking in a lot next to her building as well as next to the building across the side street.

I just discovered this place on new years.Buffet was great, prime rib delish. Carla page on point!…read moreGreat repurpose of a beautiful landmark! I will return!

It was by sheer fate that I found myself sitting in this coffee shop twice in two days. That never…read morehappens. Not even at my favorite coffee places. Sigh. But what brought me here wasn't the coffee, but rather the location. This is the coffee shop in the lobby of Proctor's. It's a great meeting spot in downtown Schenectady, because it's large, has comfortable seating, and free wifi. Of course, there's coffee. Which helps. And the coffee is just fine. They have a dark roast, and a house roast. The house is a blend of Ethiopian and Columbian beans. A medium costs $2.16 and it's unimpeachable. Better than the convenience store. Better than the national donut chain. Maybe that makes it even good. They also have a decaf and a flavored coffee. The very presence of flavored coffee gives me a sense of what kind of coffee shop Apostrophe is trying to be. And that's a shop for people who don't really like the taste of coffee. I'm a hard grader when it comes to coffee places. I really want all coffee shops to offer great coffee and well made espresso drinks. Perhaps, there is something at this shop that makes it a standout. But I've yet to find it. Given Apostrophe's convenient location, I'll most certainly be back. But it does seem like there's a lost opportunity to use this location inside Schenectady's great theater, to sell coffee that's as fine as its surroundings. Especially since the people who pass through during performances, surely enjoy the finer things in life.

Apostrophe has done some upgrades recently, in both the layout and the menu, and it's definitely an…read moreimprovement. The chilled food is no longer glacially frozen, and the prefab sandwiches have some flavor and haven't been stale. The coffee situation is still mezzo mezzo, and the hot options are a little hit or miss. All that said, we are back to patronizing it when at the Proctor's arcade and are feeling in the need of a pick me up and are too lazy to walk over to Jay Street, but I still wouldn't categorize it as a destination.