What can I say about Hattie's? Just go! My family has roots…read morein NOLA, so I have had a lot of food from the region. Hattie's did not disappoint. After a long day of moving my kid into college, we went to Hattie's for dinner. Convenient public garage less than a block away. $2/hr. The decor won me over as we walked in - front room felt very much like restaurants in NOLA. Walking through the back room was even better with Spanish moss draping everywhere. It might have been over the top, but it felt great. We sat outdoors in the alley which was far more charming than 'alley denotes. Served by Brian, we were taken care of like regulars. The food was great, truly. We had gumbo and jambalaya which were out of this world. Definitely heavy on the heat, but we loved both dishes. Both came out in a hot cast iron skillet which kept the food hot for quite awhile, which is a very nice touch. Dessert was similarly satisfying. We had pecan pie and banana pudding. While the pudding was good, I'll be thinking of that pecan pie for a long time - it was just perfect. I will be recommending Hattie's to my parents who know good Louisiana cuisine, and we will definitely be back.

I was so excited to try this place. What a disappointment…read more Parking is incredibly difficult since it's in downtown Saratoga Springs, but that goes for all the restaurants in the area. I went to pick up a to-go order and was ignored for exactly 6 minutes as numerous employees walked by. Finally the manager told me from across the room to come back to the bar where I told him I was picking up an order. After getting back to my vehicle, I realized part of my order was missing. Sigh. I walked back to the restaurant and informed an older white lady what was missing. She told the younger lady who said "I know, I have it right here.". The older lady then very rudely said "well then I don't know why she's talking to me.". Excuse me? I explained that I had already gotten back to my car and realized part of my order was missing and had to walk back to get it. Neither women apologized. I got home and realized the chicken was incorrect. I paid extra for all dark meat, but received the four piece with breast, wing, leg, and thigh. At this point, I'm pretty pissed off. I called and told the woman who answered that my order was incorrect. Suddenly a gentleman was on the line. I asked if he was the one I dealt with earlier and he said he was. At this point, I told him what happened when I returned to the restaurant to get my missing item and he said he's had multiple issues with her already including today. He apologized for her behavior, their repeated mishaps, and comped the meal. I appreciate that the manager, Sal, was polite, professional, and corrected the mistake. However, the whole experience pissed me off. We will not return regardless of how good the food is due to the poor experience. Now, about the food: The pecan pie has a heavy bourbon taste with a strangely elongated hard crust. The filling was also very liquidity. The description says it comes with a home made whipped cream topping. It did not. The green beans and mashed potatoes were good, although cold. Cornbread and biscuits were good flavor wise, but both were very dry. Now the fried chicken is good. It's not great, but it does have a nice crispy skin and flavor. It is VERY heavy on the pepper with tons of large flakes under the skin. The pieces are also very small, especially the drumstick. The meal was not worth the $67 price tag.

If you're looking for a little taste of New Orleans without leaving MA, make your way to The Mamou…read moreSpringfield. This spot has that authentic NOLA feel from the moment you walk in, and the food absolutely delivered. Here's what I ordered: Crawfish fritters that were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor. Catfish po' boy with perfectly seasoned catfish on fresh bread. Every bite was satisfying. Jambalaya rice that was bold, smoky, and full of Louisiana flavor. I loved it so much I ordered the rice and beans with andouille sausage and chicken to go. The flavor was THROUGH THE ROOF! Rich, comforting, and seasoned exactly the way it should be. And let's not forget the cornbread! Moist, buttery, and absolutely amazing. Our waitress was incredibly kind and did a wonderful job. She was one of only two servers working the entire restaurant, so service was definitely slower than expected for a midweek Thursday lunch. Even with the wait, she remained attentive, gracious, and never lost her smile. The restaurant was clean, including the bathrooms, and the atmosphere really captured that New Orleans vibe. Would I go back? In a heartbeat. My only suggestion: keep making that incredible food... just bring it out a little faster! #LeahApproved #BostonEats #NOLAFlavors #FoodieFinds

The service was phenomenal. The location is downtown and in a beautiful old brick building. The…read morerestaurant has a great layout with a large bar. Great for folks who want to dine at the bar or for folks who just want to have a drink and talk. We got our food to go. One of the reasons that the service was so great that we had 40 minutes before closing and they graciously welcome us in asked what we wanted gave us options. They had a whole conversation with us and it was just really pleasant and sweet and they were a lot of fun. I got the steak and cheese sandwich it was tasty. The fries were great. They were fried just right not to hard and not to soft with the right touch of seasoning. My friends got a salad and the other the creole pasta.

I use to go here and stopped because they had changed the cook and I wasn't happy. I decided to…read moregive it another try a little over a year later and I'm so happy I did. Turns out the owner wasn't happy with the cook and received several complaints and she listened. This cook is AMAZING!! I'm so happy I did the 30 minute drive. Hubby got black rice and griot Amazing!! I got a soup joumou for later, legumes white rice and sauce pwa and I'm so happy!!! It was better than I expecte. If you stopped going for the same reasons PLEASE GO BACK!! You won't be disappointe. If you never tried HAITAIN food please go here everything taste so authenti. You won't be disappointe. Pmease support Lourdes restaurant the deserve it.

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.

Union Seafood is one of those spots that keeps things simple and lets the seafood speak for itself…read more Everything had that fresh, straight-from-the-kitchen feel, and the portions were satisfying without feeling overdone. I also liked that the flavors weren't trying too hard just good seafood, seasoned well and served hot.

So delicious!!! Been here twice now, first time only for drinks, second time for the prix fixe…read moreValentine's Day night dinner. $125 for couples for SO much food. And it was all so incredibly delicious. Props to the chef, hands down. I opted for the high tops when making the 8:00P reservation and it was still busy at that time which was great for them. I do wish I'd have known the size of their high top as I might have chosen a different table but it was still great. Our server was very nice, I wish I remembered her name! The food again, was so delicious. I think my favorite dishes were the grilled miso scallops and definitely the bananas foster crème brûlée.

I've been wanting to try this place for a while, and as someone who loves oysters, that was enough…read moreto get me in the door. I went with my best friend for lunch. We got there around 1:40 p.m. and they closed at 2, so my friend was a little worried, but we were still welcomed and the staff was very friendly. It's a small place, but I actually liked that it felt cozy. We ordered 12 oysters, two orders of gumbo, a kale Caesar salad, the catfish special to split, and a bourbon-based drink. The oysters were $2 each, which I thought was a pretty good deal. The gumbo was really, really good. It came out a little lukewarm, but the flavor was absolutely there 10/10. The oysters were fresh and also 10/10. The bourbon drink was another standout. The presentation was beautiful, the little flower was such a nice touch, and it tasted just as good as it looked. The kale Caesar was where things dipped a little. It was pretty dry, so we asked for extra dressing, but the dressing didn't really add much flavor. When our waitress checked in, we were honest and said it just wasn't our favorite. I hate sending food back or complaining. I'll usually just stop eating it but she was so kind and apologetic. What really stood out was how they handled it. They told us they were taking the salad off the bill, which they absolutely did not have to do. We had planned to just take the one we had already eaten from home and fix it ourselves, but one of the staff members made us a completely new salad to go. She even massaged the kale so it was actually tender and enjoyable. That was such a thoughtful touch. The catfish was a hit for my friend. It wasn't my favorite, but I still ate it. Overall, I would definitely come back. Next time I'd probably keep it simple; oysters, gumbo, and a drink and I'd be happy. The service was phenomenal, and honestly, service really makes a place. Feeling welcomed and comfortable matters, and this place absolutely gave that.

Mall Chinese food is what it is, but when it is coming from a place with the word "Cajun" in the…read morename it takes you by surprise. Why do they have Chinese food? And where are the typical Cajun entrees like gumbo? I dunno, but I wanted something after spending an hour chasing my toddler in the mall while he ate his snack so I stopped here. I had their 2 meats/2 sides deal, which for me consisted of General Tso chicken and bourbon chicken, green beans, and rice. The rice was edible, but not much else. It was hard, like either it hadn't been cooked properly or maybe it had sat in their fridge overnight and not reheated through. But it wasn't mushy, It was uniformly yellow, which indicated it never got near a wok to stir fry it. The green beans were wonderfully crunchy, though I got there early in the lunch rush. I would always take crisp veggies over mushy ones. The General Tso chicken was forgettable... sweet, not at all spicy, and very gloppy. But since it is readily visible through the glass window you know exactly what you are getting into, and I was willing to take those risks. The bourbon chicken was entirely forgettable, though someday I would love to go to a place to taste what real bourbon chicken is like. The price is right, the amount of food (and calories) is excessive, and there are no surprises. Well, if it was great for once that would be a nice surprise.

I tend to get their food if im in a rush. Overall the food is decent ‍ it does its job lol…read more(satisfying until im hungry after 4 hours). Not much of "friendly service" , more like "get and go". Can't blame them‍ fast food i guess lmao. Such a awkward review, as long as I don't get some odd $*** in my food. I'll be alright . Next !

This fab dinner place is right next to the Majestic Theatre in West Springfield. Three friends and…read moreI thought we would try dinner here before the annual Holiday Show. No reservations, so get there early! An automatic bonus star for original craft cocktails and dinner specials. I abhor restaurants that rely on staple meal choices, forgetting that people need variety from the ho hum they make at home ( or can make at home- like Wood and Tap. Boo.). I love a place like this where you can look at the menu and see at least two or three things that make you think "WOW, what will I choose?". The restaurant is very bright with many high top tables. It would have felt conspicuously weird to take photos in the full-capacity situation we were in. There's also a gentleman playing acoustic guitar and singing Christmas music. Nicely done, with a professional voice and playing style. I would say, the only downside was that there didn't seem to be a consistency of how people were waiting on tables, so simple things like a set of silverware missed at our table, and then somebody brought a set and didn't bring napkins. Then one of us received the completely wrong meal and we had a delay in getting it corrected while we were already on a tight schedule with the other flubs to make the show on time. It was scattered issues like that all night that kept this from being a five star experience. It

Was really impressed with this place a couple of years ago. Returned recently and was very…read moredisappointed. Food was very good but service was marginal. Place did not feel taken care of. Table settings seemed like an afterthought. Felt like the staff were just doing their own thing and not paying attention to clients. I was very impressed with the fact they do stuff their own olive daily! Might give them one more chance...

Chicken Marsala is best thing on the menu as well as their amazing soups ! All homemade and hot !!…read moreThe staff are friendly and always attentive Always room to dance when the bands come and play ..

Our server was great and very attentive…read more The food was a bit underwhelming for what I expected for cajun cuisine.

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.

The people we interacted with at Joe's made for a delightful lunch. We learned so much about the…read morelocal area from both the wait staff and other diners. A very friendly group during our visit. Breakfast is served during all open hours. Lunch items include salads and sandwiches among other things. Indoor counter or table seating. Outdoor seating available on the sidewalk in front. I went with blueberry pancakes and asked for real maple syrup which they have available. Very nice pancakes and plenty of syrup was provided. My SO went with a steak and cheese with all the fillings and a side of tots. The tots are super crispy and taste faintly of clam (fried clams are on the menu), just fyi. They offer coffees, teas, soft drinks and mimosas (I think I remember that on the menu). I had a fresh brewed, unsweetened ice tea w/lemon. Hit the spot on a hot day. We enjoyed ourselves very much at Joe's. It's a nice neighborhood spot for a casual breakfast or lunch.

This is the kind of family diner where the coffee is good, the servers treat you like you are their…read moreniece, and the cooking is just like home cooking. Had a great chat with my neighbors who come here all the time and the cook came out to ask the guy on my other side how he liked her new invention. If you want to eat well and feel welcome and cared for, this is the spot.