This experience was for the patio. We've sat inside previously and it wasn't a good experience. I tried to make a reservation but they only accept them for groups of 8 or more. They have an option to add yourself to a wait list online but it said their was no wait. I called closer to 5 to check again for a party of 6 plus a child and was told they had round tables that they could add chairs and accommodate us a little bit tightly but they could not hold a table for us. When I got there at 5:15 I spoke to the hostess as directed and she told me we couldn't be seated unless more than half the party had arrived. By this point I was a little exasperated because I'd tried to make a reservation and couldn't, tried to get on their wait list and couldn't and now I was afraid we'd have a long wait for our table with a toddler in tow. The hostess understanding that I had called and not been told that the whole party needed to be present made an exception to sit us. They only have 2 tables that can sit more than 4 on the patio. Most tables are in full sun this time of day but they do all have umbrellas which help a little. Our waitress was attentive and polite. The food portions are large for everything and everything looked good. My sons burger was over cooked and dry, they forgot the ketchup. Im assuming it was cooked well done because they're worried about making sure it was cooked all the way for a child... I would eat here again but only on the patio, inside is too loud. read more

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My wife and I have now eat in several times at lanies cafe. One of the things I really like is the selection the menu. They have everything from sandwiches and burgers, to high-end meals like prime rib and seafood. No matter if you're getting lunch or an expensive dinner, it all is good and is all been very satisfying. The service is great, and everybody. That works part is friendly and does their jobs. Well. It's always a great dining experience to eat at Lanie's and it will continue to be one of our top choices. read more

Great food & service. We only go there in summer months, it's too noisy inside. Otherwise we would highly recommend it.

5/12/25: The four of us enjoyed delicious dinners and great service, but Laura left behind her favorite blue leather jacket. Thankfully staff found it and safeguarded it until we could return the next day to retrieve it. We highly recommend this restaurant for its food, cozy booths, friendly service, and its honesty (). - Laura & Mark VanValkenburg, Myrtle Beach, SC. read more

Tried this place again. The server was almost existent and so was the pizza cook. Our personal pizzas came out almost raw. I kid you not! The dough was barely cooked. It's clear whoever was cooking had no idea what to do. It's sad that this one great menu item is no garbage. It's true with most of the food under the new owners. There is no flavor. In the food or the place. I'm read more

The food here is the best. Service is outstanding and you may have to wait to get in but it is worth it. The portion they are you are to die for. Best place to eat.... read more

A couple of restaurants I've gone to lately have gone completely al La Carte. We're in Albany,NY, not midtown Manhattan! Not the case at Lanie's. Great food, huge side of pasta, soup or salad, all included. Plus, friendly service and a comfortable ambiance. High marks from my read more

Personal pizza & 1 Margarita $40 with tip Wasn't great, but it should have been. The cheese wasn't as good as it should have been. read more

This place hits so hard every time. Huge portions and I love the salad bar. The patio in the summer is where it's at.

I absolutely love this place ! Great for groups and singles. I was introduced to the restaurant by a coworker and I've been back a few times since. Nice family/homey vibe. Food is flavorful, staff are pleasant, plates are large, salad bar is robust. Highly recommend. read more

Lanie's Cafe - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

Great ambiance for dining as a group or alone! When I went they had a live band. The portions they serve are HUGE and pretty good. Love that many dishes come with access to salad bar. Also they have non alcoholic wine which is such a treat that few places have. It's always pretty crowded though and you risk having a long wait time. But once you are there, service is so nice. read more

Good food here. My wife comes from a very Italian family and upbringing, and she'll eat here, which if you know you know. Eggplant was solid and their red sauce is equal parts fresh flavor and deeply rich. The waits are long to get in, and they haven't been very good as estimation of wait times. Wait times are always tough to judge for a host/hostess but seems to be worse here. The virtual cue only seems to matter if you're there, which is perplexing and not clear. Takeout from here has been consistently on time and delicious. So takeout is good option. Other than the wait time business, this is a quality restaurant that is worth a trip. read more

Just ate there $15 for an appetizer. Had to find the little price of eggplant under a pile of cheese. Dessert was very good and our waitress was nice and fairly attentive read more

WTF happened to Lanie's Cafe?? Food and service were awful. I'm not one to bash anyone or any place but the waiter was completely clueless and botched the food order. When the food came the quality has definitely diminished. Lanie would be sick to her stomach! read more

Ordered the same thing I always order, this time it was different. Talked to a manager and was told this was the correct way to make it. I guess the other 9x I ordered it and loved it, was the incorrect way. Acted like I was in the wrong for wanting it the way it was made the other 9x. read more

Some excellent eating at Lanies's today with the prime rib dip with au jus and cheese. It was so good and tasty and the Parmesan wings were definitely a plus. Service as usual was right on time and very friendly. Well done again, Lanies! read more

Did not live up to the reviews. Food mediocre at best. Rotten lettuce in the salad bar. Spaghetti Bolognese swimming in grease. Hours-old eggplant in a wrap. Extra cost for potatoes and zucchini for your entree instead of spaghetti marinara?! Could use a visit from Gordon Ramsey. read more

Delicious food & wonderful service It was my daughters mother's day gift to me and her mother in law. read more

Salad bar ends on a dead end, large portions but food was soggy sauce is dark and heavy.

The food was awesome and large portions , my martini was on point! My waitress was great!! Definitely my favorite restaurant! read more

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Service was good, food was fresh, atmosphere was enjoyable. There was plenty of parking available.

We checked out Lanie's on a Saturday evening, there were 4 of us in our party. We started off with a couple drinks, I had what was close to a bourbon sour (I forgot the name of it) and it was tasty enough where I got a second one. For a starter we had the bacon wrapped shrimp. They were pretty overcooked. I get it, it's tough to not overcook the shrimp if you're going for crispy bacon. The creamy horseradish sauce that came with the shrimp was nice. One of the people in our group ordered the beans and greens which was sautéed escarole with garlic, white beans, and sopressata. It looked so good that I ordered the salmon special which consisted of salmon atop sautéed escarole with lemon cream / dill sauce. To be honest, I was disappointed in the dish. My first thought was that it was very oversauced. That was easily remedied by scraping off the excess. It was then that I learned that that the escarole was practically non existent, the salmon overcooked, and cold at the same time. The entrees come with a trip to the salad bar which is compact and has all of the fixins for a nice salad. Our server was wonderful and the patio is beautiful. read more

How have I never reviewed Lanie's!!!?? I grew up with Lanie, a childhood friend of mine. Even though she no longer owns the business it is still going strong and just as good as ever. The menu is huge but they specialize in Italian/American food. Most recently I went with two friends. I ordered the Steak and Portobello mushroom salad. It did not disappoint and was filled with tender steak and juicy mushrooms. One of my friends had the taco salad and another the vegetable quesadilla. Both were satisfied with their meals. We had nice, hot onion rings as an appetizer. The atmosphere is always fun. It's a nice place to hang out with friends, family or just about anyone. With a full bar you can get any cocktail you would like. Our waitress was very attentive, she was genuinely friendly too. In the past I have had pasta dishes and the prime rib sandwich. I have always enjoyed my food and always had at least another meals worth to bring home.Lanie's is a place I will visit as often as I can. read more

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Don't bother with the waitlist. It means nothing. You still get added to the waitlist when you check in

just had dinner at Lanie's. Delicious!! Super nice waitress. Great service. And more vegan options which were soo good.Especially the lemon cake, oh my!! Not many places where non-vegans and vegans can enjoy dinner with so many choices for both. we have been here many times and it has consistently been great. Thank you. read more

Spectacular food, great service and it's a hustle bustle place. Sometimes it is hard to hear conversations but it's such a happy atmosphere who cares. The prices are very good. The food is superb and very fresh. I'd go every week if I could. read more

All of the raves about the salad bar are right. Fresh mixed greens, good veggie options, and plenty of dressings to choose from. I especially liked the croutons. The cocktail menu had something for everyone and the service was great. I highly recommend the stuffed mushroom appetizer. It's a huuuge breaded and fried mushroom! Enough for our group of 6 to each get a good bite. The baked manicotti, though basic, was excellent. The rest of the meals varied in quality. Both steaks were overcooked, though one more than the other. The steak salad was enormous. This place definitely feels like a family restaurant and a good place for groups. read more

Lanie's Cafe - baked manicotti - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

The service at this place is amazing! Such friendly waitresses both times we went. We sat outside which was just gorgeous with flower boxes and umbrellas. The bathroom is modern, pretty, and clean (says a lot about a place). The food is AMAZING. Full stop. If I lived closer (2.5 hours away) I'd be here once a week. We shared the portobello and steak salad, the chicken cesar salad, and the eggplant mozzarella wrap...all delectable. We caped everything off with a nice refreshing glass of cava. Perfection. read more

I've been going here for years. I love this place. Can't get enough of it! The service is always top notch. The perfect blend of kind, helpful and professional. The ambiance is stellar. Perfect for a romantic date night or just a nice dinner. The food is sensational! I especially enjoy their chicken parm. Everyone I bring there always seems to love their meal. One of the most difficult choices we make as consumers is quality or quantity. What if I told you that you could have both? Sound appealing? Got to Lanie's Cafe. Great food. Great people. Big portions read more

We love Lanie's! Especially the staff that work the bar area! They are so nice and friendly. It's a place you don't mind spending money. Good food too!!! read more

Usually the food is the biggest reason to go to a restaurant but there are so many things to love about Lanie's. My top reasons are the patio, the salad bar, and the chill atmosphere. I'm also a fan that they use the Yelp app for reservations now. Makes it very easy to find a table at a good restaurant even when deciding where to eat semi last minute. They have a lot of great options on the menu. The eggplant rollatini is one of my favorites but the fact that I can get it combined with chicken parm and fettuccine Alfredo makes it even better when you don't want to choose. I used to think the prices were a little high but everyone else is catching up now and the portions are so big you get 2-3 meals so it is worth it. read more

Lanie's has amazing food with large portions, and excellent service. The atmosphere is pleasant, salad bar impressive, & great (strong) drinks on the weekend! The only issue I have with Lanie's is not being able to make a reservation. Apparently you can only reserve for parties of 8+. Getting friends or family together is hard enough with managing schedules, having to wait for nearly 20minutes just to be seated was a bit frustrating, read more

I am hesitant to leave a review because I don't want to turn any more people onto this restaurant. This restaurant helped get my family through Covid with a fantastic menu selection that was a to go menu. to put it frankly this restaurant is one of the top restaurants in Albany/capital region. There's not much more to say other than if you were looking for a fantastic night out with fantastic portions with a fantastic dinner. There is very few other options that can compete with Lannie's. For us, Latham, Loudonville folk, we know we have a gem. The jammed parking lots and the difficulty in finding a seat speaks volumes. I highly recommend this restaurant to anybody looking for great eats. My preference is the signature stuffed steak, it is one of the best meals I've ever had. read more

This is a go to place for food quality and service. The menu has a wide variety to choose from and the restaurant is comfortable

This Colonie staple somehow missed me all these years. This was my first time here for dinner. I had the salad bar a very long time ago and can't speak on that experience. This location is right in the middle of Colonie and happens to be really close to my house. It is also very close to The Crossings, where it is nice to take a walk before having a meal of epic portions from this place. At 6pm on a Wednesday the place seemed pretty lively. The bar looked packed and there was live music by "Just Nate". We sat in the dining area and it was a nice set up. This place is a cross between finer dining and a great bar scene. I know they have a fantastic patio and i will be sure to check it out this summer. The drink menu was pretty good. They had mostly domestics on tap, but they did have 3 crafts and I went with the tried and true Druthers All In. This might be a place were wine is more popular (looking at the demographic) and also cocktails. The wine list seemed decent and the specialty cocktails also sounded good. The menu is very large, as are their portions. I think that's just their thing there. All of the entrees were pretty pricey, pricey like Fine Dining Italian in downtown. After looking through the menu, we started with the Spinach Artichoke Dip. The menu had said it was served with homemade tortillas, but they are not homemade. The were actually kind of stale. But, they were simply vehicles for the dip - which was amazing. Really creamy and a lot of flavor. I opted for a salad (Bruschetta Steak) after our walk, and my friend got a wrap (Veggie). Both came out within a reasonable amount of time, the service was good. When the waitress started approaching with my salad, i was caught off guard, startled, amazed. all i could say was "Holy sh*t". The thing was mammoth. It was spinach, probably an entire cucumber, an entire pint of grape tomatoes, a lot of blue cheese, a steak, and an entire onion worth of fried bits. I ate maybe a quarter of it before having it wrapped. It was delicious though. Steak was perfectly rare as ordered. The blue cheese dressing was great and all the veggies were fresh. I don't like small tomatoes but they went great with the salad so zero complaints. Also for $16 - that is a salad. My friend enjoyed her wrap - the size was incomparable to the giant salad, but she couldn't finish it. She raved about their ranch dressing. the dressings must be made in house, they were very good. The place seems popular for the red sauce italian dishes. the dishes around looked good, but I can't really justify those prices at a place that has 100 different dishes. I would return to try more salads/sandwiches/wraps and apps. Food, Service and atmosphere was really good here. Our bill was $57 for everything which was reasonable and consistent to other outings. I would recommended coming here, HUNGRY. read more

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Absolutely Fantastic little place. The environment is welcoming, Food delicious and the staff is friendly. If there is a knock on this place its there's a little wait most times but well worth it. read more

Good food and service at the bar! Enjoyed the entertainment on the night we were there. Very friendly staff!

Came here the other day with my Brother and Sister for an early dinner and I can't believe I haven't been here sooner! The atmosphere is light and contemporary, they have outside seating which is nice because that's always a plus if the sun is shining! Our meals were fairly priced, delicious and the portions are huge, even for their yummy salads! Our waiter was quick, on point and very kind. The sweet potato fries are to die for here! I love that they also have gluten free options, including bread available because I would hate for anyone to miss out on their hearty tasty sandwiches! This place is a must and we will be returning again. read more

Delicious food with a vast menu. Friendly staff. The layout is unique which allows separation of formal dining from the more laid back bar area. Service was also fast. read more

Very good food and service! Portions were large and delicious. We had salad and nachos. It was a bit loud but overall very good ambiance!