What a find! We had tickets to see a show at the Cohoes Music Hall and found a Groupon for…read moreSpindles. Since the weather was iffy, we didn't purchase the Groupon ahead of time...but the nice young man that was both bartending and waiting tables gave us a heads-up about it. We purchased it prior to the end of our meal and saved a few bucks. Spindles is a small, intimate space with a lovely tapas menu and a few regular sized meal choices. There's a nice wine and beer selection as well. Service was good. We decided to try a few different items to share as much as we could possibly eat. We ordered rather rich, winter-centric (IMHO) food: Bacon wrapped dates, Chicken Pot Pie, Warm Baked Brie and Rosemary Cashews. There were several other tapas that looked appealing (ahi tuna, for example), but they were out of a few things (including the tuna). The Bacon wrapped dates (that include some chorizo) were sweet and savory - just as expected. They are drizzled in honey with plenty left over on the plate for additional slathering. The brie is almost like a dessert - the brown butter whiskey sauce is super sweet. The walnuts add a nice crunchy texture and the bread was served hot. We started with the rosemary cashews and a couple of glasses of red wine (Malbec...from the tap!). The chicken pot pie sealed the deal. I thought it was excellent, but if you are not into black pepper, this might not be the right choice for you. Very peppery pot pie (say that three times fast!) with big chunks of white meat chicken and veggies without excessive creamy richness. We enjoyed our meal and would definitely return when we are back in the neighborhood.

When we went on yelp to look for a place to go and have a relaxing glass of wine, we saw that…read morespindles is a "wine" bar. Far from being a wine bar. It's probably one of the most fun "Dive" bars I have been to in years. If I was a local in the Albany area, Spindles "Wine" bar would be my go to place.

Gina is amazing! The drinks are good. Great customer service, very informative about drinks. Place…read morealso connected to a bunch of other Definitely plan on coming back when in town!

Looking for a romantic, candle lit spot with drinks for date night? Look no further…read more If you want a quaint spot for a glass of wine and a snack with friends, look no further. Lucas Confectionary has such a warm, inviting vibe all around. It may not be a one stop dinner spot, but it is an amazing pre-dinner stop for some drinks and appetite inducing snacks. With the extremely limited menu and offerings, you expect everything to be thoughtful and serve a purpose, and they deliver. For my drink, I ordered one of the red blends and it was very good for sipping along side a board of charcuterie and cheese My small group opted for the "pick three" option for a board. We ordered the manchego, smoked duck breast, and the pâté. It was a superb plate. The manchego was salty and funky, offered with dried apricots. The pate was rich and fatty, offered with whole grain mustard, pickled onions and cornichons. The smoked duck was offered with a blueberry-mustard compote. Also all accompanied with some nice fresh bread. Each flavor served a purposed and made for several tasty bites that piqued my interest. For a pre-dinner stop, I was very impressed. Also, sad to see this location absolutely empty on a Saturday evening. Lucas Confectioary is a perfect spot for an intimate date night, meeting friends, an after work drink, girls night, etc. Highly recommend a visit here!

Wow! I've wanted to try Rosanna's for some time now and I regret waiting so long. This is like one…read moreof those local best kept secret spots. I was able to book a reservation online for the same day. Of note, when you have the option of Main Floor or First Floor & Bar, just realize the Main Floor is up a flight of stairs. I'm not sure if there is a separate entrance but my wife was on crutches and she managed to get up the first three into the restaurant from outside but I don't think dining on the main floor would have been an option for us. Our server, Mike, was awesome and full of energy and enthusiasm. He offered suggestions and answered questions about details of the dishes. We were pleasantly surprised with how many menu items were marked v - vegan and v* - can be prepared vegan. This is great for us because it's another place in Albany that we will be able to go out to dinner with friends and everyone will be able.to find something to enjoy. The fried Artichokes are a must if you're looking for a starter. We were eyeing up the Fennel salad or vegan Caesar salad but opted to move on to main entrees. On this night they were out of the Gnocchi Cacio-Pepe which personally, I am not a gnocchi fan to start and Mike told us they were substituting a buccatini pasta instead... this had my attention! I went for his suggestion and chose the Arrabbiata instead which was delicious. My wife enjoyed her Wild Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto. We skipped dessert for this evening but there were vegan Gelato and cookie options for dessert as well. From start to finish it was such an enjoyable experience in this cozy corner restaurant which offers outdoor dining in the summer in the heart of Albany. We will totally be back with friends for another delicious meal at Rosanna's, the hidden gem in downtown Albany!

I am very surprised by all of the five star reviews. Our party of three had burger/fries, chicken…read moredish, tortellini, and garlic bread. No drinks. We all had water to drink. The burger/fries and chicken dish were average. The tortellini and garlic bread were below average. Tortellini tasted like it was just frozen and undercooked and then served warm, not hot. The garlic bread...how do you mess up garlic bread. It was $7 and it was literally two pieces that were the size of my pointer finger, and one of the pieces was burnt. I would have been embarrassed to serve it as complimentary, let alone charge for it. The three meals plus the two mini pieces of garlic bread came to $110 including tip. It was overpriced for the quality of the food. I would say at the most this should have been an $80 meal including tip. I would have given a 3 star review if that had been the price. I live in a pricey area and I'm not picky. I believe this is the only time I've given a restaurant anything below 4 stars. The place was clean and I like that they bring a glass bottle of water to the table.

Wow! I can't believe it took me so long to get here. I haven't enjoyed a meal this much in a while…read more I don't get over here much, but I think I will be back soon to try more of this menu. The restaurant is gorgeous, in a former bank, they have a parking lot and a small patio. We loved the dark and moody vibe of the place. I was very excited to try some of this chefs work after drooling over the menu for weeks. We were welcomed by Vince, who was super friendly and knowledgeable on the menu. He provided great service through the whole meal. We started with martinis, they have a great cocktail program. I ordered a dirty martini with blue cheese olives and it was perfect, and strong. We also opted to try the Oyster Shooter, how fun! It was an oyster served with a little shot of gin with cucumber. The shot was sweeter than I expected, but I simply had to try it. We probably didn't need an appetizer, but luckily the Bao buns were the perfect size for two. The Korean fried chicken was crisp and moist and coated with a thick sweet and spicy sauce. It definitely had some heat, but it was a nice heat. The peanuts and cilantro paired great with the buns. Besides the menu, they had a number of specials for the evening, so keep your options open. We did decide to stick to the menu though. I ordered the signature duck and my sister ordered the porcini ravioli. The duck dish was stunning, I couldn't take enough photos of it, and the taste blew me away. The duck was so crispy and tender, the fatty flavor reminds you of a holiday. The carrot puree, potatoes, greens and cherries added complexity and balance to the plate. I never finish my dinner, and I ate every morsel on this plate. The porcini ravioli was no different, it was incredible. The thick creamy sauce had so much flavor we were trying to guess what was in it. It was so rich and dreamy and the additional of walnuts was a fun crunch. If you love mushrooms, get this. We loved this meal, and I will rave about it. I am coming back for the pork belly dish, soon.

The food here never disappoints. Every dish I've ever tried here is fresh, locally sourced if…read morepossible and well prepared. Service is also top notch.

Never did I think that I would have to write a post like this, but I also never thought I would…read moreencounter a restaurant that provided both horrible food and drinks. Although the scenery and overall aesthetic make the place look like an inviting attraction, once inside, the concept feels more like a Venus flytrap. (If it were possible to give a half-star or no-star review for the quality of the food and drinks I was served, that would be my rating instead of the 1-star review I gave.) While eating, I found myself constantly wondering how other people there were enjoying the food. The demographics seemed to represent a specific group, yet it was difficult to understand how such a similar experience could be perceived so differently. Even though, the food and drinks were terrible, I can say that the service was not. That is the only positive aspect I can point out. We were seated quickly, and our waitress was attentive and responsive, even during busy moments. This made me wonder if they receive overflow customers from nearby restaurants with holding. As this was the following position that me and person that I went with were positioned in. Below are the items we ordered, along with detailed feedback on their overall taste: ------------------------------------------------- Items Ordered: - 2 orders | Birria Tacos ($$37.90) comment: I never thought it was possible to receive birria tacos where both the meat and the sauce were completely tasteless. No matter how much I tried to use the sauce and other condiments provided, nothing improved the flavor. While eating, I kept thinking that even Taco Bell would have made more decent tacos. - 2 order | (Custom Order) Strawberry Mojito ($28.00) comment: Might as well have ordered straight liquor, as the mixed drinks just tasted exactly like that with some sort of sweet syrup that did nothing to appease the overall taste. - 1 order | Fried Mexican Cheese Sticks ($12.95) comment: Upon trying it, the first thing that stood out was a flavor that resembled cardboard, with only a very slight (and I mean slight) hint of Dorito chips. - 1 order | Expresso Martini ($15.00): comment: Tasted like straight vodka, nothing else - 1 order | Crunch Wrap Supreme ($20.90) comment: This was the only slightly decent item we ordered. Even then, when compared to a fast-food chain like Taco Bell, they would likely make a better wrap than what was served here--and for a lower price. CONCLUSION: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope they take this feedback as encouragement to improve their food and drink quality, because what was presented was truly disappointing. I came in expecting to enjoy a lunch date, and while it at least gave us something to laugh about, I'm serious when I say the items we ordered were atrocious. I would rate everything a 1/10, except for the Crunch wrap Supreme, which gets a 3/10.

Nicely styled cantina with tavern vibes with great tacos and other Mexican food options. Would like…read moreto try their drinks sometime soon as well. Service was great, despite there being only 1 server when I was in. Food was great. Had the carne asade fries to start, it's served on crispy waffle fries and the carne asade was super tender. I was about to go for some Birria tacos but decided to try something a little different and ordered the chopped cheese burrito. Delicious. Looking forward to coming back for more!

Tapas, more than anything else, is an eating style. And it's one that revolves around small plates…read moreand plenty of wine. That said, I think it's totally fair to bring a restaurant's wine list into the conversation when talking about a place where "Tapas" is in the name of the business itself. While I have nothing against a short wine list, there was only one Spanish wine on the list of whites. There are were two on the reds. With prices hovering around $30 a bottle, the wines were modestly priced. However, none of the vintages were included on the list, which made me concerned. But when our bottle of Albariño arrived, it was thankfully a current vintage. I've never had a waiter cast doubt on my wine selection before, so that was new to me. He thought we might be happier with a red. However, he wasn't privy to the food we were going to order. White was definitely the right call for the night. We were there as the first snow of the season began to fall. So maybe that's why the place was understaffed. The news really likes to hype up snow fall. Perhaps the best thing we ordered was the guacamole, which was billed as being prepared at the table. However, last Thursday ours was not. The waiter did make a display of chopping at the bowl with the serving spoon as he walked it over to our table. But that's not quite the same thing. Still, that was the best thing we had to eat that night. The company was great, and I actually enjoyed the more relaxed pacing of the meal. Although my suggestion to the waiter about the order in which we would like to food to arrive was rebuffed. He told us, to let him know what we wanted to eat, and he'd take care of the rest. In the end, that worked out fine. Minus the hiccups of dropping off the wrong food at the table, twice. Well, and the food being mostly satisfactory, if unremarkable. Beyond the guacamole, there isn't really anything I would order again. Maybe we ordered wrong? Perhaps it was a mistake to go for Spanish dishes at a Mexican restaurant. I really don't know. All told, the four of us ordered six dishes, a bottle of wine, and split a flan. We all left feeling sated, and enjoyed our night out. The whole experience came to just over thirty bucks per person, including tax and tip. Which isn't bad. Especially since the waiter treated three of us to tequila shooters, which also included a bit of sprite and coffee liqueur. I abstained, since I'm not the best at driving in heavy snow on unplowed roads. Still, it was a lovely gesture.

Great authentic food to match the amazing and friendly customer service. The octopus, fundido, and…read moredrinks were amazing.

Stopped in for some soup, dumplings, and spring rolls. The amount of food I got for the price was…read moremore than fair. Couldn't finish it all. This is a beautiful sitdown, Chinese restaurant with an old-school feel. Two older gentlemen were the waiters and I believe one of them may have been named Simon. He could not have been nicer and more accommodating. I overheard some regulars talking to him, and they definitely felt the same way. I saw several of the dishes that other people were eating, and they all looked delicious. I really like this area of Albany with all the old buildings right by Washington Park and I plan on making Rain part of my regular routine. 100% recommend.

I ordered takeout so not sure about the inside ambience and facilities. Service was very fast but…read moreagain I ordered takeout out so not sure about wait staff. The food was ok, but not particularly more special than my local place I love. The egg drop soup was yummy and smooth. I thought the shrimp and broccoli would be a little more spicy than what I received, but it still tasted great.

Keeping things fresh is important to running a business. I've been coming to TapAsia for years and…read moreI have to hand it to chef-owner, Natalie, for adding new ideas to her menu all the time. On this visit, I had the Shrimp Tom Yum Noodles special while my friend ordered Chicken Tom Yum Fried Rice from the regular menu. This would be an indication that we like spicy food but knowing that Natalie makes her own spices we asked for the entrees to be "mildly" spicy. After tasting the entrees my friend declared the meals to be "crazy good," but he was glad that we ordered them mildly spicy since the spices were making his face sweat a little. He was very happy with the meal. Never one to shy away from a lycee drink, I ordered a Lycee Saketini, which I loved. It included about a 1/2 ounce of sake. We also ordered an Everett Porter Beer which tasted and looked a lot like coffee- chocolate stout. It was delicious. Our server, Ben, helped us with our drink orders. He's very knowledgeable. The restaurant is cozy, welcoming and can seat perhaps 30 people but it's important to call ahead to make sure there's enough seating. I almost forgot to mention desserts which are to die for. The mango cheese cake was amazing.

Overall it was good for the price point. Crab Rangoon was ok. The tom…read moreYum And tom Kha soup tho was very delicious and the entrees. The area is a bit sketchy tho so just be careful. Place is small and reservations can be made online. Parking is on the street. The entree portions were pretty good

So I love Puerto Rican food, my friend's sister is the best Borinquena cook in the world so Sabor…read morehad a high bar to hit. We ordered a large size pernil (roast pork) and pollo guisado (stewed chicken) with arroz amarillo (yellow rice with pigeon peas). First of all the large size is massive and I would probably order a small next time. The food was outstanding, not quite as good as I've had but absolutely delicious. The rice was cooked perfectly and the red beans were really well seasoned. They had alcapurrias on the menu but were out when we were there so we got a beef empanada instead. The empanada was good but a little greasy. The place is really tiny, only a couple of tables so it's more of a to-go place. We wouldn't have stayed anyway because the music was so loud I felt like I was at a dance party rather than a restaurant. The man who served us was super nice and made sure that we were well taken care of. I'll definitely go back and try the pepper steak and pork chops. Maybe they'll have alcapurrias when I return.

Delicious and authentic. Meals come with beans and rice and plantains. Tostones made to order…read more Pepper steak perfect