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    Madison Pour House

    4.4 (145 reviews)
    ModerateNew American, Pubs
    Closed • 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Recommended Reviews - Madison Pour House

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    Everything pretzels
    Maeve M.

    Great trivia and great ambiance. There's a great drink selection for beers and ciders. The everything pretzels were delicious. The cheese dip wasn't the best I've ever had, but still good.

    My flight of stouts and some Nashville hot chicken tacos.
    Bill Z.

    Madison Pour House has the right combination of a high number of beers on draft (and in cans) of interest to me, and a low-key atmosphere, at least on evenings where there are no special events taking place, such as trivia. The variety of beers available on tap should be enough to satisfy anyone's interests in a 4-glass sampler. Be sure to check the small chalkboard to the left of the bar to identify the numbers of the drafts on the menu currently not available. The food menu is pretty "pub basic," mostly salads, tacos, burritos and such. You cannot order tacos in a "mix and match" style, so if several of you want a variety of tacos, order separately and share. I was able to try the spicier chicken tacos. They're quite tasty, but mine were served lukewarm. The staff were friendly and helpful. This is definitely a place I would bring my out-of-town beer loving friends.

    Broccoli, cheddar and roasted red pepper Tofu scramble with home fries & the Buffalo Chick'n (vegetarian) sandwich with French fries
    Stephanie L.

    Tofu scramble was solid. The tofu was cooked to perfection (very convincingly egg-like) and accompanying vegetables were equally cooked well. One of the best tofu scrambles I've had so far. The home fries could have been cooked a little longer and mashed a bit (they were a bit dry and too perfectly cubed). The Buffalo chick'n sandwich was solid, just the right texture and taste. Fries were good. Also had a chai latté which was delicious! I would have had two if coffee didn't make me so jittery :)

    Finback Fly On 8.4% Imperial IPA.  9 bones for a 16 oz.  Good stank on this one.
    James D.

    Cool, cool vibe here and the pricing structure keeps out the drunken college rifraff. Most patrons seemed to be thirtysomethings, though it was an eclectic mix of folk overall as there seemed to be some freaks, some yuppie milennials, and some preppies as well. I like that. Can't we all just get along? Basically a killer taplist with 30 taps total. I will say I was a little bummed that on my Saturday night visit five of the 30 kegs had already been kicked and were unavailable, including my first beer of choice. The bacon mac and cheese is quite likely the best mac and cheese I've ever had. Wicked cheesy and the smokey love made me want to marry this dish. Talk about good lovin'! This dish was unequivocally worth the 12 dollar price and will fill one person to his/her gills without making him/her puke...the "just right" kinda full I'd say. Most definitely get the smokey bacon...as Vincent (John Travolta) said in Pulp Fiction, "bacon tastes good!" Beer pricing structure is definitely on the high side, so take your time in here or bring along a very fat wallet. Most 16 oz. pours will run a good 8 to 9 bucks, yep, 9 bucks and most 12 oz. pours tip the scale at $7. Keep in mind these are the serious craft beers that are difficult to find for the most part and you won't have a freak out session at the cost. If you're looking for 5 dollar pints, keep walking, this ain't your place. The upstairs area with the look through ceiling is a unique and smart touch. I dig it. I don't think they have real waiter or waitress service here as I didn't see any. You seat yourself and order and the bartender will bring over your goods. Kinda different that way. I'll be back here again for more beers and more mac and cheese lovin', no question. Oh and the on-street parking always drags me down, but it is what it is...be ready to circle the block to keep lookin' for that truly valuable vacant spot.

    Artisanal brew works BB Brown and hoegaarden wit
    Cheney P.

    40 amazing beers on tap and always great food. I try to stop here any time I am in Albany. Used to drink here a lot while i was getting my masters

    a can of beer on a table
    Charlie O.

    Tasty food and friendly staff. The beer list is a big one and the atmosphere is a warm pub environment when not crowded. Utica Club in tall boys is a plus (classic).

    Bacon tomato mac
    Vicky L.

    The pourhouse is truly the place to be to grab a few drinks and food with friends or coworkers after a long day. The atmosphere is sort of hipster but laid back and welcoming. There are no seats at the bar but the tables on the first floor and half booths are upstairs as well. The beer list is ever changing and if you're not a beer fan, they have ciders and sodas. The menu continues to be promising and weekdays from 2 to 5pm, they offer all their hot dogs at a dollar each! The mac and cheese served in a hot cast iron skillet, potato wedges with a house made BBQ style sauce, and the Brian Griffin hot dog (mac n cheese and jalapeños atop the dog) are just a few of my faves. There are also plenty of toasties (their way of saying sandwiches/paninis?), salads, and a variety of local beers. They seem to be more quiet during the happy hour to early dinner weekdays but the weekend is when the crowds check this place out.

    Beer and Bacon Brats - Baked Then Served with a Side of Dijon Mustard and Pickled Onions.
    Roger K.

    Now that an appropriate period of mourning has passed in memory of the loss of the original Mahar's Public House (MPH) at this location, I finally made my first visit to the Madison Pour House (MPH). While the acronym may not have changed, there is very little else that remains the same. There are still the same number of steps to enter or exit through the front door. There is still a walk-in cooler behind the south-east window. There is still no seating at the bar and that's about it for what remains the same. The first change we noticed upon seating ourselves at a table was that one of the bartenders brought us a bottle of tap water and two glasses. Nice start. The beverage and food menus were already on the tables. There are typically 40 beers on tap and an additional two on cask engines. All are offered in 5 and 10 oz. portions, but oddly enough, only slightly more than half are offered for sale in 16 oz. portions. The key to this quandary seems to be that any 10 oz. portion that sells for more than $5.50 might have to be priced at a level considered to be too steep for the customer. And based upon the four beers that I sampled, I'm likely to agree with that. The beer menu suggests that you consider a Four-Pack - four 5 oz. glasses all priced at their listed price. I decided to take up that offer with four different stouts. Elysian Split Shot ($3; 5.6% abv) Crossroads McCarthy's Irish Stout ($2.75; 4.3% abv) Carton of Milk Stout ($2.75; 4% abv) Grimm Double Negative ($5; 10.2% abv) The first three on this list cost $7, $6, and $6 respectively in 16 oz. portions. I imagine that they would probably charge $14 or more for the Grimm in a 16 oz. portion. While the abv of the Grimm is twice that of many others on the menu, there are also beers on the menu as low as 5% abv that are not offered in 16 oz. portions. But enough about the beer. Well, not just yet. I also want to say that my wife had The Brown Note from Against The Grain ($7; 10 oz. 5% abv) and we both thought that all five beers were served at a temperature too cold to allow the true flavors to really be apparent and appreciated. We did also order some food. We shared the Beer and Bacon Brats ($6) and an Irish Toastie ($10). The Brats were five bite-sized pieces of bratwurst wrapped in bacon, baked, and served with a side of very spicy Dijon mustard and pickled onions. These were very tasty and the bacon was nicely crisped. The Irish Toastie consists of Irish bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, and chives pressed Panini style between slices of sour dough bread. This was another very nice dish, the sourness of the bread contrasted with the sweetness of the caramelized onions. Overall, the service was ok, the food was good pub food, the selection of beers was excellent, and the room temperature was cold with the front door open the entire time we were there. I guess that's one more thing like the old Mahar's. Got to save money on the cost of heating the place.

    Melissa M.

    Really kewl place...loved the beeah selection bartender had outstanding customer service place was decorated for Halloween and looked awesome... in the area for my nieces family weekend at RPI and would def come back/recommend Only thumbs down cheese sauce for pretzel not ready til 5..sad panda I heart cheese waiting on my bag o donuts mmmm

    Pulled pork sandwich
    Daniel R.

    Each time I've visited the Madison Pour House, it's felt like sacrilege. Like many others, I've been and continue to be bummed that MPH stands on the hallowed grounds that was once occupied by Mahar's, an Albany institution that was like a second home to many of our area's beer connoisseurs. And while nothing can ever fill the void left by our beloved Mahar's, MPH is certainly making it easier to cope. The beer selection at the Madison Pour House is fantastic. A quick glance at their beer list reveals that everyone in your party will find something to enjoy. I was pleased with the diversity of their selection, not getting stuck offering 25 different versions of the IPA. MPH offers your standard pint, as well as several smaller glasses, which is great when you're not sure what to order and want to sample a handful of offerings. While the selection doesn't begin to touch what was offered by Mahar's, it is more than enough to keep your night as lively as you want it to be. Where MPH beats Mahar's, as well as other local competitors, is their food selection. Sure, it's standard pub fare - sandwiches, pretzels, salads, meat/cheese boards, and other snacks - but the menu is offered at a reasonable price and doesn't try to be more than what it is. Each time I've had food at MPH, I've left feeling satisfied. I most recently tried their pulled pork and it was delicious, sweet, and with just enough spice to even things out. The portions are ample and come served with homemade chips. Madison Pour House is a great place because it has an identity all its own. While it may seem to have the same old trappings of every other pub in the area, I think that it brings enough to the table to separate it from its competitors. Give it a try.

    Gyro, fabulous
    Shannon H.

    Disclaimer, this review is for the food, not for the alcohol. Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon, we were quickly seated and we chose to sit upstairs which offers a nice Birdseye view of what is an eclectic old taphouse. For those of you who wonder what non-alcoholic options could this place possibly offer.....they have Boylan sodas which are awesome. For our app we ordered the Rizio nachos which are alcohol infused spicy Italian sausage with an Alfredo cheese and pepper relish. The sausage - super fabulous. I would have prefered the crostini it was served over be swapped for chips because I'm not a fan of dry bread but to each his own. I then got the gyro. You may wonder what business does a bar have making Greek gyros. Well Madison Pour House puts up a very respectable fight, because the beef was so tender, juicy, and delicious. My husband got the fried chicken sandwich. No it is not your school lunch's fried chicken patty. This was spicy, crispy, served over cole slaw, BBQ sauce and bacon so it was pretty much fantastic. Service was solid, very laid back, one of the other yelpers was right, it is hipster. But lucky for me I was wearing my Star Wars shirt so I fit right in.

    Fusion of old lodge/ hipster chic.

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    6 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Wonderful staff, great beer and tasty specials. Hidden gem. Not a beer drinker? Great cocktails

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Been here a few times and I've had a really great experience each time! Drinks are great, venue is beautiful, food is fine.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great small pub. Good good, massive selection of beers. Crowd seems to be eclectic but definitely not college-y

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    11 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great service and staff. Trivia is the place to be on Thursday nights!! Nice rustic atmosphere with traditional bar fare

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    This is my favorite bar ever. Amazing staff, beer, snacks, and vibes. Will never stop coming here as long as I'm in Albany!

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    The Olde English - Chicken Tikka Masala Potpie

    The Olde English

    3.7(290 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    •$$

    The place has a great, olde feel to it but the contrasting 70's American rock stripped that…read moresensation away as I dined before a print of Churchill. (When I walked by the establishment in the evening, they played cheesy American pop.) Their online drink menu did not match their current menu. In lieu of a much desired vesper (I was told they couldn't make it because they no longer have Lillet), I went with their Indigo 75 of Empress Gin, lemon juice, and Prosecco. Instead of refreshing, the lemon juice overwhelmed the entire drink. The BLTEA with bacon, lettuce, tomato, egg, avocado, and mayo was wonderful. The side salad only came with a sweet balsamic vinaigrette. With a bit more attention to detail, this place could be amazing.

    Can't believe it took me this long to check out the Olde English Pub! We came here for quick drinks…read moreand apps after an event and ended up staying a while! Our bartender Olivia was super nice and ended up chatting with us for a while too! The sausage rolls and dipping fries came highly recommended by her and we opted for the sausage rolls which definitely did not disappoint and were delicious! They have some good bar food options. Kitchen closes at 10pm but the bar is open until 11pm. We also got to try some of their beers and ciders before committing which was really nice as well. And their pickle back shots were also a fun addition. Overall even without a crowd, it's a chill pub to check out in the area!

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    The Olde English - The Bar

    The Bar

    The Olde English - BLTEA Sandwich

    BLTEA Sandwich

    The Olde English - Outside

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    Outside

    Fidens Brewing Company - Quadruple IPA

    Fidens Brewing Company

    4.4(110 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    •$$

    Wing Wednesday is everywhere... but where can you go enjoy good wings in a huge open space with…read moreoversized TVs, friendly staff, and free games including darts??? Fidens Brewing Company on Broadway in Albany Each week there's a different wing flavor to try, so whether you're into stepping outside the box or sticking with your favorites, the choice is yours. And let me just say this... people were constantly coming in for pickup orders and filling seats to the point they SOLD OUT of wings I heard one poor guy say "Ummm... now I don't know what to get." But those Buffalo Wontons??? Absolutely delicious Outside of the food menu they also have a huge selection of beers, and since I'm definitely not a beer connoisseur, "Mike" behind the bar let me sample a few while breaking down the different flavor profiles which honestly made the experience even better.

    Their IPAs remain awesome, but the rest of the experience at Fidens has slipped a bit for me. That…read moresaid, this is foremost a brewery and the Butcher & variants are some of my absolute favorite beers and worth going out of your way for. I unfortunately only had food once under the old regime and it was creative and delectable. On my last visit in the early evening at like 6:30 the first FIVE things I wanted to eat were all unavailable. Finally I was able to secure a hot dog, so much for the streamlined/simplified menu! The entire food program feels kinda overpriced, kinda undersized, and just kinda mid. I really hope the expansion into Saratoga doesn't degrade the experience downtown.

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    Fidens Brewing Company - Use it Up with Mango

    Use it Up with Mango

    Fidens Brewing Company - Triple Butcher

    Triple Butcher

    Fidens Brewing Company - The Vegan

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    The Vegan

    Lost & Found

    Lost & Found

    4.3(98 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    •$$

    The Patatas Bravas were absolutely the best thing I've tasted in a long time, the flavors of the…read moresalsa verde and the aioli along with the lardon were delightful and satisfying. I very much appreciate that they didn't use cheese in this dish. You could tell the whole meal was homemade and full of flavor. Even the greens that came with my sandwich had a delicious vinaigrette with crunchy seeds and pickled red onion tossed in. I can't wait to go back to enjoy another meal!

    I love having Lost & Found just down the street as an option when my partner and I want something…read morelowkey but delicious. It's a comfortable and cozy space with good drinks and a quite eclectic menu for a place you think is going to be serving up typical bar food. I enjoy their focus on local and in-season ingredients, I'm always keeping an eye on their Instagram to see what their unique specials are; their recent ode to leeks was so tasty. There is always something vegetarian/vegan on the menu so I never have to worry. Brunch here is also a great idea, those house made biscuits are worth stopping in alone. Lost & Found really focuses on highlighting and supporting Albany/the Capital Region whether it's with their ingredients, drinks, or live music so I feel even better about supporting them. Once they start offering a plant-based hot dog so I can join in on the fun and deliciousness of the Wednesday hotdog club I will rush back to give them that 5th star ;)

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    Lost & Found - Inside homage to Nipper, the RCA Dog, one of Albany's nearby landmarks.

    Inside homage to Nipper, the RCA Dog, one of Albany's nearby landmarks.

    Lost & Found - Buffalo chicken fries

    Buffalo chicken fries

    Lost & Found - Lost and Found is dog friendly.

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    Lost and Found is dog friendly.

    The Washington Tavern - Good pickle with my Southern Smash burger.

    The Washington Tavern

    3.2(86 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    •$$

    Eight years ago I came here on a wing tour of the area and liked their food so I put it on my list…read moreto come back. It has taken awhile. We arrived on a Saturday night around 6PM and there were three people at the bar. By the time we left around 7PM, there had been at most nine people including us. Either it was an off night or it is a quiet bar. The bartender was friendly, though he accidently forgot to bring our drinks and I had to remind him 15 minutes later. We ordered wings and loaded fries, and food came up relatively quickly. From what I understand, the kitchen guy was new. It showed in the fries, which were cooked but not crispy at all. It was like eating a loaded baked potato... not bad, but not fries. (They took them off the bill- thank you!). The wings were good and varied in size, though of our 10 Buffalo wings only one was a drumstick. I like flats so it was okay with me, but odd. We later ordered 10 more wings and my wife said she liked the Lemon-Pepper seasoning. They have happy hour specials from 5-8 which is nice, though three items were out by the time we arrived. I would have loved to try their maple-bacon wings but they had no maple syrup. In the room next door was a pool table and it might be fun to play sometime if we come back.

    New owners, new review…read more There was an everchanging group of friends who would gather weekly, prior to Covid, on a Friday evening at an establishment down the street from the Washington Tavern (better known as WT's to regulars) for a drink or two. Once a year on the Saturday before the St. Patrick's Day parade these friends would shift to WT's for what was known as "corned beef day." With new ownership of WT's it was about time that a call was put out to those friends to reunite. WT's was now the ideal place. Arriving on a Thursday at 4:30 we quickly realized that they didn't open until 5PM. They were kind enough to let us have a seat inside until the bar and kitchen were open and operational. They were not aware of our planned gathering so I will not nitpick about any service. In fact, the bartender who also acted as our server did a miraculous job handling the drinks and separate-check food orders for what grew to about 15 people in the backroom by the kitchen. Kitchen staff also did a wonderful job of getting the food out in a respectable time for our unexpected gathering at the start of their day. All the food I saw coming to our table looked inviting - wings; smashburgers; flatbreads; and someone's salad. I had a pint of Guinness with a Southern Smash burger ($16). There was plenty of flavor and a mix of textures as I took my first bite into the soft roll surrounding the smashed beef patty, a crunchy onion ring, fresh leaf lettuce, sliced tomato, American cheese, and a sweet BBQ sauce. Even the pickle spear on the side was tasty. A true surprise was what I believe were house-made potato chips - so crunchy with an herbed dusting that escapes me but helps to make them addictive. I foresee additional gatherings here in our future.

    Photos
    The Washington Tavern - New look 2024

    New look 2024

    The Washington Tavern - Plenty of flavor and textures here.

    Plenty of flavor and textures here.

    The Washington Tavern - Cobb salad

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    Cobb salad

    The Excelsior Pub

    The Excelsior Pub

    4.3(69 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    •$

    I was on the hunt for a Garbage Plate in my new home of the Capital Region; this is the only place…read moreI could find one on the menu...and I looked all over. I spent way too much time toiling with the prospect of not being impressed by a plate 200+ miles from Rochester. In my head, I said to myself, there are plates in Rochester that don't even impress; why should I give the time of day to someone so far removed? It took me over two years to finally pull trig. In retrospect, I am kicking myself. Portions aside, the plate here is absolutely fantastic, like wtf. The meat sauce seems to keep the obligatory warmth of nutmeg and cinnamon, but has a delicate spice that absolutely delights in its own way. The mac salad lights up my tongue with the zest of celery and the home fries give me the crunch that I deserve. The burgers are the greasy vessel that I have come to expect, but offer much more cohesion than a typical plate. I am barely exaggerating when I say this might be Top 2 plates of my lifetime. Couple that with an awesome atmosphere and an amazing happy hour and you've got gold. Thank you guys for scratching my itch.

    Loved this spot. I can't lie they didn't pay as much attention to us cause we weren't like regulars…read morewhen we went on a weekday but the staff is incredible so kind and amazing but def wish we felt more welcome hahah. i loved how they theme the menu different foods from spots around NY. we had the rochester garbage plate and the mozz sticks with raspberry melba sauce. loved it! drinks were interesting my whisky sour was pink??

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    The Excelsior Pub
    The Excelsior Pub
    The Excelsior Pub

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    Madison Pour House - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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