Absolutely Outstanding Colombian Food! Hands down, some of the best Colombian food we've ever had! The restaurant is small but absolutely beautiful, with a warm, inviting atmosphere. And the music was amazing, it really added to the experience and made us feel like we were transported to Colombia. From the moment we arrived, John Eduard, the owner, and Valentina, our waitress, were absolutely fantastic, warm, attentive, and genuinely committed to making sure we had a great experience. I enjoyed the Bandeja Paisa and asked if they could substitute the flank steak for skirt steak. Even though it's not on the menu, they made it happen and it was absolutely delicious! My husband and son had the La Tabla Mixta for Two, and the meat was incredibly tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. And the desserts were to die for! Every bite was better than the last. The food, service, hospitality, atmosphere, and attention to detail were all exceptional. We will definitely be coming back every time we're in the area! Highly recommend this little gem to anyone looking for authentic, delicious Colombian food and a truly wonderful dining experience. read more

Yuca fried, lengua, and deep fried red snapper are my personal favorites to order. Their frozen margaritas are so great you can just tell they're not shy on vodka Mango margaritas are the best of everything I've tried. The staff are very friendly and they will explain the menu if you aren't familiar with the menu. The music and the margaritas combined, makes you wanna dance Don't sleep on their desserts too, tres leches and flan read more

A really nice little hole in the wall Colombian restaurant. Not the prettiest looking place, but the food, drinks, and service were all excellent. The kids got mac and cheese (looked like Kraft or some equivalent) and the kids chicken (which was SUPER well seasoned and somehow really moist and tender despite being almost as flat as a crepe). My wife got a couple (gluten free) chicken empanadas, which were quite tasty, we both got queso arepas with sausage (which we both thoroughly enjoyed), and I got the arrow con pollo (a touch on the dry side, but oh man was it really tasty). Not a place to go out of the way for, but a place I definitely wouldn't mind stopping at again if I find myself in town. read more

This place is such a good stop for some comfort Colombian food! I was looking for a quick dinner and ordered online which was super easy and everything was prepared when I got there. The cafe is really characteristic and cool so I'd like to sit in one day but I really enjoyed my meal overall! Everything was super flavorful and delicious, the pork was really tender and crispy on the outside as well. The plantains were also so yummy. The soup that it came with was also really good and had beef, yuca, potato and beans in it. I'd highly recommend checking this place out sometime. Prices were also really reasonable. read more

Moliendo cafe - Colombian Near Me - Albany, New York

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It was delightful to eat in this casual, lively Colombian restaurant mid-day Saturday. The food was very good and felt first-generation with arepas and national dishes/casseroles mostly served with white rice, plantains, maybe some avocado and there's lots of sausage (the well, sausage shape) being flung into various dishes. I had a bowl o' red beans, fried pork a la chicharrones, white rice, a sausage, avocado a side o' pico de gallo at hand. My friend's fried whole red snapper looked pretty darn good, to which she attested, and the tail end I sampled tasted sweet and perfectly cooked and seasoned. Standard desserts of flan and tres leches cake I am delighted to report were very, very good renditions. No decaf coffee so I was offered decaf teat but oops it's just a regular Lipton bag which I pointed out to response but no action on the part of server to get me said promised decaf tea bag. Alas it was inconsequential; it's lackadaisical and I just want to go with that flow. Service was friendly and exuberant, if cheerily neglectful. It was a treat and I will definitely pop in when I can for good food, good hospitality and darn good arepas . . . and next time for me: fried whole red snapper! And empenadas look pretty good too . . . . read more

Moliendo cafe - Saturday afternoon - Colombian Near Me - Albany, New York

That sancocho is good for the soul. Warm, comforting, and flavorful, it felt like a homemade soup made with love. I got it for takeout and it was packed thoughtfully and with care. I got the chicharron, tres leches cake, maduros, and chicken empanada too. Every single thing was amazing. read more

This place is insanely addicting. I haven't had anything from here that wasn't out of this world delicious. Service is great, if you don't speak Spanish no worries most waiters speak English perfectly. From the music to the decorations you can feel like you been to Colombia. I bring my family here quite often and leave full with a huge smile on my face. The prices are good and you get a tremendous amount of food for it. The location isn't in the greatest of areas and parking is street parking only. read more

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Run, don't walk!! Great Colombian food! Awesome drinks! Fantastic service. Love the outdoor seating option as well. I come here for the lunch specials, but I came for happy hour the other day and had such a good time. Drinks were on point and my food was great. Coming here definitely gives tropical vacation vibes and I absolutely love that for Albany. read more

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Excellent food! I love the soups and specials. Great prices and good, wholesome food to eat.

Amazing place with great traditional dishes. Felt like I was back in Colombia again. I will keep coming back whenever I can!

After trying a Peruvian empanada restaurant recently, we decided to give the Columbian menu a try. The cuisines were very different. It may, however, be that what I chose was just not as spicy as the other venue. My stewed chicken was quite succulent and came with a side salad, beans and rice. As per my usual, I did take half of it home. SO and I shared a couple of empanadas as appetizers. Delicious. It's a bright, busy venue with very nice wait staff. Parking is on the street. read more

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Food was good fish was priced much higher than the menu.. waiter said it was taxed. so watch your bill two fish 68. kind of expensive for lunch. plus a separate line for tax?? Fish was listed on menu for 25.00. must have been 18.00 for service? tacky read more

To be honest, all their food are great! I love to eat the steaks, rotisserie chicken, but all their soups are also good. If you like fresh juice, They have guava, soursop and mango. I've tried the mango and guava juice. Definitely gonna try the soursop juice too. I also like their cheese bun. If you are looking for authentic Colombian food, you come to the right place. read more

A perfectly executed takeout order. No styrofoam, great packaging, still warm when we came home. Everything was separated to prevent a soggy mess. Service was great, both on the phone, and in person. I frequently stop by Columbian restaurants, and have the Bandeja Paisa. It's the perfect meal, great ratio of fat/carbs/protein, filling, and with great flavor. Having the restaurant locally allows me to try other dishes, since the leftovers can go in the fridge. It's getting bookmarked since it's a great option for both eating in (once allowed) and take out/delivery. read more

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When you walk in, it's like entering someone's home for Sunday dinner. It's warm, inviting, and the owner is always there making sure everyone is enjoying their meal. He keeps a smile on his face and will share a laugh with you. Once I try a dish it's hard for me to stray, so I get the same meal EVERY TIME. Camarones al Ajillo. Geez louise. Seasoned to perfection. My date ordered something with steak in it and that too was delicious and seasoned well. They know what they're doing here. read more

We went to Moliendo Cafe for my birthday and we loved it. The ambiance was great. Our waiter was absolutely amazing and the food was delicious. We order everything the have vegetarian and it was really delicious. Before we left the manager and waiter surprised with a fun happy birthday song and candle and delicious dessert. It was very thoughtful of them. We will be back. read more

This was a fun place to go to - nice vibe, clean and tasty!! Was hoping for a verity of roasted coffee origins but only one - 100% Colombian coffee, which for me is a too general for me - but over all this place was good! Great service too- very attentive read more

My reason for 4 stars might be minor but is serious for me as a paisana de Colombia ! I miss my country! So, the food amazing it brings joy but the music doesn't make me feel like I'm in Colombia I want to hear Vallenatos, Cumbias. The purpose should be to bring customers to feel like they are in valledupar, bogota or in the streets of Cartagena! Hopefully when I go back I hear Colombian music!!! read more

Food is amazing but the manager has a bit of an attitude and very little patience for those who are non Hispanic. How good the food is trumps his bad attitude and you can tell from his anger that a lot of the waiters are use to his domineering stance with his business. Amazing food but anger issues need to be checked. read more

Moliendo cafe - The manager who has a bad attitude yet still kinda patient. - Colombian Near Me - Albany, New York

Amazing food, customer service and ambiance. My go to order is camarones al ajillo. I love getting the Maracuyá drink

Ahhh this place is amazing!! I went with my family last weekend and had to go back and bring all of my friends. Growing up in a Colombian household, all of these dishes reminded me of being a kid again and eating my grandma's delicious home cooked meals. I opted for the classic Bandeja Paisa, so I was able to taste a little bit of everything. Make sure to try the Guayaba juice with milk!! Even though it's a little pricey, the huge portions, home style cooking, and excellent service make up for every penny. I'll definitely be a regular from now on. read more

Moliendo cafe - Colombian Near Me - Albany, New York

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This is the best food I've had since moving to upstate NY. THe vegan empanada was unlike anything I've ever had, the shell was so flavorful and crispy and the inside was delicious. The vegetarian plate was SOOO GOOD!!! What is that magic "vegetable beef" substitute!! The beans were just as good and the whole combo was incredible. Can't wait to go back again. read more

One word: AMAZING! Hubs and the little guy came with me to try out this new(er) Colombian place for dinner. I've heard good things from coworkers who have had take-out, but I wanted to try it fresh and check out the place. When we were greeted and seated immediately. The staff was super nice throughout the night. The vibe was super laid back and the decor was all about Colombia. There was a big screen TV, pointed at the counter, which had on a game of soccer that employees were watching. They did have highchairs, which I was happy about. Hubs ordered the Bandeja Paisa. This is a traditional Colombian dish that we've had at other places. It's a mix of steak, sausage, rice, beans, fried egg, pork rind, sweet plantain and a small corn "cake". He said it was very flavorful and ate almost the whole plate. I had the Camarones al Ajillo which was shrimp in a garlic sauce. The sauce did not overly taste like garlic. There was a mesh of flavors in the sauce and it was beautiful. Extremely good. It came with a small salad, white rice and three large tostones (fried green plaintain - which they call patacones). I was sad there was no sauce for the plaintains, but I just dipped it in the sauce that was on the plate from the shrimp and it was delish. Little man had some white rice and bean juice from our plates and was happy. There wasn't any Tres Leches cake left, so we weren't able to try it (but I hear it's amazing). The waitress was very nice but didn't really check in on us during the night. The check arrived with three small Colombian hard candies. We will absolutely come back. We need to try that Tres Leches cake! read more

I really wanted to like this place and the food is ok but it was very disorganized. My steak with eggs was really good but the other food was dry and it all came out in no specific order. This means we all got dishes at completely random times. It made it hard to all eat hot food together. FYI the platter is a deal and enough for 3. Our waitresses was really unprofessional. She did not pay attention to our table, did not know the menu, served plates by holding with finger in the bowl and made other moves that I have not really seen normal waiters make. She spent the time on her phone on the counter. She seemed like a nice enough person but hopefully it was training day. However her actions really screwed up our meal. The place was out of some dishes, but that is ok, they have a different soup every day and I'll come in again. Meats were good. Juicy and flavorful. Other things were just dry like juka or plantains. For the price at nearly 20 buks per entree this place was just ok. Give it a shot because the other waiter seemed like he was on the ball and we may have just been there on a bad night. Food is a bit Americanized but Colombian flavor comes through. Chorizo was excellent. Chicharron was not salty which is great but super dry. I'm a fan of this dish and it looked awesome but just overlooked a little. If this place can fix the wait staff and take care of the food prep a bit better, it would be a solid 4. I'll give it another shot and hope for the best. read more

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I love ethnic foods and couldn't wait to try this place out. It's a cute little spot and the food and service were great! We will be visiting this place more frequently. read more

Full disclaimer: I am a Colombian and I love my people's food. I have high expectations because I know how delicious our cuisine can be. Moliendo Cafe is an amazing example of Colombian food done well. Aside from the fresh huge portions, service is immaculate! My food was done well and came out of the kitchen quickly. The decor is traditional without being cheesy. Meet me here 3x a week, I can't get enough! read more

Moliendo cafe - Colombian Near Me - Albany, New York

The vegan empanadas as well as the rice and beans are absolutely delicious! I usually get takeout and the food is always packed so well.

This was my first time trying food from Moliendo's and it was also delivery because, well, snow. First things first, delivery came super fast (around 20min) with an order for 3 people! Food was fresh, hot, and smelled amazing. I got the Bandeja platter which is essentially a sampling of everything Colombian. I'll try to give my impressions of everything so excuse the length. My first bite was the steak and it was literally a party in my mouth, VERY flavorful. My favorite thing of the entire platter. The sausage had good flavor and bite to it as well, reminded me of chorizo but not as oily. The plantains were nicely cooked with a light glaze and not too sweet and not too mushy. They give you 3 pieces in total. Chicarron was well fried and comparable to the ones I've eaten in Washington heights in NYC. Sadly it was bland and had no seasoning. Rice and beans were seasoned fairly well and had good flavor. The corn bread that comes with the meal is very dry. It gets slightly better if you eat it with everything else but I honestly could've done without it. It's only one piece so whatever. The whole thing comes with a fried egg and a big serving of avocado. My egg was JUST slightly overdone and not running but that's splitting hairs. Tl;dr - a nice taste of Colombia that's close by to the Albany med area. The taste is pretty authentic with their steak being their biggest triumph. Other components are good but not anything special. Delivery was super fast and customer service was good as well. Overall I'd come back whenever I have cravings for a steak or chicarron. *I have not eaten at the restaurant yet but the owners seem to be nice from interactions over the phone. Looking forward to meeting them! read more

We came into town for my niece's college graduation and she suggested we go to this Cafe for dinner. We got there at 830 pm (they close at 10), it was packed inside so we sat outside and was seated by the owner. He was so gracious as was our server, Juliana. The food is plentiful and AMAZING!! My husband, who's a bit of a food snob, loved his whole fish dinner! I had the Steak Stew with rice, beans, and plantains. The steak was so tender with the right amount of spice. If you are in town, please give this Cafe a shot. It really is worth it. read more

We stopped here for lunch and grabbed a handful of random things to try. The empanadas are seriously amazing! We got the bbq pork and cheese. The pork was so flavorful and juicy and the cheese was completely filled with delicious cheese. We also had the Chicharron, Arepa y Patacon con Hogao which was so good. The only bad part is we didn't buy more empanadas. The next time we are in the are we will need to get more for sure. read more

This place is sooooo good. If you want good affordable Colombian food and drinks, come here!! The staff is so sweet and the food is out of this world. Definitely will be coming here again. read more

Moliendo cafe - Rice and Beef Tacos - Colombian Near Me - Albany, New York

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This place was only a few minutes drive from our hotel. A charming place with outdoor tables. I had the salad with grilled shrimp, which was excellent. My husband had the arepa with cheese, which was a little bland. He had the hot cocoa for dessert, so I ordered a buñuelo (Colombian donut) to go with. It was delicious. It's okay for vegetarians, good for pescatarians, but probably those who eat chicken and other meat will be the happiest. There's also a traditional kids' menu. We'd come back if we lived here. I loved chatting with the Mexican waiter! read more

The food is good....However, I would Not consider it authentic Colombian ...I was excited because I thought I didn't have to go to NYC...But The flavors are not traditionally Colombian, especially their beans. It's more like a Latino Fusion restaurant. I was a little disappointed. read more

This might be the happiest restaurant in Albany. Seriously, I challenge you to come here and not feel more cheerful when you leave. Every time I visit I leave feeling like I've been on a little vacation -- maybe it's the fresh tropical juices and the friendly service, or how bright and cheery the interior is (though when the weather's nice I always like to sit in their nice little sidewalk patio). I've also never had a meal here that I didn't enjoy, though there are some definite highlights: try the pescado en sumo de coco, the calentado, or one of the delicious homemade soups (the soup selection changes daily: check the menu before you go if you want to avoid the tripe (which you absolutely shouldn't do, because the tripe soup is excellent: try it and see!)). The desserts are also great, though you probably won't have room for dessert because the portions here are so gigantic. Finally, and in conclusion: five dollar cocktails. I rest my case. read more

Moliendo cafe - #2. Calentado con Chorizo - Colombian Near Me - Albany, New York

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Great food, the owner was nice and quick to help us with our requests. Would definitely come back!

Moliendo café has the perfect soups for winter! I had the Fish soup, nothing like I've ever had before. So rich with flavor and goodness! The portion is huge and can make two meals or more out of it. The service is great! It's always a pleasure enjoying an authentic meal with friendly staff. Even though the soup was great, the fish was a little too dry for my liking. read more

Moliendo cafe - Colombian Near Me - Albany, New York

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Wonderful place. The atmosphere is clean with nice decor. Newly remodeled with nice design touches... granite tables, orange and brown seating with yellow / white and brown walls. Service prompt and professional. And, the fish soup, delicious. A large proportion with a side of rice and avocado. Good spice not too strong or weak. Great flavor. Nice ethnic music; salsa? As well. Bravo! read more

Moliendo cafe - Fish soup - Colombian Near Me - Albany, New York

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There is nothing special about the food. The beans are especially tasteless. Try Spanish food at another restaurant.

Moliendo cafe is amazing Food is tasty service is friendly Relaxed atmosphere This isn't fine dining experience But great for lunch, casual eats Food is fking great read more

Upon walking in, the cafe decorations and the place itself is very clean and new. The waiter Sean we had was very knowledgeable and helpful. The empanadas were good, I prefer the beef over the chicken, the meat on the inside was more soft, which is what my mom is used to so we enjoyed it. We had the Picada Mixta, the only downside was that it needed some sauce. The meat was seasoned very well, and the potatoes and plantains were yummy. I personally don't like blood sausage, but it looked to be of good quality for those that do. The prices matched the quality of the food, nothing was processed food. We finished with the Tres Leche, my favorite. It was cold and moist just like it should be. Overall it was a great first experience. read more

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