Conveniently located just north of downtown Albany Mr pio pio is an excellent restaurant if you would like to drop in and experience true Latin American country cuisine their dishes are filled with excellent portions and genuine authentic taste as close as you could get from New York that is. The staff are very attentive and quick to serve with a smile on their face leaving you with that warm feeling knowing that you got hot food ready to go and the prices are extremely reasonable which means it makes the experience very satisfying if that's what you look for. read more

Food is always amazing! The Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice) and the Pollo Guisado (chicken stew ) are fantastic, but the Pio Pio Special is perfect! The chicken breast, rice, and beans in the special are phenomenal! read more

I called and placed an order for take out. the seafood rice I ordered was not as described in the menu. there was no salmon at all in the dish or really other seafood. the shrimp was like canned shrimp along with the octopus and squid all out of the can. the 3 raggedy muscles and 2 calms both were gritty and didn't taste fresh like frozen bagged seafood. overpriced and not worth the waste of money. i do not recommend this place at all. read more

Five stars tasty food Warm and cute place, the "Flan" was good, the waitress is really kind, for sure I will try diferentes dishes the next time I will been in Albany, this time I try the bandeja paisa and I like the crunchy but soft meat, I like spicy food they have sauces but no is the spicy that I was looking. 5 stars read more

Mr Pio Pio - a table in a restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Albany, New York

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Food was fresh and tasty. Been there twice already since we've been in Albany. Good service too.

Awesome Peruvian spot. Their marisco Jalea is top notch. I'd most definitely take a date there. Staff is great. Good spot

Dined in before a Saturday night performance at The Linda. Excellent food and attentive service. Bit of a wait for our orders. Understandable given how slammed the kitchen was with take out orders. A constant flow of locals coming in for their food. It is obvious why they are busy. The food was excellent. Very generous portions. We had the Arroz con Pollo and the Arroz con Camarones. Both were very tasty and extremely filling. Their salsa picante added some extra heat. If I lived around here, we would definitely return. Great neighborhood restaurant. (Just a note: there is limited indoor seating. Plenty of street parking.) read more

Great local option. Expansive menu. Everything was delicious. Go there now, we'll wait...

Always get takeout and it is delicious every single time. Hands down the best Latin food in the area. Always fresh and delicious

I love pio pio! I always get too full when I eat here because I want to finish the whole thing. I dream of the batidos read more

Mr Pio Pio - Carne asada & Passion Fruit BATIDOS/Natural Juices - Latin American Near Me - Albany, New York

First time here and very skeptical about downtown Albany micro restaurants to be honest but I broke out of my shell. I was very impressed, with food and how authentic everything was and tasted. Definitely get the crackling! As a foody I guarantee you will love this place, I cannot wait to go back and taste some more South American dishes. You can't go wrong with the well sized portions and perfectly seasoned dishes to be honest. The entire time we were in the little seating area eating, the front of the store was packed. Really the only downside was the wait staff was very slow and did not come over often and our food took 45min. However it was rush hour for lunch and there was one waiter so I have to let that slide, plus the food was everything I was told it was, awesome! Trust me just the eat the food here! read more

Mr Pio Pio - 13. Bistec a la Criolla - Latin American Near Me - Albany, New York

I love Pio Pio Rice & Beans!!!! I love it I love it I love it. Huge portions & affordable !!! Staff is very kind. I highly recommend!

Amazing food and really friendly staff. The Bandeja Tipica is a slam dunk. It's tiny, so if you're eating in, plan accordingly.

Excellent, excellent, excellent. It's nothing fancy on the inside, but the food is TOP notch. You know it's good when the staff was eating the same food off the menu we were eating. Friendly service but fantastic food! read more

The food here is absolutely amazing! It's absolutely mouthwatering, and I plan to come back here often!

Amazing food just hit the spot! The crispy pork belly is amazing. Service was quick. Although its a hole in the wall its perfect for a late night dinner! read more

Outstanding food. Small and cozy. More than ample amounts of food. Lived it my entire family loves it. Prices are reasonable for huge portions. What would you pay for delicious food? read more

I've often felt that people rely on takeout from restaurants far too much. Takeout is terrible, and it's a terrible way to judge a restaurant. Food degrades in transit. It does. Some food degrades worse than others. And amazingly, the food that degrades the most seems to be the food that most people get delivered. Pizza steams in boxes. Fried foods turn soft with steam. Noodles soak up liquid and get mushy. You know what travels well? Latin grilled chicken. And that's the niche that Mr. Pio Pio serves for me and my family. We want to serve dinner, maybe to guests, and neither cook nor break the bank? It's Mr. Pio Pio. The order is pretty much as many whole chickens as we need and as much of that green sauce as they'll give us. Some of the other things are fine. But it's the chicken and greens sauce that are the stars. Some of my friends swear by the whole fried fish, but for that you've got to eat in the restaurant. And that's fine. It will give you a chance to try some of the other fried dishes like the chicharon. Even still, it would be hard to say no to getting a side order of a quarter chicken. read more

So my idiomatic Spanish isn't all it could be, but the only time I've ever seen the word "pio" it referred to the chirp or cheep sound a little bird might make, as in "don't say a cheep" meaning "don't say anything at all". What to make of Mr Cheep Cheep? Well, I will say more than a pio pio or three. First off: total hole in the wall, and that's not a terrible thing. We literally had to step over a pile of somebody's discarded possessions that had been strewn over the sidewalk in front in order to get in the restaurant the day we went for dinner. That did not deter us, nor the reprobates accosting us on the way in, but we figured we'd pass that along to you in case it was an issue for you. They have a kids menu, btw, that's paperclipped to the regular menu. Like most of the dishes, the portions are large - even our better-than-average-sized-appetite chilluns could not finish their portions. Disappointments: they were out of both goat and tripe. Since this is the only place in the Capital Region / CRUST we've seen that had either on the menu, I guess we'll have to come back on a day when they're not out. Otherwise: awesome. It's a sort of fusion Latin cuisine, the way Americanized Chinese restaurants around here aren't really authentic anything but pull in elements from all sorts of different Asian traditions and then gussy it up. The best recommendation I can give you here is everybody else eating in the restaurant that day was speaking Spanish (and the staff indulged me and my gabacho accent) so on the autentico-ometer, you have to give them some props. We had an awesome caldo de bola - good old soup with cilantro and a hearty complex broth and a whole bunch of semi-identifiable ingredients. One of us ordered the empanizado but actualy got the arroz con pollo, but didn't bother to send it back because it looked so tasty. And it was. I got the meat plate, beans and rice, and the kids both got what was basically country fried steak in a pan-latin style. The plantains were excellent, as was the Jarritos. Muy saboroso, and prompt and friendly service. If you don't mind stepping over the garbage and hobos, by all means please go. read more

Love the food, it reminds me of my friend Peggy's home cooking. The food comes out and and I love the generous portions , well of the dishes that I've had there so far have all been large portions. My favorite dish is the Aroz con Pollo with my favorite side of maduros. I love all the veggies in it red peppers, green peppers green peas, carrots, onions, olives, scallions wait I am forgetting the chicken. Lunch time it's not so crowded so I eat in, most all the lunch ordering seems to be for pickups and delivery. I prefer to get out of my office for lunch, get some air. This a small establishment so dinner time it is usually packed, well of the times I did eat dinner here it was always packed. Getting back to the portions I can never finish my lunch so I'll take the rest to go my family loves my doggie bags. I'm gonna keep coming back for more. read more

Mr Pio Pio - Aroz con Pollo - Latin American Near Me - Albany, New York

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All meals here are prepared fresh, home made style, but I think overall it is mediocre, in the positive sense but won't make you return due to craving its taste. The prices are what make customers come back. The service however could be better! you can't screw an order then when the customer arrives you just watch him/her wait extra of your estimated time without saying anything and after the unsatisfied customer leaves, you call them to come pick up the order. Morale of the story if you are ordering to go, add extra extra time over what you are being told. And repeat your order of the phone to make sure they don't mess it up. Maybe if the management read this they need to implement the receiptionist to verbally repeat the order to verify the accuracy with the customers. read more

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I love this food. Every dish is so good and hearty - you definitely get a full meal for less than $10. Obviously get the sweet plantains, but seriously every dish is fantastic. This is one of the few restaurants in Albany I will actively crave food from. It is a small space, only a couple tables, so maybe consider getting take-out on a busy night. Service is always great as well. read more

Stopped here for dinner with my cousin, decided to bring her here cause of all the positive reviews. I expected it to be better. The Arroz con Pollo came out ok and had decent flavor but the chicken was kind of dry. I think it was definitely cooked before hand and pre-heated to serve. The beef tongue was good and no complains there. The shrimp was over cooked for the grilled Shrimp salad. The red snapper was dry also and the bottom of the fish got watery from the veggie sides. The water from the veggie side wasn't drained and made the bottom half of the snapper soggy as well as the tostones. read more

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God I love this place. My wife and I went to school in Albany and through her I was introduced to the best Spanish food I've ever had. We now live in Long Island but when we come and visit family, Mr. Pio Pio is on the list of place we'd like to stop by for lunch. It evens gets to the point where we tell any and everyone about this great place in Albany that has amazing food when the topic of Spanish food comes up. Get the arroz con pollo. It's the best. read more

The place is very small. 4 tables that can hold 4 people. Don't be turned off by the location. It's not a good area, but usually the food is damn good in off the beaten path locations. Food was so good and came out quickly. Will be stopping by here quite often. Feels like a home cooked meal. Everything was full of flavor and juicy. Try them I'm sure you will like em. read more

1st visit, was good even though the wait was kind of long. Now I know in future to call ahead. The food was cooked well-chicken, rice and beans. The prices are not that bad and the establishment was clean. It's somewhere I can order on a Sunday because few restaurants are not open in the area. Will return in near future. read more

I successfully swing by at pio pio every time I am in town visiting my family. Me and my mom always order the same dish, the Bandeja típica. Love the the papaya smoothie too. I've had other dishes before but nothing better than the belly pork, steak, and the plantains from the bandeja típica. The only downside of it is that the food may take a lil long to arrive, but even though it is definitely worth waiting. I'll always go back for the bandeja típica! read more

The fried Red Snapper was cooked to perfection. The wait was well worth the perfection. The service wasn't fast,  but it wasn't slower either. If you know the cuisine you will enjoy the seasonings with spices, even more because you can taste how authentic it is. They  cook the whole fish in a frying pan and you can taste the freshness.  This is close to the Escovitch Fish is a classic Jamaican dish that eating. I've officially become an expert at maneuvering around those tiny fish bones. Amazing food and amazingly consistent. read more

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This is More of a takeout restaurant than dine in. The food is great but takes a while to come. Call ahead if you know what you're getting. They advertise to offer free delivery with $20 minimum. When I called, however, I was told the minimum purchase had to be $55 to my address in Albany. Also, it's street parking only but this shouldn't be an issue if you are just picking up as opposed to dining in. read more

Food is delicious! My mom ordered a beer and the guy totally forgot about it. There was no salad for avocado salad :( read more

Mr Pio Pio - Latin American Near Me - Albany, New York

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Mr. Pio Pio is the epitome of the perfect ethnic hole in the wall place. The food is crazy good, very reasonably priced (although no lunch specials), consistent, and covers a wide range from the familiar rotisserie chicken to the unfamiliar goat. It seems spot on ethnic (though what do I know about south american cuisine...). My favorite here is the Pernil, kind of like a pork brisket, but I have tried over half the menu and have really liked everything. We usually do pickup so I can't comment on delivery, though we eat in fairly often to, its never too busy at lunch and there is always a table open. The atmosphere is nothing special - clean and not too crowded with tables, but very brightly lit, TVs always on, and people coming and going for food pickups. One of the true ethnic stars of the capital region. read more

I threw away half the food. I can only image the other Yelp reviewers are bandwagoning this place with positive reviews because they're afraid to be labeled as ignorant to the tastes the previous reviewers experienced? I don't get it. You guys need to think independently regardless of previous reviews. The food is very boring, extremely fatty, dry and of weak flavor. I truly believe I could have prepared better food at age 12 than the food being produced at this place. I placed a delivery order for 5 items. Two entrees, dessert, drink, and one soup. (The drink and soup were OK). Everything was from the cheapest ingredients , poorly fried or with little to no flavor beyond the most simplest flavors that are dull and uninspired. I enjoy simple quality ingredient flavors as much as the next guy. You can eat local farm-grown cauliflower raw with nothing on it and be blown away. This was just BORING flat-out low-quality ingredients prepared by a hack novice. The woman who delivered the food reminded me of Rigoberta Menchú, so I'm guessing there's an "authentic" aspect to the restaurant somewhere? But somehow it never made it to the food. Maybe there are a few other good items on the menu other than the drink and soup I had? But I'm suppose to wade through lousy orders to find those few gems hidden in the menu? I think not. Time to move on. Yes, the food is inexpensive, but still not worth it in my humble opinion. Can I have my money back? The other reviewers need to get their taste buds reset. read more

For generations, women have been made fun of for their waffling behavior when shopping for shoes, dresses, etc. I have discovered that men exhibit Brett Favre-ism when it comes to ordering from a delicious looking menu. From a platter of meat heaven to fresh fruit juices to drench your sorrows away, you too can consider this place your bachelor pad. To the women, fret not. This is also the place for you. With some Spanish flava and spices, this place is sure to steam up your Latin desires. I came here for lunch with a group of guys. If you're pressed for time, order ahead and come pick up. We did not do that, and that was somewhat regretful. But we sat down to eat a table of four (there are only four of those tables and two tables for two). I don't think I've seen a group of guys being so indecisive. I actually came in knowing what I wanted thanks to Katie's arroz con pollo review, but man did the menu look enticing. If I could choose between reading the most interesting book in the world and that menu, I'd prefer drooling over entertainment. And plus, that's what movies are for. So I had no idea what arroz con pollo was, but I trust my fellow Yelpers. It's pretty much a Latin version of a fried rice. The rice is yellow/orange and DELICIOUS. I've had these versions before at other places (this even includes places in Singapore!), and they always lacked something to it. As my high school swim coach would tell me, it didn't have enough umphf. Apparently that lack of taste from other places all left to settle in this dish at Pio Pio. And yes, the dish is only $7.50. I only had my lunch appetite so I packed some for home, but it's definitely the perfect size for a dinner meal. The other guys got the picada. It's $20, but the plate is pretty much a mountain of grilled meat, big enough to feed 3 people. And when I say grilled, I mean that it tasted like it came off a BBQ grill, and not the kind of false advertisement BK makes. As a drink, I had the guyabano and it's worth getting. I'm not going to say it's the best thing in the world, but it's different and "exotic." I wouldn't say you'd be being adventurous in trying it because the soursop taste is pretty mild, but it's not something you'd find in many places. If nothing else, it's really fun to say, so why not? Oh, and they deliver for free for orders above $20. I guess I'll be seeing Best Fitness a lot more. read more

This is the only restaurant I enjoyed in Albany and was truly impressive. We had Picada (mixed grill of beef, chicken, spare ribs, chicharron, sausage, tostones and fried cassava) for two. As soon as we had the first bite, we realized this place was no ordinary local Latin American joint. All the meats were extremely tasty, especially beef was exceptional. The plantains did not seem deep fried but rather pressed on a grill, just the way I like them. Cassava too were very good. It was one of the best mixed grill platters I have ever had. With a side of sauteed vegetables and soda, the total bill was only $30. If I ever visit Albany again I will definitely go back. read more

Mr Pio Pio - Picada (mixed grill for two) - Latin American Near Me - Albany, New York

This place rocks the house. Real Ecuadorans cooking real Ecuadoran food with pride. The first time I ate there, Jess P. got me the pan fried red snapper. The snapper was great but what really impressed me were the sides and the salsa. The sides were fried plantains and fried (i think) yucca. The salsa was just some tomato and pickled onion but it was redolent of lime and so screamingly fresh that it set everything on the plate off. The plantains were great but I've had great plantains before, so no big whoop. The yucca though . . . I've tried to make yucca several times to no avail. These guys have it down. I think the best thing on my plate was the yucca. It was the perfect consistency with none of the acidic, poison-ish flavor that dominated my past attempts. If you're in Albany and want some amazing South American food, this is the place to go. You can tell by the clientele. When we were there, we shared the sit-down area with a large family that were obviously from south or central America. My friend Josh (who runs Bros Tacos, also great) eats there with his family regularly. Currently the Arroz con Pollo is just 7.50$!! It's like 3 meals! Hurry! read more

I've been here a number of times by now and you know what? I'm in love. Delicious food for good prices, served up by the nicest people. The interior is stripped-down. Nothing fancy about it. But the food more than makes up for it. The first time I sampled the bistec plate, which came with rice and beans, and the arroz con pollo. The arroz con pollo was delicious enough for me to go for it twice. Also, it's a steal at $7.50 considering that it was enough for me to have for dinner and then two lunches' worth. A standout is the hot sauce - it's so amazingly good. Make sure you ask for both the green and the red sauce. The green is a creamy avocado sauce that adds the perfect complementary cooling to the spiciness of many of the dishes. But the one I find myself dreaming about at night is the spicy red sauce. It's blisteringly hot and oh-so-so-so good. I always ask for extra. The avocado salad is probably not something I'd get again, but I'd get the sides of plantains and fried yucca for sure. Oh and the fried red snapper? Amazing. I can't wait to get it again... Update: I've had it twice since then and it never fails to disappoint. Albany may not do well when it comes to higher falutin' cuisine, but if you're willing to go dive-y, there is some amazing "international food" to be had. Don't skip the natural juices, which are more like smoothies. The papaya is a recent favorite. You can get them made with milk or water - certain fruits go better with one or the other. For the mango, go with milk. Not exactly diet-friendly but so worth it. read more

great food, have been getting food from here for years. recommend the fried yuca as a side !

So good, I would consider moving to Albany just to eat this more often. Mr. Pio Pio does Colombian/Ecuadorian food in large portions for low prices. A "feast" consists of 1/4 rotisserie chicken, rice, beans, salad, and fried plantain. All for just $8. This would have been more than enough on its own, but we also ordered the Colombian sausage and you should too. It's got a decent kick to it and has plenty of snap. The hot sauce might be my favorite thing about Pio Pio. It reminds me of Panamanian hot sauce, but a bit thicker and with a more complicated flavor. I would eat pretty much anything covered in this stuff. read more

This place has deliciously grilled meats on offer at low prices. For about $10, you get a platter of various meats along with anything from the standard rice & beans to golden-brown plantains. The rotisserie chicken is absolutely delicious -- moist, scrumptiously seasoned and plentiful. Next to that are the ribs, which are plentifully marbled, crusted with seasoning, and far girthier than the ribs one usually finds at a BBQ joint. I suppose the difference is that these are grilled, rather than slow-roasted. Whatever the difference, these are excellent and really good value for the price. The service is brisk, and if you need anything you just have to ask for it. The two large TVs are tuned to Univision and Telemundo, either or both of which will be showing excessively dramatic soap operas or "news". It's great fun to have some Mexican soda and watch the action while chowing down on some tasty noms. read more

Food was ok not great but wait, with the spicy sauce it made up my day. I tried Arroz Con Pollo(based on reviews) with the spicy sauce on the side. Loved it. Absolutely Zero dishes for the vegetarians. My veggie friend still hates me for taking him here. Food portion was huge and service was great. I took some leftover to work and the aroma in my cube everyone kept asking abt it. Keep away from fruit juices they are not worth $2.95. You feel like drinking milkshake not the juice. Bottom line: I will go back probably for the same dish. read more