My wife and I stopped by with our three friends about 8pm on Saturday night. I was pleasantly…read moresurprised by the nice ambiance and decor with what looked like a copper top ceiling, a main bar, a few raised tables and 2 cozy leather chairs that made me think of enjoying a nice after dinner bourbon in the study of an late 19th to early 20th century study of a business tycoon or politician from that time period.. The bar tender, Noah, was impressive and friendly in that he knew his liquor stock very well, and could explain the flavor intricacies of the various types of bourbon, vodka, and gins. They also offer some non,-alcoholic beverages for the "designated driver" of the group too. We watched Noah make everything from regular and "dirty martinis" with fresh ingredients, as well as one drink where he used a butane lighter and some tiny cedar chips in a straining tool above the drink to give it a fresh, authentic smoky look and flavor. Noah knows his stuff!!!!! The patrons were friendly, diverse, and easy to socialize with if you chose to do so. The establishment is pet friendly for "socialized pets" with a water bowl outside the establishment and some free Milkbone treats inside. Keep in mind that this establishment is a "tasting room" with the majority of products from the New Scotland Distillery, but there are other options. Just don't expect to get a Bud Light Draft or food here. The only downside is that parking in the Lark Steet and State Street location is difficult to obtain without some effort, but we managed to park our vehicles 2 blocks away. This is not a direct criticism of the establishment because the experience is well worth this minor potential inconvenience. We would definitely go back there again, especially for the specialty drinks or the flights and half flights of their bourbon and vodka products. Thank you once again, Noah, for a pleasant and educational evening!!!

This place is very nice -- welcoming, artsy, comfortable, small but personable. We live across the…read morestreet, and my husband and I wanted to give it a try. Unfortunately, it was not a great experience. The bartender served our drinks with no napkins and no lime. Details are key in a place like this. It was also loud, and it looked like a birthday party was happening. If that was the case, maybe the place should have closed to the public to accommodate that celebration. People were loud and drunk, and the birthday boy was saying vulgar things. We will not be coming back.

This is a review of only the cocktail lounge. Friends from out of town were staying in the…read morecarriage house behind the hotel and we agreed to gather in the lounge for a drink or two. The building itself is impressive, although maybe not quite as impressive as the castle-looking building next door. Our party of seven settled in at the bar as there otherwise did not seem to be a large enough table for all of us to gather around in either the main lounge area or a small room off to the side. The dark wood paneled walls, large fireplace, assortment of easy chairs, couches, and high desktop table gave off a feeling of warmth and welcoming. The friendly bartender introduced herself (sorry I've forgotten her name) and informed us that spirit-wise, the bar was capable of preparing the standard, traditional drinks like Manhattans, martinis, etc. All beers were poured from cans, and at my request, she recited the names of about six that were available. I don't believe anyone in our party inquired about the wines that were available. The building simply calls out for an explanation of its history. Upon our request, the bartender offered to provide either the "brief" or "full" option. We requested the full history. She was obviously well up to the task. You would be amazed at the variety of things you could learn here. Just to touch on a few key topics that were mentioned, consider Alexander Hamilton's wife, puffed rice, Bab-o cleanser (cue up the jingle), Bishop Gibbons, and an orthopedic surgeon. I don't know what the normal food arrangements are in the Lounge. I'm guessing that our out-of-town hosts requested some snacks for us as a few bowls appeared with mixed nuts, crackers and cheese, fresh grapes, humus, and warm pretzel/croissant rolls, and a plate of prosciutto wrapped cream cheese. Overall, the atmosphere here is simply friendly and inviting. I think it will become an occasional gathering place for our local friends when looking for a place that is quiet and relaxing.

A beautiful boutique hotel it just had its grand reopening last week! It's absolutely gorgeous…read more If not for attending an event here last evening I would have missed this slice of architectural heaven! The owners have renovated it with great care. The rooms are furnished with just the right amount of furniture allowing the room to feel light and airy. Each room is designed with the right amount of seating for flow and multiple conversation points without anyone feeling crowded or being interrupted by another conversation. Although the rooms have dark paneling the large windows and French doors allow for an abundance of light. The backyard is lovely and flows into Washington Park! Imagine having a whole park as your backyard!! I would love to come back for a stay!

A fun night of drinking and trivia. This is a nice bar that is laid back and drama free. One of the…read moregems of Albany, NY

I've found my "Cheers!" Yes I'm showing my age with that…read morereference - 80's babyyyy - This place has some of the best cocktails I've had, easily rivaling overpriced drinks in Manhattan - shout out to Tom! If you have no idea what you want to drink, no worries, talk to the bartenders, they'll help you, might even whip up something creative on the spot. Monday nights belong to Brian the bacon guru, baby I eat pork again when I roll up here on a Monday (I pay for it later too, well worth it, lol). The patrons are some of the most diverse and amazingly chill group of folks I've encountered since moving from the multicultural NYC life - Bx to be exact - to the parts up yonder. The owner, Joe, is one of the kindest humans, and honey like attracts like, because his team definitely match his energy, they are hands down, some of my favorite people up here! Special shout out to Victoria & Corrine ! When you go, chill hard, enjoy big, and tip OD!

I have visited Dove + Deer for dinner several times, and what consistently impressed me was its…read morecasual, lively vibe, along with a large bar area and even a spot to play darts. The live music on many evenings adds to the atmosphere, and I've particularly enjoyed some of the creative fusion dishes they've been experimenting with. The street corn flatbread has a strong spicy kick and reminded me of the Indian-style pizza I enjoyed back home in India. The peach salmon was another standout, with the lemon-flavored rice adding a unique touch. And the Chocolate Cookie Skillet is an absolute must-have! Other highlights include the stuffed mushrooms, truffle parm fries, and tiramisu, and the service was quite good as well. Dove + Deer is definitely an excellent option to explore if you're in the Albany area.

This review is strictly for brunch on a Sunday, and directed at ownership/management:…read more You guys, really? First, your Brunch menu and food are excellent, when we finally got our food - after roughly an hour of waiting - I was instantly reminded of why Dove and Deer is great - bold flavors, excellent preparation, gorgeous plates all in a city that desperately needs it. Second, I really felt bad for the 3 people responsible for running an entire restaurant on a Sunday (two waiters and one person in the kitchen). They did their absolute best, were so kind and apologetic, but obviously completely stressed out and frazzled. Tables got up and left after waiting for someone to get back to them - and we almost did too. It's unfair to restaurant staff to put the burden of running an entire place on them. I get if someone called off and you're short staffed 1 or 2 people, but did everyone call off? Besides 3 people? Come on. You have a real opportunity to be a go to brunch destination, my advice is to staff appropriately and give it a real go or risk customers not getting to experience the greatness that is your food - and taking their dollars to someplace far more mediocre. The only reason this isn't a 2 star or 1 star review is because of how hard your staff tried, and how good your food is (when it finally shows up).

This is a mall bar. The room, is cozy. They have a good choice of drinks. Good service. I will come…read moreback

10/10 bar. Very nice. Would recommend. Guy rules. Asked for a shot and he gave me one. Ambiance is…read morelovely.

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.

Tonight we stopped at 605 because their Facebook specials were too tempting to pass up. We ordered…read morethe lamb meatballs with tzatziki, and they were absolutely incredible! Honestly, everything we've ever had there has been outstanding. But tonight, my review is really about a staff member, Cory. While we were there, a customer came in upset about having to place her special-order request in person. Cory remained calm, courteous, and professional as she tried to explain the policy and even stepped away briefly to help another guest and diffuse the situation. Unfortunately, the customer became verbally abusive and called Cory an insulting name before storming out. I just want to recognize Cory for handling a difficult situation with grace and professionalism. No one in the service industry should have to endure verbal abuse simply for doing their job. Kindness and respect cost nothing, and Cory deserved both tonight.

The best burger in Albany, hands-down. And the tuna tostadas always fantastic…read more Susan, the owner is usually on the door and she knows everybody that walks through the door most of the time if she doesn't know him she knows them by the time they leave. Customer service said it's finest.

Boyfriend and I were in Albany NY for one night - he wanted to go to Cheesecake Factory, but the…read morewait is apparently typically long on a weekend night (I have no idea - never been there!) so we decided not to chance it, and uber'ed from our hotel to this restaurant, hoping it would be good. I'll be honest - my heart sank as we got there, I almost cried. The neighborhood is *sketch*. The outside of the restaurant didn't look like much - but I felt better once we got in. Beautifully decorated with great lighting, lounge-style atmosphere. Great Latin music. We sat on the bar side as it was less busy. Beautiful bar with lots of options! Bartender made us **amazing** margaritas... omg were they strong! Loved it! Since we had never been there before, we played it safe. First we went with a fried calamari appetizer - not the best, but not bad - but then it's not typically something you'd order at a Mexican food restaurant. Boyfriend had the street steak tacos as main - hold the cheese as he forgot his lactaid, lol - and I had the steak quesadilla. Delicious! We loved it. The steak was especially well seasoned, not overcooked and sides were yummy. We ended the evening with churros - definitely homemade and on par with the ones we love at El Mirador in NH. Boyfriend even took his life in his hands and had some of the ice cream, couldn't resist - it was that good! Overall, as Boyfriend put it - this is absolutely a hidden gem type of spot - service was spectacular, food was delicious and we would totally return! (**Seated next to us were two young women on an obvious first date - girl #1 showed up, then girl #2 showed up a few minutes later with a big bouquet of flowers... what a nice touch! We just wanted to put it out in the universe - we hope you guys make it, you were super cute :)**)

L' Roca was good. Food was tasty. Atmosphere is very nice. Service was a little slow at times. I…read morewasn't in a rush, but arrived hungry at lunchtime on a Saturday. I was warmly greeted, seated, and given a menu and then it took some time, well after I was ready, to be visited to place my order. No biggie, but I was ready and it wasn't busy, with guests at 1 other table. When I finished my meal, I waited again. Not a huge problem but a lot of side work was being done vs providing service. I let server know I was all set and he acknowledged then continued to make drinks for kitchen staff. I had ordered lemonade but after checking, it looked like they were out, so he offered the juice (without explaining). Food was very tasty. Lunch was $37 before tip, for 3 tacos meal, 3 empanadas app, and the fruit drink.