I think this is the, absolute, best place to sit down and eat. The food is impeccable. Southern comfort, right on Broadway, the fried chicken and short rib dishes are undefeated. They have a hot honey sauce to pair with the chicken, please stop by. Service is excellent, once I left a bit late and I'm so sorry I did but management was super polite about it. read more

Amazing food. Definitely will be back. Service and ambience was spectacular as well Only complaint was the brussel sprouts were cooked inconsistently read more

See all

One of my favorite places in Schenectady! This is my second time here since I was in town again for work and it was as good as I remember. The biscuits are a must get and ask for extra butter because you'll want it. This time I got the chicken dinner with Mac n cheese and mashed potatoes. The Mac n cheese was fine but I loved the mashed potatoes and the chicken is so good! Service is always great and since it's just me I'm usually sat right away and food comes out quick. Definitely a must visit place if you're in town! read more

See all

Brunch is excellent! The menu is creative! The chef prepares food with skill and an eye for attractive plating. Orders: Shrimp and Grits Fried chicken and waffle Service was top notch. Upstairs seating is very nice although I liked eating on front patio when weather is good. read more

See all

Expensive but good. I had the lobster Benny. It was fantastic. Everything everyone ordered looked tasty. Our server was very nice. The place is cute with a decent amount of seating but be sure to make a reservation! read more

The Nest - Lobster Benny - Southern Near Me - Schenectady, New York

An utterly unforgettable New Year's Eve at The Nest, indulging in their exquisite prix fixe menu. The ambiance was refined yet inviting, with a chic charm that set the perfect tone for the evening. The service was impeccable, warm, and attentive throughout. The espresso martini was flawlessly smooth and decadent, served in an elegant glass that added a beautiful finishing touch. I'm already looking forward to returning for brunch or dinner in the near future. Pictured: lobster bisque, scallops, filet mignon, sea bass, s'mores brownie, and cherry cheesecake. read more

Sadly I need to update my review after our last couple visits. The food is still phenomenal and 5 stars, but the service the last few times we have gone has been a 1. Each time we go we wait at least 20 minutes for our server to come over, this first appearance is just to ask what type of water you want and then you don't see her again for a few more minutes. We usually like to space out our ordering but here you feel obligated to put everything in at once or you risk of never seeing your waitress again. We were so excited to try brunch, it wasn't overly busy. We waited another 25 minutes to get our prosecco based drinks which we watched the bartender make eventually in less than a minute so it's unclear what took so long. We ordered 2 appetizers, the eggs and the grit tots. Only the grit tots came out and when our waitress eventually came back over we mentioned we were still missing the eggs, she said they'd be right out but it took about another 10 minutes. Both were delicious at least. We watched multiple other tables who came in after us, that also got appetizers get their food before us. It almost felt like we were forgotten about. Once the food did eventually come out it was very good, this hasn't changed. When we got our bill we noticed a 20% tip had already been added. We were a two person table and the menu online only mentions this is done for larger parties. Maybe the in person menu mentioned this for smaller parties but we did not notice that. Overall it was a disappointing experience and sadly this isn't the first time this has happened. This has been our experience the last 3-4 times of being here. I'm not sure what changed in terms of the wait staff but we never have this experience at their sister restaurant Milas. It's night and day with the service. Sadly we likely won't be back to the Nest which is disappointing because the food is fantastic. read more

The Nest - Southern Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

First and foremost, i absolutely loved the environment and the staff was super nice. Our drinks, appetizers and dinner were all delicious. I will definitely be back! read more

See all

I came to the Nest on Saturday night for drinks and small bites. Upon arrival, the atmosphere was buzzing and lively. I wanted to sit at the bar and there were ample seats available. Once seated, we were greeted immediately and offered water as we overlooked our menus. We were asked if we had any questions before placing our order for espresso martinis, Nashville Garlic Parmesan wings, and biscuits. The drink was expertly made - wings were off the charts and you could tell that the biscuits were freshly made. Everything was absolutely wonderful and can't wait to go back! read more

See all

The Cuckoo's Nest was one of my favorite restaurants and I was sad when it closed. The Nest is good but different from the menu at the Cuckoo's Nest. We decided to check it out for brunch. We were seated upstairs and while it's a beautiful space it was pretty loud. Next time I'll opt to sit on the first floor in the back where it was quieter. He got the short rib hash and I got the special. It was delicious but I can't remember what it was except it had a wonderful spicy hollandaise. The bloody Mary I had was strong and spicy, just the way I like them. The service was good if a little slow but all in all a great meal in a beautiful space. read more

Went for a work dinner right before Christmas week and the food service and ambiance were incredible. Let's start with the food. I got there early and sat at the bar for a short happy hour drink and deviled egg appetizer. Just the right amount of food for waiting and the whole thing cost me $12. Then when sat with my colleagues which had 18 of us, we were given time to do drinks orders, appetizers for the tables, plenty of dinner wear for each, requested drinks (they make a hot toddy if you ask, both caffeinated and uncaffinated tea), dinners which took very little time to deliver all at once with a large group. Then desserts. The chocolate peppermint creme brûlée was incredible. 10/10 stars. read more

The restaurant was very good. The ambience was very nice and industrial. The servers were friendly. I started off with the biscuits which were very good. I had the jambalaya. It had a nice supply of shrimp and sausage. The portion was big. It was spicy but not too spicy. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

The Nest - Jambalaya - Southern Near Me - Schenectady, New York

One of my new favorite Schenectady restaurants. The food quality & presentation was fantastic, the service was outstanding, and the decor/vibe was beautiful & comfortable. Highly recommend! read more

The Nest - Southern Near Me - Schenectady, New York

The decor is upscale, farm-chic. There are sprawling, beautiful dried flower bouquets on the wall. They have a full bar as well. The food was quite delicious, albeit on the sweet and spicy side. Texture of our fried chicken and ribs was delectably crispy! The service was done with a smile. Their fried chicken was crispy, crunchy, and delicious, and probably some of the best I've had to date. The walk to the bathroom felt fabulous. The wallpaper and blue walls that lined the hallway paired together well, along with the bathroom floor, stalls, and wallpaper. 4 stars because it seemed like we had to wait quite a while for our food to come read more

See all

We have been here probably around a dozen times on our own and for different events like baby and bridal showers and it has always been really good especially the fried green tomatoes read more

We came here on a Sunday with no reservations. The place was packed but they managed to get us a table. All the staff is friendly and attentive. Our server checked back often to see if we needed anything. Service is also very fast! We tried 2 dishes, the classic breakfast and The Dad. The Dad has fried chicken and bacon and was so good! The other was fine but The Dad is def better! The homestyle fries are a bit too crispy and salty. Also the biscuits aren't big and fluffy but tasted fine. I'm really giving this place 5 stars because of the excellent service. Also it's very cute and modern inside. The second floor was rented out for a private party. read more

See all

Great place for brunch, has some nice outdoor seating as well. Service was great. Fried chicken and deviled eggs were really good. I think they used to have another restaurant in Albany, the cuckoos nest. Quite similar with a little differences. read more

The Nest - Southern Near Me - Schenectady, New York

See all

Came here after getting dinner with friends next door at Milas for a few drinks and dessert. The bartender here that served us has a twin that's the waitress at Milas, which really threw us off after we ordered our drinks. We all had a good laugh about it as she gets that all the time. It doesn't look like they have their dessert menu online, but they have a bomb Pecan Pie. I think it was a Pumpkin Pecan Pie, but can't entirely remember as I came here back in August. I also got a Espresso Martini, which was also delicious. read more

Always a winner! Creative cocktails and delicious food time and time again! Faves include deviled eggs, fried green tomatoes, chicken and waffles. Friendly service! We always sit at the bar- natch! #teamnest read more

My friends and I met here for a Birthday Brunch. Reservations were made. Upon arrival we were greeted,checked in and brought to our table. Staff were super friendly and courteous. We were seated on the upper level which had a great view and the wall art was interesting. We had tea as we waited for our food. Wait was not long, food came nice and hot. Fried green tomatoes were my favorite! read more

See all

Loved this place. Our server Shawnna was EXCELLENT!! A shout out to her! she was alone in a pack full restaurant and still managed to serve all the tables AND the bar with excellent service and a smile and sweet demeanor. Unfortunately I cant say the same for the manager that was just there not helping at all. When we approached her to praise the server she acted like she didnt want to hear it. I hope Shawna gets a raise or promotion soon. She is a living g proof of what is to work well under pressure!! Thank you Shawna! and to the manager, being a supervisor is not just to standard be on ur phone smiling is also to lead by helping!! read more

See all

This was the previous slide n dirty restaurant and I always loved this space. Very urban and comfortable. This new restaurant is very fun. Good menu lots of different choices for any pallet. Drink menu is also fun. Service was good. my husband and I don't really require much attention throughout our meals, but our server was very pleasant We will definitely be back and I do highly recommend that you make reservations. read more

The Nest has a cozy ambiance. We were seated in the front corner and were pleasantly surprised that it wasn't noisier on a busy Saturday night. For starters, we had the Fried Green Tomatoes and Grit Tots. The tomatoes were very pimento cheese forward with a pimento cheese that could rival any that I've eaten in the south. The Grit Tots were perfectly prepared, fried balls of grits covered in a savory sausage gravy. The combination was perfect. For our second course, we chose the Pecan Crusted Salmon and the Mussels starter. We budgeted about an hour and a half total to eat prior to attending a musical at Proctors. Our only snafu was that they had an error in the kitchen and our main courses took over 30 minutes to arrive at our table. The salmon dish was so hot that it took 5-7 minutes to cool. The mussels were flavorful in a tomato broth and while I enjoyed the pesto toasties with it, my friend wasn't a huge fan. The salmon was slightly dry, but the combination with the candied yams was interesting and something I will likely try to replicate at home. The Brussels felt slightly out of place but were still well-prepared. We enjoyed the Get Figgy with It, Southern Belle and Copper Lantern drinks. They were each well balanced and refreshing. We would have liked to split a holiday crème brûlée, but with the delay of our main courses, had to forgo in order to make curtain time. Our server was attentive and apologetic about the delay. read more

See all

The best food and menu ever, there were 4 of us, all ordered something different, we sampled each others and all fantastic meals. Our receipt says the server is PM Bar, if that is correct she was awesome. Will visit again soon. Try the smoked wings they are GREATTTT read more

Love their food especially their brunch. Services is great. Also like their store decoration and ambiance is great as well.

Very good food and NOT "the same old thing" that you see on every menu. The people were extremely nice and it had good atmosphere. Put this in your must try, I highly recommend this place!!! read more

One of my favorite places! Very friendly service! Smiles and taking the time to listen to my questions scores major points with me! The only problem I have with the ambiance is the chairs are a little low for the tables when you are a vertically challenged lady! Other than that I love the look! The food is fabulous, I always order the grit tots and steal some of my guys fries to dip in the extra gravy! YUM! I am never disappointed with the fried green tomatoes! They are delicious! You really can't go wrong with anything you order here! One star off this time, the reason was they sent out a pickle that really should have been thrown out. C'mon guys! I didn't even put it in the pic! Pay attention to detail! But it won't stop me from enjoying the food here, it's fabulous! read more

See all

I came here for a birthday and I liked everything about the place! From the moment you enter, the decor is beautiful and every single person working there is so nice and makes sure to check up on you. I ordered the rib eye with potatoes and wow...so good. I was thinking about coming again and trying some other entrees but I think I will just have to order the same meal. Yes it was the good and better than some steakhouses I went to. Definitely recommend 10/10 for people to come by. read more

The Nest - Rib eye - Southern Near Me - Schenectady, New York

This is the third restaurant we've been to at this same location, the classic old Schenectady Railway Company building, and it is the best of the three! We had a lovely time there for our wedding anniversary meal, and received top-notch service and attention on a surprisingly (but gratifying) busy Sunday afternoon before a Proctor's event. I'll start out with the caveats about the location, which carry over from the previous establishments here: it can get noisy. The upper level is quieter but still a bit lively if you're trying to have a more intimate experience. But the new proprietors have added a wonderful little surprise: The Rabbit Hole, a smaller dining area on the upper level made out of an apartment in the adjoining building. It's fun to get to, wending your way up the stairs and through a few doors -- a rabbit warren, indeed. (It appears to be available for special events, too, which we will keep in mind.) I also applaud the menu here, which is a reasonable accommodation of what I'd call Schenectady-standard (meaty and potato-y classics) with some very well done riffing. On our Sunday visit, for example, one of us had the Crabcakes Hollandaise ("Crabcakes Gone Wild" on the menu), which was exactly what it sounds like -- a marriage of classic Maryland crabcakes with Eggs Benedict. It was great! And Ricotta Toast may sound like some sort of strange diet fad, but it was a lovely just-right blend of fresh ingredients. The house breakfast potatoes are unique to my experience: air-fried, almost burned, but not quite -- they end up surprisingly light and savory, very crispy, very unusual. We did have a few glitches with the table service, which were likely related to the full house at hand. (While I appreciate the coffee refills, coming after we're ready for the bill is not as optimal as I would have hoped.) That said, they have gone the extra step here with having "pre-servers", aka what we used to call bussers (I had that job myself once upon a time), to see to customers, and having three tiers of service -- hosts, servers, and table assistants -- is just really nice. We're looking forward to our return visit, and wish The Nest every success there. (The new name is quite apt, for the upper levels). It's a fantastic space and worth a visit if you're only going to be in town briefly, so I would call that a destination. read more

See all

We are regulars at The Nest. I normally give them 5 stars but I am sad to see they are slipping. The good: fried green tomatoes and happy hour drink specials for $10. Also, my wife and her sister had the salmon which was very good. The Nest had 2 dinner specials a steak and a drink. The steak cost $60 which no one ordered. The drink was a whiskey sour variant which was good but came without an ice cube. It cost $17. Who serves a whiskey sour with no ice? 2 of us ordered the sea bass which is around $45. It was a small fillet in a bowl of sauce -and no starch or vegetable. Very disappointing. My friend ordered a side of broccolini after the meal came to round it out. It was a good evening but only because of the company. We collectively decided to try somewhere else next time. I will no longer be recommending The Nest. It is sad to see them go. read more

We visited The Nest recently and found the food and service very enjoyable. So why did I rate this place only 1 star? Because I saw something that made me feel ill... While the bartender was talking to a customer, the customer changed a baby's diaper on the bar - a place that people eat FOOD! It was disgusting, all the more so because the bartender seemed totally fine with it. I would never eat here again, and advise others to avoid it as well. read more

See all

Food and service was great. Good place in downtown Schnectady. Went for brunch and place was pack but was wait the wait.

We had to switch our reservation from a Friday to a Saturday because our babysitter had to cancel last minute. The hostess at the nest was incredibly kind and found a way to squeeze us in for the following night. The inside is really nice and there is a great aesthetic. We did sit by the wall with the green electric sign that did give everything a hue of green which took a little to get used to. The food is out of this world delicious. The drinks are fun. I wish they had a larger cocktail menu or a special cocktail of the night. The food is flavorful and amazing. We asked recommendations from the waitress and she was very knowledgeable about the food and it's flavors. We had a lovely evening and would love to go back! read more

See all

Excellent service, vibe, decor especially upstairs! The biscuits perfectly warm soft inside texture outside w/ side honey butter. Fried chicken juicy inside & crispy outside--much better than Albany location. French toast good not amazing but the bacon made it better lol. Came back again for dinner had Mussels tomato broth well seasoned so delicious. Again great friendly attentive service. Oh the chef came out served us more buttered grilled bread for the broth and so nice! Looking forward to trying other things on menu! read more

See all

Top notch service, delicious food, and easy to get to! Conveniently on bus lines of the entire party wants to grab a drink. For brunch, the atmosphere was busy but not too noisy. I highly recommend getting plates to share because we found the entire menu to be good and filling. The fried green tomatoes were perfection, and I recommend that appetizer. read more

The chicken is too salty! They serve us cold food! None of our meals were hot and it was a party of about 10-12 of us we had to wait for 35 mins only to be served cold food!! Never again! read more

My husband and I both got a chicken dish & we were so sick from it! DO NOT RECOMMEND & would not go back!

We were in the area Father's Day n found Nest on Yelp with great reviews. Never gone wrong w Yelp reviews so thought we'd have Father's Day brunch. Great choice. In the heart of downtown Schenectady. Was a nice morning so we sat out. Friendly staff. We ordered the crab cake bennies, lemon poppyseed waffles and chicken and waffles. The crab cake Bennie was delicious w corn pepper salad lemon thyme Hollandaise sauce n home fries. The lemon poppyseed waffles w blueberries was yum yum. The chicken w waffles was good. Crunchy chicken with the bourbon maple syrup and honey hot sauce for a spicy kick. Thank you nest for a great brunch. read more

See all

The food was excellent, and the ambience warm. we shared several small plates, and each was delicious and filling. The only negative was that the very pleasant young woman who was our server simply wouldn't leave us alone. She must have checked in ten times. It was really annoying and negatively affected our dining experience. This is not good customer service. read more

We ate outside and the setting was lovely. Service was attentive and food was all very fresh and delicious. A little spicy with some of the sides , but delicious all the same. We had fried oysters, pork chop with green beans and sweet potatoe, smoked chicken with cucumber salad, Mac n cheese, chocolate pecan pie and cappuccino. read more