"Buy a bar they said" . . . "it will be fun they said" . . . Kathy the owner. The Tugboat Tavern operated the first four years as a bar, then the next 16 years as a bar with a full service restaurant. Our second visit here 11/15/25 for dinner & drinks. Sat at the bar & were greeted by Melissa, Kathy's daughter, who brought us drinks & menus on this busy Saturday evening. Draft beers $6.75 & wines $6.25, full bar service available. Dinners were baked haddock fillet topped with a panko parmesan crust, and drizzled with a lemon-dill aioli. Served with rice pilaf and mixed vegetables. ($27) - Delish! And a chicken tender app - three very large chicken tenders with spicy garlic parm sauce (choice of 10 wing/tenders sauces - ($15). Cosy neighborhood favorite tavern. The bar is friendly & fun. Bar with hightops, big front dining room, and rear dining room that can be reserved for parties. Plenty of parking in their rear lot & street parking. Hours: Wed-Sun 4-9:30pm. Thanks to "Captain" Kathy, Melissa, & the crew. We will be back Nick & Liz, Albany, NY USA read more

Great spot for delicious pub food and exceptional service! I visited on a Friday night and was sat immediately at a high top table. The waitress was incredibly friendly and gave us an overview of the specials. When I saw the Peanut Butter & Jelly Wings, I knew I had to try them! And when the waitress said the wings won awards, I was sold. They were delicious! They were actually more on the savory side - more like a peanut sauce that you would find in Thai cuisine. They also were topped with crushed peanuts, giving them a nice crunch. For our entrees, I ordered the Steak Sandwich, and my boyfriend ordered the Tugboat Tavern Stuffed Burger. My sandwich was huge and full of steak! It was great, as were the hand-cut fries. My boyfriend also loved his burger. Overall, a really solid pub food spot. Highly recommend! read more

See all

This place is always consistent with their great food, service, and prices. If you're Iooking for an overall good restaurant experience where you feel at home, this is it! The staff makes everyone feel like a regular with that welcoming attitude. Food portions are very generous and the flavor is that secret family recipe homemade style. 10/10 read more

See all

My wife and I had dinner at the Tugboat Tavern on a Friday night. We arrived shortly after they opened and we were the first customers of the night. We were greated and seated promptly. Our server was friendly and attentive through the dining experience. We arrived early as we had been told the service can be slow when they are busy, but the food was really good. We started with a shrimp bruschetta as an appetizer and it was delicious! A chicken soup came with our meal and was served next with some warm bread. The soup was very good but the bread was unusually small. It came with a pesto butter. For our meals my wife ordered the cajun shrimp and sausage and I ordered the fish and chips. My wife's meat was a little on the spicy side even for a cajun dish, but still very good. The portion for the fish and chips I ordered was generous and the homemade fries were excellent. The cole slaw was dry and not to my liking. The prices were fair for the quality and portions. We will definitely be back to try more of the menu. read more

So we have driven by this place several times and thought "hmmmm the reviews are good but isn't that a bar?", and not stopped. This time we decided it to be our destination and I am so glad we did. Remember those places as a teen in the 80's you'd go to with your boyfriend's Italian parents? Good food, staff that felt like old friends and comfort plates that made making a decision sooooo hard cause you want them all? From the moment we walked in we felt like family and the staff was genuinely kind, laid back and super knowledgeable, as if they really cherish the place they work! I have the fra diavlo and they toned it down so I could enjoy the spicy-ness without destroying my stomach. The portions are insane and the food was deliciously presented and divinely made. Just the right amount of kick and so much shrimp, clams, muscles and they even added calamari which I've never seen!!! The drinks were well made and I cannot say enough about the waitstaff. We cannot wait to go back again and again and next time we aim to hang at the bar and sink into the warmth of the entire experience. Nice job! Oh and thanks for the gluten free pasta for my husband. read more

See all

Food was great & fast on a very busy night. The service is the best, & incredibly friendly.

I love this place. Great food. Very friendly staff and great ambiance. I love the theme too

I've eaten at the tugboat Tavern many times and it's always been good. I walked in with a friend on Friday before a show at the Cohoes music hall. Sat down at 6:00....at 7:20, we already knew we had already missed some of the show. I asked for the bill and the owner came over. She said she would wrap the meal, although she had no clue if they were even preparing it. Very, very nice people, however, our waitress said that she told us there was an hour wait when we got there. I would have never waited an hour to eat anywhere, so that was a lie. Wound up at Burger King and missed half of the first set read more

Horrible would not recommend. Waited an hour and a half and they hadn't even started our order. And we had a reservation.

Food is beyond delicious and fresh, we had out of town guests we brought there and couldn't say enough about the food. The service is always right on spot, and the atmosphere is relaxing and fun. The cleanliness is a 10 +++ Can't wait to go back! And OMG the desserts-sinfully amazing!!! read more

My friend and I were to the Tugboat Tavern the other night for a bite to eat. We started with the peanut butter and jelly chicken wings. Since I said, I never tried them before. Why not. They were the super big wings coded nicely and you could taste the peanut butter and jelly on it. I wish I would've taken pictures. They had a bit of a spicy kick and they had also peanuts on top surprisingly very good. For my dinner, I had spaghetti with sweet sausage. There wasn't anything remarkable about the sauce, but it was good and plenty to eat. my friend had the rib-eye steak. She said that it was cooked perfectly to her liking medium rare, and the vegetables were good as well. I would probably give it another try and order something else. We got there early and then after that the place filled up quickly, so it seems to be a neighborhood staple plenty of food they offer on the menu so again I'd give it another shot. read more

The food was outstanding and so wasn't the staff!! It was such a delight to be able to go eat at a place that just didn't have excellent food but the staff was amazing as well. I would highly recommend this restaurant for any occasion. And for anyone. read more

We felt like having some fish and seafood so we decided to try the Tugboat Tavern. Walking into the place had us wondering if we made the right decision. Nothing wrong about the place but just not what we were expecting. Well, we soon found out the we definitely made the right decision! We had a wonderful waitress that made us feel right at home and well cared for. We tried the Shrimp Piccata, both styles of Tortellini, fish and chips, Shrimp Bruschetta, and the chicken wings ( extra spicy). Everything was delicious. The shrimps prepared perfectly. Excellent sauces. The extra spicy wings would singe your eyebrows (which was what we wanted!) The Tugboat Tavern is very much worth a visit! read more

The Cajun Shrimp and Sausage is an absolute MUST when in Albany. Compliment the Bartenderess' leggings, and you'll receive a discount ;) read more

Tugboat Tavern - Cajun Shrimp and Sausage - Great - American Near Me - Cohoes, New York

Ice cold beer! Yes! Next calamari tender and crisp. Very yummy. Wings - all kinds of flavors. We got regular, Thai sweet and spicy (my favorite) and get ready for this.. peanut butter and jelly! I know that one sounds gross but honestly they were pretty good and glad I gave them a try. Great dive bar and it's really clean too! Service very good. If you are ever in the neighborhood stop in. Highly recommend! read more

I wish I could give more than 5 stars. From the moment you walk in you kinda know your in for a treat. The place is absolutely spotless and the decor is perfect. Extremely friendly staff. And I haven't even mentioned the food yet. We had the chicken Alfredo and Fish and Chips. Both were absolutely amazing. From portion size to the taste. I very highly recommend stopping by either for dinner or just a beverage. I can't wait to go back which will be very soon read more

What can I say about the Tugboat? First, I traveled in here to meet a friend in 2008 to see him before I moved away. He stood me up and left me in a bar I'd never been in, alone.... and it's absolutely the best thing anyone could have ever done to me! The beer is always cold, the owners, bar tenders and other staff have become family and when I crave their wings, nothing will make my cravings subside but a 12 hour drive for a dozen HOT WINGS. There really is not enough I can say about the food here, there's REALLY not enough I can say about the service or the people who run this family owned business. read more

EDIT NOV 2018: The food has gone downhill in the worst way. The cheese fries are no longer cheesy, the food is just meh in general. We went on the coldest night so far this year and the bathroom was an ice box. Will not be returning. Tugboat has the best cheese fries and the best stuffed cheeseburgers in the area. I love how they use real cheese and not the canned nacho cheese crap that many try to pass off as cheese! The fries are cooked amazingly and are cheesy with every bite. Yes, I love cheese. The burgers are incredible in that they are actually stuffed and not just one thin layer of your filling. Bacon and cheddar is an amazing choice; my stepdad loves mushroom and Swiss cheese and says it's the best in the area. I've also had the taco salad which is good, wings are good, beers are good, everything is incredible. read more

Just love the atmosphere and food Just cannot go wrong French onion soup is absolutely the best read more

Good lord!! This place is a hidden gem! You think you are walking into your average local pub and instead you enter a fantastic surprise. The food is so delicious...the sherry shrimp bruschetta is possibly the most delectable thing I have ever tasted, even in comparison to fancy NYC Italian restaurants. The prices are reasonable and the portions are huge. You will not be disappointed! read more

I finally had the opportunity to try this place last time I was in Albany! It is definitely a hidden gem. The reviews on yelp were definitely right about not being turned off by the appearance. We were led to the back room and was seated promptly. We ordered two orders of wings- dry rub and the mild. I personally didn't like the dry rub but the mild was yummy. I was deciding between the chicken sandwich or the tortellini but opted for the tortellini. Other members at the table got the burger, chicken sandwich, steak, and Cajun shrimp dish. The portions were huge! Definitely enough for two meals. I also had a side salad which was a good size. The service was attentive (shout out to Kayla!) and were all very friendly. I'll definitely return to try other things on the menu! read more

See all

Warm atmosphere, great customer service and good pub food. Ordered takeout and it was ready shortly after I arrived. Bartender immediately greeted me, checked on my order and returned with it. Had the sausage parm sandwich which was huge and my wife ordered the shrimp scampi which was delicious. Great online menu with lots of pictures. Will be coming back. read more

Tonight I took a friend to the Tugboat Tavern. They had the haddock and raved about it. I ordered the Seafood Fra Diablo. My meal was out of this world. The presentation is stellar, linguini topped with shrimp, clams, and mussels. Garnished with perfect calamari. Just the right heat in the marinara sauce. The chef must be a wizard because this dish is magic. If you like seafood this dish is a must! read more

Giving them a solid 3 star rating as there are definitely some pros and cons... Pros: Extremely friendly, accommodating staff and service. Laid back, relaxing atmosphere. Overall quality and price of food. Cons: Just some of the food options. Not a fan of cheese wiz on nachos (prefer fresh shredded cheddar), and their french fries were a little bland, and not crispy at all. Sandwiches come with an up charge for fries as well, so you can imagine the slight disappointment when they weren't as good as I'd hoped. It's fairly close to where I live, so I will definitely return and try the wings everyone speaks so highly of. read more

I really wanted to love this place since it's a stones throw from my house. After reading the reviews for Tugboat I was excited to try the hot wings. The wings were large but I thought they were dry, lacking in flavor and overly saturated in bar grease. I didn't enjoy. The hand cut french fries on the other hand were pretty good. A huge portion was served and I ate every last crumb. The ambiance was interesting. Typical town bar. Tugboat themed. :) Dark, cramped but cozy enough to enjoy a drink in peace. I hear there are pool tables in the back! I won't be scrambling to go back, but I was happy to check out a Van Schaick original. It's great to have a place to grab a beer after some pond skating. read more

A best kept secret. Don't let the outside appearance fools you. The menu is really different. There are many varieties that I will have to visit several more times to try. It seems that the chef is really love his (or her) job. The food taste good. The presentation is awesome. The price is very affordable for the amount and quality of food. read more

Tugboat Tavern - Big Haddock with Lemon Dill Sauce - American Near Me - Cohoes, New York

See all

Tugboat Tavern was a random pick for me that really worked out. The food is great. I particularly like their wings: they're definitely meaty, so they're not those junk skimpy wings with the standard Frank's Red Hot sauce on them. The burgers are very good, soup is excellent, and they have these buffalo potato chips that are lights-out. I'm honestly not sure if the chips are only a special, or if they're available all the time, but they're homemade potato chips that were made in buffalo sauce. They're fantastic. The owners are really friendly and service is always good. This has become a favorite place of mine where I can grab a drink and something good to eat. read more

We love to come here after work .( we work at restaurant) great atmosphere.the food is always awesome.The staff is very sweet ..you have to meet the owners Ian and Kathy.. read more

Tugboat Tavern - American Near Me - Cohoes, New York

See all

Stopped her with my wife and daughter. The atmosphere was calm and inviting. We ordered wings for an app and they were great! Also got a sandwich and burger for dinner and both tasted perfect. We'll def go back again. read more

Yelp did it again. This is a great place, warm and welcoming. Had the linguini and white clam sauce, fantastic! Noticed all the wing awards when I was leaving, so when we went back two days later, I had to try them.The waitress asked if I was just going to have the wings or did I want something else, I thought she was kidding. I am big eater and thought, yeah right and told her I'll have a burger also. The ten wings came out and they were huge, crisp on the outside and moist in the middle, perfect. The Bacon, cheddar cheese hamburger came out and I knew it was going to be a challenge to finish. Asked for Medium well and they nailed it. Large hand packed patty on a fresh roll, hand cut fries and a nice big pickle, very good. That's not the best part, the staff is top notch. All the waitresses checked on you as they walked by and asked if you needed anything. Friendly and conscientious, a real team effort. You don't find this kind of service just anywhere. I am from the Saratoga Springs area where there are a lot of good restaurants, but this one ranks in the top of my favorites. If I traveled 787 on my commute I could see me turning on bridge street multiple times a week to have some great food along with great service. read more

Outstanding food and excellent service!! Plenty of parking easy to find! Staff very friendly and doing great job!! Highly recommend this place for nice dinner or drinks!! read more

Great food and a really fun place. I felt like I really fit in nice. I would definitely go back again !

Food has definitely gone downhill since our last visit. Only saw our waitress once, service was poor and the place was empty at 5:30 on a Friday evening. Should have told us something about the place. One meal was so bad our daughter couldn't eat it. They did not charge us for it so that was a plus. Will not be going back. read more

Saturday Nite dinner out w friends and was my turn to choose the restaurant.I revwd Yelp for area restautants in Cohoes and Waterviliet area.After revwing chose Tugboat based on numerous high mark reviews.Went arrived at 6PM,made reservations but they were not that busy.Seated immediately and ordered our drinks which came quickly.3 of us ordered Haddock 2Baked,i the fried fish and chips.Wife ordered chicken and broccoli.All 4 agreed that the meals were outstanding and surprised on amt of food given.I for the first time in years(many) couldn,t finish my meal.Salads included with meals and bread also.Bill for 4 was $85.00 w drinks.Meals took some time to arrive at table after order.All were hot. read more

Love the Tugboat! Great service, great food, and drink! Ian and Cathy know how to keep us coming back.

Used to live in cohoes on bridge ave, came back for a wake and needed someplace to eat. Yelped this place and let me tell you, it was awesome. Don't be fooled by the exterior, as other reviewers have said. The staff was beyond friendly and the food was phenomenal. Got an order of wings, delicious! Got a beer on tap, and it was ice cold as it should be. I had the rib eye with garlic mashed potatoes, so tasty! Hubs got the chicken special, cannot remember the name, but it was with Cajun spices served over pasta, he was impressed. Don't pass this place by, it is great place to eat! read more

We love the Tugboat...Kathy, Ian and Ally along with the rest of the staff knock it out of the park every single time we are there....from the inventive chicken wings, to the incredible scallops...killer shrimp and sausage with rice.....along with a friendly and attentive staff. This is a hidden gem....maybe I should not have posted this??? LOL read more

Fantastic food, great menu, great music , hometown pub & ice cold beer!!! Went on a friends recommendation. A little hesitant walking up to it. Don't let the looks deceive you. Get through the front door and the food is fantastic homemade and fresh. The service is friendly, fast and the atmosphere is as comfortable as it comes. Highly recommend read more

My bf ordered garlic parm wings & said they had no taste! Last time they were great! Guess we won't be coming back anytime soon!

Allie the bartender absolutely rude and her father Lee is horribly rude as well to not only myself, but to my company. Terrible ambiance. Not once but on a few occasions. Will NEVER go back. Ever. Do not waste your time or $. read more