I've been a customer for over 20 years. Rick, the owner, is exceptionally conscientious about the…read morefreshness of the fish and shellfish. As a native of the Mediterranean, I've always had a deep need for shellfish. For years I gave up trying to buy mussels or clams--even from some of the best stores in New York--because the quality just wasn't there. That changed when I started buying at Pura Vida. The freshness and quality here are unmatched, and I can finally enjoy seafood the way it's meant to be.

Everything what we buy is fresh and delicious! The fish is good, the prepared is good as well!read more

Always great food no matter what you order. We came with 2…read morefriends that had never been and it was a great evening. All went home with lunch. The next day our son said I saw you on a Facebook Ad.....little weird as not one actually asked us for permission. But one just never knows

Despite the look of the place, there is good food being served. The fried calamari appetizer is…read moresuper good, not rubbery, very fresh, but it should not be served with cocktail sauce. We requested marinara sauce instead (which waitress told us was an upcharge) and it was almost the best we'd ever had. The shrimp fra diavolo was very good, and the Chianti they poured was good too. I think my friends had chicken Milanese and they enjoyed it. All in all, it was a very satisfying meal.

Have been here twice- can't seem to take a picture because we're so excited to get the fish& chips…read more Huge portions w/ fries & slaw or Mac salad. Perfectly cooked, no 'old fryer oil' taste ever. We re retired chefs so usually cook at home- but this is The Bomb! Very reasonable prices on the whole menu. Not fancy inside but clean & neat- order at window & they'll bring it out . Small condiment bar w/tartar, cocktail, chili sauce& ketchup. This will be a regular stop for us.

Best fish in the area without question, we travel from Saratoga to get fish here! There fish is…read morefresh and when you walk in there is no fish smelll, because it's fresh!

It's been two years since I said we were looking forward to returning to try their bowls or fish…read moreand chips. Well, at least we kept our word today when we ordered their two different bowls for takeout. My wife ordered the Fishbowl ($30) with the grilled fish of the day (salmon), cherry tomatoes, quinoa, feta, peaches, arugula, and basil lime vinaigrette (she said no to onions). She could not get over how tasty the quinoa tasted and wondered how they prepared it. She also thought the peaches could have been a little sweeter since we are in prime peach season. While the salmon was just slightly overcooked we'll attribute that to it continuing to cook as we drove the meals home. Even with those minor negatives, she said she would definitely order the dish again. I chose the Poke Bowl ($35) for my meal (my first ever poke bowl) with marinated raw tuna and salmon, edamame, cucumber, watermelon radish, snap peas, nori, avocado, sesame seeds, scallions, and pea tendrils, all over sushi rice with ginger gochugaru oil and soy sauce on the side. This was absolutely delicious. It was a wonderful blend of fresh flavors and textures. If I have another poke bowl somewhere else I only hope it can come close to measuring up to the enjoyment I experienced with this one.

Well, the oysters were fantastic, and that's why I made the 35 mile trip. I hate city traffic!!!…read more I also had the calamari with peppers, also good. Not like rubber bands, tender. Now the downfall, the chicken sandwich. I did notice other plates coming to tables looking like the fryer temp. is too hot, or cook time was too long. Some fish fry that came out looked quite dark as did my chicken, as you can see! A slight burnt taste was evident. It had good flavor under that burn, and the chicken was close to not being juicy, almost dry. The place is clean, and if not for the location, I would sit at the bar and have the raw bar! Something very important to me that hit me the instant I stepped through the door, if you're looking for a great shot of A/C on a hot day, not here!!! Barely got comfortable from the almost 90 degree day on a bike, and then worked up a return of sweating as the place filled up.

What a nice out of the way place! Nice warm bar and dark…read morewood decoration with big windows and tons of outdoor seating(and another bar. Staff were all friendly& helpful, Service was quick& efficient. I can say the food ranks in the top 3 for Italian meals I have had. I will totally make that trip again!

Celebrated our 49th anniversary here with dinner on August 6 th. Felt service a bit off....our…read moreentrees arrived before my love was able to enjoy her salad. Felt ignored by our server at times. 2 glasses of wine ordered for entrees arrived half way through the dinner. Food was excellent........the bartender was extremely busy, and the 2 servers appeared stressed. This was a Thursday evening reservation. We have enjoyed this establishment frequently, and will be back to assure this was a rare experience.

First night in Albany brought us to Albany Ale and Oyster…read more Great food and beer here! Whenever there is a Main Brewing Company beer on tap anywhere I am sure to get it. They are an elite beer company. The tuna tartar was delicious and fresh, I really enjoyed it. The oysters on the east coast are always amazing. My wife loved the clam chowder, I tasted it and it was very flavorful. The people with us got an amazing charcuterie board! It was very well put together. There is lots of conversation going on around us but not so loud you can't hear your own.

My partner treated me to lunch at Ale & Oyster. While I was excited to come, my expectations for…read morethe resto were not entirely met: -Our server ignored us for at least half an hour. We couldn't easily flag someone down to take our orders. -Our waters tasted like fish water :( -I ordered a house salad with added shrimp, but I only got 3 pieces of shrimp. It didn't feel like it was worth my money. Not sure if I would return again.

I was here on a layover and got half a pound of peeled shrimp along with half of a pound of the…read morelittle neck clams. It was fresh and delicious with all the flavor sauces, little bit of everything! I took a little bit to come out maybe 15 minutes or so, but it was worth it. Hot fresh and delicious. Also really friendly staff.

Stopped in here while I was in town for work and had a pretty mixed experience. The atmosphere was…read morenice and it seemed like a good spot to grab seafood, but the service was noticeably slow throughout our visit. It took a while to get drinks and place our order, and we found ourselves waiting more than expected between courses. That said, the food itself had some highlights. The crab was absolutely amazing--fresh, flavorful, and definitely the standout of the meal. We also really enjoyed the shrimp cocktail, which was well-prepared and hit the mark. Unfortunately, the mussels didn't live up to the same standard; they lacked flavor and just weren't our favorite. Overall, it's an okay spot with some strong dishes, but the slow service and inconsistency in the food would make me hesitate before returning.

Union Seafood on Central Avenue in Albany is described as "Chinese meets Louisiana," according to…read morethe restaurant's website. I've been there before and the crazy, giant fiberglass crab on display in the entrance is always a hoot. So is the fiberglass shark head on the wall in the dining area. I like a place with a sense of fun and humor. I also like this place for its seafood boils. The good news is that this restaurant--which was very good to begin with-- has gotten even better. Last time I showed up, the server brought the seafood boil still in its boiling bag and cut it open in front of me. It was up to me to reach into the hot bag and pull out its contents. There was steam everywhere. A hot mess, indeed! This time, the kitchen took care of the boiling bag for me. Instead, they beautifully arranged the boiled seafood on a large platter. Wow. It looked amazing and tasted even better! This time, I'd asked for a Number 4 with mix of seasonings, including garlic and butter. There were: one big lobster tail, plenty of shrimp, clams, crawfish, potatoes, corn on the cob, hard boiled eggs and extra veggies. It was described as enough to feed three people. Coincidentally, we were a party of three. We also ordered a Cajun Fried Rice for good measure. We really didn't need it. We were so full. The fruit drinks were great, too. Union Seafood is a franchise with locations in Troy and Schenectady. They're owned by Larry Weng who also opened Ji Bei Chuan Rice Noodles & Ramen on Western Avenue in Guilderland, according to local news reports. In celebration of May being AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Month, it's probably fair to say that Asian-American owned restaurants such as Union Seafood have added much variety to the overall dining experience in Capital Region. Vive la différence.

Ive tried this once last year and i like it. Brought my friend there yesterday. They have combo…read morechoices. We chose the 1/2 lb shrimp, 1 lobster tail, clams, crawfish. It's a lot and the seafood is fresh. I would say 3 people could share. We had it mild and mixed sauce. Maybe order hot next time since i did not taste the spiciness. We both enjoyed it. Price is not that bad. The place is huge but kinda datk inside. Service is great though. For dessert we got the coconut cake. It is kinda frozen. But it taste good. Surely coming back!