Through an odd set of circumstances, I found myself the first customer at Yono's tonight, dining alone, and further singled myself out by mentioning that I wanted some spicy Indonesian food when I made my OpenTable reservation. Both Chef Yono and his wife, whom I believe is the co-owner/manager, stopped by to introduce themselves and assure me my needs would be met. If you like to be pampered, this is the place. They could not possibly have made any money on me considering the number of silverware changes alone. Service was attentive throughout the meal but not hovering. Plates for a larger party were brought out simultaneously by an armada of waitrons, most of them clutching some sort of sauce or relish as well as a massive dinner plate. Impressive. I ordered the Five Course Traditional Indonesian Rijsttafel which I would not do again because two of the courses, the Gado Gado vegetable stir fry and Soto Makasa soup, were pleasant but without the assertive flavor excitement I was looking for. A MUCH BETTER choice is the Nasi Rames sampler which includes all the flavor hits from my meal: a richly sauced short rib and a pork tenderloin, a complex shrimp noodle dish, an excellent crab cake and okay chicken satay and an amazing sambal assortment to kick up the spice as needed. (The "sambal ketchup" was particularly outstanding.) This item is $24 less than the Complete Rijsttafel (which also includes an excellent dessert, though I was too full to enjoy it.) Go for the Nasi Rames and then choose one of a number of imaginative apps that add southeast Asian spices to fresh seasonal ingredients. A couple comments about the venue. Yono's is an ornate interior space with no windows, cozy in winter but a bit claustrophobic on a late summer's eve. And, Yono's is among the many local restaurants that believes the dining experience is enhanced by a lively sound track, in this case consisting of Moon River and other show tune favorites. As a rule of thumb, if you can make out the lyrics enough to sing along, I say it's too loud. read more

This restaurant is out of the world clean nice set up enough space between people and most off all hospitality is on 100000 very respectful calm Music isn't loud at all everything is literally perfect especially the customer service now let's get to the food my wife ordered a noodle dish noddles cooked to perfection not over seasoned everything was cooked well and they followed all directions our server was very understanding and patient due to the fact it's our first time here Josh helped us pick drinks it was a big help we never drink and he was the best waiter rashawn was the cook and must I say everyone here goes above and beyond today is our anniversary and I wanted it to be special and I must say this has exceeded my expectations management was on the floor keeping track of everything and everything ran smoothly this experience was more then worth it thanks to all the kind staff and great food I'll be returning soon read more

Somewhat disappointing meal! Service was great but my dish (pork) tasted terrible. The waitress saw I barely touched the food but didn't ask why i or if I wanted to take the leftovers home. Although it was suppose to be a three course meal they additionally charged us for an appetizer? Meal cost us over three hundred dollars for two and was not worth it. Don't think I'll return again. read more

I used to love Yono's. I honestly believe that eating there should be considered a civic obligation. Any time I have recommended it, I have received nothing but glowing praise. Not last Saturday night. We were the guests of our children for our 30th wedding anniversary. Service was terribly slow. Drinks took way too long... and we had two rounds between appetizers and the entree, which never arrived until after I complained... The herbed gnocchi were appetizer sized. It honestly looked like they took one order and split it. The goat cheese has liquefied like it had sat under the heat lamp too long. The salmon was raw. They tried to make it right. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I left my entree, which looked fabulous, untouched. They won't miss me. But I will miss them. read more

I rarely give any dining establishment five stars, but Yono's deserves six. No kidding. My boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner - at my request as it had been on my restaurant bucket list for quite some time. When I made the reservation, they asked whether we were celebrating a special occasion, so I told them that it was for my birthday. When we arrived, everyone we passed en route to our table wished me a happy birthday. After we were seated, they brought us each a glass of champagne ... on the house. I am impressed. We each ordered the Lobster Bisque which was velvety smooth and delicious, although they might want to be a little more generous with the "claw meat" that was no more than a small piece of a side leg of the lobster. My boyfriend ordered an Indonesian noodle dish "BAKMI GORENG": INDONESIAN STIR FRIED NOODLES for his appetizer. It was a massive portion, enough to be an entree (!) and fabulous. I ordered the TWENTY FOUR HOUR BRAISED PORK BELLY which, while a small portion, was delicious. For my companion's entree, he chose the SEA SCALLOP À LA PLANCHA. Very tasty. I selected another appetizer, the PAN SEARED HUDSON VALLEY FOIE GRAS - absolutely divine and the stuff that foodies dream about. We shared the INDONESIAN BANANAS FOSTER for dessert, which arrived with a candle and on the plate they had written, in chocolate, Happy Birthday Lori. My cappuccino was probably the best I've ever ordered. Seriously. The service was spot-on, very attentive without being intrusive. Yono came out and chatted with us at our table, and let us take photos with him. I really loved this personal touch to what was an extraordinary and memorable evening. This was one of the best dinner experiences I have enjoyed since moving to Upstate New York eight years ago. I like that Yono's offers cuisine not found anywhere else (e.g. pork belly), and puts an interesting spin on popular dishes such as scallops. While our bill came to over $200 with tip, it is worth saving up for just to savor artfully presented, outstanding cuisine. read more

Lovely set up, I had a private room dining area in the back where a pianist is found playing soft tunes. This definitely gave the place an upscale and romantic feel. The Nasi Goreng and Bakmi Goreng (one of my fav dish that night) were really good. I got the crispy skin st croix farm's chicken for my entree, chicken was a bit dry but the jasmine rice is beyond words! The service is amazing, would go back. read more

Yono's Restaurant - Crispy skin st croix farm's chicken breast - Indonesian Near Me - Albany, New York

I love good food and Yonos delivers it with excellence. The staff is absolutely wonderful. They were knowledgeable, attentive and took their time to talk about the menu. The food here is Delicious. Let me repeat, delicious! I had lobster bisque, fois gras (which I'm still dreaming about) and the Tilefish. My boyfriend had the pork tenderloin and he said that it tasted great. We had dessert and that was great as well. Overall, Yonos cuisine exceeded expectations and I had a lovely experience. I had an amazing time and the owner even came out to talk to us. He is a great chef, philanthropist and an awesome person. I will be coming back here every time I'm in Albany. If you're in the area, you should too! read more

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Absolutely love Yono's! My family has developed a little tradition of going every fall to celebrate birthdays, and this year did not disappoint. We came for dinner on a Friday night, rather than mid-week as we had in previous years, and the restaurant was more full but not over crowded by any means. There was an excellent 3-piece group providing live music for the evening. We found our seats and were promptly greeted by our perennial server, Garrett, who recognized us and welcomed us by name. We opened our menus to see the customized menu inserts we've grown accustomed to--but will never tire of. We were then treated to great service as usual while waters were poured, drinks were provided, etc. The amuse bouche is always a lovely touch, and Friday's was delicious--a small crostini with some feta and chorizo. Delicious! But the real appetizer attraction for us has always been fresh baked pretzel rolls. We ask for them by the truckload, and dream about them in between visits. Try. The. Pretzel. Rolls. For dinner, I ordered an 18 oz. dry-aged ribeye, while others ordered the drum, scallops, and venison. The sommelier, Josh, came by to offer some delicious suggestions for pairings, and our meals were served shortly thereafter. I only tried my steak and the scallops, but both were cooked to perfection. The steak was massive, but gave me plenty of leftovers to take home, and the sides were executed perfectly, as you'd expect. I heard similar rave reviews about the other dishes, and the Brussels sprouts in particular were a conversation starter for our party. For dessert, I ordered the cheesecake and tried the pumpkin donut holes. The cheesecake was the best I've ever eaten--firm but not too firm, great flavor with a hint of salt that rounded it out much more than overly sweet cheesecakes I've had elsewhere. The pumpkin donuts were incredible. Almost a zeppole-style donut with a sugar-cinnamon coating and some incredibly tasty sauce & a sweet crème fraîche to dip. To top it off, the musicians played "happy birthday" and the kitchen delivered even more small desserts to pick at, decorated with a birthday message. We had the chance to speak with both Dominick and Yono himself, who each came to greet us and thank us for coming in to celebrate once again. We will continue this tradition for as long as Yono's continues to be as excellent an experience as it is. Massive thank you to Yono and the team behind the incredible food, Dominick & Josh and the stellar wine program that always seems to be evolving, and Garrett and crew for another dinner with perfect, friendly, and attentive service. Easiest 5 stars ever. read more

I came here two days in a row during my stay in Albany hoping I'd find a good restaurant. Yono was a big disappointment. That being said, the service was amazing. I wish I could say the about the cook. Egg rolls were made with too much oil. Vegetables was too sour. Beef was too spicy. Indonesian noodles were just fried ramen read more

Yono's Restaurant - Photo explains itself. - Indonesian Near Me - Albany, New York

Well I have to admit I went to Yono somewhat sceptical after hearing all the reviews and having 2 encounters with the restaurant staff on prior occasion that were not positive, I have been a guest of the hotel that is in the same building not affiliated with each other than proximity.So I returned last night to have a bite to eat after a full day of travel and work.I ordered a glass of wine and lobster roll with hand cut chips.If you are in need of a very heavy dose of butter and Mayo on wet hotdog bun for $$$. Go for it. The room is very loud at only half capacity The staff are way to self involved or over involved with one another to communicate with clients in any way, the chef/ owner looked as though he may be in sad need of long vacation as he sat, rather draped on a bar stool.it has been a hot summer in Albany and Yono's needs to take a look at their mission and make adjustments. read more

If you are looking for an all around great meal this is the place. Don't be intimidated if you aren't sure what some of the items are on the menu, they will gladly explain everything to you and I don't think they serve anything that isn't good. We started out with an appetizer of the Indonesian fried rice and the lobster bisque. For dinner I had one of the specials; shrimp and scallops over pappardelle pasta in a pesto cream sauce. Everything was served so hot we had to wait for it to cool down. And while I definitely don't regret getting the dish I got, trying the fried rice appetizer really made me want to try the other Indonesian cuisine. The tasting menu is a great idea to sample a variety of things and next time I will have to get that. After all that food I was stuffed but I still had to make room for the Banana's Foster since it's one of my favorite desserts and I don't get a chance to have it very often. Everything was well executed and Yono himself takes the time to visit each table individually. The dining room is much quieter than DP. The prices may be a little high but the food is worth it and the service is over the top. read more

I have been to Yono's at least 5 times now. I genuinely have to say that if I had the money to dine here every day, I probably would. The service is impeccable and the food is beyond delicious. I always come here for a special occasion because the ambiance is quite fancy and it takes a chunk out of my wallet but it is worth it. If you make a reservation for a special occasion, they will put the occasion on your menu. This is especially wonderful if you are planning a birthday celebration. As for food, I almost always get the four-course tasting menu which is around $64. They are very accommodating to food allergies and if you dislike a certain dish, they will replace it with something else. My personal favorites from their menu is the lamb and duck. The service here is impeccable! I am always pleased with the attention I get from the server and how quickly they clear your plates. Parking is a little harder to find especially in the evenings, but there is plenty of parking on the street, you just have to be patient. read more

I truly couldn't speak more poorly about our experience at Yono's. We were on time for our reservation for the formal dining room at 9:00 PM and weren't seated until 10:30 in the bar room. Once we were seated, we waited about an hour for our food to be served, all of which was ice cold. We sent it back and received our same plates- just microwaved. My friend's seared tuna was cooked through and bounced like rubber. Our waitress was kind and the taste was fine, but nothing extraordinary- especially for the price. We had an over $300 bill for one of the worst dining experiences of my life. We all left hungry and disappointed. read more

Finally got a chance to check out Yono's when a nearly expired Groupon fell into my lap. The small restaurant's ambiance was beautiful and we were serenaded by a lovely pianist and double bass mixing up some jazzy tunes. They have an 82 page wine list which you can actually download online if you're the type that likes to do their wine homework. The sommelier was happy to make recommendations and they have a good selection of wines by the glass. The kitchen prepared us each a different "amuse bouch," to accommodate my dairy aversion. My partner received a warm pumpkin soup and I received a riff on bruscetta with beautiful heirloom tomatoes and balsamic. For our appetizers, my partner got the Bakmi Goreng, which was a deliciously sweet and savory noodle dish. The portion was surprisingly large for an appetizer. My Gado Gado cold salad was much smaller, but was very well-balanced with vinegar, and sweet and spicy undertones. I was surprised that there were no vegetarian entrees, so both of us ordered fish. My tuna was supposed to come with a saffron tamarind sauce, but I'm not sure if it was included. My partner got a salmon dish that was on the nightly special that came with a buttery orange puree and I suspect that my dish came with the same thing as a replacement. All was all good either way. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by the portion size. I would absolutely return more often if I lived that life. For two glasses of wine, 3 beers, 2 apps, and 2 entrees, our bill was about $180 after tax and tip. Well worth it in my opinion. read more

I have been here twice. The first time was worthy of 4+ stars, but tonight was only worth 2. The lobster soup was entirely too salty (And I love salty food). The red pepper soup was very bland in contrast. But what has me the most upset was the price gouging over a $16 first/second course of shrimp, that I requested after my soup (when my husband had his duck main course) that they charged $38 for as an 'entree' price. $38 for 6 medium sized shrimp (head and tail included) And six pieces of turnip!? They didn't even include any other vegetable or starch. The $36 duck main course, however, came with a generous portion of duck breast, vegetables and quinoa. But my 6 shrimp cost $38?! The music was beautiful, as always, but unfortunately we will not be returning after this mistake/experience. read more

My girlfriend and I went here for Valentine's Dinner. We could choose between a 3-course meal menu and a tasting menu, and we both chose the meal. It was pricey ($86 each), but the environment, the food, the presentation, and the service were 100% worth it. They started with a fennel-themed amuse-bouche for both of us, which was delicious. There were 3 items on it, including a phenomenal room-temperature fennel soup. Next they brought out three varieties of gourmet bread, the best of which was from Tribeca Bakery, along with some European Sweet Cream butter. All 3 were great. For my first course I had a Lobster Bisque and it was THE best Lobster Bisque I have ever had, by far. It had real lobster meat in it, which is a first for me, and I adored that bisque. Girlfriend got some Pork Belly for her first course, which she said was delicious but had too much fat on it. My second course was a Filet Mignon with Lobster Tail (yes I love lobster in case you were wondering). I got the Filet cooked medium and it was prepared to perfection; so juicy and tender! The lobster tail was a great companion. Girlfriend got Beef Short Rib with Rice Lumpia. I got to try a bite of the Short Rib and it might even have been better than my Filet. She said she loved it too. For dessert, girlfriend got a cheese board, which was prepared beautifully, but we did not really care for 3 of the 5 cheeses. For more refined cheese lovers, I think they would have loved it though. We also shared my dessert, a chocolate cake that was out-of-this-world. It more than made up for the cheese. All in all, it was a fantastic dinner and we will definitely be back! read more

Let's start with the positives. The front of the house staff was great. The main bar and front part of the (less formal) restaurant had a good vibe. Enjoyed a glass of wine while waiting for reservation. The wine and beverage list in both sections of the establishment are top notch. We were called for our reservation late (after reminding them we had one) and ushered into a semi-full and quickly emptying dining room at 9 p.m. It went down hill - quickly - from there. The oversized, overly ornate dining room couldn't match the mediocre - at best- food that emerged from the kitchen. Braised short ribs with greasy shelled lumpia came out cool and had to be sent back. Returned wiith missing vegetables! The ribs were either not braised long enough or a cheap meat was procured . They were grizzly - a hard thing to do to well braised short ribs. The chicken dish was luke warm. It was not sent back as doing so would have rendered it inedible. Dried out, salty skin, tough, (yes authentic rubber chicken). Entirely flavorless apart from the salty skin. Again, I think they used cheaply procured meat. Roasted vegetables would have been o.k. if they weren't luke warm/cool.The rice was good. A nice amuse bouche (chilled pea soup) preceded the whole thing and was placed in a tiny (appropriately so) cup which was placed on an enormous charger plate. Two types of butter were laid out and described to us - complete with bread plates and butter knives. The bread never appeared. When questioned, staff shrugged it off. They too were growing weary of the whole thing. I don't blame them. Seriously excellent espresso couldn't make up for the rest of it. Irritatingly expensive and pretentious given the poor quality of the food. Save your hard earned money and head elsewhere. read more

A nice fusion between western and South-Eastern Asian cuisines. I tried some tuna salad and duck breast from my wife's plate. They both have some sparks. However, I ordered a classical NY strip rather than those fusion foods. That prime steak was too lean and somewhat chewy even that it was cooked to medium rare. The mushroom sauce was good though. In general, it was no better than the steak I cooked for Christmas several days ago :P A friend ordered scallops, too salty. Another friend had lamb, chewy. Based on this single experience, I'd say order fusion food rather than regular entrees in this restaurant. In terms of service, it might be the holiday, the delay between courses was about 20-30 mins. I had never been kept for so long ever. Silverware were also delayed. They reset the table after serving breads, but there were only 3 pairs of forks and knives for 4 people. The upscale atmosphere and music was nice, but I hope their servers could be more professional. Again the busy holiday season may contribute to this bad experience. But if this "5 stars" restaurant want to obtain a Michelin star in the future, a lot more can be done. read more

Visited from Boston and am comparing it to restaurants in major cities which may or may not be fair. Came here for my sister's birthday dinner and we were provided with champagne and a personalized menu with her name printed in it, which made her feel special. But as soon as we sat down I was immediately rubbed the wrong way. The hostess at the front asked if we wanted to check our coats, to which I responded that there was so need as I didn't mind holding on to it. But when we sat down we were scolded for not checking our coats as if it wasn't an option. We were told we had to wear them (which is a bit ridiculous) or they would take them. I'm not sure why they are so strict on this, I've been to plenty of fancy restaurants and have never experienced this before. Regardless, if they felt that strongly about it, we should have been politely notified at the beginning by the hostess before sitting down. Anyway, we were provided with a palette cleanser type bite at the beginning which I believe was tuna wrapped in tofu skin with curry sauce. It was extremely salty but can't really complain as it was complementary. We ordered the fried noodles and fried rice to start (which we were also told we cannot have at the sam time as our meal and would have to eat that first before they sent the entrees out). Both dishes were superb. My brother would not stop raving about the noodles. My only preference would be for more noodles as the ratio of ingredients to noodles seemed off. For entrees we ordered the bass on crab rissotto. The bass was mediocre, crab rissotto had good flavor, on the salty side but I couldn't stand the soupy mushy consistency. The 24hr braised short ribs didn't impress my easily impressed brother, but he liked the compress rice the best. Chicken breast was also very average, the coconut rice was interesting in that it had a very very faint coconut flavor with none of the sweetness that accompanies most coconut rice. The live pianist was a nice touch. And service was very attentive. Overall I don't think the experience was worth the price point. read more

A sweet restaurant, with lovely and very friendly staff. Decor is fancy, and it feels private, which is a plus for an intimate date. Some drawbacks are the seating- even though the restaurant was not at full capacity we were placed in a tight seat where everything could be heard from the kitchen and staff was frequently passing by. Food was dependent on the selected dish, served lukewarm. Portions were also dependent on the selected dish, some very generous (appetizers), some quite tiny (entrees). Wine pairing was perfect, sommelier accommodating and knowledgeable, with a generous pour, although timing could be improved. Although designated the best restaurant in Albany- which might lead one to believe it is similar to establishments in larger cities- it does not come close to the excellence of service or food in NYC. That said- for a luxury restaurant prices are very reasonable, and I think overall it is an excellent value, and a great place to celebrate a special occasion in the capital district. read more

Remains the best Albany has to offer. Wonderful ambience, interesting dishes found only here, and great service as exemplified by the gracious Ed. Perfect for special occasions or if you win the lottery. Worth every penny! read more

High-end looking restaurant. My wife and I went there on a Friday night. The place is located within another restaurant in Hampton Inn building. You might have trouble to find this place. The waiter arranged my wife to the booth right by the kitchen door, when we are the only customers at the time (there are about 25+ tables in the place), and we also made reservations. I arrived asked to switch table. For the dining experience, they have a decent wine selection in terms of variety. We ordered two glasses of 2014 Pinot Noir. The sunseed bread was surprisingly very good. For the starter, we got the oyster, it was fresh and nice. The main courses are slow braised beef and duck breasts, both nicely cooked. The only thing is that the spring roll-liked thing in the beef dish was undercooked. Dessert was a fusion style ice cream with hot bananas. A-Okay. Overall I am satisfied with the experience. The place is overpriced for its quality but I would consider to go back again if they have new selections on the menu. read more

We have always loved this restaurant. The dining room has always been-quiet with soft piano music in the background and waiters quietly moving around and very attentive. Last night was the complete opposite. Service was slow and not quiet and the waiters seemed to be rushing about haphazardly. We sat at 6:20 pm and never left until 10:20 pm. I had the short ribs which was just acceptable and the beetroot salad that was a bit too tart. My bananas foster was cold and I could not eat it. My friend got cold coffee. However my companions did say the cheesecake was good. Saturday night dinner and no piano which was a disappointment.i know times are tough so I hope this improves read more

Everything I had a Yono's was just kind of under-flavored. The lobster bisque didn't have a lot of lobster going for it though it was very strong on the citrus. Similarly the halibut i the tamarind tomato nage (brilliant conceptually) just didn't deliver on flavor. Which is all kinda rough for the price. read more

Everything was amazing! One of the best meals of my life. It's definitely worth the price. Interesting combinations of flavor that highlight the quality of the ingredients. read more

My fiancé and I ate here for Valentine's Day this year. We both had never been before and we heard good things so we gave it a try. In short, we won't be going back. First they checked our coats, because apparently coats/scarfs are not allowed in the "formal dining room". After walking in to this cramped dining room which they had obviously over booked for a busy day, it was noticeably colder than it was in the bar area. We sat, waited about 10 minutes to be asked what kind of water we wanted, another 10 to receive water and order drinks, and another 10 for the drinks to come. Not to mention the wine list is about 75 pages long so be prepared to be flipping pages for a while. We chose to do a 3 course dinner special. 90 dollars per plate with some meals that required "supplement". Apps were ok. They only bring you 1 small piece of bread, ok no big deal. My fiancé ordered the lobster as I got the short rib. Didn't take long for it to come out but when it did my fiancé cut a piece of her lobster and gave it to me. Which first of all the lobster tail was literally the smallest piece i've ever seen I thought it was a joke. As I prepared to take a bite of it I noticed it wasn't firm like most lobster I've had in my life, upon further inspection it was completely uncooked. Thinking we might have not fully understood the menu we were hesitant to say anything. After debating we told the waiter and he agreed, promptly. We asked for another short rib in place of the lobster. When that came out 15 minutes later it was on a smaller kitchen plate, like one they would use for preparing food on. There were not the same sides that came with my order. By that time we had finished splitting my meal and decided to start getting out if there. We got dessert and ordered a coffee which never came, then when asked for the check. When it arrived I noticed we were charged for the coffee that never came so I asked the waiter to take that off, he came back with a coffee and the bill with the coffee on it. At this point I was getting sick of this place. I asked to speak to a manager and notified him of the uncooked lobster and the basic lack of concern or apology for the food we were about to pay good money for being lame. He said he would do something so he came back with the check and took half off one of our meals. Understandable. What really pissed me off was when I noticed what they had done to the check. I had two glasses of wine, at 25 dollars a glass. When they came to pour my second glass it wasn't a full glass so they said that will be reflected in the bill. No problem. So the original check said "wine $15" for the partial glass. After the manager gave us a discount because of the uncooked seafood, the check said "wine $20" for that same partial glass. Marone! Cheap f*%#s changed it because I complained about having to pay full price when they ruined our dinner. That's low. If you can't provide the level of quality to claim to have, make it right. Don't think you pulled a fast one on us because that 5 dollars is a lot less than the money you could've made from us coming back. By the way we live around the corner so from now on it's "yeah we live down by Yono's, but don't go there it's terrible." A little bit of easy customer service would've gone a long way. read more

After reading the reviews for Yono's on OpenTable I decided to dine there while on business in Albany tonight. While the meal was okay, it didn't live up to the ratings. Things got off to a bad start when checking in for my reservation when I had to wait 4 minutes while the host took a take out order from a hotel guest. How a five star restaurant makes a guest wait while the host takes a take out order is puzzling. Usually a bar tender does that. After finally being greeted I was taken to my table, but not before my host/order taker very awkwardly whispered into the seaters ear. I wasn't sure Where i was being taken as the seating area for Yono's is adjacent to another restaurants (?) I am still confused. Once seated the waiter was fantastic. He was extremely professional and knowledgeable. He was the best thing about the experience. I asked about the grilled shrimp first course and was told there were 2 or 3 good size shrimp. That turned out to be inaccurate. There were three below average size shrimp. The size of my pinky finger. While they tasted great, it wasn't what I expected. I couldn't decide between the lamb ribeye and scallops. The server highly recommended both but leaned to the lamb so I took his advice. I ordered it medium on the medium rare side. I was brought out a cream of onion soup gift from the chef, which was great. When the entre came out I was again surprised. There were three very small pieces of lamb. Each the size of half of my thumb. It was cooked medium well, only a tiny little pink in the middle. The Brussel sprouts were good and potato good. But again, the portions were minute. When ordering I had seen a dessert that was accompanied with fresh berries so I asked the waiter if he could do a fresh berry or fruit dessert and after checking he told me all they had was oranges and grapefruit and they didn't have any fresh fruit. So to sum it up I left the meal hungry. Never good when you are at a five star restaurant. And when you were hoping for so much more. When the host/order taker brought me my coat he asked me how my meal was, to which I replied "it was okay". Given my response I expected follow up questions from him. Nope. Nada. When I returned to my hotel I went to write this review in OpenTable. I learned that when I checked in they had cancelled my reservation. I called Yono's and spoke to Josh who apologized and told me he would correct it. Which, 40 minutes later, hasn't happened. This is my first time in Albany and I won't be going back. I am now skeptical of reviews for meals here too. If that is top 100 OpenTable restaurant then something has seriously gone awry. There are better meals and experiences. Unless it was meant that they are too 100 in Albany. read more

I am not sure what restaurant the poor reviews were at but it must be in an alternate universe or something. Every aspect of the meal was incredible. We started by having to wait for a moment at the bar as our table wasn't ready. A very nice gentleman came to let us know how sorry they were and asked if we were here for a special occasion (so that they could print the specials insert with the Happy Anniversary T and M on it)? He also made some small jokes and chatted for a few minutes. The special cocktails we got were very tasty and we carried them in almost immediately after getting them. They served Prosecco to welcome us. The pork belly app was a perfect size for 2 - a few small and delectable bites - crispy on top, not too fatty and not too sweet of an accompanying sauce. Both my 24-braised short rib and my husband's Almondine Chicken were perfectly cooked and seasoned - not too . Even the carrots and the asparagus were delightful. The Gran Marnier Creme Brulee was divine. The crust was just right thickness that cracked with a tap of the spoon and the consistency was almost mousse like instead of flan like. (everything was the exact temperature it should have been) The service was impeccable as always and when Yono stopped by to hear about our evening he was very engaged and pleased that we enjoyed the experience even to stay and listen to me rave about each of the courses. The piano was just right in the background and was not an issue with ordering or talking at the table. The only 'almost' issue was when a 4-top was seated at a round table near us that had previously held 6. The elder man at the table whispered to their server a few minutes in and the party stood up and went to the front. 2 others joined the server - they flipped the table on it's side w/ the table cloth on, rolled it out the serving door and in came another much smaller table w/ the table cloth on. Instantly their settings were replaced, new water and wine glasses etc. It took about 45 seconds for the whole transaction and was surprisingly not disruptive. We will most certainly be back again (have been before but I stopped yelping a couple of years ago due to some differences of opinion that Yelp and I had, this meal was good enough to put those aside for the non) and pretty much everyone I know will be in due to my ravings. kudos again Yono. read more

After reading the reviews on Yelp, I had high hopes about this place. Perhaps the outside dining area has a different menu than the classier, back room. My colleagues and I were not impressed. I should mention for credibility sake that I spent 2 weeks eating my way through Indonesia last year and my coworkers are also well versed in southeast asian dining. We did the Traditional Indonesian style 4-course tasting menu, skipped the wine pairing and added an order of 12 oysters. The oysters were warm - we were worried about food poisoning so we did not continue past the first one. Course 1: Chicken Sate & Lumpia - okay, but its hard to mess up deep fried egg roll. The sate sauce was missing complexity and was a bit too sweet. Course 2: Tamarind Lobster Curry Soup - tasted like we were drinking curry sauce and cream, lobster was overcooked and minimal. Course 3: Gado Gado - lacked flavor Course 4: Tasting Plate of Pork, Beef Rendang, and Nasi Goreng - all of these dishes lacked flavor, the nasi goreng was overly dry, and the beef rendang didn't resemble the traditional dish. I would like to try this place again to give them a fair shot and either sit in the front room or order from their French/American Grand Tasting menu. I wouldn't bother ordering the indonesian dishes. read more

Otis contacted me and mentioned he had a Groupon he wasn't going to be able to use before it expired. Asked if I wanted to buy it. We had planned to limit our dining out, but $50 off the meal was very tempting. I convinced the wife to play along. When she made the reservation, DeAnna was not familiar with the rules of the Groupon. She ended up making it for DPs, not Yono's, and the Groupon was very specific. When we're out all day I tend to ask to eat early, I really hate crowds and generally like getting back so the dogs do not have to spend too much time alone. We had to push out reservation back for Yono's. The day of our visit, we received a call from Yono's. They mentioned they were aware of a symphony playing at the Palace and would be opening early to accommodate guests who might be going. I was excited that they remembered the conversation with DeAnna and took the time to give us a call. Yono's itself is gorgeous. Hands down it was the finest atmosphere in any restaurant I have ever dined in Albany. There were about 10 tables in the main area, and a second area up a few stairs that could be closed off with curtains. Everything was elegant, with so many little touches. I have never seen footstools for a purse before, and yet, they were presented to guests one after another that felt so natural that I almost expect to see them the next restaurant we visit. The restaurant is inside DP's, which is inside the Hampton Inn. There is a lot out back with ample parking and we were told the restaurant would validate. When you park out back you are left to wander through the hotel to find your way. We wandered a bit until we figured out the lay of the land. Once inside, the staff could not have been more amazing. From the host (who really has the perfect beard) to the servers, every person knew their responsibility and gave 100% to their tasks. I had met Yono many many years ago, when I worked next door to his restaurant when it was on Swan Street. The company I worked for was co-sponsoring a fund raiser for a local charity and I spend weeks calling contributors and making certain we would have the turn out they expected. At the last minute I was invited to join. I was sharing how funny Yono was at that event with DeAnna when Yono stepped into the dining room. He greeted us and stopped to chat with us for a while. True to form, he really was an amazingly warm host and remains as funny as I recalled. We mentioned DeAnna's gluten allergy and plate was reviewed before it was brought to us. Almost the entire menu is marked with being available gluten free. We started with an appetizer tasting for two, which had four different items. The staff pointed out the changes to the dish for gluten concerns to make us aware of the differences. I must single out the crab cakes from this plate, they were my favorite bite of the night. DeAnna decided to take them up on their gluten free challenge and ordered a pasta dish for her entree. After her first bite she put down her fork and a look of terror came across her face. She thought they served her regular pasta and she was going to have an uncomfortable night. I took a taste and was amazed at how close it came to pasta I eat every day, but it was indeed gluten free. I knew what I was having the day I told Otis I'd use the Groupon, 24 hour braised beef short ribs. They were exactly what you would expect, a tender forkfull on every bite. Half way through our meal there were two musicians who started to perform, piano and upright bass. The second we saw the piano when walking in DeAnna started commenting how much she was hoping there would be live music. If there is a negative, it is knowing that there is a price attached to this elegance. As it turned out, even with validation the parking is not free. $5 with validation, $10 without. With the amount we just spent I was a bit disappointed that there was still a parking fee at all. Unfortunately, Yono's is probably out of my price range for the time being, but I'll keep the place in mind for the right special occasion where I am willing to go outside of my normal dining budget. Who knows, maybe my employer will start paying me what I am worth and I'll be able to visit more often than I expect. read more

OMG this place is beyond terrible. Food -- Bland and so not worth the price. For an appetizer we had the alligator which was in desperate need of salt. The flavors were just flat. I ordered the Indonesian sampler "Rames" and was so disgusted. First off the noodles tasted like they used the noodles from a Ramen packet and just stir fried it in a pan. The crabcakes had their special tomato aioli sauce that tasted like Heinz ketchup. Shrimp chips prob came from a pre-made bag. And finally the short ribs, pork tenderloin, and sate was over cooked and dry. Service -- The staff were ridiculously slow and moody. So it took about 10 min before we received our menu. Another 15 min until they took our order. Ugh, I'm not even going to break down the timing of things, but in the end our dinner was about 2.5hrs long. 2.5 hours! It's not like we were even sitting around and burning time. We were going to order dessert and tea, but we waited and waited for the waitress to come and take our order. By the time she got to us, we had already changed our mind and was just ready to leave. As for receiving our check.... yep, that was another waiting game. I'm not exactly sure how they have such high ratings, but lets hope it was just one of their off nights. read more

*Disclaimer: review is for Indonesian food only, from an Indonesian perspective* Yono's is very fancy dining for Indonesian standards. Growing up in Indonesia, I'm used to home cooked meals and street food. So, did I like the Indonesian food at Yono's? Not really. However, I appreciate his style and I applaud his effort to market this cuisine as something more than just comfort food. However, in doing so, his entrees lacked authenticity and that Indonesian flare. The menu at Yono's is not all Indonesian. In fact, there were only a handful of Indonesian dishes on there, everything else was New American. Overall, we really enjoyed our dining experience. The wait staff were very professional and we got to visit with chef Yono himself. read more

My friend's mom was in town this past weekend and she wanted her to be impressed, so she made reservations here. I was invited along for moral support and my ability to make excellent small-talk. Ha. Really, I'm a fabulous dining companion. Neither of us had ever been here and we'd heard good things. I was a little surprised at just how fancy it was. The dining room is decorated in a sort of nouveau Colonial style and it's quite beautiful. Our servers were impeccably mannered and dressed, and brought us these little footstool type things to set our purses upon. Holy swanky, batman. The sommelier brought us the wine list and we started with a lower priced malbec. Someday I hope to generate the type of income that would allow me to go for the $200 bottles, but that's not here or now. The amuse bouche they brought out was a jumbo lump crab bisque that was absolutely delicious. I could easily have eaten a whole bowl of it. I have some dietary issues (gluten-free,) much to my chagrin, but the restaurant was extremely helpful and accomodating and never once made me feel awkward or embarrassed. I had the gado gado to start, a delicious Indonesian salad dressed with peanut sauce. It was light and tasty, and it was a rather large portion for $7. I could have shared. I opted for the French Continental portion of the menu for my entree, as appealing as the Indonesian side looked (much of it would have been hard to alter to fit my aforementioned dietary issues. Ah, woe is me.) I don't typically order chicken, but I was sold on the chicken Alexondre Pistache, a roulade of free-range chicken breast with toasted pistachios, prosciutto and shitake mushrooms in a madeira cream sauce. It came with haricots verts and jasmine rice, and the sauce in particular was absolutely toothsome. I tried some of my friend's duck done in coconut milk with macademia nuts and it was delicious. The skin, especially, was done perfectly. Her mother had the Indonesian sampler, which she quite liked. We were much too full for dessert and left with doggie bags, for which they had their own little Yono's-printed gift bags. I found that pretty funny. Oh, and they had crumbers. Much to my delight, there was live music that night, with a grand piano and an upright bass. The two performed a variety of classics, including one of my favorites, "the Girl from Ipanema." They also deftly played my request, Billie Holiday's "All of Me." Dinner for three, with two apps, entrees and wine came to about $160, I believe. It was an occasion for sure, and not one I could afford often, sadly. Also, once you step out of the dining room, you're in a bawdier bistro (DP's) and not-quite-upscale hotel. There goes the illusion... read more

It's an odd feeling when you are going to what you expect to be a high quality restaurant for a special occasion and you leave with very mixed feelings. Tonight was one of those nights. Now, admittedly I am a tough critic, but one thing I cannot tolerate in ANY resataurant is food or hot drinks that are NOT HOT! More on that in a bit. We went to Yono's tonight (me and constant companion, of course) to celebrate a new job and our upcoming 30th anniversary! We were seated at a table that was uncomfortably close to the wall (for me). However, they provided companion a little stool upon which she could place her purse. Interesting. Unfortunately, the piano and bass fiddle music (live) was so loud we couldn't hear each other speak nor the inordinate number of serviers trying to speak to us. The server poured us each a glass of champagne as a nice start in celebration of our anniversary. Thoughtful gesture. We ordered a bottle of pinot noir (Willamette Valley), but it was very light and flavorless. I debated about refusing it, but decided not to start by ruining the evening. Trust me, the meal did that by itself! We ordered soup (me the lobster bisque with lump crab, companion lobster curry tamarind soup. The lump crab was ice cold, and both soups were luke warm. That's the first temperature issue Yono's had this evening. Our entrees were delivered very quickly. Odd, as there wasn't a line to get in the restaurant tonight! My char-grilled loin of Colorado lamb was absolutely delicious and HOT! It came with sauteed brussel sprouts and polenta. Wow, after the tepid soup I was thrilled. However, constant companion's steamed cod (recommended by our server) was barely room temperature. More importantly, it had ABSOLUTELY NO FLAVOR! So sad. Two temperature issues- and we're not done, by the way. The owner came over and was purfuntory in his greeting, as if we were taking up space (and he didn't remember that I knew him). We deferred dessert- but the server was apologetic about the meals and said the staff had made a special dessert for us. We agreed to have coffee and their dessert. The coffee was, come on take a guess, NOT HOT! I had to ask for hot coffee. The "special dessert" was an ice-cold creme brulee taken right out of the refrigerator, with Happy Anniversary written on the plate. Cute, but the custard was more a pudding. We left extremely underwhelmed. Why this place has been given so many high plaudits is beyond me. Part of the meal was good, most was not prepared to temperature and the there were too many staff. Moreover, the noise was bothersome. The music far too loud, people had to practically yell to be heard, and when the door to DPs opened (and it was left open more than not) the bar crowd noise became deafening. Yono's seems to have slipped from my last visit here. Attention to detail, concern for the customer, temperature issues and flavor all need to be improved. Maybe it was our menu choices, but maybe it wasn't. Soup and entrees should be served hot, coffee should be served hot. Staff should not constantly be coming to the table to clear things or interrupt conversations (or yelling because the music was playing). All in all, a very unpleasant experience. There are many other places to dine in the Capital Region without enduring such inconsistencies and disappointments! read more

ewan M. is spot on when he writes that the food is a 4 and the service is a 6. Easily the best service I've experienced at any Albany restaurant! Had a delightful dinner here at 6 pm. We were the only people in the simple yet fancy dining room. Our server and all the other waitstaff that stopped by throughout the meal were very professional. It reminded me a bit of some of my favorite fine dining experiences in NYC. I had the duck entree with sunchoke puree. My first sunchokes and I loved it! My dining companion had a noodle dish that they also serve at DB next door. I had a bite and loved it. Can't wait to try it next time! Pricey but worth it for a special occasion. Just a tip - they say to use their valet parking but I don't usually like valet - I parked around the corner for free on the street (free after 6 pm). read more

A fine dining restaurant in what I believe is the downtown area of Albany. It's essentially a restaurant within a restaurant as it's physically located inside db brassiere. The father owns Yono and the son the other restaurant. I am a fairly plain eater, I also don't eat beef or pork, so my options were limited. I got some chicken, shrimp and noodles dish. It was good but man was it salty. I was surprised how salty it was, tasted like it was just marinating in a vat of soy sauce. I wouldn't get it again. Throughout the meal the servers (and there are a few even though there are only maybe a dozen tables) come by with mini bread snacks. I like the pretzel roll bread so that was good. If I'm in Albany again I'd try the other restaurant but probably not Yono again. It's a nice place just not my soeed read more

Remarkable restaurant! I guarantee that you will feel like you have arrived for a very special treat. It only gets better after that as the food and service are exemplary! I will forever treasure my July 2019 visit where I truly felt like royalty. I will absolutely return! read more

Ate in mid-September. We had one weirdly offputting server training a new hire. The trainee was 10 times more professional than the girl who was training her. Trainee was polite and personable. Trainer was condescending, insulted the trainee, and would interrupt us mid-conversation and mid-bite to ask questions/check up on meal. Plain duck, the skin just barely crisp. Chicken was better, very moist. Arancini/Scallops were great/classic/boring. Risotto was good if sweet. Very reserved plating, maybe I should have ordered the more Indonesian food if I wanted something that strayed from classic presentation and style at all. Pastry chef is obviously amazing here. The breads and dessert (bananas) were perfect. Pretzel was great. Banana bread had dried out a little or had been toasted too long ago. The amusee was alright, prosciutto and green beans. Prosciutto got lost but was still good. The dessert tower with bonus sweets was also great. Salted caramel/toffee similar to sauce on bananas, and some nice cookies/biscotti. read more

Still at 5*. Even on a very, very busy night (graduation, tulip fest, and mother's day!) the service was calm, personal and warm. Some new faces melded well; we all continue to just sit back and enjoy our very high expectations being met. The bread was up a couple of notches: on past visits it has occasionally been a little below excellent, but this visit the ever-present pretzel rolls were accompanied by a cheese bread that was *hot*, light, rich, and generally an improvement - very welcome. Spring tasting menu was delightful. The amuse of a curried squash soup pleased even my spice-averse kids. Tuna tartare was rather over-lemoned but that's better than being too bland, and texture was spot on, firm and fresh - had clearly *not* been sitting in the acid. Then the default scallop got excellent reviews, while I went for the asparagus as a replacement and everyone should: the hen of the woods mushrooms had been poached in sweet soy and then caramelised, possibly the single most delicious thing I have eaten this year. It's moments like that we go in search of every meal out, but they're pretty uncommon! Lamb was light, green, and tender. One miss but in a good cause: a local dessert wine from Altamont really doesn't deserve to be on the list, but it's nice to see the local feature (and it was better when not compared to the Sauternes). So: keep on keeping on, folks, and we'll keep returning. Still non pareil locally. read more

Excellent. Service was great. Had the tilefish with crab risotto. My friend had the chicken. He liked it. I wasn't impressed. Chef brought out a soup shooter made with scallops that was awesome. They catered to gluten and soy free with lots of choices and the gluten free bread was good but a little salty fir my taste. The table next to us order the lamb and said that was good. The lady had duck and offered me a taste. It was above amazing. I will get that next time. read more