17 Best Bars in Albany

“Fun night out….great staff and cool place with a good amount of different activities.“

“Lauren and Colin are beautiful people and run a truly special establishment. An amazingly curated tap list and bottle selection, as well as super tasty small bites make for a wonderful experience with each visit.“

“Ate 2 pizzas from Defazios from next door which was delicious and delivered to ADC. The atmosphere was quaint and the drinks were excellent! Our bartender was courteous and gave us recommendations on what to order. We will definitely be returning.“

“Searching for places to eat in the local area and this place popped up. I don’t normally leave reviews but I feel compelled as the food was absolutely exquisite. This place has good vegan options as well. The Dirty Little Birdy signature cocktail may be the best drink I’ve ever had! Just annoyed I had to share it. Coming back on Friday!“

“Pint Sized in Albany gives off such a hipster vibe, and I absolutely love it! The beer selection is fantastic, and the customer service is top-notch. Overall, it was a great experience!Located conveniently in the heart of Albany's Center Square neighborhood, this is the first Pint Sized location. Whether you live nearby or are just visiting, it's the perfect spot to grab a growler or mix-four pack and enjoy your favorite craft brews on the stoop or at the bar in their historic space. The patio seating offers a charming ambiance, allowing you to soak in the lively atmosphere of the "Greenwich Village" of the Capital Region.Some favorite activities in the area include enjoying Washington Park (with a beer, of course), grabbing a latte from Stacks, attending free concert series like LarkFest, Art on Lark, Tulip Festival, and Alive at Five, indulging in smash burgers from Herbies, and exploring the Empire State Plaza. Don't forget to check out their Untappd for real-time updates on the draft list and weekly updates on the can selection. Cheers to a fantastic spot in Albany!“

“Just had date night and have absolutely nothing bad to say! Brian served us and he was knowledgeable and knew the menu well. The food was cooked professionally, there was no feeling of “another chain restaurant “ it was delicious! Cocktails were nice, presentation was good. It was everything we needed tonight!“

“great service, good food, friendly clientele“

“Had a BLAST here this past wknd! I sang karaoke both Friday and Saturday night..I rocked and entertained the fun supportive crowd! Everyone that sang CAN sing!“

“One of the most relaxing spots to grab a beer in the entire Capital regions. No frills -- a bar, a dartboard and a couple TVs. So the essentials are covered, and then past that you have an awesome craft beer selection and a couple things that separate it from other beer bars. One, everything comes in a 10oz or 20oz glass. The former is great if you wanna try a few things, the latter for staying a while. Two, they have three casks. Old Mahar's regulars will remember what that's like. And with the casks, they keep a lot of English and Scottish beers that other local spots don't. Basically, this is a beer-drinkers laid-back paradise.“

“Believe the hype! Casey Finn’s delivers for service, the finest Miller High Life and Jameson whiskey, and I heard that the Ruebens on St Patrick’s Day are the jam.Was sincerely hoping for the rumored bartender vs customer fight (see review from a few years ago), but despite a brief genuine moment of concern (“are you ladies lost?”), we made friends and will be back.“

“Ended up going there tonight with 2 co workers of mine and it was a great place. Very laid back atmosphere and not noisy at all where we could actually have a conversation and not have to yell to hear each other. I ended up getting a bowl of the chili, which was amazing. Had the perfect amount of meat and beans in it. And I also had an order of fried mushrooms that were also amazing. Alot of places when you order fried mushrooms the breading just falls right off and mushrooms are mushy, but these were nice and crispy and batter tasted great. The bartender Brittany did and amazing job as well. She was really quick and was always there to make sure are drinks for good and also had great conversations with her. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice bar with great food.“

“Great place! Awesome drinks! Great food!!“

“12/10 dive bar experience (solid pours on the drinks, disgustingly good mozz sticks, and a pool table with a good crowd) EXCEPT for Juan Picasso...This absolutely sorry excuse of a human being, after being asked to jimmy open the locked women's bathroom by myself and another woman when a younger woman had been in there for over half an hour with no response, became clearly embarrassed to find her sitting on the toilet with her pants down. He then decided to try and hide his blatant embarrassment behind unwarranted anger and project those feelings onto me, saying sarcastically "Thanks for making me open the door..." before walking away?!Listen, you douche canoe, I'm sure by now you realized that the woman in there actually needed a little assistance - I only wish someone had made YOU clean up the vomit on the floor. Pick on someone your own size next time, eh? Your attempt to hide your personal insecurities and your inability to handle your "big feelings" behind a facade of machismo is laughable at best and incredibly sad at worst. If you own a bar, you take care of your people - I wouldn't be surprised if someone ends up dying on your watch.The bartender, Jeff, was cool, though. We like Jeff.“

“Albany landmark one of the last black owned bars in Albany. Nice spot when you don't want to be around drama...most youngins don't want to go there because it's fairly low key which is why I rather go there. when I want to grab a drink in peace..go there grab a drink and show Phil love for keeping this establishment open!“

“Nice neighborhood bar, sports on the many TVs, billiards, cold beer , good people.“

“Out of town working, read the reviews, previous review guy walks out because Fox News was on. I was all in. I wish there was more of him around. makes my visit that much more enjoyable . if you are looking for food this is the wrong place. If you’re looking to drink and hang out and have a good time, this is it. Darts pool, Jamison and Guinness and other beers but no Bud Light. Locals are extremely friendly ,met several new friends on the first visit“

“I recently visited this old college bar on a Friday night and was pleasantly surprised to find it open with a new owner at the helm. As someone who frequented this spot back in the day, I have to say, I was nostalgic walking through those doors again.The atmosphere was buzzing with energy, and it felt like a blast from the past. While the bar may have changed hands, the spirit of the place remains the same. What truly made my night memorable was the bartender—who was not only super dope but also added to the vibe with their friendly demeanor and excellent service.It's clear that there's potential for this bar to come back to life like it was 10+ years ago. With the right vision and dedication from the new owner, I have high hopes for its revival. I'd love to see it become a go-to spot once again, where old memories are cherished and new ones are made.Here's to the future of this beloved establishment!“