26 Best Bars in Albany

“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.“

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

“How do you keep warm and in good spirits up in the crown of Maine, Aroostook county? Well...."New Scotland spirits"! Helderberg winter wheat whiskey.. 68W American corn whiskey.... or a nice bottle of Helderberg Vodka. Thanks so much for a taste of Home. Happy New year!“

“We visited here at the end of a bicycle ride from Manhattan and had the best time!! The bartender was fabulous, we even learned about a new drink (to us) called Fernet-Branca. We so enjoyed meeting Serena, King, and Edward - so if you're out there hit us up! It was a magical evening 🥰“

“Cute little bar for a drink. The staffs are very knowledgeable on their products and make great recommendations. I particularly enjoyed the ALB vodka and now it is my go to whenever I see it. I was too late to arrive but it seems they also serve pizza during earlier hours. I can totally see myself come back get a pizza and sip on more drinks“

“Blair is the best!!! 😃 Everytime I go into Thacher street the food is delicious and made with love ♥️“

“I’ve found my “Cheers!”
Yes I’m showing my age with that reference - 80’s babyyyy - but this dive bar is IT!
This place has some of the best cocktails I’ve had, easily rivaling overpriced drinks in Manhattan - shout out to Tom!
If you have no idea what you want to drink, no worries, talk to the bartenders, they’ll help you, might even whip up something creative on the spot.
Monday nights belong to Brian the bacon guru, baby I eat pork again when I roll up here on a Monday (I pay for it later too, well worth it, lol).

The patrons are some of the most diverse and amazingly chill group of folks I’ve encountered since moving from the multicultural NYC life - Bx to be exact - to the parts up yonder.

The owner, Joe, is one of the kindest humans, and honey like attracts like, because his team definitely match his energy, they are hands down, some of my favorite people up here! Special shout out to Victoria & Corrine ❤️!

When you go, chill hard, enjoy big, and tip OD!“

“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.“

“great service, good food, friendly clientele“

“friendly bartenders, clean bar & affordable drinks!“

“The Best Place I have ever worked for HANDS DOWN! Grateful for Management, they treat our team with respect, allow every team member to be themselves inside and out! Community, Neighbors, Local Small Business all supporting one another and coming together! Every Day Citizens, Everyone Pitching IN! 🇱🇷🦅😉 XXXOOO“

“Grate spot to hang before and after shows at Lark Hall (~);}“

“Shelby and the staff at HiFi are fantastic whether it’s the little things like remember your usual drink, making great conversation, or having to come in the next morning because you forgot your card (dope!)

The drinks are great, the times are fantastic, the tunes are always on point and it just adds up to a fantastic experience. It’s become my go to bar in Albany!“

“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!“

“Silver Slipper is the building that my grandfather bought way back in the 30's
I must stop in ~ my pop & nanny raised 7 children upstairs. Mom is the last of 7
Doris is 92 ❤️ .. we stopped by ; to early in the day. Must go back to feel the vibes
of yesterday years .. may God bless“

“Always an event everyday of the week here! Food is great and has a buzzing atmosphere with lots of smiles. Such a friendly staff and tavern is well decorated and very clean! A MUST SEE!“

“Whenever I fly out of Albany Airport, I always stop by Hudson's for a pre-flight drink. I've consistently had positive experiences—friendly bartenders and quick service every time. It's also conveniently located near most of the airlines I fly with, which makes it an easy stop. I haven’t tried the food yet, so I can’t speak to that, but I definitely recommend grabbing a drink here if you’ve got a little time before your flight!“

“Juan was excellent! The food is fresh. Portions are generous. This is like eating Souhern California Mexican food, never had that on the East coast. This is worth trying if you love Mexican food. Great atmosphere, great seating. So if your looking for quality with a great vibe. Look no further....“

“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.“

“Better than ever, great menu, excellent staff“

“This is in a fairly quiet part of the warehouse district of Albany. Just north of downtown, it is easily accessed via major roads. I only samplt some.of the beer selections, but the food looks ok, at a reasonable price.
Loved the open and casual atmosphere! The bartender was knowledgeable and friendly. Plenty of regulars which made it seem very f friendly! Worth a visit!!“

“This place is one of best poke places I ever been too! The fish and seaweed salad tastes so delicious and fresh! Doesn’t have a fishy taste! The 518 burrito o (sushi burrito), wontons and dumplings are so good as well! I love this place! The employees are very nice as well! The restaurant has a very nice ambiance and I am very pleased of how clean the restaurant is!! Thank you poke bar! 😊
Excellent service, Juliana.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Pub = Good Times on Tap

The Pub nails it chill vibe, killer drinks, and staff who make you feel like a regular from the second you walk in. The music’s always on point, the crowd’s friendly, The Pub is where good nights turn into great stories.“

“Great food; really good beer selection; comfortable, casual and welcoming; outstanding service - we love this place! The food is creative, delicious, and nicely presented. The bartender/server was friendly, fun, and attentive, without being overbearing. We've been looking for a regular place, and this quickly became our go-to.“

“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“

“Instead of recommending the restaurant or not I wish I could rate it with stars. I would give a 3.75 the food was the good. The service was good. The atmosphere was good. Nothing was stand out amazing. For the price I would think the entrees would come with a salad or bread for the table but they do not. Drinks of course were expensive as anywhere but I got the smallest pour of wine I’ve probably ever received. We went for a special occasion and I wish we would have went somewhere else. Maybe I’ll try again with friends again for lunch and hope for a better experience.“