I've been eating at Bombers since being a baby vegetarian back in 2005. At the time, something like tofu fries (barbecue tofu on top of a mountain of fries and rice-NOT fries made of tofu) was a revelation. Even better when they started offering May Wah brand chicken nuggets. But what was objectively mediocre back then has somehow managed to gradually care less and less over the years.
I consider it a real feat to somehow make a burrito as bland as theirs. I'm pretty sure at some point they started using boxed Zatarain's rice (or an equivalent). No seasoning whatsoever. The burritos are big, but wrapped in such a compartmentalized way that it becomes a bite-by-bite journey from one flavorless ingredient to the next. What makes the decline in an already low quality even worse is that they've simultaneously increased the prices!
A couple years ago, I wrote online that they'd given me food poisoning (vegan by then, but they still somehow managed it). The owner asked me to contact him directly and literally asked what he could do to keep me as a customer, as he knew I'd been a faithful one for so long. I took the chance to suggest they carry vegan cheese-and they did. It was Daiya, and the vegan tax on it was exorbitant, but it really changed the game at Bombers. Suddenly, as a vegan, I could get a buffalo chicken quesadilla or nachos, and tofu fries with thick melted cheese in the middle was a whole other level of delicious.
Despite only mentioning the addition of vegan cheese once in a social media post, and never officially adding it to their menu, it still sold out in less than a week by word of mouth alone. I hadn't eaten at Bombers so often in many years, and I was stoked. Sadly, it wound up being very deprioritized. It would sell out and take several weeks to be reordered. I heard it was a hassle with their distributor, but nowhere else had an issue getting some Daiya, so I didn't really buy it, especially with their rude employees always taking a moment to tell me vegan cheese doesn't melt (even though I would literally eat melted vegan cheese right after) and making other disparaging comments.
Eventually, it was gone and I basically never went back. The one in Schenectady recently closed, after months of already appearing abandoned. No tofu or May Wah nuggets are enough to get me to return at this point, especially with all the amazing all-vegan locations now available.
Trikaldarshi Persaud
I placed a takeout order for the road. The food and service was both excellent. I had a chicken burrito and some chips. Upstairs seating is nice but the downstairs takeout area could use some sprucing up. All in all a good experience and would go again.
V
I ordered a pick up order of 4 tacos with everything on them and I got home they had half the amount of meat as usual, 2 pieces of lettuce, no salsa no sour cream 2 had no cheese. We had to ask for our fries twice because luckily we checked the bag or they wouldn't have included those. I called to tell them about all this and was told I can bring the food back tomorrow for a refund. A lot of help that does me! What a joke!
Ry Feld
This place went downhill QUICK. Stopped into the Lark St. location after they closed the Schenectady area one (which in hindsight they should’ve closed THIS location). Two employees were outside smoking then walked inside and both sat at the bar. We got no service from them and nobody came out to tend the bar. We went down to the lower level to order food and there was no one behind the counter and it absolutely reeked of urine! Absolutely repulsive and disgusting. I will never recommend this location to anyone.
David Sztarkier
The tacos Cajun shrimp tacos were amazing the rice was a little dry and burnt and the blck beans lacked flavor but over all the food was really good I think it might have to do with only two ppl
Lakeia Newkirk
The bone in wings and shrimp tacos were okay. There was too much sauce on the wings. The shrimp had no evidence of cajun seasoning, but as a whole, the taco was ok. We had two margaritas. They weren't strong at all. The table had been wiped off but was sticky. The place seems to be a college pub with no care for quality. The doorman was hood and had folks smoking directly in front of the door.
Denisse Fisher
Food was ok. Service was terrible. I ordered two drinks. The price that was on the menu was $6 per drink. When the check came, it had the drinks priced at $11 per drink and they weren’t great after all. Do not recommend.
ShayLyn Springstead
I never write reviews and felt it necessary to comment about the service here. Immediately as my party of 7 entered, the bouncer was rude and unhelpful. He asked for our id’s, which only 6 of us had because the last person in our party was not drinking. The bouncer proceeded to announce that none of us would be served alcohol since one person in our party did not have her id. Even though she was not drinking! He told us we would need to sit at separate tables ACROSS the restaurant, if we wanted to be served. Obviously we had an issue with this. He proceeded to ARGUE with us for 5+ minutes until we finally decided to leave. What was supposed to be a great night, left me feeling angry, disrespected and HUNGRY! I will never return to this location again.
Mark Noland
Place used to be awesome. Now it's just bad music downstairs and washed up 30 and 40 somethings upstairs. Food is still good. I love the tofu fries.
Brian Gray
I love bombers, it has been a staple of lark st for 20+ years. But please, for the love of god, sell the business to someone who cares about it before this location is closed down too. So much potential but zero F’s given in every direction. Opening your looked foward to meal to A pile of crushed stale chips with your burrito is pathetic.
Visiting Albany today and stopped in for a meal before a show at the Egg. The bad: NOTHING. The good:chips and salsa. Yummy and lots. The fantastic: the frozen margs made me so happy! Slaw was tangy. J*** pork was smokey sweet with huge portions and to die for! Service was friendly. Great local.
D-monic Tattoo
Walked into the place and some big guy just jumps in front of me and Demands ID. I wasn't even greeted with a simple hello or made to feel welcome at all. I dont drink and only wanted a table to sit down to enjoy some chicken wings so not sure why I need an ID... also I'm 40 years old with grey hair and a beard so again, not sure what I need my ID for but I will never return to this dump so it's fine.
Ezra Anderson
I live locally to here and have watched it go down hill. Its seems like everyone who works there is miserable and are constantly on their phones during transactions. The food isn’t awful but the past few times I’ve went, they forget something on my order. There is definitely better Mexican food in Albany.
Dania Andrew
The customer service was horrible. However the atmosphere was good, the drinks and queen was good however the food was cold.I tried to pay my bill and she asked me to wait while she is drinking out her water bottle. Parking: No parking.
Dylan Keenan
At at the Empire State Plaza location, Google appears to be combining the two locations. Service was good, and so we're the chips. But the salsa tasted like chunky ketchup and the tacos I got were cold. While the tacos didn't taste bad, I could make something better with literally 0 planning.
I've been eating at Bombers since being a baby vegetarian back in 2005. At the time, something like tofu fries (barbecue tofu on top of a mountain of fries and rice-NOT fries made of tofu) was a revelation. Even better when they started offering May Wah brand chicken nuggets. But what was objectively mediocre back then has somehow managed to gradually care less and less over the years. I consider it a real feat to somehow make a burrito as bland as theirs. I'm pretty sure at some point they started using boxed Zatarain's rice (or an equivalent). No seasoning whatsoever. The burritos are big, but wrapped in such a compartmentalized way that it becomes a bite-by-bite journey from one flavorless ingredient to the next. What makes the decline in an already low quality even worse is that they've simultaneously increased the prices! A couple years ago, I wrote online that they'd given me food poisoning (vegan by then, but they still somehow managed it). The owner asked me to contact him directly and literally asked what he could do to keep me as a customer, as he knew I'd been a faithful one for so long. I took the chance to suggest they carry vegan cheese-and they did. It was Daiya, and the vegan tax on it was exorbitant, but it really changed the game at Bombers. Suddenly, as a vegan, I could get a buffalo chicken quesadilla or nachos, and tofu fries with thick melted cheese in the middle was a whole other level of delicious. Despite only mentioning the addition of vegan cheese once in a social media post, and never officially adding it to their menu, it still sold out in less than a week by word of mouth alone. I hadn't eaten at Bombers so often in many years, and I was stoked. Sadly, it wound up being very deprioritized. It would sell out and take several weeks to be reordered. I heard it was a hassle with their distributor, but nowhere else had an issue getting some Daiya, so I didn't really buy it, especially with their rude employees always taking a moment to tell me vegan cheese doesn't melt (even though I would literally eat melted vegan cheese right after) and making other disparaging comments. Eventually, it was gone and I basically never went back. The one in Schenectady recently closed, after months of already appearing abandoned. No tofu or May Wah nuggets are enough to get me to return at this point, especially with all the amazing all-vegan locations now available.
I placed a takeout order for the road. The food and service was both excellent. I had a chicken burrito and some chips. Upstairs seating is nice but the downstairs takeout area could use some sprucing up. All in all a good experience and would go again.
I ordered a pick up order of 4 tacos with everything on them and I got home they had half the amount of meat as usual, 2 pieces of lettuce, no salsa no sour cream 2 had no cheese. We had to ask for our fries twice because luckily we checked the bag or they wouldn't have included those. I called to tell them about all this and was told I can bring the food back tomorrow for a refund. A lot of help that does me! What a joke!
This place went downhill QUICK. Stopped into the Lark St. location after they closed the Schenectady area one (which in hindsight they should’ve closed THIS location). Two employees were outside smoking then walked inside and both sat at the bar. We got no service from them and nobody came out to tend the bar. We went down to the lower level to order food and there was no one behind the counter and it absolutely reeked of urine! Absolutely repulsive and disgusting. I will never recommend this location to anyone.
The tacos Cajun shrimp tacos were amazing the rice was a little dry and burnt and the blck beans lacked flavor but over all the food was really good I think it might have to do with only two ppl
The bone in wings and shrimp tacos were okay. There was too much sauce on the wings. The shrimp had no evidence of cajun seasoning, but as a whole, the taco was ok. We had two margaritas. They weren't strong at all. The table had been wiped off but was sticky. The place seems to be a college pub with no care for quality. The doorman was hood and had folks smoking directly in front of the door.
Food was ok. Service was terrible. I ordered two drinks. The price that was on the menu was $6 per drink. When the check came, it had the drinks priced at $11 per drink and they weren’t great after all. Do not recommend.
I never write reviews and felt it necessary to comment about the service here. Immediately as my party of 7 entered, the bouncer was rude and unhelpful. He asked for our id’s, which only 6 of us had because the last person in our party was not drinking. The bouncer proceeded to announce that none of us would be served alcohol since one person in our party did not have her id. Even though she was not drinking! He told us we would need to sit at separate tables ACROSS the restaurant, if we wanted to be served. Obviously we had an issue with this. He proceeded to ARGUE with us for 5+ minutes until we finally decided to leave. What was supposed to be a great night, left me feeling angry, disrespected and HUNGRY! I will never return to this location again.
Place used to be awesome. Now it's just bad music downstairs and washed up 30 and 40 somethings upstairs. Food is still good. I love the tofu fries.
I love bombers, it has been a staple of lark st for 20+ years. But please, for the love of god, sell the business to someone who cares about it before this location is closed down too. So much potential but zero F’s given in every direction. Opening your looked foward to meal to A pile of crushed stale chips with your burrito is pathetic.
Restaurantji Recommends
Visiting Albany today and stopped in for a meal before a show at the Egg. The bad: NOTHING. The good:chips and salsa. Yummy and lots. The fantastic: the frozen margs made me so happy! Slaw was tangy. J*** pork was smokey sweet with huge portions and to die for! Service was friendly. Great local.
Walked into the place and some big guy just jumps in front of me and Demands ID. I wasn't even greeted with a simple hello or made to feel welcome at all. I dont drink and only wanted a table to sit down to enjoy some chicken wings so not sure why I need an ID... also I'm 40 years old with grey hair and a beard so again, not sure what I need my ID for but I will never return to this dump so it's fine.
I live locally to here and have watched it go down hill. Its seems like everyone who works there is miserable and are constantly on their phones during transactions. The food isn’t awful but the past few times I’ve went, they forget something on my order. There is definitely better Mexican food in Albany.
The customer service was horrible. However the atmosphere was good, the drinks and queen was good however the food was cold.I tried to pay my bill and she asked me to wait while she is drinking out her water bottle. Parking: No parking.
At at the Empire State Plaza location, Google appears to be combining the two locations. Service was good, and so we're the chips. But the salsa tasted like chunky ketchup and the tacos I got were cold. While the tacos didn't taste bad, I could make something better with literally 0 planning.