23 Best Pubs in Albany

“We stopped here on a Wednesday before a show at the arena. We were packed in like sardines, with nowhere left to sit and the kitchen had run out of food. And yet the place still felt chill and welcoming. The bartender/owner was attentive and super friendly, despite the absolute chaos that must have been happening behind the bar. Any employees we saw were friendly and informal. Exactly what you want from a dive in Albany.

I have social anxiety and so rarely go out to pubs. But I will absolutely be going back here. Hopefully when the kitchen still has some food left.“

“We hosted an amazing company holiday party at Loch & Quay. Great food, amazing staff, hopefully they can accommodate us again next year.“

“Always have a good time here! Recommend this place 100% amazing service here💗“

“This is more than a bar. It is the third space for many of us who call Pine Hills home. The building had previously been home to a bar called Mahars, which was one of the first craft beer bars in the country, before it was the cool thing to do. Madison Pour House has continued the tradition that Mahars began, that being an unrivaled beer selection, solid food, and a strong sense of community. If you are in Albany and are looking for a chill spot to grab a pint, this is the place.“

“see other statements.“

“Great selection of Beer and Whiskey. Very nice atmosphere and the outdoor patio is the coolest place on earth!!!“

“Great beer selection….service attentive and friendly! Had the best Cob salad 🥗“

“I have been coming here randomly for the last few years and have never been treated less than family. I eat and drink all over ny and cannot express how good the vibe is. plus the food is amazing. hands down one of the best burgers/ wings in Albany.“

“Greg and his entire staff did an amazing job on my husband's party! Everything was great! The food was phenomenal and the service couldn't have been better! Please contact Greg for parties or catering! You will not be disappointed!“

“Fantastic experience earlier this month having Sunday Brunch with my son and our American cousins at Lost & Found. This place is great! The real America, in Albany, away from the well-beaten tourist tracks. Friendly service, great menu, tasty food, and the proprietor is a gent - even let us get group photos on the stage as he hadn’t a band at the time! It was a wet Sunday but we just had a great family get together inside. Not that far from the city centre and worth finding. Very good value as well.“

“Great atmosphere great girls with great outfits! Accommodating owners“

“Been going there for years. The food is excellent, competitively priced, and outstanding service whether in the bar, the restaurant, or for takeout. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a place to try. If you do, you will return.“

“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 food! Amazing service!“

“Better than ever, great menu, excellent staff“

“Lionheart is solid but I definitely see the draw backs of it. Lot of reviews complain about the food offerings or lack there of and staff. I’ve enjoyed the few times I’ve been there but I do agree it’s more of a local vibe I wouldn’t come here if I was from out of town. There are great dart boards and a pool table as well. Spacious upstairs and many bars tops up there as well.“

“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!“

“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“

“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!“

“Prompt, friendly service. OUTSTANDING food. Fair warning, the mozzarella logs are enough for the table 😂👌. Seriously delicious. Would recommend. Unpretentious proper pub fare. Little things stood out, romaine on the BLT 👍, asked for a to go box, the server brought a separate container for the au jus. The onion soup wasn't available because they were MAKING it, as opposed to opening a tin or packet. That speaks volumes. To the good.“

“Every bartender is chill, good music, great drinks, lovely patio space! Open in the afternoon so I have somewhere to chill and have a drink outside, open late nights so I can dance, sing, and party. Pool table and darts as a bonus. A staple on Lark street for sure!“

“I’m a sucker for Bavarian food, so we stopped in to grab a takeaway meal while in town for the night. Overall, the food was just average, but definitely a fun atmosphere.

The potato salad was phenomenal, easily the standout and something I’d happily recommend. The Jägerschnitzel sandwich, however, was missing the oyster mushrooms and schwarzbier gravy listed on the menu (see photo), which was disappointing. We were also expecting the goulash to be more traditional, with chunks of beef; instead, it leaned more toward an Americanized ground-meat style.

While waiting for our food, we enjoyed a beer at the bar. The bartender was friendly and easy to talk to, which made the time fly by. I can absolutely see this being a fun spot for EPL mornings or a casual beer stop, even if the food didn’t quite live up to traditional Bavarian expectations.“

“Good vibes great service Good food awesome drinks great place to hang with friends and have some good times“