45 Best Bars near Ballston Spa

“Great atmosphere Food was awesome Customers were friendly Loved seeing Kate❤️great childhood memories lol“

“Just want to say thankyou to you all for handling such a big group this morning for my granddaughters birthday brunch. You all were amazing and the food was great and reasonably priced. I will definitely be back more often. Hugs to all the staff.“

“Another great time & excellent food. This year 22 of my friends met for our annual end of boating season get together. Amazing food big helpings. Awesome job to Steve Grace Emily & Andrew. Perfect drinks also.“

“Go food to go. I had got a Ruben with house chips, my husband got the factory burger, which is a burger with Swiss cheese and mushrooms and fries. We also got wings. Everything was excellent and ready in a timely fashion. Too bad they are only open early on Sat and Sunday for lunch and not during the week.“

“Just want to say thankyou to you all for handling such a big group this morning for my granddaughters birthday brunch. You all were amazing and the food was great and reasonably priced. I will definitely be back more often. Hugs to all the staff.“

“Such a gem in our Saratoga County. A great choice for lunch dinner or drinks in Ballston Spa. Lovely Irish theme and very friendly staff.“

“My wife and I stopped in for an after dinner drink. Excellent list of sparkling wines by the glass and great list of bottles. We had just had dinner so didn’t get the charcuterie but the guests the next table did and it looked terrific. Next time. Great ambiance, music and a knowledgeable host. We will be back next time we’re in Saratoga Springs.“

“We were there on June 4th Unbeknownst to us it was the start of Belmont week in Saratoga. The city was mobbed with people great to see. But not great on walk in dining. We were told it would be an hour wait because of all the reservations they had. This was not part of our plan of course. We then spotted an outdoor table in the shade. We grabbed it and the rest is history. We were greeted by Eli our server who by the way is incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to craft beer. He managed to recommend beers for all three of us that were delicious. Outstanding job Eli. We shared a spicy little pizza and a charcuterie board and both were awesome. What a great experience from start to finish. great beer and food spells a good time and we will be back for more in the future“

“Stopped in for drinks and a quick bite and everything was phenomenal. Got the crab cakes and the pasta, garlic pasta sauce was exceptional. Creme brûlée also had the perfect crunch. New owner stopped by the table multiple times to ensure everything was going well and gave an old Italian family feel to the place. Will definitely be back.“

“Highly recommend! Owners are awesome and personable. Bar tenders are excellent. Just an overall great atmosphere“

“Delicious and HOT food!! The greens and beans and lasagna as delicious! We will be back!!!“

“Great cocktails and Zach was cool to talk with!“

“Love the new spot! A good amount of room to move around, hang out, and about a dozen seats at the bar. Wide variety of beers including some locals. Pool table, darts, retro video game machines. The attached Herbies Burgers makes delicious burgers and is very convenient when the post-drinking munchies hit.“

“Great food and service“

“Everything! Staff is great, beer is cold, food is good!“

“Hosted a private party at The Misfit and it exceeded my expectations. The food and cocktails were delicious. The vibe was perfect and the staff friendly and kind. Michelle was so helpful throughout the planning.“

“I lived in Saratoga in 1983. The Tin & Lint was one of our favorite watering holes! If memory serves me correctly, Tuesday nights were nickel beer night! We called it, Sticky Floor Night! We'd get all fugged up and then go chase the Skiddy Kitties!! Good times, great memories!“

“I had a great dinner experience with the new revamped menu. The food was flavorful, thoughtfully presented, and it’s clear there’s a lot of creativity and care going into the kitchen right now. I’ll definitely be coming back again.

A few dishes, while enjoyable overall, could benefit from some small refinements to make them even stronger. Some flavors felt slightly unbalanced at times, and a couple of components could have been executed with a bit more consistency. That said, the potential of the menu really shines through, and the overall experience was still very positive.

**For the Restaurant**
(please stop reading if you are a guest)
Some 'suggestion box' comments for the dishes:

Wagyu Dumplings
The dumplings were served sitting in a pool of ponzu sauce. Since they are fried, they only have about a minute before the sauce starts to make them soggy. Because we ordered multiple dishes, by the time we got to the dumplings, they had absorbed a lot of the ponzu and lost their crisp texture. The ponzu was also very strong. The citrus and soy flavor overpowered the rest of the dish, including the wagyu.

Beef Skewer
It seemed like the vegetables and beef may have been cooked at the same time. By the time the vegetables were fully cooked, the beef was already well done. Cooking the beef and vegetables separately, or adjusting the timing, might help keep the beef more tender.

Cucumber Salad
The cucumber salad had a similar issue to the wagyu dumplings. The cucumbers were sitting in a pool of dressing, which made the dish feel overly saturated. A lighter amount of dressing may help keep the cucumber crisp and prevent the dressing from overpowering the dish.

Strip Steak, 12 oz
The strip steak was beautifully cooked, but it was served with a large pile of chimichurri sitting directly on top of the steak. Because of that, the steak itself was almost hidden from view. Several guests also felt that having that much chimichurri directly on top overpowered the flavor of the steak. Serving the chimichurri around the steak, or on the side, may allow guests to add as much as they prefer while still keeping the presentation focused on the steak itself.“

“The martinis and atmosphere are amazing. Best martinis I’ve had. Creative and an endless menu of options! The bartender Nick was great! He was so enjoyable and informative, he even made a surprise concoction for us that was delicious! A must visit when in Saratoga.“

“Originally went here for the WiFi and convenient location, but the food was amazing. The burger was delicious and fries were perfect. The service is quick and the lady was very kind!! The bathrooms were extremely clean and well decorated. I highly recommend Tinney’s Tavern for anyone wanting a great lunch or dinner.“

“great music! great town. bring lots of major cash and win big!“

“Waiter was excellent! Food & beverages were great. A place to certainly visit again.“

“First time at the Merc. Hostess was very nice. Patrick's professionalism was fantastic and not seen enough these days. Brady was our server and his spirit and recommendations were spot on. The food was great and the Sangria was perfect for a Sunday afternoon brunch.... Thank you all...delish!“

“Ya should let me dj along side wit bully next time“

“We recently hosted a 40th birthday party at The Bunker in Clifton Park, and the entire experience was fantastic. From the start, planning the event was a breeze. Emily made coordinating all the details simple and stress-free, and she was incredibly helpful in accommodating our group of 50 guests.

On the day of the party, the staff was friendly, attentive, and always available to help with anything we needed. The food was excellent, the service was outstanding, and everything ran smoothly from beginning to end.

I would highly recommend The Bunker in Clifton Park to anyone looking for a great venue to host a party or special event. We made so many wonderful memories and couldn’t have asked for a better experience.“

“My husband and I have been going to Pennel's ever since we were dating in 1963. This is our every family occasion celebration restaurant. Birthdays, anniversaries, even before holiday gatherings are held at Pennell's. It has been a part of our family tradition for over 60 years, and I just know our children will continue it for years to come. Great meals and memories! Thank you Pennell's.“

“We go to the wonderful town of Saratoga and we will always stop at our favorite Mexican Restaurant. You can not go wrong with any of the selections in their menu. Awesome drinks and friendly staff. Thanks again for a wonderful time and will see you on our next visit.“

“Beloved and iconic dive bar in the heart of Saratoga. Plenty of booze and character to fill your evening. Attracts a young and vibrant crowd.
Start talking up the bartenders for more colorful antidotes about the local area.

Kid-friendliness: don't bring your kids here, seriously. it's a bar.“

“gr8 people! It's where everybody knows your name and its super close to spac! CHEERS“

“A regular stop, the trout is one of my favorites. Amazing wedding venue as well. 11/10“

“Love this place! Food is always excellent and service is top notch. Also love the ambiance there. They nailed everything. The owner is great and Sue, our waitress didn’t miss a beat. Highly recommend!“

“I ordered some half trays of food from the Ravenswood catering menu for a family gathering. The food was amazing!!! So delicious and boxed so well for easy and careful transport! The staff was very friendly. I will definitely be doing it again! Highly recommend. 💕“

“I've been going there for years. Great food, atmosphere and bartenders. Wings are THE best in Saratoga!“

“No food. Snowstorm and left my mate outside. Not worth it considering you got lads stumbling out the bar but wont let someone smoking one cig out the bar, while sober.. it’s been a great bar and no reasons to hate until the bouncers couldn’t “let her in cause of one previous bouncer”. get the head bouncer tryna be careful and didn’t get a chance to chat to the lad but hope he’s well and that next one he thinks a bit more on it. Nothing personal love this place great time and great fair prices.“

“Great atmosphere and great beer“

“Awesome, best place to be in Saratoga“

“Bartenders were great at Happy Hour & attended to everyone w/humor & drinks were wonderful! My sister & my appetizer and dinner couldn't have been more perfect! It was a super busy nite(parents weekend) and the staff & servers were amazing!! Highly recommend this restaurant to everyone!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“The host team helped us after I made a mistake with our Valentine’s Day reservation. Ate at the bar with Ashley (I think that’s what I remember) and enjoyed a happy hour pasta entree and the pasta special - lobster ravioli with shrimp and scallops. It was the best of its kind I’ve ever had. Wines were great. Service was great. The place was warm and inviting. Can’t wait to go back. Thanks to Forno Bistro for helping to make our Valentine’s Day memorable and lovely.“

“Amazing service and amazing food! Great experience!“

“Great professional service by Delia. she was very polite and knowledgeable about the menu. good food quality and large portions. I'll be back.“

“everything was great service was great“

“We went for an early lunch at Peddlers Bar and Bistro in Clifton Park, NY, mainly because we were looking for a pet-friendly place. The staff was super friendly and the food was great. I can see us coming back here. Here is a picture of our lovely attendant, Lilly, with Pixel.“

“was suprised to find pretty good food. drinks were ok. fun night out. staff was attentive.“

“Been here a few times. Food has always been very good and service too. Nice semi fancy atmosphere. A tad pricey but not a bad value factoring in the atmosphere. Its a go to spot when we have an event and want a reservation and need to know its gonna be a solid dinner.“

“We always have a great time at a Nanola. We are longtime trivia participants. The music is MUCH MUCH too loud, but our regular server, Bradley, makes up for it with his sweet disposition and his understanding of what we want. Rob and Erin are marvelous.“