There’s a new restaurant world out there, and we chatted with eight local eatery owners/managers to find out what’s different and what diners can expect when going out today. See who has a limited menu, who’s still offering takeout and delivery, who is requiring reservations, and who has put a time limit on seatings.
McGeary’s: A Tavern With Classic Irish Fare & A Welcoming Atmosphere
Indoor/Outdoor/Takeout/Delivery
Indoor and outdoor dining is available as well as takeout and delivery through GrubHub.
Reservations
No reservations, walk-in only.
Time Limit
No time limit.
Limited/Full Menu
McGeary’s is limited on some items at the moment, as they don’t have all the product coming in every day due to the COVID-19 situation. “The chef isn’t really doing the mac salad and the customers are revolting,” owner Tess Collins laughed. “They’re going crazy and giving her a hard time. . .so she’s been making a little bit each day. She’s been saying she’s not going to but the customers have been insisting.”
Final Thoughts From Owner Tess Collins
“I know a lot of the other bar owners have been upset with the way that customers have been behaving,” Collins said, regarding getting visitors to wear masks when coming in the door, or when up from their seat. “I feel like my customers are really mindful about wearing a mask when they’re walking. Many have been very respectful, they’re just happy to be out.”
Collins added that she knows a lot of restaurants have been slapped with a $10,000 fee for not enforcing masks. “I know I can’t even afford a $2,000 fee, let alone a $10,000 fee,” she said.
Pearl Street Pub: Known for a Lively Nightlife Scene & Upscale Pub Grub
Indoor/Outdoor/Takeout/Delivery
Guests can dine indoors, including at the bar, or outdoors on the patio or on their sidewalk space that the City of Albany has expanded to allow for socially distanced dining. Takeout is still offered, along with delivery through GrubHub. The dance club remains closed for now.
Reservations
“It’s walk-in right now,” owner Chris Pratt said of Pearl Street Pub, indicating that they might consider reservations in the future. “We’ll be picking up capacity between the three tiers in the patio,” he added.
Time Limit
“No, it hasn’t really become an issue.”
Limited/Full Menu
“We have a limited menu, we took out a few items that tend to spoil quicker,” Pratt told us. “Based on numbers, we want to be really cautious about what we’re making and what’s sitting. But I’d say it’s still about 80% of the menu.”
Final Thoughts From Owner Chris Pratt
There will be live acoustic music on the patio starting every Friday in July from 5pm to 9pm. Musicians are going to be on the side street a good distance from the diners.
Steuben Street Market: Fresh Salads, Specialty Sandwiches & Sensational Smoothies
Indoor/Outdoor/Takeout/Delivery
They are open for indoor and outdoor dining as well as takeout and delivery through GrubHub. They are continuing meal planning and prep services.
Reservations
No reservations.
Time Limit
No time limit.
Limited/Full Menu
Somewhat limited menu.
Final Thoughts From Proprietor Charissa Pratt
Proprietor Charissa Pratt (Chris Pratt’s daughter) is a nutritionist and has poured her love for healthful foods into Steuben Street Market. They’re currently operating under limited hours but hope as more workers come downtown business will pick back up – one of the top priorities listed on their website is to serve downtown residents and workers with prepackaged products, made-to-order sandwiches, and more.
Restaurant Navona: Homemade Pasta, Neapolitan-Style Pizza & More
Indoor/Outdoor/Takeout/Delivery
They are open for outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery, and starting on Wednesday, July 1st Restaurant Navona will open for indoor dining.
Reservations
Reservations only, including for outside seating.
Time Limit
“Tables of two get an hour, four to six get an hour and a half, and then anything over six gets two hours,” owner Kim Baker said. She added that they can’t take reservations for more than 10 people per CDC guidelines.
Limited/Full Menu
“We shrunk it down a lot,” Baker said of the menu. She explained that five years ago their original concept for the restaurant was to offer homemade pasta, Neapolitan-style pizzas, a few appetizers, and then entrees would be mostly rotating specials, to keep things fresh and exciting. As time went on people would rave about a certain dish and they would add it to the menu, as with the scallops, and it grew bigger than they intended.
“Now we’ve scaled it back down and we’ll gradually scale it back up to what we wanted five years ago,” she said.
Final Thoughts From Owner Kim Baker
Restaurant Navona is currently offering take home grill kits. The idea is that guests take care of the sides themselves, while the restaurant provides the main entree. Their fish has been popular so far, allowing people to deviate a bit from the norm with what they grill at home: “You’ll do chicken, you’ll do hot dogs, you’ll do burgers, but you won’t do fish,” she says. “But if we give it to you in foil and say put it on the grill for 15 minutes. . .”
Baker also told us all about their new venture, New Scotland Taco + Bar, located in Restaurant Navona’s Ontario Room that had previously been used as an event space. “We have wanted to put a taco bar on the block. We love the block, we have lots of ideas for concepts, but we love this neighborhood so we’re going nowhere.”
The taco bar is more casual than Restaurant Navona, reservations are not required, and you can order off the menu from your phone. The business is also available for catering and has already picked up a number of bookings from now through the fall, from small weddings to office events.
Savoy Taproom: Exquisite Cocktails & An Extensive Menu
Indoor/Outdoor/Takeout/Delivery
Indoor and outdoor dining is available, along with takeout and delivery through GrubHub.
Reservations
Outdoor dining is first come, first serve. Indoor reservations are accepted for six people or more.
Time Limit
There is a two-hour time limit, and there are other guidelines posted on their website (such as guests looking to dine outdoors must send one person from the party inside to be seated; diners should not seat themselves).
Limited/Full Menu
Savoy Taproom does have the full menu, which is the same as their to-go menu. The restaurant hired a new chef, Elliot Vogel, right before the pandemic shutdown happened. Vogel is a prior Rising Star Chef winner of Albany’s Wine & Dine for the Arts Festival, and they expect upcoming changes to the menu under his direction.
Final Thoughts From General Manager Emma Sawyer
“It’s a new world, everyone’s trying their best, wherever you go out to eat just be nice to everyone, follow the rules,” General Manager Emma Sawyer said. “We’re a really tight-knit crew of people who have been working really hard to make this the best place to work and to serve people. We all really care about what we do here and we want to give you the best food and drinks possible. We’re just excited to have people back.”
Healthy on Lark: A Vegetarian Cafe & Juice Bar
Indoor/Outdoor/Takeout/Delivery
Healthy on Lark is offering indoor and outdoor dining as well as takeout and delivery, although they’re quite limited in terms of indoor dining.
Reservations
They are taking reservations, and are asking people to call ahead regardless.
Time Limit
“You know, we haven’t really crossed that bridge yet. Maybe about an hour,” owner Sharon Lastique said.
Limited/Full Menu
“Most of the time it’s a full menu,” Lastique said. “Again I’m asking everyone as much as possible to call ahead.”
Final Thoughts From Owner Sharon Lastique
Healthy on Lark is currently promoting their juice cleanses, which is perfect for folks looking to transition out of the staying-at-home phase in a healthy way and lose that “quarantine 15.” Lastique, who is a health coach, also creates balanced plant-based meals through their new meal prep service.
Lark Street Poke Bar: Hawaiian-Style Fresh Fish & Veggies
Indoor/Outdoor/Takeout/Delivery
They are open for indoor and outdoor dining as well as takeout and delivery.
Reservations
They accept walk-ins only, first come, first serve.
Time Limit
No time limit as of now.
Limited/Full Menu
The full menu is available.
Final Thoughts From Owner Will Phan
“We are doing our best to enforce the rules that have been laid out for us to follow,” Lark Street Poke Bar owner Will Phan told us. “We have touchless menus and menus on our website. Things are sanitized as often as possible. Signs or posters are posted so that everyone can keep their mask on when they are not seated. It’s a very difficult rule to enforce without some customers getting upset, because not everyone believes they need to wear a mask. Our staff now has to take on a babysitting job, which makes the job harder than it already is.”
City Beer Hall: Known for Their Fantastic Brunch & Popular Patio
Indoor/Outdoor/Takeout/Delivery
They are open for indoor and outdoor dining as well as takeout and delivery.
Reservations
They will accept reservations.
Time Limit
There is no time limit.
Limited/Full Menu
They have the full menu.
Final Thoughts From General Manager Trevor Faulkner
General Manager Trevor Faulkner raved about City Beer Hall’s outdoor patio, which is undoubtedly one of the best assets of City Beer Hall. If you check out Google reviews of the restaurant you’ll see it’s the most talked about aspect other than their brunch and pizza. “You don’t find a lot of that in Albany, especially downtown,” Faulkner said about the spacious patio.
Dawn’s Victory Sports Cafe: Casual Fare With a Gourmet Twist
Indoor/Outdoor/Takeout/Delivery
Indoor and outdoor dining is available, as well as takeout. They have 12 to 13 tables outside, six in the dining room, and bar stools at the bar.
Reservations
Reservations are preferred.
Time Limit
“If they’re here an hour, hour and a half drinking that’s fine, but if they’re hanging out not drinking I have no problem saying something,” owner Dawn Lynch said. “Everybody’s been very respectful, so that helps.”
Limited/Full Menu
“I am serving a limited menu right now,” she told us. “I’m picking things off the main menu. I only have myself in the kitchen right now. We’re limited with employees so I’m just trying to do what I can. The food is just as good as it was. It’s consistent, it’s the same. I do have a salad menu also for the summer.”
Final Thoughts From Owner Dawn Lynch
“It’s a great place to come and hang out,” Lynch said of the restaurant. “The staff is very welcoming. We do have great food. We have a patio that’s very relaxing and nice. Come downtown if you haven’t checked it out, there are a lot of restaurants opening up down here.”
When you’re ready to go out to eat in downtown Albany regardless of where you plan to dine check out the restaurant’s menu, hours, and info before heading out, and be respectful of the new rules, other diners, and the restaurant crew that works so hard for us. Bon appetite!
