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Albany Pump Station At C H Evans Brewing Co
Categories: Restaurants Food Breweries Restaurants, Breweries [Edit]
19 Quackenbush SqAlbany, NY 12207
(518) 447-9000
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
85 reviews for Albany Pump Station At C H Evans Brewing Co
Review Highlights
"I had the Novemberfest and the Brown Ale."
(in 10 reviews)
"the food was just awesome and the beer great."
(in 8 reviews)
"...of their beers, the kick ass nut brown was indeed kick ass."
(in 2 reviews)
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85 reviews in English
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Review from Katie B.
West Sand Lake, NY
2/1/2012
Last year, I won a couple of gift cards when I participated in Restaurant Week. The Pump Station was one of them.
The food was delicious but a tad pricey for lunch items. Our server, Megan, was very nice and the company was terrific.
I reccomend the Eggplant lasagna and the apple crisp.
Summary: Four star restaurant, five star company. -
Review from Jay Q.
NY
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been here enough to say the food and service is usually very good. I recently had a bad experience with a severely undercooked burger, but it's the only time this has happened and I consider it an isolated offense.
The beer is what draws me back over and over. The kick-ass brown ale is awesome, as is the pale ale, and depending on the brewing schedule their stout can be fantastic as well.
Ambiance is great as well. I love the fact that it is an old building reborn. The fireplace is awesome and the balcony adds something truly unique. They do need a bigger bar but I've heard rumors that is being addressed.
Try the fish and chips or pump station burger and take home a growler of brown ale. You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Casey W.
Albany, NY
1/30/2012
Went there for my birthday with my parents. We went on Saturday for a late lunch early dinner (4:30ish). We got seated right away in the front dining area.
I ordered the Scottish Light beer (they said it was like a budlight), it was great!
We started off with a small order of nachos with chicken. They came out pretty fast and were amazing, the cheese was great! It could of use a little more chicken (since it was an extra cost). I also had to ask for more sour cream.
Then I got a cup of the french onion soup. It was AMAZING, the perfect size and the perfect amount of cheese, bread, onions and broth!
For my my main dish I order a burger with Cheddar cheese bacon and jalapenos. I was only able to eat half but the half I had was great, it was so juicy, almost too juicy since my bottom bun got kinda mushy.
My father ordered the Rubin, he is a big Rubin guy and did not really care for this Rubin, he said it had too much of a smokey taste to it.
My mother ordered the galumpski (stuffed cabbage), she LOVED it..finished it all!
The other things we loved about the Pump Station is the location, right off 787 easy to get there and easy to get home and the parking in the back!
I cannot wait to go back there! -
Review from Greg B.
Delmar, NY
2/3/2012
Great food and great beer
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Review from Robert P.
East Greenbush, NY
2/6/2012
Their Calamari & "award winning" Brown Ale are OUTSTANDING!! Both 5 stars. I find myself coming back over & over for the calamari, it's fresh "not frozen", they don't "drop fry" it so, it's very tender & the flavor is second to none. Most of the other menu items I've tried here are good as well & the beer is the some of best you'll find anywhere. The staff is prompt & friendly. The atmosphere is great too, the building is absolutely beautiful inside.
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Review from Jes. C.
Albany, NY
12/13/2011
Every year my company holds our local holiday party here. They set us up with a private area upstairs an open bar for an hour, beer and wine for another hour and a buffet. It's touch and go whether I can eat from the buffet, since they don't always remember to let me know with enough advanced notice to mention my food restrictions and allergy. My most recent visit, I ordered an entree from the menu and ate the sides from the buffet.
One of the main things I look for when I go out to dinner - whether catered or waited - is how the staff reacts to my food restrictions. We had two people waiting on our group. When I told the fella about my food allergy, he went to check, then sent the girl up with my menu, fully informed of what was going on. The communication impressed me.
Their potatoes were incredible, and everyone went back for more. I wound up ordering a butternut squash ravioli that looked, smelled and tasted like a pumpkin pie filling. Mmm. I'm still thinking about that ravioli.
The beer. They are a brewery and they make a nice range of beers - something to appeal to anyone. They also have a full bar and a reasonable selection of wines, if you're not feeling the hops.
My favorite part of the company party, and something I don't otherwise get to do, is when we finish upstairs and take over the downstairs bar area. We spend a lot of money as a group and the bossman tips particularly well when the girls flirt with him, so they pretty much let us stay as long as we wanted.
I don't often go there outside of the parties, but when I do, I generally enjoy it. The food is decent, the service tends to be good, and they can handle a restaurant full of people without ignoring some of the tables. I never think to suggest it as a place to go, but whenever someone does I'm game. -
Review from Shianne K.
San Antonio, TX
7/22/2011
Most amazing Lobster Mac and Cheese! My family and I all shared four entree's and every single one was fabulous.
Beer was great and atmosphere was loud but an awesome building.
Our waitress was Amber and she was so helpful! She ended up spending about 5 minutes giving us some good tips on where to travel in the area.
Pleasantly surprised! -
Review from Jeff S.
7/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you're looking for beer in Albany, you've got a lot to choose from. Apparently cold climes are a breeding ground for excellent brew pubs and bars.
The beer here was way above average for your regular micro-brewery. The building is amazing, and food is OK.
I enjoyed it so much I bought a huge growler to take back to the hotel for the rest of the week.
If you want great food, location, AND beer, then drive a few miles to Dino's BBQ in Troy. -
Review from Mike r.
Altamont, NY
1/7/2012
Aside form the micro brew beers, and the great atmosphere and excellent wait staff; the food is not that great.. There are plenty of other venues which have better in the Capital District.. I have been there 3 times and in this case the third time is NOT charm.. My favorite was was the gorgonzola strip steak med rare, what I got was a grizzly piece of meat cooked medium to well with way over cooked mach potatoes , though the veggies were fine.. My starter was the artichoke dip, just a bunch of mayonaise disgusting.. While I have not written them off,I will tell you the next time I go back I am going to "remind" them of the horrible meal they served me this time and "up"front warn them, they best not do it again.....
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Review from Jessica L.
Troy, NY
1/1/2012
We went to the pump station for my birthday this summer and it was my first trip. I really enjoyed my first eats there. The French onion was phenomenal, it's just a great depth of flavor. I also tried one of the award winning beers, and it had a very rich flavor as well. The calamari was great because it was a little different than the typical calamari most restaurants have. I also had one of their specialty burgers and that was fantastic!!! I have gone back another time since and I would say it was just as good.
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Review from Tom D.
6/19/2011
I went to the Pump Station Brewery for Lunch over Memorial Day weekend with a group of friends. We had heard that the food and beer were both very good so we decided to take a drive up and see for ourselves.
The restaurant is in a historic building down near the Hudson River. They did a very good job of restoring the building and putting in the restaurant. The building itself was very interesting.
Unfortunately the architecture of the building was the best part of lunch.
Being a brew pub I was interested in trying their beer selection. I tried their Kick Ass Brown to start simply because it had the most banner's hanging from the wall's. It was a heavier beer and was just OK in my opinion. Next I ordered the Pale Ale, which also had, a few banners up but was told they didn't have any available. I finished up with the Maibock which was also OK but again nothing special.
For my food I went with the Pump Station Burger. It was a decent size and well cooked, the best part was the chipotle ranch dressing it came with.
Being a Brew Pub I guess I was just expecting the beer to better. I mean that's the reason you go, so with there not being a really solid beer that I found I've gotta drop it a star.
If I was in Albany again I might give it another shot. I definitely wouldn't drive an hour to go there again. -
Review from C T.
Tulsa, OK
9/8/2011
I'm giving the Pump Station 5 stars based on my one experience. It looks like there were some unfavorable reviews as well, so take that in, I guess.
The beer was great. I had a nice hefeweisen. For dinner I had pork loin medallions topped with a sweet sauce and a side of mashed sweet potato and half of an acorn squash. It was fantastic. The service seemed very friendly and efficient and the atmosphere was nice.
For the quality of the food and the beer, I thought the price was reasonable. -
Review from Ralf T.
Saugerties, NY
10/4/2011
even with the restaurant full of people they were able to get our order in and out within a short amount of time and we were able to enjoy the show at the palace theater.
the staff was very attentive and helped us get in and out in a breeze..
the food was just awesome and the beer great. I really enjoyed the Belgian dubbel=- .
this was a very positive surprise when I saw how busy they were when we walked in.
kudos to the staff and the kitchen -
Review from Althea A.
7/6/2011
We love this place! I try to go here every time I happen to be in Albany... which isn't all that often, so I guess I've been here... five times now?
It's always excellent. Their beer, brewed on the premises (with a few exceptions) changes seasonally, and it's always good. This time, their "Dubbel Stop" was a winner. Really, one of the best beers I've had, anywhere. Including Belgium.
The food is pretty much pub food, but it's very good.
And the restaurant itself, in an old industrial building, is really cool.
To top it off, it's really cheap! Seriously, a pint is generally $5! OK, fine, it's Albany, not Manhattan - but it's still cheap! -
Review from Danika A.
Updated - 3/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Bummer. I realized that it has been a while since I had reviewed the Pump Station. As you can see from my previous review, it has been one of my favorite places to eat in Albany. Not so much anymore.
Since I wrote the last review, the quality of the service has gone down substantially. When my husband asked what beers that had on tap for the evening, our waitress pointed across the room to the bar and said "Well, they're listed right there" with a hint of attitude. Later when I asked what the cheese board of the day was, she shook her head, rolled her eyes and said "I have NO idea." She did go and check, but I didn't get the sense that she had prepared for her shift at all that evening.
I got the spinach salad with ahi tuna. I remember LOVING their spinach salad. I have no idea what's happened to it. It's about one step down from the spinach salad at Junior's. The ahi tuna was terrible. The cut they gave me was the equivalent of grizzle on a piece of steak. I didn't touch most of it (huge waste of an extra $6).
This isn't my first time here, and on average I like this place enough to keep coming back. My rating for tonight is solely based on the service and food we received this evening. However, Pump Station lost its status on my mental "best of the best" list. Too bad :(1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/29/2010
I've been to the Pump Station close to 10 times now, and it is consistently wonderful. I usually… Read more »
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Review from Dan L.
Chester, NY
2/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I love this place.
The Albany Pump Station used to be, as the name implies, a municipal pump station, built close to the Hudson River some time in the late 1800s. Today, it serves as a fine restaurant and brewery, with evidence of its past life preserved in the decor, both inside and out: brick walls and arched windows, pilasters and keystones.
Oh yeah, and cranes... Two 20-ton cranes, suspended from the forty-foot-high ceiling.
Good food, fantastic beer. Do yourself a favor and buy a growler as you go. It'll cost you either twenty-seven dollars or thirty-two bucks (depending on what you stock it with), which may sound a little steep, but I thought the same thing until I actually saw how well-crafted they are. In addition, you'll pay only nine or twelve dollars to refill it when you come back again. And you will come back again... -
Review from Eric E.
Naperville, IL
1/31/2011
Very nice, old-timey, open-space, industrial feel to this place. Dimly lit at night, cozy atmosphere. You can view the brewery equipmentses that are on the upper level from almost the entire restaurant/bar (I called them vats... and my date - who is a home brewer herself - called them by their proper names... which I can't remember at this time).
We ended up walking in the door at 7:30 when they closed at 8:00 that night. The hostess didn't seem all that thrilled to see us walking in that late - understandably. The waitress (Kim) also didn't seem excited to be attending to us, and having said that, she did a great job. We did our best to order quickly so that she didn't have to stay any longer on our behalf. She was very nice about calming our minds regarding inconveniencing her.
If you are visiting the pump station for the first time and enjoy trying new beers, try the sampler (others have photos available on Yelp for this place). As long as they have all beers available, you will get eight shots of them lined up in order from least to most bitter. My date and I then ordered a full glass of our favorite of the eight for our last drink of the night.
We shared a bowl of cream of broccoli soup. Wow. Honestly the best bowl of cream of broccoli that I've ever had.
For my entrée, I ordered the lobster and shrimp mac and cheese. Wow. Great dish. It almost had a sweet taste when you first take the bite, and the cheese was most definitely better than any typical "child" version of the meal. -
Review from A N.
Huntington Beach, CA
4/22/2011
I did enjoy the food and the beer is decent, but it is nothing out of the ordinary. The only exceptional part about this restaurant I suppose is the look of the building.
Now on to my only complaint- the service. I am not exactly sure if the hostess was tired or what but if she's ever smiled in her life, I guess she forgot how. I know some people have an off night and that is fine but our waiter had a very similar attitude. A happy waiter doesn't make or break my meal but you could at least pretend to give a crap- you are in a service industry after all. He forgot several things and didn't seemed phased or apologetic. I have had waiters at nicer restaurants before that seemed a little too cool for their jobs, but come on- we're in Albany, on the Hudson. I'm pretty sure I just saw a porto-potty floating down the river, get over yourself.
Lastly, they have a deal for 3 courses for $17 listed on their menu and when the waiter was asked about it he said "that's a figment of your imagination" I would advise the owners to either reprint their menus or discuss a better way to have their waiters handle those questions if they are not going to honor the printed deal. -
Review from Melissa W.
Ballston Spa, NY
2/15/2011
The food is good, the beer is tasty (tried both the brown and the blonde - liked them for different reasons) but the service is slow at best. On my first visit, the waitress was just rude, she came to our table in a dirty shirt and was obviously not happy to be there. We shrugged it off as a bad day for her. But on my second visit our waitress (different waitress) was slow, uninformed and clearly handling more tables then she was capable of.
The Chateaubriand special was cooked to our specifications and the side dishes complimented it well. I like a little snap to my veggies and these were A+. The apple crisp dessert could have been warmer - but still good. I'd like to give it more stars, but the service just brings it down. -
Review from Fritz N.
West Chester, PA
11/17/2010
Stopped by before a show at the Palace Theatre, just before the place got packed. I was hungry and I like microbrews, so this place seemed like a logical choice. My beer, The Pale Ale, was nothing to write home about and a little bit flat.
But overall, my meal was pretty good and very reasonably priced.
Calamari app- just ok, tender, but sitting atop a sauce that I didn't dig.
NY Strip, mashed, and veg- excellent.
Service was courteous and as good as it could be considering the crowd.
1 appetizer, steak dinner, 1 beer, 1 cordial, = $25 before tip
Great deal. -
Review from Tanya S.
3/8/2011
This place was hip well before old-style microbrew pubs became a trend.
I used to make my parents drag me here when I was a teen - well before drinking age, which means this place is more than just good beer. This was when my love affair with their nachos began.
I swear, this place was always ahead of its time. Whereas most places, in the mid 90s, would only serve tortilla chips with melted processed cheese, ground beef (sometimes), salsa, and sour cream (if you were lucky), this place knew how to pile that nacho plate high with deliciousness and more than just the basics. Of course, now this nacho plate isn't all that special because most pubs offer nachos such as these. But props to you, Albany Pump Station, for being one of the firsts.
Also, as a snobby vegetarian teen, their menu choices always fulfilled my needs. Now that I'm a bona-fide carnivore, I can say their meat menu is also solid. I've never been disappointed with the food here.
(Also, now that I am nearly 30 and over the drinking age, I have come full circle and now understand why my parents enjoyed bringing me here: the beer is good. Duh.) -
Review from Justin L.
Albany, NY
9/24/2011
I really like this place. Mostly because the building is so cool. Make sure you sit in the dining room to the left. Way better vibe than the high tables to the right. The beer was great. Service was good. Food was pretty good.. not GREAT. I got the gobbler sandwich. The crisp in the apple crisp was a bit toothsome though.
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Review from melissa w.
Bronx, NY
11/9/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I've been here twice now, once I just had a few beers, today I tried the food. I enjoyed myself both times. Sure, the beer and food is not the best I've ever had, but it's above average, and local on top of it. I love the atmosphere and the service I've had both times has been excellent. One of the bartenders I met had been there since the place opened and was very knowledgeable about the beer and restaurant.
The last thing that makes this 4 stars for me is the price. It's reasonable! Something that is hard to find in the capital district. A 16oz beer is only $4! Many places around here charge more for that swill they call bud light! And my "build your own" chicken sandwich was $9.
And, just to solidify it's rating for me was the really cute waiter that I had. (I'm thinking http://ratemyprofessor... style chili pepper?) -
Review from Rebecca R.
Boston, MA
6/19/2011
Came here for my mother's retirement party. The food was hugely underwhelming and unseasonal - who puts salad dressing on stroganoff noodles?!? who??? - and the only thing I actually ate was the salad. The coffee was also unpotable. The mill/loft/microbrewery atmosphere is nice, but that's about all I have to say in favor of this joint.
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Review from Shannon R.
Albany, NY
9/19/2011
This rating is based on several visits. I'm giving the Pump Station 4 stars because that's exactly what it is: better than average (3) but not phenomenal (5). The food is consistent, and is much better in terms of taste and quality than what you would get at any area chain restaurant. The atmosphere is casual, but pleasant. I think the Pump Station is really good for dining with a larger group of people, or for a group of people with varied tastes. The menu is broad enough to offer something for everyone, but unique enough that the experience will not just be run-of-the-mill.
I've found that their sandwiches, burgers, and soups are always very good - particularly the turkey burger. I've heard other people say that their sweet potato fries are great, but I recently ordered them for the first time and was pretty disappointed that they were crinkle-cut (apparently frozen) fries. I think this is the one gripe I can think of.
Their prices are reasonable, especially for the portion sizes (which are fairly large). -
Review from Bob R.
Albany, NY
9/19/2011
Watch out for parking. There is a big lot there, but most of it is city property and if you don't pay, you will be ticketed. That said, the Albany Pump Station is a very nice and large brew pub.
They have a lot of interesting things - some quite elaborate - on their menu, but I would stay away from those things. i learned that the hard way a couple of times.
Stick with their strengths. They make a lot of the beer on premises, and they do a damn good job of it.
As for food, the best things I have found were their hamburgers and a very well done fish and chips. They are simple, but they do them well...and it goes nicely with a cold draft beer. My wife is very fond of their salads.
Their prices are about average for a classy establishment and i have found the wait staff at least satisfactory.. -
Review from Chrissy G.
San Diego, CA
9/14/2010
The pump station is my favorite restaurant in the capital district. I am not a beer drinker by any means, I just come for the food! I love the old building and with that comes history. The esthetic is very relaxing and well organized. You are also allowed to go up the stairs to view the beer-making equipment, and there you will find a hidden area for large groups or parties.
The nachos and tomato bisque soup is the best appetizers on the menu. You are also served house bread that has baked spices into the dough, along comes garlic butter.
My favorite things on the menu are the Gobbler, Fish & Chips and the stuffed chicken plate. I am never disappointed, and since I've moved out of the area... miss this place greatly! -
Review from Darcie S.
Dalton, MA
4/1/2011
We wanted to try something out of the Berkshires. Albany is not my favorite city, but we love good beer, so on the road we went.
I have to tell you that when I was younger I thought this place was a waste water treatment plant.
I was really impressed with the look & design of the place. The sheer size, the brick walls, visibility of the beer fermenter, the huge, almost Gothic looking fireplace, the heavy, skull crushing cranes that hang over your head. Yikes, but awesome looking.
We ordered drinks. My two comrades decided to get e beer flight to try all the beers. I ordered a gin & club soda, extra lime please. I specified club soda, twice after initially ordering my drink.. I got tonic water. SIGH!
Comrades weren't impressed with the beer. They decided that Kick Ass Brown Ale was the best, so one ordered an additional one. (Later reflection she admitted choosing the best of bad, doesn't make it a good beer).
We then ordered food. Comrades got small nachos & wings. I ordered a meal. A rare, sesame seed encrusted tuna steak with veggies, rice & edamame salad.
Because of an allergy I had to skip the edamame salad & sauce on tuna. (sauce on both).
Food came, nachos burned, wings were good, they really liked the sauce. My tuna- FROZEN. Right are you kidding me. My side of rice never came, I had to ask another waitress.
There were a bunch of really drunk, obnoxious middle age women. Overall the people I thought would be in there were. Albany's finest.
Our server was nice & prompt, but overall I would skip this place. I will stick with my original choice to try a new beer bar & go here next time:http://www.wolffsbierg... -
Review from Y C.
Kinderhook, NY
8/11/2010
Arrogant staff. Long waits (45 mins) even with lots of empty tables in sight. Perhaps not enough wait staff on a Saturday night? Food is mediocre. The burger sucks. Not sure what everyone is raving about. Thanks to the beer added to the burger, the meat is mushy and sour, like it went bad. Wife had a pasta dish which was actually decent. I also ordered coconut fried shrimp appetizer and the shrimp was raw, partially frozen inside. The prices are too high for such disastrous food. Beer is the only reason to go, and I would say that aside from the darker ales, brews are unimpressive.
Avoid. -
Review from Ryan M.
Castleton-on-Hudson, NY
6/9/2010 1 photo
Horray for the Pump Station! A relaxing environment, an open and artsy interior, great food and excellent beer.
Am I praising too much? Perhaps but then again I love beer. So by nature I'm predisposed to love brew pubs. Sorta like how girls are predisposed to liking movies with Mark Ruffalo in it. It's just how they're wired.
I've been to the Pump Station a few times and it's always very good. I suggest ordering a flight of their beer and pretty much any item off their menu that tickles your fancy. It's all very good. Perhaps a bit costly but the food and service justify the price. The filet I tried here on restaurant week rivals any steakhouse in the area(I'm looking at you Prime!).
BOTTOM LINE: There's really not much else to say, delicious beer and food wrapped up in a beautiful interior will make for an excellent dining/drinking experience whenever you feel like making the trip.Listed in: Upstate New York Breweries
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Review from Jane S.
Albany, NY
9/26/2010
I'm a beer drinker, and I'm unimpressed. These are not quality craft brews, these are things to impress the uninitiated.
Maybe the food is good, but I got the Gobbler sandwich. It was passable. not great. I won't go back. -
Review from Mandie V.
Catskill, NY
9/1/2010
Before I start, I should probably mention that I don't drink beer. Moving on...
The food is pretty good, but the beer is (obviously) really the draw. It's got a cool interior, but long waits. It doesn't have a set "cuisine," it has a fairly diverse menu. It also sells Saranac rootbeer which may just be the best friggin rootbeer in the world.
Parking is kind of a pain, and if you aren't 100% sure how to get there you might end up a little worse for the wear. -
Review from Ari R.
Albany, NY
I've been here a bunch of times with co-workers, friends, etc. Decent beer and food. Not haute cuisine, just decent. If you want to try the beers, get the sampler, which exists but didn't used to be listed on the menu.
Nachos, sweet potato fries are good- I usually get the pump burger which is good. -
Review from Joey H.
Schenectady, NY
7/2/2010
I like the Pump Station.
It's an interesting, cool place with a nice fireplace and a variety of seating. It has vegetarian options, which is always a perk. The menu is a bit varied-- no real sense of an overall style or cuisine type, which I don't mind (there's a mediterranean plate, and then an American-style turkey dinner sandwich, and then some French-inspired food).
My family likes it, which makes it one of the few places where I can actually eat out with them (them being a bunch of meat eaters). I'm not a big drinker, but the selection of beer and full bar is quite awesome and also a big draw.
One downside is that it's usually packed, so you might have to wait a bit. But, once seated, it's definitely worth it. -
Review from H. R.
Albany, NY
8/15/2010
Visited for lunch on a Friday afternoon after working through both breakfast and lunch - convention wisdom would dictate that I would be so hungry almost anything would taste good....but then I went to this little slice of heaven...
First of all, unless it's definitely an "upscale" restaurant, or else the location is just top-notch, I find it a pain in the posterior to have to pay to park. Even a nominal fee. And especially here, where the parking lot is so dirty that some of the parking space numbers cannot be ascertained.
That said, on to the restaurant -
The hostess staff is quite apathetic, but once seated the service was reasonably prompt.
Had the nacho appetizer - very, very heavy on olives, and the other ingredients, including the cheese, were not well distributed at all. I'm not sure I'd call this dish a "nacho" so much as I would call it "saturated fat pile served to the side of a pile of chips that we've rebaked to make them feel more gourmet."
Skip them.
Next, both I and my companion had the fish and chips dish. It was actually passable. The fish was good, greasy, indicative of frying in oil that was too cool, however it was almost tasty. The fries were pretty average, nothing to write home about, but all in all everything was okay.
From a food aspect, one really must remember that quantity doesn't equal quality. And if I were just looking for an upscale bar to have a few local brews in, this place probably isn't half bad. But honestly, I don't see the merit in this place past that. Service was only so-so, food was only passable, plus parking is a pain if you end up not fitting into the microscopic parking lot.
I understand many people like this place, and to each their own - but my God there are so many better options in Albany...why waste time and money on this place? I used to feel bad about being in Albany for almost a year without eating here...now it occurs to me...I haven't missed a thing, other than a sub-par meal. In full fairness, by Albany standards, this place may actually deserve 3...but for anyone who has ever crawled out from under this rock...it's definitely a last-resort kind of place - as in both fast food and the local soup kitchen are both closed. Bottom line: this food isn't worth money. -
Review from susan r.
Cohoes, NY
1/28/2011
There is a good array of items to choose from and I thought the food has been quite good every time I go here. However -
The ladies room is filthy. If you are an asthmatic I would suggest you hold it. The place is coated in a heavy dust (look up @ the ceiling vent and you'd be shocked!) and the walls of the stalls and the bathroom itself are filthy. There was water all over the floor due to a leaky toilet.
And the hostess didn't seem happy to see me or happy about the fact she had to grab some menus and walk us to a table. -
Review from Stefano D.
Albany, NY
7/14/2010
To start: I really do like their beer. Nothing beats a nice fresh pint.
The food. Really uninspired and bland. Admittedly, I have not had every item on the menu (perhaps I'm picking the wrong stuff). But what I've had just didn't impress. The pulled pork was total Smokey Bones/Texas Roadhouse mediocrity. The steak sandwich was fatty, tough, and quite bland. Their calamari just tasted....off. I didn't mind the fries since they tasted like the chef hit up the BK drive-thru for them.
All and all, it's good for some beers and maybe an app. But I can't justify spending my money on entrees or sandwiches that leave me disappointed and full of the 'itis. -
Review from John N.
Rensselaer, NY
12/12/2010
MMMMM - Beer good!!!!
This is my favorite brew pub and my wife took me there to celebrate another birthday. The IPA is great. Just great. And I get to finish my wife's Brown Ale! A win-win for me.
The food is pretty good too. My sons enjoyed perfectly cooked burgers, and I had a Wurst plate - knackwurst and bratwurst with sauerkraut. The cabbage that accompanied the dish was a sweet almost slightly sour side that was fantastic. My wife ordered the Fish and Chips - flakey and light.
COMPLAINT - matchstick fries accompanied three of our dinners that were almost cold and overcooked, actually a little hard. Don't know when they changed as I definitely don't remember that from previous visits.
I don't think the menu has changed in years, which is fine. But sprinkling parsley on the rim of a plate is a garnish whose time is long past.
It was a Friday night and the hostesses didn't seem to know what was going on around them. There was a large party that we were told repeatedly were coming, but the dining room and bar eating areas had many open tables. We said we would wait (expected about an hour - no big deal) about 20 minutes later the hostess offered us a table that was reserved for 75 minutes later - could we dine in that time. Absolutely we said - but why wasn't that offer made when we arrived?
You have to go for the beer. -
Review from Brooke H.
2/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Albany Pump Station = 5 super awesome stars. I went here in a date - I was visiting from out of town and pretty much every time I'm out of town I hunt down the local micro/craft breweries and brewpubs. I fell in love with The Albany Pump Station. We walked in not long before the kitchen would be closing and the hostess made sure she told us so - a little snarky - but that's understandable, they want to close up shop. We were mindful of the time when we quickly placed our orders. We both ordered the flight of beer (aka sampler platter), we split a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup (which my date deemed "the best broccoli cheddar [he] ever had" I ordered the Cajun shrimp and scallops with black beans and rice and he ordered the lobster and shrimp mac and cheese. The Cajun dish is VERY dirty, which I love but I know that taste isn't for everyone. The shrimp and lobster mac and cheese was super rich and sweet and amazing. The flights of beer were awesome and I totally reccomend getting one if it's your first time here - and the presentation of the flight was the coolest I've seen at any brewery I've neem to. (pic posted)
Speaking of cool; this building is BEAUTIFUL! It's an old pump station with all the fixins decorated with a modern, clean twist. We sat close (but not too close) to a fireplace that crackled and shone beautiful on a really cute couple sitting in the comfortable lounge that was between my table and the fireplace. There was this 10 ton pulley crane thingy (I dunno, I'm a girl) hanging from the ceiling that made ya kinda nervous when you looked at it hanging there from a steel cable ready to pummel you to a squishy death! But it was really cool.
We closed out with our waitress then stayed wayyy too long and the staff was really cool - encouraging us to "stay, take [your] time" so we did. At the end of the night we went to the bar to pick up a growler to take home for the night. LITTLE DID I KNOW I would be purchasing the coolest souvenir of my trip - their growlers ROCK. They are the flip top "grolsch" style growlers with a very happy fat old man as the handle (I posted a pic). I took one home filled with their delicious IPA that i actually polished off in one sitting. Damn good beer! I actually enjoyed all of their beers, the kick ass nut brown was indeed kick ass. The stout was really good and the IPA - well like i mentioned - i brought a growler home and drank it all immediately :-)
All in all I thought this place was great, I totally plan on returning and recommending to my friends. Good date spot too! -
Review from Daniel B.
Albany, NY
6/12/2007
Come for the beer and stay for some food.
What a treat. I love getting tasting flights of beers and seeing a breweries style laid out in front of me. It's a very fun way to drink.
The dinner menu is a bit pricey for what you get, but burgers, salads and appetizers are a relative bargain. The appetizers are huge, and my buffalo chicken fingers were more than enough for a dinner.
The fried calamari were nicely spicy and very pretty to boot. They were decorated with some balsamic, which is strange, but helped give the plate some color. Oddly, it all worked. Nothing that came out of the fryer was greasy. I love a place that knows how to fry.
Looking forward to coming back and having some more of the local brew.
