The Loft 205

This spot just isn't for me, but it might fit your vibe more. The Loft upstairs comes across (to me) as more of an intimate date spot verse a go hang out and have a drink spot. There is nothing wrong with that, it just isn't going to give you what you need if you want to just chill at the bar.

Based on some of the reviews, I think i'm lucky at the time of day (615ish) as the music was not loud, and it was not overly crowded, as some reviews mention rather loud music etc. That was not the case while I was there. There is an okay whiskey selection if you're looking for some good stuff.

I'm glad we are neighbors, literally our buildings touch. I can smell their food sometimes in my apartment. Love the sound track... Miami lounge vibe, punctuated by the energetic sounds of the bar patrons. Despite the small group the acoustics make it energetic. Curious how It will be on a Saturday night.

The food. Great!
I had 2 apps for dinner, he had pasta and of course 2 desserts. Each bite delicious and well presented. Try a cocktail!
Yes, get the escargot. Just the right amount of garlic, butter and bread. Followed by the rice bomb, spicy, crunchy and good little bite of tuna. Penne alla vodka met his comfort food quotient. Carrot cake was large but we crushed that along with the flourless chocolate cake. The portions are just the right size to allow for having so many tasty morsels. We will be back.

The entrance is easy to miss. We walked right by it.

I liked The Loft's take on an old-fashioned. I'm fussy about cocktails, and this was a good old-fashioned. It was served with a smoldering twig of rosemary. It was a nice touch, and my wife and I enjoyed the lingering herby smoke.

One of the owners came over to the table and introduced herself. We chatted with her for a solid ten minutes. It became evident that she cares her customers enjoy the food and cocktails and have a good time.

We split the spring rolls. My wife ordered the salmon entree and I the short ribs.

Everything we ordered was well-executed, beautifully plated, and delicious.

The spring rolls were excellent. They were lightly fried, with a thin, crisp outer shell, and filled with a flavorful mix of veggies and glass noodles.

My wife enjoyed her salmon entree and didn't have any complaints.

My short ribs were the star of the show. The hunk of braised beef was fork-tender and full of flavor. It was served over excellent whipped potatoes with an addictive jus and a side of charred seasoned corn. Despite being previously frozen, the corn was delicious. If you're going to serve frozen corn, this is the way to do it.

Our waitress was great. The ambiance of the loft is modern and dimly lit. The menu is small but has enough variety to please almost any palate. If my old-fashioned is any indication, the cocktails are creative and smartly executed.

The Loft is embracing a dining concept that is few and far between in this area, amazing crafted cocktails and tapas. They are also totally delivering on a big city vibe, you absolutely feel like you've left Albany.

I've been perusing the menu and wanting to check this place out for a few months. Now I'm just upset I waited this long. As a frequent diner of various places, I really started appreciating excellent service, and The Loft really served tonight. The Loft is a small space with few tables, and very well staffed. We felt catered to, drinks came quickly even though they were excellently crafted, food came at perfect times and were served beautifully.

Tonight we indulged on several cocktails and small plates. I saw they were making cocktails with Empress Gin, which I've had my eye on. At our request, our server/bartender made us three unique cocktails highlighting the Empress Gin, which were not on their menu. Those were all perfectly balanced and the liquor quality was sky high. I can't wait to purchase a bottle now that I have experienced that. We also ordered a few cocktails off the menu. Every drink we ordered made us crave another. It was simply perfect. This is the place to go if you want to lush out and feel bougie.

I was really blown away with the food. From simple dishes, to unique finds, they nailed on flavor and presentation far past my expectations. First round was my choice, escargot and avocado fries. This was not our first time having escargot but, it had been a while. The meat was so soft and tender, mildly earthy, the flavor was buttery and garlic forward. They were fantastic. Don't fear the snails. The avo-fries were technically perfect. Crispy and creamy. The sauces were the perfect compliment.

The second round of small plates were my friends choice, Crispy Rice Bombs and Pork Belly Bao buns. The crispy rice bombs were a perfect bite, fresh spicy tuna on top of crispy rice. I love spicy tuna and they delivered. Lastly, we had the pork belly bao buns. These were great as well, nice pillowy buns and tender meat inside. We do wish the cucumber was sliced slightly thinner but that was so minor.

It was such an excellent night and I definitely have a new go to spot. I can't wait to come and try more drinks and more of the menu.

Loft was the type of place I eagerly anticipated opening because the pictures made it look absolutely fabulous. They originally were meant to be a special venue for private events, but sounds like they adapted (like so many of us had to) with the covid pandemic to be a hybrid events space-restaurant.

It's easy to see why this would be a great space for an event. Upon walking in, the soft lighting, twinkle lights, and wood paneling give off such a warm yet down-to-earth vibe. We started with drinks, which were exquisitely made. I particularly loved the lychee martini- just the right balance of flavors and not overly sweet. The chocolate martini is also to die for- who says you can't have dessert first??

The food was good, but much smaller portions than we had hoped for. This being an excuse to try several things off the menu, we ordered three dishes to try. The jumbo bang bang shrimp were the star of the show to me, which was surprising because they weren't my selection, but they were amazing. Meatballs were okay, perfectly cooked and moist, but lacked any real "wow" factor that made me feel like they were something above what I'd make for myself at home. The beef short ribs were also perfectly cooked, though again didn't bring anything unique that I couldn't have made myself.

wanted to love this place, because everything about the setting and the menus reminded me of LA or NYC. Unfortunately, they fall just a tiny bit short of a true 5-star experience for me. Additionally, my friends and I ended up grabbing a slice of pizza an hour later because we didn't feel like the portions had really done much for us. That being said, if you don't mind splurging a little, it's a great place to escape Lark street and enjoy a truly lovely ambience and first-rate cocktails. The chocolate martini could be a meal on its own (and maybe should be...).

Great ambience with bumpin' music, dark sexy atmosphere and on top of that, good food and drinks. We came hungry, decided to go tapas-style and got the escargot, rice balls, charcuterie plate and pork buns to share. All were tasty. Staff were attentive. Will definitely be back to try more of the cocktails.

best plate EVER. prime rib with triple garlic mash & broccoli. Atmosphere is so calming and trendy

This is a very cool spot. The atmosphere can't be beat- it's somewhat of a "hidden gem" being tucked away on the second floor of building overlooking Lark St. Food has been phenomenal each time I've gone. Everything is packed with flavor and has a unique touch. Chicken fried rice, the short rib, and the meatball appetizer are a few of my personal favorites but you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Would highly recommend this place to anyone coming to Albany and I can't wait to go back

Overrated. Not a great experience. Meat entrees over a vegan bar called "Bar Vegan?" Sort of hilarious... food's all right, but a lot of trashy patrons on the night I was there; a hard pass.

A fun night out, cool atmosphere, but food wasn't anything to write home about.

For apps, we got the avocado fries (MVP of the night, fried to perfection with a yummy sauce to dip), meatballs (meh), and vegetarian spring rolls (average, lacked a distinctive flavor).

For main course, my s/o got the drunken noodles-- he took advantage of the vegan prep option. They were okay, but nothing special here. Perhaps with a tofu option, the dish would have been more substantial. I got the rigatoni alla vodka-- which was good, but I really wish our server would have checked in during the meal rather than immediately after the food was delivered before we even had a chance to take our first bite. By the time we were acknowledged, it was too late to ask for any Parmesan cheese or anything to make the drunken noodles better.

Cocktails were good. I tried the peachy basil mule and the creamy espresso martini. I'd recommend both.

Overall a decent meal, but probably wouldn't go out of our way to return.