Grilled Whole Bronzino
Athos

Athos

1814 Western Ave Albany, NY 12203-4602, United States

Greek • Vegan • Seafood • Mediterranean


"For our second visit, the host and staff cordially seated us in the dining room, attended to us promptly and afforded us a personal visit from the friendly owner. We had read that alcoholic beverages are now being served, a wonderful and anticipated change from our first visit. Bottled water with a basket of pita and chopped marinated red pepper were offered as a complimentary starter while we reviewed the options for our meals. The menu is extensive and the portions are ample. For an appetizer, my wife I enjoyed authentic falafel with humus and arugula accompanied with a sour cream topping. Unlike what we’ve eaten in other restaurants that serve this delicacy, our appetizer was savory, nicely presented and tasted better than any we’ve had in the Capital District. For our main dishes, my wife, a vegetarian, had the eggplant salad platter with baby baked potatoes, cherry tomatoes, ample cheese topping and a sizable green salad. My dinner meal was the branzino filets, delicately and artfully arranged mashed potatoes and a green salad. Both meals were served on large plates and very hot. Neither plate had any leftovers! Completing our meal were a serving of pistachio baklava and a pot of decaffeinated rooibos tea. The ambiance and excellent service by Sean made for an extremely favorable impression on us during this follow up visit. Needless to say, we highly recommend this restaurant, and we’ll be back!"

Empress Diner

Empress Diner

2490 Hempstead TpkeNY 11554, East Meadow, United States

Salad • Diners • Seafood • American


"I usually love going to this diner. The staff is very friendly. Today was an awful experience. My daughter ordered breakfast cereal and one egg in the side. On the menu it “add on $1” one egg. That’s exactly what I ordered. The waitress comes back with a full platter with two eggs and french fries. I said to her that we only ordered and extra egg. She said that how it comes. When we got the bill, she charged me for a whole entire kid’s breakfast besides my daughters cereal breakfast. I politely asked to please readjust the bill. It was a misunderstanding. She didn’t put the order in properly. She came back and said that the owner said no. I asked to speak to the owner. It was such an awful experience. He was combative, rude and expressed how they don’t rob people and told me how wrong I was. He raised his voice with my 8 year old daughter right there. He then stormed to the back and yelled at me and said that I didn’t have to pay. That he would pay for my breakfast but not in a nice way. His behavior was so horrible. He handled that so poorly. From the beginning he was condescending and dismissive and refused to adjust the bill. I will not be going back. He doesn’t seem stable. Called the next day to speak to someone else, perhaps a higher supervisor or the owner. He was dismissive. Did not offer an apology and said that his manager was right. He talked over me while I was trying to explain what happened and when I called him out on his non caring behavior, he hung up on me. I would never go back there. My 8 years old daughter was crying and asked why was the man so mean and why did he raise his voice at the restaurant. No one took responsibility for this problem. It could have been handled so much better. It was not about the money, it was about the fact that “manager” has no people skills and stormed to the back of the kitchen yelling at me in front of my daughter. The other “manager” also was rude and awful to talk to and then when he didn’t like the truth, he hung up on me."

Starfish Brasserie

Starfish Brasserie

51 W Broad St, Bethlehem, PA 18018, United States

Fish • Steak • Seafood • American


"Unfortunately, the main courses were a mixed experience. Those who ordered steak found theirs to be overcooked and dry. My fish was slightly overdone (I had requested it rare to medium rare), but the salmon at the table was excellent. My dish had a rather heavily salted fish rub, yet the fish itself was very fresh. I would recommend this restaurant for its fish, as they offer wild-caught varieties instead of farmed ones, which is quite unique. Therefore, I would rate the main courses three stars because of the overcooked steaks. We could have sent them back, but that would have impacted three of the six dinners, and we preferred to enjoy our evening rather than wait. Dessert was delightful! We sampled a variety of options, including key lime pie, flourless chocolate cake, and sorbet, all of which were excellently prepared. The coffee was strong and excellent, the tea selection was good, and the port wine was pleasant. Their wine list was well-organized, making it easier for those who might be uncertain about their choices. The desserts and drinks definitely deserve a strong four-star rating. The service was outstanding, and the décor and ambiance were quite appealing. The prices were reasonable considering the quality of the food; it felt like a good value despite being on the pricier side. By the end of the meal, we felt satisfied, never rushed, and the waiter was always available to assist with any questions we had."