Public House

I've been a patron of this bar for years now. Great little pub for the advanced beer aficionado. The food is unique and creative as far as bar fare goes and I've never been disappointed. Staff is knowledgable, pleasant and friendly. Emphasis on knowledgable as their wide beer selection will lend itself to questions. Atmosphere is what you'd want from your quiet pub. One of the best beer bars in Albany.

Amazing beer selection... Wrong place to go if you have trouble making up your mind about things, but those working the bar are happy to help and offer tastings to make sure you pick a pour you will enjoy. Come here if you want to get something you've never had before !

Do you get annoyed when your server at a 'Beer Bar' can't offer descriptions or suggestions? Do you prefer the focus of your imbibing to be your conversation and the beer? Do you like the option to drink outside or by a fireplace? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then the Madison Pour House is a place you should check out. The staff is knowledgeable, the beer selection is top notch (40 taps + 2 casks + bottles) and the food hits the spot. They also have a quality, hand selected offering of wines and sip-able liquors for your party members who are hesitant to embrace beer (though I'd be willing to bet they can find something to their liking here). In the summer they have a great patio out front - in the winter, the upstairs features a roaring fire. They've also limited the distractions to just three flat screens mounted unobtrusively above the bar and keep the music level low. TL:DR - if you like craft beer, come here.

Always good place to stop by when going past Albany. Coming from someone who loves craft beer, they have a great selection. The food is pretty awesome too, definitely recommend the pulled pork and mac n cheese

Madison Pour House's beer selection is one of the more robust I've seen. They have an incredible inventory of porters, stouts, IPAs and sours. If you're looking to enjoy a brew, you won't be able to beat the selection or atmosphere.

I love this place but since the powers that be say put up speeding cameras I AVOID ALL ALBANY unfortunate for businesses there. Amazing beer selection with mostly knowledgeable staff....menu limited but this place is about the beer clearly....

This pub is AWESOME! If anyone gets the chance, order a lemon drop shot. Best lemon drop shot my wife and I have ever had! Also a beautiful Irish pub with a wide selection of beer on tap

Love this place. My new favorite place to grab a brew in Albany. More on tap than I could drink and the staff is excellent. It doesn't seem crowded during the week either which is a nice plus!

Went for brunch, and the biscuits and gravy were delicious! Tried the bacon steak too and it's more fatty than I like, but loved the flavor..grits were meh. Ultimate Bloody Mary was on point!

Awesome spot in Albany, great bartenders- the building has a lot of character and charm

Beer 🍺 menu so sexy 😅😅😅 Environment eggplant 🍆, 🤪🤪 Hotdog sass are hotttttttddddoooggggg 🤣🤣🤣 I'm drunk, don't expect more than this...

Both the burger and the wine I ordered were among the top 10 I've ever had. The wine was Chasing Lions Cabernet Sauvignon. I don't recall what the burger was.

Great burger and a very good beer selection. They have a 2nd floor and the TVs are there if you want to watch some sports. I wanted to go back for another burger but time wouldn't allow it. It really is that good

Great beer selection; excellent eclectic bar food.

Leni Ferner

Awesome spot in Albany, great bartenders- the building has a lot of character and charm

Michelle Bachem

Went for brunch, and the biscuits and gravy were delicious! Tried the bacon steak too and it's more fatty than I like, but loved the flavor..grits were meh. Ultimate Bloody Mary was on point!

Jacob

Beer 🍺 menu so sexy 😅😅😅 Environment eggplant 🍆, 🤪🤪 Hotdog sass are hotttttttddddoooggggg 🤣🤣🤣 I'm drunk, don't expect more than this...

thien doan

Great burger and a very good beer selection. They have a 2nd floor and the TVs are there if you want to watch some sports. I wanted to go back for another burger but time wouldn't allow it. It really is that good

Juan R.

Both the burger and the wine I ordered were among the top 10 I've ever had. The wine was Chasing Lions Cabernet Sauvignon. I don't recall what the burger was.

Corbet Johnson

Great beer selection; excellent eclectic bar food.

Great place. Very big selection of beer and on different sizes of pours. I have had the burgers in the past and they were all delicious. I recently had the pulled pork tacos. Oh, so good. Definitely a place to stop if you like beer and a good atmosphere.

huge beer selection, your mother's mother will walk out with a new favorite. The food is good but limited menu. Artichoke dip was good, if you love garlic

My only complaints are I wish there was more food options lol. But it's not enough to take away a star. The food choices they offer are. good It's unique very often and solid. If you're a beer drinker you will love the selection however cider is very limited. Even though I am a cider person I appreciate the staff ,the feel, the atmosphere, the subtle aesthetic with homage to a bier garden es theme, interesting music choices that are very eclectic and the overall experience. I couldn't recommend this place more!

The beer selection is great. Great German Bier and a true pilsner on tap got me. The atmosphere is great and being from the south the people are friendly like being at home. It's one of my go too places when I'm back here again for work

Absolutely love this place. Their beer menu is fantastic and their food is awesome. Everything on their menu is reasonably priced. Every thing I've eaten there I've left saying "wow". If you have to been you need to give it a go! The staff are really friendly and they also have trivia nights (on Thursdays I think).

My wife and I stumbled (lol) upon this bar while waiting for different place to open. Very pleasantly surprised. Very friendly bar staff and very knowledgeable about the selections of 40 beers on tap and 60 beers in cans and bottles. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we planned a weekend trip (we live an hour away) with Madison Pour House in mind. We haven't eaten there yet so we can not comment on the food. We are already planning our next overnight and will uber over to the bar so we can indulge our palates to a higher degree ;)

This is more than a bar. It is the third space for many of us who call Pine Hills home. The building had previously been home to a bar called Mahars, which was one of the first craft beer bars in the country, before it was the cool thing to do. Madison Pour House has continued the tradition that Mahars began, that being an unrivaled beer selection, solid food, and a strong sense of community. If you are in Albany and are looking for a chill spot to grab a pint, this is the place.

This place is easy going with great service and it has amazing culture. It's always easy to meet new friends and learn new things all while having amazing beer and yummy food.

*Green Book Safe* I was immediately greeted and my order was taken. Very courteous & professional. I was slightly early before the kitchen was open, yet was still proffered a menu. One local behind the bar even provided insight to my newcomer experience. Based on today's interaction, I would return and recommend.

Tom Nightingale

This is more than a bar. It is the third space for many of us who call Pine Hills home. The building had previously been home to a bar called Mahars, which was one of the first craft beer bars in the country, before it was the cool thing to do. Madison Pour House has continued the tradition that Mahars began, that being an unrivaled beer selection, solid food, and a strong sense of community. If you are in Albany and are looking for a chill spot to grab a pint, this is the place.

Jason Mutford

This place is easy going with great service and it has amazing culture. It's always easy to meet new friends and learn new things all while having amazing beer and yummy food.

Elizabeth Lynne

*Green Book Safe* I was immediately greeted and my order was taken. Very courteous & professional. I was slightly early before the kitchen was open, yet was still proffered a menu. One local behind the bar even provided insight to my newcomer experience. Based on today's interaction, I would return and recommend.

Hanna Scar

huge beer selection, your mother's mother will walk out with a new favorite. The food is good but limited menu. Artichoke dip was good, if you love garlic

Bob Francis

Great place. Very big selection of beer and on different sizes of pours. I have had the burgers in the past and they were all delicious. I recently had the pulled pork tacos. Oh, so good. Definitely a place to stop if you like beer and a good atmosphere.

Logan C

The beer selection is great. Great German Bier and a true pilsner on tap got me. The atmosphere is great and being from the south the people are friendly like being at home. It's one of my go too places when I'm back here again for work

John Mazzone

My wife and I stumbled (lol) upon this bar while waiting for different place to open. Very pleasantly surprised. Very friendly bar staff and very knowledgeable about the selections of 40 beers on tap and 60 beers in cans and bottles. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we planned a weekend trip (we live an hour away) with Madison Pour House in mind. We haven't eaten there yet so we can not comment on the food. We are already planning our next overnight and will uber over to the bar so we can indulge our palates to a higher degree ;)

Ra-Mel McNeil

My only complaints are I wish there was more food options lol. But it's not enough to take away a star. The food choices they offer are. good It's unique very often and solid. If you're a beer drinker you will love the selection however cider is very limited. Even though I am a cider person I appreciate the staff ,the feel, the atmosphere, the subtle aesthetic with homage to a bier garden es theme, interesting music choices that are very eclectic and the overall experience. I couldn't recommend this place more!

Anthony Romano

Absolutely love this place. Their beer menu is fantastic and their food is awesome. Everything on their menu is reasonably priced. Every thing I've eaten there I've left saying "wow". If you have to been you need to give it a go! The staff are really friendly and they also have trivia nights (on Thursdays I think).

Huge rotating selection of beer on tap, friendly staff, free coffee. Their menu claims that they serve growlers of beer, but when we tried to order some, we were told that they don't have growlers, thus the four stars instead of five.

Large and varied beer list, in a variety of sizes, and well served. The food menu is short, but has a nice variety and avoids the typical greasy bar food options.

Great beer selection with a good menu full of delicious pub fare. Nice ambiance and friendly staff. Really enjoyed our time here.

Over 30 amazing beer selections and they just added $9 power bowls to their menu. Upstairs and downstairs seating with a few tables on the sidewalk. Bar is a standing bar so no stools. So happy to have this in the Pine Hills!

Good service. Good beer. Unfortunately they've had to cut back on selection but still a good place for friends to gather and enjoy a cold one!

Always a solid choice, especially when they run food specials. Probably one of the best beer lists in the area.

Great spot for craft beer! Extensive tap, bottle, and can list. There's plenty of option types for everyone. They have cider and seltzers also. Some of the prices are a little higher than average. The food menu consists mostly of different types of tacos, which are appealing. Tacos come 3 to an order with chips and sals for $16. We ordered 4 different types and shared. Three out of the 4 types were cold, unfortunately. Parking can be tough. Place is definitely worth visiting, and we will give them another chance.

Steven Quinn

Great spot for craft beer! Extensive tap, bottle, and can list. There's plenty of option types for everyone. They have cider and seltzers also. Some of the prices are a little higher than average. The food menu consists mostly of different types of tacos, which are appealing. Tacos come 3 to an order with chips and sals for $16. We ordered 4 different types and shared. Three out of the 4 types were cold, unfortunately. Parking can be tough. Place is definitely worth visiting, and we will give them another chance.

Still one of my faves but cmon people, it’s time to recover the benches and stools. The red duct tape isnt cutting it!

R Taft

Still one of my faves but cmon people, it’s time to recover the benches and stools. The red duct tape isnt cutting it!

We used to come here when it was Mahars, and really enjoyed how unique it used to be. Now it feels really generic and unmemorable. They kept the 35 taps and did still have a good on tap selection but the decore and vibe is very manufactured and Applebee's-esque.

EXCELLENT beer selection!! The food selection, however, did not keep up with the selection of beer though. Sandwiches, Mac and cheese and hot dogs are good for a deli, but not pub fare in my opinion. I had the buffalo Mac and cheese entree with chicken. It appeared as if the chicken and pasta were cooked separately and then thrown together with buffalo sauce and some cheese in the microwave for five minutes. The fried pickles were a different an delicious take on an oft seen appetizer. Bottom line: come here for beers and app's, go someplace else for dinner.

Great unique beer menu that also offers a few ciders! Staff is generally knowledge about the selection and very friendly. The bar is cozy feeling and trivia on Thursday nights is really fun! Where it falls apart is the kitchen. The menu changes often and really tries too hard to be cool. It's very hit and miss. Something you enjoy one day will either be gone from the menu or completely different the next time you order. If the kitchen could find some consistency they would easily deserve 5 stars.

Katie Brownell

Great unique beer menu that also offers a few ciders! Staff is generally knowledge about the selection and very friendly. The bar is cozy feeling and trivia on Thursday nights is really fun! Where it falls apart is the kitchen. The menu changes often and really tries too hard to be cool. It's very hit and miss. Something you enjoy one day will either be gone from the menu or completely different the next time you order. If the kitchen could find some consistency they would easily deserve 5 stars.

I seldom leave poor reviews, but I wanted to share my experience. First the good: -- Bar decor is excellent and cozy -- Vast draft selection. Beers are referred to by number vs. their name (at least 30+ from what I remember). Great variety too with plenty of IPAs, sours, gose, etc. on tap If you're going for just a beer (and nothing more) with a group of friends, this seems like a solid spot. Now the bad: -- Only 2 bar stools by the bar, lots of empty space -- gives the implication you shouldn't be there unless with other people -- The kitchen: There was one cook who left to apparently grab supplies from the local grocery store. I guess they don't order from AA Provisions or another premium food supplier. When he finally got back, I was made aware that what I wanted wasn't available since they didn't have any pulled pork. Mind you: this was 20 mins. after I placed the order. After being made aware of this, I decide to order the Harold and Kumar, which was 4 Brauts with what sounded like some interesting toppings so I just go with that. While I'm waiting for my food, I hear a timer go off and then the unmistakeable sound of a microwave opening... ...Are my freakin' brauts being microwaved?!? It appeared no one else was ordering food so it had to be for my order. A discussion ensues between the cook and the bartender (Courtney was her name, and she did just fine) and my food still isn't out. 50 mins. total have passed since my initial order, and I decide to just cash out my beers. I still left a dollar tip per beer since it wasn't the bartenders fault. My suggestion: grab your grub before you come here, and make sure you're with a group

The food and beer was out of the world. Everything was cooked to perfection and hands down one of the best eating experiences my group and I had. Downside, we had to wait 45 minutes for our "waitress" to bring someone in our group a beer and a cider. We also had to wait about an hour for our check, while our "waitress" sat at the end of the bar and talked the entire time. We ended up having the bartender come and take care of us. He was okay, except for the fact he had very little experience splitting checks.

Wasn't impressed with their menu, their foods are on the smaller size. I am used to buying enough food to feed seven. Their $2.00 Taos are not worth it, never give you options for toppings must have their recipe only. Better off going for the drinks

About the only thing good to say is that they have a lot of beers. The food is adequate, service okay. The trivia on Thursdays isn't really trivia, it's word games, and the host is cozy with his friends and helps them.

Steven Smith

About the only thing good to say is that they have a lot of beers. The food is adequate, service okay. The trivia on Thursdays isn't really trivia, it's word games, and the host is cozy with his friends and helps them.

Respectfully, the food is not good. The beer is OK. They do take a very, very long time once you order so order everything all at once.

I truely wanted to like this place! I thought the inside was cute and the concept of the upper deck seating was nice, but we walked in at 7:30 last night hoping to get food and sadly left hungry and thirsty. Although it was busy, there were tables open, however, we could not find a waiter and or waitress anywhere, or even find a sign or any indication on how to get a table. We even tried walking upstairs but found no wait staff. If you want food don’t go here! We ended up going to the Orchard and had a great meal and drinks, so there's a happy ending.

Tyler

I truely wanted to like this place! I thought the inside was cute and the concept of the upper deck seating was nice, but we walked in at 7:30 last night hoping to get food and sadly left hungry and thirsty. Although it was busy, there were tables open, however, we could not find a waiter and or waitress anywhere, or even find a sign or any indication on how to get a table. We even tried walking upstairs but found no wait staff. If you want food don’t go here! We ended up going to the Orchard and had a great meal and drinks, so there's a happy ending.