Stepping into Loft @ 205 in Albany is like uncovering a culinary secret you’ll want to share with everyone. 🥂 This hidden gem is a true masterpiece where every bite tells a story. While snagging a reservation can be a hustle—especially during holidays and big events—the reward is worth every second. ✨ The service was absolutely outstanding. I even tried to stealthily hide my ring light and cameras before I realized that at a place like this, true hospitality is the priority. 📸 It’s that genuine Albany vibe I love! Plus, the atmosphere is out of this world—it feels like stepping into a cool cousin’s getaway. It’s cozy, chic, and feels just like home. 🏠 The Flavor Report 🍽️ The Sips 🍸 * Strawberry Lychee: 8.2/10 🍓 * Blackberry Basil Mocktail: 8/10 🌿 * Smokey Paloma: 8.2/10 💨 The Apps 🌽 * Bang Bang Shrimp: 9.2/10 🍤 * Corn Ribs: 9.5/10 (A must-try!) The Main Event 🥩 * Beef Short Rib w/ Mashed Potatoes: 11/10 (Yes, it’s that good!) 🏆 Overall Rating * Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ * Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ * Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This spot is a "love at first bite" experience! Check out the reel for the full tour of this Albany masterpiece. 🎥🔥

+4

Went to eat here a couple of nights ago. Even though it’s a small place, the drinks and food were amazing. So flavorful and the atmosphere was great! Will definitely come back here again!

This joint has it all; awesome service, great food, and a lovely dining atmosphere. The staff have always been very friendly and helpful, even knowledgeable about wine pairings, which surprised me. I’ve been here twice now and both times were excellent. I highly recommend the ribeye steak. It was cooked exactly how I ordered it— true medium *rare*.

Loft 205 is the total package — dinner and drinks done right. The food is genuinely impressive, not just “bar food.” Everything comes out fresh, flavorful, and well-presented. It’s the kind of place where you can start with a relaxed dinner and actually enjoy your meal before transitioning into a fun night out. And the cocktails? Top tier. Thoughtfully crafted, balanced, and strong without being sloppy. You can tell the bartenders know what they’re doing. Whether you’re into something classic or something creative, they deliver every time. The atmosphere is what really makes it special. It starts off intimate and classy for dinner, then builds into an energetic, lively vibe as the night goes on. Perfect for date night, birthdays, or just getting dressed up and going out. If you want a spot in Albany where you don’t have to choose between good food and a good time — Loft 205 is it.

I recently had the absolute pleasure of dining at the loft, and I can confidently say it was one of the most memorable restaurant experiences I have ever had. From the moment we walked in the atmosphere was warm, stylish, inviting, perfect lighting, and an energy that felt both upscale and comfortable. The food was incredible. But the real star of the night was the blonde bartender. I have to give a huge shout out to the genius behind the bar. Not only were the cocktails, expertly, crafted, balanced, bold and absolutely delicious but the bartender's personality evaluate the entire evening. She was knowledgeable, attentive, and charming. I would highly recommend trying out the loft.

Had such an amazing time at The Loft 205. The staff we interacted with was so friendly, attentive and genuinely great at what they do. The service made the whole experience even better. The atmosphere and aesthetic are beautiful. It’s such a vibey spot and perfect for taking insta photos. Everything feels thoughtfully put together and it really adds to the overall experience. The garlic mushroom pasta was absolutely delicious and the coconut martini was my favorite cocktail of the night. It was perfectly balanced and so smooth. I’ll definitely be back and would highly recommend checking it out.

After going to The Loft more times than I can count, it’s officially my go-to spot when I’m out with my closest friends. The vibe is always on point, the energy is fun, and it never disappoints. The blonde bartender is hands down one of my favorites — she’s attentive, welcoming, and always makes sure we’re taken care of from the first drink to last call. That kind of service makes all the difference. As for the food, I genuinely haven’t had a single disappointing meal or appetizer. Everything we’ve tried has been solid. My favorite drink on the menu is the Espresso Martini, perfect every time. They also have a great variety of drinks, so there’s something for everyone. If you’re looking for a fun night out with great food, amazing drinks, and a place to actually enjoy time with your friends, this is the place. They also host a ton of events, so definitely check out their Facebook page ahead of time so you can plan your night accordingly.

Dined recently & had an amazing experience. My server was Jade and then we had drinks after dinner with Ruby at the bar. They were both attentive and helped us decide the best menu and drink options. Ambience is nice with dim lighting and cute vibes. I look forward to coming back!

Our bartender, Jade, was phenomenal. Between her knowledge of the drinks and excellent recommendations, we had a wonderful time. Further, the DJ, JabsSkywalker, masterfully curated the evening. I would definitely recommend for a night out!

Emily Hall

Went to eat here a couple of nights ago. Even though it’s a small place, the drinks and food were amazing. So flavorful and the atmosphere was great! Will definitely come back here again!

J. Whitney

This joint has it all; awesome service, great food, and a lovely dining atmosphere. The staff have always been very friendly and helpful, even knowledgeable about wine pairings, which surprised me. I’ve been here twice now and both times were excellent. I highly recommend the ribeye steak. It was cooked exactly how I ordered it— true medium *rare*.

Nicholas Brino

I recently had dinner at Loft 205, and it was an absolutely fantastic experience! The ambiance was warm and inviting, with just the right mix of modern and cozy. The food was delicious—beautifully presented and full of flavor. What really stood out, though, was the exceptional service, especially from Jade at the bar. She made some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had and was so attentive throughout the evening. Jade’s friendly and charismatic personality made the whole experience even better—she clearly takes pride in her craft and knows how to make guests feel welcome. I’ll definitely be returning to Loft 205 and can’t recommend it enough. Be sure to stop by the bar and say hi to Jade—you won’t regret it!

Jazminn Erdaide

As I am already a die-hard fan of Lark Street Poké Bar and LAX, The Loft @205 completely adds the cherry on top. The Loft is nothing short of wonderful. Every single staff member treats their customers like family, especially Olivia. Olivia constantly has a smile on her face, takes care of all customers and knows how to make sure everyone is enjoying their time there to the fullest. The menu is filled with a variety of delights. Once the food hits the table, in a timely fashion might I add, the dish itself is nothing but colorful and tasteful. I have never had to send a meal back. If anything, I’ve ordered something different each time! The staff are all well versed in what each dish has to offer, making decisions on what to eat much easier for those who just can’t decide! The ambiance is wonderful accompanied by music to fit any occasion. Perfect location to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, date night, etc. This is by far my most favorite place Albany has to offer. Hats off to the owners, staff members and all those who contributed in building this wonderful addition to Lark Street.

Mak

Hidden gem! It was hard to find as the door is small on the side of LAX but once you head upstairs, it is a whole different vibe! I absolutely loved the decor of this place!! The ambiance is really chic and relaxing. Our food was pretty tasty but they have some interesting options that I was not expecting to see. We loved the avocado fries and wine! I would definitely recommend for a date or girls night

Amanda Maldonado

Had some after work cocktails and food with a friend and we were not disappointed. The decor is SUPER cute and service was prompt and friendly. We ordered a few appetizers and a main to share. Bang bang shrimp, pork belly bao buns, and the meatballs were delish! We also tried the short ribs main which was great, but the mashed potatoes fell a little flat. We had several cocktails, but our favorite was a special called a pumpkin pie martini- YUM. I'd definitely return and look forward to my next visit.

Had some after work cocktails and food with a friend and we were not disappointed. The decor is SUPER cute and service was prompt and friendly. We ordered a few appetizers and a main to share. Bang bang shrimp, pork belly bao buns, and the meatballs were delish! We also tried the short ribs main which was great, but the mashed potatoes fell a little flat. We had several cocktails, but our favorite was a special called a pumpkin pie martini- YUM. I'd definitely return and look forward to my next visit.

Lakeia Madison

Nestled just above Vegar Bar, Loft205 offers a cozy speakeasy atmosphere, but unfortunately, my recent visit left much to be desired. The food, although promising, arrived cold, which significantly dampened the overall experience. The small whiskey bar had a charming vibe, but the lack of warmth in the dishes overshadowed its allure. While the waitress was pleasant, she was new, not properly unsupported, and not yet knowledgeable about the liquor selection or menu offerings. Additionally, during my visit to Loft205, I observed a concerning practice by the busboy. He was removing paper from straws and repackaging them into a box without wearing gloves. Not only was this unhygienic, but it also raised questions about the cleanliness standards of the establishment. Although the drinks were poorly crafted, they were undeniably strong. While we enjoyed the bang bang shrimp, we found the portion size of five medium shrimp for $15 to be slightly overpriced. Despite the atmospheric potential, Loft205 fell short of delivering a memorable dining experience due to the cold food and inexperienced service. Hopefully, these issues can be addressed to elevate the overall quality in the future.

Sara Rivest

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.

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.

+2

Nestled just above Vegar Bar, Loft205 offers a cozy speakeasy atmosphere, but unfortunately, my recent visit left much to be desired. The food, although promising, arrived cold, which significantly dampened the overall experience. The small whiskey bar had a charming vibe, but the lack of warmth in the dishes overshadowed its allure. While the waitress was pleasant, she was new, not properly unsupported, and not yet knowledgeable about the liquor selection or menu offerings. Additionally, during my visit to Loft205, I observed a concerning practice by the busboy. He was removing paper from straws and repackaging them into a box without wearing gloves. Not only was this unhygienic, but it also raised questions about the cleanliness standards of the establishment. Although the drinks were poorly crafted, they were undeniably strong. While we enjoyed the bang bang shrimp, we found the portion size of five medium shrimp for $15 to be slightly overpriced. Despite the atmospheric potential, Loft205 fell short of delivering a memorable dining experience due to the cold food and inexperienced service. Hopefully, these issues can be addressed to elevate the overall quality in the future.

+2

Melisa Rodriguez

Saw them online and decided to give them a try. The reason I gave them a 3 out a 5 start rating is because the food and waiters were awesome but one of the down falls were that their alcoholic beverages were made poorly. You can taste the cheap liquor/wine. Like the vibe is there but If your food and drinks are going to be as expensive as they are, the least you can do is use alcohol that can match in quality. Also, in my reservation notes I had also mentioned that we were going their for an anniversary celebration. I mentioned that it was a surprise and if we could’ve gotten some sort of desert at the end but not one person brought it up or asked me anything about it, nor was it presented at the end of our meal. I think they use local stuff which is cool, support small businesses but can we make sure it actually taste good, doesn’t just look aesthetically pleasing for socials and that you guys pay closer attention to your online reservations.

Haley C

Sometimes the customer is right. I went there last night, the pork belly was greasy and chewy. Better at Tanpopo. The exclusive way the Loft is set apart from bar vegan and not easily viewable from the street is an ick. It’s overpriced. It’s also an ick that the waitress didn’t admit to a simple mistake, instead tried to say I “pointing at the wrong cheesecake” when I said a guest wanted chocolate cheesecake and said “I pointed to the wrong thing” bc ”that cheesecake doesn’t have chocolate” . There’s more than one cheesecake item and one of them is a BROWNIE cheesecake. My hand was gesturing to the dessert section in general. This is weird behavior. Lol. The whole vibe gives fake bougie but guess what. We’re in Albany. You can only put so much lipstick on a pig.

Larissa Justin

Their food was decent but way overpriced. $23 for chicken fried rice that was mostly rice and $3 to add an egg (you can buy a dozen eggs for less than $3). Then they charged our table over $12 for using a credit card. Unreal... The waitress was inattentive as well, especially for a slow Saturday night. I had to get up and go to the bar to order drinks. Too many other restaurants in the area to visit. I also notice this place was pretty dead for prime seating time on a Saturday night... wonder why.

Pretty sure my mashed potatoes were instant. Owner and bartender were loudly ranting the entire time, my wife and I were the only ones there. Between that and the speaker right over our table, conversation was almost impossible. Drinks were good though.

Previous staff was racially profiling my party and chased us down because we did not tip. Last time I checked tipping is a courtesy not a requirement. And their service subpar. Not tip worthy.

Last night January 3 a group of us went out in Albany. I don’t go out there often anymore—the nightlife isn’t what it once was, though I know the new mayoral administration has plans to revitalize it. We gathered at Bar Vegan The Loft on Lark Street, and by around 10 p.m., the space filled up very quickly with a large group of youngins. Looking around, a significant portion of the crowd appeared underage. There was no ID check at the door and bartenders were not ID’ing at the bar. From past experience, I know how quickly word can spread about places like this. Additionally, the posted fire marshal capacity is 57, and that number was clearly exceeded, which made the environment feel unsafe. Service started off fine, but the tone from the bartenders quickly shifted and became hostile. Our group was refused service because we were wearing green wristbands indicating we were part of a celebration. It’s also important to note that our party was Black. Later, I was told bartenders accused our group of being rowdy and dancing on tables—claims that were simply not true. We were the only group that was clearly older, and we are professionals who value our reputations and how we conduct ourselves. (A friend) At one point, stood patiently at the bar waiting to be served. A blonde bartender with lip fillers looked directly at me, rolled her eyes, intentionally skipped over me, served the young crowd on either side of me, and then moved to the opposite end of the bar. It was clear this was not accidental. Ultimately, we decided to leave because we did not feel safe given the overcrowding, lack of security measures, and the hostile treatment we experienced. I consider myself a respectful individual. I’ve worked on the other side of the bar, tip well, and make an effort to be easy to serve. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not confrontational or obnoxious. Being treated the way we were last night was unacceptable. I choose to support establishments where my presence is respected. Because of this experience, I will not be returning. I’m sharing this because multiple people witnessed what happened, and this is not just a matter of being overly sensitive—it was genuinely disappointing.

My group and I didn’t like the food, the service was subpar, we waited minutes to be seated despite us making a reservation, we were seated in the smack middle of a speed dating event (which we were completely unaware of until we we sat down), and we were chased down for tip by someone who was previously employed there (I could provide a name if necessary). She was holding our bill that was given to her by our server with our signatures, while demanding that we should tip. She proceeded to say “she didn’t know we were black” and she stayed with my party in the downstairs area while our ride came to pick us up. It seems like the behavior was condoned by every employee who was present, because not a sliver of remorse or even a beginning of an apology was expressed to us.

Peter JB (Peter's YT page)

Last night January 3 a group of us went out in Albany. I don’t go out there often anymore—the nightlife isn’t what it once was, though I know the new mayoral administration has plans to revitalize it. We gathered at Bar Vegan The Loft on Lark Street, and by around 10 p.m., the space filled up very quickly with a large group of youngins. Looking around, a significant portion of the crowd appeared underage. There was no ID check at the door and bartenders were not ID’ing at the bar. From past experience, I know how quickly word can spread about places like this. Additionally, the posted fire marshal capacity is 57, and that number was clearly exceeded, which made the environment feel unsafe. Service started off fine, but the tone from the bartenders quickly shifted and became hostile. Our group was refused service because we were wearing green wristbands indicating we were part of a celebration. It’s also important to note that our party was Black. Later, I was told bartenders accused our group of being rowdy and dancing on tables—claims that were simply not true. We were the only group that was clearly older, and we are professionals who value our reputations and how we conduct ourselves. (A friend) At one point, stood patiently at the bar waiting to be served. A blonde bartender with lip fillers looked directly at me, rolled her eyes, intentionally skipped over me, served the young crowd on either side of me, and then moved to the opposite end of the bar. It was clear this was not accidental. Ultimately, we decided to leave because we did not feel safe given the overcrowding, lack of security measures, and the hostile treatment we experienced. I consider myself a respectful individual. I’ve worked on the other side of the bar, tip well, and make an effort to be easy to serve. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not confrontational or obnoxious. Being treated the way we were last night was unacceptable. I choose to support establishments where my presence is respected. Because of this experience, I will not be returning. I’m sharing this because multiple people witnessed what happened, and this is not just a matter of being overly sensitive—it was genuinely disappointing.

Toob Fan

Pretty sure my mashed potatoes were instant. Owner and bartender were loudly ranting the entire time, my wife and I were the only ones there. Between that and the speaker right over our table, conversation was almost impossible. Drinks were good though.

Marcela Pareja

I usually don’t leave bad or negative reviews but I think this should be said. We went to the loft because bar vegan which is down stairs was closed for a private event. We are vegan so we wanted to eat vegan food an we were told that the loft serves some vegan items from the bar vegan menu since they share the same kitchen. Keep in mind bar vegan is a TAPAS bar which serves smaller portions of food and it is reasonably priced. So when we went to the loft and saw the same pasta that bar vegan serves for $10 dollars more we expected a full portion not a tapas portion. Well, it wasn’t, we payed $25 for a kids portion of pasta. I think it’s ridiculous to pay so much for something we usually pay $15. Never going back. The only good thing was the service.