Very very good beer and sandwich and fries

Always a blast here. Great food, great drinks, great service. Love the vibe. Great for a quick bite or making a whole night of it.

I wanted wings but couldn't find a good place and I had hill street cafe saved in my favorites as places I wanted to go so I figured I'd give it a try. I work in Albany on business travel so I try to eat at all the different places. I didn't realize it was such a bar with "cafe" in the name. I went with a couple co-workers for dinner. We had a few beers from the great beer selection and wings to start. Both were great. I got a large pepperoni pizza which was awesome. Would definitely recommend this place just be weary of the noise if you want to have a conversation.

We went there on July 1st and had a very nice experience there. The outdoor wasn't compelling but it's definitely worth it to go in! : the waitress was nice to us and dedicated, the service quick and the food delicious!

From Philadelphia. Ate here last night at the bar, on a whim. Allie took care of us, and was holding the entire place down with class and a smile. One of the best at the craft I’ve ever seen. Not easy in a rough and tumble place. Immediately upon entering was greeted by two patrons who were blasted, one of which seemed to wanna punch a hole through my head. But I was so hungry it didn’t matter, the food and service were def worth it. And I’m picky! Thanks, Allie.

Wow, fantastic place. We came one afternoon for lunch, ended up coming back the next day and had 2 awesome meals. French dip was very lean, sweet potato fries and mac salad were awesome. Everything was hot and fresh and cooked right. Would definitely go back.

.10 cent wings on Thurs. nights. Thats my memory of the Hill Stree Cafe. Late 80's. Times have changed LOL!

If you want the Best Pizza in Albany check out this spot. Oh my Goodness their extra cheese pizza is the best and I'm from the city so I know good pizza. Go by and buy a pizza pie. No Regrets!! Delicious!!

Great and friendly service and even better food!

Great food and service. Loved the French Onion Soup and the French Dip sandwich. My server Daisy was excellent. Great place to stop while passing through Albany.

wonderful bartenders quick draw awesome foood!

Moved to downtown Albany from NYC and struggling to find good pizza. However, this place serves the best pepperoni pizza! I highly recommend trying it out.

If you're looking for a TO-DIE-FOR Reuben (corned beef) sandwich, sweet potato fries and French Onion Soup before a show at the Egg, go to Hill Street Cafe on Madison. Yum! 😋 I gave it 3 stars for atmosphere because it's kind of dark and a bit outdated inside but it was clean, including the bathroom, and our server was both friendly and efficient.

Good food and generally quiet enough that you can enjoy conversation while you eat/drink (unless you try to go right before a Knickerbocker... I mean Pepsi... I mean Times Union... (insert whatever the arena is called today) event, in which case it's often lively and a bit packed but in a fun way. Service sometimes takes a bit during busy times since there's often few workers, but they're always friendly, and it's worth the wait!

Hill street Cafe is a great bar! The crowd was fun, the drinks were great, and the bartender Morgan was awesome she helped me get a cab home and was very helpful. Great place to hang out if you are passing through town like I was.

Hill street is a great bar. A small place with usually only one bar tender. It has pool, darts, good TVs, good beer selection and my favorite wings in the whole town. Not saying it is five star place for everyone...but it is mine.

They had my favorite beer! Good burger too!

Probably the best pizza I've had I Albany. Wings were amazing too. But the estimated part is the service. Ali the bartender was friendly and on point.

This is such a lovely cafe to be in! They are very friendly and attentive to their customers. Especially since my family has been visiting from Oregon, so it was a good choice to go and I'll be stopping by more often as well ❤️

The food was good, drinks were strong, and staff was super nice!

At first glance, it looks like your typical local dive. The Adirondack cheesesteak wrap might be the best cheesesteak I have ever had. When in Albany, make sure to stop here as their food is amazing.

Amazing burgers. Bartender was very friendly & helpful

Been here maybe a dozen times in 20yrs. Always has me coming back! Nothing disappointing about this establishment. My 3 older brothers frequently here a bit more than me, just because I spent a lot of time away Actuve Duty Navy. Thank you, everyone, that has worked here over the years .. quality hasn't diminished.

Loved the Spicy chicken and the pesto pizzas. Went back twice in a week for the same. On the first day we went really late and the kitchen was about to close. Yet our order was taken which we are so thankful for. The server was very nice and seemed to be popular among the regulars.

Bartender is friendly and the general crowd overall was nice for a Sunday afternoon. Walked over for a pick up, it was nice to sit down in a working, air conditioned bar. Had to wait a little bit extra for my food but it was okay. I'll be back but on a day that's not 95 degrees (hot walk).

One of the best places to visit in Albany. The food is on point for everything, from their fantastic pizza to amazing wings. The bartenders are always friendly, polite, and extremely helpful. Great overall setting and if you are looking for a great Albany bar you gotta come here. Note: The wings are cooked in their own fryer and as a Celiac it's great to have wings again. And they are stellar! Highly Recommended! A++++

We visited here exploring the area, and are so glad we did! The food was incredible, the server was amazingly friendly. Such a wonderful atmosphere. For the love of all that is good, if you go here, get the pizza!

Heavenly nachos with the perfect amount of spice and salt on them. We enjoyed the French onion sandwich and the parm sub as are mains, they did not disappoint.

our waitress Morgan was the only person working in the front of house. she was tending to a -full- bar, answering the phone, taking to go orders, and serving multiple tables all at the same time. why this was all expected of her is really beyond me. if you told us she was also cooking our food, i probably would have believed you. it took over an hour to get our dinner. but let me tell you, she had unmatched composure the entire time we were there. and when the food did come out, it was nothing but delicious. all four of us loved our meals. if we're ever back in Albany, we'll come back.

We came here after my cousins grad from Statton-Bryant. We know nothing of this area and this quaint little spot popped up as an option to eat so we went. The ambiance reminds me of Cheers, the bartender/waitress greeted us with a smile and smiled with us the whole way through. Food was good, and quick. If you're ever in the area please pop in! I recommend the wings 🤘🏾

HillStreet is a Blast from the Past! We eat there at least once a week. I just love the turkey wrap club with macaroni salad. Someone else usually picks up our order, but I went and they play my favorite music. There is a lively little crowd, and very pretty barmaid. Yep, I love everything about the place.

My favorite pizza place in Albany since moving from Chicago. Awesome Cajun wings and French onion soup. Pretty much all there food is so delicious. Love the dive bar feel with the craft beers. And a parking lot ❤️❤️❤️

The BEST meatlovers pizza you will EVER consume by far! Meet great people everytime we stop after the Empire games!! Wouldn't wanna go anywhere else! Bartenders are always great and very friendly as well!! The nachos are great as well. NO skimping here at all!!

The Hill Street Cafe is amazing. Great draft selection, perfected pizza, and amazing custom wing sauces recommended by the bartender. This little cafe/tavern is definitely worth your time. If I'm ever in the area again I will definitely be stopping here. A city favorite.

I love this place. One of the first places I learned about when I arrived in the area. Great beer selection. Great pizza and pub food. Good service, and comfortable laid back atmosphere. Good place for a bite before a show at the egg or the TU but get here early, it gets busy most evenings.

Best hidden gem in albany! Best french dip and best turkey pesto panini! Great food and great drinks! They also have great wings and surprisingly good pizza.

This is my favorite local hole in the wall I’ve ever experienced! Tons of beer on tap to choose from, and every item on their menu is out of this world delicious (I know because I use to live a 30 sec walk away). I’ve moved to Tennessee, but when I come home to visit family we always meet at The Hill Street Cafe first! I miss the food, the people and the atmosphere! Wall to wall football on Sundays were my favorite! Try this place and you will not regret it!

What a great little spot! My husband and I came here after a show at the Egg looking for late night food and drinks. Both the chicken quesadilla and wings were delicious, the beers were cold, and the prices were so affordable. Next time we’re downtown, we’ll be sure to stop in again.

I have been wanting to try Hill St. for a while and finally made it in. I ordered the French Dip and steak fries. The sandwitch, when delivered was perfect for eating as is. The meat must bath in the au jus, so the bread had already absorbed alot. The sandwich was hearty with a generous amount of beef. This is a great place to unwind wirh a drink and grab some pub fare. The staff was friendly doid a great job.

What a great menu. It took a long time to decide on a choice because everything looks so good. If you want fine dining and gourmet, this is probably not for you. If you want excellent food and service, you won't be disappointed. I only gave a 3 star on the atmosphere because it was a little too dark for my liking. I will definitely come back for more.

Family stopped by after visiting NY State museum and it was crowded with all the nfl playoff games on. Morgan was the only bartender/server in the place and was extremely busy but our drinks were always filled and food was decent. She was great, checked on us often and made it a very enjoyable experience. Great Job Morgan!

Excellent bar food. Great beer. The server/barmaid was fantastic and very patient with us. Highly recommend!

The waitress/bartender was amazing and the so was the pizza

So this is your average blue collar / white collar bar, people who live and work in Albany often come here. They without a doubt have the best pizza you have ever had!!! The sauce is so delicious and so unique I highly recommend ordering one night.

Stopped in for lunch, great place for a quick bite. The pizza was the best!

My girlfriend and I were staying in an AirBnb around the corner on Elm Street and LET ME TELL YOU.....We have been here I think 5 out of the 7 days we stayed. The French Onion soup is to die for. A thick, soft, melted layer of cheese. Lots of flavor in the soup and not sweet like some others I've had. Honestly, the best French Onion we've ever had. Had the pleasure of meeting Carl while he was restocking, who makes the soup, so I had to let him know how good it is. He was super friendly and personable. Speaking of friendly and personable, Daisy was our bartender twice and both times it felt like I've known her for years. She's outgoing & sweet and definitely our favorite. The other times we've visited we haven't been told the names of our server/bartender but they have all been great, service wise. The wings were nice & crisp, not soggy or over sauced at all. The pizza crust was tasty. The burger was good. Sweet potato fries melt in your mouth. I honestly wish we lived closer so we could come back for this soup whenever we wanted. Definitely will be back whenever we're in Albany next.

We had an amazing experience at this cafe! The bar area is dimly lit with a very nice bar atmosphere and the dining area is quiet and well-lit. The bathroom is nice and clean, the waitress was prompt, friendly and knowledgeable and the food was excellent! I especially enjoyed the honey mustard chicken wrap and sweet potato fries.

Fantastic pub food and pizzas; one of the best in the Capital district. Extensive draft beer selection and extremely attentive staff. Bar seating and high tops out front and a full dining room in the back. They also have their own parking lot just down the street on the opposite side. It can get busy, especially when there are events downtown, but your patience will be well rewarded.

My fiancée and I truly appreciated Alanah’s great service with a smile tonight!! We were welcomed by this nice young lady and accommodated to a beautiful seating area. The environment was very clean and the food was amazing thanks to the cook Sydney! If you’re looking for a place to take your family,friends and colleagues please visit Hill Street Cafe.

Bill Levering

Get French onion soup. Food better than you might think. Nice crowd and feel. Great pub.

Britt Torello

I come here every Monday and the same girl Alana is always working the bar. I always come here on my day off now because the food is great and Alana is amazing!! She knows my order, she’s never in a bad mood, she always makes time for everyone even if it’s busy— will definitely keep returning! Totally a new favorite spot because of her, I know I’m coming in tonight

Hoof Hearted

The food was excellent. I had the wings and a corned beef Rueben. Morgan was the most knowledgeable and friendliest waitress I have ever experienced! Service was amazing even with a large crowd. The other customers were also extremely friendly. I highly recommend Hill Street!

CR L

Excellent in my opinion. A low-lit bar atmosphere that seems to be a local favorite. Pub food was great. Lady running the bar was terrific. If you are looking for a cozy pub with a friendly atmosphere, then this is the place.

John Abraham

First time customers and we were very pleased. Excellent service and food. Pricing very reasonable, highly recommend!!

John Micik

Great little place in downtown Albany. Friendly crowd at the bar. Food is tasty and reasonably priced.

Britney H

Bartender gives a heavy poor. Chef puts his foot in it. Great service from everyone. This place is more of a pub with a dining room than a café, but its damn good.

Ritch Cope

Visiting Albany on our way to Cooperstown we were wandering about the town and found the Corning Tower and the Hill Street Cafe... liked them both. Great pizza, salads and decent wings. The waitress / bartender was wonderful and the regulars sitting at the bar were friendly and helpful. We had a good time and a good meal...two thumbs up!

Jonathan Konior

After looking around trying to find a reasonable place to eat and drink we came here before a Chris Stapleton concert and we were so glad we did. The service was outstanding considering how busy it got. The servers hustle. The drinks were good and they have an excellent selection of beers. We did arrive a bit early because we knew the concert crowd was coming. I strongly recommend this tactic. You can tell it's a local hangout without a bunch of stuff people need for atmosphere but it felt like home for us. The wings were great (Try the Chipotle Lime BBQ sauce..very interesting) and I had a roast beef melt which I didn't expect it to but, it blew me away. Very reasonable prices as well. We liked it so much we went back and had some drinks and nachos after the concert. One of those places that you hope to find coming in from out of town

Dee2U S

I go to this place once in awhile and the food is always good and drinks are too.I got the lemon pepper wings and my friend got the hot wings 🤤 I went back another night and had the buffalo chicken salad. ( big chunks of buffalo chicken) I had it with the Parmesan dressing so good 😋.

ANTHONEYMARY VICTOR

Morgan was outstanding. She handled all the orders without fail appeared to carry out all the order seemlessly and even change the TV station to our liking. Kudos to her and her service. Food was outstanding. We ordered pizza, nachos and salad. Very good place to eat

Bon Wan

My family walked in around 3:00PM on a Sunday. There was only 1 girl serving the entire restaurant from the bar to all tables! Although she was terribly busy, she maintained her professionalism. Especially she has kept being polite, nice, with a big smile all the time. Food was delicious. Especially its puffy pizza.

Ian Barnett

The Reuben sandwich and the French onion soup are delicious. Good food and the service is top notch

A Crews

We originally planned to go to a different restaurant we’d heard good things about but it wasn’t open Sundays, so we found this place from the Google reviews and it didn’t disappoint. I got the Grilled Rueben, which was cheesy and delicious, albeit more than a bit messy to eat. Dad got the soup of the day, a New England clam chowder, which must have been great because he practically inhaled it 😂 the French Dip was “good” according to him and he was happy he was able to sub the fries for a salad without an up-charge. The bartender was super friendly and overall it was a great experience

John kyler

Worth the walk up the hill. Finishing off the weekend here with pizza and beer. This is pretty much your corner pub. Friendly locals that make the place so much better. Tons of screens to catch up on the game. Enough beer to tingle your taste buds and what has been said, “Surprisingly good pizza “.

CeeJ.

Dropped in for weekend lunch. Bar was full and lively. Seemed as if many locals were there. Sports/TVs, Darts, and even a Lotto machine. Bar service was prompt. Large portioned entrees for a reasonable price.

IM Bercer

Albany gem. Unassuming and reliable. Always a solid meal. Needed to satisfy two picky eaters. Easily accomplished. They have an expansive menu with large portions.

Neighborhood bar and grill. Drinks were strong and my chipotle burger was deliciously messy. We were a big party that night and the bartender didn't even skip a beat and took great care of us!

Picked up lunch from here with a coworker. . . Its a small bar with a kitchen. They make finger foods. I ordered a roasted turkey panini. It's turkey, swiss cheese, and raspberry mayo. It was ok tasting. Next time I'm going to pick something else. They serve wings, sandwiches, soups, beers.

Great service, great food. I haven't been there since 2005 because I've been down south. But this is traditional pub fair done right. Only one star off cuz they served my burger on an inferior roll.

Been going to the Hill Street for years -- friendly staff, great variety of beers, the food is consistently good, and the hot wings are some of the best around! Keep up the great work!

Friendly service and really relaxed atmosphere. Food is a bit greasy, but still delicious. Totally a neighborhood spot as the staff seem to be on a first-name basis with the regulars.

This place has been a staple of the hill and the community that surrounds it. It's no secret why they are still on the hill. You want a nice friendly atmosphere and feel like you know everyone as soon as you walk thru the door. This is the place.Very welcoming. You will not feel like a stranger and when you leave you still won't feel like a stranger.

Good beer selection. Cold beer. Surprisingly good pizza!! Very nice bartender. The locals are friendly. Even got into a Political conversation were we disagreed, but it was fun and cordial.

Bartenders and food are fantastic. But $8 for a bowl of soup and $9 for a mixed drink. The owner is losing more business than he knows. With a number of options nearby, you may want to look around

The bartender was very pretty, polite and approached us right away! If it wasn't so small I would've definitely given it 5 stars. I'd go back if I'm ever in town again.

The bartender/server was great. We didn't interact much but she is clearly warm and good at her job. Food was solid. Gender neutral bathrooms, please. :)

Good hole in the wall spot. I really enjoyed my chicken sandwich, my husband thought his chicken wrap was a bit dry. The beer selection on tap and bottles/cans was good as well. It’s not the kind of place I’m going to go back to Albany for, but if I caught myself back in that area looking for food I’d go back

Nice place,good beer selection,food wqs good. Could use some more staff. Visited when a show was on across the road and there was only one bartender who seemed to be doing everything and serving everyone. Service was a little slow but that's to be expected and not the servers fault. I felt sorry for her but she did an amazing job.

Good neighborhood bar; prices are average for the area (which is high, for my taste). The burgers are tasty, but not particularly memorable. The fish fry basket was the best deal; HUGE piece of fish and fries. Can't remember how much, but it was cheaper than my burger, and I was slightly jealous. Pretty tasty, but again, not something to go out of your way for. The dry-rub wings, however, were surprisingly good: I would definitely go out of my way for those. There was also a much bigger selection of wing flavors than I'm used to at bars, and all the ones I tried were fantastic.

Great food up here in Albany! The pub offers great personal pizzas and food you’ll like with a fresh beer 👌🏻 great atmosphere and the bartender is very, very friendly ;)

Nice spot! Our server / bartender was Extremely sweet, such a nice young woman. The food was also Extremely good. We all got sandwiches, and they were all perfect! I am only knocking off one star (closer to half a star) because we waited around 40-50 minutes for our lunch (all sandwiches), however the waitress without hesitation knocked off 20% and apologized so sincerely. She let us know that she was the only server / bartender and that there was only 1 cook (and it was a pretty busy day!!) But she was incredibly sweet, very kind and the food was VERY good! I would definitely go back!

Seth Chelsea Liddle

First time ever at Hill Street Cafe tonight. I made a reservation because I wasn't sure of seating, and I'm glad I did because it filled up fast! All the employees and staff were very nice and friendly. They had a lot going on though, the waitresses were also bartenders. They were so so busy it took a long time to get drinks and some things were forgotten. It also took a long time to get our food order in and then get our food. The food was good though. Another con is that they will only split a bill evenly, not by what you ordered. Overall if I was just getting drinks and maybe apps I would definitely return. I wouldn't recommend for a meal though, especially with a group.

Jackie Adler

6 of us enjoyed dinner here on Sunday evening before a nearby show. If you have an event in the area, this is a great option for a centrally located restaurant. And they are open Sundays, which was hard to find. Even without a reservation, we managed to get in. However, we were there early; I suspect a table might have been harder to get later on. Service was amazing! Drink refills without asking, servers checking in just the right amount, and overall great customer service. It is a small pub, which means it gets loud. This was fine for us, but if you are looking for a quiet spot to have long conversations, this will not be the place you want. Pub food and pizza seems to be their specialty. Boneless wings were very good; a medium sauce had just enough spice. Mozzarella sticks also good (great marinara!) and a decent amount of them too. The pizza was delicious! I snuck a piece of my hubby's pepperoni pizza and loved it! Homemade sauce, great crust, and a nice balance of sauce to cheese. Sandwiches we ordered were good, just not outstanding. If I go back before another show, I would honestly order some more apps and pizza (I was thinking about getting chicken tenders, but didn't. Bet they are great!). Overall, a solid choice if you are in the area for a show and looking for some great pub apps and pizza.

+3

The food was okay. The service was great. And the atmosphere was dark and very lounge like. If you don't drink alcohol this is not the place for you.

The waitress did an amazing job handling a huge load of customers. There were spider webs on a top window. The pizza tasted like a hotpocket. The burger was dry. The kielbasa was good, though.

I've been wanting to go here for longest of times. My husband and I had some time before a show at The Egg, and ventured down here. The waitress saw us, walked by us a few times. Helped the large table, that came in front of us. We waited maybe 10 minutes, maybe less, made eye contact with the waitress. And they never came over to us. So sadly we left. I am giving this 2 stars, because it's local..but can't give it anymore as we weren't served nor physically acknowledged. My husband swore off coming back, but I'll probably give it a whirl by myself.

Servers were nice, that’s the only good thing I have to say. the burger buns are way too hard, pasta salad was flavorless, and fries were crispy but didn’t have good consistency, they were difficult to want to eat. Mozzarella sticks were the best part of the experience but I could’ve also just made them myself at home.

Went in after a fishing trip, reviews looked good. When we got in there it was a bar full of loud people and one bartender. We went down into the dining area and waited 15 minutes until someone happened to notice us, meanwhile listening to swearing and yelling from the bartender minutes before. We finally got menus and waited another 10ish minutes to place it. I’ll say the food came out quick and was great and even got our check quickly. Food was good, service not so much. Bartender was more interested in people at the bar.

Traveling through Albany during a roadtrip and wanted something quick and warm. We ordered their french onion soup and chili for pickup. Was super excited only to open up cold disappointing soup they could not even bother to microwave. For $20 for both soups, this was just an absolute waste of time and money.

Mia Levanites

I can't review the food or atmosphere, but the person who answered the phone was completely rude for no reason. I understand I called on Christmas Eve, but if you're closed, be a little bit nicer when saying so. I called and asked "could I possibly place a take out order?" and the person who answered just yelled "No we're closed!" And hung up the phone. I called back to confirm and the same person answered. I asked "are you actually closed or..?" She just yelled again "We're closed!" and hung up on me. All you had to say was "I'm sorry but we're closed." and I would've been totally fine with it. Have better manners and customer service. If I ever eat there, I'll update this accordingly.