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Barnsider - Steakhouse in Albany, New York

Barnsider

4.3 (1704 reviews)

480 Sand Creek Rd, Colonie, NY 12205

Steak house
American restaurant
Function room facility

About Barnsider - steak house in Albany, New York

Aged beef & fresh fish in a fine American establishment with rustic elements & an open kitchen.

Customer Review Summary

Overall, Barnsider received mixed reviews from diners. Many patrons praised the freshness of the salad bar, flavorful steak, and attentive service. Several comments highlighted a nostalgic atmosphere and positive experiences with specific dishes like French Onion Soup, baked shrimp, and desserts. However, some reviews pointed out flaws, including cold side dishes, undercooked meals, and slow service. A particularly negative experience involved frozen crab cakes and overcooked beef Wellington, leading to disappointment despite a helpful waiter. While some diners expressed a willingness to return, others felt the restaurant was declining in quality and overpriced.

Key Features

Service options

  • Outdoor seating
  • Takeout
  • Dine-in

Highlights

  • Fireplace
  • Great beer selection
  • Great cocktails
  • Great coffee
  • Great dessert
  • Great wine list
  • Sports

Popular for

  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Solo dining

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Wheelchair accessible seating

Offerings

  • Alcohol
  • Beer
  • Cocktails
  • Coffee
  • Comfort food
  • Hard liquor
  • Healthy options
  • Private dining room
  • Salad bar
  • Vegetarian options
  • Wine

Dining options

  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Seating

Amenities

  • Bar onsite
  • Restroom
  • Wi-Fi

Atmosphere

  • Casual
  • Cozy
  • Upscale

Crowd

  • Family-friendly
  • Groups
  • LGBTQ+ friendly
  • Tourists

Planning

  • Dinner reservations recommended
  • Accepts reservations

Payments

  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards

Children

  • Good for kids
  • High chairs
  • Kids' menu

Parking

  • Free parking lot
  • Free street parking

Customer Reviews

Rating Distribution

4.3 out of 5
5
1027
4
379
3
138
2
84
1
76
Based on 1704 reviews

Theresa St. John

5 months ago

This was my first time here. I loved how fresh the salad bar was - how cheesy the French Onion Soup was, how perfectly cooked the steak was when it arrived at our table. Server was great (we actually had two, both named Chris, lol) Very clean restaurant, nice wooden interior. Would go back when in the area.

Billy Hanrahan

1 month ago

Food, service and atmosphere was amazing!! A little pricey but worth it! Highly recommend!

Suzane Quain

10 months ago

Service and food phenomenal! Baked shrimp amazing. The twice baked potatoes delicious. Pittsburgh style medallions excellent. Our server was terrific She handled the non alcoholic wine for my sister with discretion and seamless.

Kristine

My fiancé and me have been going there for all our special occasions. The last two times it wasn’t worth the hype. I always order the old fashioned sirloin and he gets the prime rib. The potatoes are always cold and not enjoyable. The butter on my sirloin was cold. Waitress wasn’t attentive either we waited 20 minutes to get our check back so we could pay. This location is going down hill quick.

Mallory W.B.

11 months ago

Great place, reminds me of old time joints with my grandparents! Front desk staff were super friendly and helpful. The restaurant wasn't overly busy but we did wait sometime for water and drinks initially following that everything came out timely. Salad bar is simple but filling and the cheese is my favorite part. Yum, who does love a hunk of cheddar to gnaw on during dinner. Steaks/meat came out as offered and were hot and flavorful. Dessert was AMAZING! Didn't even have room for it but we made some and it was worth it. We've been here before and will continue to come as it was a great dining experience!

Roxy

8 months ago

I will definitely go back to this restaurant. The food was cooked perfectly. Everything, was tasty, beef Wellington, lamb chops, and prime rib steak. Help yrself salad bar. Drinks & cappuccino 👍

Matthew Goncalves

Old style place that had some charm but needs some updates. The staff was nice and attentive. The food was good, but it could use a touch-up. My beef wellington was under seasoned, and the demi-glaze sauce lacked salt. The bathrooms needed a deep cleaning, the men's room stunk of urine out into the hallway. My wife and I would consider going back here, but it may be a while.

Lauren Dombrowski

1 year ago

Came here for the first time on Valentine's day, had always heard good things and my boyfriend was really excited to try the Wellington... I ordered crab cakes for my appetizer and when they came, they visually looked cooked. However my knife would not go through them as they were completely frozen solid on the inside. I touched them with my hand and they were cold to the touch. The manager came over after I returned the plate and said they 'must not have been in the oven long enough'... Sorry, but I'll maintain those crab cakes never touched an oven. They were that frozen and chilled. $18 for two frozen crab cakes is pretty ridiculous, even if they had been warm. They offered to make me a different app, but I was a little repulsed after putting a lump of frozen crab bread into my mouth and opted to wait for my entree. When our entrees came, my boyfriend's wellington (which they said they serve 'medium rare') came completely well done... See photos. The meat was so brown-grey and dry it was falling apart. Manager apologized again and offered us free dessert and to not charge for the Wellington. I'm really not a complainer, and while I appreciate the partial comp on the meal, this was literally the worst dining experience I've ever had. And even the food that was made correctly was not that good, I think this restaurant is quite overpriced for what they're selling... The one saving grace was our amazing waiter, but I really didn't appreciate the manager explaining to me how the crab cakes must have not been cooked and how the Wellington must have gotten overcooked.. I don't care how it happened, it ruined my meal and explaining the mistakes doesn't make it any better. Won't be back again.

Location

Contact Information

Hours of Operation

Friday 4–10 PM
Monday 4–9 PM
Saturday 4–10 PM
Sunday 4–9 PM
Thursday 4–9 PM
Tuesday 4–9 PM
Wednesday 4–9 PM

Price Range

$30–50