Wine N Diner

Totally let down that this place is closed. We only got to eat here once and were looking forward to inviting friends to go out to this unique restaurant. Maybe it was the location, maybe it was the «noisy dining area» but I hope the owners/​investors plan to re-​open in a new location or try again. I only wish we had gotten a chance to go more often. The fried oreos were great my wife enjoyed the burger and the mac and cheese was awesome. Loved the fresh chips too! We heard from a waitress at The Merry Monk who used to work at the Wine N Diner that the chef is at the City Beer Hall in Albany still creating new and different tastes.

This is a great place. The food is so unique and delicious. The atmosphere is a bit sparse but it works well. There is sort of an artsy feel to the place. They have a lot of local art around the whole place that is pretty cool.
I can’t say enough good things about the food. I have been a lot and never had a bad dish. Everything is fresh and cooked perfectly. However, the reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that the service seems a little slow. With Diner part of the name, you sort of expect things to move along a little faster. It is NOT bad, just not 5 star.
Try the Elvis sandwich! Who knew that combo could taste so good?!

The name says it all. Wine N Diner. Its wine and its a diner. Nuff said! I have been here a couple of time now and I gotta say… Nothing, food wise, has disappointed.
I mean COME ON. the got TURDUCKEN… how bad could it be. And then they had peanut butter, banana and bacon sangwitch, (trust me. YUMMY!!!) Chili served in a Frito’s bag, .and my personal favorite dish name «Fredo sleeps with the Fishes.» I can hear Pachino now…“you broke my heart Fredo, you broke my heart” … Time for the Bacci Morte… but I digress.
This is yummy comfort food at its best, great mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and yummy meatloaf. For what it is… it is excellent. The atmosphere is a bit interesting. I gotta admit the pict of the asian kid throwing up flowers… not very appetizing.
The service… well depended on the day. I will give the waiter and waitresses credit. They were nice and tried to be attentive but the place was obviously understaffed and they were running there tuckuses off! (I find, as a good sicilian boy, that a little yiddish in a review goes a long way!) This is the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars.
Go…enjoy …eat bubbie!!! and you will wanna say Bubbie… cause this is pure comfort food at its best. OH and just one more thing… just expect to leave 5lbs heavier… at least!

Not impressed. This place tries so hard to be hipster that it comes out on the other side. I can’t think of any other place I’ve seen try to hard to look like they’re not trying.
It was empty when we got there, but it took a good 10 minutes before we were approached for drink orders. They came with our drinks to tell us what on the menu was unavailable. Turned out, only what my friend wanted (and spent the day psyching herself up for) was not available that night.
Another 10 – 15 minutes passed. The place was still mostly empty. We were a party of 2, there was a 3 top and a 6 top that arrived about 20 minutes after we did, so I’m not sure what happened except that the two employees seemed to be wrapped up in themselves, or maybe each other.
For all the waiting, the food was mediocre. No, not even mediocre, it was, again, trying to hard. The «cheesy omelet» was so overstuffed with cheese that it was all but inedible. When it was left only half-​eaten and a to-​go container was refused, the waitress copped an attitude, saying in a snotty tone, «Well, the menu says cheesy omelet.» We then waited another 10 minutes for the check to arrive (still with only a total of 3 tables and 2 servers on shift).
Perhaps, if the food had been good, I might give it another shot, but the combination of unwarrantedly slow service, mediocre (at best) food and the trying-​too-​hard hipster feel just left me annoyed.

I’ve been here a few times since they opened. The quality of the food and service has always been consistent for me. Like half of its name portrays, it’s nothing super fancy – just a cool place to drop in for a quick dinner. The menu is fun and interesting without being too ostentatious. I think it a good place to eat out with kids too.
My favorite is the Hawaiian Burger. I thought putting coconut on a burger was weird too – until I tried it – very yum.

Wine N Diner — WOW. I LOVE this place! I would come back everyday to try everything on the menu if I didn’t live 3+ hrs away. Wine n Diner has a diverse eclectic menu, of which I would like to try everything.
What I’ve had:
Tijuana Burger: Black Bean Guacamole, Bacon & Cheddar $ 8.75
½lb Angus on Potato Roll w/​homemade Chips & Pickle
— Holy Cow, one of the BEST burger’s I’ve ever had! And I’ve have Shake Shack, In ‘n Out and Five Guys! The burger was cooked just right with juices flowing. The Black Bean Guac was so mouthwateringly delicious, I just couldn’t get enough! I was stuffed after half the burger but managed to eat the entire thing (and that says a lot for me!) The Homemade chips were potato-​y and crunch, salted perfectly.
Chicken Fried Steak w/​Mash & Gravy $ 7.50
— The gentlemen who ordered this raved about it. It didn’t last more than 5 min… The chicken was hearty, thicker than most places and not as salty. It was good.
What I’m dying to try: Turducken Trifeca Sandwich, Hawaiian Burger, Chicken and Waffles, All Thai’d Up Veg dish, and just about everything else!
OMG, this place is so good! And the décor was fabulous, open, clean, awesome artwork. They even have murals painted in the bathrooms. The Guys bathroom is cooler than the girl’s. The beer is dirt cheap. $ 2 – 5! I got a 22oz for $ 7.
I Love Love Love this place! They also have a cool car parked in the lot.
Putting up pics of the food and menu!

I’m only going to comment on a single dish here. This place may be deserving of another star or more.
I like corned beef; I like fried oysters; I like cheddar cheese; and I like a spicy aioli…
Combining all these together in the Rocky and Bullwinkle sandwich did not work for me. I think the oysters may not have been fresh enough.
I think it’s fair to say I’m still looking for that 2-​star restaurant. I’m not ready to officially assign that notoriety to the whole Wine N Diner restaurant.

I finally made it here! It was really good! I love their diverse menu. I ended up having the Chicken and Waffles (I have always wanted to try this dish, but never have). I loved it! The chicken was crispy, savory and perfectly cooked. The waffle was delicious; creamy and sweet. I was afraid the maple gravy would be too sweet, but it was the perfect balance of savory and sweet, which I love.
My fiancé had a burger and he liked it. He especially liked the homemade chips that came with it.
Overall, I want to go back and try more! My only con was that it was cold in the restaurant.

«Nice to Know You, Goodbye»
Josh K.
Bad service (long waits, no water, had to go to the bar to get a drink), quality of food has declined (soggy and recooked tasting chicken and waffles, chewy corned beef), still fun to bring folks from out of town to though.
I will only demote it 1 star for now.

I am still torn between three and four stars. Wine N Diner has some amazing things going on. There are also, however, some gaping holes in restaurant basics, such as service.
Let’s start with the good. I spent a fair amount of time in New Orleans and I know a good Creole/​Cajun menu when I see one. I started reading this menu and my head started spinning. Fried Okra? Turducken Sandwich? Chicken and Waffles? Burger with Fried Oysters!!!
I always, always ask my server for advice on what to order. Our waitress was a vegetarian (this is a hipster diner, I don’t really know why I was surprised by this) but she still did help me choose my entrée. I went with the Turducken and Holy Turkey Chicken Duck Magic Batman. This was, hands down, one of the best sandwiches I have ever had in my life. Turducken, Stuffing, Cranberry Aoili. Get this. Get in the car. Drive to Albany and get this sandwich.
My friend got a «Rubenesque». .. It looked somewhat sloppy and while it did taste good, the meat was a bit chewy. The Chicken and Waffles looked amazing, the Fried Oysters looked plump and juicy and delicious.
The art work in Wine N Diner is breathtaking in a really bad ass way. All of the pieces are for sale, (if I made more money I probably would have left with a piece or two, but then again. If my Aunt Joan had a penis she would be my Uncle John). The murals in the bathroom are sweet, and I ducked into the Men’s Room to see the cool hamburger-​grenade painting.
Now for the bad. The service. The service. The service. As a former waitress I may be a little bit more critical of service than others, but I think it means that I know what a good job looks like. The service at Wine N Diner is not good. Plain and simple. We asked for more water and the server went around the table and watered about half of us. Then disappeared. I ended up sharing my water with my friend. When you are eating salty comfort food, water is a necessity, and Wine N Diner needs to let their staff know this. When they cleared our table they left all of the dirty napkins in front of us as well as empty beer bottles and water glasses. This did detract from my experience. I guess if I want diner food and relatively quick, efficient service I should go to a Denny’s or a Waffle House.
At the end of the day, I think this place is cool. If I were a resident of Albany I would be here often, as it seems like a cool place for boozing, eating, schmoozing and carousing. But, I would also make a point to speak to the owner about the service. So, if I lived in Albany, I would invite my Uncle John to Wine N Diner and we would eat delicious food and have amazing service.

I had been avoiding the Wine ‘n Diner for a while. They took over the space that used to be occupied by the Bagel Bite, which I adored. I do not know if it’s fair to review a restaurant based on the place that used to be in the same space, but in all honesty, that’s what I kept thinking.
First thing that took be back was just how different the feel of the space was immediately upon entering. Bagel Bites used to have a feel of wood paneling and everyone being on top of one another. It felt like breakfast at my grandmother’s. Wine ‘n Diner felt so much more open. The ceilings were raised, the flooring was a polished concrete and the small tables were replaced with rather large booths. The counter that used to serve as the take out was now a bar that could seat 10 or so people. The vibrant coloring served as a nice accept to the bright artwork all about. I don’t know if it was stuff for sale, but there were plenty of items that caught my eye enough to mention to my wife. The multi-​armed cymbal banging monkey set was my personal favorite but my wife looked at me like I was crazy.
The menu seemed to be things you’d expect from a diner, but with something a little extra. For example, I had the Carpet Bag Burger. Cheddar, bacon and fried oysters with a spicy mayo sauce. The fried oysters were just a little something different. The burger was well cooked, but rather greasy over all. The same could be said of the kettle chips, which somehow managed to be both crisp and greasy on the same plate. My wife found her omelet and home fries rather plain and did not have much to say about them. I did not bother trying either, just did not stand out on the plate enough for me to want to bother.
Good solid coffee and the service was very good, so I wouldn’t mind visiting again. The Wine ‘n Diner promises something different and perhaps sets expectations higher than they deliver.

I’d read all the Unilocal reviews and was really looking forward to visiting. My husband and I went for breakfast the Sunday of Columbus day weekend.
The Pros — the place is funky and cool, the omelets were outstanding
Now the Cons — the restaurant was freezing — I ate with my jacket on.
the service was beyond sub par — both waitresses’ attire was dirty — I get that waiting tables is not the neatest job there is but at 9 a.m. your shirt should be covered in dried on food. We ordered coffee and got our cups but no one ever came to refill them. The waitress dropped off our food and never came back to check, I had to go to the bar where the two women were hanging out, both to get some water to drink and to ask for my check.
All in all I was disappointed. I probably will go back and check it out again to see if this was just an off day because the food was great and the prices were really reasonable.

I absolutely LOVE this place! The inside is really funky and features art from local artists and is totally hip and fun. The only downside is it can be a little cold at times.
The menu is impossible because there are so many things to chose from. Sometimes when I go here it takes me a good 15 minutes to decide what I want to order. The menu has some really awesome spins on traditional diner food-​such as the bre cheese sticks instead of your traditional mozzarella sticks and turkey fingers instead of chicken. They also have really unique burgers, sandwiches and boast a quite large vegetarian section.
I typically order the prince namor when I come in for dinner or an omelet when I come in for breakfast, although I have been expanding my horizons lately. Everything is absolutely delicious. They give you ample portions and everything is high quality.
The owner Dimitrious is awesome. My boyfriend and I have become regulars and he will regularly come sit with us and chat during our meal. You can tell he loves this place and puts his heart into it. He’s there all day everyday that it’s open (except Mondays when its closed).
I highly suggest checking it out. There is such originality here. This place is just what Albany needed.

Loved it! The art, the sandwiches, everything!
I had the Rocky & Bullwinkle sandwich & the oysters were so tasty on the corned beef. Who would have thought?
(my only criticism is that the ladies room needs a mural. The one in the mens room was very interesting.)

Oh my dinery goodness!!!
So I just moved to Albany from San Francisco for school, and I was extremely concerned about the foodie scene out here. I mean, come on, San Franny has a million and ten places to eat. I began my search for good restaurants to eat around the downtown campus of Albany and was thoroughly pleased with what I had found.
I went to Wine N Diner yesterday for lunch with my boyfriend (from the area) and my dad and his girlfriend. I’m always more exotic about trying new places and they gladly appeased.
We got there around one, seated right away, and were welcomed by the coolest collection of new and pop art. Lovely atmosphere!
The waitress told us to check out the men’s room because of the mural – she encouraged us all, Ladies and Gents. So go, check it out! Very cool!
The menu took at least ten minutes to get through. SOOO many choices!
We started off with the brie wedges, which were heavenly! I wish there were more on the plate (though I know that probably wouldn’t be too healthy.
I decided on the Rocky & Bullwinkle sandwich – consisting of corned beef, fried oysters and a spicy aoli spread. Extremely tasty and such a generous amount of corned beef on there. You definitely get your money’s worth. The potato chips that come with the sammys were handmade and delectable! Try them with the banana sauce they have on the table for a nice little kick!
My boyfriend got the Hawaiian burger, which he really enjoyed. And my dad and his girlfriend ordered the Swine of the Sea (I think) which is currently not listed on the menu, and another sandwich not listed.
I think the menu is even larger in the joint!
Oh, and we had to try the fried twinkie. And by we I mean I! Very tasty! Basically like a funnel cake.
I would definitely recommend this place and I’ll probably go back as much as my boyfriend and my college budget allow!

This place was good, but I think it may be getting more hype than necessary. I was in here for dinner Saturday, and had a good meal. The décor is pretty fresh and artsy, which both me and my sig. other enjoyed. The booths are big, which is good for large parties.
We each had a beer, which were new to us, and tasted good. The Tijuana burger sounded real good, and we both opted for it. This is where the meal got strange. Neither of us are big fans of chips. And for $ 8.75 a burger, why not just have fries? When asked if we could substitute, our server said it would be the full extra charge for a side ($ 3). Knowing full well that we wouldn’t eat the chips, my fiancé had sweet potato tots, and I had Cajun fries.
Our food came quick, and the burgers were done excellent. The black bean guac was stellar. The sweet potato tots were pretty good. But the Cajun fries were not what I had thought. I figured regular fries with a kick. They had much too much seasoning on them, making them extremely salty and uncomfortably hot.
Overall, not a bad meal or place.

I actually ate here a few weeks ago, and forgot to write a review. D’oh!
I can unabashedly say I’m a fan of this place. The décor/​ambience is an odd combination of comfortable industrial/​minimalist, but it works. While waiting for our food to arrive, we looked at the art on the walls — actually not a bad way to pass the time!
We started off with the fried brie app. It was fantastic — crunchy outside, not sopping in excess oil, nicely browned… ooey gooey cheesy deliciousness inside. Balsamic sauce was a nice touch and a welcome change from the normal marinara served with mozz sticks, but I do find myself wondering how the brie would fair when paired with a raspberry melba sauce… mmm.
For an entrée, I had the Bella Burger. It was a generous, meaty mushroom cap on a great roll. I thought having rice on it would be strange, but it actually worked really well… a nice textural change. At this point I noticed the «banana sauce» on the table, and applied it liberally to my burger. I love spicy stuff, so this was a perfect choice — nice and hot, but still flavorful, and went with my mushroom burger well. Also went really well with the french fries.
My other half had the Carpet Baggin’ Burger, and boy was that thing huge. They definitely didn’t skimp on anything, clams included. I had a bite and found it to be pleasantly juicy and pretty tasty — and of course I loved the spicy sauce (aioli?) on it.
The owner came out while we were eating, chatted a bit, and asked us how everything was. He mentioned that you can get the «banana sauce» at the Asian Supermarket on Central, so if anybody is crazy about that stuff like I am… go and get it.
Unfortunately, no room for dessert after our generously sized entrees, so I’ll be making a point to leave room the next time (deep fried twinkies)!
I’m hoping this place will be around for quite awhile, because the menu is quite expansive and I’d like to try it all!

Good stuff! Happy to see new restaurants in Albany mixing up their menus with some *really* unique items. My fiancé got the Goomba Omelet (fettuccini, marinara, sausage & mozzarella), and I ordered the Tijuana burger (black bean guacamole, bacon, and cheddar) as rare as they could make it (and they listened to me! yay!). My fiancé remarked that his omelet was kind of like a breakfast lasagna, and he enjoyed it. The black bean guacamole on my burger was great! If I were to recommend anything to the chefs, it would be to replace the cheddar cheese with pepper jack.
The owner is really proud of this place. It seems as though he put a lot of work and thought into it. I’ll definitely be back again!

Recently a friend who lives in the area told us about Wine n’ Diner and we were intrigued. We decided to invite a group out to try it. I called ahead to see if I needed reservations since I had never been. The staffer who answered the phone told me they don’t, but she’d try to keep a few tables open for us.
When we got there, it wasn’t very crowded and the wait staff was very helpful in putting together a few tables so we’d all fit.
Demetrius, the owner was wandering around and came over to tell us about his restaurant. This is not something that happens frequently, and he was quite gracious telling us about the food and the artwork featured on the walls.
Our server was nice, and she got us drinks quickly. The unfortunate part is that they still didn’t have a liquor license. We ordered some appetizers: Fried Okra and Black Bean Guacamole. Both the apps were wonderful, though I wish the Guac had come with chips in addition to the pita wedges.
The menu here consists mostly of «gourmet» diner food. Burgers and sandwiches are aplenty, though there are certainly some great items like Fried Chicken and Waffles with maple gravy (which is what I ordered). They also have various entrees, which are a bit pricier.
When we were there they had a DJ spinning records, which was a really great feature. I’m not sure if he’ll be able to afford to do that every weekend, but I enjoyed the good variety of music being played.
The food did take a while to come out, but we were a 8-​top and we were all enjoying the conversation etc. And when it did come out the wait was worth it. My waffle was crisp as was the chicken. The maple gravy was a nicely balanced sweet and savory that was something I’d never experienced before. My only complaint is that the meal was waaay too heavy, even for me. Other’s had burgers and the curried chicken salad. Everyone was pretty pleased with their meals.
For desert we tried the deep fried twinkie, which is a must if you go — it’s really something everyone should have at least once.
Overall we were impressed by the diverse choices and relatively low cost of the meal as well as the friendliness of the staff and owner. We are definitely going back!

During a quick conversation with Wine N Diner’s owner (and I apologize, but his name escapes me now), he told me that someone had told him that Delaware was Lark all grown up. I totally, totally agree with him.
See, I feel like I moved to Albany and I was already over Lark. Nothing against Lark, but aside from its few gems (i.e., Wine Bar, Daily Grind, and Lark Vegas), it’s really the place to go if you want to stumble around wasted with a bunch of collar-​poppin’ frat boys.
I gradually fell in love with Delaware. The more sketchy sibling of Lark. First I loved the Spectrum «trio.» Then I loved the Elbo Room. Now? I absolutely adore Wine N Diner.
To tell you the truth, this place feels like HOME. It is nothing like you’ve ever seen in Albany. It is edgy and hip, and the wait staff is rad. The prices are *GASP* affordable and the food is fantastic. The décor is amazing – full of fantastic local art that is all for sale. Everything is so cohesive, and I almost don’t want to tell you about this place because it’s already my favorite spot. Hands-​down.
But you’re probably reading this utterly fantastical Unilocal review because you want the nitty gritties. Well, here’s what I can tell you:
+ As of TODAY, I don’t believe they have their liquor license. Bummer if you’re going for the wine, but I am totally willing to wait that one out.
+ Even though they could not give us wine, they could give me tonic water. Which made me REALLY happy.
+ My dining partner wanted to try everything (I kind of did, too). She ordered the fried brie appetizer ($ 6), which came with several triangles of brie, breaded in a spicy (deviled) crust, and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Utterly fantastic. The crisp hotness mixed with the sweetness of the glaze was great. A slow spice at the end.
+ I got the Tijuana Burger ($ 8.25), which came with black bean guacamole, cheddar, and bacon. Again, fantastic. I had to bring half home.
+ My more adventurous friend got the Carpet Baggin’ burger ($ 9), which came with bacon, cheddar, spicy aioli, and fried oysters. We weren’t sure about the oysters, so she got them on the side. Alone, they were fantastic, and she really enjoyed the burger, but wasn’t crazy about the combo of burger and seafood.
+ Curiosity got the best of her (and me, too, I guess), and we shared the fried Twinkie with cinnamon ice cream for dessert ($ 5). Don’t let the presence of a Twinkie get you down… this dessert could easily have stolen the show today. It was AMAZING. Crispy and sweet and just a little bit spicy. I wished it would never end.
+ Other notable menu items include: all-​day breakfast, chicken and waffles, a vegetarian SECTION (!!!), salads that I’ve been looking all over for, mac-‘n’-chee, and chicken bosom (yes, they call it that… how charming!). And they have hot Jufran on each table. I’m all over that.
Super-​solid and delicious food is, I suppose, what’s really important, but with a brand-spankin’-new restaurant, there is so much more, too. I really feel like this place has a super bright future, and they have a really fantastic combination of food, ambiance, décor, and price; the majority of the items are $ 10 or less, with the exception of some really awesome-​sounding dinner entrees that range from $ 15 to $ 27. Basically, Wine N Diner has something for everyone. If you’re a poor grad student (like yours truly), you can find something within your budget, and not feel at all deprived if the guy sitting next to you orders something more expensive.
I love you, Wine N Diner. Hope you don’t mind!