New World Bistro Bar

Great food, and tasty food. Also had a great atmosphere.

Favorite place to either grab a bite and a drink before a movie date, or to sit at the bar and catch up with old friends. This is my go-​to restaurant whenever anyone asks to go somewhere «new,» or «interesting,» and after years of excellent service they have never stopped reinventing themselves. Prices are a bit above average, but in my opinion you get what you pay for, and it’s well worth it.

I love this place — I often struggle between ordering a tried and true favorite vs. something new, and either way I am always satisfied. Love their Thai panang curry Bolognese. Make a reservation!

This place is pretty awesome. The vibe going on is good for a relaxing dinner and the servers are super friendly. The first time I went I got the tuna steak which was amazing, not to mention the sides I got. The second time I got the island salmon which was not as tasty. However, my boyfriend has gotten the meatloaf wrapped in bacon twice and I have to say its the best entrée on the menu. Two entrees, cheesecake, and 3 drinks came up to 100 $ plus tip. A little on the high end compared to other restaurants in the area but totally worth the money. Your paying for good service, a good atmosphere, and of course fresh unique food.

I have been to New World Bistro on several occasions and overall I’d say this is a nice place to come to get a nice dinner while still being able to dress casual and have a nice night out.
New World Bistro is conveniently located on Delaware Ave. In Albany and has a decent size parking lot in the back — though closer to the weekend parking becomes hard and you may either have to park next door at spectrum and walk over or street parking. They have a nice outdoor seating area (weather permitting) and a dimly lite dining area that surrounds a walk up bar where there are a handful of other dining seats.
As for the food, I have not been disappointed so far. The food portions are generous and very flavorful. To date I have tried:
Korean Pork Belly ($ 10) — probably my favorite dinner dish here. Excellent flavor and prepared just right.
«Pernil» Pork ($ 24) — nice portion of pork meat, with a crispy outer skin. last I had this was a little on the dry side but good none-​the-​less.
Half Pound Local Beef Burger ($ 16) — Great tasting burger, not the best, I’ve ever had but was prepared well. I think the additions (lettuce and tomato) needed a little work, did not seem that fresh.
And Finally — Dessert: Daily Fruit Crumble ($ 7.50 or a la mode $ 10) — by far one of the best desserts I’ve had. Simply delicious and would highly recommend getting this. Each visit could be a different fruit — this time was peach crumble and it was excellent.
Overall a great place for dinner — wait staff has always been well mannered, eager to help and pleasant.

3.5 stars.
Great service, quick seating on a weekend night, and a plus for the interesting fusion concept to the entrees. Pricey. Open parking lot.
Got the:
1) Thai italian love bolognese which was ⁷⁄₁₀ for me and great blend of thai panang curry with chewy flat noodle pasta. Topped with cilantro (which I dislike). Too much of one flavor in an entrée. Get the SMALLER size.
2) Burger deluxe — bacon, chedder burger topped with fries. Can’t go wrong with this one.
3) Desert — peanut butter cookie with raspberry ice cream. Was hoping for the classic choco chip cookie with vanilla ice cream, but this one was satisfying enough. Get the half size. It’s huge.

This is one of my favorites in the Capital Region. I became a fan from the New World in Saugerties and I’ve been back to the Albany location many times since. They’re very accommodating to different dietary issues and their menu is the bomb.

There were a lot of details I wanted to consider before how many stars I gave and so here goes…
First impression. The place was very intimate and almost part speak-​easy vibe which my fiancé and I enjoyed. It was cozy and warmly dimmed. We arrived for early reservations but it soon filled up quickly but we didn’t mind that it was packed, which was a plus. The crowd was a mix of ages but all very nice company.
Food. They had some tasty cheddar rolls as a compliment and a nice menu. One main reason for trying here was discovering they served bone marrow which I had tried once while in Canada and loved it! The verdict, very good. It was a bit different than what I enjoyed in Montréal but equally impressive in its own way.
My main course was a Cuban sandwich which somewhat disappointed me. It tasted nice but wasn’t what I expected… it was more like a pulled pork sandwich instead of how I figured a Cuban should be, white chicken breast kind of sandwich you know?
Drinks. They had a great selection of wines and some carefully chosen beer greats. I am a bit of a beer snob and was glad to see their selections. We ordered a bottle of wine which was fantastic but want to go back for the flight of beers they offer (to go with their thin brick over pizza we also wana try!)
Dessert. We eyeballed this table with a giant cookie ice cream sandwich and said… YES PLEASE! it was tasty and great sized, for the half size even. They had many others on the menu worth trying and sounded amazing. Kudus on the desserts!
Overall. Impressed with enough factors to say I very much enjoyed it there and want to go back to try the pizza and enjoy the ambiance. My meal wasnt life changing, in fact the main course even a bit disappointing… Yet the rest of the experience I found was enjoyable enough to merrit 4 stars. Check it out!

Easily in the top 10 «best of» in the city and surrounding area, top neighborhood restaurant. Affordable or reasonably priced food slash cuisine. Great service, great ambiance, star chef.

New World, I really want to like you more.
I live in the neighborhood and love stopping by for a drink or two and a few bites before hitting up a movie. The problem is the consistency is lacking recently.
This past Sunday the vibe was a little weird. There was a couple that felt entitled to take up multiple bar seats in a packed room even though their party wasn’t completely there. I had 45 minutes or less to grab food but a seat wasn’t available for me anywhere else, which I do find slightly hard to believe considering some of the reservations didn’t show up until the time I left.
I waited for a seat to finally open up at the bar and this time ordered a cup of lobster bisque with the lobster dumplings. The lobster dumplings were splendid. So delicious, oozing umami goodness. I am still dreaming about them. The soup was the exact opposite — absolutely flavorless to the point where I was scooping up all of my sauce from the dumplings and adding it to make it edible.
The bar was way too busy to even offer a slight complaint, but I find that to be the case not just this last time but multiple times before. I think New World is becoming slightly overwhelmed with it’s popularity and not in a good way.
This will still be my go-​to place before meeting for the movies, but it’s becoming less of a destination when there are so many other restaurants to choose from without the hassle. For instance, I never have these types of issues at a place like DPs and at this price point, I will probably end up there instead when it comes to a meal on this level.

I am a lover of the Jerk Chicken here. I order it spice level 3 with a side of 5 :-)
Valerie likes it HOT so she orders it at spice level 8. She says she has a 10 at home. Lol
Ric’s Jerk Chicken is still fantastic after all these 20 years!
I loved the Sangiovese red wine, as well as the Malbec :-)

Stopped here for brunch and before the doors even opened there was already a line out the door.
Shrimp n grits was good but for the hash trio, my eggs were overcooked so that was a bit disappointing.
The complimentary jalapeño bun was warm and fluffy! The highlight of my meal.

Seasonal Kitchens are always a treat, due to the obvious fact the menu changes per season. On the outside looking in it seems rather small, but had plenty of seating. It was a Wednesday night and we waited for about 20 minutes to get seated. (Oh, by the way the parking lot is tiny).
While waiting to be seated, we sat near the bar area and looked at the menu (The Fall Menu). There were so many different options to choose from I was back and forth between two appetizers & two entrees!
We were seated by a lovely young lady, who had answered all of our questions pertaining to the menu. I ended up getting the purple haze shrimp appetizer and the Pernil pork entrée. My waitresses warned me that the shrimp would be spicy, but I said it couldn’t be that bad… boy was I wrong! On a spicy scale of 1 to 10 it was an 8! Between the 3 shrimps I received I had 3 cups of water! My mouth was on fire! So if you like extremely spicy go for it. if you don’t skip it!
The Pernil pork dish was tender and the texture of the meat and side were perfect together! It was not your «typical» Pernil dish from an actual Spanish restaurant but it came close! I wish I had asked for the mojito sauce on the side because it was a bit sour for my tongue personally.
Overall I loved the ambiance and the meal was great! Service was good minus the wait. *Make reservations to avoid waiting* The next time I am in Albany I will definitely visit again!

This is a difficult review. I love so much about this place yet at the same time not all is well. I’ve rounded a 3.5 review up to a 4 instead of rounding down to a 3 because of the food.
I’ll start by saying that they have a decent sized parking lot around the back. Sometimes it’s full but it’s always good to check before parking on one of the side streets. It’s not that bad a neighborhood yet it’s on the cusp.
The interior is warm and welcoming. Lots of exposed brick, and cozy separation of dining areas. This is great if you are sat away from the bar. However, if you are sat in the bar area you will be elbow to elbow with your neighbor diners and you will be looking at the backs of a wall of bar patrons, regardless of the nigh of the week.
If you’re looking for a vibrant high energy spot to dine and celebrate this is the place. They are always busy. It’s perfect for people who like to be seen and who hope to be seen. This is not the place for an intimate, romantic meal.
The service is usually great. Don’t expect stuffy wait staff in uniforms. The hire an eclectic group of people who share a passion for food. You might get a serve plastered in tattoos and piercings, a server wearing a vest and bowtie and anything in between.
On to the food. I’ll start with what I do not like since it’s a short list. I don’t like the blackened green beans. I know, kill me! The beans are just a bit too raw for me and the spice mix that coats them, although tasty, resembles dirt. I also don’t like their burger. The meat comes from a local organic farm but it’s always excessively charred on the outside and surprisingly dry even when ordered medium or medium rare.
What I do love is their pasta dishes, their daily cevice, and the classics such as the spicy jerk chicken and ropa.
This is a great place to grab a decent glass of wine, a signature cocktail and something to eat. Just come EARLY since the whole pace fills up fast and early no matter the day of the week.

We planned to check out the bistro for brunch as a starter and eventually return for dinner sometime. As a group of seven, we were lucky enough to be seated immediately on the patio… covered and heated, protected from the cold winds on a Sunday mid morning. The patio was nice and gave us a small view of the bustling Delaware Avenue. What we missed was the atmosphere we would have had sitting inside the actual bistro bar. Perhaps an future evening for dinner and drinks will show us that aspect.
Service was quick for our lucky 7 and our server was accompanying to our request to have the eggs cooked soft and runny. We were given a basket of cheddar jalapeño rolls to start with and they were tasty. I had the cage salmon bennie (blackened Faroe salmon with green onions and bearnaise). The salmon was cooked to perfection and the spiciness was a huge kick of flavor but eventually subsided as I continued devouring it. Unlike the typical bennie, it was over toasted and buttered brioche, which is what made it so heavy, yet so delicious and satisfying. The bearnaise sauce was a very balanced flavor of butter, herbs, and white wine vinegar… something that can be easily overlooked by restaurants if not carefully prepared. I also sampled my friend’s classic french toast (with whipped butter and real maple syrup). It was crisp on the outside and heavenly soft inside, but got cold very quickly and the maple syrup had gone deep into the toast, leaving no spare room to redouse. The rest of the group ordered the breakfast bowl, huevos traditionales, the hash trio, and some brunch cocktails. We all came in hangry but left full and happy!
Overall a great choice for a brunch outing and could possibly be a nice dinner and drinks spot. We will be taking advantage of the spacious parking lot at the back of the bistro bar out of convenience.

I’ve been coming to New World Bistro Bar since it opened about six years ago. Having had the pleasure of eating at the rustic, Hudson Valley location, New World Home Cooking, I was stoked for Ric Orlando and his crew to set up shop in Albany. Time after time and all these years later, NWBB continues to impress and bring fresh ideas to the area’s culinary scene.
I’ve never been served a bad meal at NWBB. Throughout the years, I’ve sampled a good portion of the restaurant’s menu including the various flatbread pizzas, epic burgers and sandwiches, a whole slew of appetizers (go for the blackened string beans), and many of the entrees (the ropa vieja is one of my favorite dishes made by any restaurant locally). Everything that comes out of the kitchen is made with interesting and vibrant flavors, with a focus on fresh and seasonal ingredients. The menu is complimented by a nice selection of spirits and includes local/​regional beer, cocktails, and wine. If you’re not in the mood to sit for a full dinner, this is a quality place to pop in for a couple of drinks and some small plates.
If this review stopped at just the food, it would have easily been five-​stars. However, the one issue I have with NWBB is an important one for me. Unless I’m seated in the back area of the restaurant, I can’t help but feel that I’m sitting right on top of other patrons. I think the layout of the restaurant can feel a bit tight, especially when it’s busy. Short of removing a handful of tables, I don’t think this can be avoided. It’s a small price to pay for an otherwise excellent dining experience, but something that is worth adding.
New World Bistro Bar is one of the more reliable restaurants in the area. Boasting classics alongside a rotating, seasonal menu, it’s easy to see why NWBB is among the top rated restaurants in Albany.

Traveling around allows many unique experiences. The folks at New Wold Bistro have created just such an experience. A farm to table focus leads this eatery to stand out in my mind. Rustic, urban, and modern designs with swinging music sets the tone for the meal to come.
A play on the same ol’ same Eggs Benedict, the Rope Beini graced my pallet with flavorful braised pork, light Hollandaise sauce with a bitter side salad to offset the richness of the main course. My critique would be only that the side of potatoes lacked seasoning, but that’s a minor item. The butter like texture of the braised pork stole the show. Accompanied by a basil and grapefruit Martini, this brunch style casual meal was a winner.
I wrapped this excursion with an old favorite of mine, crème brûlée! As is normal, it did not disappoint. I elected for a half pour of a local Vidal Blanc Ice Wine with a crisp nose and a sweet apple honey finish on the pallet. A perfect end to a near perfect meal.
Families, couples, friends, or solo — The New World Bistro is worth a stop for anyone passing through Albany, NY and seeking a quality meal. Bravo!

Recommended by many friends, I brought my friend and I to have supper at this restaurant. This is possibly one of my favorite eating place in Albany now, though I’ve only been here once and time will tell.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was excellent. It was clean, well lit, organized, and classily set up. The servers were very attentive and made sure we were looked after.
I ordered the Thai-​Italian love bolognese. It was super delicious! It’s exactly what you think Thai and Italian fusion would be liked, with more Thai flavor than Italian. I don’t think the combination would be tasty, but it worked really well together.
My friend ordered a pan clam chowder that had diced bacon and potatoes on top of the clams. The sauce was excellently made, and the waitress quickly replenished us with more bread to dip with as soon as we ran out. It wasn’t too seafoody, and the chowder was light enough to bring out the flavors of the clam and diced goods.
He also ordered the New World Jerk Chicken, which was quite amazing. All the five flavors were there — the sweet bean and yam, the sour of marinates veggies, the umami and salty of the tender, multi-​flavored chicken, and the light bitter in the sauce to accentuate the meats. It was quite amazing! None of the flavors was too strong or overwhelmed, so it was definitely a well done dish.
I will most certainly be returning here soon to try out new recipes and delicious noms!

It’s a little pricey, and the place can get a bit loud, but they serve really unbelievable food, which is all locally grown and sourced.
I’m a complete sucker for their spicy seasoned string beans.
Really, there’s no way to go wrong with their menu, which refreshes seasonally.
A meal at NWBB and a movie at The Spectrum (just a couple of doors down) is a great one-​two punch.

Stopped here on the drive from a trip to the finger lakes back to boston. Nice atmosphere. Food was well executed and seasoned. This is a great spot for anyone with a craving for brunch! Shared the bennie trio and the huevos tradicionales. The bennie trio was the better of the two, but both were great. Would recommend this spot for locals and visitors alike.