Yono’s Restaurant

We were in Albany for the weekend, visiting from South Florida, and wanted to check out some fine dining options. Yono’s had high marks on here, and was recommended by our hotel. This was VERY disappointing. Coming from South Florida, we have endless fine dining choices, and have sampled most of them. Yono’s couldn’t hold a candle to the worst of them. The food and service were mediocre at best, not at all deserving of the prices charged. The wait staff all seemed to be college kids. The menu described itself as «Indonesian fusion» but the restaurant was decorated in «1985 tacky». This restaurant needs to do some basic research on what «fine dining» means, and what it takes to earn the price point. I’m not even talking Michelin Star quality, just solid high quality food and service that we get for under $ 100 in Florida. Will not return.

Absolutely FANTASTIC; by far the best meal and ambiance I have had in upstate NY. Our server was exceptional and food delectable. We enjoyed lamb, duck, scallops, halibut, oysters, crab, and even lobster bisque. All exquisite in flavor. Even the drink my server offered was ambrosial! Can’t wait to go back.

The service was great however we were there on a Monday night and we were seated at the wrong table and moved twice prior to our final seats.
The drinks we ordered were very good!
The food was also very good although the bread guy dropped our bread twice lol.
It was a relatively quiet not very busy service but the food made up for the hiccups in service.
The fried rice appetizer was delicious! We split it, so we were hoping that there would be more than 1 shrimp in the dish to split. The flavors were amazing and it was very tasty.
The duck and lamb dishes we ordered for it main courses were out of this world, although that duck was extremely rare when asked for medium. The lamb was perfect.
It was a good first Yono’s experience and will probably return at some point.

We have been there before, at least three times. This was not my favorite visit. The staff is wonderful. The first and third time I went I gave it 5 stars. Now that I have been there a few times I guess I am getting bored with the place. Still the fried rice appetizer is still excellent. I decided to get the 5 course meal and unfortunately I was disappointed in all of it except the short ribs which melted in your mouth. Still they are very accommodating on every level. I, guess I need a change.

My husband and I went here to celebrate our anniversary. Yonos staff made us feel so welcome and special on our occasion. From the corner table, to our personalised menu, it was all about the special details. We had ordered the grand tasting and wine pairing in advance. What a delightful experience! Every bite and glass of wine was superb from start to finish at the eighth course! This was by far the best dining experience we have had even surpassing any international dining bonanza. I would highly recommend this to anyone as it is something you will be telling others about for years! The scallop was Carmelized with pineapple. The prosciutto with pear, hearts of romaine salad, lamb, and desert were spectacularly prepared. Thank you Yono’s for making our anniversary a memorable one!

I had the pleasure of enjoying my second meal here on Friday. We made a reservation for my fathers birthday and the entire experience from start to finish was top notch and unparalleled.
First, the wine list at DP /​Yono’s is the best in the area. There’s something for everyone in every style. New world or old world, traditional or hip, there’s going to be a ton of bottles you’re going to want to try. One of the best parts is that an up to date list is available for viewing on their website or you can click here:
. There’s some seriously awesome bottles on this list and many of them benefit from some time to breath. I ordered a bottle in advance and had it opened up hours before our arrival. Not sure what to order? Don’t worry, they have the area’s best wine professional and accredited Sommelier standing by to assist you. Dominick picked out a beautiful bottle of sparkling we enjoyed prior to our meal.
The menu at Yono’s is amazing. They used the menu as an opportunity to make our group and my dad feel like a million bucks by personalizing the specials insert with a happy birthday message for my dad. Though we didn’t elect for a tasting menu, I would highly recommend it. There’s 4, 5 or 8 course tasting menu’s with optional wine pairings. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy the whole experience. I’m pushing for the 8 course for my birthday =).
Instead we each ordered Yono’s famous lobster bisque which is far and beyond the best bisque I’ve ever had and a couple beet salads to split. Colorado Lamb, Diver Scallop’s and Duck breast were our entrée selections and everyone loved their meals. I was the only one looking for a dessert and went for a Mango Sorbet which was out of this world. My dad had a special birthday plate brought over to him with happy Birthday message and his name while the wonderful two piece musicians played happy brithday. How awesome.
The service at Yono’s is the best I’ve ever received. I’ve never experienced such perfectly executed service with the attention to detail provided while making it all look effortless. They made my dad’s birthday so special and made our group feel warmth that is scarce in the industry. My dad is still glowing about the meal and proudly kept his menu insert as a keepsake stating that it «only took him 58 years» to get his own custom menu. I can’t recommend Yono’s enough to make any special occasion really feel special or make a random Tuesday a more memorable one.

In general, nice experience. Short rib is AMAZING! My friend ordered duck breast, bit undercooked, not impressive at all. Lemonade cocktail… nothing special. Cappuccino is good. Bread pudding’s selling point is… satiety. The best food I had at this restaurant is the bread, absolutely fantastic! I could eat it all night long.

I rarely give any dining establishment five stars, but Yono’s deserves six. No kidding. My boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner — at my request as it had been on my restaurant bucket list for quite some time. When I made the reservation, they asked whether we were celebrating a special occasion, so I told them that it was for my birthday. When we arrived, everyone we passed en route to our table wished me a happy birthday. After we were seated, they brought us each a glass of champagne … on the house. I am impressed.
We each ordered the Lobster Bisque which was velvety smooth and delicious, although they might want to be a little more generous with the «claw meat» that was no more than a small piece of a side leg of the lobster. My boyfriend ordered an Indonesian noodle dish «BAKMI GORENG»: INDONESIAN STIR FRIED NOODLES for his appetizer. It was a massive portion, enough to be an entrée (!) and fabulous. I ordered the TWENTY FOUR HOUR BRAISED PORK BELLY which, while a small portion, was delicious.
For my companion’s entrée, he chose the SEA SCALLOP À LA PLANCHA. Very tasty. I selected another appetizer, the PAN SEARED HUDSON VALLEY FOIE GRAS — absolutely divine and the stuff that foodies dream about.
We shared the INDONESIAN BANANAS FOSTER for dessert, which arrived with a candle and on the plate they had written, in chocolate, Happy Birthday Lori. My cappuccino was probably the best I’ve ever ordered. Seriously.
The service was spot-​on, very attentive without being intrusive. Yono came out and chatted with us at our table, and let us take photos with him. I really loved this personal touch to what was an extraordinary and memorable evening.
This was one of the best dinner experiences I have enjoyed since moving to Upstate New York eight years ago. I like that Yono’s offers cuisine not found anywhere else (e.g. pork belly), and puts an interesting spin on popular dishes such as scallops. While our bill came to over $ 200 with tip, it is worth saving up for just to savor artfully presented, outstanding cuisine.

We had a delicious dinner at Yono’s. The chef cooks everything to perfection. We celebrated my father’s birthday, and the chef made sure it was memorable! Thank you to the chef and his wife.

Great service, very delicious breads. Nice ambience also. The location is a bit weird since it’s in a hotel. For the appetizer we had the pork belly which was very tasty with a yummy sauce. For dinner, we had lobster and short ribs. The lobster was perfect with delicious sides such as beautifully crafted coconut rice, eggplants, and vegetables. The short ribs were OK with egg rolls and coconut rice as sides. We also had the bananas foster for dessert. It was OK. The sauce could have been less sweet for my taste and the ice cream could have been more. In general, it was a nice experience. They have a good selection of wines also.

Came here for an event with approximately 40 – 50 people. They provided a limited menu to choose from. LOVED the bread they served… fresh pretzel balls and everything bread. I could have eaten them all night. I had the salmon as my entrée, served with rice. It was good. They served dinner with an assortment of salts… Himalayan, Indonesian, and sea salt. It was a unique added touch.

I am not sure what restaurant the poor reviews were at but it must be in an alternate universe or something. Every aspect of the meal was incredible.
We started by having to wait for a moment at the bar as our table wasn’t ready. A very nice gentleman came to let us know how sorry they were and asked if we were here for a special occasion (so that they could print the specials insert with the Happy Anniversary T and M on it)? He also made some small jokes and chatted for a few minutes. The special cocktails we got were very tasty and we carried them in almost immediately after getting them.
They served Prosecco to welcome us. The pork belly app was a perfect size for 2 — a few small and delectable bites — crispy on top, not too fatty and not too sweet of an accompanying sauce. Both my 24-​braised short rib and my husband’s Almondine Chicken were perfectly cooked and seasoned — not too. Even the carrots and the asparagus were delightful.
The Gran Marnier Crème Brulee was divine. The crust was just right thickness that cracked with a tap of the spoon and the consistency was almost mousse like instead of flan like. (everything was the exact temperature it should have been) The service was impeccable as always and when Yono stopped by to hear about our evening he was very engaged and pleased that we enjoyed the experience even to stay and listen to me rave about each of the courses.
The piano was just right in the background and was not an issue with ordering or talking at the table.
The only ‘almost’ issue was when a 4-​top was seated at a round table near us that had previously held 6. The elder man at the table whispered to their server a few minutes in and the party stood up and went to the front. 2 others joined the server — they flipped the table on it’s side w/​the table cloth on, rolled it out the serving door and in came another much smaller table w/​the table cloth on. Instantly their settings were replaced, new water and wine glasses etc. It took about 45 seconds for the whole transaction and was surprisingly not disruptive.
We will most certainly be back again (have been before but I stopped Unilocaling a couple of years ago due to some differences of opinion that Unilocal and I had, this meal was good enough to put those aside for the non) and pretty much everyone I know will be in due to my ravings.
kudos again Yono.

Still at 5*. Even on a very, very busy night (graduation, tulip fest, and mother’s day!) the service was calm, personal and warm. Some new faces melded well; we all continue to just sit back and enjoy our very high expectations being met.
The bread was up a couple of notches: on past visits it has occasionally been a little below excellent, but this visit the ever-​present pretzel rolls were accompanied by a cheese bread that was *hot*, light, rich, and generally an improvement — very welcome.
Spring tasting menu was delightful. The amuse of a curried squash soup pleased even my spice-​averse kids. Tuna tartare was rather over-​lemoned but that’s better than being too bland, and texture was spot on, firm and fresh — had clearly *not* been sitting in the acid. Then the default scallop got excellent reviews, while I went for the asparagus as a replacement and everyone should: the hen of the woods mushrooms had been poached in sweet soy and then caramelised, possibly the single most delicious thing I have eaten this year. It’s moments like that we go in search of every meal out, but they’re pretty uncommon! Lamb was light, green, and tender.
One miss but in a good cause: a local dessert wine from Altamont really doesn’t deserve to be on the list, but it’s nice to see the local feature (and it was better when not compared to the Sauternes).
So: keep on keeping on, folks, and we’ll keep returning. Still non pareil locally.

This is our go to restaurant to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and just for a wonderful date night. Any time we have foodie friends that come into town this is where we take them to show that Albany has a foodie culture as good as any other city. I have tried new foods like alligator and kangaroo here, along with having the staples served in incredible ways with great sides. And don’t skip dessert. Fun jazz music too. It is always a night to remember at Yono’s.

I love good food and Yonos delivers it with excellence. The staff is absolutely wonderful. They were knowledgeable, attentive and took their time to talk about the menu.
The food here is Delicious. Let me repeat, delicious! I had lobster bisque, fois gras (which I’m still dreaming about) and the Tilefish. My boyfriend had the pork tenderloin and he said that it tasted great. We had dessert and that was great as well.
Overall, Yonos cuisine exceeded expectations and I had a lovely experience. I had an amazing time and the owner even came out to talk to us. He is a great chef, philanthropist and an awesome person. I will be coming back here every time I’m in Albany. If you’re in the area, you should too!

Yono’s is consistently one of my favorite restaurants in upstate NY. The food is flawless and each season has an exceptional menu. The service is first rate with wait staff remembering details about you even with months between visits.
I highly recommend the tasting menus — especially the Indonesian one. Take the wine recommendations — they have never disappointed in 4 years!
And — if the cider donuts are on the menu, I promise they won’t disappoint!

I went there for my wife’s birthday the service was outstanding food was great it was so worth the money. Will return again. The maitre d was great gave good recommendations based on our taste. The service was above and beyond and it’s worth the price. Very quiet relax intimate atmosphere.

Yono’s is set inside of dp, a separate entity of its own yet not. What separates the quiet dining area of Yono’s from the hustle bustle of dp are a pair of heavy set doors. The service was warm and welcoming, particularly from that of our server whose descriptions of the dishes and recommendations for wine were truly appreciated!
I personally chose not to order Indonesian dishes, which may seem at odds with the fact that the chef is Indonesian, but I felt that many of the appetizers/​entrees were «street» food or «food court» food that one would find in Jakarta or anywhere else in Indonesia. (I say this with no disrespect whatsoever.) I draw the parallel of ordering a cheese pizza at a fancy American restaurant in Asia. The pizza would still be gourmet, no doubt, but I would prefer to try my hand at some other dishes. Seeing as each entrée was $ 30+, I wanted to experience chef Yono’s creativity by tasting his Asian fusion dishes and not by ordering «street/​food court» mainstays.
I did however, have the Gado Gado, my all time favorite Indonesian salad for my appetizer. The salad in Indonesia is generous in size with a good amount of lettuce, hard boiled egg, fried tofu, green beans, chopped peanuts or fried onions drizzled with peanut sauce and shrimp chips. You mix the salad yourself for an amalgam of flavors and consistencies per bite. Yono’s version was much more refined — the texture of the vegetables were less pronounced since they were cut in smaller pieces with highlights of longer tofu chunks. The salad was premixed with ample amounts of a lighter peanut sauce. Sitting prettily on top is a small boiled (quail?) egg.
For my entrée I chose the Slow Cooked Maple Leaf Farm’s Duck Breast. The breast meat was cooked to medium rare, showing off its tenderness. The cauliflower «couscous» with golden raisins was a pleasant surprise because of its unexpected texture and its subtle but deep flavor. The raisins weren’t overly sweet as what I’ve found with many dried fruit salads, and instead was just slightly subdued, but enough to make its presence. The meat was plated with roasted carrots and purple cauliflower, exhibiting wonderful colors. The only component of the dish that I wasn’t too fond of was the purée. It was a creamy, very pale, hardly noticeable green color with a flavor that I cannot quite describe. I don’t know the ingredients of the purée, but I felt that it did not pair well with the duck meat.
All in all it was a great experience. I look forward to reading other people’s thoughts about the rest of the menu!

If you are looking for an all around great meal this is the place. Don’t be intimidated if you aren’t sure what some of the items are on the menu, they will gladly explain everything to you and I don’t think they serve anything that isn’t good.
We started out with an appetizer of the Indonesian fried rice and the lobster bisque. For dinner I had one of the specials; shrimp and scallops over pappardelle pasta in a pesto cream sauce. Everything was served so hot we had to wait for it to cool down. And while I definitely don’t regret getting the dish I got, trying the fried rice appetizer really made me want to try the other Indonesian cuisine. The tasting menu is a great idea to sample a variety of things and next time I will have to get that. After all that food I was stuffed but I still had to make room for the Banana’s Foster since it’s one of my favorite desserts and I don’t get a chance to have it very often.
Everything was well executed and Yono himself takes the time to visit each table individually. The dining room is much quieter than DP. The prices may be a little high but the food is worth it and the service is over the top.

ewan M. is spot on when he writes that the food is a 4 and the service is a 6. Easily the best service I’ve experienced at any Albany restaurant!
Had a delightful dinner here at 6 pm. We were the only people in the simple yet fancy dining room. Our server and all the other waitstaff that stopped by throughout the meal were very professional. It reminded me a bit of some of my favorite fine dining experiences in NYC.
I had the duck entrée with sunchoke purée. My first sunchokes and I loved it! My dining companion had a noodle dish that they also serve at DB next door. I had a bite and loved it. Can’t wait to try it next time!
Pricey but worth it for a special occasion. Just a tip — they say to use their valet parking but I don’t usually like valet — I parked around the corner for free on the street (free after 6 pm).