Palais Royal - City of Albany

Great dive bar hidden on the midtown streets of Albany. Relatively quiet during the afternoon but business picks up at night. Great place to go for a quiet drink with some buddies and watch sports. Food is standard bar food, pretty much what you would expect at a place like this.

Albany's best dive bar. Friendly bartender with a good beer selection plus a pool table, pacman, darts.

Eclectic CD jukebox, although I miss the old '45 jukebox. The day bartender, was gracious and cool. And the new night bartender was sweet and attentive. The only problem: a thimble of rye cost $10.

A quiet dive bar with a big personality, it's much more laid back than most of the bars in the area. The mixed drinks are really good and they serve a few reasonably priced snacks at the bar.

Having just relocated to Albany from Europe, I was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming both the staff and the regulars were, making me feel right at home—quite a contrast to other bars I’ve visited. The atmosphere is fantastic for anyone who appreciates old-school dive bars. The jukebox features actual discs, which is one of the best pieces of Americana I've encountered so far. There are plenty of options for pool and darts, and the back porch is a lovely spot to enjoy during the summer months. Overall, I would rate this bar a perfect 10 out of 10!