15 Church — Restaurant in City of Saratoga Springs

We've been wanting to go to 15 Church since we visited Saratoga Springs last November and after relocating to the area we finally got a table after track season. Let's start with some positives: The ambiance was good - cute setup with private booths in the back and an intimate bar up front; The staff were all super friendly and attentive (perhaps too much, I'll get to this later); and the kitchen had a few strokes of brilliance. However, what is incredibly frustrating about 15 Church is something my partner and I wondered aloud as we first looked at the menu, it seems to be experiencing an identity crisis. Caviar, oysters, hamachi tartare tacos, street noodles, orange chicken, burrata, gnocchi? I'm a fan of creative, intersectional, elevated food but this blend had no synergy, connection, or cohesive story. We had an almost identical experience at a restaurant in Portland called Janken. We ordered a cocktail and it was decent but absurdly overpriced; the oysters were great but had the same species of oysters down the street for half the price and a mignonette is defined as a vinegar/shallot/pepper...whatever they served was not a mignonette (soy?? again, identity crisis); the lobster salad was okay - a lot of lobster but the flavors were unbalanced; the street noodles were actually good but please don't call them "street" noodles and charge $45 dollars (with add ons); and finally, the best part of the night and the only meal worth the money was the miso sea bass - luscious, perfectly cooked fish, deep umami flavors, and great accompaniments. Again, the kitchen has some brilliance! The lack of a thoughtful identity means there was no rhythm or connection to the meal; it was a hodgepodge of discrepant dishes that were partially realized. That is truly what's frustrating - if the brilliance could be focused and operationalized this place would be bangin! The service was attentive and the folks were super nice but absolutely overbearing, they kept telling us not to rush and then rushed us through each stage of the night. For example, we had half a bottle of wine, they brought us the check and then told us not to rush. We also weren't staying too long - we'd only been there for a little over an hour and there were tables still open. They also kept reaching in front of our meal to refill our water...why not put the water on the outside and don't interrupt our dinner? To put a bow on this lengthy review, we probably won't go back unless there are some shifts in the approach/focus but we are rooting for 15 Church because they obviously have many things going for them: a kitchen with potential, great staff, and a gorgeous space. As we got up to leave we noticed we were the youngest people by about 20 years, so maybe they aren't having an identity crisis and know exactly who they...

WOW! What an incredible experience. It was bar none the best dining experience I’ve ever had in the Capital District. My wife and I went here for our first time for Valentine’s Day. We made reservations in advance which I highly suggest doing. There was a pre fixe menu for Valentine’s Day that came with many great choices. The atmosphere was warm and inviting and is beautifully decorated. Prior to seating, they offered to take our coats from us and check them, which was very helpful.

First, the waitress started off with some excellent drink recommendations that my wife and I both loved. Every dish was described to us prior to ordering with descriptions of how the dish was prepared and where the ingredients came from. We were also asked if we had any dietary restrictions that could be accommodated.

Second, we were brought out some freshly made bread with olive oil that was perfectly baked. My wife and I ordered diver scallops for our first fish and they were nothing short of incredible. Perfectly cooked, seasoned to perfection and melted in my mouth with every bite.

Third, we were brought out more drinks with a cavatelli bolognese which was absolutely to die for. The cavatelli was so fresh and the sauce and meat were to die for. Salty, creamy and delicious. I’ve only had pasta this good in Rome.

Fourth, we were brought out filets that were cooked to perfection, medium rare. We also got a side of french fries that were excellent for being so simple. The filet melted in my mouth and was the best filet I’ve had in this area anywhere. I say this with confidence because I’ve been to every fine dining steakhouse in the Capital District.

Fifth, every dessert was amazing. The tres leches cake, the eclairs and the zeppoles were incredible. You can’t go wrong with any dessert. I also ordered an espresso with my dessert that was delicious.

Not once did I ever have to ask for a refill. The table was wiped clean after every course with new silverware for the next course. The manager visited after every single course to ensure our food was cooked perfectly. I could write a five star review on the manager alone. It was the best dining experience I’ve ever had. The staff made me feel like family there. They did all of this flawlessly with a packed house.

I am so happy I went and I will definitely be back. This restaurant is a gem and is the standard that all others in the area should hold...

Went here for our anniversary dinner and the service was amazing! The ambiance and also the cocktails were memorable. We happened to arrive on new menu debut evening and though the food was good, it maybe could have used another week or so of practice to iron out the kinks. This is said gently because it was far from awful! The stand out was the Wedge Salad. The iceberg was cut like a steak (instead of a wedge) with deep fried shallots (I think.) It had alot going on and we liked it! We ordered a special wine that the bartender told us could only be sampled there or the commune where it was made (in France.) It was complex and funky and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Diners should be warned that there isn't a single bottle under $80 on the list (I could be wrong but I looked pretty hard!). Hubby got the Rabbit and I got pasta with a marrow bone. The marrow was fully liquid served with a proper marrow spoon that was useless because it was a bone bowl full of rendered fat instead of being softly textured like room temp butter as is proper. No bread to dip in it either and absolutely no seasoning. Basically all you could do is spoon the fat onto the pasta at that point. 😬 Hubby's rabbit was delicious but the absolute best part of the whole meal, even better than the super funky wine, was the Pear Cocktail and hubby's Manhattan. Top notch mixology! We couldn't fathom dessert after all that richness which is sad. I might have tried if something really popped out and grabbed my attention, but it was the usual fine dining choices of creme brulee, sorbet etc. A huge portion of our entrees came home with us and I'm looking forward to round two leftovers for Sunday dinner. Perhaps when we don't already have bellies full of truffle Parm Fries and Wedge Salads and Cocktails we might have a more robust response to the entrees. Would we go back? Probably not. For the price, the food didn't measure up to our standards (remember, it was first night of a new menu so slack must be given). But we would DEFINITELY stop in for a cocktail and some fries if we were passing through again. And for a special occasion on a slow night it felt like the whole restaurant was dedicated to our pleasure....