Latham '76 Diner — Restaurant in Town of Colonie

We came into town yesterday to pick up our new puppy and had some time to kill and some grumbling stomachs to fill so we goggled diners in the area and Latham 76 diner came up first. After a quick peek at their EXTENSIVE menu we chose this spot for lunch. Judging from the full parking lot when we arrived we felt like we picked the right place which was confirmed when we entered at the front of the restaurant and saw the nostalgic old school diner decor and atmosphere and immediately felt at home. I want to comment further on the decor because it is a retro throwback any true diner lover would appreciate, it feels like someone hit pause at the exact right moment in the 50s family diner hayday and I love it!

Our waitress was very sweet and accommodating. All the staff were friendly and welcoming. The place is HUGE and the tables are a plenty so even when it's busy I can imagine the wait for a seat isn't too very long. Nice clean bathrooms. The restaurant was very clean and is obviously very well managed.

Now on to the lengthy (and mouth watering) menu! There is literally something for everyone on their amazing menu. From classic American fare to Italian favorites to some surprising offerings like Greek dishes - every item description made me go "oh, I want to try that!" Unfortunately for us we were on a strict time schedule so we had to pick items we could order to go and eat in the car so we settled on the teriyaki chicken sandwich with French fries and the classic Reuben with potato salad. The chicken sandwich was to die for, I definitely would order it again and highly recommend it. They have the perfect French fries with the crunchy outside and pillowy soft inside that we both devoured before we left the parking lot. The Reuben was a well executed classic. But THAT POTATO SALAD NEEDS TO BE SOLD IN STORES EVERYWHERE!!! We were both shocked and simultaneously disappointed when we took the first bites.... shocked by the unique preparation of something we have been eating our entire lives but have never enjoyed anywhere near as much as we enjoyed this potato salad. And disappointed by the fact we only got one order of it and had to share and we both debated turning around to go get several more orders (or a bucket?) to take home with us.

Next time we return to the area we will definitely be planning a stop to the Latham 76 Diner again! Or more likely we will be taking another trip to Latham soon just to go to the Latham 76...

Here we experienced just about everything we were expecting. It's your everyday, classic American diner with nice decor and amicable faces and attitudes among the staff. The place has a nice, cozy and welcoming atmosphere that I appreciated. On a Sunday night the place wasn't too busy and although our waiter was new he did a spectacular job. Our food came out in a very timely manner. I ordered the chicken tenders ( a favorite classic of mine) and although I liked them I thought the real star of the meal were the fries I got on the side- the fries here are awesome!! My boyfriend enjoyed his burger despite it being a little messy. Prices and portions are fair when it comes to entrees. I'll note though that the menu here is huge and has a large variety including breakfast; I don't know how they keep up with it all but I suppose they do their best.

My only complaint would be the appetizers as they aren't very good. Originally I was going to order the stuffed breadsticks, but it only comes with two which I thought was a bit paltry and a tipoff portion-wise; we decided then to make our own appetizer out of two and chose the stuffed breadsticks and mozzarella sticks...what we got was a rather pathetic plate of one stuffed breadstick and only 3 or 4 small mozzarella sticks that were obviously store bought; in fact I recognized the same kind of mozzarella sticks I'd buy in bulk from the local wholesale stores. My boyfriend also recognized the stuffed breadstick in the same way. Overall the appetizer didn't seem worth it but everything else was great. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a great diner and a quick bite to eat and I think...

‘76 has been a longtime standby for my family. It is the place where my father successfully asked my mother for a first date at after a long night out at Sneaky Pete’s many decades ago. In years since, ‘76 had become the go-to location for a Christmas Eve gift exchange between family friends, a day when good spirits and good service mingled. Tonight, I had the pleasure of dining here solo, and was provided excellent service by both Teresa, and her relief, Casey. It was clear from the mountains of books that I had brought with me that I was studying for an exam. Both Teresa and Casey acknowledged this and remained attentive yet reserved, so as not to disturb me. I cannot give enough praise for the excellent service from the beginning to end of my meal - Teresa served up an excellent chocolate shake, not overly sweet, and not too thick to drink from the straw. The Reuben was fantastic: hot, delicious, slices of corned beef on perfectly toasted rye bread, and best of all it came out QUICK! The pickle on the side was perfectly cold, as it should be. When Teresa’s shift had ended, Casey took over. Casey was lovely, and perfectly attentive to all of her customers. She was quick to refill my coffee, and recommended the carrot cake to cap off my evening, it certainly did not disappoint, two layers of cake in between THICK cream cheese frosting, yum. Casey wished me good luck on my upcoming exam which I certainly appreciated. The fantastic meal, and truly excellent service, (which only enhances a good meal), proves why ‘76 remains not only a tried-and-true standby, but a much...