Athos Restaurant — Restaurant in Town of Guilderland

Im going to say up front that this review is not a positive one. I was a server for many years, and already feel bad for leaving this review. Today was my 59th birthday, so we celebrated at Athos earlier this evening. It was a total of 7 people consisting of 5 adults, my 6 year old grandaugter and 6 month old grand son. It was my second time eating there, so I knew the lay of the land. What i had remembered from my initial visit was the Bronzino, (described as mediterranean sea bass) was considerably different in taste and texture to chilean (or even Striped) bass, which I had been familiar with. We ordered a handfull of Apps, most of which were Gluten Free, which if repeated I will refer to as GF. They served a non-GF wheat flat bread which arrived at the same time as our Hummus (and Bhabaganoush?), both of which are GF apps. We asked for GF flatbread, which i noticed after leaving the restaurant, does cost $6. I have no idea if we were charged for it, so i wont fuss about that. Two of us ordered the Filet (beef), which were $36 each. A very fair price for such a good cut of beef. Portions were fine by my standard, as im not a big eater. But i can see someone else feeling the Filet portion was on the small side. I mentioned to my much younger guest who also ordered the filet that I thought it was tough. He very much agreed. In my experience, not very common with such a tender cut of meat. I excused myself during the latter part of the meal to seek out a menu. The gentleman at the desk kindly provided me with the menu I had given back to our server after ordering. He asked if i had eaten yet, to which I replied yes. I explained that i wanted to look at menu item I had ordered. He claimed it was not a Filet mignon, but closer to a flank as far as cut goes. I mentioned to him I had thought it was like a Sirloin texture wise, not to be confused with Strip. But i dont disagree with his Flank comment. Im not going to form an absolute opinion, so i will let anyone with concern look at the online menu. You can be the judge if the Filet menu listing is misleading. It was for me, and I go out to eat regularly. Also worth mentioning is their drink prices hovered in the $17 range. Im no longer a drinker, but am no stranger to a good drink. Judging by the presentation, they know what they are doing. The Scotch drinks come with a real cherry, rather than the big jar cherry sort. Im gonna close this out because my fingers are tired, but i want to close with a couple if thoughts. First the drink prices. We all know eggs are $9, gas is expensive, and many of us are holding our financial breaths. But its also tough for the small business person, and we want to have good restaurant options. I do Get It. But $17 drink prices are pretty bold. Had I seen it before. Sure, at Ocean Prime in the city and Cap Grille in NJ, and one of our local restsurants in Ballston. The Cap grille drink was a huge ice square with fruit in the middle, and somehow had smoke emanating from the ice. Pretty neat. I have no huge issue with the drink prices, and im sure that most will be ok with it. I only mentioned it to give an overall perspective. Lastly is the announcement by the server when dropping the check that the tip was included. I have no idea of the percent, but my guess is 20%. I didnt pay the bill tonight, but being a former server, im usually in the 22-27% range. So all I can say is be aware. I also dont know if the menu states the tip is auto added, but it doesnt i have no qualms. It is industry standard for parties of 8 or more. Keep in mind we had 5 adults, a 6 year old, and a baby on formula. So just be careful. Thanks for the time, and im sorry for the ramble. Be safe, be careful, and enjoy life. Im already over this, but i felt compelled to do the right thing for others. Money is not easily earned these...

During my stay, I had the opportunity to have very enjoyable moments and meet wonderful people. While you might feel like a customer at other restaurants nearby, at Athos Restaurant, you truly feel like you're with your family. Before getting into the meals, you must start by trying their special cocktails. While my favorite is Lavender Daisy, I highly recommend trying the enchanting cocktail called Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, and listening to its unique story. If there are more than two people at the table, your third cocktail should be Fig Punch and Blueberry Punch. Bartender Mehmet will provide you with a wonderful experience with his unique skills and flawless presentation.

As a cold appetizer, the mezze platter is a great start. Then, continue this wonderful experience with Octapothi Tis Scharas (Grilled Octopus), Lamb Chop Lollypops, and Grilled Halloumi. While enjoying these, you'll feel the mystical Greek atmosphere deeply as you shout "Hoppaaa" together with the sudden flame of Saganaki. My main meal recommendation is the Athos Bronzino Filet; Chef Fred, who has over twenty-five years of experience in various European countries and cuisine ships, will amaze you with his special sauce. You should definitely try Chicken Souvlaki with tzatziki sauce. Combine these options with traditional Greek white wines; in this combination, I recommend Zoe White. If you want to experience the driest white wine, I suggest Notios. For red wines, Zoe Red and Toscana are my recommendations.

Don't miss the chance to taste unique Greek desserts after a delightful meal. Although my favorite combination here is Pistachio Baklava & Greek Coffee, you should let Athos Sundae enchant you with its rich content and wonderful presentation. Traditional Loukmathes, served very fresh and easy to share at your table, will leave a magnificent taste on your palate at the end of the night! You will never feel alone at Athos Restaurant; owner Ali will be waiting for you with his usual warm welcome. Please listen carefully to this man who is tireless and passionate about serving his guests. Let yourself immerse in his hospitality experience of over twenty years. When you leave your table, you will leave as a very different version of yourself. Your path should definitely cross with Athos Restaurant; Athos Restaurant makes you...

Athos is a fancy, fine dining (priced) Greek restaurant in Albany NY. The ambiance of the place was nice with fine dining lighting, see through floor section, and table setup.

Parts of the experience however were not a fit with the pricing and vibe of the restaurant. The menus, old, falling apart, not modernized much. Silverware and plates with heavy signs of aging, not very fitting for the overall feel. A dirty glass with something floating, some dead flowers, some lights out, wooden dressing dividers everywhere, all this minor to the experience, but distractingly common.

Pita bread was brought out with a dipping option, while fine, the bread was cold and didn't seem very fresh. The food options were varied, choosing fancier dishes may not have been the best choice. The Athos Bronzino filet was $33 and came with a special chef sauce. The fish filets were pretty small, edges crispy but left in the sauce the underside was soggy fish skin. Potatoes bland, arugula was dressed with what seemed like a basic vinaigrette that just had vinegar notes. The lighter choices with lower flavor profiles made sense, but all of it lacked any special flavor or attention, especially for the asking price.

The seafood pasta was fine, again at $36 it felt a bit underwhelming. A half shell was left on a shrimp, which was a bit unpleasant.

The Tres Leches did taste good, though it was with caramel over it instead of more common cream topping. Texture wise it was similar to rice pudding, very wet/soggy and dense, your preference could vary here. It was $12.

Overall, the place just displays as fine dining, but experiences like an aging local restaurant. The food was ok, but the prices just don't seem to match. It almost feels as if everything was perhaps around $5 more than it should be, for what you get. The dessert price is probably fine, as most share the 9-12 price point. There were just so many little things that alone weren't a big deal, but together add up to a lot of distraction.

While I think the food is likely worth trying, I'd recommend picking your favorites, tried and tested foods you love. If you're trying for the first time, there's a ton of appetizers to enjoy that may feel like a better fit for the money.

This was an $89+ ($96 after tax) dining experience for 2, with 2 entrees, a dessert,...