This was damn near an inedible meal. The service tried their best to make up for it and hats off to them. If you want a risotto that was made days ago with dinky shrimp and frozen peas and carrots tossed on top, this is your kinda place. My wife ended up with beef over what I can only imagine was some type of frozen vegetable mixture. Really? We stopped at Wendy's on the way home
barrys
Going to this restaurant is like going to the owners house for dinner the service the food the welcoming nature of the restaurant was just great I hope they are blessed with continued success thank you for a wonderful meal again!!
Jennifer Armstrong
We always have a fantastic experience when we visit and celebrate every milestone here- engagement, engagement party, rehearsal dinner, daughter’s 1st birthday, and date nights. Jess, Chef Chris, and the whole staff make the experience outstanding from first bite! Always looking forward to coming back again.Kid-friendliness: Il Faro is always so accommodating when we bring our 2 year old. They have crayons, coloring books, sippy cups and modified food options. We never feel rushed or an inconvenience when we are eating here even with a 2 year old. Il Faro takes care of every customer no matter the age!
One of the best dining experiences I have had in a very long time! The mozzarella sticks were honestly the best I have ever had. My shrimp dish, as well as the Caesar salad, or both outstanding, and the bread pudding to die for. Most importantly, however, is the outstanding service! The restaurant was packed and I didn't feel from one moment that we were being neglected! Can't wait to go back. 
The food at Il Faro was outstanding!! My husband and I had dinner there for my birthday! We had a flatbread appetizer which looked and tasted amazing! I had the grilled lamb chops with beet tzatziki and steamed vegetables. He had the Gamberetti Picatta Orrecciete and we finished with a bourbon bread pudding (him) and a layered brownie with cheesecake covered in chocolate ganache and a scoop of vanilla gelato! The meal was complemented well by an Argentinian Malbec!! The service was great (Christian) and the manager/hostess bought my dessert!!
Peter K.
Nice looking restaurant outside of Albany, big parking lot, working class/industrial neighborhood. Had high hopes from reviews, my experience was mid. Expecting Italian, got sort of Italian ish. Chicken parm was ok, pasta and sauce was watery. Lamb chop was grilled well, but it was Mediterranean styled..and other dishes on menu wasn't Italian but other genres. Maybe it was Italian at first but now it's not? Part of my disappointment was that I wanted an Italian meal, but didn't get it. Nice place to bring dates, hang out at bar with decent foods. Will not likely return.
megan latina
Our recent experience at Il Faro for our son's baptism celebration was wonderful! Hosting 53 guests for a private event, the restaurant's warm and charming atmosphere made for a memorable event.Jess and her staff exhibited a level of attention to detail that surpassed our expectations. The welcoming ambiance as we entered the restaurant immediately made our family and guests feel at ease and ready to celebrate.Jess's personalized touch extended to the creation of a menu that not only offered a diverse and delicious selection but also accommodated various food sensitivities and allergies among our guests. Each dish was crafted with quality and flavor and all met with unanimous praise from our guests. The spirit and beverage choices also added to the dining experience. The selection of sweet treats capped off the celebration on a high note!The service was impeccable, with the staff seamlessly anticipating our needs and ensuring a smooth flow of the celebration. The waitstaff demonstrated a perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness!Jess's team deserves high praise for delivering an outstanding experience for our son's baptism celebration. The warm and inviting atmosphere, thoughtful menu, and fabulous service made this event truly special for our family and guests. We highly recommend Il Faro for anyone looking to host a memorable private event.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Joan McTague
I can't say enough wonderful things about IL FARO!!!! From the time you walk in until you leave, the atmosphere, staff, food, were phenomenal. Even the owner checks in more than once to make sure everything is great. Definitely a return outing to this sensational restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael Warner
Absolutely incredible from top to bottom. The food was incredible and the staff was even better.
Always a nice dining experience. Very good food, on point service, and hometown's warmth. Feel like part of the family dining here. Well priced menu with lots of unique gluten free and plant based options.
Joan M.
Tonight we made reservations for my friends birthday! We all had the best time, food was the best in the area by far, service was impeccable, staff was so personal and professional! Recommend a visit to enjoy this ambiance where one of the partners checks every table. Definitely going back
CourtneyD
Phenomenal. All of the food is made with love and care. You can tell they put everything into this restaurant. The service was impeccable and all of the staff was so friendly and welcoming! 10/10 can't wait to go again
Laura Shea
NOTE: Updated star review because it's not the owner's fault and restaurants are insane to run. We just had a really bad experience; lots of people have a great time. Went here specifically for lamb (not remotely what we'd hoped for - cooked perfectly - not a good flavor) and to celebrate a bday. The food presentation was pretty unappealing, even on a dish that was very tasty (sausage and broccoli rabe, I believe). Noticeably long wait times for both food and drinks. The host (manager? owner?) was incredibly accommodating, but our server was genuinely the worst part of the night. She could not adapt her style to match our table--she was hitting all the wrong notes, making bad jokes that she obviously makes nightly and then walking away without really ever checking in. Her inability to shift gears and read the room was a drag. We mentioned in our reservation that we were there to celebrate a birthday. No one so much as mentioned it.Anyway, the room was lovely and warm and the drinks were strong.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 2
Charlene M.
Family of three dined on lamb chops, monk fish, chicken parm and homemade mozzarella sticks. Food and service were excellent and very reasonably priced. It maybe our new favorite spot. Can't wait to return!
This was damn near an inedible meal. The service tried their best to make up for it and hats off to them. If you want a risotto that was made days ago with dinky shrimp and frozen peas and carrots tossed on top, this is your kinda place. My wife ended up with beef over what I can only imagine was some type of frozen vegetable mixture. Really? We stopped at Wendy's on the way home
Going to this restaurant is like going to the owners house for dinner the service the food the welcoming nature of the restaurant was just great I hope they are blessed with continued success thank you for a wonderful meal again!!
We always have a fantastic experience when we visit and celebrate every milestone here- engagement, engagement party, rehearsal dinner, daughter’s 1st birthday, and date nights. Jess, Chef Chris, and the whole staff make the experience outstanding from first bite! Always looking forward to coming back again.Kid-friendliness: Il Faro is always so accommodating when we bring our 2 year old. They have crayons, coloring books, sippy cups and modified food options. We never feel rushed or an inconvenience when we are eating here even with a 2 year old. Il Faro takes care of every customer no matter the age!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Risotto Balls, Eggplant Parmigiana, GF Brownie & GF Ice Cream
Everting is very very good???
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best dining experiences I have had in a very long time! The mozzarella sticks were honestly the best I have ever had. My shrimp dish, as well as the Caesar salad, or both outstanding, and the bread pudding to die for. Most importantly, however, is the outstanding service! The restaurant was packed and I didn't feel from one moment that we were being neglected! Can't wait to go back. 
The food at Il Faro was outstanding!! My husband and I had dinner there for my birthday! We had a flatbread appetizer which looked and tasted amazing! I had the grilled lamb chops with beet tzatziki and steamed vegetables. He had the Gamberetti Picatta Orrecciete and we finished with a bourbon bread pudding (him) and a layered brownie with cheesecake covered in chocolate ganache and a scoop of vanilla gelato! The meal was complemented well by an Argentinian Malbec!! The service was great (Christian) and the manager/hostess bought my dessert!!
Nice looking restaurant outside of Albany, big parking lot, working class/industrial neighborhood. Had high hopes from reviews, my experience was mid. Expecting Italian, got sort of Italian ish. Chicken parm was ok, pasta and sauce was watery. Lamb chop was grilled well, but it was Mediterranean styled..and other dishes on menu wasn't Italian but other genres. Maybe it was Italian at first but now it's not? Part of my disappointment was that I wanted an Italian meal, but didn't get it. Nice place to bring dates, hang out at bar with decent foods. Will not likely return.
Our recent experience at Il Faro for our son's baptism celebration was wonderful! Hosting 53 guests for a private event, the restaurant's warm and charming atmosphere made for a memorable event.Jess and her staff exhibited a level of attention to detail that surpassed our expectations. The welcoming ambiance as we entered the restaurant immediately made our family and guests feel at ease and ready to celebrate.Jess's personalized touch extended to the creation of a menu that not only offered a diverse and delicious selection but also accommodated various food sensitivities and allergies among our guests. Each dish was crafted with quality and flavor and all met with unanimous praise from our guests. The spirit and beverage choices also added to the dining experience. The selection of sweet treats capped off the celebration on a high note!The service was impeccable, with the staff seamlessly anticipating our needs and ensuring a smooth flow of the celebration. The waitstaff demonstrated a perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness!Jess's team deserves high praise for delivering an outstanding experience for our son's baptism celebration. The warm and inviting atmosphere, thoughtful menu, and fabulous service made this event truly special for our family and guests. We highly recommend Il Faro for anyone looking to host a memorable private event.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I can't say enough wonderful things about IL FARO!!!! From the time you walk in until you leave, the atmosphere, staff, food, were phenomenal. Even the owner checks in more than once to make sure everything is great. Definitely a return outing to this sensational restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely incredible from top to bottom. The food was incredible and the staff was even better.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Always a nice dining experience. Very good food, on point service, and hometown's warmth. Feel like part of the family dining here. Well priced menu with lots of unique gluten free and plant based options.
Tonight we made reservations for my friends birthday! We all had the best time, food was the best in the area by far, service was impeccable, staff was so personal and professional! Recommend a visit to enjoy this ambiance where one of the partners checks every table. Definitely going back
Phenomenal. All of the food is made with love and care. You can tell they put everything into this restaurant. The service was impeccable and all of the staff was so friendly and welcoming! 10/10 can't wait to go again
NOTE: Updated star review because it's not the owner's fault and restaurants are insane to run. We just had a really bad experience; lots of people have a great time. Went here specifically for lamb (not remotely what we'd hoped for - cooked perfectly - not a good flavor) and to celebrate a bday. The food presentation was pretty unappealing, even on a dish that was very tasty (sausage and broccoli rabe, I believe). Noticeably long wait times for both food and drinks. The host (manager? owner?) was incredibly accommodating, but our server was genuinely the worst part of the night. She could not adapt her style to match our table--she was hitting all the wrong notes, making bad jokes that she obviously makes nightly and then walking away without really ever checking in. Her inability to shift gears and read the room was a drag. We mentioned in our reservation that we were there to celebrate a birthday. No one so much as mentioned it.Anyway, the room was lovely and warm and the drinks were strong.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 2
Family of three dined on lamb chops, monk fish, chicken parm and homemade mozzarella sticks. Food and service were excellent and very reasonably priced. It maybe our new favorite spot. Can't wait to return!