I've been waiting for the patio at Cafe Hollywood to reopen after a major renovation. When I stopped in weeks ago the old cement floor was being removed. It was a pretty space even before the work began. If you believe the hype, the new patio will look amazing. I'm looking forward to being impressed. I love patio dining in the summertime and this one promises to be dog-friendly as well. When I stopped in on the Friday leading into Independence Day weekend, I was told they were on the brink of reopening the patio. So I will be back with my hubby. I did to get a hard seltzer and a green tea shot while I was there. For those unfamiliar with Cafe Hollywood, it's located in an historic building filled with beautiful stained glass and rich woodwork. It was closed a year ago by the city, but was allowed to reopen after several months under the same ownership. I've not actually had any food there, but the reviews are good. According to a number of reviews, the bartenders are friendly. That was certainly true of our bartender, Augie. He's very good at conversation and well-informed about the area. Attentive with customers and he makes great drinks. I might have given the cafe five-stars, but I'm still waiting to have a meal in the new and improved patio. Hopefully, that will happen soon.

Stopped in yesterday. Sat on the patio, what a hidden gem! Excellent service, new owners and staff went out of their way to make us happy. Food was delicious!! Will be back!

Ambiance is suave and chill. It's sort of a guy's hang-out with pool, darts and pinball machines. Few women. Food at the bar is bar grub. Drinks are potent as is the beer. Rebel review: 4

Great space, multiple pool tables, best patio in Albany, and open late. The bartenders are great, especially Kayla. She comes up with some crazy drinks and always treats me and my friends like family. This is the bar I always seem to end up at by the end of the night.

Good bar to hang out/drink/grab a bite to eat on Lark St. (First we went to Bombers- the hostess said it would be about a 20 minute wait, 20 minutes later she said it would be ANOTHER 20 minutes). It was around 9:00 at that point so we said the hell with this, let's find somewhere else to eat, so we decided on Cafe Hollywood. The bar itself is huge & they have a pool table & darts in the back. Evan was our server/bartender. He's the best!!! They have a great menu. Lots of different burgers, sandwiches, wraps, etc. My friends ordered a chicken wrap with sweet potato fries and a burger. They said the wrap was alright, chicken was kind of dry. My friend enjoyed her burger. But overall the food was OK, nothing spectacular ya know? But edible. The service was fast & friendly. This is a great bar for larger crowds. Most restaurants/bars around the area are tiny and you'll be waiting hours for a seat.

Wanna grab a burger on lark? This is the place to go. With the first bite I could tell it was fresh. These guys know how to cook a burger, nice and juice. Feeling different? Try the soprano burger, to die for! The back deck is probably the best on lark. It's huge, fancy bulbs and ponds! The beer selection is huge! Craft beer galore! Went with a large party and the check got messed up. The staff was great, walked us through it and the problem was resolved in no time.

Ah, the old H.Wood. It used to have a bad reputation years ago, just to get that out of the way, for being a rough place. I happen to know first hand that it's not so rough. Maybe that's because it was basically my friends' honeycomb hideout for years. Maybe its because I personally have never been punched in the face there (except by a shot of tequila). No matter when I have gone in to hydrate, either with friends or alone, I have met a friendly character willing to chat me up. As for the funky smell that someone wrote about in an earlier review, I can't dispute it, but think I can explain it. The men's bathroom is (was?) right inside the front door and I heard it was a disaster area. Also, smoking was banned a couple of years ago in NY, but it used to be a smoking establishment. Darts! Pool! A large deck in the back! Internet jukebox! There is a lot of room for you at the Hollywood. Go in with some friends and check it out some Saturday. The traditional drink = Irish Car Bomb.