Villa Valenti Restaurant And Sauce Co.

Seriously. I came after reading these recommendations. Are you people nuts? Where do you come from? I'm from Rochester, certainly not the pinnacle of culture, and there are far better restaurants there and I've had far better here as well. V&R and Lombardo's, just to name two, are in a totally different league from this place! Someone said something about the supposedly ""large"" wine list? It was two pages! TWO! There are places around here that have wine lists that are over 30 pages! The service was average, the food was average, and it's just standard italian fare. You can get far better food for the price in most cities, and I'm sure you can here too (sorry, but I haven't been in the area that long so I can't name more names but I'm certain they are out there).\r \r Yeah, if all you do is eat TV dinners while you watch american idol, then this is probably real good food to you. Anyone who knows food will know better.\r \r Save the gas. Stay in Albany. Go somewhere else. It just isn't worth it. more

Last Friday night I went to the Villa Valenti in Wynantskill with a few of my friends and family. I sat at the bar to have a drink while waiting for the rest my party to arrive. The bartenders were very outgoing and friendly. I was amazed by the wonderful wine list and such a large menu . Everything on the menu sounds amazing, and it was. The food is out of this world. My waitress was very friendly and attentive. Our whole experience at the Villa Valenti was excellent., everything from the drinks, appetizers, entree's and the waitstaff . I will definitly come back to the Villa Valenti. more

I am writing in response to the people who came to the Villa Valenti on 7/31/08. I am the waitress who waited on these people. I have been waiting tables at the Villa for 18 years. The calamari, as always, was fresh and tasty. We never have complaints about our calamari. As far as serving wine or an alcoholic beverage to these people the ID's were from out of state. They were from the same area and the IDs were completely different. If I feel that the people I am waiting on are too young to serve, as they were, even with an ID that I feel is not legitimate, I will not serve them. I will not risk our well-established business being at risk serving a guest that may or may not be of legal age to consume alcohol. more

I now frequent regularly here, something I thought I would not do for anyplace. I am too curious to what is on the other side but my wife challenged this preposition..She says this is easily your favorite spot and we keep trying everywhere else. Lets use our money wisely and just make this our number one stop. So be it. \r \r Many dinners later..I realize how right she was. She loves to prove me wrong. Pros: Food Cons: Upstate more

Don't plan on enjoying a drink with dinner here if you are not from New York. I have recently moved to the Albany area from out of state, and I was there with my brother (also from out of state). We were unable to have a bottle of wine with dinner because neither the management nor the bar staff new what an out of state ID was supposed to look like. Their ID scanner was so out of date that when they scanned the IDs, the IDs wouldn't scan (keep in mind that these were valid out of state IDs from two people that were over 21). It is just unbelievable that the staff is so ignorant, that they are unable differentiate between a valid and invalid driver's license . \r \r After that disappointment, our experience did not improve. The salad bar was so picked over, that you had to search in bottom a dish of juice for an olive, or a beet, if you could even find one at all. The fried calamari appetizer was served luke-warm and with cocktail sauce. The marinara sauce (a more appropriate sauce for fried calamari) didn't improve the calamari dish. The sauce was terribly bland and the calamari was stale, tough, and greasy. Honestly you probably could find better calamari in the frozen food aisle at a Price Chopper. \r \r The main course was decent, but its nothing to write home about. The plain pasta with marinara sauce that accompanies the dinners is bland at best. The food quality definitely does not make up for the stupidity of staff and the poor service. more

The defining moment of the night was one of sheer stupidity on the part of the management / bar staff. I was there with a friend from out of state, and we couldn't order a bottle of wine with dinner because THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE OUT-OF-STATE ID WAS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE, and supposedly it didn't scan in their ID reader (yes, the ID was valid and current). So there went enjoying a drink with dinner, and not only that but the bar staff who was called over to check the IDs was at best standoffish, at worst outright rude in her refusal to accept it.\r \r The rest of the meal certainly didn't make up for it. I ordered calamari which they give with cocktail sauce (a combination I find to be bad at best). However, getting marinara didn't help as what was on the plate was about 80% fried grease and 20% obviously frozen calamari that was stale, hard, and almost brittle ... a combination of textures that calamari should not be.\r \r I then had ravioli. It was ravioli. I was just thankful that I didn't get sauce on my shirt when the waitress dropped a block of Parmesan onto my plate.\r \r If you want a comparable Italian restaurant in the area, Moscatiello'son Rt. 4 in Troy is less than 5 miles away and has exceptional service and huge portions. If you want something more upscale, V&R in Albany has excellent food and ambiance.\r \r In the end, there's just no reason to eat here (unless perhaps you're within walking distance). Pros: Large portions Cons: Service, service, service, food is genuinely mediocre. more

I hate to say but but no one upstate from Albany to Saratoga knows good food. We drove 40 minutes to Villa hoping it would be worth the trip based on user reviews. I guess if you've never been downstate maybe this is as good as it gets...\r First off, they have a gross salad bar. No salads on the menu. Their sauce is typical for bad italian food (I felt like the quality is comparable to fast food chains) and everything was flavorless. I had to pour on the salt to eat - which is rare for me. Not to mention they have these supersize fans above the tables and we asked for them to be lowered but the staff appeared to be too busy to be bothered. \r Overall I would have been embaressed if we had company with us. It was trailor trash.\r Sorry, don't mean to be mean but somebody has to say it so others don't waste their gas like we did. So far in the 3 years we lived up here the only place worth going back to is Jacks Oyster House and 677 Prime. more

We had a 6:30 reservation and we were sitting at our table at that time. I've always love the Villa but I haven't been there in years. Well let me just say it's better than I remember. My husband and I ordered the hot antipasta and we had half wrapped because we would have never eaten our dinners if we finished it. Then our dinners came, I had Emma's special. The portion size has grown since I last had it. OMG, the few bites I had(because I was stuffed from the appetizer and salad) was wonderful. I can't think of one thing I was displeased with. Even the prices were reasonable.\r Like my husband said, you're not sitting on top of each other at the Villa like some other Italian restaurants.\r And the nicest part was, just like Sam use to do, one of his sons walked around the tables to see if everything was ok. Pros: Salad bar, portion size, selections Cons: Didn't have room for desserts more

Agree with last guy but must add this; trying different items and I still get amazed. Just does not happen elsewhere. I want to know how! I want answers! Now! There is too much wow here. \r I just care about the food here. I do not eat the servers(well...maybe...a couple I would) or the building. Service very freindly though but not at the pro level.(obviously not at the food level because Angelie Jolie would have to serve it!) Dining area very romantic. Pros: FOOD! Cons: none, unless your are lacking total food knowledge more

Oh my God ! I thoroughly enjoyed the Shrimp & Chicken Nipote last night! Really succulent shrimp ... juicy chicken breast in a sassy savory sauce ... roasted peppers. Great atmosphere ... cozy too! Good wine list and desserts are ""to die for"". Really pleasant waitresses too ! You gotta check this place out ... best Italian around here I think. more

A very cozy, romantic feel! Great Place to take a significant other out for a special date. Great prices for the quality of food and wonderful service. Personally one of my favorite places to go when I come home. Pros: Wonderful feel, taste, and service! more

Better than even the top notch in N.Y. city at a fraction of the cost. Not sure if Albany area people realize what they have I feel. more

The food is awesome. The salad bar is great. The service is pretty good. Definitely need to make reservations, however, don't bother on special occassions (i.e. Mother's Day). We had reservations, showed up 5 minutes early and waited about 40 minutes. What is worse... people (and not just one party) were coming in after us and got seated before us (seemed to always know someone who worked there). We also went there for a few different celebrations where we had a large party (wedding rehearsal dinner... birthday celebrations...). Service was pretty good but very cramped. Pros: Great food. Cons: Not 'outsider' friendly even with reservations. more

Simply put outside of NYC you won't get much better. Anything you order will be great. Nice salad bar and rolls. Pasta is homemade. My favorite is the Lasagna I order it everytime i go there. Worth the trip. Pros: Great Food, homemade pasta more

The villa valenti is far out the best italian resturant in the capital district!! more