Alba Restaurant

"We made a reservation online, had a pretty easy time checking in for our table. The front entrance was a little hidden from the (metered) road we’d parked on. There are a few short steps to walk down from the front entrance once you’re inside (Google said wheelchair accessible, not sure if they open the exit door for these people or how that’s supposed to work, it didn’t apply to us but I did notice that.) The food was great, but for two people to get water, one entree each, and no sides or dessert it was $75. The portions were rather small, and they didn’t serve bread or side salads. I’m not sure how much it would be to get a standard meal’s worth of food here with beverages, but I imagine it’s rather pricey. The tables (no booths from what I could see) were extremely close together. We could easily hear every word the conversations of the tables adjacent to us. Because of this I don’t think it’s worth the “fine dining” price point. Service was great, but we didn’t order appetizers or dessert because it just felt awkward to have a date night with the couples at the adjacent tables; we just tried to leave as soon as we could. I got the full portion of the gnocchi and I’m happy I did because despite being delicious it was rather small; I can only imagine the half portion."

"I came here during happy hour (4-6pm) during the week. Their menu had so many things that I wanted to try so I took advantage of its happy hour prices and ordered 3 appetizers. Their appetizers were the perfect size and made the perfect meal, plus 2 of them were off the happy hour menu and were $6 each. I ordered deviled eggs with beet tartar, brioche crumble, and onion cracker first. Then their Roasted Brussels sprouts with ricotta, turmeric aioli, and calabrian chili vinaigrette. I ended with a Roasted Delicata squash & burrata with spinach, arugula, pickled beets, toasted pepitas, blistered grapes. I ordered and aperol spritz and a Lambrusco to go with the meal. Service was delightful, they were cordial and waited for me to finish each plate prior to bringing me the best. My only critique was the ambiance. It was very dark in there, but these are just minor details compared to how amazing the food tasted."

"Been there twice already this week for happy hour and will be back again. Great selection of wines and great food on the happy hour menu. Can definitely recommend the Brussels sprouts, fritters, fried halibut and d deviled eggs"

"Such a magnificent establishment. Beat the weekend dinner rush and nearly had the place to ourselves. Kind and welcoming staff and great service. Everything is hand made and prepped once ordered so a full 4 course meal takes a little extra time but it’s worth it. Worth trying out and absolutely coming back to try more!"

"A huge part of me thinks that I did not order the right items here, because according to the popular dishes mentioned in others' reviews and the structure of Alba's menu, their meat dishes are the highlights. My partner got the gnocchi and the sunchoke & potato bisque. She said the gnocchi was overcooked and therefore too soft, resembling mashed potatoes more than gnocchi. Having Brussel sprouts in gnocchi was also a combination that we had never seen before. My seasonal vegetables and Brussel sprouts were both amazing, and I managed to finish both of them. The so-called "small plates" were not small at all LOL because the vegetables themselves pretty much made me full. For the farmhouse burger, the ground beef tasted like it did not have any seasoning, so the sauce compensated for the lack of taste. According to my partner, the sunchoke & potato bisque was excellent. Finally, we were debating between the rum crème brûlée and the clafoutis, and went with clafoutis after our server recommended us such. The clafoutis looked very different from what we were used to, and contained a very little portion of cherries. However, it still tasted very good! I think if I was to return next time, I should try some of the dishes that they were known for more, which would allow me to enjoy the restaurant more. The place has very good decor. We sat by the window, which had bright lights, but most seats in the room were covered by darkness, which some people may enjoy. The restaurant is also located in a very nice neighborhood, East Village, so it is easy to explore other businesses like Raygun and Storyhouse Bookpub, etc. within vicinity!"