The Gateway Diner (Albany, NY)

A few weeks ago, I was driving through Albany, New York. While driving through, we were hungry so a quick google search led us to the Gateway Diner.

The Gateway Diner (Albany, NY) Atmosphere: B
The outside of the Gateway Diner has lots of lights. It resembles a space ship or disco club.

The inside looks like it could be updated and it honestly seems like it’s right out of the 90s. It wasn’t bad; it just needed an update. It’s an unusual combination from the outside to the inside. Disco club outside and very 1990s inside.

The Gateway Diner (Albany, NY) Coffee: C
The coffee at the Gateway Diner was luke warm at best. The whipped cream stayed intact on top of the beverage and didn’t melt. I like hot coffee. One of the biggest ways for me to dislike coffee is if it’s not hot. Coffee is made to be either hot or cold.

The Gateway Diner (Albany, NY) Service: C
The hostess took our drink orders and then forgot to bring them back. After asking the waitress for coffee twice, she brought the coffee out. Most of the staff was very nice, just forgetful. We also went extended periods without seeing anyone, which was surprising because there weren’t many parties in the diner. Throughout our entire meal, there was never more than three parties in the Gateway Diner.

The Gateway Diner (Albany, NY) Food: B
The Gateway Diner menu has several options but surprisingly, not a lot of breakfast options. I decided to order the sirloin off the specials menu. It was a thin steak that came with three sides. I chose a soup, french fries, and beets.

I ordered the cream of corn chowder. I’m not sure if I have ever had cream of corn chowder before then. There was plenty of corn plus it was hot. I wish my coffee had been that hot.

The steak at the Gateway Diner was tough, but the broth made it good. I hate to say the steak relied on the broth but I think without it, I would be dousing my meal with ketchup. The beets were great. I enjoyed the French fries as well. They were crispy and not overly greasy.

Overall my meal was pretty typical of a diner. It wasn’t a fancy 5-star restaurant but it was a good meal.

The Gateway Diner (Albany, NY) Price: $
For my entree and coffee, the cost was $15 which was a great deal for the amount of food I received. It wasn’t the freshest, but there was a lot of food.

Summary/Would I come back to The Gateway Diner (Albany, NY)?
I liked the Gateway Diner, and it was a good meal. The service was slow as well as lukewarm coffee but it was inexpensive, and there was plenty of food. If I’m in the area again, I will go back.

Atmosphere: B
Coffee: C
Service: C
Food: B
Cost: $10-15
Overall: B