Mio Vino Wine Bar & Bistro

Sunday evening in Albany. The valet suggested this place!!! It was great!!! Had a sausage & prosciutto pizza!!! Freaking awesome!!! The meatballs were really good also, but too much pepper. Had a taste of the rigatoni-​it was awesome also!!!
Staff was really friendly! I would definitely recommend this place!!!

My husband and I had a decent first experience at Mio Vino a week or so ago. There were both good and bad aspects of the experience, but my final take away was positive. Here’s how it shook out…
The good:
–I was able to use 2 coupons for complimentary glasses of wine (obtained way back on Halloween, as a treat to adults walking around town with their kiddies) for myself, since my husband is more of a beer drinker. I half expected them to say it was one coupon per person, or one per table, but much to my pleasant surprise, the wine was all mine!
–The arancini appetizer (fried balls of risotto, cheese, and meat) was divine, and the assorted olives (only $ 3) were nice, too.
–My entrée, chicken saltimbocca, was very tasty, although it was served in a tad too much gravy. I would order it again.
–Our server was friendly and the bus boy cleared our table/​filled our water glasses often.
–They have TVs in the bathroom! Not that I ever plan on spending much time in one…
The bad:
–When you first enter the restaurant you are bombarded with a wall of noise, which is a bit discombobulating. At 6pm on a Friday, there was a jazz duo playing music one foot away from the front door and the bar area was packed full with patrons, many of whom had to stand. I could barely hear myself speak to the hostess to tell her of our reservation. We were bumped by several people as we made our way to a table in another room of the restaurant. Even in that room, which was completely empty of diners at the time, was filled with the din of the bar area. There is literally nothing in the space to absorb the sound. I don’t know how anyone could possibly having dined in the bar area (where there were a few tables) without getting a massive headache from the commotion.
–My husband’s pizza was really not very good, and it shouldn’t be difficult for an Italian restaurant to make a nice pie. The ratio of ingredients was just way off. The pizza was dripping with red sauce and there was not much cheese on it at all. I was far happier with my meal than he was.
The verdict:
I would definitely return, but perhaps not on a Friday or Saturday night (and why is there free pizza at the bar on Fridays, anyway? don’t promotions like that usually run on nights when people aren’t as likely to eat out, in order to get them out??) so we can have a calmer, more romantic dining experience.

What a great little gem of a restaurant. So reasonably priced, with delicious and high quality food. My boyfriend loved the bread, served with olive oil and a very good balsamic vinegar. I had the salmon– they were out of the forbidden rice so I substituted mashed potatoes and WOW am I glad I did. Best restaurant mashed potatoes I’ve had. The salmon itself was perfectly cooked and even the accompanying broccolini was great. My boyfriend had the Sambuca tortellini which had the most unusual but delicious flavor. The service was efficient and attentive. We will be back

Went here last night for the first time since re-​opening. We used to frequent here, but just haven’t made it back since Carmine took over. Had a late reservation (huge thanks to Vincent) for dinner with my better half. While we waited for our table we grabbed a drink at the bar, which was packed. My girlfriend had the pomegranate martini, and I had a Manhattan. Hers was delicious, mine was so-​so. I’d have preferred the Manhattan stirred as to not water down the flavor, but it was still served up which was nice. Dinner was delicious. We started with the Mio Greens, and soon bread with olive oil, vinegar and pepper was brought to the table. We both ordered the Filet Oscar, which were done perfectly. The crab meat was delicious, and the bernaise sauce was great. We were skeptical at first with the menu changes and new management, but will absolutely be back.

Newly reopened and re-​booted! This gem in Altamont has reinvented itself while maintaining some of the elements that made it great in the first place. Cool new addition is the 3−4−5−6 happy hour from 4 – 6 Wed — Fri and 8:30 — 10:30 Fri and Sat featuring $ 3 drafts PBR and Yeungling, $ 4 house wines, $ 5 well drinks, $ 6 martinis and $ 6 appetizers featuring meatballs, aroncini, and beans and greens (all delicious). The wood fired pizza is still a mainstay — sorry to see the buffalo chicken one bid farewell but the meatball one is delicious. The regular menu features many of the old favorites with some nicely added Italian flair. The staff here is excellent and Frank is top notch making sure all are enjoying. The nicest people wander in to sit at the bar — met some really great people as always (every time we have come to the bar that has been the case). The dining room was bustling — staff was ample and attentive. The bartender named Kennedy was a real pro, able to multitask. There were a few hiccups and such as the crowd got busier but overall very good service and attention by all. I observed one gentleman order a shrimp based salad only to receive a shrimp cocktail — he was a regular and had enjoyed the salad the other night — he was comped a drink and took it in stride. A few things like ginger beer and pear vodka were not available as in past but once former patrons get used to the new format, all will be well. Live music offered on Wednesday nights (usually very good). This is a great addition to the local scene and I personally am delighted to welcome it back. Best wishes to all.

Went here for the first time for an anniversary dinner with my fiancé. We ordered mussels as an appetizer, with seafood risotto and veal cheeks as entrees.
Food came out quickly and hot, and was delicious. The mussels were some of the biggest I’ve ever seen, and the broth was awesome. The veal cheeks were fork tender, and the risotto was creamy and cooked very well. Everything was seasoned perfectly and tasted great.
The restaurant itself is nicely decorated, modern and kind of up-​scale casual. Staff were very nice and attentive, checking on us frequently without being overbearing. We will definitely be back!

This not-​so-​hidden gem is fantastic! The new chef (Ian from Gingerman) is an expert in the kitchen — sending out beautiful, creative and delicious plates (and bowls) of food. It’s clear this is not just a job for him — it’s his passion. Last night’s mushroom bisque was creamy and filled with a delightful amount of mushroom flavor. Last week’s Mio Greens (greens and beans) is light, garlicky, a teeny bit spicy and the full bowl is super filling, And @ $ 11? Perfect! The osso buco is so flavorful, the tuna tartare uses great quality tuna ;), the pastas have just the right amount of saucy/​meaty toppings. The new pastry chef comes in from Brooklyn and is a master — ask for the house-​made ice cream. Or the chocolate mousse or the cheesecake. Or, whatever. You can’t lose. Every dish we’ve had recently is simply outstanding. There’s some talent in that little kitchen. Enough about the awesome food — there’s pleasant outdoor seating, inviting ambience inside, knowledgeable staff, on-​site owner, Fridays offer free wood-​fired pizza during happy hour, half-​price apps during happy hour and an amazing Sunday Brunch. It’s right around the corner for us but, SO worth the drive from anywhere, over and over again.

This is a place that I thought I had reviewed already and came to «update» my review. We have had several very nice meals here and generally were able to justify the extra drive from Albany because of the good quality food, nice wine and good service. Last night’s experience left much to be desired. First, the service and wine were as we had experienced before– very nice. The food… not so much. My wife had a pasta dish. The veggies were not fresh. Most appeared to be canned or of low enough quality that they could be easily mistaken for canned. Asparagus had no «tips» and was all stems. Appeared to be green beans at first glance. I had the steak burger. It was ok, but very small. Also, no french fries offered as a side. We were told that they had «no fryer». Although that would be understandable in a fine high-​end restaurant, it’s a bit odd in one that offered so many burger-​type choices on its menu. I would have given this place four stars up to last night and am willing to give a try again down the road. However, it’ll be a while…

Went here tonight and was so hopeful. All of the descriptions on the menu sounded delicious. I was with a few other people and other than our very kind server, our food experience was awful. Chicken was overlooked and dry, another dish did not match the menu description and sadly I ordered food to bring home. I opened the container at home and the bottom of the steak sandwich was green so I paid to take food home just to throw it out. Just an overall disappointing experience.

Positives: Friendly waitstaff. Our server was able to recommend a good bottle of wine. Nice ambiance.
Negatives: We started with the cheese and meat board. It took approximately 25 minutes to hit our table. It only had one type of mediocre hard cheese and a couple pieces of duck? It was a weird combination, and it was not what was expected. Approximately 45 minutes after that our meals arrived. This was a long time considering we were the only people left in the restaurant. The prosciutto chicken was poorly seasoned extremely dry and the sauce was very acidic. My friends had the crispy chicken (which was anything but crispy) and the penne vodka (which she said was ok). Although the manager or owner was wandering around earlier in the night he never checked on our table.
The server did take one of the chicken dishes off the bill.
I left this restaurant very disappointed. I would not return here or recommend it to others.

The cioppino was so flavorful and made me feel like I was back in Italy! The pasta was cooked perfectly. My husband had blackened tilapia and loved it as well. Bread was average, but overall a fantastic meal and great atmosphere. I will be coming here again.

We’ve eaten there several times. Tim, the owner, is always pleasant and makes an effort to greet everyone in the place and even remembers names really well. The food is excellent, the drinks are well made. The ambiance is just excellent, they have really made the place look like someplace out of San Francisco.
They have special events where the owner pairs drinks (spirits, wine, beer) with specially prepared plates. These are just excellent.
We try to go here at least once a month. Truly great local find.

So worth the drive to Altamont! This place is a little slice of heaven! Great music & atmosphere, excellent food and the wine is exceptional! Kennedee is very attentive at the bar. Very pleased with my experience. I will be back.

This place is marvelous! The atmosphere is modern yet still very welcoming and relaxing. I ate there last week with my elderly grandmother and the staff were more than accommodating to all of our needs.
My grandmother ate the soup, which was some sort of cheddar ale soup, and she said it was one of the best soups she’s ever eaten. I had the caprese salad and it was delicious – the cheese was house-​made and the tomatoes were flavorful and firm.
The only reason I docked a star is because ordered a ciopinno to go for my boyfriend and the seafood didn’t taste super fresh. Also the sauce was a bit bland. But it was also taken to go, so perhaps I’ll give it another try fresh.
tl;dr amazing service, amazing food, order the specials of the day, will return again!

I’ve had dinner at mio vino a few times, and recently had my baby shower brunch there. The food is AMAZING and the service is bar none. Everyone that attended my shower was also thoroughly impressed with everything; ambiance, food, and service. Thank you to the mio vino staff for all of your hardwork! I will definitely be seeing you again!

Great Wine bar and Wine list! Bartender is really talented and makes unique cocktails. Appetizer menu gives lots of options from Mussels to Chicken Tikka Masala. They also serve wood fired pizza on Friday nights for Happy Hour (also available all week but 4 – 6 pm its free :)
Definitely recommend.

Stopped in with the family this past Sunday for brunch (offered on Sundays from 10 am to 3 pm). We ordered the veg omelet, bacon omelet, french toast and pancakes. All of the food was delicious. We really enjoyed it.
The service was great as well. Very attentive and responsive.
As for atmosphere, it’s hard to imagine what the place is like for dinner or for hanging out at the bar, since we’ve only been the one time for Sunday brunch. For a Sunday brunch, the place feels a bit dark and claustrophobic. But I guess that’s not what the place was primarily designed for.
Only advice for the owner/​manager would be to give some thought to the music being played. It’s a bit intrusive and all over the place with every song seemingly from a different genre. And, the speakers out front blaring music were almost enough to turn us away — made us wonder what we were going to encounter inside.
Overall, enjoyed the experience. An unexpected and welcome surprise in Altamont.

My wife and I visited Mio Vino this past Weds evening. Could not have been better! Food, Wine, Service and Ambiance were all great. She had the specialty pizza with chicken and gargonzola cheese. She claims its the best pizza she’s ever had! I had the daily seafood pasta special which was delicous and loaded with clams, mussels, shrimp, and sea bass. Service was fantastic and we grew quite fond of our waiter, Jeffrey. The General Manager, Tim, checked with us frequently to make sure our expectatioons were being met! They even had a jazz quartet that starts at 7:00 on Wednesdays. I was relieved that the volume of the music wasn’t overbearing and didn’t prohibit discussion, even at the bar. The Hess Cabarnet, recommended by the staff, was a fantastic wine. This will be a frequent destination for my wife and I who eat out all the time!

First off, this place is a God send for Altamont! Atmosphere is great. My wife and I ordered off the standard menu… not the pub. We were first presented with a butter poached radish, compliments of the chef. It was excellent and I otherwise don’t like radishes! They then served warm flatbread with olive oil and balsamic wine vinegar for dipping… always a favorite! We both had the Buttercup Squash Soup which was excellent. My wife had the ravioli which came beautifully presented. She did think that they would have been a bit better had they maybe been in a light cream sauce of some type. I had the gnocchi dish which was very filling and quite good.
There is a pretty good wine list. We had a nice bottle of Tempranillo. Our waitress was young and not well versed in serving a bottle of wine. She never presented the bottle to me to ensure it was the appropriate wine. She mangled the capsule and then was having great difficulty in getting the cork out as she tried to muscle it. I took over and showed her how to properly use the corkscrew. She was very pleasant and apologetic. She poured a tasting from the bottle to both my wife and I rather than just me. I only share this in case you are a wine snob… you might be offended. My wife and I were not offended but just surprised that a wine bar would not absolutely make sure their waitstaff knew proper wine etiquette.
We didn’t have dessert as we had a plethora of Christmas cookies awaiting at home and we were actually pretty full. All said, our bill was about $ 90 with the tip. It seemed a bit steep to us for a soup, couple of pasta based dishes and a $ 20 bottle of wine. Don’t get me wrong we don’t have a problem laying out $ 200+ for a nice dinner and wine.
We will definitely be back to check out their pub fare which sounded great on the menu! Their desserts also sounded scrumptious! I think this place will be a great spot for casual bar sitting. They were very busy for a Wednesday night and I hope they do well. This area is lacking restaurant variety of any substantial quality. Overall, I’m a fan!

Great pizza!
They don’t take AMEX…