The Lionheart Pub

HarryTBaggins

North Carolina

1.88/5  rDev -53.3%
vibe: 1 | quality: 2 | service: 1 | selection: 3 | $$$$

This place has turned into a real dump in spite of what the management-writen review below says. College kids are crammed in to power drink, so people are spilling on you and the bathrooms are vomit soaked. Both patrons and staff are often hostile, but apparently as long as you have two dozen taps, you run a trendy bar these days.
But any number of taps is meaningless since they don't clean the lines. My first Optimator would always taste nasty. Many times I'd order an Optimator and be served a Rogue Dead Guy, a decent beer, but an insult to me and an admission of problems with their lines. And while this forum concentrates on beer, I've noticed bartenders mixing drinks without liquor, only to drizzle some booze on the straw only.
And like another reviewer, I've had my debit card charged twice for the same tab and been present when patrons come in to challenge their double billing. Seems like both the IRS and NY Liquor Authority should take a closer look.
If you must go, try to avoid the bartenders Mike and Josh. Mike's the one I've seen swap beers and charge for liquor not served. Josh just doesn't move and is obnoxious. If John's working, pay in cash; he's always working whenever a second charge is added to a card after the patron left.

05-14-2011 19:12:01 | More by HarryTBaggins

melitameister

New York

4.78/5  rDev +18.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

This is one of the top few beer bars in the Albany area. We have the world class Mahar's at the other end of Madison Ave, and still visit Lionheart regularly because of the excellent beer selection and livlier atmosphere. This place usually has an eclectic crowd, yound and old with decent people watching.

At quiet times, this is also one of the few places around here with an informed and interesting bar tender from whom you can learn.

We are spoiled beer drinkers with decades of tasting behind us. Still we find choices from the large draft menu at Lionheart that are uncommon and excellent.

02-13-2010 14:51:49 | More by melitameister

Augustiner719

Connecticut

3.39/5  rDev -15.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | $$

Stopped in on Saturday Night after Christmas for a couple of pints. They have a great draft list that included some nice rare beers i havent stumbled upon on draft. For starters, they had one of the coresendonks, mad elf, a variety of Southern Tier, Sierra nevada, dogfish head 60min and Raison D'Etre, Rogue ales, and maybe a few stone beers. The service blew beyond belief and prices for the same pint varied throughout the night. I wouldnt come here during the party nights, but during the day when its less crowded it might be a nice place to have a couple pints. Reasonable prices, but then again everything in albany is reasonable compared to NJ. $6 pints of mad elf, $4 pints of the dogfish, SN and ST beers, but they varied between 4 and 5 something throught the night. Its worth a stop in if you are in the area but not worth traveling very far for.

12-28-2009 16:56:32 | More by Augustiner719

Kerning1

New York

2.9/5  rDev -28%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

***Thought I'd update my 2009 review since this place has only gone downhill. In the last two years this place has actually become a bit dangerous due to allowing overcapacity crowds in on a regular basis (guess double billing cards doesn't bring in enough money). The final straw for me personally came on a Monday night towards the end of winter. I spent a good part of the night being ignored by a bartender who'd spend the night smoking outside or giving people insulting nicknames. But then three guys began shoving around a disabled guy who was there by himself, and the two guys behind the bar did nothing to stop it (just stood behind the bar yelling like bunch of wussies). If you must go, bring something to protect yourself and pay attention to your statement if you pay with a card.***

This place still has 30+ taps and a good overall look to it, and it still has that puke-on-your-shoes Thurs - Sat crowd (with the staff puking there on Sunday), but the weekday scene has become more of a sports bar. It's still a good all around place for beer selection.

I've been going there for years and have always had two consistent problems. One is a nasty taste with some beers that must be from their lines (how does the same beer always taste skunked?). Another problem is that my debit card was charged twice for the same tab many nights over the years.

They do have a new problem with "regulars" now being replaced by fall-on-the-face drunks. Just tonight (11-07-09) I watched a 250+ pound bouncer throw around a 90 pound woman while drunks were fighting 10 feet away. You really need to pick the right time to go to this place.

That said, it's a good place in Albany when the weather's nice. The sidewalk seating and beer selection, plus it's off the park location (NEAR Lark and Madison), make for great people watching. Pick the right time and don't charge a tab and it's worth it.

The really sad thing is that this isn't just passable for Albany, it's actually considered quality.

11-08-2009 05:54:05 | More by Kerning1

togasports

New York

4.3/5  rDev +6.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Great place for beer, definitely the best on Lark Street. All the staff, especially the Manager Mike are great, and know their stuff. A lot of quality rare beers that are on, and always rotate. The dart room in the back is great, with real cork boards, and pool tables.

Word of the wise...If you would like to casually sit back and enjoy a couple, avoid anytime after 7 on Fridays and Saturdays, as this is when it becomes a big hang out for the local grad schools.

Overall, a great place in downtown, and a nice place to hangout, put some tunes on the jukebox, and relax with some friends.

11-30-2008 03:29:49 | More by togasports

drseamus

New York

4.44/5  rDev +10.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $

The tap list has gotten a lot better there since the good old days over the top of Bombers on Lark St. Unfortunately, they don't have the same live music they used to. A trade off that I can easily live with. The bartenders and especially Mike the manager are both extremely friendly. The bar is divided into two sections with pool tables and darts in the back along with a large TV and the bar and some bar tables in the front. Happy hour is the time to go with 3 and 4 buck drafts. Parking is the only downside although there is a lot across the street.

11-06-2008 04:12:34 | More by drseamus

Avryle

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $

With 30+ taps, this would be the #1 beer spot in Albany if it weren't for Mahars up the road. Though, it should be noted that there are two different Lionhearts- Day Lionheart & Night Lionheart. Somebody else made this point in their review and its true. The grown-ups tend to swing by for a pint at happy hour. The day folk know how to have a beer or two or three without making an ass out of themselves or puking on their own shoes. I find that the night crowd is comprised largely of Albany law & pharmy students guzzling steel bottles of goat urine or a Heineken if they're drinking "good beer" that night.

HAPPY HOUR 4-7pm, now its $3 for most stuff and $4 for big brews like Southern Tier Choklat.
And with 30+ taps, they have a pretty darn good selection many micros, locals & imports: Southern Tier, Captain Lawrence, Saranac, Brooklyn, Allagash, Harpoon, Magic Hat, Boulder, Lagunitas, Rogue, Corsendonk, Youngs, Spaten, etc. Of course there is also the macro-swill.

For your significant other, friends, etc. that aren't into beer, they also have a full bar mixing pineapple boom-booms and things that end in -tini.

03-24-2008 23:11:02 | More by Avryle

shuriyukum

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev -3.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

I like Lionheart as they offer a great selection of draft beer regularly at great prices. Since they are open till 4 am, I usually hit this place up after Mahar's. But there is a big difference between Lionheart during the day and Lionheart at night.

The place is decorated with beer mirrors of the English and Belgian variety. They are placed strategically so as to accentuate the interior. The walls and lighting create a nice pub atmosphere that is enjoyable. During the day, you will find many 'adults', that is, responsible beer drinkers. At night, the place turns into a college bar where it can create a negative atmosphere (e.g.- loud music from the jukebox, crowded, puke in the bathroom). So be sure to try this place in the daytime! The happy hour special can't be beat since it's daily till 7 pm and effectively cuts the price in half ($3 per pint). At night, inflation jumps them to $5-$6. Heavier, more expensive beers are served in 12 oz instead of 16 oz at the same price point.

Service is usually pretty good. The bartenders are friendly enough and are pretty good about servicing people when they come up to the bar. They are pretty friendly until the busy crowd comes in and takes over.

Compared to places with a higher beer culture, this will probably seem like a 'run of the mill' pub. But in Albany, it is pretty decent considering their selection in a town that's slowly awakening to better beer.

02-20-2008 05:23:30 | More by shuriyukum

aerozeppl

New York

4.58/5  rDev +13.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $

When I was in college and grad school I used to go to the Lionheart quite a bit. The bar is big and it usually doesn't get too busy to the point where you cannot move. They have a ton of beers on tap and everything is cheap relatively. They charge the same for swill as they do a good craft beer. The bartenders are very attentive and will let you have a sample of a beer if you ask.It can get really loud at night. I find now that I am a little older I don't like it as much. I really need to go here during happy hour to see what the deal really is. If you want a party bar with great beer then this is the place for you. I remember being there on a Sat night/Sunday morning till almost 7am. Nothing worse then leaving a bar with the rising sun behind you.
UPDATE: Much better right when the bar opens. Perhaps on a Sunday afternoon a few BAs might be there throwing back pints.

02-18-2008 21:57:26 | More by aerozeppl

slander

New York

4.14/5  rDev +2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Okay, there were exactly zero mounted lion hearts there (I know, 'cause I counted) so I don't know what that's all about, and I've got to tell you, there weren't any Blues here either. I was expecting old weathered bluesmen with names like Guitar Phil and Blind Randy Lightning or something, yeah, none of that. I think the only Blues here were mine. Not 'cause my baby gone left me or anything like that; no, it was just because none of the local BA's could come out and play tonight...

Located up the hill on the corner of one of those major roads that runs across town, not surprisingly, out to Mahar's (because all roads lead there), Lionheart has some pleasant pubbiness about it. A straight, thick, beaten & gouged bar seating a dozen or so lay to the right with a corner service area to the rear. 2 separated ceramic towers of 4 beers each on the bar and a pair of straight towers holding a dozen taps each on the bar back, between tiered booze and small shelves of specialty booze & glassware and 3 X 4 stained glass panels to each side of a large mirror there. A bar counter runs adjacent to the bar from the front of the room and ends to allow for the 4 raised bar tables as the room widens further back. A pressed tin ceiling piece but only directly above the bar, the rest of the ceiling is done in the same yellow/orange sponge painting as the walls above the stained wood lowers. Glass front room looking out over Madison. Ceiling fans with colored glass lamps, colored glass lanterns over the bar and recessed spots above the bar back. Dart supplies in a mounted case and shirts for sale on the wall at the end of the bar, with tap and bottle boards to both sides. Local art for sale, a single TV, jukebox in the corner, and a popcorn machine that would hold dinner for this evening. Also a rear room, smallish and tight. A pair of pool tables and 10 dart boards for league use (only 2 of them open to the general public). TV's in the corners, framed coaster displays, and brewery signage and mirrors.

32 taps, half of them micros local & regional (Southern Tier IPA, Saranac Imperial IPA, Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter & Liquid Gold, Brooklyn Brown Ale & Winter, Allagash Double, Harpoon IPA, Sam Adams Cherry Wheat & Lager, Magic Hat #9) and beyond (Boulder Mojo Hazed & Infused, Lagunitas Capaccino Stout, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale & Celebration, Blue Moon), and the other half a mix of imports (Corsendonk Winter, Youngs Winter Warmer, Spaten Optimator & Lager, Franziskaner, Belhaven, Old Speckled Hen, Stella, Bass, Guinness, Smithwicks). Had the Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter and a Brooklyn Brown, and Mike insisted that I drink half a Youngs Winter Warmer. Beers were fresh and clean, all good.

Also, nearly a dozen bottles, a few imports (Chimay Blue, La Fin Du Monde & Lindemans Framboise), but otherwise the cooler below the bar has a blinding face of shimmery green (Henieken), red (Budweiser), and blue (Bud Light) aluminum bottles (just don't look down there, you'll be fine). Taps, focus.

Um, good joint, I'm not sure if they actually do live music here, I came for the beer.

04-01-2007 18:10:26 | More by slander