Smith's Tavern

I gotta say the pizza here was pretty damn good but I can see why people complained in the past.

The waitstaff sucks really bad. My waitress was blatantly not wearing a bra and not in a good way. The furniture is old the tables are wobbly. This place looks exactly how it feels. Old and worn.

The food is the only saving grace but the only good food is the pizza. It's pretty epic and that's no exaggeration but this place lacks direction and leadership.

The good food only gets you so far. Would I eat here again? Yes but on the condition that I don't order anything but pizza.

You get what you get though and for a poorly run restaurant in the back of a bar it's not so bad.

"A Pizza for the Ages"
by Josh K.

I don't know if it was the awesome spelunking we did in nearby Clarksville cave on a cold, rainy day, but the warm and welcoming pub ambiance that two very muddy, smelly, and disheveled cavers received at Smith's Tavern, was a well-appreciated treat.

But hospitality for those seeking out the nearby natural wonders of the Heldebergs is something Smith's Tavern is in no short supply of.  This spot has been serving good food and drink for day-trippers and locals alike for well over a century.  Once the West End hotel, built in 1901 on the Vly Creek, the Voorheesville institution has been serving delicious American pub-style comfort food since 1945.

Just as in Albany we have The Orchard Tavern with their distinct style of pizza; Voorheesville's equivalent is Smith's Tavern aka "Smitty's".  I was very impressed with their unique version a buttery, thick cut pan pizza using homemade dough and sauce made fresh every day.  

We opted for the "Metrolander" - named after our local newspaper that seems to always award Smith's with the best pizza (a dozen times) in the Capital Region.  I have a hard time arguing against this.  With an extra supply of gooey mozzarella cheese, topped with pepperoni, red onions, green peppers, spicy cherry peppers, black olives and loads of garlic, the Metrolander is an epic pizza.  Washing it down with a pitcher of beer and chatting up with the good folks at the bar, it is easy to see why this is a beloved local establishment.  With a poet's corner, and a model train circling the bar, we are very fortunate to live in a area where such places exist.

I am relieved to have found a solid stop off whilst traveling to various south of Albany outdoor adventures.

Always nostalgic and the fact that they don't take credit cards, Smith's Tavern also feels a lot like time traveling - the best kind of travel.

Seriously???? Nachos made with a pile of cheap  tortilla chips topped with day-glow orange cheese sauce from a can is considered good eats????  I think not!  They were disgusting, over priced and something I would expect to get at a bowling ally for a fraction of the price.  We sent them back, paid our tab and left.  If a tavern can't get the basics right they deserve no stars.   Hate to be so harsh but come on!  nasty chips topped with nasty fake cheese sauce from a can is vile.  Fail and never going back.  Hate me if you want.  I'm not a food snob.  I love nachos.  Made with real chips, real cheese, real anything.  These were horrible.