Spiaks Restaurant

If you are looking for a real old fashioned restaurant with HUGE portions of really good food at prices that hark back to sometime in your youth, SPIAK’S is your place. The other afternoon, constant companion and I stopped for a very early supper (4:00 pm) and had no problem ordering whatever we wanted from the humongous menu which includes such forgotten items as clam cocktails (A shot glass of tomato juice with a raw clam inside. We called them «shooters» back in the day) for $.95 cents. Nothing is $.95 cents anymore, except at Spiak’s. Our entrees, broiled sea scallops ($ 13.95) for me and Chicken Parm ($ 14.95) for her came with a passable Italian bread. A very large salad was a mere $ 1.50 extra. But, the story here is the chicken. The serving was huge — at least
1.5 pounds of breast with an equally giant portion of angel hair pasta. In all my years of dining out, and there have been many, I have never seen a meal so large served anywhere. Even the waitress commented on it’s size and offered a take home container, AS SHE SERVED THE DISH ! The leftovers became dinner for the 2 of us next night. So, given all of this, why only one star you may wonder. Well, here’s the bad news. The place is DIRTY. Not just unkempt, but really DIRTY. The carpeting in the entranceway is filthy and looks like it hasn’t been shampooed since whenever Spiak’s prices were common in restaurants. But, the absolute worst aspect of this place is the odor of stale urine that permeates the entire dining room every time someone opens and closes a restroom door. It’s enough to gag you and had we noticed it right away, we would have been gone long before any service was rendered. Mind you, Spiak’s does a robust business from neighborhood residents, but I fail to understand how it stays in business with this problem or why the owner can’t see to basic cleanliness. For sure, we won’t be back.

We were immediately greeted when we walked in and told it would just be a minute because she had to set the table. We waited next to the door while the waitress set out placemats and silver wear. Then she nodded over to us to come over to the table, then walked away. I thought it was a bit unpolished how she didn’t escort us to the table, bring us menus or water or anything. After 5 minutes, I realized she was busy elsewhere, so I got up and got my own menu. After another 5 minutes she finally came over and asked if we were ready yet.
I had a few questions about some of the specials and the waitress gave me total attitude upon answering. Then it took over 10 minutes to get a glass of water.
Long story short, the service here is far from pleasant and slower than death.

Went for the first time on a busy Saturday night. I don’t know if this is normal, but there was one waitress stressfully trying to serve everyone in the restaurant, and understandably, not doing a very good job at it. The place was very dirty, and the bathroom was freezing (in cold weather, no heat!). My baked pasta dish was like rubber — it had obviously sat in the oven to keep warm way too long. But the worst part was, while waiting for our food, I watched a mouse run across the dining room! I told the waitress, who basically said «OMG» and that was it. I hope that she reports it to the owner/​manager, who was obviously nowhere in sight the night we ate there.

Well i grew up on purple pub and spiaks pizza. Visited Spiaks last year and said i’d never go back. Well, I went back. Here to say i’ll never go back. Ordered two pizzas. One — plain cheese (can’t mess that up) or can you? Second — Chicken wing pizza with chicken wing sauce. (sound easy). Went and picked it up — Got there and the pizzas weren’t done. While I waited I paid the $ 21.00. Waited a few minutes more — barmaid came out and said you ordered cheese or pepperoni on the one? I said no just cheese and she responded It has pepperoni, is that ok? I responded no, the people eatting that pizza are vegetarians. Oh. .. . We’ll have to make another one. Waited and waited. .. . Pizza boxes came out, carried to the car and discovered cheese and sauce all over the closed outside of the boxes. Really? Got home, pizza looked like the pepperoni was pealed off and more cheese filled the spots and rebaked — cheese was burnt and crusty and the crust on the actual pizza was soggy. Again, really? They messed up, not me and I paid for it. It was the worst pizza I ever had. The other pizza basically, was terrible (so I’m told) they plopped chicken on it and cheese and baked it — the crust on that was also soggy. Spiaks — you gotta do better. Very disappointed

For my money, this place has the best pepperoni pizza in the Albany area (and MILES better than the Purple Pub next door). Prices are reasonable, and they cut the pepperoni two or three times as thick as everywhere else, making for a really flavorful pizza.
I understand why some don’t like it; the building itself is old-​fashioned, and sometimes it’s understaffed. Having said that, I’m a huge fan of this place, and won’t back off the 5-​star rating.

If you happen to be in the fair hamlet of Watervliet, NY and you are looking for a formal dining experience, don’t come here. If you happen to be in the fair hamlet of Watervliet, NY and you don’t have your head up your own ass I would definitely recommend Spiaks.
I came here with my mother and my brothers (apparently my mom and I used to hit this place up over 25 years ago as well) and had a truly delightful lunch. Sue the waitress was attentive, the food came out quickly and everyone enjoyed their meals.
My brothers both got cheeseburgers and since they are both teenagers didn’t really speak once the food arrived. They dug in pretty ferociously and Kelly burped his compliments to the chef. I got «The Sally» which is a twist on a Reuben. «The Sally» boasts corned beef with cole slaw and cheddar on dark rye. Holy Delicious Sandwich Batman. GET THIS. My mom got the signature perogies that come to plate sizzling in a cast iron skillet.
Lunch for 5 people with 4 sodas and three beers came to something ridiculous like $ 45. Gotta love Upstate New York prices! (My mother and I even had leftovers).
If you want a nice, cheap, tasty meal I would recommend Spiaks!

«Bluefish for the Blue Collar Blues»
by Josh K.
Aside from Spiaks restaurant, there isn’t much left of the once thriving Ukrainian neighborhood of Maplewood (Colonie/​Watervilet).
Walking into Spiaks, I am immediately transported back to the turn of the century where little taverns serving gut-​filling home style dinners of pan fried peirogies, spaghetti and oily bluefish fed the hard workers of the second industrial revolution.
Spiaks is a living remnant of the old school eating establishments frequented by the blue collar workers of the Eerie canal and later, the Watervillet arsenal.
What Spiaks lacks in glamour it more than makes up for in charm. Here is a restaurant who knows what it is and tries to be nothing more. Fast are these types of eating establishments disappearing, thus making them more special. I have heard a lot about Spiaks from the Capital Region old-​timers, and it was about time I made a little trip out of Albany to check it out.
We came late on a Sunday evening after a big dinner rush of hungry patrons have left, and only a few loyal patrons remained drinking at the bar and watching some College hoops on the TV. The booth seating by the bar looked more atmospheric so we opted to sit there.
The restaurant’s single waitress was visibly exhausted and thanked us for not coming 15 minutes earlier. Being the last patrons, this is usually the worst time of night (especially on a Sunday) to grab a seat and expect a fabulous meal. Despite probably wanting to go home, the waitress was very friendly. Because she was cleaning up the other tables, she neglected to give us menus and it took awhile before she took our orders.
The large menu had everything from classic Italian dinners to fried seafood platters and sandwiches. Everything was decently priced (9.99 and under for most entrees) and the Italian food in particular was a bargain. We heard the pizza was good so we ordered two pies: a six cut sausage and peppers and a small meatball and onion.
Glancing up at the chalkboard that listed the evening’s specials I noticed there was pierogies (5.95), fried rolled eggplant served with spaghetti (8.99), clam pizza, and bluefish fillet over rice (9.99).
Wanting to have a more Ukrainian atmosphere, I decided to order the pierogies as an appetizer for the table. I asked the waitress if they were the frozen kind, and she proudly told us that they buy them from a woman in Waterford who makes them from her house.
Then, with a bit of hesitation, I also ordered the blue fish (usually only served on Friday evenings, probably leftover from then). The waitress assured me that the cook knows how to fillet the bluefish properly (if done incorrectly, the strong, pungent and oily skin can make the meat quite foul).
Adding more vintage offerings to our meal, Spiaks also had Rochester’s finest, Genesee Ale on tap and 3 pints were ordered unhesitatingly.
The pierogies came out first sizzling in oil and coated heavily with caramelized onions. My friend, who is used to the frozen variety, wanted them crispier. Although I have had better (I had them in Krakow after all), they were quite nice. The four pancake-​sized dumplings were devoured in seconds.
We ordered more pints of Genny as our sizzling entrees came out. The pizza was heavy on the toppings and had a crispy crust much like the Fountain’s variety, but without the stronger flavors of the latter. More garlic really would have strengthened the pie.
The Bluefish was served over rice pilaf and accompanied by some green beans. The fishwas actually more mild than I would have thought. Known to be an unspectacular fish, it was indeed nothing great, but hit the spot, especially accompanied by a slice of meatball and onion pizza and being washed down by some Genny.
When it was time to pay the bill, I was delighted to see an old-​fashioned cash register. Part of me wished It was the World War II era and she rang us up there unphased by the drunk and rowdy GIs in uniform at the bar. Alas, extra points for it at least being there.
Food: 3 – 3 ½ stars (good not great)
Service: 3 Stars (understandably lacking)
Atmosphere: 4 Stars (I really want to be a local here)
3 ½ stars overall.
As I write this, I am really hankering for the clam pizza. So I will return, and try to come at a better time and hopefully boost the rating up to 4 stars.

I grew up in Watervliet, so I crave their pizza from time to time. Awesome little hometown place that holds it’s history. Love to sit at the bar for wings and pizza; bartenders always nice.

Five stars for the service. The food is three and a half to four stars (very good), but you won’t find service like this anywhere on earth. The people are great. Small glasses for bottles of beer and a great sparsely decorated vintage cash register to boot. The low light and overhead cocktail wine glasses yield an aura of festivity to the place, even as the normal decorations modify icicle lighting’s mood of modernism, racing alongside yesterday’s news anchors. Time will grant a conversation or four if you are willing, for the patrons and professional seats are. Check it out if you’re tired after a long day at work. This place will make you feel like the struggle is all with it.

I just found out that the folks that own this also own the Purple Pub. So it turns out that family rivalries over which is better, doesn’t take away from either place. I’ll still be loyal to PP pizza, and get anything else here. That clam pizza does sound intriguing. That’s something I’ll never find in Minnesota. You could have knocked me over with a feather, because it’s still apples and oranges to me.

A working-​class bar and restaurant in a Ukranian Watervliet neighborhood. Fills up with seniors early in the evening, and it feels like you’ve been magically transported to Buffalo, without the AARP discount card. Food here is two-​fisted, up-​front and precisely what you’d expect in this sort of environment: nothing spectacular, but homey and honest with no bullsh*t. There’s usually a couple of beers on tap that one wouldn’t expect in a place like this, and overall the final tab will be remarkably inexpensive. Ticia G. will no doubt write something about this place later tonight, so refer to her commentary for more immediate tag-​team detail.

i tried to resist robert’s challenge but alas, i am helpless. if i dine at a new place i feel compelled to review.
and he is correct. this establishment is a sweet one. the food will not WOW you but it will make you quite happy. as you drive up 32 along the river you notice a smallish neon sign announcing ‘dining room’ and a parking lot in front of it. there is a bar entrance on one side and the dining room entrance in front. the dining room is pretty unassuming with about 15 tables adorned with paper placemats.
we chose to sit at a booth in the bar area. and this is one of the old school bar areas. the nightly games were on, and no, i don’t mean sports, i mean the ones we used to watch with our parents when we were little (i forgot that they were even still on. i don’t think that it was vana white there anymore tho with pat.) the menu was quite interesting with many low priced options. they have a number of pizzas (i had a 3 cheese 6 slice white pizza, it was yummy) and they have a really large selection of kid’s (or ‘for the young at heart) items that are basically smaller versions of the menu.
kenz had stuffed shells that she loved and even ‘mmmed’ over. rox had a delicious salad that she scarfed down and declared Absolutely Delicious followed by a Huge dish of ziti with ricotta and mozz. she had a ton left over for lunch tomorrow. robert had a white clam pizza that he loved. they brought fresh bread and butter to while us away while we waited for our dinner. they also had a quite nice selection of diverse beer on tap. i noticed a mon and wed special on the wall for ‘lovers’ that advertised a large pizza, salad for 2 and a bottle of wine for $ 22.99. too bad noone wanted wine.
while we ate, the table behind us got a special birthday desert for the toddler with them and he was absolutely adorable attempting to blow out his candle while the whole place sang happy birthday to him. (he didn’t succeed in blowing it out and tried to touch the flame instead but was rescued by him momma.)
our dinner came to less than $ 50 with 4 beers and our dinners. we were all very full and content. all in all, it is a delightful little place that reminds me of the places my grandparents used to take us. a place that you can eat in the bar and not worry about having your kids there with you or worry that there will be drunken jerks ruining the mood. it was sort of like eating in your living room as a child but with some other nice neighbors around.
thank you robert.