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518 Best Eats 518’s Go-To Food Page 🍔🌮🍕
Chris & Jocelyn’s Food Adventures
Discovering Hidden Gems & Supporting Local!

09/08/2026

This one means a little more to us. ❤️

The 21 year-old son of the owners of Red & Blue Asian Grill reached out to us. His family has been here since 2014, relying heavily on the nearby college crowd, but business has slowed down and his parents have been considering selling. At only 21, he’s stepping up because he wants to see the business his parents worked so hard to build succeed.

This is EXACTLY why we started doing this.

A story might get us through the door, but the FOOD still has to speak for itself… and it did. 🔥

They’re mainly a Sichuan Chinese restaurant but sell Americanized Chinese as well so you know we wanted to explore the authentic side of the menu lol. We started with the gyoza and soft shell crab roll. Both TOP TIER.

I got the pork with vegetables and white rice. I’m not usually a spice guy, and this one definitely woke me up 😂, but underneath that heat was serious flavor. The pork was incredibly tender, almost melting in your mouth, and you could taste the depth of seasoning throughout the dish.

Jocelyn had the prawns and loved them. They were fried perfectly, giving them an incredible texture while still letting the flavor of the prawns come through. Everything on that dish worked together.

That’s something we want to keep pushing with this page. Try foods outside your comfort zone. Different cultures and cuisines can introduce you to flavors, ingredients, and cooking techniques you may have never experienced. You might discover something you never knew you’d love.

Then they brought out the fried ice cream… 🤯🔥 Spectacular.

⭐ Overall Experience: A

The service was great, the food delivered, and seeing the restaurant so quiet was tough because the food we experienced deserves attention.

We didn’t try their Americanized Chinese menu this time, so we’ll definitely be back for Round 2.

Let’s show this family some 518 love. ❤️

📍Red & Blue Asian Grill
2312 15th St
Troy, NY 12180

08/08/2026

Jocelyn and I visited Chix Crepes & Waffles in Albany and right off the bat, great customer service. The owner was behind the counter, talking and laughing with us while we ate, which made the experience even better.

I got the waffle chicken sandwich. The chicken and vegetables were fresh and the flavors were there, but the ex*****on fell short for me. The waffle needed more crispness and structure to hold everything together. With a crispier waffle, I could easily see this being a B, but this time I landed at a C.

Jocelyn got the hot honey chicken quesadilla. They definitely don’t skimp on the chicken! She wanted a little more hot honey and seasoning to bring everything together, but still gave it a solid B.

Then came the strawberry cup with Dubai chocolate… Jocelyn went straight S Tier on that one 😂🔥

⭐ Overall Experience: B+

Fresh ingredients, awesome owner and definitely worth giving them a shot.

📍848 Madison Ave
Albany, NY 12208

06/08/2026

This was a change of pace for Jocelyn and I. We usually focus on small businesses, but when Frankie from Paesan’s Pizza invites you to Costco’s pre grand opening party last night…how do you say no. 🤷‍♂️

Even though they only had pizza and hot dogs, we had a great time checking out the store, talking with people, and hanging out with Frank and Danielle.

The pizza is definitely more cafeteria style, but the flavor was there. The real surprise? That $1.50 hot dog 🌭. We expected your average cheap hot dog, but the quality of the all beef dog, paired with that soft potato bun, was honestly impressive. It tasted like something that should cost way more and that cake is top tier.

No, this isn’t sponsored, and no, we didn’t get paid. This was actually our first time ever inside a Costco… and after seeing those prices, we’ll definitely be signing up for a membership. 😂 We hope you enjoyed the change of pace and thank you Frank 🙏 ❤️

📍Costco
1701 Western Ave
Albany, NY 12203

04/08/2026

Jocelyn and I have been going to Fred the Butcher for while because their meat quality is second to none but Jocelyn has never tried their sandwiches. This time, we skipped the butcher counter and hit the deli.

I ordered the Reggie, while Jocelyn went with the Cuban. My Reggie had great flavor, but I wish the chicken cutlet was left whole instead of chopped. They also forgot the provolone and fresh mozzarella, which probably explains why it felt like something was missing. A lightly toasted bun would’ve taken it up another level. I gave it a B.

Jocelyn’s Cuban was the star. The pork was tender and smoky, the bun was toasted perfectly, and every flavor worked together. She gave it an A++. The only thing keeping it from S Tier? Is because she had to elevate it even more with some hot pepper relish and pickled jalapeños.

⭐ Overall Experience: B+

📍Fred the Butcher
1473 US-9
Clifton, NY 12065

Jocelyn and I are thinking about going LIVE on TikTok and taking on the Hot Ones Challenge! One wing after another, gett...
02/08/2026

Jocelyn and I are thinking about going LIVE on TikTok and taking on the Hot Ones Challenge! One wing after another, getting hotter and hotter while hanging out with all of you.

This isn’t sponsored, and we’re definitely not getting paid to do this. 😂 We just thought it would be a fun way to connect with everyone, answer your questions, share some behind the scenes stories from 518 Best Eats, talk about our favorite local spots, and let you get to know us a little better assuming we can still talk by the last wing. 🥵🔥

If enough of you want to see it, we’ll pick a date and make it happen!

So… who’s tuning in? And more importantly… who do you think taps out first, Jocelyn or me? 👀🌶️

01/08/2026

During all the flooding, Jocelyn and I were craving some real home cooking. We did some research and found The Verandah in Troy, and we’re so glad we did.

From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm and welcoming. The staff was incredible, and the woman behind the counter knew the menu inside and out. You could tell this place is built on passion.

We ordered the oxtail, jerk chicken, mac & cheese, and rice, and they were kind enough to let us try the curry goat and coleslaw too. Every single dish was packed with flavor. The meats were tender, the seasoning was balanced, and everything tasted like it was made from scratch with care. It felt like elevated home cooking, exactly what we needed that day.

This was my first time trying Jamaican food, and Jocelyn had only had it once before. Safe to say, we’ll be looking for more Jamaican spots to try!

⭐ Overall Score: A+

If you know another great Jamaican restaurant in the 518, let us know below! 👇

📍6 Franklin St
Troy, NY 12180

29/07/2026

We had quite a few people in the good ol’ DMs and even a friend tell us we had to try Taqueria Tren Maya, so of course we made the trip.

The first thing Jocelyn noticed wasn’t the food… it was the plants. She’s a total plant girl (you should see our house 🤦‍♂️), and she said, “If they take care of their plants this well, they probably take care of their food too.” She was right.

We ordered the Al Pastor tacos and chicken empanadas, and you could tell they were made with love and care. The textures were spot on, the ingredients tasted fresh, and everything was cooked well. Our only critique was that both dishes needed a little more seasoning and salt to really bring the flavors to life. They weren’t bad by any means, they just left us wanting that extra punch. When the sauce elevates the dish more than the dish stands on its own, that’s usually a sign it’s missing that final layer of flavor.

Overall, we’re giving Taqueria Tren Maya a solid B. And remember, a B is still a really good score from us and absolutely worth trying for yourself. We’d love to hear what you think!

📍23 Lower Hudson Ave
Troy, NY 12183

27/07/2026

Before we start, we want to say this

food is subjective. Just because we like something doesn’t mean you will, and just because something wasn’t for us doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try. Our reviews are simply our honest opinions based on our experience.

Our first stop was Kravin Hot Chicken in Troy. The fries came out warm instead of hot. They were decent, but nothing that stood out. The chicken sandwich reminded us of the Dave’s Hot Chicken style, but if you’re going to follow that concept, you need something that separates you from the competition. We ordered the Extreme heat level, but it wasn’t spicy, and overall the sandwich lacked the flavor and balance we were hoping for. We finished the meal still feeling hungry.

So we headed to Joe’s Chicken to give chicken another shot. Jocelyn ordered the chicken sandwich and immediately noticed the cheese was simply placed on the bottom instead of melted into the sandwich. She preferred the flavor over Kravin’s and felt it ate more like a classic chicken sandwich, but it still fell short. I ordered the chicken basket, and the pieces were on the smaller side, a little dry, and the spicy BBQ sauce wasn’t spicy at all.

Unfortunately, neither stop was a winner for us this time, and that’s okay. Not every review is going to be glowing, and we’ll always be honest about our experience. If you love either of these places, let us know what we’re missing or what we should order next time, we’re always willing to give a local business another shot.

📍Kravin Hot Chicken
187 Hoosick St
Troy, NY 12180

📍Joe’s Chicken
506 Campbell Ave
Troy, NY 12180

26/07/2026

🎉 20,000 FOLLOWERS!! 🎉

Wow… thank you all so much for the love and support! ❤️

Jocelyn and I honestly can’t believe we’ve hit 20,000 followers in just 3 months. The amount of support, shares, comments, and recommendations you’ve given us has been absolutely incredible. Watching this community grow has been mind blowing, and we couldn’t have done it without every single one of you.

We started 518 Best Eats to help people discover great local food while keeping our reviews honest and authentic. Seeing how many of you have joined us on this journey means more than you’ll ever know. Although we stay local to where we’re at we will start branching off more and more.

Now we have one question…

🎁 Should we do another give away? 👀

Drop a YES in the comments if you think it’s time and let us know.

Thank you again for believing in us. Here’s to the next 20,000! ❤️

26/07/2026

Today we made our way to the Saratoga County Fair! 🎡🎠

Here’s the thing about fairs… you don’t go expecting five star dining. You go for the experience. The food, the rides, the music, the smells, and the memories all come together to remind you what summers were like growing up. That’s exactly what this day was for us.

Our goal was to spend $100 trying as many food vendors as we could. We came in at $105, and honestly, it was worth every dollar. We went into rapid-fire review mode so we could bring you as many food spots as possible, and we had an absolute blast doing it.

More than anything, this day reminded us that it’s not always about finding the highest-rated meal. Sometimes it’s about making memories with the people you’re with. If you get the chance, grab your family or friends and spend a day at the fair. Those are the moments you’ll remember long after the food is gone.

Will we see you at the next one?

📍Saratoga County Fair
Ballston Spa, NY

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