Fred the Butcher

I’ve heard good things about Fred the Butcher, but my recent visit left me pretty disappointed. I picked up a plate of ribs—about four pounds at roughly $8 per pound—intending to smoke them. Once I got home and started prepping, I realized that nearly 60% of the cut was fat. I know some fat is expected, and I even left about a 1/4 inch on for bark and flavor, but the amount I had to trim was honestly ridiculous. It felt like I paid a premium for a lot of unusable product. I appreciate that every cut can vary, and maybe I just got a bad one, but this experience definitely made me think twice about returning. If you shop here, I’d recommend checking the cut closely or asking for a leaner rack.

Fred the Butcher, what can I say? The single best butcher shop in the area. So much so that I drive ve from Rotterdam a couple of times a month just to go here. Don't skip the sales on their Prime cuts! The difference is staggering and you will not be disappointed! Give something new a try, like these lamb kabobs or broccoli rabe sausage! You'll forever be finding new favorites at FtB's!

We travel from Cambridge to Fred's at least every other month. Have enjoyed their steaks Soo much, every time. Sandwiches are a must have treat each trip. Called to see if they carried marscapone cheese, staff checked for me over the phone. Needed savoiardi, staff found them for me. Awesome, awesome place.

Fred the Butcher is a 5 star butcher and 4 star eatery. I’ll be mostly focusing on the eatery. While the portions are generous, the meat is high quality, the seasoning was on the bland side. It feels sacrilegious to vote Fred the Butcher as anything but a 5 star on all accounts. The butcher itself is as high quality as they come. They were voted the best Prime Butcher Shop in the country in September and they deserve it. The prices are good, the employees are helpful, and there is a wide array of price points to explore. As a butcher, I visit them time and again. Today was the first time I have tried the restaurant. The restaurant inside of Fred the Butcher uses high quality meat in their sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. It’s a difference I could taste immediately. Fred’s is a good example of how quality doesn’t always come at a high a cost. What I bought: -Cordon Bleu Sandwich -Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Wrap -Fries Total: $26, including tax. $13 per person is certainly affordable. For the sheer quality I got, it was a steal. The value is also in their generous portion sizes. The manager on duty has an impressive memory and was able to remember the customization to my order before he got the list, and he remembered it with constant things pulling his attention away. The service was fast as well. While my order was correct, the seasoning was on the bland side and the seasoning that existed on the fries was inconsistent so some of the fries were properly seasoned and some had no seasoning at all. The chicken bacon ranch wrap was cooked with care. The chicken had a nice sear, the bacon was nice and chewy, and there was a good ratio between vegetables and meat. They left the wrap on the grill to cook the tortilla as well and it was nice touch. There wasn’t enough salt, pepper and garlic. I had to go home and season it myself but when I did, I could taste the smokiness of the bacon and it brought out the charred bits of chicken and it was all tempered by the smooth ranch dressing. Incredible. A bit more seasoning and this wrap would have easily been one of the best in the area. The Cordon Bleu Sub had a nice coating on the chicken and it was cooked perfectly. The cheese was so decadent and the cheese pull was nice and gooey. The sauce provided a good contrast to the chicken and cheese. The sub roll was toasted and had a nice crunch to it. The portions of the sandwich were generous. So generous, in fact, we needed a fork to eat it as our puny human jaw could not compete. Having said that, while the breading on the chicken tastes great, that greatness is faint and doesn’t stick on the palate. Just a bit more seasoning and this sandwich would have joined the greats. I still recommend Fred’s, both as a butcher and as a restaurant proprietor. I suggest you bring some salt and pepper with you or take it to go and season it once you get home. If you do, this will likely become one of your favorite spots.

The bacon burger and fries were absolutely delicious—a perfect 10/10. The food quality alone is enough to bring us back. However, the service could be better. Both the person who took our order and the cook seemed disengaged, with monotone voices and no smiles. It felt like they didn't want to be there. We hope for a more welcoming experience next time, but the amazing food makes it worth a return visit.

My go-to Butcher… best meat quality and meat selection bar none in the Albany Capital District. Photo is from Dec 2024 with Line Formed waiting for Fred’s to open up… worth the wait

I like their food but if you go after 6 they’ll just tell you they’re out of bread for the subs with a big smile. You can tell they just don’t want to make anymore. If you’re open until 7 you should be able to order food until 7. The dude was cleaning as we walked up and you could tell he was pumped to say they were out of bread. Other than that, their food is pretty good, and their meat is pretty good too.

This is a cool place to visit. Plenty of fresh choices to choose from. I got "The New Yorker" in a wrap and it was AMAZING!!!!! Not only was it made fresh but it was HUGE. This will definitely be a weekly stop for me.

This place is a freaking blast to visit! It feels like a step back in time...to some place familiar. The aesthetic is small town cozy, with so many great food options. We always love coming here for the food and the experience. Please, for the love of Jesus Christ Superstar!!!.....bring back the sun-dried tomato arancini balls! I will give you my blood for those balls!!! 🌟 ⭐️ ⭐️ 🌟 ⭐️ ⭐️ 🌟 🌟 🍅

Went for our first visit, we have a friend who introduced us. I like the variety they have. I personally went for kabanos(yum!). My boyfriend gets the 10lb ground beef and chicken breast deal. My only complaint was there were 6 people in the deli and they all just looked at me and walked by. I’m guessing it was because they wanted to get out of there(it was 40 min before closing). I personally wouldn’t shrug off a customer to clean. I waited for 5 minutes before anyone said a word to me. The girl was not very friendly that waited on me, she looked very annoyed. I don’t think you should treat customers that way no matter how bad you want to go home. Other than that, I got a nice jam to try! 20lbs of meat and 3lbs of kabanos!