This restaurant is a quaint joint that could be easily missed if you aren't looking for it. It's a small restaurant, but it has a home kitchen kind of feel to it. There is limited seating, with space for a few medium sized parties of 4-5, as well as some smaller 2 person groups. The menu has a solid selection of choices that are all VERY reasonably priced (even too cheap some might say). The service was a little slow, but the restaurant seems to be run by a family, and they are very apologetic. Of course, this wasn't a problem because you just knew the food was going to be freshly cooked. And fresh it was! The waitress was very kind, welcoming us and serving us with a smile. Our order came with a small salad and a vegetable soup which were both very tasty. We started out with some chicken wings which came out nice and crispy. The sauce on the side was a Burmese bbq which had a light kick and was very flavorful. We then had a dragon sushi roll which tasted very fresh. Finally, our main course, which for me was the drunken noodles with pork belly. This dish was packed with vegetables and piled high with delicious pork belly. It was very well seasoned and was cooked perfectly. The waitress wrapped up our meal with complimentary fried banana, or at least we think it was. It very well could have come with the meal, which for the price, still makes it seem complimentary. Overall, I can't recommend this restaurant enough. If you have some time and are wiling to wait a little longer than most other restaurants, you will be well rewarded with delicious food.

Shwe Burmese is a small (about five tables) family-run restaurant which serves Burmese food and sushi. The Burmese dishes I tried were very good. A tea leaf salad or Lat phat thoat has "Crispy pea, peanut, sesame seed and garlic oil with ground pickle tea leaf, cabbage and tomato." It was a little funky, a bit like kimchi, with a wonderful textural crunch provided by the peanuts. Palata (deep fried layered & flattened dough), commonly served at street food stalls, is reminiscent of scallion pancakes (without the scallion). In this case, it was served with a chicken, potato, and dahl stew. The saltiness of the stew was tamed by the layered and fatty dough. I might skip the chicken dumplings because those were boiled from frozen, store bought items. The pandan dessert, similar to a bubble tea, was an added extra. I'd definitely go again.

We LOVED our dinner at Shwe! We weren't sure what to expect, as the menu seemed to be pan-Asian, which was fine, but I didn't want Japanese, Thai or Chinese food, we wanted Burmese food. We were a party of 6. The hostess was very nice, brought out the dishes one-by-one, which worked well for us, as we were all sharing. Service was steady and friendly. (They could use a regular pitcher of water on the table, as we had to wait a few times for water--just more work for them to pour it individually.) The ambience is nothing to speak of, but it was sufficient and comfortable. Now, for the food--our favorites were the Tea Leaf Salad--every taste point met--sweet, salt, savory, sour, imami, not bitter--wonderful--would make a wonderful lunch by itself. We also loved the chicken curry, burmese wide flat noodles with pork belly, eggplant with beef, Palata: fried flatbread and veg/chicken stew, Burmese fried vermicelli, salmon in coconut curry sauce. Every dish was a home-run. Plus, the kind woman gave us all a fried banana roll with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar. I often don't leave reviews, and they didn't beg me to leave one, either. Totally earned, exceeded expectations! Whoops, no photos--ate it all up!

Vegan haven. Lots of choices for vegans. Had a delicious poke bowl with tofu and seaweed salad, avocado, corn, sushi rice, cabbage, carrots. The tea salad is amazing and a new dish for me- delicious crunchy peanuts. Be prepared to wait. It is just a few people making your meal. Daughter had tofu curry with vegetables and loved it. Highly highly recommend.

Authentic, home made style Burmese food. A gem of a place in a convenient location with plenty of parking. We ordered the tea leaf salad and a few different curries, along with the pineapple fried rice. Everything was flavorful and tasty without being greasy and too salty/drenched in sauce. Even the soup included with the lunch special was very good and full of veges. Family owned and the owner was very accommodating and friendly. Strongly recommended for authentic, great Burmese food!

Did not expect a legit Burmese restaurant in Albany yet here we are. This is a true hole-in-the-wall family-run business, with multiple generations of family in the kitchen and what seems like no outside help, all located in what appears to be somebody's house. This means that you may wait a bit longer for your food; I ordered to-go and it did seem like they were prioritizing dine-in orders, which I didn't mind. I've been to well-regarded Burmese restaurants in cities like LA and SF, and the food here easily holds its own flavor wise. The shan noodle salad with chicken is a fantastic example of all the inherent contrasting tastes and textures in Burmese cuisine - sweet, chewy, meaty, crunchy, shot through with tart pungency from the pickled vegetables. I was also surprised to find that the "pork" meat option in all of the stir-fried rice and noodle dishes are thick, succulent slices of pork belly, versus the lean slivers of loin or shoulder that you'd find at... just about any other Thai or Chinese restaurant. The main chef in the family supposedly cooked at five-star hotels in Burma before making his way to upstate New York - I can definitely believe that based on the quality of the dishes here, and this community is lucky for it.

Just leaving a little update to say that this place is still wonderful! The free dessert was different this time, but the delicious food and wonderful people are exactly the same. We tried a few new dishes this time and still enjoyed everything. Also, everyone isn't kidding about tiny customers being VERY welcome here. By the time we left my baby was fully prepared to abandon me for her new family. I don't really blame her: I don't cook nearly as well as her new BFFs do.

SHWE is one of the most exceptional and memorable restaurants I've been to this year. The food is fabulous, but the hospitality is truly what makes it stand out. The experience felt like the home-cooked meal I wish I had had when I visited Myanmar back in 2017. I believe the family that operates the restaurant lives above the restaurant, and it felt truly warm and welcoming. Hanging on the wall was a painting of the familiar sight of Bagan, evoking memories of my own breathtaking journey there where I also encountered some of the kindest, most hospitable people of my far-flung travels. For lunch we ordered the requisite tea leaf salad, tofu curry with rice (the lunch special came with a small soup and salad), and mohinga. Everything was superb. The tea leaf salad and mohinga probably were some of the best I've ever had. I've never had a Burmese-styled tofu curry before, but this one was wonderfully flavorful. The texture of the tofu was so silky and smooth, cooked with loving perfection. Like a doting auntie, of the owners carried my fussy baby, allowing me to eat the rest of my meal in peace. They also provided a complimentary dessert, consisting of shaved ice with rose syrup, grass jelly, peanuts, and other jellies. What a truly marvelous way to end a meal! If I could give this place six stars, I would. Definitely worth a return trip the next time we are upstate!

Very good/great food. Small. Simple. Delicious. good size portions and value. Only about 4-6 tables for eat in.

This is simple comfort food, served in an environment that feels like somebody's living room. I've eaten at several other Burmese restaurants and recall more spice in the dishes, but it is what it is. Of course we had the tea leaf salad; it was OK but without the tartness I am used to. Burmese noodle soup, fish curry, a fried noodle dish were all good but mild. I did ask for hot sauce and they brought a generic version. Three of us ate as much as we wanted for $19 each including tip, no complaints there. Be aware they add a 10% service charge to the bill as you're handed it so we took that into account in leaving our usual 18 to 20% tip.