COLONIE — The Albany County Health Department temporarily closed down The Philly Bar and Lounge on Watervliet Shaker Road Thursday after three employees tested positive for COVID-19.
The state Department of Health will be at the restaurant on Friday to test the other employees, and the restaurant will remain closed until those tests come back.
Management at the restaurant has been fully compliant, said Mary Rozak, a spokeswoman for Albany County Executive Dan McCoy.
Two of the employees who tested positive live in Albany County and the third lives in Rensselaer County. Their condition was not immediately available.
The county Health Department recommends any customer of Philly who has symptoms or concerns related to COVID-19 get tested for the virus.
To schedule a test at the state-run site at UAlbany call 888-364-3065. For Priority I Urgent care in Guilderland call 518-867-8040. To schedule an appointment at Rite Aid, at the corner of Route 155 and Central Avenue, visit riteaid.com.
Philly opened in 2004 after the owner, Rocky Patel, and his family moved from Philadelphia to Latham and purchased the Lookout, a well-known bar restaurant. In the tradition of Philadelphia, Patel made the Liberty Bell his restaurant’s logo and his signature item is the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich.
On its website, the restaurant boasts about its staff and how more than half have been employed at the restaurant for more than five years.
