3.5 stars, but I decided to round up as the service was quite lovely. Came here for lunch just this past weekend with the bf before we had to get on the Amtrak heading back home to NYC. The interior of this cafe made me think of the bedroom of a teenager growing up in the late 80s-mid 90s, what with the pink boa, the decoupaged images of Madonna and other pop stars of the time, as well as their signed and framed Broadway musical posters. They offer mostly cafe fare here, so think sandwiches and burgers and breakfast offerings. I got their black bean burger while the bf got their chicken salad wrap. My burger was fine, albeit a little too mushy for my tastes. The bf had no complaints about his wrap. I imagine that this is a fun place to sit back and read or catch up with friends as there's plenty of comfy seating around. The bathrooms are fun, with their neon paint schemes and framed magazine covers, lol. read more

Not sure what all the hype is about... Waitress was attentive & friendly. Quality of food ingredients were average to below average. Bread used for sandwich didn't taste fresh. Their home made black bean burger was super dry and the sandwich overall had no flavor. They put a dash of salsa (like the kind you dip chips in) on it. I'm new to the area and have been trying a different lunch spot everyday I go out. I don't think I'll be giving this place another chance. read more

Great coffee, great breakfast and lunch menu, good service. Ambience and charm for everyone! We love Marc.

Really cool spot with yummy pastries. The Irish coffee was very good. The espresso drinks needed some love though. They are not strong at all read more

I would be a cold-hearted bastard indeed if I did not upgrade Ambition to five stars after today's completely awesome birthday lunch for my wife (who had not been there before). This time around, without the weekday lunch rush, we got excellent sandwiches and really outstanding service. We did the Lox 8, a fine variation on the lox-and-veggies sandwich, and the Reuben, which came with dijon instead of russian dressing (which I think technically makes it a corned beef sandwich 8-) and it was top notch. Even the coffee tasted better. Our two fussy fidgety kids were catered to, we got an off-the-menu sandwich for one of them. For my wife's happy birthday moment with dessert, we got some singing and glitter hearts strewn over the table. At the end of the meal, she turned to me and said, "THANK YOU, this is EXACTLY what I wanted for my birthday. My kind of place." That, plus the ghost of Blackboots kept tapping me on the shoulder. read more

I went here for the very first time today, and the service was impeccable. The waiter was absolutely polite and offered me an amazing latte. I tasted it, and it was magical. The food is fresh and delicious and made to order. I atmosphere is very artsy, so if you love the arts, this is the perfect place for you. I would recommend this place to everyone I had a sandwich called "Glad you could join us" and a bowl of their homage soup, both of which were absolutely amazing. read more

It was my first time trying out ambition cafe today. The set up of the cafe was a bit strange. We entered the open door and it was the bakery side of the cafe. So we were told to casually grab any open seats available so we did. The lunch menu sandwiches tasted okay, it wasn't anything special but the coffee was a bit expensive in my opinion and it was just regularly coffee. Then I found out once I pay for the check that there's an open coffee bar and the beverage prices on that board was different listed prices than on the lunch menu. Slightly cheaper. I was really confused by that. Overall, the cafe had a friendly environment, the food was nothing special and the cafe set up was confusing to me. read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Nice and cozy environment in the back seating - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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We've ordered lunch a few times and overall been very pleased. Their weekend brunch menu isn't vegetarian friendly- which is a bummer. The muffins are SO good, I'd you order anything get one of the boozy muffins. Delicious. read more

My girlfriend and I came for the first time on Valentine's day and the food is AMAZING and the atmosphere is calm and cool. I will definitely be coming here more often read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - The big Smack and Stacy's Mom sandwiches - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

I have to admit I don't find myself in Schenectady very often. I had missed the Troy Farmers Market on Saturday so I decided to pick up my mom and bring her to the Schenectady Greenmarket which is on Sunday. It was a beautiful but hot day and my mom had to use the restroom. The market doesn't have any but we were told that Ambition Coffee and eatery is very liberal in allowing people to use their facilities. While there, I noticed the eclectic and kitschy style of the cafe. I am always up for a cup of coffee so I ordered some for my mom and I. We decided to sit outside at one of two tables out there and people watch. Like I said previously I don't know much about Schenectady but Jay St. seems to be similar to some of the Streets surrounding the farmers market in Troy with boutiques, an organic food market and such. As a bonus it is cobblestone with some interesting old architecture. We enjoyed the coffee so much that we decided to get lunch as well. I ordered a sandwich called Bluffin with my Muffin, it had turkey avocado, cheese and a fried egg with raspberry chipotle sauce on a pretzel bun, phew! That's a lot of ingredients but surprisingly it was quite tasty. The extra salty tortilla chips on the side were not so good however. I don't understand serving tortilla chips without a dipping sauce or salsa. My mom got chicken on an herb ciabatta roll with mozzarella cheese, pesto and roasted red peppers. She enjoyed it very much. The bite I had was good with plenty of hot chewy mozzarella to eat. It was also served with tortilla chips. I would like to come back and try something else on the menu to get a full picture of this place. The service was friendly and helpful. If I find myself in Schenectady again I'd like to something off the breakfast menu. read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Chicken with cheese, roasted red pepper and pesto. - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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I've been to Ambition three times now -- once for brunch, twice for lunch. All three times were outstanding. Brunch service was super efficient. We were in and out in 45 minutes. My French toast was superb, and the coffee was perfect. I love the hand painted coffee mugs. My Bloody Mary needed more spice, but it wasn't the worst. Good food, good variety, friendly servers, and quirky decor. Can't get much better! read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Handpainted coffee mug with a "Poltergeist" quote, and a Bloody Mary. - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

This is from a friend who's a former customer. Sufficed to say that's good enough for me not to patronize. "Had the most disrespectful experience at a cafe this morning while trying to enjoy a peaceful moment eating breakfast as the waitress threw me my receipt and sat down to eat her own food and thought that I was going to pay cash when I had a debit card and expected a tip for her rude obnoxious behavior... I enjoy the convenience of eating here but will never return.. even of the food was not Great I always respect customer service.. I still left a dollar tip tho.. maybe she can go whip her stanking ass with it.." read more

Love love love this place and its vibe. You walk in, seat yourself and your immediately greeted by a server. It's quaint- not fit for large parties- like more than 6 The coffee is amazing. Always different flavors and choices. There are always other drink specials as well if you want a little more than coffee. I usually always leave with a pound of the coffee that they make and sell in the store. The food is different. What I mean by that is its FRESH FRESH FOOD. The sandwiches usually have fruit in them or fresh avocado or some sort of homemade mayo plus they have different breads. The menu is intoxicating if you love fresh, healthy foods. If your in the area and can spare a half hour, stop in! read more

Food was flavor less, really just a glorified hipster breakfast place. Plenty of other hole in the wall places with better food and better prices. Service was lacking as well read more

Ambition has made considerable improvements across the board! It's looks great. My wife was dying for a coffee, so we stopped in to find that most if not all of the complaints in my previous review had been addressed. How can I not change my review!? I glanced in the kitchen to see crisp fresh apples being sliced, and everything just smelled clean and delicious... I was truly blown away. I almost wanted to sit down and eat even though we had just finished lunch. I will be back! read more

Always great food and courteous staff. Fun quirky atmosphere. Make sure to try their boozy muffins.

Love it here, specialty coffees and baked goods are amazing never had a bad meal here!

Very consistent and tasty food! Also the staff is always friendly and working hard! I personally enjoy it here a lot the place has a ton of character read more

The place has a cool vibe about it, seems like it's run by some cool young hip locals. But it's all about the food, basic breakfast menu, Had a bagel sandwich and OJ, no complaints it was good. Give it a try. read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Two Sundays ago, I had the pleasure of visiting Ambition for the first time for brunch with my fiancé. We recently moved to the area and we were on the hunt for a new 'spot'. This place is so charming, the service is genuinely and uncommonly amazing, and the food is so. Damn. Good. Before you even walk in, you are PUNCHED with the best aroma of coffee and hot food. When you walk in, the decor draws you in. This decor is a collection of musical treasures. You can tell someone put so much time and so much love into the atmosphere--I KNEW the food was going to be good. There are so many other restaurants out there that are so--corporate. The best way I can describe what I mean is when you grab a pizza at "Pizza Planet" then a few days later grab a pizza at a mom & pop pizza shop and you suddenly remember what a pizza is supposed to taste like--THIS IS WHAT FOOD IS SUPPOSED TO TASTE LIKE!!! Adam was our server, and he knew his stuff! He's been there I think for 7 or so years and he was kind enough to help us decide what to order. He also suggested some modifications to my latte that he thought would be more my style since I like coffee really sweet. He took time to get to know us and made our time memorable. The food was hot, the jelly was homemade, even the toasted bread seemed homemade. You can't get food like this just anywhere. So why am I writing this two weeks later? Because I can't get this place out of my mind. I can't stop thinking about the white chocolate raspberry latte. Or the apple and brie omelette--or the homemade Plum Jam! We will be back soon, and next time I'm leaving with a t-shirt. This is hands down our new favorite spot. I would go back just for the coffee alone! (Which you can grab to-go!! ). read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - White chocolate raspberry latte. - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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An awesome stop for coffee and a snack if you are in the area. I had a 2 turned 5.5 hour long layover thanks to Amtrak's wonderfully on-time service... Super friendly service. Tasty egg, bagel, and cheese sandwich ($3.50). Soy latte ($3) was delicious although not incredibly strong. Sumatra coffee ($1.75) was good. The cafe is pretty split between diner, complete with booths & table service (front), coffee shop (small room to the side and back room with couch & comfy chairs), and bar (stools in the middle). read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Comfy couch & chairs in the back. - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Solid sandwich shop. I got a hazelnut cappuccino and it was pretty good, but just a tad too much syrup. My sandwich was yummy but didn't feel like the horseradish mayo was as spicy or evenly put on my wrap. Wish it was more consistent. Service was very good. But clean up your restroom. Feels super dark and dirty. Wanted to get out as soon as I got in. read more

Great place! They had breakfast sandwich to go deals and table service if you want to sit down. I had a wheat wrap with egg, swiss, spinach, and mushrooms and it was really good. I also ordered an Irish cream latte. I asked if it was very sweat (sometimes when there's two flavors, Irish cream and hazelnut in this case, lattes are too sweet for me). They said they could make it however sweet I like and everything was customizable. She kept the flavors balanced perfectly! The service was really great too. Given that it's a cafe and you seat yourself I didn't expect the service to be overly attentive, but they were really good about coming over and asking how things were going once I took a seat. read more

Two of us came here for brunch on a Saturday around 11:30 AM. We sat at a booth and were promptly and efficiently served by a friendly waiter. What we had: Spanish omelette Pancakes with peanut butter and honey on the side Coffee read more

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This place is a cute and cozy with great sandwiches. They also serve great coffee. There are so many different options to choose from! It was hard to choose, but I ended up going with the brie and turkey sandwich which was delicious. We also had the Jeremy's Package with was delicious. The pretzel bread was amazing. We also ordered the breakfast sandwich. The eggs came scrambled, but in hindsight I would have asked for a fried egg instead. Overall, very good with many options. I plan to try something new every time. read more

Home of one of my favorite sandwiches of all time (the ragin cajun) and full of personality. A must stop if you haven't tried it yet.

Just had the Katy Perry, another tasty sandwich from Chef/Owner Marc Renson. What will he come up with next? Whatever it is I will be there to try it. Absolutely wonderful! read more

Amazing staff. Incredibly friendly owner and people on staff. The food is incredible! Amazing flavors and options while remaining affordable. Service is FAST and they have all these great cutouts of celebrities sitting at tables to help give the space some life while we live through the pandemic. HIGHLY recommend if you're looking for great local eats at a great price. read more

I've been a fan for 2 decades now, and this spot just keeps getting better. Amazing food with solid vegan options and a stellar wait staff, don't hesitate! read more

I come here almost every morning when I work in Schenectady. Love the atmosphere of the place and Mark is an amazing guy as well as his staff. The food is always fresh and made to order. It's a very quaint little spot on Jay street and I recommend it to everyone in the area! read more

I can not say anything bad about this place. The service is awesome and the food is ridiculously good. I never had a bad meal here. Schnectadys hidden gem. Please go and check it out if you're ever around!! read more

Every time we visit my family in Schenectady we come to Ambition. We love the atmosphere, their hot beverages from cappuccinos to their homemade chai and are never disappointed. read more

I'll preface this by saying the food is great. I've done nothing but sing this shop's praise for a long time. But recently, I've been unable to get out of the house a lot because I was injured in a fire, so my fiance picks up our food instead of going there in person. I was going to an exam today and since I was right next door I figured we could stop in for a bite. We've had a really bad time recently and we could use the pickmeup. I go in there and after waiting 20 minutes the manager came up to me saying we're always rude to the waitstaff and we never tip so she's not going to make them serve my fiance and I. Now, mind you, when we went there in person we always tipped. Maybe not amazingly but things have been rough so we did our best and it was usually for special occasions or something to cheer us up when things have been particularly rough, we've had a lot of bad luck since the fire (the one that was also on jay street) and it was always something that put a smile on our faces. I was not aware that tipping on pick up orders was evidently /mandatory/ and gave them the right to refuse service. We weren't being waited on so I didn't know that it was something that was necessary. And the only time I was even remotely rude was when I was yelled at for asking them to include bacon on a burger via mealeo notes because they didn't have any option to add bacon and it costs extra, which I didn't know because it wasn't listed on the page. But since I loved their food, I let this slide and just started ordering a stacy's mom instead. It breaks my heart that this would happen, as it was literally my favorite place in Schenectady to eat for when I was feeling really down, so them doing that to us after making us wait/completely ignoring us while we were already having a bad day is really disheartening. I won't be ordering from them again and it's upsetting because their food is really great. If you can look past that, then go for it. But clearly make sure you have enough extra money to leave a weighty tip, because if you don't, they might end up denying you service in the future. Edit 1/29/2016: After the response from the manager below, I sent a message to them privately requesting that they cite this alleged abuse, as my fiance and I both keep to ourselves. I'm offended that they would claim that we were abusive when all we did was eat, pay and leave. It was highly unprofessional in my opinion, and the mudslinging just further punctuates that it was likely entirely about tips as they couldn't site the alleged abuse. If you're in the area, I suggest Pizza King or Johnny's. Both are polite. Below is the note that I sent them, for reference. ---- If you wouldn't mind, could you please give me some examples of this rudeness? I say this, because we haven't been there in person until today, since before the fire. I have not been able to get out and about just for leisure since then and when we went in before all we ever did was order the same thing, keep to ourselves and talk to each other, pay and leave. We barely spoke to the wait staff beyond the initial order and accepting our food because we always knew what we wanted the second we came in. This also seems odd because we haven't been there since the fire to be waited on but we were personally invited to the breakfast with our faces seen while we were down in the area discussing housing, even though we were evidently not welcome to be waited on by this point, as I have pointed out since we haven't been in since before the fire. And we were not able to make it to the breakfast either, due to the location we were housed at and my injuries preventing me from actually making my way to that area unless it was absolutely necessary. The only other time I spoke to waitstaff was the issue with Mealeo, when I was yelled at over the bacon being requested via note because there was no checkmark option for it on the All American Burger. I didn't like how I was being spoken to in this case because I was being treated rudely so I was slightly short back, and I do apologize for it. That and we didn't tip on Mealeo and we were also given an earful about that, but the only reason we didn't was because it was only about a 15 foot walk given our location and it was a large reason why my fiance just started picking it up, because we couldn't afford the extra pay when we were already only getting it when things had gone poorly or on very special occasions. As for the offer to continue picking our food up, I'm afraid after how we were treated today, we don't really feel all that comfortable walking into the establishment. So we'll have to decline on that front, especially since I still have no idea what the staff is seeing as rudeness when we were largely quiet and just kept to ourselves. All I can think is it's a matter of tips given how we were lashed out at over not tipping on Mealeo. So I apologize, we'll just have to find another restaurant to fill that role. read more

I had a yummy egg and chorizo sandwich here. My hubby has the Baba Wawa and he thought it was pretty good. The service was good and I loved the eclectic vibe. A little Yelp bonus was nice. You pay $10 for &15 toward your bill. Every little bit counts. Cute block this place is situated. I'm not from the area but I would recommend based on what I had. read more

Today was my first time in Ambition, didn't know there were 2 entrances. which got me confused for a bit, because there was no one there and dark until I peeked into the other side of the wall!! brain fart! but the atmosphere is nice and cozy, it feels like home. I ordered the Turkey Avocado sandwich came with a pickle and 1 handful of chips, green tea in a baby cup which was about 2-3 sips and it was gone . The portion seemed kinda small to me for the price. It would be a great place to take someone for a date there. if the portions were bigger I would eat there everyday! or maybe I'm just fat and eat a lot ha...... read more

Went there for the first time today for a late breakfast and we loved it! Had their french toast with strawberries, croissant with egg and cheese, and a greek omelet. All are pretty awesome! The french toast came with real maple syrup and is amazing. The thing I love most about the place is that they are really friendly and cool! Mark came and greeted us and Kelly was really friendly and helpful. It felt cozy and artistic - I love how all of their cups are uniquely made by a local artist. There are some sofas in the back too. I will definitely come back. My bf actually works from home and considered working from Ambition - unfortunately they don't have wi-fi so it makes it impossible to work from. Otherwise it would be perfect. read more

Haven't been here in a few years, so when my girlfriend suggested it for brunch I said why not. Well, thank god she did. It surpassed my fond memories, in every aspect. From service, food and just over all vibe. Ten out of ten read more

What luck! Also happened on a farmer's market in downtown Schenectady on an impossibly perfect spring Sunday. A couple of levains, a tub of goat cheese, the last of the cheese danishes, a cool lavender lemonade, and a preppy & peppy Jazz band, plus four jars of honey from beekeeper Mr. Spear...oh, and a stop for lunch at Ambition: Had the New Yorker sandwich and a crab cake patty with pita. Both were delicious: fresh, ample ingredients with savory condiments. The salad was treated with respect: no wilted greens and no drowning by dressing. Most importantly, the coffee came through on its promise, it kept its rich, dark flavor long after the ice cubes melted. The bottle-cap encrusted walls, also adorned with Broadway-show posters and vinyl-album covers kept us entertained during the 15 min sandwich wait. The staff were upbeat and friendly even as the place brimmed to full capacity, not to mention a steady influx of take out orders. We had fun, 'twas a good culinary detour. read more

I went to Union College and would frequent this place (nestled on Schenectady's bohemian and artsy "Jay Street") often between 2006 - 2008. Once upon a time you could swipe your student card at the restaurant - which was convenient for college kids short on cash. While I am not sure if Union kids can still swipe, I am sure that this place is still very good. Both my girlfriend and I ordered wraps and all the ingredients were fresh and crisp and were delivered to us in a timely fashion. Also, one of the barometers I measure service by is how often the waitor or waitress refills (or offers to refill) your coffee. Our waitress was highly attentive and refilled my coffee several times to my delight. There were no snags with the yelp $15 for $30 coupon (I simply showed her the redemption on my phone) and we enjoyed a great meal for a very reasonable price! I recomend this place to anyone looking for a good bite in the 518. Also the atmosphere is funky/cool and they have craft beers!!! read more

Quick trip to Buffalo, stopped here for breakfast snd had to stop again on wayback. Sandwiches are nothing short of great. Eggs done perfectly. Friendly and attentive staff. Wraps, english muffins all great. Do not leave with out a boozy muffin! If your full, and you might be, get one to go! read more