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

My family and I have been frequenting this restaurant for many years. We enjoy the interesting ambiance and delicious food. We are vegetarians and appreciate there being a place with some variety n the menu. The staff always do a great job and the owner is very friendly and personable. They're bread pudding is awesome! read more

They were really busy, so it took us like over an hour to get our food. But once we got it, it was very good. Cool atmosphere.

I came here with a few interns because it was reasonably priced and heard it had a comfortable atmosphere. It's a PERFECT place for a low-key meal coupled with the option of quality gelato and coffee. The sandwiches are great- there are tons of options and the wait staff is really flexible about changing things around. Also- pay attention to the specials as they get really creative :) read more

I highly recommend the strawberry French toast. Went here with my fiancé and frickin loved the atmosphere. Music selection was dope and the volume wasn't to loud or too quiet. This place has some really cool vintage iconic art work and pictures through the shop too! I'll definitely be coming here every time I visit my family upstate... read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Strawberry French toast w/ some amazing local maple syrup! Extremely delicious! - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Ambition is my home away from home, my refuge from a rough day at the office, and the place I can always count on to surprise and delight my palate (and my imagination, have you SEEN the decor!?). From homemade soups and desserts, to a collection of delicious and creatively-named sandwiches, to the FANTASTIC addition of the Sprinkle-ista Bakery, Ambition is always reliable for a great meal, snack or hot drink. The owner, Marc, welcomes his regulars and new guests alike with a genuine smile and greeting, and always makes me and my family feel completely welcome. The staff are a unique cast of characters, always ready to engage in friendly banter while they serve up the goods. I mentioned the decor earlier, but it bears repeating that Ambition is THE most unique establishment in Schenectady, if not the entire Capital Region. Decorated with classic 70s album covers, broadway and movie posters, bottle caps, stage lights, feather boas, statues, traffic signs, bumper stickers and license plates, and that's just the tip of the fabulous, multi-hewed iceberg! I've been coming here close to a decade and I still see something new nearly every time I step through the door. For recommendations, it's all good, but I love the Gringo omelet (with chorizo and pepper jack cheese), the bread pudding, the homemade black bean burger, and any of the quiche specials available with Sunday brunch. Bring your appetite, peel your peepers, and get ready to enjoy great dining that is TRULY an experience! read more

Great food, good service, simple options (some local!), and they even have a full bar with spicey bloody mary's! I am a huge fan of this little gem that's tucked into downtown Schenectady. You are greeted by a life-sized Betty Boop, walk into funky, ornately decorated space with old-school booths and fun articles posted at the tables. You can't ask for a more "real" place. A must try! read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Love Betty standing outside Ambition! - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Ordered a bagel...somehow it got either forgotten about or someone in the kitchen ate it, because suddenly everyone was shrugging going , "I dunno where it went to" and I had to wait while they made me another one. Nice, cozy quirky place to eat. Hot food looked good- my cocoa and Bagel #2 were yummy. read more

This place is never disappointing, let's just start with that. This time it was a visit for breakfast after my morning business meeting. I got myself the breakfast egg and chorizo sandwich which was great. I mean I couldn't expect any different, their food is always good. I have been here several times for lunch which is exceptional for sandwiches as well. If you end up in Schenectady and are looking for a breakfast or lunch venture in here. Besides the walls are covered with hilarious comments which makes it all the more entertaining while scarfing down your food. Try it for sure. Happy Eating!! read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Egg pepper jack and chorizo sandwich. Yumm - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Best coffee and sandwiches in Schenectady. Marc's food always perks me up when I'm having a bad day.

I was looking for the coolest coffee shop with WiFi in the Schenectady and the non downtown Albany area and Ambition Coffee is what I came up with. It's hard to describe in words how amazing the Chipotle Club was as the combination of swiss, raspberry-chipotle dressing, grilled chicken, apples, and bacon gave it quite a wonderful twist of savory and sweet. The what seemed like housemade raspberry-chipotle dressing is maybe what put the sandwich over the top. It was so good that I wanted to make it back to Schenectady (try saying that three times fast) but unfortunately couldn't make it during my weekend trip to the area. Tip: they claimed the WiFi is better in the front of the coffeeshop and I can't confirm if it wasn't working well in the back of the shop but it worked flawlessly from where I was sitting in front of the cashier read more

I absolutely love love love love LOVE this place. So when you walk it in is this cute, eccentric coffee shop/diner/bar/ice cream shop? alright. loving it already. Its got pictures all across the wall of different shows that have been to proctors and the casts that has signed them! in awe. So most of the food is pretty healthy, organic, fresh. DELICIOUS. I've had two meals here and haven't been disappointed in the least! the last time I got a black bean burger and it was incredible. The burgers come with vegetable chips which happen to be my favorite, and I could eat an entire plate full..sadly they are not served by massive plate full :-(. maybe that will change. The service was good, the Waiter was extremely helpful, when I said I like sweeter wine he brought a great mildly sweet wine which was perfect. Sometimes I get too sweet wines with that request, this was dead on. Then came dessert, I have zero sweet tooth for anything but wine so I ordered a chicken lentil soup and my friend ordered a bread pudding, also delicious and incredible. hands down, amazing place. I wish I knew about this place when I lived in Niskayuna i would have lived there. At least now I know where to go when I frequent shows at proctors. read more

Pretzel bread. Oh my God, they have pretzel bread. And they put apples and bacon and sliced meat, a good heaping serving of it, and spicy mustard, and... Sorry, I'm drooling. Ambition is kitschy, funky, a little loud. The music is lively, if not live some nights of the week, there's a giant disco ball in the narrow entryway lined with booths, all kinds of artwork over the walls... It's a burner's paradise, if you know anything about Burning Man. Just don't take the nudist signs in the back lounge too seriously, or you may get tossed out before you can order. If you're not big on the ambiance, their Italian sodas are delicious with pretty much anything on the menu, because they'll mix you anything you want from the available syrups. Everything is made fresh and to order, and with such a small space, the staff manages to be just attentive enough without hovering. If you're in the mood for a conversation though, they're really great people, too! I'm totally planning on becoming a regular. read more

A Union College student hangout due to it's proximity to campus, funky decor, and the fact that you can pay with you're student card makes it even better. The food is good and reasonably priced, but sometimes not filling enough. They have tables, but also do takeout if you feel the need. There's also a little chocolate/candy/gelato shop in the front. (this is all assuming nothing has changed in the past two years since I graduated) read more

Pretty good and standard pancakes and sausage. Coffee wasn't spectacular but enjoyed. read more

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

My boyfriend and I stopped in here on a Saturday for a quick lunch, and were very satisfied customers. It's a quirky spot with fun decorations in the middle of Jay St. I got the New Yorker sandwich (roast beef with sauteed onions and cheese + some sort of horseradish sauce), and it definitely hit the spot. My boyfriend got a some sort of sandwich with lox and veggie on pumpernickel. I'm not a big salmon fan, so I didn't try it, but he was happy with it! We didn't try any drinks on this visit, but they seem to have a nice selection of drinks (alcoholic and not). My only con would be that the restaurant smelled a mop bucket/cleaning solution when we came inside. My boyfriend didn't notice though.... and my nose got used to it pretty quickly. It didn't prevent me from enjoying my meal! read more

I love ambition. The food, the staff, the atmosphere are all fantastic. Rachel is always attentive and quick and makes really good drinks. The building itself is like a little hidden gem with all its eclectic decor. My boyfriend and I come often for brunch, which has a different quiche selection each sunday. Ambition has been here for years and we plan to keep coming again and again! read more

This place made me fall in love with my GPS. I found it on a long drive through upstate NY on my way to Canada. My sister kept insisting that we find "a Starbucks." It was one of those requests I knew in my heart I didn't want to fill, so I gave the electronic sherpa a few pecks and this place was at the top of her list (on the basis of proximity, but I like to think it was more of a judgment on the car's part). What a find! The breakfast was delicious -- the people super-friendly, charming, and engaging -- the service great -- the decor crazy and fantastic. Unfortunately, we had to be on our way, so ended up missing that nights performance by "Almost" Cher. ;-( We loved it so much we stopped there on our way back from Canada. read more

I just wanted a little quick breakfast sandwich. I got super lucky finding this joint! The base sandwich is only $3, but I got an extra meat and upgraded to ciabatta bread. The very kind cook whipped it up really quick and I ended up paying $6 for the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had after a 4 minute wait. This place is cute, old school, and the food is delicious. Get there! read more

Awesome little cafe/restaurant. Was working in the area for a week and walked down to Ambition twice, for a bagel and once for a sandwich for lunch. The bagel was fresh and cream cheese is home made they said. The inside is pretty cool but we sat outside in the sun, on the patio on Jay St which was relaxing. I had the chicken, pesto, mozzarella panini, which I have had better... Not enough pesto or cheese, all you really tasted was chicken. And for almost $9 I was a little disappointed. Over all though, great spot to meet up with friends and have a good bite to eat. Staff was very friendly and helpful when we said we had never been there before. read more

Went here for Sunday brunch today. I got a delicious mimosa (could've been colder though) and the Jeremy's Package sandwich - grilled turkey, cheddar, apple, & cran pesto on a super soft pretzel bun. I got it without the tomato and bacon, and added fresh spinach. It was really good. I'd get anything on that pretzel bun. It's always hit or miss when I come here, so it's hard to write an overall review. But based on today's visit, I would come again. And I always enjoy their soups. Our waitress was the sweetest. We used the $15 for $30 Yelp deal and there were no issues. read more

Their service is amazing! Food is really good. Highly recommend this place they also have vegetarian options

Best lunch spot in Downtown Schenectady. Great breakfast especially before Schenectady Greenmarket. Try the blueberry pancakes.

Best thing about this place: Great little coffee house on a great little strech of pedestrian-only walkway in downtown Schenectady. The staff is friendly, coffee is good and the menu is reasonably priced. Worst thing about this place: Not a late night place, which is a shame - it'd be great to come out of Bowtie or Proctor's and be able to grab coffee somewhere other than the Muddy Cup...like here!! read more

We've been here twice in the past month for lunch. I think we're both addicted to the house made black bean sandwich. It's amazing. Ambition had always been a quirky/relaxed place and it hasn't changed. I do wish they would repurpose the back lounge space for proper dining. It's always busy and the could use the tables for sure. It feels awkward back there. The addition of Sprinkleista baked goods was a good one. I stop in regularly just to grab a cookie or some other goodie. Never disappoints. read more

Came for lunch. Had the Caesar salad with chicken pesto salad. It was delicious. Very filling. We were seated right away. Old school decor. Good service. I would come back & recommend. read more

Dropped in when I was upstate with my bf. This was recommended to us as a great local spot. The coffee was good, however, I wish we'd steered clear of the special coffees they make with liquors. WAY too sugary! We each had a sandwich and they were ok, a little bland. It's a cute spot and I can see why it's popular I just wasn't overly impressed. read more

A must-do in Albany. Best local spot for coffee in the morning, fresh sandwiches at lunch, and drinks in the evening. The proprietor is a real winner as well. read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Shop front on Jay St. - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

What a great small atmosphere with excellent service and incredible food. This small eatery has a great story with a lot of "Ambition" loved my experience here. If you make it here be sure to buy the book and learn a little something! read more

Ambition Coffee & Eatery - Apple, Bacon and Brie Omelette with a bloody Maria (tequila and bacon) the other omelette is fresh mozzarella, pesto an tomato - Sandwiches Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Price is up there I for Gordon Ramsay ate here he would say "what the f*ck is this sh*t it tastes too good for this area of busseness, move on down to la where we need some food like this" read more

I used to love this place. The food is ok, but the service is terrible. They do not have enough servers. It takes forever. You always walk in to dirty tables. read more

This place has great food and a great staff. They are always friendly, even when extremely busy and are knowledgeable about the menu and are quick to suggest something delicious for you when you're new to the menu or just chronically indecisive when it comes to delicious food like I am~! Their soups are delicious! I got the Moroccan lentil soup and it wasn't too salty, which is a pet peeve of mine with soups. (~$5) The Brie My Raspberry is delicious too~ read more

Cute and hip with an awesome selection of food. More importantly BRUNCH ! 9-2pm Sunday! read more

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

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I come for the croissant and egg sandwiches. The best place for a grab and go breakfast sandwich. You won't regret it!!

Very cool place! Was originally always skeptical of this restaurant but one day my coworkers decided to order from this place so I thought why not. Oh my gosh. I got their egg and cheese sandwich on a croissant for $3 thinking the portion size was going to be tiny but boy was I wrong! I was delightfully surprised to see that size was perfect for a quick pick me up in the morning to keep me full and satisfied by lunchtime. Servers were great, very attentive and friendly! Their lattes are pretty great, I had the vanilla flavor. Wasn't too strong and had just the right amount of sweetness. Will definitely be back for breakfast soon! read more

This is the perfectly quirky place for a quick lunch. There service was great and so was the food. The portions weren't enormous but I don't want leftovers for lunch. The menu was very creative and full of new ideas if you need to break away from the same old, same old. read more

Diamond in the rough!! What an awesome place. This little gem is great for just sitting back and enjoying a cup of coffee or a nice breakfast/lunch. The atmosphere and decor of the place will have you wanting to return. You will never see the place in one visit. read more

I ordered the grilled chicken salad and it was to die for! The chicken was juicy and flavorful and the salad was fresh and crisp. The care and kindness of the staff was impeccable and the ambiance was incredible. Where else can you eat with Cher and Madonna gazing at your table? If you ever find yourself on Jay St. Stop in at Ambition and give Marc a hug for me! All the way from Tennessee! read more

The food is absolutely amazing. I have had lunch there 2 weeks in a row. I have tried something different each time including a soup. The Ragin Cajun sandwich is awesome ( my favorite) and the soups are great too. If your just looking for a quick bite stop in and try some of the most amazing muffins ever. I wish i could give them 10 stars i would. The staff is great as well. I will be trying there breakfast this weekend stay tuned. read more