Historic music spot in Saratoga springs. Had front row seats for Abigail Lapell and it was the most fun night we've had in a long while!

Comfortable small venue for music and poetry events. We enjoyed one of the monthly poetry events. I would definitely consider reserving tickets for a music event, now that I know I like the venue. Hubby enjoyed the biscotti. Next time we will order more food. read more

Caffè Lena - Nice ambiance - Music Venues Near Me - Saratoga Springs, New York

The singer we heard was incredible. That show deserves much more than 5 stars by itself. Mary Fahl, we loved you! I kept looking at the head of the stairs as I visualized Lena sitting there holding court over her domain. Lovely memories. The facility, however, was much too crowded. There were personal space issues for the ladies in my group. Going into detail wouldn't help, but that was a one star aspect of the evening. Service was poor. I understand the staff is comprised of volunteers but nobody came to our table. The other folks in our party had to go find someone to take a wine order. I assumed that would draw a server to our table, but no. I had to get up and find one during intermission. I have no idea what was wrong. Every other table was successfully ordering. I don't want to discourage folks from attending but you need to go with an understanding of what to expect in terms of personal space and service. It's a unique experience in more ways than one. read more

Update 11/23: What a great performer! Just a girl with a guitar and exceptional voice and song writing skills. We had a lovely time enjoying wine, the famous cookies and the SOFA! Worth every penny to join as a member. read more

Caffè Lena - Ali McGuirk - Music Venues Near Me - Saratoga Springs, New York

We came to see Arcadian Wild. It was an incredible experience. The environment is very intimate. We loved the table seating and the delightful food and drink offerings. Iced and hot coffee drinks complement their amazing dessert options. We had read about the famous chocolate chip cookies and they did not disappoint. We had well behaved children with us who were very excited to see this band and we found it to be a welcoming environment for them. We appreciated the high standards expected of guests of all ages as they came together to enjoy the performance and to reduce distractions. We hope Arcadian Wild will play there again! I could write another 10 paragraphs about how good the band was! read more

Caffè Lena - Music Venues Near Me - Saratoga Springs, New York

I came to Saratoga Springs as a Skidmore student in 1978. I had heard about Caffe Lena and how people as famous as Bob Dylan and Don McLean had played there. I intended to go soon after my arrival, but alas, 4 years later, I had never made it there. I lived in Connecticut, New York City, and briefly Boston after a graduated college, but moved back to this area in 1998. Caffe Lena was still open, and I again resolved to go, now that I once again lived nearby. I finally made it---last week! The place was renovated several years ago, and so is now different than it would have been had I gone sooner, but it is a very nice place as it is now. On the night I went there was a bluegrass jam, a monthly event that costs a mere $5. They have a light fare menu that impressively includes Boylan Soda (with real sugar, not HFCS). Since it is light fare, you may want to eat your evening meal somewhere else before coming here, but they do have interesting desserts. They also sometimes do have some well-known people performing here. Al Steward of "Year of the Cat" Fame is performing there tonight (8/27/2024) and tomorrow. Rory Block has also been there recently. These shows tend to be much more expensive then the bluegrass jams. Open mike nights are also only a few dollars admission. read more

This is a wonderful intimate venue for fun shows around tiny cocktail tables with good friends. It's a cozy place that reeks of history, fabulous coffee, and easy enjoyment. Over the years living in the Capital Region, we visited many times, bringing out of town guests, and referring to all who might eventually come. The performances are always fun, often surprising, and so immediate due to the small scale of the place. The bands or duos performing were always enjoyable. Among them, I recall once seeing the band, Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams. Others had less exotic names, but all were of good quality unto themselves. Sometimes sold out in advance, it's worth taking the chance to pop in if you just find yourself in Saratoga Springs at the right time. It's as if you have an old auntie who is a bit eccentric but bakes great scones: why wouldn't you come visit and see if she can accommodate you for a lovely evening? read more

I could have sworn that I had reviewed Lena's previously, but Yelp has a better memory than I. I have attended many shows here over the years and have been a live music fan for my whole life. While I loved the previous space, I was excited to learn about the renovations and I finally saw the updates last night. I still love it. They did a wonderful job remodeling this amazing musically rich, historic venue. They still maintained the cozy charm of the old Lena's while bringing more room, some couches along the side wall and an elevator (previously inaccessible for those that cannot negotiate stairs). Full disclosure: I donate annually to Caffe Lena and am technically a "member". I encourage you to do the same as they continue to be a strictly non-profit organization and function solely on donations and volunteerism. read more

See all

Great venue! Small cafe style concert hall, tables/ chairs and 4 couches on the back wall which were very comfortable . Good view from all seats . In addition to concerts , they have other entertainment , including open mike nights. Cafe Lena has a long history of folk music. They serve light food fair, snacks, wine, beer, coffee , tea fresh baked cookies etc and reasonable prices . Probably seats 100-150 people. Friendly staff and volunteers ! Located in town. For more well known performers, buy your tickets early as it could get sold out! read more

Caffè Lena - The main concert room - Music Venues Near Me - Saratoga Springs, New York

See all

Nostalgia is all this offers and to have piece of history but does that make it great?? Just because it's been around to cater to the beat nicks? What else does Saratoga offer nothing for culture other than horses so I guess this cafe is it's claim to fame- folk yawn This could benefit by some new management and making something happen in Saratoga instead it is as stale as the audience trying to capture their youth or scratching off the bucket list- wake up there are hundreds of clubs like this in the US most are closed so I guess that is something righ Luna? read more

We arrived late to Saratoga Springs and needed food. Finding Lena's was a great surprise. Great paninis and Monday night open mic. Staff were super nice, and performers on average were much better than expected. Then this morning I read the history of this establishment and wow! no wonder the performances were great. Highly recommend sitting in the intimate couch area - we had an extra treat sitting right next to the piano. read more

Was here for a fantastic show preformed by Homemade Theater and just loved the vibe overall. The staff is so friendly, the show was great and the women's room is covered in positive graffiti! Who doesn't love that? read more

See all

Love this spot. Truly a local gem. Stopped by to hear some fantastic Jazz one night. Really nice space right in center of town. Great hot cookies and chocolate cake made the evening even sweeter! Absolutely will be back again and again! read more

Caffè Lena was a really fantastic place for a low-key sort of activity on a Friday evening. $5 per student ticket at the door (way better than paying the $10.31 with service fee to book ahead on the site) and they put us in the furthest back table but directly in front of the stage so great view. Local favorite Kevin McKrell and Brian Mellick were performing Celtic style folksongs, so the crowd was mostly a lot of gray hairs, but boys, if you want to hold your lass close for a night, take her to listen to McKrell croon some lonely Irish songs at you. Guaranteed, whoever you bring will cuddle close with a tear caught in the corner of their eye. My partner introduced me to more vegetarian and vegan style cooking, so we were both interested to try the vegetarian menu. Mushroom pate had a lovely earthy taste. I maybe wouldn't order it again, but the veggie burger (also a mushroom base) was fantastic! It was filling and really great flavor and texture. Turkish coffee wasn't as dark as it could be, but both it and the beans used for the normal coffee was very pleasant. read more

Caffè Lena is an incredible venue for enjoying emerging artists in an intimate setting -- I can't recommend it highly enough. I've been there several times to see artists like Anaïs Mitchell (who opened for Ani Difranco) and Antje Duvekot (protege of Ellis Paul). Each show has been incredible -- Caffè Lena seems to bring out the best in performers. Like other similar venues, Caffè Lena only seats around eighty people and fills up quickly. I definitely recommend reserving tickets! read more

Caffè Lena - Music Venues Near Me - Saratoga Springs, New York

Caffe Lena is a national treasure (voted best Small Venue by International Folk Alliance) and it's right here in Saratoga. In this tiny place you could have been among the first to see Bob Dylan, Kate Wolf, Greg Brown... or, tonight at First Night, Seth Glier who may be famous a year from today. The acoustics are great and the chairs are set up for serious listening. The door charge can be somewhat steep for some acts but there are also open mic nights and other opportunities, like First Night, to check out the venue without a large investment. When you do, linger on the stairs going up to see who has played over the past 50 years. Pretty impressive. read more

An absolute hidden national treasure in Saratoga Springs. Bob Dylan, Don McLean, Ani Difranco and Pete Seeger are just some of the names who have played Caffé Lena. Recently renovated with a new sound system, increased capacity to around 100 people and equipped to sell fine glasses of wine and craft beer (for the first time in 56 years), this place is a must see for any music lover. read more

Caffè Lena - Music Venues Near Me - Saratoga Springs, New York

One of the last bastions of a time when Saratoga was a lot cooler and not Piggy/Fitzy McDouchewad and Roccoco of Massapequa do The Hamptons North. read more

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LIVE MUSIC. It's a small L shaped room, that seats 75ish. Good, better and great music at a low to inexpensive cost. Nice coffee+ nice people + volunteer staff= terrible service. It's a coffee house. I have to bring my own napkins and spoons. Can't seem to get the volunteers to bring them. Is is worth it? Yeah, it is!. I need to adjust my expectations to the price. That's all. read more

Went here to seen Valerie June last night. It was a nice, cozy venue but when it's a packed house, it's PACKED. Be ready if you're going to a sold out show! I was not! The chairs and tables are close together so you feel very cramped. BUT. Acoustics are good and food/coffee is delicious. Also has a lot of history, which is cool. Had the Warm Berry Crumble and it was so tasty. So I'd definitely come here again but would maybe try to get there early to get a comfy, more spacious seat! read more

Tried to like this place 40 years ago because of the type of music and the historic part but never enjoyed it. The people who worked there were always grim and uncommunicative and the place seemed like a fire trap. Fast forward to the new Cafe, which should have been done long ago. If you can ignore the silly pro-blue politics of 95%of the audience, the workers are less grim, the food is more like something you'd recognize, and the whole atmosphere has improved. The new sound system is definitely overkill, however. Really, I don't care if Bobby's DNA wiped off on my chair, I only go to hear specific performers now days. read more

Cafe Lena's is why Saratoga Springs is cool. The girlie and I went to see Horse Flies there last night. I had seen them at the Flurry over the weekend and thought they were cool. Lena's was packed and kind of warm. When there are not many people it can get cool in there but when it's full it gets hot. Dancing to a band, and staring at them for 3 hours are very different things. when you are dancing you're worried about all kinds of other things than each note. However it is much easier to be critical when thats all you're doing is listening. So I'll just come out and say I didn't really like the singing. As a band they are very good with a great sound, but none of them had strong voices and in my opinion the lyrics were weird, not needed. It always took away from a really magical groove they could play. They have added a Moog synth and some pretty interesting effects, but at times that felt thrown together. The girlie loved their voices and so did many people around me, so I'm not the last word on the subject, just one voice. Having listened to them as texture to movement they were amazing, and they grooves and fiddle tunes they played at Lena were stellar. overall it was a great evening. Lena is a listening space. Your there to play acute attention to a band. The intimate feeling is one of the things that makes it so cool, but it's not like a bar or club where you can talk while the music is playing. you can't get a drink (alcohol or otherwise) once they start, and it can get a little claustrophobic if you're a fidgety pants. read more

It's a nice cafe shop. I love their coffee and food. It's really good. I come here whenever I'm in the areas. Love it

I love this place! They have some of the best concerts in the area, plus delicious coffee and incredible vegetarian food. All of the people who work here are so friendly, and the environment is seriously awesome. All that, plus the history of this venue means that Caffe Lena is a can't-miss stop on any visit to Saratoga Springs. read more

First time ever to this wonderful venue. Saw Martin Sexton and loved every second of the show. The sound was incredible. Such an intimate setting that it's very easy to believe that you're the only person there. We sat 20 feet from the stage. It is fairly tight when the show is sold out but it's nothing close to unbearable. Big shout out to all of the volunteers that make this place run!!! read more

I have attended concerts at Cafe Lena for years, and always loved it. It's a great venue, they book excellent performers, and the staff are great. Regrettably, since they renovated the building last year, the sound system amplifies sounds to a point where it hurts my ears and distorts the music. Yes, I am a senior citizen, but so are many of the other patrons, and I have heard complaints about the loudness from quite a few people. The truth is that you don't need much amplification in such a small venue. Something needs to be done. read more

As I was going in I was interupted by a photographer wanting to photograph me as I was going in for their website. I don't think people entering a place of business should be asked to be models for their website. A customers privacy should be respected. Then when I went in to sign up for their open mic I was told I would be charged $3 to perform. Nowhere on their website does it say they charge to perform at their open mic. Never mind that musicians are already asked to play for free too much. I like playing for free when I can do what I want. But I do not like being charged to perform. I can afford $3. I tip musicians and donate to benefits regularly. But I can;t afford to be charged a fee to perform. It is insulting and disrespectful to performers. read more

Great music venue! Excellent coffee. Wine has improved. Service is slow due to the kitchen staff I think. Sometimes not enough crackers with the cheeze. Need more fruit/options for diabetics. Probably some gluten free thing needed. Oh the elevator button to press to go to Lena's Venue Seating needs to be better ID'd, if you push it, it goes nowhere, as you must push the button across on the other side. (And I am accustomed to many city elevators including NYC.) read more

Loved this venue! Was there for a concert and had such a great time. The volunteer staff are amazing, the food and drink variety is wonderful, and the seating is comfortable. I can't wait to go there for the next show! read more

Horrible owners. Paid $84 for tickets to an event. Could not attend since my friend's brother passed away that day. I Submitted a request for a refund or to apply to another act, no response so I called and they refused. Would not even work with me, just took my money and offered nothing. This is no way to behave if you want to be a positive member of the community. Will never go there again. read more

One of the best places for live music in Saratoga. One of the only places to keep folk music alive in the area. The staff is largely volunteer and the place is beautiful after the million dollar renovation. read more

personal magic in the green room...just sayin' the venue seemed nice. a little hard to find at night if you've never been there...tucked in and up some stairs read more

Go there every year for the past 3 years to see sawyer Fredericks perform, very amazing little place if your looking for a great spot to see local artists perform ! Very polite people and always have a great time ! read more

Wonderful music, great ambiance, but RUDE PATRONS. As my boyfriend and I were leaving, we were verbally accosted/harassed for no reason at all, by one of the patrons. We paid to have the Cafe Lena experience, and were left with nothing but a bad taste in our mouths and a ruined date night. I was born and raised in this town. I constantly hear how wonderful this community is and how much it has to offer. My problem is that when you go out into the community to partake in events, I have experienced a tremendous amount of rudeness. If we truly want to make this community a wonderful place, we need to seriously consider how we treat one another in the community. The town is like a facade--pretty on the outside, but when you scratch away the surface, it is rotten underneath--to the core. read more

Cozy and authentic with some of the best live music around. Don't forget your cookies!

Caffé Lena is the saving grace of saratoga springs. While I only had an iced tea lemonade, it just has a nice, calm, relaxed vibe, they don't serve alcohol. If you are into folk music one cannot go wrong to attend any show here. It is a nice respite from the incessant onslaught of noise and drunkenness that surrounds it. read more

the place of course has tons of history, but it's small! I really feel that they should hold concerts/fundraisers for the place in alternate locations. It's too small and the chairs are too uncomfortable to sit in there to see an act for even the shortest long period of time. read more

We recently got back from our annual trip northward when the colors are changing. This year it was to Saratoga Springs rather than New England. While there we stopped at Caffe Lena for a show. For those who don't know Caffe Lena's is the oldest active music Coffee House in the US. It was here that Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie. Emmy Lou Harris and many others got their starts. Great venue. Only seats about 85 people so there are no bad seats. Tonights performace was by folk singers/comics Christine Lavin & Don White. Both very talented performers. It's the second time that we have been to Lena's and it certainly won't be our last. Just a terriific venue with great acoustics. Worth a trip if you will be anywhere near Saratoga.. read more

Went to Cafe Lena yesterday for open mic. What a great venue with some great music. I love the intimate nature of the small space. And, for $3 to get in and $1 for a cup of coffee, it makes for a cheap way to hear some great music. Thinking about making it a recurring habit in my life. read more

We got there for open mic bluegrass music. What a delightful session. No we didn't participate but we were a grateful audience enjoying the spirit and talent of the musicians with their different instruments and choice of songs. They are encouraging and supportive of each other who want to try something for the first time. This newly renovated cafe is worth a visit and make sure you're ready to sit with a smile and a song in your heart. read more