Small local cafe- excellent menu- including lobster and crab dishes. Efficient servers. We sat at the counter. Coffee good. Definitely will go back when in the area!! read more

See all

I really wanted to love this place! I came here for a business lunch. Our server was very nice and efficient! I ordered the margherita panini with a side of coleslaw. The coleslaw had a rather large chunk of cabbage core on top of my portion cup, right away I knew it wasn't house made. Okay so I removed that, still excited to try the coleslaw but as I forked it I noticed the dressing had a weird texture. I smelled it and tasted it and as suspected it was about to turn. No more coleslaw for me. The panini which sounded excellent was weird. I'm just not sure why it didn't taste good with all of those wonderful ingredients. And although I'm not positive, I suspect that the chicken breast wasn't an actual chicken breast. It was an interesting texture and flavor, kind of like chicken at a theme park where it's more like a patty instead of cut right off the ribs like you would find in the grocery store. This was just an off putting food experience unfortunately. My lunch mate said that the home fries were really good and he appreciated that they gave him gluten free toast at no up charge, though he said the bread was soggy, which is an interesting comment to make about toast. He said the omelette was an omelette. read more

See all

Food is amazing, waitresses are super sweet, cook is amazing and great at his job. The cafe is cute and cozy! Very welcoming place read more

Food was great. We were sat down immediately. The service staff were very helpful. Diner has been there for a while so they have regulars that made the homey. My first time but my sons frequent the place. I will return. read more

Really awesome food with amazing prices! We enjoyed everything we ate and the staff were very nice. We'll definitely be going back and also recommend to friends! read more

Lily’s Cafe - Lily's Breakfast Combo with French Toast - Cafes Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Great Food served by Great People with Great Service Lobster Rolls are amazing ! Give them a try .... read more

Finally got to go to Lily's Cafe in Schenectady at 11am on a Friday. It was a great experience. We thought It was better than Oliver's its predecessor in all aspects. It is not a large cafe, and seating at small tables might be considered tight. However, my friend and I had a table for two against the back wall which was perfect for a long overdue chat. We could carry on a conversation easily. Service was excellent. The menu is easy to read and specials are posted on a tv monitor in the dining area. Decaf coffee was servedrefilled promptly. It was paced fairly. My friend selected the Rise and Shine breakfast. She ordered bacon -- crispy-- and it was served just as she wanted. The hash brown potatoes were cooked nicely. It was less than $9. With bacon. I ordered an early lunch and the special I hoped for was on the menu: Lobster Roll! The server said lobster is delivered daily, so it is fresh. (I asked.) The Lobster Roll is only served cold which was fine. I was wowed by the amount of tender juicy lobster pieces in the traditional buttered and toasted New England style roll. There were a lot of claw pieces which are my favorite part of the lobster because they are sweet and succulent in texture and flavor. Check out my photos. The Roll came was hand cut French fries which were cooked crispy. Skins were on too. The cole slaw was house made and fresh. It was heavy on the mayo in my opinion; I like a little vinegar in the dressing to make it tangy. But it was Freshly Made instead of commercial. I was surprised at the modest cost of the Lobster Roll. It was only $20.99! Really? It is priced much higher at Eddie F's and elsewhere where you can find it. The Lobster Roll at Eddie F's is a comparable size and costs $30. ($25. on Wednesdays.) The Cafe is open Wed - Sun 6 am to 2 pm liked that lunch is available starting at 10. There is ample parking. Handicapped parking was great, and there are no steps leading into the restaurant. read more

Best Breakfast ever for a 68yr old. Ordered corned beef skillet with eggs over medium and Rye toast. Eggs were cooked to perfection. Love corned beef and it's the best corned beef I've ever had when eating out. Service was fast and excellent even with standing room only. Only word to describe it is "Perfection". I will return read more

After Oliver's Cafe closed at the same location, it was reopened as Lily's Cafe. While some of the menu items and staff remain the same, the experience is warmer and more delicious than ever before. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The environment has a warm and cozy county vibe; complete with some very good chalk written specials on the walls. But most importantly, the eats are some of the best diner food you can get in the Capital Region; at a very reasonable price no less. On this particular trip, I got the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich with fresh cut fries and a macaroni salad cup. The sandwich was excellent, with fresh ham, perfectly cooked, juicy chicken, and fries that were out of this world. On another trip, I got the Korean burger special and was pleasantly surprised by their home made kimchi. Overall, this is one of the best little not-so-secret spots of the Schenectady/Scotia/Glennville area. If you can make the time, check out their brunch, and be sure to let them know how much we appreciate quality small local businesses like Lily's Cafe. read more

Lily’s Cafe - Chicken Cordon Blue sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Schenectady, New York

We met a friend there today to catch up and enjoy breakfast. The food and service was really good. However, we had barely been there an hour when we were told they were on a waiting list and they closed in 45 minutes. Being such a small dining room, we were reprimanded in front of the other patrons for apparently over staying our welcome. It was embarrassing. They should consider posting a sign that there is a time limit for dining. Not cool, and not going back. read more

Small and very friendly grub next to the airport. Always a win for flying in. Specials include lobster Benedict. The decision is yours. Choose wisely. read more

Lily’s Cafe - CB hash? Yes! Sausage gravy? Hell yes! Hollandaise sauce for the WIN! - Cafes Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Eggs were good, but the home fries are over seasoned and cold. For $15 breakfast, I'd expect warm home fries. You shouldn't have to ask for warm food. Over hyped local breakfast nook. read more

Pickup order experience I tried ordering online, their online order menu didn't match their website menu. It didn't have a lot of things that were on the actual menu. I called for those items and it was available. I called ahead for ordering. It took about 20min for the food to be prepped. It was ready as soon as I got there for pick up. WHAT I ORDERED Turkey club Irish Benedict's Lilys low carb Absolutely fresh and hearty brunch food. Irish Benedict's was unique and had lots of flavors. My family liked their food as well. 10/10 recommend Lilys cafe. read more

Lily’s Cafe - Irish Benedict's - Cafes Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Thanks yelpers for getting us there!!! Yes it's packed and a tight fit... BUT worth it. So the cinnamon French toast was sold out so stuffed french toast was the replacement, sad but was well received, the crab cake Benedict's were amazing the portions were outstanding they ran out of several dishes while we were there. Will definitely be going back in fact we tried to go back the next day but it was a Monday and they were closed we sat at the bar and it was a great friendly atmosphere!!! read more

We were there on Sunday for breakfast with a party of six They were very busy & we were put on a waiting list . We waited about half hour & were seated Everyone had a different type of breakfast I ordered The Lily's Combo My choices were : Eggs over lite, ham home fries , rye toast & pancakes . On the side I ordered sausage & bacon . I wanted everything ! lol. Everything was delicious including the coffee ! The cafe , itself , is done in black & white , Very crisp & clean . Our Servers name was Allison . She was extremely efficient . Prices were reasonable which is a plus ! The last time I was there I had the crab cake Benedict . A definite must try ! read more

Food and Service were Very Good. However, Lily's by FAR is the Noisiest eatery I have ever Patronized. Tables are Small and not much room between them so makes the decibel factor worse. I recommend wearing Earmuffs if you have any hearing sensitivity. Not kidding. We were at a table for 2 and had to almost Shout to hear one another over the Background Noise. read more

I highly recommend getting brunch at Lily's Cafe. I had driven past it and seen the parking lot full multiple times and finally had a chance to stop in. My friends and I were all happy we did. It's such a cute little diner. The service was great. The cinnamon roll French toast was cooked perfectly and absolutely amazing. The corn bread muffin and breakfast sandwich were also great. All of us were very satisfied with our food choices. Prices were definitely reasonable for the area. Check this place out! read more

My son and I had lunch there recently. It was great ! Service was friendly and attentive. Nice little place to eat for Breakfast or Lunch . Will definitely be back. read more

Food is delicious and comes quickly. Portions are big and price is very reasonable. They have plenty of options for eggs Benedict's which is my favorite dish for brunch. The servers are all kind and welcoming. The space is small so there is sometimes a wait on the weekends but that's expected with brunch places (especially when the food is this good!). One down side is, if you're a person of color, you might get weird looks/attitude from some of the other ppl eating there as there is absolutely no diversity here. My husband and I received uncomfortable looks from those sitting next to us, especially older white folks (I'm thinking based on our looks and the fact that we speak in our native languages, it's evident we're not white). This has now happened to us twice and is discouraging us from returning. We've been here numerous times and we're always the only non-white people in this space so that's something to be mindful of. The staff has always been kind and respectful and we never felt discriminated in any way but I still wanted to point this out for those of you who might be from different ethnic/racial backgrounds. read more

It's my favorite spot for breakfast/lunch. I could eat the breakfast burrito or the blacked fish sandwich every day!!!!

Not my favorite diner. It's very popular, probably because the food is decent quality though the portions are small for what you expect at a diner. Really I only give it two stars because of just how many people they pack into this small space, which deteriorates all other aspects of the business. If you find yourself here at a busy time (e.g. Sunday morning), you can expect to have to yell to your friends for them to hear you. This is not an exaggeration. You'll be mere feet from other customers at your table, and the staff (who are very friendly!) will seem stretched too thin to give you service as much as you might expect. While Lily's is not without its perks, it feels like more of a cafeteria than a comfortable diner. read more

Gotta love this place....Food is the best...! and won't break the bank. Staff courteous and fast.

The most delicious, incredible, perfect, food ever! The service is amazing, the cooks crank it in the kitchen, and efficient. You are missing out by not having breakfast at Lily's café! read more