It was by sheer fate that I found myself sitting in this coffee shop twice in two days. That never…read morehappens. Not even at my favorite coffee places. Sigh. But what brought me here wasn't the coffee, but rather the location. This is the coffee shop in the lobby of Proctor's. It's a great meeting spot in downtown Schenectady, because it's large, has comfortable seating, and free wifi. Of course, there's coffee. Which helps. And the coffee is just fine. They have a dark roast, and a house roast. The house is a blend of Ethiopian and Columbian beans. A medium costs $2.16 and it's unimpeachable. Better than the convenience store. Better than the national donut chain. Maybe that makes it even good. They also have a decaf and a flavored coffee. The very presence of flavored coffee gives me a sense of what kind of coffee shop Apostrophe is trying to be. And that's a shop for people who don't really like the taste of coffee. I'm a hard grader when it comes to coffee places. I really want all coffee shops to offer great coffee and well made espresso drinks. Perhaps, there is something at this shop that makes it a standout. But I've yet to find it. Given Apostrophe's convenient location, I'll most certainly be back. But it does seem like there's a lost opportunity to use this location inside Schenectady's great theater, to sell coffee that's as fine as its surroundings. Especially since the people who pass through during performances, surely enjoy the finer things in life.

Apostrophe has done some upgrades recently, in both the layout and the menu, and it's definitely an…read moreimprovement. The chilled food is no longer glacially frozen, and the prefab sandwiches have some flavor and haven't been stale. The coffee situation is still mezzo mezzo, and the hot options are a little hit or miss. All that said, we are back to patronizing it when at the Proctor's arcade and are feeling in the need of a pick me up and are too lazy to walk over to Jay Street, but I still wouldn't categorize it as a destination.

Great drinks and a wonderful atmosphere while visiting nationally touring expos and events like…read morelocal minor league basketball.

The Armory definitely gets a thumbs up for ambiance, as it's a pretty unique location -- a set of…read morerooms upstairs in the old Armory. There's a variety of seating (including some cool very tall-backed chairs), which is a nice change of pace. There's a small menu, drinks, and coffee/sweets. The service is super cheery and prompt. The food is a bit middle of the road and humdrum, and our "hot" beverages were tepid at best. I recommend getting a drink over getting coffee, all things being equal. We'll see if it survives the closing of the Van Gogh Experience, but it's easy to see how with the right management, and maybe a slightly gussied up menu, this could become a destination and not just a stop-off.

A friend told me they have great beverages, engaging service. a generous rewards program, and lots…read moreof promos. So I came for something hot and something cold. The menu is extensive because it includes so many combinations. It even includes energy drinks. I immediately noted that prices are certainly better than Starbucks. The options for coffees and teas are greater than at Starbucks or Dunkin'. I decided on-- Hot: The Cappuccino was prepared nicely and tasted like those made at restaurants. Cold: The Georgia Peach Tea was incredibly flavorful. Five Stars for these drinks. Drive thru was quick and convenient. The staff is helpful and patient as you decide on your order. I will return to try more beverages if I am in mood for more than my boring Go To Dunkin' Decaf Coffee. They advertise-- "7 Brew Coffee differentiates itself through a high-speed, drive-thru-only model focusing on extreme customization, offering over 20,000 combinations of coffee, energy drinks, and teas. Key differences include personalized service from "Brewistas," a focus on sweet, dessert-like drinks, and competitive pricing for larger drink sizes compared to chains like Starbucks."

Blondie and smoothies were awesome, as expected! Line moved smooth for all but me for some reason…read moremy drink took a bit longer than expected BUT still very happy with our experience. Staff were very friendly and kind.

If you love books and coffee, this is your place!! Very warm and welcoming coffee shop. They also…read morecarry food from another local business ppang bakery. This is a great place to meet and catch up with friends or take your coffee to go and walk around the park down the street.

My boyfriend and I came in earlier today and everything from the service to the drinks was amazing…read more Our server (whose name I didn't catch, my apologies) was so kind and sweet. She even gave us good input for what to order since it was our first time in there and she had so much patience as well. I ordered a vanilla matcha and matcha isn't something I enjoyed my first time trying it however, it was just the perfect amount of sweetness and didn't taste too grassy like other places. My boyfriend ordered a mocha iced coffee and cinnamon bun, usually he gets cream and sugar as well however she kindly informed us that the syrups itself was sweet enough and he didn't need it to which she was absolutely right. The cinnamon bun was delicious as well :))) This place was so cozy and cute, definitely would recommend if you're looking for a small place to enjoy good coffee and pastries. I don't know what it was but the coffee here was just perfect! I'm glad I found this place and I surely will be returning next time I'm in the area. They had lots of good books and vintage stuff as well. 5/5 most def!

Sam was the friendliest instructo/helper/encourager I can imagine. What a hoot! Who knew you could…read moresimply walk into a place and start throwing an axe at the wall. Very satisfying!

Great staff, ambiance and axe throwing but their boba was OKAY. There prices were very pricey even…read morethough the boba was just mediocre. Axe throwing was fun! Would come back but just for axe throwing.

On a Sunday morning at 10 the pastry case was empty. Completely empty. The drinks--both hot--while…read moretasty, were lukewarm. Cute decor but probably not a place I'd go out of my way to frequent. Maybe in the summer when the market is outdoors it would be a better experience.

A new coffee shop opened recently on Union St. in Schenectady. I stopped by this morning after…read morehearing a rave review from a neighbor, and it managed to exceed the expectations I had formed. Prices are average and not high for the quality. It is located in a community setting on a section of Union Street below Union College. I ordered a fall special beverage -- Pumpkin Spice Horchata Cold Brew $6.75 with Almond Milk It is a "Signature blend cold brew, ps, horchata, choice of milk, cold foam, dash of pumpkin spice (iced)" The weather is still warm enough to enjoy a cold brew! The sweets available looked great, so it was hard to select. I chose a Blueberry Scone for myself and a Danish for my husband. The scone was crumbly, buttery tasting, and full of blueberries. The Danish was flaky and so freshly made. Both delicious treats were packaged nicely for takeout. Service is friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The owner was present and gracious. The menu will change with the seasons. Nice tables. Creative decor. Easy to read menu was posted. Sweets are visible in a glass case. At 518 Coffee Bar, customers can enjoy a cozy atmosphere to catch up/visit over a handcrafted quality beverage.

This place makes amazing sandwiches. The pretzel bread sets some of them off real nice. Im allergic…read moreto nuts and they're always great about if i ask for a sandwich to not mess with the nuts. I cant believe Mark the cook is such a skinny dude because he knows how to make a hell of a sandwich. Especially the specials. Always worth checking on the specials when ordering a sammie. The coffee is pretty good too. I grab an iced coffee from time to time. Not really a baked good kind of guy so I cant tell you there.

This is a staple for locals and everyone should come to Schenectady for a visit. Whether you want…read moreto grab a boozy muffin and coffee then shop on Jay Street, or sit down for a meal check Ambition. Weekend breakfast and brunch is busy and the Saturday brunch menu is different than Sunday brunch. The decor is festive and artistic with playful menu item names. My favorite items are Ver Klempt served with plenty of cream cheese and lox and strawberry fields French toast for a sweet tooth.

Cool place with good quality food and pastries…read more For breakfast we had: Turkey cheddar sandwich. Bread and turkey excellent. Sandwich could have been warmer with cheddar melted more. We wanted a bacon egg cheese sandwich but wanted to substitute the bacon and was told they can't do that. Brie/fig sandwich: delicious combo with great bread. Squash soup: good but little watery and under flavored Cranberry Orange loaf: yummy buttery flavor with limited cranberries and hard to detect any orange. Ancient grain salad: very good cold salad with assortment of healthy ingredients like pumpkin seeds & cranberries Hot tea: only one option which was earl grey; high quality but would like plain black as an option. Place is warm and cozy and staff pleasant. Prices little high but fair Will return.

Cozy environment, delicious hot chocolate and vanilla chai latte. Cute little backspace area where…read moreyou can purchase local goods. Attentive staff. Parking can be difficult though.

Great coffee and pastries, great service, and a decent seating area for size of the space! There's…read morea back entrance in case you can't get in the front, speaking from experience lol

I've been to Graham's on central, and needed to try this one. It's so cute and decorated just like…read morethe original Grahams, but has shorter opening hours. I got my usual butterfly pea tea and it didn't disappoint. Plus, Ray is super nice and always remembers my name and drink. Great service with a smile.

How did I not know about this place before? What a lovely…read morecafe! My friend and I had lunch there yesterday. So many choices (soups, sandwiches, salads, crepes, desserts, TEA!) So comfortable. Great attentive service. Will be back?

Finally made it to this location after previously enjoying the Ballston Spa location (although it's…read morebeen way too long since I've been back there!). Great salads, crepes, soup and teas were enjoyed by three of us. It was extremely busy and we were told by our server that some of the food might take a little longer-which it did-but nothing crazy. We enjoyed our conversation and company as we had this delightful meal before seeing the final Wicked show at Proctors. Would love to go back sometime.