On this chilly Saturday morning between 10:30am and 11:30am remarkable lines of people stretched from the counter to the entrance door which is about 30 feet. Somehow, I managed to beat the rush. I sat down to drink my latte and people-watch. It's been several years since I visited Professor Java's. It's still on Wolf Rd but it moved into the Shopper's Park. It's still extremely dark despite many overhead hanging lights with low wattage incandescent bulbs. A bit depressing. Suited for people who don't like sunlight. I had been shopping on Wolf Rd. I hadn't had my morning cup of coffee yet. I wanted to get a great latte, then sit and savor it a bit. I did not want to be at a major chain though I generally don't have many objections to them. I would have liked soy milk in my latte but they didn't carry it. So I settled for almond milk. The latte was strong, dark and foamy. The wait was minimal after placing my order. I expected to pay a premium for this experience. My medium latte was 16 oz and cost $6 before adding tip, which put it over $7. It's a bit more than some businesses charge though in LA I've paid $10. I know coffee. I've had better lattes but this one was a good solid medium latte. Not bitter. Plus, no one was rushing me to get out. There was plenty of seating. The staff is very nice and chill. So I enjoyed my alone time of latte and contemplation. There were cheesy Christmas songs playing. The place has an excellent sound system so there was no tuning this stuff out. Breakfast is served all day. Maybe I could do breakfast here someday if I'm in another reflective mood. I wish someone would turn up the lights just a bit but that's part of Professor Java's "MO," so customers have to decide whether to take it or leave it. read more

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For sanitary reasons, I do not recommend this place. The man making my drinks repeatedly put his ungloved hands through his hair (he did have very nice thick hair) and the woman making the food was obviously ill (her voice was hoarse) though she was wearing gloves. The food itself was fine, nothing special, and the latte was very sweet. read more

Had a lovely lunch here with a large group and we were able to secure one of the back rooms. The coffee was fantastic and the service was wonderful. An eclectic coffee bar with wonderful ambience. I had a croissant sandwich that was just OK and everyone seemed to enjoy their meals - nothing fancy. For a latte and a sandwich under 20 bucks I was happy! read more

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The staff is friendly, accommodating and hard working. The food could be fresher, I always appreciate fresh made eggs and they don't have this here. My iced latte was just ok, the barista did everything to accommodate me so I think it's a bean/roasting reason. I also think the machine needs to be cleaned. It's pretty dark in here, I love coffee and fresh made food so this is not the spot for me. read more

Atmosphere is spot on. The separate rooms to sit and work in the back are such a great gift! There are so many options and so many unique options on the menu it was hard to pick! What we received exceeded expectations. There are photographs jewelry and art work for sale along with many large flavorings which was super inviting! I plan to go back for sure and will be leaving with flavorings and maybe special drinks for later haha thank you! read more

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Last time I was here, was when they first opened this location after transitioning from Ulanski. I never came back because since the move, this place significantly decreased in quality. It's been a long time since then so I tried it again, and I still have the same opinion. It honestly is heartbreaking because growing up I enjoyed Professor Javas when it was at the former location. I will never revisit this place again. Ordered medium black coffee, chai latte, and small dark roast. Also got a toasted everything bagel with cream cheese. Both coffees were ok, but the chai was disappointing. Tasted like the typical boxed chai. I ordered because I saw the chai tea mix and figured they had freshly brewed chai and not anything from a container. It was heavily sweetened as well. The bagel was not toasted and if it was, it might as well have been cold from the bag. They remind me of the bagged Thomas bagels you can get from Walmart. It was squishy and definitely not fresh or anything I'd pay for again. Genuinely heartbreaking to me. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - Everything Bagel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

This is a cool place. The roaster is in the front right when you walk in. They have some cool names for signature drinks. The service was somewhat fast and the staff is kind. The drink I had was the Nutty Irishman. This is a 2 out of 5. The shots tasted like they were burnt and it's either the tamping or the pull time or possibly the roast. Either way I only had a couple sips and could not drink the rest. I'd definitely like to give this place another shot. Any recommendations from staff next time will be the way I go! read more

Coffee was amazing. Wish they had vegan breakfast sandwiches. At least they have vegan baked goods though. Super cute shop. Fast service. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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Plenty of space for people to sit down and enjoy a coffee and a treat! Sit down inside or if the weather is nice outside space available too. Lots of parking nearby. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - With the name Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary how can you go wrong? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

I haven't been to Javas in several years as I had moved out of the area. Tonight a friend and I stopped by because we wanted coffee and something sweet. The furnishings are dilapidated. The staff was nice. The coffee was bitter. I had to add some sugar. I had the last two slices of Keylime pie which had definitely been sitting out for a little bit. My buddy had a slice of cheesecake that looked pretty good. That is nice to have a place nearby that is open late at night. They have lots of seating. And a couple of different rooms. I asked about reserving one of the rooms for an event, but the person behind the counter didn't know how. I'll follow up about this. read more

Awesome coffee any time! Java's has strong coffee. I order a Red Eye (espresso shot in it). Tried their seasonal coffee variation on the board. It was called 'Old Man Winter'. Notes of smoke and plum. They serve sandwiches, soup, cake and tarts. Review: 5 read more

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The 4/5 rating is definitely being carried by the overall ambiance. Prof Java's is a great cafe to get some work done. The multiple sitting areas make for a diverse array of options to settle in and lock in on work. The back room is my personal favorite, as it's tucked away and can help filter out the noise on a busy day. The servers are all friendly and the food comes out relatively quick. I've had some of the coffee drinks, a smoothie, and their sandwiches in the past. The serving sizes are reasonable for the prices. I wasn't blown out of the water by anything I ordered but I have always eyed the pastry options, which look delicious. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - back room - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

My husband and I went on a Thursday morning and there were only a few other people there so it was very quick and friendly service. I had the chunky monkey latte (banana and mocha) and an everything bagel with plain cream cheese. My husband had an americano and the French piggie (croissant with bacon, ham, egg and cheese). Everything was delicious and both plates came with a couple slices of pineapple which was a nice surprise. There are a few different rooms to sit in and we chose the library room so I could read for an hour in the comfy chair. There was a "take one, leave one" book shelf which was cute. I gave one less star because it is kind of dim and chilly, concrete floors, only 1 comfy chair vibes. Not super hygge. Despite that very small critique I will absolutely return to try more of their offerings and likely an espresso brownie. Yum! read more

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This is such a cool and unique spot for coffee and a meal! I came here with my friend for a study session and there was ample seating albeit they do have really busy hours so it can get noisy. Overall I loved their unique selection of lattes and coffees; the caramel turtle and French toast were so good and they also seemed to have great sandwiches, desserts, and wraps that I'd love to try sometime as well! The cashiers and baristas were kind too. The restaurant has really cool Art and decor which made it a fun place to be! I think the bathrooms could do with some more upkeep but in general, I had a good experience. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - Caramel Turtle Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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The coffee was great. Bold flavor and no bitterness. Excellent service! WiFi available and lots of sitting space. Great place to work or sit down with friends. Ample parking. Overall a great coffee shop. Will return. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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The artwork is fun. The service was very friendly. Food takes a long time and is not really worth waiting for. The espresso is ok. If you like a very dark roast, then you'll probably enjoy it. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - I couldn't find the espresso machinery in the photos, so here you go. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Came here with a friend to get some work done. They have a large space with different rooms with different vibes. I had a latte and a bagel sandwich both of which were great! Service was also fast and nice. The only thing I don't really like was the bathrooms were kind of dingy. Not necessarily disgusting but just kinda gross. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - French Toast Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Stopped in here before a road trip back to our home state. I ordered an iced latte and a bacon egg and cheese in a bagel. Iced latte was decent. Bacon egg and cheese was not good. The egg was wet like it was a frozen patty. Bagel tasted like regular bread. I didn't even finish the sandwich. My father requested a cubano, or similar- basically a strong coffee with a bit of cream or milk. The barista thought this meant a cappuccino- it doesn't. He got an extra shot of espresso and said it was better. Will not return- please get rid of the frozen eggs. read more

Iced coffees were lukewarm. Muffins were just ok. We sat outside, which was nice as long as you don't mind looking at a parking lot. Inside looked cute read more

Great drinks; soft, ambient music Highly recommend, particularly if you're a student looking for a place to work. I got the brown sugar oat milk read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - Broken Sugar Espresso with Oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Went here to grab a latte and a breakfast croissant. For a reheated breakfast, it wasn't bad honestly. The girl was pretty generous with the portions of espresso in my latte. I had my food there so I had a real plate and silverware. When I grabbed the silverware from a shared area, I noticed many knives seemed dirty (people grabbing them with dirty hands or so). Maybe just give them out as they order to keep clean. Once I went to dispose of my dirty dish, I noticed the place has other sections you can sit and enjoy your food/coffee. Explore it fully before you decide to sit. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - Ham, egg, cheese croissant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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The plus to this place is there's plenty of seating and areas to hang out two separate rooms off of the main area. Coffee is decent. Haven't tried the food yet. read more

I stopped in and ordered a tea and a biscotti. They did not seem to know what was on their menu or how to get the order into the register, but maybe the three ladies working were new. The tea was good but came in a bag, not loose leaf as advertised and the biscotti was just so so. The atmosphere is really trying to be a hip cafe vibe but not quite making it. Lots of flies. read more

Love the environment! I still love going there !! Looking forward to my next visit! I love that they support artists! read more

I had a artichoke veggie panini and coconut crème latte, both which were delicious! The sandwich came with fruit and chips. Great ambiance, nice lighting, family friendly place. Service was very good and quick. read more

I like all their food. Customer service is really good. Really good addition to the area.

Nice coffee shop with an attentive and friendly staff. I was in town for work and preferred a local shop to a chain and this was highly rated. Checked it out early and was rewarded with a good cup of Joe. Good place, worth checking out. read more

Personally, I like the ambiance, but I am not a fan of burnt coffee. As much as I would love to support them, even their lightest roast is over done. The other day the light-roast was darker than a normal french roast - bitter, none of the subtle coffee nuances, and most of the caffeine burned off. Even the croissant on my sandwich was toasted too dark, slightly burnt tasting - had to toss it out. It will be a while before I head back there again. read more

Great coffee, Excellent service, Great food, Unique atmosphere. I highly recommend this place. (I've said what I want but yelp is making me hit 85 characters) read more

Worse experience ever bad customer service and coffee and breakfast were horrible. No flavor in the coffee and breakfast sandwich was missing cheese and it was cold. Stay away from the place read more

Love to come, get a drink and relax with the laptop. Get stuff done in a comfortable place. Friendly staff, no pressure read more

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The coffee here is consistently great and they have an impressive menu of drink options, from specialty lattes to smoothies. I highly recommend stopping in here for a beverage! That said, we went to Professor Java's to pick up lunch last week, which was our first time eating from the menu, and learned that their food falls short of their coffee. Perhaps if the prices were more in line with the food itself it would not have been so apparent. I ordered a BLT to go (which comes with a bag of chips) and the price was $11.95 - steep! My husband ordered "The Space Monkey", a turkey and ham panini, also at the same price point. We both felt that our sandwiches were relatively small and unimpressive, especially for the price. I understand that they are called Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary and not Professor Panini's Sandwich Haven, but the contrast between the food and beverages felt stark. We will likely be back, but change our next food order from lunch sandwiches to breakfast sandwiches in hopes that these are more in line with the great quality of their coffee. read more

Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary - BLT to-go with a bag of chips. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

We asked for chocolate chip biscotti last time as that's what the sign on the jar said, but we were given almond biscotti - took it back and they said they were mixed in with the others. The worker seemed unfazed. Thank god neither of us were allergic to tree nuts, that could have ended poorly. Conclusion: if you have allergies double check your food because the labels are misleading and they don't seem concerned about it. The coffee was okay, I had to alter my latte a bit. My mother was happy and unbothered though so that's what mattered to me. I'd come back with her but probably wouldn't recommend others to go. read more

Fun flavors of coffee! Stopped by here after getting into Albany on a late flight and was excited to see their extended hours. Nice staff with good recommendations. Studied in here on our second visit - high speed wi-fi and a multitude of rooms to choose from to do work in. Overall great vibe! read more

Great coffee. Great vibes. Great service. Highly recommended if you are in the Wolf Rd area

I had breakfast here a few times since my first review. This place is just a nice place to go and relax and catch up with friends. The servers are friendly, the food is good and they have healthy options. I got oatmeal which comes with a side of brown sugar, warm milk and craisins. I also had a side of rye toast which comes with a side of butter and fresh fruit. Or maybe the oatmeal came with the fruit. Not sure but mmmm good! Their coffee comes in big mugs and it's hot and good! read more

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At times the coffee could be warmer.Enjoy being able to watch the roasting of the beans.

This is one of the coziest places I've been in. Don't let the exterior fool you. The interior is worlds away. The main area is colorful, eclectic and welcoming. The library and other secondary room are ideal places to relax and study or read with a coffee. The breakfast sandwiches are delicious and enormous. However, the help will be annoyed that you showed up and interrupted their conversations and made them look up from their phones. If you ask any questions about the menu, they'll snarl at you and ensure you know they don't appreciate having to be torn away from their phones. The credit card machine gives you options for how much you want to tip (we tipped 20%, although I have no idea what it was for). The workers won't look up from their phones when your food is ready; you have to figure it out yourself and walk up to the counter to get it. read more

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Giving it 3 stars because the coffee was decent enough, but boy oh boy was the service bad. We waited 20 minutes on a busy Saturday and still no sign of our coffee. So I went up to the cashier to inquire, and said "If they haven't made mine yet, can I change it to a Heath Bar latte?" At which point she threw an absolute temper tantrum, slamming her fists on the counter and yelling something about "if one more customer changes their order..." The other people in the line and I looked at each other, stunned. The male barista came to the register to try and calm things down. He said to my friend, "Didn't I hear you order a latte about 15 minutes ago?" She was like "Um, yeah?" And he said he would make our drinks right away, which he did. A few minutes later he tried to lecture me about having empathy for my local barista. I told him I see how busy they are and trust me, I've been patronizing cafes for at least 30 years and I have plenty of empathy for all my local baristas! But - and I said this in front of the young lady - if she can't deal with stress, she doesn't belong in the public-facing service industry. All in all not a great experience but again the coffee is pretty good and the ambiance is decent inside. Too bad they moved from the cute old house to a totally sterile strip mall, but when you get inside I feel like they kept true to the Java vibe. read more

This place is cute, and it's nice to have a place that is not a chain in this area. The vibe is very chill and conversational, so be aware that your order will take some time, even if you're just ordering a drip coffee. (I've waited 10 minutes just to place my order when I was third in line.) The coffee roasts, pastries, and food are all somewhat unremarkable suburban fare. Shame, because the staff are so nice. read more