Union Cafe used to our favorite breakfast spot in Schenectady but unfortunately today will be our last time going there. I would say our last time eating there but we never got the food we ordered. I work in a restaurant and understand what happens when things get busy or you're understaffed; it's not fun. But 30 minutes passed after being seated before a server even took our order. We waited an additional 45 minutes before we inquired about when we'd be getting our food. At this point we were told that they would not be making our food at all. Instead of inquiring in the kitchen to see when we'd be getting our food the manager simply complained about the worker shortage (which frankly, is irrelevant to the problem) and it being busy. To be fair it was busy, but the tables next to us that arrived around the same time as us were already done with their food at the time of our inquiry. While still frustrated, if it was just going to be another 5/10 minutes we would have waited patiently, we were hungry and just wanted to eat. But after our conversation with the manager, we sat back down and our server informed us that the restaurant was refusing to serve us the food we ordered. (Which, by the way, is a real crappy thing to make a server to do in your place as a manager.) It also indicates that our order probably wasn't going to be coming through anytime soon regardless of our questioning. There are days when managing a restaurant can really suck and it certainly appeared to be one of those days at Union Cafe. Unfortunately, refusing service and blaming everyone but yourself is never the solution in these circumstances. As stated before, we liked Union Cafe and used to recommend to others searching for a good diner type place. Used to. read more

Small place. Great food and service. A little slow but we went at peak. Recommend for a lowkey breakfast or brunch. No mimosas.

My husband and I stopped in here on a whim. We'd passed by numerous times and blew it off as just a small, limited, cafe. This could not have been farther from the truth. Their menu is extensive and everything is prepared fresh. I ordered the Crab Benedict. I was concerned that it was going to be a nasty crab cake on an English muffin. It was beautifully flaked crab meat with a Hollandaise Sauce that tasted homemade. The egg was poached perfectly without being slimy. The staff was wonderful and answered any questions I had! When I told them it was my first time there, they gave me a to-go menu and encouraged me to check out the rest of their offerings! We will definitely return! read more

Always exceptional food, service and atmosphere! I can always count on the Union Cafe to make my weekend brunches feel complete and relaxed.

Greek Salad... Where else can you get fresh salad with TWO huge blocks of feta cheese in the area? Seriously, I love this salad so much. I also love the breakfast options at Union Cafe. Servers are always friendly and food is always delicious and fresh! This is one of my favorite Upper Union local spots. But really... get the greek salad! Ps. If you get the greek omelette they will add gyro meat and a side of tzatziki if you ask nicely! Second favorite thing on the menu. read more

Great hearty breakfast! Had 2 sunny side up eggs, toast, two large link sausages, toast, great homemade home fried potatoes and coffee. It was all cooked to perfection with extra large eggs and generous portions. You certainly won't leave hungry. The breakfast was $8.99 and was delicious. read more

Solid restaurant for breakfast and lunch. I've only been here twice so far (Once for lunch & once for breakfast), but I was not disappointed with either visit. The food is really good, the portions are plentiful, the prices are reasonable and the service is friendly. All in all this is a YELP bookmark place and a "Family & Friend recommendation" establishment!! Nothing fancy or pretentious about this place. Everything was good!!!! read more

Delicious and good service but please don't spray cleaner on tables when they are so close together near peoples food. It was really bothersome. read more

Union Cafe - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Union Cafe is located on a one of the busiest street in Schenectady. There is both street parking and off street parking behind the cafe. But the off street parking lot located in the back of the cafe has only a one way in and out. Union cafe has a maximum occupancy of only around 40+, it might be busy during the weekend. However, they have a nice outdoor dinning section if you wish to seat outside when the weather is nice and warm. Their receptionist and staffs are very friendly and welcoming. Two dishes I tried, the Strawberry French Toast and the Irish Benedict. The strawberries and cheese were stuffed in between two French toasts, topped with whipped cream. I was glad that they put the syrup on the side because the sweetness of the French toasts were just right, making each bite very delicious and enjoyable. The Irish Benedict was good, above average comparing to other cafes that I have gone to. The eggs were poached right topped with creamy holiday sauce, and the English muffins were toasted just at the right crispness, but the corn beef hash was on the salty side. The serving size for the home fries thought was on the small end. read more

Union Cafe - Strawberry french toast topped with whipped cream - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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Very nice diner kinda place. Smallish and cozy like a lot of such places in New York City or Philadelphia, located in the Ole Bernies Buster Brown Shoe store of the 1960-1980s. Partner had Greek Svocki, I had the Giro, and Salad. All were very good. Place was quite busy for a rainy raw day, lunch on Election Day. They take all credit cards, and offer outside dining during the nicer weather. I'll be back,another eating option in the home town. read more

Union Cafe - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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This is a really popular spot with limited seating. Once you're able to sit down at a table, the service and food is good.

Review time kids. Where do I start here? Hmmmm..... I'll start by saying we used to be semi regulars here. Now that formality is out of the way,let's get down to brass tacks. I'll start with atmosphere clean and up to date with a touch of rustic charm is probably the best way to describe it! They also have a fairly large patio out front(perfect for people watching while you sip coffee) On to the service. It's always been very good! Ever been in restaurant Siberia? Never here! On to the food.... I hate to say it.... nothing special. Please understand that this is not a bad thing,it's honest food. Here's where I'll drop the reason for a 3 star review. Prices. In my opinion are a little steep for the quality/quantity of the food received. On more than one occasion I left hungry. That just doesn't work for me. read more

A great place to eat in the summer! They have outside tables! Great customer service!

Always amazing! Their pizza is the best in the area that we've found, this far. Their antipasto salad is amazing! They even toss some Italian Gardenare in there! Bueno! And the leftover pizza is absolutely fantastic if you warm it up on a Grill! The crust gets crunchy and never tough. They are closed Mondays, and have shorter hours during c19 but we'll worth planning for. Delivery drivers are all friendly (but some don't wear masks). The woman who takes the orders is kind, friendly and accurate. Be sure to tell them if you're paying by card because they don't ask. Making myself hungry for pizza... where's my phone. Oh, that too, their website is phone and menu only, you must call to order. read more

This cafe is never a disappointment. We live near by so we go here often for breakfast. On the weekends is quite busy but the wait is worth it. The staff is always friendly and attentive . Anything off the menu is going to be delicious. You will enjoy every bite. There are always breakfast specials as well. My favorite is the Irish Benedict. You must come here and try it! read more

Awesome breakfast. Great place to go for a nice Sunday breakfast out. Everything homemade. Super friendly staff. Fantastic service and food. Definite to go spot. read more

First visit to the Union Cafe as I just moved to this town. I was so pleasantly surprised at the quality of their food and the flavor and taste in my dish. I got the Irish Eggs Benedict with adds hash. Absolutely tasty with an awesome hollandaise sauce. I gave a good look around the everything was very clean and tidy. Place was absolutely packed which is always a good sign for a local place. For the quality of food, quick and attentive service the price can't be beat. Definitely my goto place for Sunday breakfast. read more

First time here and it was AOK, nothing special but your basic diner fare. I wanted the coffee to be better. Maybe I got a bad batch. My eggs were fine and everyone thought their meals were fine. Basically, it was a "fine" experience, not Wow, not horrible. I would still recommend because you won't likely be disappointed with the food itself, which was nicely seasoned. I guess if I could give it 3 1/2 stars instead of 4. There was a wait to get in. So clearly, a neighborhood favorite. Service was fine. Again, nothing to call out but also nothing to criticize or complain. It was a slightly above average dining experience. Nothing special. I've had better. I've had a lot worse. read more

DO NOT EAT HERE IF GLUTEN-FREE!!! They claim to be gluten free and are not gluten-free. They offer two designated gluten-free items. Both items are fried in the fryer. They do not have a designated fryer for gluten-free. I was told that they can not guarantee anything is gluten-free because of cross-contamination. I ended up ordering a salad, which I was leary about because of the cross-contamination possibility. The salad was a huge portion. I ate in a group of people and they enjoyed their food. I was the only gf person. I gave three stars because if you are non-Gluten-Free person it would be a good spot. Management-please consider changing your menu and not claiming to be gluten-free. read more

We went here for brunch and there were many empty tables. We had 4 adults and 1 toddler and only 2 of our party hadnt arrived yet. They sat smaller parties before us and made us wait by the road because "they can't seat you until you're entire party is here". They continued to seat others before us, while we waited with a toddler by the road. DO NOT RECOMMEND. read more

Best breakfast around & lunch is Luke none other , especially the Greek options ! Then there's the owner, sweetest young woman in the area s& her staff is as friendly as she is! It's a must try!! You won't be disappointed!!!! Oh and did I mention that Jessica does so much to give back to her community on a regular basis, she truly cares about community & supporting her fellow small businesses read more

Very Cool Place. Excellent Ambiance. Great Food, read more

Union Cafe - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Great neighborhood spot. Owner is very charitable with the community as well. Great Sunday breakfast

Been back a few times and it's always good food and great service! Seating inside or out, guaranteed a good meal.

Service was great! From the moment we walked through the door, the waitstaff was attentive and accommodating. It's a small place, but we did not have to wait for a table, which is always a plus! We ordered a breakfast sandwich, an omelette, and two coffees. Everything was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. There are other breakfast places we'd rather go. read more

My coworker actually "Yelp'ed" this place so here we are! There's no parking lot for the place so you'll have to risk it on the street or be sly and park across the street in the pizza place's lot then ninja your way on over. Lol. The diner is small, but has outdoor seating which is always a plus! They have rotating specials everyday that appear on a big LED screen right at the back of the restaurant. It was busy inside so it was a little loud, but it was totally cool. I had the waitress actually choose between their "World Famous Rueben" and their Roast Beef Triple Decker. She brought out the Rueben and I was happy. It was SO good, so juicy, cooked well, hot, seasoned and just GOOD. It (squinting my eyes while I say this) may have been THE best Rueben I've ever had. Don't quote me, but yeah. That good. Like, I'd go there just for that sandwich. Period. Ain't much else to say. The prices are extremely reasonable, the place is clean, the staff is friendly, come eat here! 5 stars. read more

Union Cafe - Rueben with seasoned fries. Delicious. - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

I must have bad luck when it comes to non-breakfast food at diners. I got lunch recently at Union Cafe, and was pretty disappointed. First, they were out of spanikopita. Come on guys, you're a Greek diner. Keep the Greek food coming! Second, I don't even remember what I got instead, so it must not have been very good. Third, I got a chicken souvlaki platter to take home. It had one tiny skewer of chicken, a few pita triangles, a handful of fries and a tiny salad with a huge slab of feta. It was almost comical until I realized I paid more than $10 for it. Sit outside if you can -- inside is very loud when crowded! No parking lot, so brush up on your parallel parking skills. I find Palmer St. is quieter and less stressful than holding up traffic on Union. Just a short walk away. read more

I literally just walked away from my table and my 1/2 cup of coffee. Waitresses told everyone around us that they had a bee problem before they sat them outside, but didn't mention it to us. The place wasn't that busy, Waitress sat and took order of a couple next to us first even though they came after us, and when I asked to place our order a waitress said from the door "Don't take there's yet, go to the other table and take theirs, they have a flight to catch." Referring to another couple that came even later. So to summarize, they sat us in a wasp nest and ignored us to take peoples orders that came after us. Coffee wasn't bad, waitresses were awful. read more

Good solid breakfast. Server was very nice and attentive! (They have gluten free bread if needed). Corned beef has was good too. read more

We really enjoy the Greek food at Union Cafe. One of my favorites is the Gyro platter. Everything is delicious and piled high - the meat is what I affectionately consider Greek bacon; the salad always tastes very fresh; the big portion of feta is phenomenal; and putting it all together on pita with tzatziki and onions is a true winner. My companions also enjoy the Greek salad, and the turkey Reuben has become a go-to with just the right amount of coleslaw and sauce to make it tasty while keeping the bread perfectly firm. My pet peeve on the recent visit is that they did away with the canopy/enclosure that kept that place warm in winter. It was really chilly at times, but that won't stop me from going back for the really good meals. read more

Union Cafe - Diners Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Very overrated. I ordered a feta cheese omelette and it came without any cheese. The waitress implied it was my fault. When the cook fixed it the wiseass dumped a pound of cheese on it. Menu is not extensive. I asked what specialty coffees they had and they said none. I saw someone with a latte and asked the waitress why she didn't say they had that. She said I didn't ask for a latte. They put me by the service station. A second waitress kept bumping into me as she walked by and said nothing. Very crowded location bc it is so small inside. There is always a wait. Very loud inside. read more

Horrible service ever, I walk in to place an order, restaurant is busy, not one employee came to me and asked me if I like to place my order, seems like they just cater to dine in only, Spanish man that works there gave me a attitude and walked past me at least ten times before another employee came to me and asked if I was ready to place my order, entire process tooked over 30 minutes before I was able to place my order, I got home and burger was so dry I couldn't even finish it. read more

We just had a totally on point lunch! Got off the highway to seek this out and so glad we did. Food is clearly scratch made. We had gyros and souvlaki pitas and they were wonderful. There was baklava coming fresh out of the oven that our (friendly, efficient) waitress told us about. We got some to go... so glad we did! Thanks Union Cafe we will be back! read more

Love the fresh quality ingredients! One of Schenectady's hidden little gems. Friendly staff .... Great breakfast & lunch. Blueberry French Toast Lump Crab BenedictSanta Fe Salad And Greek Specialties to die for. Love this little place! read more

The lamb gyro is my absolute favorite. So delicious. The service is great and the people are very friendly.

We first tried this place upon moving to the neighborhood several months ago. Since then, it has become our go-to breakfast spot. Although it is small, they always manage to keep things moving and they have a nice coffee station set up for people waiting for tables. The food is consistently good and reasonably priced. I tend to go for savory breakfasts. I'm especially partial to their home fries made with red potatoes and my eggs are always cooked perfectly to order. Of course, they also have wonderful sweet breakfast items - delicious pancakes and French toast with fruit toppings. I tried the blueberry pancakes and was not disappointed. They were studded with big, juicy blueberries. Yum! The staff are all friendly, welcoming and efficient. read more

Excellent breakfast great service. Saturday mornings it's a little difficult to find parking. Meals are reasonably priced. I recommend if you're staying in the area and love good quality breakfast. read more

Great spot for breakfast. Good service, good food, wanted to try the waffle but we were after 11. Good omelette and good coffee.

Their food is delicious but they are a bit over priced. I like that they have daily specials, but regardless of what you order, it is fresh and delicious. read more

Terrific! Fresh! Easy! Jessica was terrific in taking my order on the phone and was prompt to the minute in delivering my luncheon order for a gathering at my house. The food was incredibly fresh and tasty. Would absolutely use Union Cafe again!! read more