Ambition Coffee & Eatery, Inc
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It had been a while since I swung by ambition cafe, but I wanted to show my friend this cute Schenectady staple. They do pandemic seating, but we found a spot near the back of the cafe. The staff was incredibly friendly, and very accommodating. The restaurant designed is very old school, with fun celebrity murals, photos and news articles about the cafe, bottle cap poles, and a fun mishmash of everything the owner collects. As I remember from the last time I was there, the menu is eclectic and has some nice vegan options. Most orders come with a bag of chips or a side salad, which was a pretty decent size. We were also thrilled to see that they had fountain sodas, so we could order our Diet Cokes. We both ordered Jeremy's Package, which is made with grilled turkey, apples, bacon, tomato, cheddar, cranberry pesto, and balsamic reduction on pretzel bread. Boy did this sandwich live up to the hype. It was scrumptious, with a sweet little edge, and the acid of the crisp apple tartness balanced out the fattiness of the bacon and turkey. The pretzel bun tasted just like a pretzel, and it was warm and soft inside. Very happy! The salad is also very good. It was mixed greens, and I got the honey mustard vinaigrette. He worked really well, and was a perfect compliment to the dish. I'm so glad we hit this place up for lunch. I forgot how great Ambition Cafe has always been, and I'm really glad to see they're keeping it up.
George Wheeler (Wheelercub)George Wheeler (Wheelercub)
00
My husband and I have gone here probably about 5 or 6 times. I loved the eggs benedict that they had on their menu but unfortunately they took it off for some reason. I'm not very impressed with the menu options that they have now but my husband and I went there with my seven-year-old daughter yesterday for brunch. My husband is a picky eater and gets the same thing every time which is the breakfast sandwich with a fried egg. For some reason this time, the waiter advised my husband that he can't get a fried egg because they do not allow substutes. Litterally for just an egg, cheese and meat sandwich! Even though my husband never had an issue ordering it before, he didn't argue about it and just changed his order to the Barry Manilow which is blueberry pancakes. He ordered 2. They do not offer a kids menu so I asked him if they could just make one plain pancake for my daughter and the waiter said he could. I ordered the quiche and a Boody Mary. The BM was very weak. I wasn't expecting anything super strong but I didn't even taste vodka in it at all. The quiche was pretty good and so were the home fries but we were not happy with the service or the bill. It was pretty busy when we first got there but started dying down while we were dining. We were seated across from the bar and our waiter had other tables in the front of the doorway for some reason. He was not very attentive and seemed to pay more attention to his other tables. We saw him walk by us without even acknowledging us several times. He never asked us how our food was after we got it and waited a long time to get the bill and then he never even came back to get the money we had to walk it up to the bar ourselves. He was literally at the bar next to us and walked by us and did not bother grabbing card so we used cash and gave to the bartender. The Barry Manilow was $8 and then an additional $2 for any additional pancakes he wanted so his two blueberry pancakes came to $10. That one regular sized plain pancake that my daughter got, he charged as the Barry Manilow which is again, $8. Even though that's not what she ordered and didn't even get blueberries in or on side. We asked him about this charge because it didn't seem right and he just explained basically that that's how he had to "punch it in". Any good waiter would have noticed that this seemed ridiculous and would have asked a manager or someone else to assist w/ a price clarification and how to punch it in for one single plain pancake. My kid didn't get any side and they charged her additional for her chocolate milk. Which I understand the cost for drink. It would have been more logical if they charged her for the additional pancake charge of $2 or if the waiter told us that my husband can order THREE pancakes and just give her one. But instead he just up charged us and didn't even care to fix it. These pancakes are not large by the way like you would get at some restaurants where they're like the size of a plate. These are regular medium sized pancakes. We were so annoyed by this experience, that I decided to call when I got home to speak to a manager about it. The lady that answered the phone took down my name and number and wanted a brief explanation of what happened and she seemed to understand and agree but because the manager was busy she said they would call me back to discuss details. I never did receive a call back. This waiter just came off as very non kid friendly and even if at any point he was busy, he passed our table and could have just said "I'll be right with you" or acknowledged us. As far as the substitutions I completely understand when a chef doesn't want to substitute an ingredient for one of their main meals or certain dishes but come on, this was a regular breakfast sandwich! Because I did not receive a call back I cannot confirm if this was all just an issue with the waiter or if this establishment really puts these prices and policies in place.
Nicole BennettNicole Bennett
00
We used to love this place but it’s seriously gone downhill. I’ve resisted writing this review for a while hoping it would get better again but it’s just gotten worse. The food is inconsistent. I’ve received undercooked potatoes and pancakes with raw batter in the center. They bring you a bottle of “Franks Hot Sauce” but it’s clearly an off-brand, overly spicy tabasco sauce. But in addition to the inconsistency, there are also cleanliness issues. (See pic) The glasses we received today were unclean. 2 of 3 had remnants of someone else’s drinks. We assumed that they were just stained but noticed a bit late that the water actually tasted off (fruity/sweet.) We tried to flag the waiter down and he would respond “2 seconds, 2 seconds!” and then would never come back. He never checked on us. We were also missing part of our order and we mentioned that at the time the food came out. We never received it and had to have the bill corrected. I had to walk up to the waiter to get it corrected because he dropped it on the table and ran away too fast. He told me to just put it down on the counter and he would fix it and bring it over. We waited another 20 minutes for that before I went back to the counter, picked up the receipt and asked again. I get that places are under staffed but this was probably one of the single worst customer service experiences I’ve had.
Rachel SmithRachel Smith
00
Greeted by a sign that said "Happy Not Monday" I felt immediately welcomed by Ambition Coffee & Eatery. The smell of grease and sugar promised a satisfying breakfast for my empty belly. Overall it was a worthwhile breakfast stop. The vibe was eclectic, with all the interesting images across the space. Enjoyed all the silly sayings, (e.g. "Danger: Men Cooking", and "Beware pickpockets and loose women".) posted everywhere. It felt, at least in part, like a small corner of Mardi Gras had found its way up to Schenectady. My meal; a meaty omelette was fine. I wouldn't say the best I've ever had, but very, very far from the worst. My daughter's pancakes were entirely uninspired; the white flour was evident in the rubbery nature of the meal. In all, I was disappointed by the menu. After such a high bar had been set by the decor, the menu was rather pedestrian. Had this been more of a local mom & pop diner, I would have been much less disappointed. The service was pleasant, and with car trouble, our server stood out by asking around for a garage recommendation from the locals. Totally above and beyond expectations. Overall, I'd recommend Ambition if you're looking for a salt-of-the-earth breakfast with a funky environment. I would definitely go back after exploring other restaurants in the area.
Julien LafleurJulien Lafleur
00
There is a good reason why Ambition has such a strong following and is the go-to spot for so many people living, working and visiting in Schenectady. Their home fries are 5 stars and they have a large breakfast menu that is great. But their dinner options are NEXT LEVEL! The fact that their tiny kitchen can consistently put out such incredible food is amazing. Now, the only sad part is they don't always offer dinner, it's usually just for Proctors shows. But wow, if you get a chance to come for dinner, cancel all your other plans and come here. Fresh, delicious food from appetizers, through their huge main course portions and great deserts. Try something new and you won't be disappointed.
Amy SonderAmy Sonder
00
First time, not so bad! The lunch menu is mostly sandwiches and wraps so making a selection wasn’t very difficult. The bread sets everything apart and I have to say, the cranberry jam they put on the sandwiches is very tasty. The retro vibe makes the dining experience fun. I say sit in the back area if you want to be more secluded. Our waitress was super nice, recommended items from the menu - which has a large mimosa selection. I say less juice and more champagne next time. Major tip, If you plan on having breakfast here during the week, make sure you arrive before 11 am!!!!!
Dasey TaylorDasey Taylor
00
Nearby Attractions Of Ambition Coffee & Eatery, Inc
Proctors
Scene One Cinemas Movieland 6
Schenectady Greenmarket
Open Door Bookstore
miSci | Museum of Innovation & Science
Armory Studios NY
Schenectady Habitat Restore
Ripe Cannabis
Orion Boutique
URBAN ReStyle

Proctors
4.7
(1.6K)
Click for details

Scene One Cinemas Movieland 6
4.4
(632)
Click for details

Schenectady Greenmarket
4.7
(308)
Click for details

Open Door Bookstore
4.8
(176)
Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Ambition Coffee & Eatery, Inc
Katie O'Byrnes Restaurant
Villa Italia Bakery
MORE Perreca's
20 North Broadway Tavern
Tara Kitchen
Centre Street Pub
Wolff's Biergarten
151 Bar and Restaurant
The Whistling Kettle
Newest Lunch

Katie O'Byrnes Restaurant
4.3
(790)
Click for details

Villa Italia Bakery
4.7
(664)
$$
Click for details

MORE Perreca's
4.5
(591)
$$
Click for details

20 North Broadway Tavern
4.6
(475)
Click for details
Basic Info
Address
154 Jay St, Schenectady, NY 12305
Map
Phone
(518) 382-9277
Call
Website
ambitionbistro.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.6
(364 reviews)
Ratings & Description
Description
Creative breakfast & lunch fare served in a quaint storefront with vintage curios.
attractions: Proctors, Scene One Cinemas Movieland 6, Schenectady Greenmarket, Open Door Bookstore, miSci | Museum of Innovation & Science, Armory Studios NY, Schenectady Habitat Restore, Ripe Cannabis, Orion Boutique, URBAN ReStyle, restaurants: Katie O'Byrnes Restaurant, Villa Italia Bakery, MORE Perreca's, 20 North Broadway Tavern, Tara Kitchen, Centre Street Pub, Wolff's Biergarten, 151 Bar and Restaurant, The Whistling Kettle, Newest Lunch
