Michelle

One of the best boardgame cafes ever! They have an impressive assortment of games that they do routinely swap out to ensure good condition, plus you can rent them to bring home. They expanded and have an extra room on the side to play. Food is decently priced and has vegan options. I had the breakfast burrito and was very satisfied. The staff are super nice. There's an assortment of game themed merchandise and local drinks. Also cool to see how much community involvement is here based on their postings for regular DnD oneshots and activities like bonsai bars. I wish I lived near this place. It was such a good experience coming here.

+10

Kris P

Came here on a Saturday afternoon for a friend's birthday they have a HUGE selection of games and i was glad to find that all the components were present and cards sleeved for the games we chose to play. We had drinks and food, several of our party enjoyed the pizza bagels and i had the buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese which was good! The portions are more snack sized so you can try more than one item from their menu. There were a number of vegetarian options including the boba tea. The servers bring your drinks and food to the table for you so you wont miss a turn when playing games!

Lauren Langlois

We love this place! The food is delicious, the bubble tea is fantastic, and the selection of board games is top-notch. The staff are all so friendly and they do a great job fostering a welcoming & inclusive space. The special events are so much fun and the 'pixel to plate dinners' are well executed. There's nothing negative to say, this is a great business doing great things for the community!

Ketsu

A lovely little resturant/cafe with a fantastic atmosphere. Walking in I was hit with chill music, a comfy atmosphere, and I had a good chuckle at all the little stickers and trinkets they had lying around. The boardgame selection is also fantastic. But my forte is the food. I ordered the "fancy mac" and an Oolong bubble tea. Both of which were very good! The bubble tea was fairly standard, and the fancy mac was extremely interesting. The choice of cheese curds, truffle oil, and cheezits was a bold one. I feel like it paid off at first, those first few bites were great, the cheese pulled from the plate for what seemed like meters, but I struggled to finish the meal by the end with the overwhelming flavors. Maybe hold back on either the truffle oil or the curds, together, they're fighting for room on my tounge. Regardless, this place is fantastic. A great cafe.

+1

J Acharya

Excellent spot! Very unique place with a plethora of board games to play. Came here during lunch. Highly recommend getting one of their sandwiches. Their ciabatta bread is homemade. In addition, their cocktails rock! I love that they put boba beads in some of them! Try the pisco pineapple punch! :) But I don’t recommend getting their salads. There was no flavor and just felt like a boring salad that I can make at home.

+1

Jet D.

Bard & Baker is truly a wonderful experience. amazing ambience, wonderful hospitality, clever menu, delectable food & drinks. the breakfast poutine (pictured) is one of the best things ive ever eaten in my life. the gaming aspect is just a bonus IMO. lovely place and lovely staff, the Albany one is great too, i have yet to have a less than great visit to either. i reccomend Bard & Baker to everyone. thank you so much!

Hannah Adams

Discovered this gem & my husband & I have been coming weekly ever since! Amazing atmosphere/music, incredible selection of fun games, great price for all-day game passes if you come during the week ($5 vs $10 on the weekend). AWESOME food & drinks. Get the Mac & cheese! (Especially the Buffalo chicken). And the Thai tea! Their tapioca pearls are flavorful & a great consistency. The best I’ve had. For games, we def recommend Time Stories & Obscurio!! We’ve been playing a new Time Stories expansion every week. The staff are so friendly & helpful, & are always willing to give game suggestions. My husband & I shared a Mac & cheese yesterday instead of getting our own, & it was impossible not to notice that they purposefully loaded the bowl up more than normal, & put in a lot more chicken. They’re just very thoughtful. We’ve brought family & friends here & can’t get enough. Good for all ages. You can also rent games to play at home, buy bags of delicious house blend coffee, and — randomly — you can purchase access to a printer. If I could give 10 stars out of 5 I would. **pictured are the Buffalo chicken mac & fancy Mac, & strawberry & oolong bubble teas! Oh, & Obscurio!

Monroe Marshall

Tonight was my second time there and today I was there with others for my birthday and it was great. They have where if you reserve a table for 6-12 people at $10/ person, you have the reserved space, get to play the boardgames and you get a “share-a-bowl” per every 3 people in your party! And the workers are so nice!! I also love their teas and had an amazing buffalo cauliflower sandwich!

Mario M

Sometimes you enter a new place and it just feels right, you know you have found something special. This is exactly how I felt when I first entered this place. The exterior is classy and inviting making it easily noticed from regular traffic. The interior is the perfect combo of modern and welcoming. The staff is so incredibly awesome. We arrived with 3 extra people even though our reservations were for 7, they just rolled with us no issue at all. A huge selection of games. A great light fare menu compliments the situation perfectly. Some of the best handicap access in the city. Parking is no issue with a parking garage across the street. Instantly a family favorite, we will be back often.

+3

Dan Cotrupe

Bard & Baker is already my new favorite place to hang out! Aside from their outstanding board game library they have a delicious menu with a variety of craft-quality café fare. The coffee and tea lists are both varied and formidable. Lots of great choices. The craft beer/cider/cocktail menu is top notch. I tried the caramel bourbon coffee and was blown away by the richness of flavors. Looking forward to the popcicle/prosecco cocktails as well! The clean, bright, friendly atmosphere really captures both the energy of downtown Troy and the privacy for enjoying a game with friends or a quiet cup of comfort with your laptop. Friendly, knowledgeable, approachable staff are the frosting on the cake, so to speak. I'll be spending a lot of time with them as this downtown treasure. Do yourself a favor and stop by, even just for a quick snack or a drink.

Kathleen Hojohn

The selection of games is very impressive. I really liked being able to experience a game without buying it so I can decide if I want to add it to my collection. The food and drinks were a bit pricey for what you get but tasted ok. My biggest complaint is I wish that there were tiered payments if one was only planning to play games for only an hour or so. Overall a very good place but I would plan to stay for 4+ hours to get your money's worth. It can also get quite crowded during peak hours, reservations may be needed. The staff is friendly and courteous. Parking can be an issue.

Mari Grimm

I really enjoy the vibe of this place. Convivial, well decorated, and such a large collection of board games for people to use. I appreciate their efforts of building a community space and hosting events like trivia. The drink menu is very imaginative! I love the variety and themed drinks. I only gave it 4 stars because I do think it’s very pricey (I.e. $11 for a cheese-topped bagel). I understand inflation is tough on small businesses but the prices will definitely limit how often I visit.