Professor Java’s Coffee Sanctuary

I love how serious they are about their brownie concoctions. And I love that from time to time they have some yummy gluten free options. And I love the space — great for writing and reading. And I love all of the delicious beverage options, And I love that they have some fun and quirky activities — think tarot card reading.
In short, I love this place!

Waited 20 minutes for a waitress and was sadly displeased when one did not come. We then departed due to a strange smell coming from the wall. Hopefully they don’t have rats in them.

Good coffee, and tea. A wolf road institution. I have actually preformed in this space, back in the day.
Great baked goods and breakfasts. Not too much in the way of food, otherwise. Sure, they’ll make you a sandwich.
They have some vegan and GF options, too.

I have heard about and have driven my Professor Java’s numerous times. I love coffee shops and am always trying to find good ones.
Having some extra free time today, I decided to finally try it out. Not worth it. The service is slow. The internet connection is slower and it is more of a sit down café then a coffee shop (sanctuary as they call themselves).
This is not to say a lot of people don’t enjoy it because they most assuredly do but it is just not for me. I MUCH prefer Uncommon Grounds where it is a much warmer atmosphere, the service is friendly and speedy, the internet connection is strong, and it is much more of a coffee/​laptop/​chill experience.

I really, really, REALLY want to write a great review. I do. I’ve loved this place for years.
But.
As others have said, you’re lucky if you can get one of the staff to even look in your direction. Average wait time to be treated like a customer with a pulse is about ~20 minutes.
I also used to love their decaf mocha chai. The last two I’ve ordered have been hot milk that taste nothing like mocha OR chai.
: (

Asked for a perfect shot of espresso. What I got had zero crema and blah flavor. If you love espresso you may want to skip this place.

We went to get beverages and I ordered a latte. The first cup I received had BRIGHT pink lipstick residue on it. After asking for another cup, the waiter brought back an EVEN DIRTIER cup. I was really grossed out. My friend that was with received a broken cup the dripped a crazy amount of earl grey from the bottom of the cup

Hands down the best chai latte I’ve had! The interior is funky, and the staff is very friendly. It’s relaxing and nice if you want to go to a coffee shop that isn’t full up. The baked goods are also good! And I’m pretty sure they have vegan friendly options.

Let’s start with being extremely late unapologetic and inconsiderate.
Breakfast out here is a goddamn European affair aka siesta without the wine. Took 80 mins to get food out for a party of 12 people.
Don’t bother stopping by here.
Would not recommend it to anyone.
HORRIBLE service.

Real deal hipster coffee spot. Cool staff but they take the beans seriously. A friend worked there and said they do all fair trade. Delicious coffee and baked goods.

Warm and inviting work environment. The staff was friendly and quickly took our orders. They had a bunch of specialty coffee drinks listed, but I had maxed out my caffeine intake and instead opted for tea (Moroccan Mint). It came in a giant mug, like you have on hand at home, which only added to the cozy vibe of the space.
I spent a few hours getting some work done while in Albany for a couple days. Pro-​tip: sit by the faux-​fireplace in the winter, it kept me toasty warm! Coupled with hot tea, it was as if I was wrapped in a warm blanket. There are a few spots by the wall with outlets. Wifi worked well and there was just enough background chatter to boost the coffee shop productivity.
Although I don’t live in Albany, on my way to the bathroom I noticed flyers for music nights and other events. Murder mystery night, yes please!
They also have desserts, sandwiches, and soup if you get hungry.

I don’t normally feel compelled to write negative reviews but, wow, this place is awful.
I called in a breakfast order for pick and still wasn’t ready after 20 minutes. There were only 3 tables sat when I arrived so not sure what the hold up was.
While waiting, the whole staff was aloof and completely non-​customer focused. Not only did not one of the 5 people working behind the counter ask if I could use any assistance, but they we’re arguing at each other. Once my food was finally ready, it wasn’t packed to-​go and then they argued over that.
I wish I could say the quality of food could save this place from their terrible service, but it was just sub-​par. I ordered the WAP… It was dry and tasteless. I also did not receive one of my items (a croissant) but instead someone else’s salad. To conclude my order I got a couple drinks to go with. Luckily it’s REALLY hard to screw up a plain coffee, but the Chia Tea latte tastes like hot milk with a smidge of honey. So glad I paid $ 4.
This could be a really cute and artistic place to chill out but I couldn’t wait to leave! Needless to say I will not be returning or recommending this business to any of my friends or visitors passing through. Don’t waste your time and money.

Professor Java’s Coffee Sanctuary has good coffee, a nice community vibe, and worth the stop; but leadership is complacent in presentation. For example. I ate breakfast at the counter next to a bottle of window cleaner, a cutting board of sliced lemons, stapler, and a roll of tape– a chaotic theme present on most all work surfaces in view, which did not stop me from ordering but I was thinking about it.

Set on Wolf Road, home to Sears, strip malls, and the first Trader Joe’s in the Capital District, Professor Java’s stands out as an independent, funky eatery. Walls are covered in local art and flyers touting community activities as well as quirky events such as Game Night or Mystery Dinner.
On any given day, you’ll find Millennials on Macs, work meet ups, and mom and kid outings. The Coffee Menu is the draw, all the basics plus sweet variations. The food menu runs to breakfast and lunch salad, wraps, and sandwiches. Professor Veggie, a vegetarian panini is a standout. And do leave room for dessert, baked treats are not to be missed.

Professor javas is a nice place to study and drink some coffee. The problem I had with it is that they claim to be a vegan/​vegetarian place but they have no vegan cheese or vegan desserts! That’s crazy to me. The food was good but presentation could’ve been better.
The location was random and don’t come here if you are in a rush. The service is slow but the staff is friendly. The place could use some spicing up. It just seems a little dirty. When you are in a place to eat you want to see cleanliness to know everything is prepared for you in the kitchen that way. I definitely didn’t have that feeling here. Bathrooms were also pretty dirty.
Overall the place isn’t bad. Food doesn’t seem fresh and environment is dull but worth a try to form your own opinion!

I wish I could give this place a higher review… I really do. The food is great as is the coffee, but you had best not be on a schedule if you go! I’ve waited as long as 20 minutes for someone to take my order, and that’s after trying to wave them down.
Don’t make excuses that it’s busy or you have a new waitress: put two waitresses on the floor!
As a matter for fact, I’m writing this 23 minutes into my visit and STILL no coffee in front of me.

Does this place have table service?
Counter service?
Does anyone know, including the people who work there?
Listen: I am used to free-​wheeling coffeehouses, from Brooklyn to San Francisco and everywhere in between. But when you walk into Java’s, you’re immediately thrust into a state of confusion.
There’s the counter, with staff people turned away from you or talking to regulars. And there’s another counter, one with a register and menus and sometimes even a person who, in theory at least, is a member of Java’s waitstaff.
The times I’ve been there, I’ve seen a waitstaff person taking orders, then disappearing for 10, 15 minutes at a time. On several other occasions, I have gone to Java’s, tried to order a coffee and then sat down, and have been told that «someone will come to get your order.»
And then, still other times, I have sat and waited 10, 15 minutes, with not a person in sight. Half the time, I’ve just left, and then driven over to Hudson River or Stacks in downtown Albany.
But what if you’re from out of town and staying in an airport hotel? Then prepare yourself for a local production of Waiting for Godot. This might be your place if you’re just looking for a wifi connection and no one to bother you. Or if you find yourself homeless and car-​less and with a laptop on Wolf Road.
But if you want an actual cup of coffee or sandwich? Or if you’re on a schedule, or with someone else? Prepare yourself for a long, existential wait for something, anything to happen.
Some of these observations might be partially moot or downplayed if the coffee was completely out of this world, or the muffins cured cancer. This is not the case.
It would be great to see someone else take this place over and transform it into a good, suburban coffeehouse. Until then go to, like, Panera.

So, here are some things to consider if you are planning to visit.
If you are a coffee house snob, this may or may not be your place. It is local and they roast their own beans.
Coffee — the coffee here is great. I have been coming here for years. I recommend «The Nutty Irishman» because it is hands down, the best coffee they have here. All the other drinks are great too, but this is my go to.
Atmosphere — it is casual here. You will see a mix of business people and college kids, mostly women. The walls are painted funky, and there are pictures from local photographers on the wall for sale here as well. Support a local artist and buy one. The prices range from cheap to expensive.
Food — the breakfast here is great. Their French Toast is great. I have not had their lunch, but I’m sure it is tasty. I am more of a burger guy for lunch, but that’s because I prefer to tons of meat. As a side note, I am actually slowly converting to a cow, and as is see it, this might be a friendly place to go chew some cud when I make the full transformation. I anticipate that the girls that work here would take to me kindly and feed me all natural food, which is a huge piece of their menu here. It is very diverse and would make my 8 stomachs happy.
Prices — for the prices they offer, they go above and beyond. Be ready to spend little and get a lot.
If you are traveling on business and need a place to decompress, or need to find a place to meet that girl on Plenty Of Fish who may or may not be fat/​crazy, you really can’t tell as the upshot is tough to decipher, this is where you should go, as there are plenty of egress routes so as to mask your ride home if you are being tailed.
Highly recommended! Also, tip good here, these girls provide top notch services!

Burnt tasting coffee. Would suggest getting a specialty latte to give a taste.
Place looked a little dirty. Staff was nice.

I wasn’t overly thrilled, but I wasn’t disappointed. Things could be better. For one, my Cinnamon Carmel latte lacked actual cinnamon and carmel flavor, however was still good. I was expecting my sandwich to contain fresh mozzarella and cooked mushrooms, not raw. However, I can see why vegetarians like this place, due to the freshness and uncooked veggies because they provide the most nutrients.
You have a choice of either chips or fruit as a side, but if you don’t know this they will not ask you and just give you chips. Service was friendly however, it’s a seat yourself and they’re not really that up on giving you menus that quickly. There a a few different rooms to sit in. THe atmosphere is warm, but messy. They sure do have a lot of unique drinks, and will mostly be returning just for them.