Great spot. Lots of games to play, well setup as a meeting place with things to do with friends. Menu was interesting and had some good options. The French toast sticks were excellent.Game charge feels a bit weird when spending a fair bit on food and drink.

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!

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!

Stopped in for the first time ever for a quick coffee with a professional peer. Instant Love for the place. Will definitely be back later for date night with my partner

This place was cool. Full of board games. Lot more food option then I expected. Ordered a drink and waited 15+ minutes and figured out that they totally forgot about my drink. The drink was delicious.

They had kevin abackstreet boys burger king toys circa 1999-2001 but did not have brian, the foo was good

Cant say Ive been here for game night, but this place has an incredible vibe! Very community orientated in a beautiful space! Super chill place to relax. We got lavender boba teas, and they were amazing! Love this place!

Had the chance to order some take out and was not disappointed! The boba cocktail selection was amazing and colorful. Not to mention how on point the food was. Cant wait to try the food and drinks when I can sit and play board games inside again, until then Im getting take out any chance I have!

Fantastical drinks and wonderful service combined with a open till midnight policy has taken the bard and Baker to my top fun places to go. The musical vibe is pitch perfect and the games library has a secret gem for everyone! A must go for cafe lovers and board game enthusiasts!Set aside a whole day and make the pilgrimage!

Great experience, 2hr reservation good food great service and fun games!

Been here a few times. Its really nice. Tons of board games, good food. And a nice beer selection as well.

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.

Food was amazing!! The best part is how my food came I will be ordering again.

Bard and Baker is amazing! Charlotte and Bryan are lovely, the food and drinks are fantastic, and the board game selection is unparalleled. Definitely grab some bubble tea from here and stop in when you can for a game night!

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!

An ideal spot for all kinds of small gatherings like hanging out with old friends or a cool first date spot. I love the assorted drink menu of beer, coffee, tea & wine plus shareable snacks. The overwhelming wall of games speaks for itself.

Cute place, good food, and super friendly staff!

Always a pleasant experience. Great food and drinks, friendly staff who treat you like friends. The other guests are usually very nice and polite as well. It’s just always a nice place to be, definitely recommend giving them a try!

This place is still fantastic despite the pandemic! All of the employees are so kind and welcoming, LGBTQ friendly, eco-friendly.Board games go in their own quarantine after theyre played with, which can restrict the (still overwhelming) selection they have out, but if you just let them know in advance about a specific game, they can (probably, definitely) make sure a copy of it is ready when youre there!I would also recommend reserving a table with the reduced capacity if youre planning on playing/eating in. Its not necessary, but because of the nature of the place some tables may be occupied for longer than your average cafe!If eating and playing out isnt your thing again yet, you can also rent games to take home for game nights in the comfort of your own home! Make sure to order some of the snacks and drinks prepared in-house by their amazing chef for the perfect game night.All in all, this local cafe is truly an amazing one-of-a-kind place that Im so proud to support and enjoy.

One of the most fun places in Troy! Not only is the food delicious, but the main focus is hundreds of board games that can be played with for a small fee! The games are all high quality and well taken care of, and the staff is super friendly and helpful! Come here with a little people or a lot, its always a great time!

I went there last night (6/11/21) and the lady working the cash register was so sweet!! the boba tea was pretty good as well:)

One of my favorite places. Great for friends, family or even work outings and the menu is so much fun.

One of the best boardgame cafes Ive ever been to. Large spacious and airy open area, delicious and creative food and drink options and a huge game library to play for just $5! I wish I lived closer.

Wonderful atmosphere, the food and beverages are delicious and everyone that works in the cafe are extremely nice. The cafe has childhood games that bring tears of joy to my eyes, as well as current games. There are hand sanitizers on the tables and the seating followed all safety guidelines.

A great cafe, the food and drinks were amazing and the employees were wonderful. They had an amazing assortment of games available!! they are also doing a great job making a safe environment for the employees and customers during the on going pandemic!

The food was great!! I had brought my sister to try out the cafe and play a board game. She loved the food. She got The Goblin King, which as she said, really yummy and prepped her for Thanksgiving. Definitely recommend. Will visit again.

This is my favorite place to eat. Bryan knows how to make a great sandwich and Charlotte is such a gracious host. I would spend hours here playing board games in The Before Times™ and theyve even adapted and have a board game rental program. Cant recommend highly enough.

I could go on for days about why I love Bard & Baker, but you really need to check them out for yourself to see why. The whole staff is warm and welcoming and the food is second to none. A large drink menu with nearly endless combinations pairs well with tons of scratch sandwich, treats and more. Oh and did I mention they’re a board game cafe? Yeah!

We drive a half hour to get breakfast here on a regular basis. Really delicious food and drinks.

Even throughout quarantine they’ve made the best food and had the best atmosphere. The bubble tea makes me happy.

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. Ill 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.

This place has fantastic food and a massive selection of games to play. All the classics as well as 100s youve probably never heard of. Love this place!

I recommend the lavender mate with passion fruit Boba, no milk, as a fantastic bubble tea, refreshing, awakening, lightly fruity but still with a tea taste. The lavender is not overpowering!

Really well organized and well designed business. The little game details through out the business made it really fun.

Loved the ambiance and options. Pretty tasty.

Food drinks games amazing.

This spot is amazing! Great location and very comfortable atmosphere. HUGE selection of board games, complete with variants and expansions of popular current games. Plus, a wonderful menu of food and drinks (try the mead they have on offer if ya can) to keep you fed and watered while you play! Perfect spot for groups.

Everything is SO good! Thanks for having great vegan options and so many great GF/DF desserts!!

Love the vegan options! Everything we ordered for takeout was delicious!

Cute spot! Decent food and coffee! Whats weird is if you are playing a game you pay a cover charge to sit at a table? Cool in theory I guess. We didnt try it out just had a quite bite instead. They have oat milk as an alternative to milk if thats up your alley. I was happy to try it out! Good time and nice atmosphere.

What a cool place! And run by super friendly people. I feel so welcomed by their smiley faces, when we walk in. The food is great, (I have had nearly everything on the menu:) and every single board game, imaginable, is available. My son and I have played strategy games to hungry hippos:))

Such a lovely place with a welcoming atmosphere. I highly suggest trying it with friends or as a cute date night!

Such a great idea. Whether youre on a date or bringing the kids. There food alone is delicious and such a great flavorful menu. Bubble teas and even an interesting selection of beers. Truffle popcorn was outstanding! You could spend an entire day in there comfortably. Theyll even run a tab so you never have to stop playing. What I thought would just be chutes and ladders and a bagel, was an entire wall of games I would love to play with friends and family any game night. But if youre not for board games, they even had card games for those of us who are up for it. The perfect change up from dinner and a movie.

Bard and Baker is an amazing space with superior attention to detail that brings more enjoyment to their customers. Fantastic food, beverage, entertainment and the warmest, most friendly hospitality. Whenever I find myself wondering about something, I look and theres a sign to guide me through my question or thought. When I could use guidance or a recommendation on food or games theres always a super friendly and warm employee to help. Now the key is finding more time to spend enjoying hospitality and games at Bard and Baker!

We recently got our Launch party catered by Bard and Baker and we could not be happier. The food and pastries are absolutely amazing and Charlotte was so helpful and made sure everything went smoothly. Truly the nicest employees and impeccable experience and food. We really cannot say enough about this cafe! Thank you so much for being such a staple to our lunch menu xoxo

I have been to this place before COVID and for the first time since COVID hit today. They continue to excel as a great hangout place while also following social distancing guidelines. There is a spot to put your used menu for cleaning, there is a big bottle of hand sanitizer at each table and every board game you touch gets cleaned by one of the staff before it goes back for other people to enjoy. An amazing experience each and every time you come. 10/10 would enjoy again

PHENOMENAL food and drinks! AMAZING selection of board games! RELAXING atmosphere! WONDERFUL owners and staff! Bard and Baker has become one of my favorite places! I just wished I lived closer. ❤

Cute, nerdy, and chill place to hangout. 8 bit music and coffee.

Bard and Baker is one of the coolest spots in downtown Troy! The staff is super friendly, everything on the menu is fresh and delicious - most of it is made in house - and the selection of board games is awe-inspiring. For $5, you can play as many games as you want for as long as you like. You cant beat a deal like that! I will definitely be returning soon.

Great food and atmosphere! Any place that has board games to play and chill video game music playing over the speakers is my kind of place. Friendly staff and lots of comfortable seating were a bonus!

The staff is amazing with top tier customer service. The food options are great whether you want some light snack or desert or full on meal. As far as games go, there is a wide variety to choose from. Also, of note, the two restrooms are single stalled and gender neutral

This place is great. Went there with my family ecause we love board games. Such a great selection. The tables are huge, it does get a little rowdy, but a good rowdy. Soft, calm music. Are the staff look like they love their jobs. I love it so much here. Time flies when youre having fun.

Parking isnt too bad and the staff is really friendly. They have regularly scheduled events which are always a blast but going there on normal days is also just as good. The food is good and the drinks are unique. It can get busy and sometimes it might be full so making a reservation in advanced might be a good idea. One suggestion, Id love to see like a monthly or annual membership that maybe gives a discount on the cover or drinks.

Ordered tonight and was thrilled with everything! Crispy potatoes (poutine-style), cup of chili, Phoenix down sandwich and classic mac n cheese. All incredible! Give them a try!!

This is a welcome addition to the Troy scene! We visited after dark, and the place was bright and welcoming. With the huge windows I bet its nice during the day as well. The staff were happy to explain the process to me and to help with the games. The food and beverage options are varied and will keep you and your friends happy and engaged. One notable advantage over similar places is that the per person charge is not also per hour, so you need not feel rushed, or like a party of six is spending money just reading the rules.

No other place in the region like it! The game selection is extensive, food tastu, and drinks creative!The only downside is they are often too popular, and there isnt always room for more people. Nevertheless if you are in to board games and want to try a few for a good price, this is a great stop.

Great! There is a really large selection of board games, and its a really fun environment. The food is really good as well. Highly recommend for a place to go and enjoy a fun time out with friends.

Excellent cocktails and fun environment!

What a fun place to be! The game selection is fantastic. And while it can be a bit overwhelming, the staff are very helpful. They gave suggestions that were similar to games we already enjoyed, and some ideas for new ones to try. The system they use for categorizing and organizing the games is easy to understand and helpful. There is something for everyone. Oh, and the food. The Jenga French Toast on the board game brunch menu was amazing. And the other snacks we enjoyed like popcorn and hummus with bread, were fun and yummy. Dont forget to grab a Spiced Cider Toddy, the perfect thing for a cold winter day. You wont be disappointed in a trip to Bard and Baker. What are you waiting for!?

Bard and Baker is my happy place. The owners really put their heart into everything they do, from the delicious food and creative cocktails to making sure that everyone feels welcome and at home. With over 600 board games you can stay busy all day and the staff is always eager to clarify rules so theres no fear in trying to a new game. Its truly an amazing place and theres nothing like it in the area.

I find this place to be very relaxing and entertaining at the same time. The staff were very friendly, the food was amazing, and there was a great selection of board games. All of the cards were laminated so if something was dirty, I could easily wipe it down with less worry of damaging the card. They have a bunch of replacement pieces if a game is broken or missing pieces. The food, while on the bit more on the expensive side, was amazing. I stayed for 7 hours to get an idea of the staff and environment and it was always top of the line customer service and I never saw a table dirty for more than a minute. If you are looking for a place to chill, play board games, and make new friends, then this is your go to place.

My girlfriend stepped into this cafe to get a frozen wine beverage. After looking at us strangely upon walking in, the lady at the counter refused to serve my girlfriend even after my girlfriend presented appropriate identification. (my gf is 33 and Im 30). The establishment refused to serve my girlfriend and although an overly cautious cafe owner is completely valid. Im pretty sure refusal to serve someone just because they associate with a young black male is not warranted (pandemic or no pandemic). RASIST establishments like these do not help to flatten the curve, they simply add more confusion to an already confusing time. With that said, I will walk 30min home (to get my i.d.) and 30min back for my frozen wine beverage. I intend on rating the quality of said beverage with extreme prejudice on social media. Have a wonderful day everybody. Oh! I also intend on filing a complaint with the chamber of commerce and town of Troy.

So happy a place like this exists!! So sad I didnt any photos when I went. There is a hugh wall full of games!! Games Ive never even heard of before and games for all ages. The lavender matcha latte was amazing, I got it made with almond milk and the Elite Beet Salad was very yummy.Will definitely go again!!

Bard & Baker is an amazing local business! The owner is very friendly and inviting. They have a great small menu perfect for a board game cafe. They have a terrific selection of beers and drinks as well as good coffee! And finally, of course, thier selection of games is great! They also have game masters to help if you have any questions! We will be going back regularly

Very fun experience! Where else can you go, spend 20 dollars and have a fantastic and family friendly evening playing board games and eating great food. They have chefs there who do a fantastic job making all sorts of crazy new age foods. Recommend this for a good night out with friends or family

We ordered takeout at the office today, Absolutely amazing!!! They deserve more than 5 stars!!!

Friendly service, excellent brunch food, clean, and spacious. Noise level was a little high so it was harder to hear/talk, but not unreasonably so given how busy it was on Sunday. Fun place to hang out in Troy and play board games.

Theres a very decent selection of board games, which all listed on their website. Its a very fun and cost efficient way to spend some time, and all the the staff is super friendly and helpful. There are tons of great drinks to choose from, but the food selection is limited and I havent loved what Ive ordered so far, but its acceptable for the pretty reasonable price.

Awesome!! Surprisingly good food, and tons of games. The chairs were super comfy and the atmosphere was great. Clean and bright and great. Cant wait to go again

This is a gem of a place. Boards games of all types (good variety and labeled by difficulty) in a lovely space, and then AMAZING food. The truffle mac n cheese and triple word score sandwich are particularly good, but everything we ordered was solid. C-c-c-combo!

I did not visit, my daughter did. And she was over the moon with it. Said the food, the coffee( death wish I think) and the games were all amazing and she cannot wait to go back. A little bit more expensive than she planned especially with an event cover cost( little as it may have been)

My sis and i went on paint n sip. The Princess Bride. We had a great time. They have great coctails and a great little menu of easy to eats while painting. Place was busy and people were waiting in line for tables to play games. Great little addition to Troy, NY

Excellent selection of games and expansions, a great cup of coffee, and a comfortable buzz on a Saturday afternoon. Came back for my in-laws birthday party, played a new game for me, Dinosaur Tea Party, and really enjoyed the fancy popcorn, the PBLT sandwich, and the fact that my rambunctious friends and family werent kicked out for silly accents. We even got help moving the furniture to accommodate our group, and Charlotte and the team tracked my tab perfectly.

If you like modern board games then you need to stop by Bard & Baker in Troy, NY. The owners and staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome. There are more games here than you could ever play in a lifetime. Food, drinks, service, and ambiance are superb! Visited several times and cant wait to return.

Really fun atmosphere with a good selection of games. Their Sunday brunch is hard to beat and their teas are a little pricey but are great as well. A great way to hangout with friends for a few hours.

I enjoy coming here. Played games here a few times (always scrabble lol). The atmosphere is cool & the food is pretty good. I like the classic mac. One day Ill venture out into the harder games Ive never played before.

Food was decent (dinner), drinks were mediocre, and prices were a little high. A great place to play games with friends, but a not so great place for food and drinks. Was very impressed with the size of their game collection and was pleased to see many of my favorites there. Would recommend only for table top games lovers.

Loved it. I didnt have much time so I decided not to play games but the food was really good and it was very relaxing with comfy chairs and some sort of ambient noise(?) playing. Would definitely go again.

This place is awesome for groups! So many options and the cocktails are unique! Dont buy food here

This a fantastic gathering spot for friends and family! Im so happy to see it close to home in Troy. Better yet there is a parking garage around the corner that is free on nights and weekends so it takes away some of the anxiety of street parking in downtown.Big open space with lots of natural light (during the day at least), comfortable chairs and tons of games to choose from. One flat rate, paid up-front, to sit and play any of the hundreds of games organized on the walls.Food is simple but tasty - the desserts and cocktails are wonderful! We went today for the Brunch and an informal get together with friends,spent hours playing and having fun with no pressure from staff. Cant wait to go again for one of their other events.

Good place, good people, definitely a must go.If you dont read anything else in this review that sentence alone should suffice. This is a great place to come and hang out for a cup of coffee and a smile. Do not balk at the door price, is definitely worth it for the games they have. Menu is decent and I cannot praise the staff enough. Friendly, helpful, and extremely welcoming. Would definitely come back again.

Awesome pizza bagels and a solid game selection. There is a $5 cover for all night boardgame play but it is totally worth it for the fun youll have with your friends

I stopped by for a coffee, snack, and to have a short business meeting.This place is a great addition to downtown Troy, offering wifi, food, drinks, and (paid) access to hundreds of board games.The coffee was hot and fresh. The Mac and cheese was exception, and I have high standards of Mac and cheese. The portion of the dish is a tad small, but makes up for it in seasoning and all around taste.Ill be back!

What a fun place. $5 per person to play as many games as you want all day. Food and drinks are delicious. Everyone working and playing was super happy and helpful. Well be back!

Had a work get together on a Friday afternoon. Was a great option for a team building event. No trust falls needed.

So much fun and such a unique idea! The food was really good too! Definitely recommended for anyone looking to do something different!

Nice place to go for different night out. They have more games than you can possibly imagine to choose from. Their food is very good, however the portions are somewhat small for the price

The space here is bright and open. There are plenty of tables for 2-4 people and a couple for larger groups. They have a literal wall of games to choose and play and the price is good. (And kids play for free!) Their menu is surprisingly diverse and the drink selection unique. The staff is super friendly and accommodating. We had a great time trying out a few games and enjoyed our food as well. Just a great place to hang out!

This is the best place to go to period. Board games, affordable delicious food, amazing staff and an enviorment tailored for the nerd.

Really good food and atmosphere. Highly recommend the PBLT :)

We went for Sunday brunch. The food was very good, the staff very friendly, atmosphere was great and had fun time playing games. Will definitely be going again.

First time there was a very pleasant experience, food, drink, staff all were wonderful, didnt even know the place existed will definitely be going back 😊

Atmosphere was good and the game selection was wide and varied. For the traffic and volume it could stand a larger location. Food and drink was tasty but way overpriced for the portions and type of food served.

Bard and Baker always has great food and great staff. I have attended several of their special events and have never been disappointed!

This place is incredible. Its the perfect balance of comfort and style. Great for family, friends or a first date. Amazing game selection and good food prices too.

This place freakin rules. Best breakfast burrito you will ever out in your undeserving mouth.

Small food selection, but what they offer is dynamite. Great selection of beverages and games. It would be easy to spend hours at this place.

It was a blast! Food was fancy comfort food. The games with friends put it over the top. Had to get reservations ahead of time because the place was packed.

Great for a get together of friends for drinks and some fun I the evening, or the family at brunch. Huge selection of tabletop games. Food is hit and miss sometimes, but good overall.

I like the concept of Bard and Baker in bringing the community and friends together to play endless choices of board games. However, there are some small problems.First of all I tried to order an espresso and they do not offer espresso. Espresso is a staple and a must for any cafe, coffee shop or related business venture.Second, their menu is interesting, but a little too ambitious and a stretch. Stick to the basics and incorporate unusual menu items as the business matures and gains clientele.Third, they must have a designated seating section for people who do not wish to play board games, but rather enjoy the menu offerings and ability to work on their personal computers.Other than before mentioned, there is an inviting ambience and exciting prospect to Bard and Baker.