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    Bard & Baker Board Game Cafe

    4.5 (77 reviews)
    Closed 2:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

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    BARD & BAKER BOARD GAME CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Bard & Baker Board Game Cafe

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    Grimlock's Favorite and jenga sticks

    Food was amazing .... Great concept ... we had a great morning .. we will be back . My bagel was delicious and beautifully presented

    people sitting at tables
    Karen M.

    We spent a delightful afternoon here. After visiting a board game cafe in another city we looked for one while in Albany and were not at all disappointed! There were plenty of games, though we do think there could be a few more to round out the selection, particularly for 2 person strategy games. We made a reservation and are glad we did because all the tables were taken. We enjoyed the hot beverage selection and found the staff friendly. Great place to spend several hours!

    Playing Horrified (great game!)
    Joe P.

    Loved this place! Great example of a board game cafe. Their selection is huge and varied. Their staff are kind. Their food is delicious, and so are their cocktails! They also have the best boba I've had in the Troy area. The fam had a wonderful time playing Horrified. We played it twice and the place never felt too crowded and we didn't feel rushed at all. They have a great system for reservations and it was a ton of fun! Highly recommend to anyone in the Capital District (or just passing through). The only complaint I have is that I wish it was around earlier so I could've spent many long days here while at RPI

    Fried French Toast Sticks

    So good!! Packaged so cutely and beautifully! They tasted so fresh and delicious :) I would definitely go back!

    I like waluigi !
    Chelsea F.

    I was excited to come here because we seen the board games but ended up finding out we had to pay to play games which didn't make sense to me. I visited places where you get to play for free and enjoy your food (that your already paying for) but that isn't why my stars are low. The sandwiches weren't as good as we thought that would be. My fiancés sandwich had crazy amount of mustard seeds and my buffalo chicken tasted old, I would've enjoyed having a pickle and some chips along with it but The Mac and cheese was actually great.

    Sarah M.

    I've been waiting to bring my husband here for a date night/afternoon. He's an avid board game enthusiast and despite his reservations I thought it would be a fun opportunity to get out of the house and do something together around a theme we could both enjoy. While he parked the car I went in and paid our cover charge to use their game library and then grabbed a table. Depending on the time of day finding a table can be challenging and since there is no set limit on game play who knows when one will become available. I was really glad we didn't have to wait. I had heard good things about the menu but we came from a late breakfast elsewhere so we only ordered drinks and a snack. The bubble tea was good but the portion if you order in house is small for the price. They can ice any tea if you have time to wait but I suggest getting the order to go and opting for the larger size. From what I could tell it was one price but only the to go option offered a larger cup. The boba I'm guessing was sweetened with brown sugar or something other than simple white sugar because they had a slight flavor which I haven't experienced other places when ordering boba. The gummy worms we ordered came in a large bowl for $4 and were probably enough for 4 people. They were soft and looked like they were portioned in plastic tubs behind the counter. Their library is extensive and a bit daunting if you don't know what you're doing but the staff will help if you ask. It also gets quite loud which can make it difficult to hear your fellow gamers. A large group sat behind us about half way through and it was really difficult to hear each other across the table. Luckily we were playing a lighter game at that point and leaving soon. I had a fun time and if I wanted to try new games before purchasing them for my library I would considering this one way to try them out. If you check their website they have different events through out the week and month.

    The holy wall of games

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

    We always have a great time! Love the food and lychee teas. Great game selection and staff is always helpful.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Bard & Baker Board Game Cafe

    Review Highlights - Bard & Baker Board Game Cafe

    The game selection is amazing and I could eat their pizza bagels probably every day :) They are pretty busy but I've never had a problem finding a table.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Fortress of Gaming - Storefront leads to first of two large event spaces.

    Fortress of Gaming

    4.5(2 reviews)
    6.8 mi

    The Fortress of Gaming is a new all things gaming event center referred to as, "A Country Club For…read moreGamers". It is located in the warehouse district of Railroad Avenue and a bit tricky to find until the signage is updated but it is more than worth the time you spend searching for it. The Fortress of Gaming is owned by the same person that runs Zombie Planet. The ambition of this place is as grand as the size the venue offers with a small storefront for things like paints, play mats, and dice, the majority of the other two large sections of the location are dedicated to running events and offering space to play games. A flat $5 entry fee gets you access to the facility, their large gaming library, on site concessions, and many tables. Currently, they have spaced out tables, a new HIPPA rated HVACC system with plenty of ventilation, and a requirement to prove you are vaccinated to enter. Masks are optional once inside as a result which is a nice upside to the requirement to prove you are vaccinated. I went for my first visit to try out a event called, "Paint and Take" which is where you buy a $25 kit that includes a pre primed miniature, the paints and brushes you need, and a cup for water so that you can essentially sit and paint with others and have a good time. Eventually, there are plans to get a liquor license and to possibly host "paint and sip" instructional events as well. The venue currently runs magic the gathering, digimon, Warhammer 40K events and really, the potential is vast right now for future events from regular board gaming nights to conventions. This is the gamer equivalent of a field of dreams. He built it, the only question now is, will they come? I hope so. This is a great space and I plan to visit often and see everything they have to offer. This is a local small business that is very niche and it is my hope that it is one of the examples of how we have built back better since the pandemic threw a wrench in all our lives. For those who know about Zombie Planet, note that the store is still there and not closing. It is going to be a full retail location now with more product to offer. It is shifting all it's event business to The Fortress of Gaming. This is an exciting new place to visit and I recommend doing so. It is not crowded, it is not noisy, it is clean and they follow current covid best practices. The owner is open to new ideas too. If you happen to have some nifty and feasible ideas for events you'd like to host at the Fortress, try talking to George about it. You may just find yourself with a venue that meets your gaming event needs :)

    I am a pretty active boardgamer. My BGG account goes back to 2009, and I have been gaming since I…read morewas a child. I usually game a couple of times a month, as well as attend various board game conventions. However, I don't like to go to game cafes in general... I just don't see the need. That being said, this place was new so my wife and I checked it out on a Saturday. They are located in practically the middle of nowhere in an old industrial section of Albany. They don't have a sign yet (bureaucratic red tape is slowing it down) and GPS will get you to the right area but not exactly there. Just keep driving around and behind the buildings until you find it. Inside, there are several rooms: one is for general gaming, the other appears to be set up for tournaments (or space rentals). We paid the $5 each for attendance (all-you-can-game) and checked out titles on the shelves. The owner said they had 300, but it looked like much less. They do own a gaming store (Zombie Planet) and he said they were hoping to get up to 500 titles. I recognized about 50% of the games they had, and probably had played 20% already. It is a nice collection, but if you want something in particular you might not find it. You could always bring your own, but I would rather stay at home and play. If you don't have a local gaming group, this is a good alternative. A miniatures tournament was going on in the back room and they were clearly having a good time. A couple of my friend's were getting killed (some things never change!) and it is a good venue for a tournament. Everyone is packed together and it is loud... but that is how things go. Speaking of which, you need to be vaccinated to get in so bring proof. I supposed post-covid that note won't be necessary anymore. They offer some hot food (chicken fingers, fries, pizza rolls, etc.) and cold food (pretzels, chips, candy) and various drinks. Prices are reasonable and any profits go to help support the operation, so I didn't mind paying a bit more than the local grocery store. I don't think you can bring food in, so keep that in mind. We stayed for a couple of hours and played 3-4 games. It was fun. If you are looking to connect with other local gamers this would be a great place to start. They clearly have a nice space for gaming.

    Photos
    Fortress of Gaming
    Fortress of Gaming - My rushed but decent frost troll post painting it.

    My rushed but decent frost troll post painting it.

    Fortress of Gaming - Logo

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    Zombie Planet - Terraforming Mars

    Zombie Planet

    3.7(45 reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$

    I still love this place. While the free paint Saturdays aren't still a thing the store is still…read morehands down my favorite spot for finding the games I want, the friends I need to play them, and the community I am grateful to be a part of and without whom all my games would be pointless to have. The store still offers a great newsletter with discounts which you can sign up for via their tablet by the counter, they still have Friday night board game nights I attend regularly, and they have begun organizing and supporting Keyforge tournaments which I sometimes attend Saturday afternoons. They offered a buy one get one 50% off sale this Christmas and typically have a great sale every Friday the 13th. Sometimes they wrap games up and sell them at a discount so that you can enjoy a little self imposed gifting and surprising :) I love coming here regularly not just because of the great selection of product (they aren't just some FLGS that runs MTG and has no stock) from board games, to miniatures, to comic books that make them the, "one stop geek shop" but because doing so has afforded me access to a community of people with similar interests as my own and provided a environment that supports and fosters the growth of these relationships. Put simply, I have many good friends in my life because of Zombie Planet. My life is richer because of these friends who are a part of the community that this store has forged and supported and allowed to flourish. That is the thing that really sets the store apart. It runs organized events. It offers space which allows people to congregate and build a gaming family. The owner is both generous and a savvy businessman who I hope stays in business for a long time to come.

    Pretty big scam store. They sell pokemon cards at double the market value on release days…read more Shroomies in Glenmont is the way to go. They care about their customers.

    Photos
    Zombie Planet
    Zombie Planet - Terraforming Mars

    Terraforming Mars

    Zombie Planet - Sentient

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    Sentient

    Jacob Alejandro

    Jacob Alejandro

    4.6(106 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    Easily the best coffee place in the area! Cool aesthetic and fantastic coffee. We got the fruition…read moreiced mocha, it was delicious and had a wonderful, well balanced coffee flavor. Baristas are friendly and did a very good job making our drinks.

    First time visit, the decor is moody with a deep hunter green hue covering 98% of the space…read moreincluding the ceiling and golden hardware highlights. The sitting space if I'm being honest is kind of tight with chairs backed up against the display divider for the line/counter ordering area. The benches up against the wall opposite counter are beautiful and force good posture. There were also some window spots I'd definitely aim for next time. The counter person was delightful no complaints. Explained the drinks and didn't rush us. We came later morning on Saturday, most of the bakery items were sold out. But what we got was amazing, a nice mixture of scones, perfection. I appreciated the mixture of small morsels, it included flavors that I would not have tried otherwise. I got a cream brûlée latte as suggested classic with a hint of sweetness, standard with double shot of espresso. My wife got a mocha variety definitely much richer. The art on top was also a nice highlight. As other reviews mentioned prices were not listed but this is definitely a specialty place so expect a higher price than a pump your own coffee express station. But also I rather give my money to a local place than a huge mass marketed place thats serving half the quality.

    Photos
    Jacob Alejandro
    Jacob Alejandro - Palo santo latte

    Palo santo latte

    Jacob Alejandro

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    Bard & Baker Board Game Cafe - cafes - Updated May 2026

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