Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Iron Gate Cafe

    4.5 (1.1k reviews)
    ModerateCafes
    Closed Closed
    Updated 1 month ago

    Waitlist - Iron Gate Cafe

    Waitlist closed

    The restaurant is not taking waitlist parties right now

    Order Iron Gate Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Iron Gate Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    IRON GATE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Iron Gate Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Limoncello pancakes and Stackhouse on GF toast.
    Julie T.

    Excellent food! Excellent vibe! Excellent service. If we come back to Albany we will be coming back here!!!

    Live in the area my entire life and went to Iron Gate for the first time, sorry I've missed it! Food was delicious, table of 5 and everyone loved everything, pancakes, omelet, sandwich, all yummy! Our server was sweet, attentive and easy to talk to, she shared some history of the building. Now, the building, absolutely beautiful! The architecture is stunning, perfectly decorated and used in a way to preserve the look of the mansion! Will definitely be back!

    The Sundown
    Harsh P.

    I'm new to the area, and a lot of people recommended Iron Gate Cafe - so naturally, I went. Love the ambiance of the place, plenty of seating indoor and outdoor (shaded)! My friends and I loved our waitress - she was attentive, funny, engaged, and gave great advice on foods we questioned before ordering. The menu isn't too overwhelming, definitely has a lot of options, but just enough to where you want a little bit of everything. Some of the combinations of food sounded very intriguing and I ended up getting "The Sundown," Benedict! I've never had a Benedict with roasted sweet potato, but it was quite the enjoyable experience as a first. The flavor of the sweet potato, pepper jack hollandaise (and yes, I said pepper jack hollandaise), and pickled onions paired sooo well together! Also, their home fries were crispy and delicious, and not the kind you'd get in NJ or some parts of NY (Smashed down potatoes)?? Theirs are the cubed type, and it's the only way to do it. For a drink, I got "Morning Madras," which was a combination of Orange, Cranberry, and Prosecco. It wasn't too strong, and the flavor of orange and cranberry was pretty good, and don't worry, the flavor of cranberry didn't over power. All of my friends loved their dishes, they ordered; "John Denver," "Bacado Omelet," and "Lemon Ginger Pancakes." Highly recommend going!!

    Big Iron Breakfast Sandwich
    Min Z.

    Located in a historical building not too far from the Capitol building, it's about 7-10 minutes walk. It's in between buildings, so make sure to look out for the iron gate as you're walking by. Staff is attentive and welcoming. They have an online waitlist that you can join remotely for busy days. Interior is well maintained so you still see the old wooden floor, staircase, and fireplace. The portions are generous and you can choose salad / potatoes as side. The big iron breakfast sandwich has pepper inside if you like the heat

    Mushroom,  spinach,  and cheese omelet
    Seana A.

    My cousin and I came here for brunch. What a wonderful experience! The Iron Gate Cafe had so much charm to it the minute you walked through the gate. It was snowing out giving the outside that wonderful snow globe effect. The inside was charming and honestly kind of reminded me being in a palace. Our server was wonderful. My cousin and I hadn't seen each other in 5 years and stayed a while just talking. We never once felt like we had to rush out. I have some unique food allergies. They were able to accommodate my dietary needs. I had a mushroom, spinach, and cheese omelet with sourdough toast. It was delicious! I highly recommend you check them out when you are in the area!

    Spinach & Mushroom Omelet was sooo good!
    Edward K.

    Consistently amazing! Hard to beat sitting in their patio area on a 75 degree day. Perfectly shaded area. Staff is friendly and professional, our waitress was great. Ordered a lunch special called Southern Ember. Corn cake with a fried chicken cutlet and fried egg stacked on top. Everything cooked perfectly. Side of awesome home fries, sour cream, and a flavorful drizzle. Can't beat the originality and flavors. My wife enjoyed the Harvest Bowl, daughter enjoyed the quesadilla and her friend enjoyed a ham and cheese melt. Chugged some delicious coffee from Chris' Coffee, a local roaster from Latham. Great way to celebrate the start to my daughter's college year!

    Kombucha
    Samantha S.

    A historic building that is preserved and serving up some great breakfast! Very interesting to look at the architecture and see how it really does look like it used to be a house. You feel that you're eating in a dining room or a living room (because at one point, it was). Food is great (not amazing), but really great! I'm not a huge eggs benedict person (I don't like mushy food), but I can tell this was good quality eggs benedict. Home fries are excellent - soft and slightly crunchy in some areas with lots of flavor. Got some kombucha to go just because.

    Welcome
    Mercedes C.

    Our first try turned out to be a learning lesson when Iron Gate in Albany, NY said our wait was an hour and a half- but, for future reference, we can put our name down online in their waitlist. That "next time" came, and we made it a point to return. The decorative iron gate greets you as you walk in, setting the tone for what's to come. The cozy courtyard leads you through an inviting path that gives a real sense of Iron Gate's charm, blending history with warm, welcoming vibes. With our names already on the list and a quick alert that our table was ready, we were able to finish up our errands nearby and get seated within minutes. Iron Gate's inside has rich colors, carved wood details, and chandeliers that give off the softest elegant glow. The menu offers breakfast basics and a good selection of beverages. I had the spinach+ mushroom omelette- plentiful and hearty with buttery, toasted sourdough and salad. My husband went with the namesake "Iron Gate" Benedict: smoked ham and pepper jack hollandaise over an English muffin. He added a side of fries, which were just simple. The Bellini I ordered? Perfect bubbly and peach combo. That said, the menu itself felt a little out of sync with the space. The ambiance is more elevated, but the food sticks close to simple territory. Not necessarily bad- just a bit mismatched with the style and experience. Still, the service more than made up for any of that. Trish, our server, was freaking amazing. So was the host.

    Aarti R.

    Some friends and I went to Iron Gate to catch up on St. Patrick's day weekend. We fortunately didn't get stuck in parade crowds. We used Yelp's "join the line" feature to secure a designated brunch time and only had a minimal wait once we got there. Iron Gate was very much still in the St. Patrick's day spirit so were lucky enough to be able to order off of their regular menu as well as their St. Patrick's day menu. I ordered a mimosa off of the regular menu while my brunch buddies all tried specialty beverages. I enjoyed my mimosa and got to sample two boozy iced coffees and a green lemonade. I wasn't a fan of the lemonade but then again lemonade isn't my thing unless it's 85 and sunny out. On to entrees. If breakfast is an option on a menu, I'm getting breakfast. I got the "lucky pancakes" which were pancakes with green food dye with crumbled up thin mints mixed in. I asked if they could make them gluten free but they said no, so I opted to ignore my gluten sensitivity and have them as they came. They were admittedly delicious - three fluffy pancakes of minty magic - but my stomach regretted them later. (Not Iron Gate's fault that I made poor life choices) My brunch buddies also had breakfast, but they opted to go the savory route. I forget what they ordered but I did remember to take pictures of their meals and can recall that everyone was happy with their meals. I got to sample their meals (and they got to sample mine). The omelet and home fries was a solid choice. All in all, Iron Gate was a fun experience. We didn't feel rushed by our waitress at all so it gave us the chance to catch up and chat.

    Tofu Scramble Beef burger
    bowen k.

    Sam was an awesome server, food was so much better than it needed to be, tons of vegetarian and gf options if you want them, and a generally great vibe.

    Benedict
    Kyla J.

    Classic coffee was so good, whatever roast they are using hot the spot for the morning. I also loved my eggs Benedict, their pepperjack hollandaise was killer. If you go on the weekend you can queue yourself online to get a table easier. If you have a large party you can reserve. Great spot for our girls brunch! Can only imagine how nice it is to sit outside in the warm weather

    Front of the cute place
    M. M. D.

    Stumbling upon this cafe was a delight! It was a drizzly awful day so the gates looked foreboding and it was tucked back--but once inside the crazy bright local art and the cheerful staff an buzzing clattering energy of a restaurant packed to the gills made me smile. There was a rather long wait (we ended up going out for a walk around the block!) but the wait was worthwhile. Astonishing, excellent traditions brunch food - there is a very good reason for wanting to wait!! The place is a warren of parlors because the space seems to have been an 1800s hotel or apartment home. So lusciously high-ceilinged and crammed with cool things to see. Yes okay it was loud and crowded but it was terrrific.

    Ira B.

    As we sat at this restaurant waiting a short time for our food, we enjoyed the fact that the internet exists... Without the internet, we never would have found this wonderful breakfast/brunch/lunch spot. Honestly, with the eclectic look from the sidewalk, and the fact that the front courtyard is squeezed between two apartment buildings, this would be an easy place to miss if you weren't specifically looking for it. We visited Iron Gate on a Saturday morning, to enjoy a late breakfast while traveling through Albany. We were quickly approached by our server, Casey who remained efficient and friendly throughout the dining experience. I had the Iron Gate Benedict with fruit which was good... Probably a four out of five, my wife had the Elvis Memphis scramble which looked even better. Our breakfast including drinks, tip and tax averaged just under $30 per person which is a little higher end, but well worth it for this cute setting. They have a lot of seating, and many different experiences - an outdoor patio, indoor tables, and a bar area. Since it was the weekend, there was plenty of free parking available on the street right outside.

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 days ago

    Everything here has a cooked at home feel and the staff is phenomenal. I go regularly and enjoy the house and patio :)

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 hours ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 4
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1

    23 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    29 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Outstanding food great service reasonable price. The waiting system works well. Nice atmosphere

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kyla J.
    94
    73
    248

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lisa M.
    6
    77
    14

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Henry B.
    5
    163
    1461

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    24 days ago

    Food was good but did take some time to get a table even while being in the wait list

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Toya S.
    2
    17
    10

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ray C.
    0
    13
    0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    everything is fabulous! location, food, service, vibe. A treasure hidden in the city. I always bring my out of towners here. :-D

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 27

    Iron Gate Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Iron Gate Cafe

    Are dogs only allowed on the patio? (small dog - puppy under 10lbs)

    Yes. There were dogs outside in the patio area when we were there.

    Are they still dog friendly on the patio?

    Yes

    What time do you stop serving brunch?

    We are open 8-3 seven days a week. Brunch menu is available all day long.

    View All 4 Questions

    Fellow Mountain Cafe

    Fellow Mountain Cafe

    4.1
    (89 reviews)
    38.5 mi
    $$

    Had some really great breakfast here before heading back to the city! There's an assortment of…read morepastries (cinnamon roll, biscuit, scone, maple corn muffin, cookies) available as well as breakfast sandwiches, which come on their freshly made breads (which were excellent - had sourdough). On the sandwich, the sausage was a good level of thickness and quite flavorful. Would definitely come back. Note for the dog owners here - you can bring, but they need to stay on the porch (where there's some small tables and chairs to eat at)

    This is a tough review because I genuinely wanted to give this place a 5/5…read more I worked with the team to cater brunch for my fiancé's birthday and the planning process was fantastic. Communication was seamless, they helped create a custom birthday cake with flavors I requested, and the entire ordering experience was smooth and stress-free. The food was outstanding. From the bread and cinnamon rolls to the focaccia and cake, everything was fresh, delicious, and a huge hit with our group. Every item felt thoughtfully made, and it was clear why so many people rave about their bakery. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is the pickup experience. I had a prepaid order of over $250 scheduled for 8:00 a.m. pickup, right when the café opened. We arrived about 15 minutes early.. because it was raining and simply hoped to wait somewhere covered until pickup time. We weren't expecting the order early or asking anyone to rush. Given the size of the order, the custom cake, and the fact that I had brought someone with me to help carry everything, we just wanted to avoid standing outside in the rain. When I knocked on the door, I could see several staff members inside. One employee looked at us and gestured toward the clock, essentially pointing out that they weren't open yet. I completely understand that we arrived early, and I respect opening hours. What bothered me was how the situation was handled. A simple "We'll be open at 8" or "Sorry, we can't let anyone in until opening" would have been perfectly reasonable. Instead, the interaction felt unnecessarily cold. Even once we were inside, the employee helping us came across as dismissive and unwelcoming. It was especially disappointing because every interaction I'd had over email leading up to the event had been so thoughtful, friendly, and accommodating. The food was exceptional, and the planning process was excellent. I just wish the same level of hospitality had carried through to the pickup experience. Had that interaction been handled with a bit more warmth, this would have easily been a 5-star review. Ratings: * Food & ambiance: 10/10 * Communication email: 10/10 * Pickup Experience: 4/10

    Photos
    Interior behind the counter
    Interior behind the counter
    Special Corned Beef Hash
    Special Corned Beef Hash
    The Lockwood

    See all

    The Lockwood
    The Starving Artist Creperie & Cafe

    The Starving Artist Creperie & Cafe

    4.2
    (335 reviews)
    35.7 mi
    $$

    Great place to meet friends and have coffee and small breakfast. The place is not large but quite…read morecozy.

    Cute cafe right on the main street with out- door seating and indoor. Pre-orders are left to the…read moreleft side of the entrance. To order in person walk to the right and then turn left (a u-turn if you will) to get in line. Menus are posted on the walls to easily see as you wait in line. A variety of baked goods are available in a display case by the cashier. We ordered a raspberry lavender latte, a beverage from the cooler and two crepes. When we were walking away with our table number in hand I heard the cashier tell the barista I ordered a maple latte. I corrected her, I ordered the lavender. I received a Mocha. How did a raspberry lavender become chocolate? No idea how that went so wrong. A metal stand is on each table. Insert your table number and place it where staff can see. The indoor dining area has high ceilings, a big window wall at one end and is quite loud with sound bouncing off all the hard surfaces. Tables are set up from couples to a group configurations. In the back corner are two love seats and a coffee table. My egg and cheese crepe was extremely filling. Lots and lots of cheese in there. It kept me full all day in a 'I need a nap' kind of way. The cheese was the primary flavor in this dish. My dining companion had a stomach issue after eating a spicy reuben. It wasn't actually spicy at all so not sure what caused the stomach upset. The concept is fun. Put a sandwich into a crepe. The crepe doesn't add flavor to the dish and it's a knife and fork meal vs. a handheld. Add in both of our less than optimal reactions to the dish and wrong coffee delivery and we personally won't add this to our 'try again' list. They do have plenty of other items to try, and I do appreciate local businesses so I'm not saying it won't work for you. This was just my experience. Free on street parking. Restrooms down the hall near the back door where you'll also find a water fountain.

    Photos
    Bright and enjoyable
    Bright and enjoyable
    California Turkey Panini Cross Section
    California Turkey Panini Cross Section
    Large seating area

    See all

    Large seating area
    Mrs. London's

    Mrs. London's

    4.4
    (334 reviews)
    29.5 mi
    $$

    I needed some cannolis and looked up online local bakeries…read more lake George was closed so while I was in Saratoga I searched and found Ms Londons Took the chance, in winter sometimes I worry bc it's sort of off-season but I stopped by and luckily they did have them! It was for a birthday I made cannoli cake but didn't want to make the actual cannolis to save time but wanted a higher quality version than price chopper I also got a latte and it was very good- nice and hot (some places they're kinda cooler) The service was great a woman with short brown hair helped me & made the latte. It was a very cute cafe /bakery and idk if they make their desserts but if they do- great job! Im happy either way and the birthday boy said the cannolis were perfect.

    This was a 3.5 star experience. Yelp needs to get with the program here. Let's start with the…read moreambience, it's super cute inside! I loved it! Both the pecan pastry and the raspberry cheese danish were great! No complaints! Where this place falls right off the cliff is service. It's cold and rude. No if's ands or but's about it. And after my experience, I went and read all the reviews. This is a thing apparently. And to make it worse, the owner, instead of apologizing with humility and concern to the guests that keep him in business instead writes entitled zero accountability messages back to patrons after leaving bad reviews. Honestly that's immature and short sighted. The good will of the public doesn't last forever. But on the other hand, if you desperately miss the rudeness of Europe then this is truly the place for you!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Macarons
    Macarons
    Exterior

    See all

    Exterior
    Daily Grind

    Daily Grind

    3.6
    (193 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $

    It's been so long since I've visited the Daily Grind. I really cannot say why I stopped going. It…read moreis a local gem that has served the area for decades. The breakfasts and coffee are solid. The staff is helpful and courteous. I showed up for breakfast recently. I ordered the Chorizo. Two eggs, two chorizo sausages with pepper jack cheese and spicy mayo on a sandwich roll. It was as good as I remembered. I also enjoyed the coffee included in the $11.45 price. I took the meal upstairs where there's additional seating. I ate it while seated inside the picture window, which is a good place to the activity along Lark St. The eatery is as eclectic as ever. There are signs and artwork on the walls from different eras that don't go together. The place is old and perhaps a bit musty. Still this place had so much history with the area and its mismatched decor is a part of its charm. Change may be good. But in the case of the Daily Grind, I'm happy to still be able to get a delicious meal at a reasonable price from a nice staff after all of these years. Comfort food at its best.

    Still thinking about this sandwich!! Daily Grind is definitely going to be my new go to spot for a…read morebreakfast sandwich and coffee! It's no wonder why they are so popular and also one of the oldest cafes in Albany and still doing so well today! The cafe is a cute spot, with stool seating indoor and some tables outside. It's a bit unassuming but the bustle of the place definitely reflects how popular it is. They have so many options of sandwiches and to create your own and it is delicious!! The rolls were perfect and not tough at all, the sandwiches were so well done, I highly recommend the Lark street, the eggplant was so crispy and yum! They have fun specialty lattes and coffee as well. The girls working were welcoming and nice. While there was a bit of a wait, it's worth it and the do have an order ahead option too.

    Photos
    Wall art.
    Wall art.
    Steak Bomb
    Steak Bomb
    Window seating.

    See all

    Window seating.

    Iron Gate Cafe - cafes - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...