Very enjoyable breakfast this morning at Peter Pause. It's directly across the street from Union College. Most of the patrons were obviously locals/regulars. The decor is old school and a bit dated, but the place is spotlessly clean. Our server was helpful and efficient with a great smile. I had an omelette w/homefries and my wife had a breakfast sandwich; we split some corned beef hash. Coffee was good. Everything was freshly prepared and tasted great. My omelette was the star of the show with mushrooms spinach tomatoes onions and cheese. We are leaving Schenectady today. If we ever get back, I'll have my first breakfast here. read more

Nice place to eat and the food is great. The service is good! Small place but very clean!

Honestly when the food came out, we're were too hungry to wait for photos lol I had the Dutchmen Special, which is a solid combination of eggs, breakfast meat, toast, and homefries, and had to try the cinnamon bun French toast as well. Would recommend either of those! Wait staff were nice, the cook was working her butt off behind the bar, and it has that old school diner feel that lets you know that you won't be disappointed with the food. read more

Peter Pause Restaurant - Sign from the road - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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I think this is a solid 4.5, but giving it a 5! Food was fresh and delicious! The home fries were also good, but a little cool and would've been better if they were hot! We went in on a Saturday for brunch around 11:45 and were seated right away! The server was super friendly! The food came out quickly! We had the veggie omelette, which was loaded with fresh veggies, and the eggs Benedict. Both were equally tasty. We will definitely visit again! read more

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It had been 45 years since I had been to Peter Pause but it was still great. Food was good and our server was phenomenal! She had the whole restaurant and counter ti take care of and she did it smoothly and with a smile. Said she'd been at it there for 12 or 14 years! read more

I'm a recent graduate from Union College. Peter Pause was a part of my daily routine for the past 3+ years (I think). The food was good (and with appropriate portions for a college student). The staff are incredibly nice, and were quick to recognize me as a regular! If any of you are reading this, thank you! read more

1st time here. Cosy place. Friendly and quick service. Tried the homemade hash and it was great. Eggs cooked perfectly. Bread delicious. Home fries perfect. A real down to earth old school quality place. Fair pricing. Great job. Will return. read more

Peter Pause Restaurant - Hash and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Lovely atmosphere seems to have alot of regulars which is always nice to see Great food Eggs benedict an their coffee is great as well as there pancakes an bacon ! wait staff are friendly and efficient Great first time for breakfast will be back read more

Food and service were good. Nice place to get a quality breakfast Perfect old school place to eat.

One of my favorite dirty spoons in the area. Solid people, solid ingredients. They slimmed down the menu after Covid but that Italian sausage breakfast sandwich still has a special place in my heart. read more

I recently visited Peter Pause, and the first word that comes to mind is cozy. It's a small, inviting spot with just 2-3 people running the kitchen. I think it might be my new favorite breakfast place in the area, and I can't believe they've been family-operated since 1958! I had their grilled pumpkin muffin (YUMMMMMM), pumpkin coffee, and the SPP sandwich -- sausage patty with provolone and peppers with Mac n' cheese on the side. That sandwich was so juicy and thick! My boyfriend ordered the Meat Lovers Omelette and corned beef hash on the side, which was fantastic. I can't wait to return and try their pancakes next time ^_^ read more

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Tried an omelette, and it was really good. Also the service was . Definitely worth trying in the area.

I went here with some family the other morning and had an excellent breakfast. I got a "Fre-Shavacado" sandwich which had all fresh ingredients and was sooo tasty. Our waitress was very kind and attentive. Highly recommended this quaint little spot to get some food!! read more

From takeout to dining in I personally like sitting at counter where you see the owner Amie preparing your meal and with the awesome Hospitality by the waitresses Anna , Kim And Emma Peter Pause is Definitely a restraint to checkout for breakfast and Lunch read more

Peter Pause Restaurant - Strawberry Pancakes Pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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Never knew this place existed, great service and the food was good, I would def be back!

The best breakfast in Schenectady. The menu is what you would expect from any standard diner. I try to get something new each time. So far I've had the Breakfast Burrito, Eggs Benedict, Breakfast platter, Meatlovers omelette, Homemade Corned beef hash, and the seasonal Biscuits and Gravy. You can't go wrong with anything you order. But the toast made with their homemade Italian bread and the bacon are must haves. They have a fairly small dining room and a counter with a row of stools. Each time I've gone it's been the same two women running the front; one handling the dining room and one on the grill. I don't know how they do it but the service is always quick so even if they are full you won't have a long wait. This is my go to spot for an inexpensive reliable breakfast everytime. read more

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Excellent breakfast, friendly service, nice small town atmosphere, reasonably priced. Can't beat this!

We stopped at this quaint diner for breakfast and had a fresh, tasty meal. Prices were reasonable, service was friendly and fast, too. The homemade bread and home fries were delicious. We found parking on the street right across the place but wondered if it would have been a problem if we had come for lunch? We'll definitely be back! read more

From the look of this place you wouldn't think much from the outside. The food was delicious and served pretty quickly! Can always tell what makes a good breakfast place by the home fries, and they were BOMB! Mine was the cannoli French toast and it was up to my high standard for sure, you'll love it if you have a sweet tooth!! I didn't even need syrup on it. Will be returning read more

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Really enjoyed our experience at Peter Pause. I ordered the Cali, which was an egg, bacon and avocado sandwich. The bread was perfect, loved the crunch. The home fries were great as well but I could not finish them as there was so much food. Coffee was great as well. The restaurant was very busy but we did not have to wait very long for our food. I would recommend this spot and would return when I return to the area. read more

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Wonderful cozy space. Intimate. Fabulous service and delicious food. Recently discovered this gem. Will be back soon.!

Peter Pause is one of the classic places for diner brunch food that you must give a try! These are special Cannoli pancakes which were extraordinarily fluffy and delicious! They also serve classic brunch dishes at a large portion which is plenty to keep you full for the day. It's a homey atmosphere and a popular spot for Union kids to fill up read more

Peter Pause Restaurant - Cannoli Pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Schenectady, New York

The blueberry pancakes were awesome! Definitely would recommend trying . Parking was a problem. Going there in a wheelchair was a problem

Once again in a very rare moment when all the stars aligned, I found myself agreeing to go out for my first meal of the day. It was still an early enough hour that I could choose between breakfast or lunch from the menu. Actually, Peter Pause offers breakfast all day. But the restaurant is only open until 2 pm, and the lunch menu begins at 10:30 am. So there is this sweet spot from 10:30 until 2 to order anything on the menu. Not knowing whether we felt like breakfast or lunch when we arrived about 12:45, we studied the menu and listened to the daily specials from our friendly and efficient server. Both of us were swayed to try the seasonal coffee, Pumpkin Spice ($2.29 each with refills). My wife was intrigued with the idea of Cinnamon Bun French Toast ($6.99) and I heard the Pumpkin Spice Pancakes ($6.99 for 3/ $5.99 for 2) calling out to me. We both also added a side of Sausage ($3.59) to our meals. My wife's French Toast consisted of two cinnamon buns, not made in house, dipped in the French toast batter and grilled on the flattop. The caramelization of the sugar glaze on the top of each bun reminded her of the coating on candied apples. She really enjoyed it and is ready to try it at home now. My Pancakes had the same flavor as the pumpkin spice coffee that we were drinking. Both were excellent. The pancakes were nice and light and my short stack of just two pancakes was sufficiently filling along with the side of sausage. Both of us especially enjoyed the sausage patties. The meat had a coarse grind, a little bit of spiciness, and cooked on the flattop in a fashion to give a crispness to its outer sides. Really a great flavored sausage. I can see us returning for a sausage sandwich with cheese and peppers on their house-made Italian bread. read more

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A true Schenectady landmark, this place has been around for years. If you are a local, you know about. If you are a first timer, you feel like a frequent flyer quickly. It feels nice, the food is great, great service...just get here and give it a try. The corned beef hash is terrific!! read more

Well we wanted something different today so here we are. I like the Restaurant in a house deal. This is close to the University. And glad we r in a car! I opted for the corned beef hash n poached eggs with their home made Italian bread as toast! Sounds good huh?! And they weren't too busy yet for the boy to get a salad! Yes salad again with meat. Ya NOW it's getting busy at 08:30am. Filling up in here and getting loud too lol! The food was delish and so glad we found this place. But I'm stuffed! read more

Peter Pause Restaurant - Chef salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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Peter Pause Restaurant in Schenectady offers a warm and inviting atmosphere with a variety of delicious food options. The service is friendly and attentive, and the prices are reasonable. read more

Breakfast was excellent. Will def return for "the cali" the grilled homemade bread was amazing. Had a side of corned beef hash that was excellent - but maybe just a tad burnt. Service wasn't as friendly and welcoming as shared in other reviews - Our waitress barely looked us in the eye. read more

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I love this place! Good food at good prices. The staff is super nice. The place fills up fast so a wait might be expected. However, it is definitely worth the wait! You can sit at the counter or in the dining area...both are great. There's a cozy non-pretentious vibe about the place that makes it so wonderful. I highly recommend them. read more

This has been on my SO's radar for a while to give it a try. It's located on Nott Street across the street from Union College. Parking is whatever you can find on the busy street. It's a quaint cafe type place complete with bar stools at the counter. That being said, I felt it was more of a breakfast menu rather than the small page of lunch options. SO had a beautiful breakfast complete with pancakes, toast, homefries, eggs and what looks/taste like a nice quality home made sausage. I went with a small bacon-egg-cheese sandwich on a hard roll. It was good but more of a 3.5 stars rather than 4. A lot of workers did stop by to pick up their lunches while we were there. It's a nice place, pleasant staff and social distancing is enforced. read more

Had a delicious breakfast at Peter Pause. They miss five stars because they were out of the home made hash. The Italian toast is still a delight. It is a friendly atmosphere and very reasonably priced. I love the French toast made with Italian bread. Yum! Definitely worth a trip. read more

Peter Pause Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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A lot has happened since 2010, so maybe it's time to update this review. First, let me say that Peter Pause is still a special place. That said, it has gone through some changes, and it's not the same place that it was in 2010. The original owners sold the business, and you can read about its decline from some of the other reviews. But now, there are new new owners, and it's noticeably improved. This is still very much an Italian diner, and that's worthy of a lot of love. I think it now deserves to be evaluated on its own merits, and not how it stacks up to the Peter Pause of the past. But that's a hard thing to do, considering how much love I once had for the eggplant sandwich. I've moved on to other dishes, although my kids still enjoy getting a side of meatballs. The soups and daily specials are the path to my heart. And I totally appreciate that should you want french toast, they will sell you some real maple syrup to go with it. One thing that hasn't changed, is that when given the choice of Italian bread, you should go with the Italian bread. read more

My first Irish Eggs Benedict, and the best benedict I've had in a while. Everything looked, smelled and tasted amazing. Small place without much parking, but very worth it. Friendly servers, and not too busy on a Monday morning. Coffee was good, menu was simple. read more

Went twice for breakfast. Great potatoes, and the homemade Italian bread makes excellent French toasty.

I yelped for a nearby breakfast restaurant to take my daughter and granddaughter out to eat. To my surprise I discovered a small restaurant bustling with students from the local Union college. My daughter and I ordered omelets and my grand daughter ordered the pancake of the day which was nutella stuffed pancakes .The breakfast burger was another special. Breakfast and lunch menus had the usual breakfast fare plus daily blackboard specials. The coffee was good, portions large, plated nicely and hot foods came out hot. The staff was accommodating, atmosphere confortable but a bit crowded. We enjoyed our breakfast and would return again! NB: We were told the Italien bread was homemade. My daughter loved it. read more

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A gem of a local, hometown diner. Food was excellent (and cheap!). I'm sure it's popular for the hung over Union student, but plenty of regulars were there, including a crew of SPD officers. Everything cooked in front of you. Seating at the counter or at tables. Counter was perfect for me where I needed a place to squat in the city while waiting for someone. Oh, the bacon and toast were notably good. Very cozy spot on a snowy day, too. read more

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Great food! Great service! Great ladies running the place! As nice as when Bruno & Lucy were there! read more

Had to wait for a table but worth it! Food was fresh and delicious! Service was great too! Street parking only. read more

Peter Pause Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Delicious! All of it! We had the sausage breakfast burrito, French toast (their own bread, blueberry pancakes and great well done home fries! Portions are generous, priced right. Excellent service. A must try! My new favorite breakfast spot. Yum! read more

We went for a casual breakfast while staying the night visiting friends. The food was absolutely fantastic and the waitstaff were friendly. The sausage patties were clearly homemade or locally sourced and were lightly spiced and fresh, you can taste the fennel. The hash browns were fresh and clearly just made. And the coffee was freshly brewed. This is a wonderful place for food and a must do if in the area. We will be back! read more