A great place for brunch! The atmosphere of this restaurant is really nice even though it can get really hot and busy. The sandwiches are really good. Defiantly get Italian bread. They use it for their French toast and it's also delicious. Today I tried the hungry Dutchmen because I've never had corn beef hash. It lacked some flavor but overall it was a solid meal. read more

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

Great neighborhood "hole in the wall" (said with love!) for down home breakfasts. Four teens and two adults all liked what was ordered and prices are more than fair. Its small inside and the service is very attentive and friendly. Will def return! read more

We have only been here a few times, but each time has been fantastic. It is very small inside (and the bathrooms are teeny tiny) and there is usually a wait, but it's never been a super long wait. The food has been delicious each time. Husband's fave is their Hash and Eggs. read more

The BEST corned beef hash anywhere! If that's not your jam, get The Dutchman! Eggs, Italian toast, home fries, bacon or sausage. Love this place. read more

Oi, I feel so ashamed even writing this. I'll confess my bias up front so you can determine what size grain of salt you want to add to this review: I grew up in an Italian family, with homemade pasta, meatballs (the size of a child's fist and very very delicious), and sauce being the standard on a week to week basis. Nobody, and I mean nobody, beats my grandmother's meatballs. And coming from the Bronx/NYC area, and eating out at a lot of small, family owned Italian places there, I can be very, very VERY picky when it comes to Italian food. This is why 1) I don't eat out at Italian places very often in the upstate NY area and 2) if I do, I don't bother writing about it, because it feels almost unfair. But I keep seeing these great reviews for this place, so I was determined to try it and put in my two cents. They're only open from 6 am - 2pm Monday through Friday, and as I happened to be home during the day today, I decided to stop in. I will start with the praise: the bread - A++. Crust is the perfect hardness. Very delicious. So glad they gave us 3 enormous pieces each. The stracciatella (Italian egg-drop chicken soup) - super good. I wanted to take a gallon of it home. The prices - very good. Extremely reasonable and good sized portions. The service - good. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. The not so good: the pasta e fagioli. The sauce was very ketchup-y. Fiance finished it, but I wouldn't have. The sauce - super meh. Seems like it came from a can and is a little sweet for my taste. The in-between: the meatballs - *shrug* I suppose people like them. I don't get the big deal. I do believe they are homemade, which is a bonus. I just didn't find them remarkable at all. The pasta - not bad. I got the ravioli and fiance got the cavatelli. Nothing good or bad to say. So, in conclusion (and this is going to sound super snobby, so brace yourselves) if you don't know any better, this is a great place for you (whoa, that WAS super snobby...crap...should I delete that?...nah). If you've been raised in an Italian family surrounded by Italian food all your life, you might not be as impressed. read more

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In reading two of the previous reviews I was quite surprised in their negative comments.. Today we had a delicious breakfast and much pleasant conversation... I would recommend those people try it again... I posted a picture of eggs, homemade Italian toast and home fries. read more

Peter Pause Restaurant - 2 eggs homemade Italian toast and well on the home fries... Delicious! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Best breakfast sandwiches in town. Highly recommend Italian bread. Friendly service. Great prices. Small enough time feel homey. I'd be a regular if I lived closer. read more

It's really a rarity to get a diner experience with real diner food. I don't mean greasy spoon--I mean a true blue outfit running on loyal customers and longtime waitstaff, regular specials, specialties, local color in the form of servicemen and -women eating lunch there. Peter Pause got you, cupcake. They have real corned beef hash (waitress was like UM DUH when I asked if it was homemade), real fresh soup, real sausage gravy, rare burgers. I'm talking stacked plates of delicious, high-quality breakfast and lunch for $6-8 bucks. Treat your server to a share of your savings ;) read more

Excellent breakfast and lunch menus. Specials offered everyday in addition to regular menu. Food is skillfully prepared by cooks and served by efficient servers. Takeout available. Ordering fried fish and side of linguine with clam sauce (and very good Italian bread) on Friday, $9.99. Excellent values. read more

The food is always good, and the service is always friendly. We tried the soup, and took home two quarts for dinner! Outstanding!

I have been there for breakfast several times. Friendly staff! the coffee is nice and strong and I had the breakfast burrito! Both times. It's so good I havent tried anything else. Lol read more

We stop to eat lunch like always the Menestra that now they have every day in the menu was delicious enjoy by everyone. I have the Eggplant parmigiana it was absolutely superior to any other eggplant that I ever had was very very good, excellent. Should you ever stop by Peter Pause don't forget to try the Eggplant parmigiana. Is a great place for good Italian food. read more

Talk about a face lift. I haven't been to Peter Pause in months and almost walked right past it this afternoon. I miss the old sign, but in the words of Don Draper, change isn't good or bad. It just is. Here's one thing that hasn't changed: the food. You ever sit down somewhere hoping for the perfect meal, a meal satisfying both the stomach and the soul? Peter Pause met my needs today. Imagine a perfectly fried piece of eggplant, dripping with cheese, nestled between two pieces of Italian bread and doused in red sauce. Delicious, right? Add two moist, savory meatballs to the mix and not only do you have an outstanding lunch, but you're on your way to quick heart attack at age 44. Food like this brings me back to my childhood with the Italian American family I never had. It replaces the meat and potato memories with warm, red sauces and hearty Italian bread. For that, I will travel back to Schenectady on the rare weekday lunch I have off from work. read more

This place should be on DDD on the food channel. If it didn't have the sign, it could be a speakeasy, no one I know seems to have heard of it and you only find it through word of mouth.The food is so amazing, you need to become a regular, not get into a rut and try everything, then go back to your favorites. You'll think nothing of getting a heavy meal at 11AM. It's definitely suited for dinner, but you have to make due. If I were a student at Union, you would find me at school or here. read more

I was in Schenectady for a week and decided to give this place a try after reading the great reviews here. I wasn't disappointed. It's a very authentic small town diner experience with no frills. I ordered the hot eggplant sandwich which was priced around $5.50. I loved the tangy tomato sauce they serve with the sandwich. The two slices of Italian bread used to cradle the eggplant were so soft. It was delectable! It's going to be hard going back to egglant parm sandwiches served on rolls. I only wish there was a place like this near me. FYI, it's only open on weekdays until 2pm. read more

This is probably my favorite place to eat in Schenectady, not only because I love the food, but also the owner, Bruno! He makes all of the food himself on a grill and always has a smile and a friendly attitude. The menu is pretty simple, the basic breakfast and lunch but I have never had anything that I did not enjoy. They make their own Italian bread every day and it is to die for! My personal favorite is the Bacon McBruno on Italian bread, which is a breakfast sandwich grilled to perfection. The home fries are also delicious, especially when you ask for them extra crispy. I've yet to try the pasta because I can never get enough of their sandwiches. I also highly recommend the tuna melt. The only downfall of this restaurant is that it is only open Monday-Friday from 6am-2pm. At times it gets pretty crowded but it is definitely worth the wait! read more

The best brunch place that my boyfriend takes me to when I visit him from California to New York. I love the old diner/family feel, amazing corned beef hash, and all around a perfect place to start your day. Plus, this place is special to us, first breakfast we had together was here read more

Hands down by far one of the best places for breakfast! Everything was delicious! Cooked to perfection. What made a huge impression on me was the loafs of freshly baked homemade bread which were continually being baked so that everyone had nothing but the freshest. Prices are average service was flawless, staff was so friendly you'd like to become their friend. Very wide array of customers from the suit and tie , the young at heart old couple , collage students, family's, construction workers, police men you name it they are there. Blended all together in this cute little place like a fine recipe. Love this place read more

Peter Pause is a great little place with generous serving sizes, fresh home-made bread, and excellent prices. I unfortunately haven't been over to it since the facelift but my only complaint about it before was that it could be extraordinarily difficult to find a place to sit. Especially around lunch time, Peter Pause fills up and you can find yourself with no other option than having to take the food to-go. Calling ahead to place an order is definitely recommended because if the place is packed, at least the food is ready for you to box it up and take it out. The food and the sauce are by no means amazing, but for what they are and what they do, it works very nicely. Combining that with the price, you really can't go wrong here. read more

Meh, we love the greasy spoon ambiance here but the food has disappointed on repeat visits. It's nothing bad, it's just blindingly bland. I cannot justify the fourth star anymore. read more

My husband and I are staying Rivers and contemplated the horrible breakfast options at the casino. We found Peter Pause on yelp! and just like everyone says, it is a little gem. The food was simple, delicious, and perfectly priced. It would have been even better if instead of potato chips my meal came with fries. We were there on a weekday but I did notice they are closed on Sundays which I found a bit odd. This is the one day I am most likely to want to go out and grab brunch. When in town, this will be a regular breakfast stop for us! read more

I've always liked breakfast sandwiches, but once I came to Peter Pause I realized there was an entire level of sandwich I hadn't been exposed to. They take it to that often pursued but rarely achieved, "next level". This sounds ridiculous as I type it, but I'm telling you, get a breakfast sandwich. I'm so bummed I'm writing this as night, and I can't get one now. I do wish they were bigger though, like maybe a dinner plate size? read more

Great No-nonsence diner with fun wait staff, food like grandma cooks and delicious fresh baked bread. My parents had the Eggplant Parm sandwhich (it was massive) and, they said, excellent. I had the grilled cheese and Cappicola ham. So tasty. Real comfort food at it's best. Amazing chicken noodle soup like my Mom makes. Great prices. A real diamond in the rough. Enjoy! read more

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

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Great breakfast food right next to Union College campus. Food is also very inexpensive. Only minus 1 star for a long food wait time, maybe next time I go back I'll change to 5 stars. read more

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

One of Schenectady's best! They are open for breakfast and lunch and have great selections for both. Their eggs and French toast are delicious. Red sauce and meatballs are a good choice too. Quick and friendly service makes the experience even better. A favorite among Union College students. read more

I'll start by saying I am from an Italian-American family. I feel that, much like some of the other reviews, my upbringing has offered me a baised perspective on Italian food. I'm used to highly seasoned, slightly spicy, sauce cooked with a plethora of meats: sausage, meatballs, pork, or beef, draped over homemade al dente pasta, accompanied with crispy, fresh garlic bread and a glass of wine (or milk for the kids). That is a regular dinner for my family, and that quality is what I expect when I go out to eat. Let me say that Peter Pause has not only met my expectations, but Bruno and Lucy's little gem has surpassed them everytime. Their bread is as good as it gets. Their eggplant parm is the standard by which other Italian restaurants should be judged. Their servers are attentive and friendly, and their prices are extremely reasonable. So weither or not you think you know good Italian food, because your from "the city", (i've eaten Italian in New York plenty of times), I can assure you, Peter Pause is an exceptional luncheonette, not only for Upstate but for anywhere. read more

Excellent! Best corned beef hash I have ever had. Everything we ate was very good. Eggs benedict and home fries were exceptional and my wife loved her omelette read more

Great breakfast. Real corned hash! Great Italian bread. Friendly and efficient service. Try the Oreo pancakes.

This place is legit! All homemade and really cheap. Classic joint thats been there for 50 years. Great hash and the Italian dishes are all south of $10! Service also impeccable:) read more

I drove all the way from Washington, D.C. for Peter Pause Minestra!! My husband was born in Schenectrady and he come back to visit relatives. I come back simply to eat at Peter Pause. If I could, i would make their Minestra weekly. As we were returning home, we stopped to get some To-Go breakfast sandwiches. They were phenomenal! I also got some cold Minestra to take home!! read more

This was a great little find in Schenectady. The food was good home cooked diner food and the waitress was on top of her game and friendly. Parking can be a little rough, on-street parking, but my co-workers and I just parked a few blocks away and it was okay. I highly recommend stopping in and having some breakfast! read more

This is my favorite place for breakfast in the Capital District! The Cinnamon Bun French Toast is to die for. If you're lucky and it's Cannoli Pancake weekend, order up! Best home fries ever and excellent service. read more

Everything a diner should be! Good hot coffee, tasty breakfast, friendly laid back service with lots of regular customers chatting familiarly...great ambiance. Very reasonable prices too. read more

OK - I felt bad after reviewing the restaurant although the truth. I do remember when the former owners had it - much of the time I would go was at breakfast. So today while in the area went in at a time - just before lunch - when typically the place would be packed, and there were but a handful of patrons with only one guy at the counter. I sat down and ordered eggs, Italian toast and home fries. This is what progressed - two main cooks one with a new grill on the right (cook 2) and the older grill with the main chef (cook 1) on the left. Guy on the right precooks most items and transfers them with a spatula to the main grill. Cook 2 wearing gloves yet when he needs ketchup reached over on the counter grabbed the ketchup bottle everyone else uses to apply ketchup to a to go order. I bet the gloves he put on at the beginning of the day are the same at the end as he was even touching non food prep items with the gloves and then preparing foods for patrons, it was all kind of icky until I saw cook 1. Let's just say I am NEVER eating there again. Cook 1 wears no gloves and touches almost every item on the grill by hand. Picking up the precooked bacon over and over again, sausage patties, etc. The whole time no gloves. Wipes his hand on this disgusting rag and again touches - touches - touches. Two college age guys now sitting to my left and since I have now been served my two eggs and potatoes - after a 20 minute wait - I get to watch the cooks willy-nilly break multiple health code violations as they prepare the new victims, er I mean customers. They are served also eggs, potatoes, toast but each ordered bacon. I watch as one guy takes a bite of bacon and says to cook 1 that he likes his bacon crispier, the chef with his ungloved hand and spatula scoops up the bacon right off his plate and back onto the grill were some other patrons eggs are cooking to crisp them up. Then 5 minutes later transfers them the same way back. Continuing the whole time touching, I even saw him flip an egg onto a sandwich and then use his ungloved hand to fold a section of the egg over. I commented before that the bread was still good - nope that is gone now too. Almost doughy to the bite. Don't take this as a rogue review from a disgruntled customer that is not what this is. I will state again as I did in my first review. I want to cry!!!!! Say goodbye to Peter Pause because this clearly isn't the same restaurant. read more

The best breakfast in the area. The owner, Bruno, is charming and friendly. Their bread, which they bake themselves, is scrumptious: soft and dense with a crispy crust. Eggplant sandwiches and chicken parm are their best meals. read more

Looked like a great place, went in for lunch today, got seated at the same time as a table of 5 guys, waited 20 minutes, waitress twice told us she would "be right with us" as she talked to other customers and served other tables. We ended up leaving after waiting for more than 20 minuntes...this place is not worth the wait! read more

Wow..... I'm missing something here. Peter Pause, should be Peter Please. Please use seasoning. I don't understand how hard is it to use seasoning? Oregano, garlic, parsley etc would add layers of flavor's to the food. We tried the meatballs. Plain. No seasoning, as well as the eggplant and chicken cutlets. I wanted to like this place cause I'm a softly for a neighborhood local place. But I found nothing authentic Italian. But on a good note, Our waitress was so nice and accommodating which wanted me to like it even more, but the food lacked flavor. read more

This restaraunt is a Schenectady institution. I do take offence to the previous reviewer that trys to compare Peter Pause to a Brooklyn neighborhood Italian restaraunt. Peter Pause is simply a great place to eat. The ambiance is half the fun and you always get a warm welcome and thank you from Bruno the owner.....without a doubt the best breakfast in Schenectady. Everything at the Peter Pause is a little better than you would expect for a neighborhood diner....the homemade italian bread is awesome....bring cash...they don't take credit cards...you won't need much though! Sorry Brooklyn....Ill keep Bruno and Schenectady..... read more

I just finished lunch and felt I had to write a review. I had the spaghetti and meatballs with a salad, and was so happy with my choice. I am very picky about my meatballs and sauce, and this was just the right amount of Italian spices and thickness and meatballs were amazing. The bread is homemade and was so tasty. I loved the atmosphere, made you feel like you were one of the many regulars that obviously eat here. Donna and Dean were awesome. This will definitely be my go to restaurant when I am in this area. Definitely two thumbs up! read more

Worst eggplant parm I've ever had, mushy, no cheese. Thin it was but that's all I can say about it, also ordered the chicken parm for Christmas dinner, expensive patties, such a thin slice of mozzarella on the chicken that you could see the meat underneath. The meat was not all that good either, a bit dry even though I reheated exactly as she instructed not 1 minute longer. The sauce for the top was nothing more than canned grocery store Hunts or some other brand, no seasoning, no flavor, what a rip off. This lady has some nerve charging what she does for what she gives you. Steer clear! Next time I'm looking for good eggplant parm I'll look elsewhere! read more