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360 Primo Coffee Shop - CLOSED
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Italian Coffee & Tea, Italian [Edit]
9828 Great Hills TrlAustin, TX 78759
Neighborhoods: Arboretum, Great Hills
(512) 795-9292
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Andiamo Ristorante is an intimate locally-owned restaurant offering fine Italian cuisine featuring the freshest ingredients from local farmers' markets.… read more »
60 reviews for 360 Primo Coffee Shop
Review Highlights
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"Coffee was very good and my daughter enjoyed gelato." In 19 reviews -
"...the alcohol selection (small beer & wine varieties), so my..." In 5 reviews -
"The coffee: The espresso drinks are fantastic here." In 8 reviews
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60 reviews in English
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Review from Jeremy B.
Austin, TX
8/26/2010
The Arboretum area is not what you could call "weird," at least not weird in the Austin sense. While Austin is renowned for its love of local businesses and funky hole-in-the-wall eateries, the Arboretum has all the hallmarks of upper-middle class consumer whoredom. This phenomenon, made possible by money from the local tech companies, has spread throughout northwest Austin like chlamydia on prom night.
Unfortunately, many local folks and media outlets overreact to the blandness of American chain culture by fetishizing "locally-owned" businesses, many of which serve no better food than their chain counterparts. This leads to mediocre establishments with obnoxious clientele. Coffee shops in particular seem to suffer from this phenomenon: add some funky decor, piercings on the baristas, and overpriced, watery coffee, and soon people in thick-rimmed glasses and Converse All-Stars will arrive in droves to spend their parents' money on $5 lattes. If you add some dark, dungeon-y mood lighting, they might even quote Nietzsche for you.
Luckily, 360 Primo avoids both these extremes, offering an Arboretum hideout that's unique without pandering too much to the counter-culture types. The brightly colored, well-lit shop is a nice alternative to the usual dark, crypt-chic independent coffeehouse. Of course, this is still Austin--many of the baristas have piercings or tattoos, and paintings by local artists decorate the walls, and "weird" customers are just as common as businesspeople and families. But the overall effect doesn't come across as a contrived attempt to court the hipster dollar.
The staff here are competent, efficient, and friendly; I know at least three of them by name. They will often chat with you if you're a regular, and will remember what drink you like to order. I'm baffled by some of the complaints about customer service; I've never had a problem here.
IMO, the coffee here is very good. I usually get the Italian roast, which tastes wonderfully smoky but never burned. There is also an array of specialty coffees, alcoholic drinks, gelato, cake, and sandwiches, although I mainly stick to the coffee. It probably isn't quite as good as, say, Caffe Medici's, but I prefer it to nearly everywhere else, and the atmosphere, unprentiousness and friendliness of the staff make 360 Primo one of Austin's premier Joe joints.
EDIT (9/1/10): Less than a week after writing this review, I went to 360 Primo for my evening Italian roast. As I was approaching, I could see that the lights were off, and the chairs were put up. Shit. As I got closer, I saw the sign on the door . . . stating that 360 Primo has closed permanently. Double Shit. Shit of Gargantuan, Unprecedented Proportions. This can't be happening.
But it is. As of 8/31/2010, 360 Primo is no more. R.I.P., I'll miss this place. -
Review from Jonathan W.
Austin, TX
8/22/2008
Hmm. I dropped in here, thinking I'd treat my special lady friend to a gelato. Well didn't I look like a schmuck when we walk up to a little unmanned ice cream cart with about a dozen small tubs of crappy, melty-looking stuff that I wouldn't eat if it were free.
Okay, that was a bit of an exaggeration - I have never, to my recollection, turned down free ice cream.
But anyway, it looked crappy - and it was far from free. I mean, it looked like a couple kids had been crawling around in there, eating gelato with their grubby little hands.
The small thimble-sized cup was $3, the medium-sized thimble cup was $4, and the shot glass-sized cup was $5. That was the obvious value, at only $2.50 per bite.
Maybe if I'd offered to pay an extra dollar, they would have rubbed it on my face for me.
Then I could order a cup of extra stale Denny's-style coffee, and have them pour it down the front of my shirt.
That would truly be "Primo". -
Review from Michelle C.
Austin, TX
5/7/2008
I was in the Arboretum area today during my lunch break "running some errands" (that's a euphemism for shopping...although I bought my mother-in-law a present, so I think that elevates my shopping to "errand" status). I needed to grab a quick lunch but none of the grab-and-go places around the Arboretum were exciting me (in part because there are barely any grab-and-go places in this area). Anyway, I found myself at 360 Primo.
360 Primo serves coffee drinks, paninis, a selection of baked goods, and gelato. All I got on my first trip here was a turkey, brie, and olive panini to go. It was OK. There was a lot of brie, which I appreciated, but there were only about two olives in the whole thing, which kind of annoyed me - if you're going to list an ingredient, put some of it in your dish! The turkey was very, very white and looked a little pre-sliced lunchmeat-y. The bread wasn't all that exciting, even despite having been panini'd. And there weren't any condiments or veggies on it - which I guess isn't all that unusual for a panini, but I would've liked something on there to give it a little zing. They did give me a few bits of mixed greens and a couple of tomato slices on the side, but I didn't put them on my sandwich, as it would have clashed with the white-on-white-with-white thing it had going on.
The interior didn't excite me all that much, either. It smelled a little smoky/greasy - I'm wondering whether this might be a result of the fact that they make paninis in there, since Thunderbird has the same problem. Also, they were playing upbeat 70's tunes in there - which is fun if you're on the dance floor, but maybe not if you're trying to work or study.
Overall, three stars of love for 360 Primo for giving grab-and-go eaters in the Arb area an alternative to chain fast food. But did it live up to its "primo" name? Not so much. -
Review from Lorena O.
3/25/2009
Why didn't I listen to well-vetted Yelpers like Jill and Jonathan W before picking this place? WHY??? Their reviews were right on the money. I was stupid and let the pretty pictures on the website fool me into thinking I'd be getting primo gelato at this place. Instead, we walked up to that nasty freezer and discovered puddles of half melted ice cream in one container and others that were almost as sad.
We asked the guy working the counter what was up with the melted ice cream and his response was, "Oh, this is gelato, it's supposed to be softer than ice cream."
Us, "But is it supposed to be melted?"
Him, "Oh, probably not, I don't know what's up with that."
Nice.
I might as well have a sign taped to my back that reads "STUPID" in big bold red letters. Because when you ignore mediocre reviews on Yelp you get screwed. Lesson learned.
PS
That weird fuel/plastic smell you may read about in several reviews, it's totally there. It makes sitting outside on their patio really unpleasant, only to me it smells more like roach repellant which is somehow worse in my mind. -
Review from Tee D.
10/23/2008
I go here for two reasons:
1. The chai dream: It's creamy. It's rich. It's delicious.
2. The blue couch: It's the most comfortable couch my butt has ever laid its ass cheeks on.
Oh yeah, and there's this small Vietnamese girl that works here. She's cool. Because of her, the guys that work there think they can make fun of me for being small as well. Bastards. They're lucky one of them is hot, otherwise, I'd have to show them... my ninja skillz! -
Review from Jill M.
Houston, TX
8/20/2008
Blah. 360 Primo's coffee and service do not inspire me to return. I got a bottomless cup of coffee a while back. It was just okay. Actually, it was somewhat poor, rather sour. I expected better since they serve Segafredo, which tastes really good at 360 Uno in Davenport Village. The server who poured my coffee seemed distracted and generally imparted a negative vibe into the room, so I sat outside on some chintzy, green, plastic patio furniture where I could enjoy a view of the TJ Maxx parking lot. I did notice the slight grease smell that some other reviewers mentioned. It wasn't overwhelming, but I'd rather smell coffee or gelato smells in a place like that.
Last weekend, Jonathan W took me to 360 Primo for gelato. I considered the selections, which didn't look fresh or appealing; the price, which seemed high, even for gelato; and the fact that we were not being greeted, and I asked Jon to take me to Amy's Ice Cream instead.
I haven't tried the food yet, but I probably won't bother going back to 360 Primo.Listed in: Coffee
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Review from Quani C.
9/6/2008
This place is seriously lacking in comfy seating. There is one comfy chair and a comfy sofa... hidden away in the corner behind the bar. For me, if this space had been completely occupied, I wouldn't have bothered spending time there. The rest of the tables and chairs are some sort of space aged, retro aluminum... not comfy looking in the least.
Stopped by on a whim to investigate my local coffee shop option. Definitely not as eclectic as I'd hoped, as I've grown used to Thunderbird and their vibe. I ordered an iced double chocolate beverage (white chocolate and dark chocolate combo thingie), which was pretty tasty. The staff was helpful, patient, and friendly. The music was okay and uninvasive. Still, I plugged into my iPod and delved into the book I was reading.
Not too keen on the location, in a strip mall. The "patio" area overlooks the parking lot, not what a patio should be, in my mind. After a day of retail therapy, however, I can see how this would be a good finish to the day.
I must continue my search for an eclectic, local coffee shop in my area. -
Review from Javier D.
7/7/2009
Springing back from a bad reputation can be a daunting task. They have recently undergone a change in ownership, and I'm sure they are aware of the problems they had under the previous owner. The gelato machine has since been fixed, they are a bit more friendly. It is not unusual to see the stress on the owners' faces when they are trying to make up some of the profits they know are lost. They are trying hard, and I will give them props for that and forgive them for appearing frazzled at times.
I think this place must be remeniscent of a modern european coffee shop since the clientele I've observed has been largely european and north african. They serve liquor beer and wine, which I'm sure is not the standard for coffee shops there, but a welcomed addition to coffee shops on this side of the pond.
I have to say that the food here is adequate. I'm not sure if it's had a foodie's critique though. They are missing one thing on every one of their panninis, I can't tell what it is... The pizzas are good, and the salmon salad was the best thing I've had on the menu. The breakfast is okay, nothing to get excited about. The baked goods are fine, and they have a good selection of drinks other than coffee tea and sodas, Odwalla superfood and Vitamin Water are good to see.
There are some good things going on here. Panninis are a good offering for the coffee camper, and the fact that they will serve wine at the end of the day in a clean glass earns points for me. All-in-all, I think they are a bit schizophrenic in what they have to offer. I don't think they should give up on serving liquor (since the license is hard to come by and it keeps forever), but breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts might be a little too much. The coffee here is fine, but I'm not a milk in coffee kind of guy, so all I can comment is about the espresso, of which I've not had a bad cup yet.
I'm split on how they are doing, but I will give them a three star review because they are trying hard to get back on track after losing a large portion of their clientele for poor decisions of previous management. -
Review from Chris M.
9/13/2008
I wasn't too impressed w/ 360 Primo, it just didn't do it for me. I found the guys working there to be quite standoffish and lacking in the hospitality department, and their prices were a bit on the premium side. I ordered a salmon sandwich - which was close to $7 but was quite lacking in the salmon dept.
They need more comfortable seating too. There's a two seater couch that looks like it's about ready for the dump, and when you sit in it you really sink into it. The drinks were fine, but nothing impressive, and a bit too much froth on my latte.
There's a plethroa of coffee shops and cafes to choose from, and in my opinion you need something (other than free wi-fi) that sets you apart from the rest - - such as quality products and great customer service. Unfortunately, 360 Primo falls quite short in these areas as I won't likely go out of my way to visit them again (unless I desperately need the wi-fi while I'm in that area). -
Review from Cameron K.
Austin, TX
8/2/2010
Not bad at all. Needed a place with wifi and caffeine for a bit and they fit the bill.
I think coffee lovers would get more out of this place, their menu is absolutely loaded with coffees, lattes, flavored syrups, etc. I asked for an iced tea and they kinda looked at me for a second before saying they only had two kinds. Free refills are a plus though, lots of places don't do that.
Staff was friendly and quick, music isn't overpowering, lots of seating options (couch, bar top, indoor or outdoor table.) And there was a guy sitting outside with an unlit pipe in his mouth. Who still smokes a pipe anyway? -
Review from Kristin H.
Austin, TX
10/18/2008
This place had been a little jewel in the strip mall crown of North Austin. I had loved going and sitting outside, having a nice little mocha or a snifter of Limoncello. And, while the cookies were a bit expensive, it was a great treat to have a little biscotti or amaretto cookie with my cappuccino.
However....things change sometimes for the worst.
I went there last week, and there were no cookies or pastries. Well, who needs cookies, I thought. On to the drinks....I ordered a mocha in a regular cup (I hate to drink out of paper if possible). My companion ordered a de-caf mocha. After we waited a while, though we were the only ones being served, the coffees were 'done'. They had put both drinks in paper cups. I asked if they could put them into real cups, and they did. However, they didn't mark or pay attention to which one was the decaf and which was the regular, so we both shared both drinks.
Mistakes happen. Not a big deal. But, the mochas were not good. I have loved their drinks in the past, and these drinks were overly sweet and cold. My negative impression was strengthened by the general messiness of the coffee fixin's bar and reading materials. Also, let me be completely and overtly fussy and say that the music that was played was loud and jarring--playing some sort of electric guitar heavy blues rock in 4:4 time. I didn't get the whole European feel on that visit at all.
Echoing what other people say, I have often heard many different languages being spoken there. It's one of the atmospheric things that I really liked about Primo 360. Hopefully my visit was not indicative of a downward trend, and instead just an off afternoon. -
Review from Steve B.
Austin, TX
3/14/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Sorry, but my last two visits have been very disappointing.
Notably, the espresso has lacked body, richness and most importantly a layer of crema on top. It has been over-extracted and on the bitter side. Today's drip coffee was also watery, despite ordering the darker Italian Roast. Last visit the espresso was a failure as well.
The ham & cheese paninni was hit and tasty, if a bit salty, but a coffee shop needs to do better at coffee.
I'm a bit of a coffee enthusiast. I make great espresso at home, which requires a certain amount of patience and skill. The coffee must be obtained as close to roasting as possible, roasted dark, but not too dark and fresh when used. It also needs to be ground just prior to brewing, tamped with about 30 pounds of pressure and the machine forceful enough to extract the flavor (and the oils which produce the crema) and fill a shot in about 25 seconds, without over extracting the beans to the point of bitterness. Since the shop uses a pro-quality espresso machine, unless it needs descaling to improve extraction pressure, I blame either old coffee, a bad tamp or an off grind.
I visit places like this to "spread the wealth" to local businesses, in this case as an alternative to Starbucks. But consistency is sometimes a good thing--I have never had a bad espresso shot at Starbucks.
So "Two Stars--Needs Work" is where 360 is today, until a couple of good shots change my mind enough for an update. -
Review from David D.
Austin, TX
8/9/2007
Another strip mall coffee shop? This one's different.
For starters, they don't comprehend starbuckspeak. You order large or small; none of that grande/venti stuff here. The sorbet comes from Italia and I think the gorgeous cakes may as well. You can get a fine breakfast croissant or panini all day long. They serve the fresh, delicioso Segafredo Zanetti espresso. It may be the best cappuccino in Austin, but the coffee is just so so. You usually get a nice little dark chocolate with your coffee drink, but they run out at certain times of the year when chocolates don't make the trip from Italy in good shape. The staff is fairly heavily tattooed. They all have a great sense of humor and tend to play whimsical music like 80's trance dance and such. It's always a good experience. They have beer and interesting drinks, but outstanding espresso is the main attraction. -
Review from Dennis C.
Austin, TX
6/9/2009
This placed is a mixed bag. I like their white mocha espresso. That's the good news, as far as I can see. The free wifi should go without mentioning, as I won't go to a place that doesn't offer it...unless it's a Starbuck's...but only against my will.
The bad news is the poor seating choices: uncomfortable chairs squeezed in so close together that the dude next to me is reading every word that I'm typing right now on this review.
The vibe is different from most of the coffee places I go to. No hipsters or students around, usually. Mainly, the clientele consists of engineers that work at Dell and middle-aged housewives. This is NOT a bad thing, so please, middle-aged housewives and Dell engineers, don't take offense.
Sometimes, though, they host "receptions" of some sort or another, and the already small space becomes a quagmire of humanity (kind of like right now, actually). That's a signal that my time here has come to an end. -
Review from Isabelle K.
Austin, TX
9/30/2007
I have ordered their black forest cake. It's not tasty for $4. Basically it's too dry. They can just learn how to make cake from their neighbor La Madeleine.
Every time I went there I saw some people didn't order anything, but sitting outside and stealing Internet. -
Review from Heather G.
Austin, TX
10/5/2008
Not enough seating & the food is meh, but I'm giving it 4 stars anyway so there & why? Because the staff is great? no-- tho that's true.
It gets 4 stars from me for one reason: Black Gold.
The absolute best & most delicious Italian espresso I've found anywhere in town. This stuff will make a man of you-- even if you're a little girl.
Sleep is over rated. -
Review from Catherine Y.
Austin, TX
11/29/2007
Update: after 2 yrs living in Austin, I still love coming to Primo.
During my 2 weeks without wireless internet, I came here almost everyday to work. The staffs are friendly and the coffee is never disappointed. I love getting the desert from time to time and they make me feel wonderful.
---------------
I like this place because it is close by and it carries Segafredo's coffee. Why? I had some really good, strong coffee that did not make me jitter all day and night during my Europe trip and Segafredo is the closest thing I could get here. Plus Starbucks is just disgusting.
Never had their desserts but I have had the panini for lunch there. I had the vege panini with mushroom, artichoke & spinach. It's pretty tasty and light. Coffee has never gone wrong here before. Gelato? hmm, it's not the best but it isn't the worst either. It's a good place to grab some when you are craving for it. -
Review from Rosalind C.
Atlanta, GA
5/27/2007
Chai latte to die for. I try this drink every time I go to a coffee shop and 360 Primo's chai latte makes my mouth water when I just think about it. Hot or iced, doesn't matter, I am Pavlov's dog.
The food is just ok. I have tried two of the paninis and have not been particularly blown away. Although, the egg and cheese croissant was pretty tasty.
Wait staff is always friendly and they make quick rounds to gather up dirty dishes left on the tabletops. -
Review from Heather L.
Austin, TX
7/31/2008
I really enjoy the coffee with spirits here. There aren't many cafes in Austin with such an extensive standard menu of these that have some outdoor seating as well. The combination of these and the location are what make me like this place a lot.
Regular coffee here is a bit overpriced, but I do like that my iced coffee is strong. None of that fru fru Starbucks crap. If you are a real coffee connoisseur, you know what I'm talking about. -
Review from Tracey S.
5/10/2008
360 Primo serves a really nice variety of pannini sandwiches, pizzas, desserts, and drinks. There's also a huge menu of breakfast dishes that are served all day. They even have a wine rack at the counter.
The prices are fair. There are lots of small tables for two and stools at the window, but you can put those small tables together. I liked this place and might come more often if I lived nearby. There were a lot of people on laptops, so it may have free Wifi as well.
They're located in the shopping center on the Northwest intersection of 183 and Great Hills Trail Dr. There's a Firebowl Cafe almost next door. -
Review from Jack N.
8/7/2009
I was asked to attend a business meeting here recently and had no idea this place existed. I used to work right near this area, have been to Poke E Joe's a hundred times, but had never set foot in 360 Primo until today.
All in all, I really liked it. We found comfortable overstuffed chairs, my Americano was perfectly made and very hot, the barista was very friendly, and he gave me a sample of cold-brewed iced coffee when I asked him what all the hoohah was about.
My friend told me they had changed owners recently and he's seen a marked improvement; I can't speak to that because this was my first visit, but it won't be my last. -
Review from Robin S.
Austin, TX
8/28/2007
Wow, I'm surprised not to see better reviews of 360.
The coffee: The espresso drinks are fantastic here. Their mochas are some of my favorite. I haven't had their drip coffee but I've had their cafe au lait (some places make with espresso and some with drip) and I've no complaints.
The food: Primo is an good place for a light lunch or breakfast, and the prices are reasonable. They have a half sandwich and a salad for 5.25, if I recall. They don't skimp on chicken on their chicken salad, though they *do* microwave their chicken to reheat, I think. And occasionally, they are understaffed at lunch.
The dessert and adult drinks: I haven't had the adult drinks,but they;'ve got quite an amazing selection. I see people having beers here. The desserts are out of this world; recently I bought some profiteroles for a friends birthday and had to go back for a second order because I decided to try one...and then two...
Minus one star because they play music too loud for a coffee shop, they sometimes don't staff adequately at lunch, and the chairs are rather punishing.
Good wi-fi.
p.s. reviewing somplace on their clientele? Come on James, they didn't ask you to go there. -
Review from Amber D.
8/22/2008
I am surprised that I liked this place - it's way up in the Arboretum, it's not much to look at, and it's tucked in a shopping center with a TJ Maxx.
Not usually my style.
I went in very early, had a mimosa, had a chat with the charming baristas and read my copy of the L on the patio. The mimosas were only $3.25, the French guy that poured them teased me that because he had "taken so long" to get the champagne open he would pour mine super strong, and it's hard to really quantify it - but I felt like I had a great experience.
I looked at their menu - they have some really luscious desserty-coffee-booze drinks (the kinds that usually have Kahlua or Baileys and vodka mixed in), paninis, bakery items, and there was ice cream.Listed in: Crack-Caffeine
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Review from Kantiki J.
Austin, TX
10/11/2008 1 photo
360 Primo, above all else, provides an environment quite set apart from all but one of the coffee shops in the city. It's Italy and Austin brought together. A bit o' the bad from both sides, but with more good from both sides to make it last. The fact that it's survived while rather hidden in a shopping plaza, and without much promotion, speaks worlds for this place.
The 2nd-best reason to hit the place up is if you are: A. learning a language; or, B. a lover of languages. The way I found this place was when learning Italian, as our language group would meet here. We're not the only ones. I've heard Italian, German, Arabic, French and a few others I couldn't understand (especially the English).
3rd-best reason is the full bar they've got behind the counter. Baileys in coffee? That's a yes. Red wine with a personal pizza? Is that ever a "no?" You can finish this all off with sweet deserts from Milano l'Italia. I imagine this list is the #1 reason most peeps come here, and it's all worth it.
The downsides are a little hard to swallow. Nothing here is cheap. That goes for the quality as well, but the price that comes with it stings. The majority of the furniture is hard or uncomfortably firm. Only a few of the workers are conversationalists, and the others come off as very, very Italian. Seriously. If you haven't been to Italy, they likely come off as rude. Not true, they just don't dick around. At least they don't look at you threateningly when you come in the door and say: "Prego?"
A final annoyance is that the WiFi is "mostly" free. You'll need to have an email address you can access directly in order to sign up and verify with their WiFi provider--Less Networks. -
Review from mary c.
Austin, TX
5/1/2008
Anything but another Starbucks!!!!!
Great soy mocha for my hubby, and a terrific vanilla chai for me (one of the creamiest ever)
The bagel w/ salmon was about what I'd expect from a grocery store, not an upscale coffee shop, but it did give me my cream cheese fix for the day.
I'm definitely going back, and will likely try some other food items.
Smells great in here, by the way - no stale coffee smell, just fresh ground bean goodness.
I did not find the prices high as others here did; guess I'm used to coffee shop prices! -
Review from Renee C.
Austin, TX
2/7/2009
Love the place. Coffee is good. All the food, and the gelato, I have tried have been good.
I will go there on my own and enjoy the sun coming through the windows. There is a nice calmness inside.
Staff are nice and do what is necessary to get my order done. And then leave me alone, which is what I want especially in a coffeeshop. -
Review from Jan G.
Austin, TX
1/19/2009
If your home internet connection is down and the local libraries are closed, this is a nice place to come pick up some free WiFi (via LessNetworks). There are only two, accessible, electric outlets, but if it's not too busy you may nab one. I came at 2pm on a Monday afternoon while another 4 people were there with laptops. The tables are a nice height, but the plastic chairs are wanting for some comfort.
Now, as for the food? It's pretty good. I might consider stopping by for the $5.50 "ham, turkey, prosciutto, and mozzarella" panini simply because they had fresh, perfectly ripe tomato slices on the side. (I love a good tomato). They also serve Coke made with cane sugar in glass bottles (i.e. from Mexico).
The pricing of the food is a smidgen too high to add this place to my A list of restaurants, but it evens out when I'm desperate for Internet. -
Review from Glenham H.
Austin, TX
9/7/2009
Stopped in for a quick coffee drink before heading out for a baseball game. The service was friendly and attentive. Only two other people were inside the shop, so there was lots of place to sit - we chose the big comfy sofas in the back.
Coffee was very good and my daughter enjoyed gelato. I even got a flower-ish design in my Latte. Unfortunately they had sold all the Tiramisu for the day.
Overall enjoyable - it will certainly be a place I will return to when I am in that area. -
Review from kelly b.
Austin, TX
12/2/2007
Wow. Only been here twice, and wasn't planning to return after my first visit, but figured I should give them the benefit of the doubt. The same thing happened the second time around as did the first.
The customer service here is HORRIFIC. If you don't care about being treated rudely by the staff (namely the girl with dark hair and glasses), by all means check this place out. However, if you enjoy being greeted with a smile and a polite, "Hello, what can I get for you today?", then you'd better go elsewhere.
I've had the coffee here both times and it was pretty good. I have also tried one of the paninis and have to say that it was a bit lackluster. Not much flavor, and pricey for the small amount of ingredients it contained.
I will not be returning, though am glad to say I at least tried. -
Review from Trista C.
Liberty Hill, TX
5/30/2010
Nice coffee but the staff could use a "how I can I be friendly class".
Seating is very limited - even though they have outside seating.
They don't care to much for groups that come in - they give you a bad attitude. If you are paying with cash - you better have a bill smaller than a $10.00 because they have change.
They don't even offer free Wi-Fi - so I don't think I will return. -
Review from Matthew B.
Austin, TX
3/26/2010
An interesting one this.
In some ways, it's not that great. however, i find myself completely addicted. i really love it here!
i usually drink either their free refill coffee, which is as good as anywhere else, but when it's too hot for hot coffee, i drink their cold-brewed iced coffee, which is completely brilliant. it's so cool and mellow and smooth and silky and gorgeous. it's really really good, the best thing about the place.
the food is kinda hit and miss, breakfast bagels and paninis contain those mysterious egg/omelette/pancake/sponge things like you get in egg mcmuffins, but are pleasingly salty, but probably not worth the money.
the wifi requires you to sign up, but it's free, and spamless.
bottom line:
as addictive as the caffeine they supply.
:-D -
Review from Jocelyn W.
Austin, TX
11/12/2009 1 Check-in Here
Only 3 stars, but I am a regular here anyway. It's the closest free wifi spot to my house.
Pros - good cappuccino, good happy hour with great wine prices, fun coffee drinks with liquor, free wifi, convenient for me
Cons - food isn't great (i do like their turkey, brie, olive panini though), the gelato is terrible, seating isn't too comfortable, wifi is through less networks so you have to login and it boots you out every hour-ish and you have to login again
No reason not to go if you live nearby... at least it's better than Starbucks. -
Review from Adam H.
Plano, TX
6/24/2009
I've been here a number of times. The simple answer is that for simple brewed coffee, this place is great...I can't speak to the fancier coffee beverages because I've never tried it.
I would probably not recommend the gelato as it looks very "questionable", the sandwiches look pretty good and I'll hopefully get to try them one day.
Anyway for coffee, I rate this place pretty high for Austin. -
Review from Andy H.
Austin, TX
2/14/2010
I don't drink coffee ... but this is a great place to hang out for "the Arborhood," and I'm very grateful it's here! It's a wonderful place to meet a friend, or wait for a show at the Arbor theater next door.
The staff is friendly, the coffee is excellent (or so my coffee-drinking friends say!) and they have a wide variety of sandwiches, snacks and other drinks to choose from.
The storefront location, since refurbished under new (and more competent) ownership, has a European coffee shop vibe, and you don't feel like you're hanging out in a seedy college-town basement apartment when you're there. The environs are spacious and accomodating for larger groups, the music is not too loud, and it doesn't have that uber-hipster pretentiousness that some coffee shops in town seem to have. -
Review from Jeremy B.
Austin, TX
3/25/2009
To be quite honest, a few coworkers and I go here almost everyday. And almost everyday, I will order the Carmella w/ half syrup. It's a great place to sit and brainstorm about ideas, or argue - we do both regularly.
The Carmella a fairly standard drink similar to the Carmel Macchiato from Starbucks (which also has too much syrup). I prefer these over the Starbucks variety, but prefer the Sodade carmel macchiato over these.
The barista's only took a few visits to get our "usual's" down, which was pretty nice. One thing that sets this place apart from most coffee shops is that they also serve beer, have gelato, and what I understand as "authentic" Italian desserts. I can't comment on the gelato or desserts, but as far as beer goes it's hard to get it wrong. -
Review from matt S.
9/30/2007
I love Gelato and the Gelat0 here is good; however, the portions for the price are not good. The "small" is like a thimble and the large is like a specimen cup. It runs $3.00+ for the specimen cup of Gelato.. I have been to places in Houston that give you a huge bowl for $5. The atmosphere isn't great either as it is in a strip mall.
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Review from Carolina A.
Austin, TX
5/30/2010
The coffee was good! Maybe a more friendly staff, the seating could be more comfortable... a menu with variety not just the usual bakery, a friend had the gelato and she enjoyed it. I will go back, a nice new place for me, since I am a coffee person. It was cozy...no free WIFI:( for me this is a must in a coffee shop. but I could get hooked on going every week, i love were it is located, you can go shopping in the area. i loved the MINI hersheys on the side:):), nice detail...
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Review from Josh W.
Austin, TX
11/16/2008
Cashier has an attitude and the drinks are average. The atmosphere is fun though.
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Review from chiu t.
Austin, TX
4/13/2009
I have been to this coffee shop quite a few times, especially before or after a movie at Arbor. Tried their coffee or caffeinated drinks, gelato and deserts, and they are okay. The service isn't that great either. The coffee shop is kinda loud when the staff is blending drinks, almost to the level of being annoying for having a conversation.
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Review from Sarah W.
Austin, TX
3/16/2010
Been here twice, both times got a coffee drink and a slice of cake. The beverages are always good (and better than Starbucks, I think). My cappuccino often comes with a Hersheys chocolate on the side. The cake slices are HUGE and delicious! I've tried the chocolate, Italian cream, and coconut cakes and was very pleasantly surprised with all three of them. The slices are big enough to share with a friend. My only complaint - sometimes there isn't enough seats because of people getting free wifi signal. I'd like to see more coffee-house seating. Otherwise, if the weather is nice, the outdoor seating is okay too.
