how did the hipster burn his tongue?
he drank his coffee before it was cool.
vibe: hipster. perfect if you'd like to escape san antonio for an afternoon and pretend you're in austin. :]
volume: loud. pretty heavy rock-ish music that you kinda have to almost-yell to talk over. definitely need to step outside if you need to take a phone call. not ideal if you prefer quieter study environments. i'd say this is more of a hang out or causally get some busywork done kind of place vs. a hardcore cramming for finals type of coffeeshop.
temperature: unfortunately, freeeezing cold. :[ even with a fleece jacket. this + volume are probably the main reasons i can't really study here. otherwise, i'd probably visit a lot more!
internet: slow-ish. might have been bc there were a ton of people there when i visited. and it kept kicking me off the network-- maybe every 15-30 min (and would take multiple attempts to reconnect).
seating: limited, especially during exam weeks. i got lucky and walked in just as someone was leaving-- otherwise, i would have had to get my drink to go and head home bc literally every other chair was taken! soo popular.
outlets: good amount near the tables but not in the couch area. there are outlets in the bookshelf area, so if you're sitting on the couch, you can keep an eye on your stuff as it charges, but can't really use your laptop while it charges.
drinks: coco loco (vanilla latte + coconut oil) was definitely good-- smooth espresso with a subtle and unique flavor profile and not overbearingly sweet. i was trying to enjoy it but i guess i didn't down it quick enough bc the oil soon separated out and looked super gross, and then hardened bc it was so cold inside the coffeeshop... (also bc the drink wasn't all that hot to begin with, but i didn't mind bc i like getting my drinks at a temp that is immediately drinkable!) they offer a good number of other unique-sounding drinks that i'd like to eventually try. wish their menu would explain their drinks a little more though, so i wouldn't have to ask what half of them were haha. i also asked about any specials but they didn't have any that day.
latte art: yup!
price: $$$$ (especially given that the drinks are fairly small) so not super student-friendly, but hey, nobody said the cool factor was free. oh and no prices on the menu, so not so ideal if you're on a budget.
location/parking: kinda weird that it's located sorta in an apt complex, but upside is plenty of parking in the garage out back. would love it if they opened a location in the med center!
overall: a welcome addition to the sa coffee scene! not quite a good place to study, but the espresso drinks are definitely unique and on par with the best coffeeshops in town. read more