I visited Austin and this was the main coffee shop I found in my searches. I'd say my experience was fair. Hanging plants made the menu a bit hard to see, and the register staff seemed annoyed that I was looking through the menu. Bathroom was passcode locked, but didn't hide anything special, as there was trash, toilet paper, and dirt all over. I left before I needed to use it again. I come from a state where you can't have animals in a restaurant, so having (what I counted in one moment) 11 dogs surrounding you is a bit unusual and got me worried about health code issues. That could be the area norm, though! I ordered a vanilla cappuccino and there was far too much syrup, it was hard to drink, but I deal with it because I ordered it! I may go back just to show it to someone else, but I wouldn't go back on my personal time. read more

Merit Coffee - Line of customers waiting with their dogs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This is my part 2 of this season of coffee shop hunting, lol. DRINK// I got the regular latte. I didn't really like it for personal taste. ATMOSPHERE// We went during the weekend evening; so, parking was horrible, lel. The coffee shop is very cozy and small, plus they have plenty seats than you would imagine for being "small." SERVICE// This barista that took care of me got my latte pretty fast and had a great service. SURROUNDINGS// IDK, but crazy in downtown. read more

Merit Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

Merit's coffee was tasty, and the shop itself was cute with friendly employees. I got the regular brew, and it was flavorful, with some fruity notes, and not at all bitter or acidic. They had some awesome looking pastries, and their website says that they offer Counter Culture, one of my favorites, as a guest roaster. However, Merit is pretty tiny, with limited seating, and my small black coffee was $3, which I personally think is a little pricy (but maybe not abnormal downtown) I wasn't able to sit and drink my coffee at Merit, since the tables were full (12:30pm on a Thursday), but the new library is a quick walk away so I migrated there instead. This location is really ideal, and a coffee shop was a great addition to the Seaholm complex. I can't wait til it's warmer out, since there was some nice additional seating outside. My only other consideration would be that you may have a hard time parking if you're not willing to pay to park in the basement-level Seaholm lot, and if the street parking is full. read more

Merit Coffee - Outdoor seating - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

Superb coffee, knowledgeable barista, somewhat chaotic atmosphere (however quite understandably so, this place knows specialty coffee.)

Favorite coffee shop in town. I work in the Seaholm district and always stop in for a morning or afternoon coffee. Friendly service and great coffee. I think I have tried just about everything on the menu and have yet to be disappointed. They also have bags of their beans available for sale so you can make a cup of your own at home. Would recommend this place 1000x! read more

Best iced coffee in Austin, get the washed cold brew. Docking 1 star due to the long lines on the weekend.

I live on the eastside but scooter/walk here pretty frequently before/after yoga classes. I love their oat vanilla lattes. A little inconsistent with the discount for bringing my own cup and the extra moola for the alternative milk or favoring, but no matter how much I spend, I love my iced latte unconditionally. Fun, friendly staff, lots of seating, and WiFi. read more

Cute place, but extremely overpriced. I paid $7.50 for a 16oz mocha that was sour and didn't have much mocha flavor. Disappointed and will not be returning. read more

Excellent coffee in a great location. Atmosphere: patio is perfect for a morning coffee Coffee: outstanding flat white Service: quick and pleasant read more

Merit Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

Cute ambiance, but it's one of my least favorite coffee chains in town. I personally don't enjoy their coffee and anywhere that uses their beans. However, the staff is very friendly! read more

Been here twice now, and the ambiance is really cute and the employees are super nice, but the coffee just doesn't taste good to me. Idk maybe it's a personal taste thing, because others seem to enjoy it read more

First time to try Merit coffee, and it is cute inside & outside. But, they don't make cold foam on cold brew coffee!! That is the part that elevates this drink. Probably won't be back. read more

Of all the things I am a connoisseur of (croissants, ice cream, falafels), coffee is actually not one of them. I like a good coffee, not too bitter, not too bland, not too small, not too pricey. Merit checks all the boxes and offered curbside pickup during covid. I do curate coffeehouses for the vibe but couldn't experience this one yet to comment. It's nearby, convenient and reliable. read more

Another amazing coffee shop. Their coffee had such a rich multitude of flavors after the first sip. Along with this, the inside of this location is clean and cute with many wood accents. I wish I came to Austin more because I would definitely be a frequent visitor to Merit Coffee. read more

Merit Coffee - Iced latte and fruity tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

Awesome coffee, tasty pastries, and the employees are super kind and professional. The only downside that isn't a big deal to me personally is that the shop is pretty small and a line firms quickly. It's worth placing your order before you arrive. read more

Staff is fantastic and they have some of the smoothest cold brew I've ever drank. The peanut butter, jelly and granola sandwich was decadent and filling read more

Merit Coffee - Cold brew with oat milk, Lavender Iced Latte with oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I was headed to Trader Joe's for some gourmet groceries after a few hours doing research in Austin's new downtown library. I needed a cup of coffee and stopped in for the first time to Merit. Lovely establishment and very nice staff! Tasty coffee, too. I think they are a nice addition to the entire Seaholm development. I also parked in the garage downstairs and they validated my parking tab. Thanks! read more

Merit Coffee - It is 4:00 p.m. and I need coffee! Tasty. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

While exploring the Seaholm District I found this coffee shop based out of San Antonio except not called Local but their coffee packaging brand Merit. I had tried one of their flavors Alambi and was very good. It was definitely different from other coffee shops. The coffee shop design blends very well with this area and very friendly staff. So make sure to add this place on your next Austin coffee tour. read more

If you are looking for nice place to study or get some work done Merit Coffee is the place to be. Nice workers with a cool small coffee shop vibe. Music is fun and upbeat but not too loud. I got the mocha latte which was perfect. Free WiFi and a decent amount of spaces to sit. It's located in a small mall with outside seating as well if you are looking for a bite to eat. Only thing I wish was that there were more sizes. read more

Merit Coffee - Mocha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

If this is your hood, I envy you. If the plan was to take everything hip & cool about Mueller and the Domain and condense it into three square blocks, then start spreading the news. And if your parking is good or you're within walking distance, this is your coffee place. I could argue it feels more clinical & less colorful than the one-two mothership punch of Local Coffee & Bakery Lorraine at Pearl Brewery, but who's driving ninety miles for coffee with feeling? Besides, I think there's more seating here. Probably because it's still fairly new. If you're obliged to benchmark your Local coffee places, this one will certainly Merit your attention. read more

Merit Coffee - Pretty cool place. Everything you expect in a contemporary coffeehouse. Oh, I only drink straight black. The milky stuff did look good. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

I stopped by on the way to the library to grab a quick cup of coffee. I went with the hot chai latte in their smaller size and it was good, but mild. The chai itself has a good taste, but the flavors seemed a little watered down and not as strong as I would prefer. The ambiance in this place is a solid 5/5. It is a quite small and cozy, but a the baristas were great and the music was also nice to listen to in the background to read or study. read more

Merit Coffee - Hot coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

Walked by and decided to grab a refreshing wake me up drink as the weather was scorching hot and humid. I opted for the chai latte & it was absolutely delicious. I love how it was not too sweet with a chai flavor mixed within the milk. Super cute decor inside with small and cute merchandise with their branding on it. Dog friendly with a large dog treat jar for customers - how cute! read more

Merit Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Very underwhelming. The place was torn apart when we walked in - maybe they were spring cleaning? But it was a disaster - including panels of the wall removed. We had a cappuccino and a macchiato. The flavor was not good for either one. I couldn't finish the cappuccino. We go to tons of nice coffee places around the country. Tasted like licking a steamy ashtray. We didn't have much time in Austin and I'm disappointed I chose this place to grab coffee on our way out of town. We had an Intelligentsia coffee the night before at Hestia restaurant which was far more enjoyable, and a coffee at Forthright earlier in the morning which was also much better. We also got some treats including the blueberry pie donut. It was pretty but just tasted very generically "sweet" without any other kind of flavor that stood out. read more

Cute place in a really nice location next to Trader Joe's! But, never actually received my drink because they don't ask for names and don't really call out when they're done-- so pretty sure someone else picked it up. Things happen! I'd say they should just take names when you order like most places. Other super random thing, I noticed multiple baristas leaning around the plastic guards to talk to regulars... being friendly is cool, and it feels weird to have those things up, but it also made me feel kinda weird about getting coffee right then and there. Not sure about that one I guess. Would try again when it's less crowded and I can keep an eye out for my drink! read more

I love this place, and to be honest, it's not like WAY better than other coffee places. But the staff here are consistently kind, the coffee is really, really good, and it's in the heart of downtown next to Trader Joe's. If you go there and stick around, if you get a house coffee they will offer unlimited refills, just a fun pro tip ;) Not a ton of available inside seating, but I do love this place. Internet is good, the coffee is good, the staff are kind, and you're in walking distance to other gems like Whole Food, Trader Joe's, True Food, Flower Child, and more. Worth checking out, 100% read more

I may be biased about this place because I'm from SA and this coffeeshop is a branch off the Local Coffee chain in SA. I love Local Coffee, and I love Merit. All the baristas are down to earth and friendly, and nice. I ended up getting the iced green tea latte with vanilla, a recommendation from a barista. I love green tea lattes, and I've had many. This might be the best one I've had. No loose green tea clumps and the vanilla added *just* the right amount of sweetness to the drink. The only con is that I wish the cup were bigger lol. I really did like it that much. read more

Merit coffee is in the perfect spot where it's not too crowded and you can grab a quick latte. I usually get some vanilla in my latte and theirs was not too sweet, which is usually an issue at other coffee spots. I will definitely be back to try some of the sweets they have up front!! I really want to try their coffee beans at home, so next time I'm there I will have to pick some up. read more

Merit Coffee - Vanilla latte w/ almond milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

Sweet new Austin location for a cool cafe/roastery in San Antonio. Very simple and aesthetic design fits in well next to the high rises downtown. If you just want a cheap drip cup of jo for your morning routine, or you are a coffee aficionado and want a pour over, they got what you need. Many different origins and freshly roasted beans make for a great cup. They also have a dope mod bar espresso set up ready to create handcrafted espresso drinks. Parking is easy- either on the street or in the parking garage beneath the building. Definitely recommend this cafe read more

Merit Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

Solid cup o' joe. For some reason I didn't realize there were a few Merit Coffee locations around town, but the one downtown around the corner from Trader Joe's was the one I tried. Staff seemed friendly and the price for my coffee refill was great. Parking was a bit tough, though. read more

coffee: great cold brew with half and half parking: lots of street parking outside time visited: weekday afternoon atmosphere: - good natural light - a little cold - groovy, but loud music - not super busy, easy to find a seat - clean bathrooms - lots of seating inside and outside - lots of outlets - free wifi studying: - not ideal for studying due to loud music - would be good for creative work, but not anything that requires intense concentration sustainability: - ecofriendly straws - use lots of plastic, cold brew automatically comes in a plastic cup - offers recycling read more

Merit Coffee - Cold Brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

Don't taste the same as other Merit Coffee Spots. Staff not the friendliest which is cool but at least serve perfect coffee. Was charged for Breve Milk but then told they can't steam Breve because it's not doable with their steamers. Never stepped into a coffee shop that can't execute breve latte. Sad to cite this review as I am a fan of other Merit spots just not this one. read more

Personally I love to support local coffee shops. My husband introduced me to this place. The taste of cappuccino is very fine and has a distinct taste. As a tourist - I did not only enjoy the hot cup of cappuccino on a chilly night, but also loved the ambiance of Merit coffee. Such a nice hip feel. read more

Merit Coffee - cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

Overall had a pleasant experience from Merit Coffee. I ordered a cold brew w oat milk which was pretty good. I like the customer service and the people working were extremely accommodating offered us water and I am definitely to come back soon and try one of their lattes. read more

usually in the mornings the baristas are really good about attending me, but today there were three baristas on shift who were just standing and took 12 min to make my iced latte. they gave the one guy that came in after me his drink first. it felt kinda racist :-( read more

Not as many people driving means it's easier to find a parking spot to grab coffee at Merit! They have a selection of pastries, including a grown up pop tart that's vanilla shortbread with homemade strawberry jam for filling! They have free WiFi, plenty of outlets and you can choose from a booth, tables, or a cool bench in the back with pillows. All drinks automatically come with two shots of espresso and I liked the dirty chai because it wasn't too sweet. read more

Got a matcha this morning and it was so good! But I dropped it before I'd even had more than a sip so my boyfriend went back to get another and the barista gave it to us for free when she heard what happened. Such a sweet staff! Really made my day better. read more

I went here when I was visiting Austin to work for the day. I never felt like I was loitering or like they didn't want me there, which was a plus. The coffee was good, the menu was a bit confusing but I think if you were looking for a specific drink they would help you. They had plenty of non-dairy options and I would come back! I wish they had more food options for longer stays, I was highly caffeinated after 2 drinks with no food. read more

One of my best friends brought me here! As one who has lived in San Francisco and loves coffee, this place is a MIST stop in Austin! Best coffee thus far. I got a vanilla almond latte & it was delicious! read more

Merit Coffee - Interior! Super clean. Vanilla almond latte was $5.86. Baristas were welcoming! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

My friend and I came by on a whim in between running errands the other day, and we were not disappointed! The interior is very aesthetic, and their coffee is great. For seating, they have signs inside that you can flip over so they know where to sanitize. Everything is spaced out very well, too! I'll definitely be coming by again when I'm in the area. read more

Merit Coffee - Iced mocha latte with oat milk & matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

It's sad when something you used to love drops in quality and taste. I used to love the ice chai here but today found it not even drinkable. I don't know if the recipe or ingredients changed but it's really sad. I used to go every day to get my iced chai. I just tossed a 90% full cup. read more