This place is soooooo cute!! It's a local chain, modeled after New York City bodegas. A little bit of groceries; a little bit of prepared foods (including hot sandwiches, pizza(!); an espress/coffee bar; and other things), as well as wine and beer, etc. Lots of great snacks. There's some limited seating to enjoy your meal. Bathrooms: Didn't see any, but not sure. read more

Really good (overpriced) sandwiches - EXCEPT on Burger Tuesdays! On Tuesday, you can make your own custom made to order burger with all the toppings for only $5. The burger is really high quality and they have vegan options. The people who work here are really nice and helpful and it's a nice place to grab a quick bite to eat on the go. They toast the sandwiches for you which is great! I had the Reuban sandwich and it was awesome. read more

I thought I could rely on my local Royal Blue to be open until midnight. I walked up to the front door at 11:57 and the cashier working tonight just shook her head and waved me off even though I would have been in and out in less than 30 seconds. I hate to say it but I guess I will stick with 7-11 from here on out. I try to support local businesses but if the cashiers are just going to wave me off DURING THEIR BUSINESS HOURS, I will no longer be giving this business money. As someone who used to work service industry (Starbucks) I have had my fair share of last minute customers and no matter how frustrating I always welcomed them with a smile. Hate to see the staff of this Austin staple costing the company business. I'm read more

What a wonderful surprise to wander into this very fun little grocery/market. Raymond and GiGi were the best at telling us about some of the new products that just came in and explaining unknow products to us. We hung out there for half and hour before our show at the Paramount. Had a drink and munched a few items. Ended up much better and more fun than our original plan to go to Asian Fusion where the prices are high and we could not even sit at the bar. Thanks for making our evening out special. Lydia & John read more

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TACOS? They had the best tacos in town! Now they have disappeared! I would go there everyday for lunch for the tacos- but now it's just an expensive sandwich place. read more

I'm here now and this place is sooo impressive. Their food selection is soo interesting. Great quality. And their staff is super friendly and helpful. Hunter, Camryn and Gigi were all sooo helpful and deserve recognition. They're a great reflection of the Royal Blue brand. read more

Great little local downtown grocery chain! Great spot for lunch - they have grilled sandwiches, refrigerated salads and sandwiches, and, saved the best for last, SLICES OF EAST SIDE PIES. They also have great coffee options and wine and beer that you can drink there. There's some outdoor seating and four seats at the coffee bar. Vegetarians - they have many options for us! Veggie East Side pie slices, veggie sandwiches, and salads! Great little place to get a meal to go or eat in if there are seats at the bar! read more

Royal Blue Grocery - Congress Ave - Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

Burger tuesday's are the best!!! $5 for a big and delicious burger. Breakfast tacos are delicious and only $3 a piece. My personal favorite is the jalapeño sausage. The veggie grilled cheese is also fantastic, and I can only finish half - hooray for leftovers! read more

Royal Blue Grocery - Congress Ave - Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great little spot in the center of downtown Austin for an early morning breakfast taco or midday fresh made sandwiches or pizza.. They also have a selection Of quality snacks . And beer and wine. And there is comfortable sidewalk seating in the shade. Not to mention the really great service by the staff. Super friendly. read more

Let me fair very clear I am rating strictly the ice cream I had the pleasure of enjoying while at the grocery store. I was minding my own business when a gentlemen offered me some ice cream and claimed it would change my life. I laughed out loud declined and continued on my way. Once inside I found myself drawn to the frozen food area. That is when my eyes fell upon the pint. I read the label and then reread it thinking I had misread it the first time. Quickly I had my WTF moment and my brain screamed "They have Jeni's goat cheese with cherries ice cream!!!!!!!" While standing there in amazement with all the unusual flavors the gentleman who spoke to me minutes before walked up. At this point he had my full and undivided attention. He explained how the cows are grass fed and he said it made a big difference in the taste and quality of the milk. He explained the many unusual flavors and the process the company goes through in order to create them. At this point I demanded he feed me and he quickly obliged. We started with the Brown Butter Almond Brittle. Let me be clear this was rich and very indulgent to the point I almost felt guilty. The sweet taste of grandmas almond brittle enveloped in rich creamy goodness was enough to have me purring for more.He could tell I was a little overwhelmed with that one and offered another that might be a little lighter and much more fitting for a hot summer day. So we moved on to the Lemon & Blueberries Frozen Yogurt and boy this is what my body was craving. All I could think about is that it tasted like one of the most amazing smoothies I've ever had. The lemon added just the right amount of tart to contrast the sweet blueberries. At this point I was weak and could not resist from indulging just one more time. I grabbed that goat cheese with cherries and made my way down Congress Ave. Let me be clear I am not a fan of goat cheese but the ice cream was even more delectable then the other two I had tasted. Now I find myself in the middle of the night trying to Google to figure out where else I can purchase my new favorite ice cream. read more

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Before starting a job on 7th & Congress, I had only been to Royal Blue once and thought it was cute but nothing spectacular... my mind has completely changed! I frequent Royal Blue at least twice a week for an Artichoke grilled cheese, Cuban sandwich, slice of pizza, pre-made salad or a double chocolate chip cookie. Yep, I walk down stairs, cross two streets and pay $1.75 for a cookie. The place is small and compact but they've got everything you would want in a mini grocery store. Need breakfast? Grab a gourmet coffee, taco or pastry. Need lunch? Order a panini pressed sandwich or grab a pre-made salad. Need a midday snack? Check out their chip selection. Need something sweet? Ditch the pack of M&M's and wrap up a homemade cookie. Snagging a table at lunch is pretty hard, but if you do, you'll get all types of people watching from your little spot. Oh and although the prices are high, this is one of my favorites spots for a quick lunch or midday snack Downtown! read more

Royal Blue Grocery - Congress Ave - New outdoor seating area - Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

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It's a little grocery and deli place. The grocery section is more like a grab and go, for a little snack (chips, beef jerky, box food items, toiletry items, some pre-made cool food items, milk, beer/alcoholic beverages, etc - definitely not a full on grocery store) I care in looking for a quick bite to eat or a snack and water. Found all the above in the little section they offer. Found me a little meat/cheese snack box, water, and got me a slice of moon pizza. They do offer sandwiches in their little deli area. All are already pre-made and they heat them up for you. I am super picky so the Moon pizza was the easiest for me. read more

Whoa that ice cream freezer game. This place ranks higher than anywhere else, pint-for-pint, on stocking ice creams I'm interested in eating. That's really strange and hard to do, because I've been at this a while. I also love experiences that make me feel like I may have slipped sideways into Los Angeles for a second. Well-played. read more

Tired. Long day of travel and work. The last thing I wanted to do was fight the SXSW crowds for a place to get dinner. So, I walked from my hotel to Royal Blue Grocery, not knowing what I would find. I am so happy I did ! The store has something for everyone. Lots of health conscious foods, plus a variety of vegan and vegetarian friendly options. I will be back to try the coffee and probably another panini ! read more

To the woman who made my Italian sandwich choosing the type of mustard for me. You are HEAVEN sent. This is the best damn sandwich I've ever had . This place Never fails me! :) read more

Alright, for a seriously windy day at lunch in downtown Austin my boyfriend and I decided we wanted a good deli sandwich. He works downtown so he suggested the Royal Blue Grocery! Inside is very clean and trendy. I like how you can buy local brands to Austin of a variety of foods or drinks. So hip! (Yup I said that). You order at the register of the sandwich you would like or you can buy pre made in their grocery. I saw on Yelp a lot of people raving about the Texas Hold Em and my boyfriend always gets their Cuban. I thought I would go for something new since I've had Cuban sandwiches before but never a Texas Hold Em! I should just listen to the boyfriend as he has a talent for what is always the tastiest in menus (ugh). We placed our order and they're already made sandwiches but "freshly"pressed which I think is odd as I'm conflicted on if that's considered fresh or not. We got our sandwiches and ate outside and braving the gusty wind. It wasn't too bad actually. The inside seating is open and nice but outside seating is always choice for me on nice sunny days. So the Cuban is huge and omg.. just delicious. It comes with a sriracha dipping sauce which is equally yummy. Perfect sandwich and extremely filling. The Texas Hold Em was so disappointing! Not very much meat for something claiming to be Texan! It's roast beef is just lacking in flavor. You can taste the pepper jack cheese and onions but I don't know it just was very underwhelming so .. I saved it for a rainy day and went inside and got me a Cuban sandwich. Their Specials menu looks delish so next time I'm going to try something off that menu. read more

This cute quirky local deli was a blessing to have around the corner of my hotel ! Several mornings I sat here having my breakfast or a take away. They have a great variety of sandwiches, salads, gluten free products, fresh coffees, breakfast tacos and many more..... . You can sit inside and outside, the atmosphere is low key, you are served by super friendly and helpful sales assistants, even unusual requests like extra soya milk in a cup to take away was easy to ask for. Its a FEEL GOOD place to stop by for a refreshment or snack and yummy take aways which will lift your spirits ! OF COURSE I recommend this place ! ! ! And I would be a regular if I would be an Austiner ! ! ! read more

Royal Blue Grocery - Congress Ave - Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Whether I'm sitting alone by the window people watching or introducing a co-worker to this place for take away, I leave happy. Whatever the mood I am in this place has got it covered; Aqua frescas, soup, pasta salads, East Side Pies or healthy snacks for later in the day. I've even popped in after work for a bottle of wine and before for a morning Kombucha. It reminds me of a big city corner store market but yet very neighbourly. If you work downtown you should definitely check it out. read more

Royal Blue Grocery - Congress Ave - Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

New new new to me! And new new new favorite :) Tried it for the 1st time last week. I went in with a friend to find something healthy for lunch. Yes, we want healthy food! A norm for me! They have a special for that day and that is what I ordered. It was a tofu curry with rice. I also bought a spinach spring salad. Both were fantastic! The store contains specialty goods, mostly local grocery items. The grocery items they sell are a bit pricey but worth it because you are helping the local community. They have deli style cold sandwiches, salads, meditteranean platters and drinks. They have hot sandwiches which are made-to-order. I think they also have pizzas but will check that next time. The 2nd time at the store, i had the Reuben sandwich and it was gooood! I also bought the meditteranean platter, sorry but that one is dry and not as tasty as I hoped for. I will be back there again to try their other stuff. I surely enjoyed this grocery store/restaurant. It is a good quick alternative for Wholefoods type of lunch. On average, you will spend about $16 for lunch at this place. Note: I am not sure if the ingredients they used are all organic (i doubt it). I did bought a mango smoothie and it is organic and local. read more

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I really love this spot. Is it a grocery? A restaurant? It's both! Complete with a lovely patio for outdoor seating -- or the cutest little counter inside for eating on site. Friendly service, healthy choices, nice variety of tasty items (try the Reuben), boutique items that must've been selected by a thoughtful buyer... perhaps a bit on the pricey side, but it's worth the experience. I'd shop here all the time if I lived in Austin. read more

I love stopping by RBG! The staff is always super friendly and quick to take orders/ring up/make coffee/etc. The coffee is actually good and the grocery selection is like an elevated convenience store with healthy and locally-made options. read more

As a musician, I've struggled to find good food in this area between sound check and the show, but I just discovered the dope hot sandwiches inside this little grocery store. The Texas Hold Em was amazing and it came with a yummy, spicy orange sauce on the side. *Bonus: They let you drink a tall boy beer on the premises with your sandwich FTW! read more

This place used to be alright before they got new management but since they replaced Jaden, the old manager the place has really gone down hill. They recently lost a lot of good staff and the hours have been totally whack. Kanika, one of the managers was very cold to me on multiple occasions I don't care for her at all. Sandwiches are alright but the vibe is not there anymore. read more

I had no idea there was a Royal Blue Grocery until I started working on opening up a show at the Stateside Theater at the Paramount in August. I ordered a slices of East Side pies from here for some of our stage crew hands in which only 1 of them had ever tried. They were delicious and so many options were had even for our non-meat eaters. I had the veggie grilled cheese that was made to order and delicious! Artichokes, 3 kinds of cheese, and a grilled sourdough bread was the best way to go on this grilled cheese. What i did enjoy the most was going inside and finding many healthy & natural options on chips, crackers, cookies, they even had vegan cookies, and some aqua frescas too! They also sale beer here and if you'd like once you purchase it the folks that work there (often times I was there the owner was working the register) will pop your beer open and you can enjoy it outside on 1 of the 4 tables outside on the sidewalk of Congress Ave. Their cold "to-go" sandwiches are excellent as well! They had cranberry walnut chicken salad which was sooooo tasty! All local produce and fresh food. How can you go wrong?! read more

I really dig the Royal Blues. Good to have urban bodegas to shop at. I've written more in-depth reviews of the other ones, so I'll just quickly sum this one up: Good selection of snack foods, produce, drinks (including locally made Buddha's Brew kombucha), delicious breakfast tacos and good coffee. The prices are about what you'd expect in the city, like a breakfast burrito and a kombucha together are 6 bucks. Cigarettes *are* expensive, like 8 bucks for a pack of American Spirits (good thing I started vaping). The Congress location has shaded outdoor seating, and they always play good music. read more

I'm a big fan of Royal Blue Grocery. It's like a fancy pants bodega with lots of food made to order, tacos, pizza, fancy beers, snacks, and a wide selection of vegetarian/healthy lunch options. They also carry the regular convenience store staples as well as fresh flowers. It may be a bit pricey, but it's the usual convenience store markup. Royal Blue is a great alternative to 7-11 and the other lunch options downtown. Everybody's friendly here, and I don't mind walking a few extra blocks from the capitol for fancy yogurt. read more

This is one of my SXSW Austin staples. This place has great breakfast tacos, coffee and other treats for in and out ease. All the locations are consistently good. Love coming here during my Austin visits. read more

Super cute, hipster style "grocery" store...they are more of a small specialty store. They sell beer, wine, snacks and some sundries as well as prepackaged items and they have a full coffee bar! read more

Oddball little local chain that has the ambiance of an understocked corner convenience in the middle of a food desert (which is what downtown Austin is, near as I can tell - where's the Whole Foods, hunh?) but which stocks high-end organic and gourmet fare. Now, you are paying the very steep food-desert-this-is-your-only-option prices for the relatively small selection of hipster fare and fru-fru fresh food, from small craft beer to Annie's cheddar bunnies (the fresh fruit was welcome, but the prices for bananas are literally cheaper at Starbucks). But on the other hand, when I've had to resort to such places in other cities, I've had to settle for garbagey stale stuff. So if you're going to get gouged, at least get gouged for quality. So...I guess that's sort of a warm fuzzy feeling. read more

Great food and wifi to work. love their breakfast tacos and butter coffee is bomb!

If you are downtown and need a market, this is your only choice. The staff are friendly and helpful, but the inventory is severely lacking. You can buy a sandwich, a cookie, or other prepared meals, but the "grocery" sections are ridiculously understocked. The prices are a tad high, but considering the prime real estate this store occupies, they could be worse. My wife needed something for breakfast, so we bought two cookies at $1.75 each. The cookies were big and tasty enough, but there was little else to choose from. Trying to find a supermarket in central Austin is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, In 2+ days in Austin, we saw only one, a H-E-B on the northern outskirts as we drove into town, so choices are limited, especially downtown. CombatCritic Gives Royal Blue Grocery 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better! read more

This should be your go to convenience store on congress - great selection of lots of gourmet items and cool staff

Compared to the other Royal Blue Grocery, this spot is relatively boring. It's more like an upscale convenience store and less like the gourmet hot spot I was expecting. Don't get me wrong -- they've still got some good local Austin stuff and sammies and cookies but after the magnificence of the other, I'm relatively disappointed. So today, you get A-Ok is what I've got for you. Next time I stop in, I'll make it a little earlier and sit at a bistro table for some sweet people watching. read more