This is a great new coffee shop in Gardena on the route between home and my mother's house which make it very convenient for me LOL I don't know which I liked better the coffee drinks or the pastries! My son ordered the Fireplace Iced Latte (vanilla & cinnamon) w/ Earl Grey Cookie and I had the Smokin' Spaniard (condensed milk, cinnamon & hazelnut) w/ Lemon-Glazed Madeleines. WOW The drinks where rich and full of flavor and the pastries were 5-Star, so fresh I was looking around for the baker LOL They are located in a shopping center with parking on two levels. There is plenty of seating but it was still pretty full when we were there so we had to take our treats to go. The pastry section in the front has plenty to choose from and next time I'm getting some for later ;) read more

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I have been on a hunt for a really yummy strawberry matcha that's fairly close or close-ish. My favorite is still in the valley. I have not found one that even comes close to how good their strawberry matcha is, however, this strawberry matcha is definitely the best I've had in the area. They do charge an additional fee for oat milk which is normal, like every other place. I'm used to it but I should really think about carrying around some oat milk with me because an additional $1.00 to have oat milk instead of whole milk is just a teensy bit ridiculous. Service was great. Friendly and welcoming staff. Parking was not an issue for me. I had choices to choose from as far as parking spaces, but I can see it being a challenge depending when you go. read more

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A much needed addition to the neighborhood! If you were looking for coffee shops in Gardena two years ago, the search results would've given you Starbucks, Dunkin', boba shops, and Starbucks inside Target. It's great to see new, better options now like this one and Pruvia Coffee Bar! Smoking Tiger is in a shopping plaza along Western. They replaced Quickly, which replaced Lollicup. Finding a nearby parking spot can be hard if you go during a busy time but there's always space in the underground garage. The left side of the coffee shop has merchandise, pastry display cases, and tables. The right side has the register/drink-making area, benches, and a door leading to an outdoor patio. If you've been to their locations in Buena Park and Brea, the drinks and pastries options are similar. Besides your usual Americanos, Espressos, and Cappuccinos, they also have a few Korean-inspired flavors like Jeju Matcha Latte, Choco Mugwort Latte, and KHO (roasted brown rice latte). For baked goods, they have various croissants, cookies, danishes, tarts, and many more. Fireplace Latte is a pleasant combination of vanilla and cardamom. I like the Smokin' Spaniard more, which is a sweet mix of condensed milk and cinnamon (hazelnut was a bit absent). The Chocolate Madeleines were buttery and the flavor was good but I wish the edges were more crisp. There are a few outlets available, but I would charge laptops and phones ahead of time just in case. Nice place to study and get work done! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Fireplace Latte (hot) w/ Chocolate Madeleines ⋅ Gardena, California - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

I've been to the other Smoking Tiger locations in Cerritos and Buena Park so I was happy to hear they were opening up a location here in Gardena. I can see parking as a challenge especially when it's busy - This location is inside a strip mall. There is underground parking, but I can see it being filled easily. Also, be careful when you turn out of the parking lot. A lot of cars like to zoom by that area trying to make the light on Redondo Beach Blvd. Inside you'll find a few tables and chairs to sit down and study/work on. They also have an area where they sell pastries, cookies, and bread but every time I've visited the area is mostly empty (perhaps because it's their soft opening?). They also have a wall where they'll sell their tea, I think I saw coffee, and maybe later down the line mugs and tea pots (like their other stores). I've had their Jeju Matcha Latte with oat milk, their Pineapple Express with 25% sugar, their Green Goblin, and their YSL (Yuzu Sparkling Lemonade). My favorites are their Pineapple Express which is super refreshing on a hot day, and their Jeju Matcha, which is very matcha-y and delicious. Their service is friendly and after their soft opening they'll be open past 9 pm! read more

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Gorgeous and delicious drinks and pastries! There's plenty of space to sit and enjoy your goodies. Parking is pretty easy as well. The cashier was super helpful as well! read more

I was excited to try this coffee shop but it was quite underwhelming. I got the banana milk latte which was one of their specialty drink. Although it was not entirely bad, I could only taste the banana milk and not so much of the coffee. I give it a 3/5. My boyfriend got the tiger latte and did not like it at all. All you could taste was the milk (which I get it's a latte but still) The size he got was supposed to get 2 shots of espresso but it didnt taste like it at all. It was a 2/5. Service was pretty good tho. Very attentive staff. The ambiance of the place was quiet and the shop had a pretty decent size. It's a good spot for studying/work. read more

Smoking Tiger is a coffee and bread shop reminiscent of 85 Degrees, but Korean-style. Located in the former Quickly Boba, it offers a spacious indoor and outdoor area that's perfect for doing work or having a coffee date with friends and loved ones. I only ordered to-go, including the Blink latte (chocolate-raspberry latte), London fog, and a few pastries, including a matcha scone and honey mochi madeleines. I was bummed that they'd run out of the Earl Grey cookie, as I really wanted to try it! The Blink latte (named after the famed K-pop girl group Black Pink??) was tasty-- sweet from the chocolate and raspberry flavors, which were both pronounced. It was almost like dessert, so if you don't have a sweet tooth, this might not be the one for you. I didn't try the London fog, but I was told that it wasn't too sweet (which was appreciated). The honey mochi madeleines weren't anything to write home about-- aside from the *very subtle* mochi texture, it just tasted like a plain madeleine. Overall, a cute coffee/bread shop worth stopping by for some sweet drinks and sweets themselves. Worth a go! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Blink latte, London fog, matcha scone, honey mochi madeleines - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

Cute, airy, modern coffee shop in the neighborhood! We love the fact that it's so spacious inside with plenty of tables as well as a long outdoor seating area. The display case of baked goods is fun to look at. Some of the pastries look yummy! Nice signature menu with a variety of beverages. We got the Smokin' Spaniard, London Fog, and House Coffee -- all were very good. No complaints. Free parking in the shopping plaza. There is also underground parking -- not sure if there's a cost. I'm docking one star for the pumpkin bread, which tasted very little like pumpkin and was overwhelmingly covered with large chocolate chunks outside as well as inside the block of bread. Somewhat dry as well. This needs to be tweaked! And for $4.50, it was pricey. This is the same price as some of their larger baked goods such as the pistachio croissant and garlic cream croissant. We also noticed there were very few power outlets at the tables, so if you plan to work here, know this in advance and come with a fully charged laptop. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Pumpkin bread -- too much chocolate, not enough pumpkin flavor. Meh. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

My first taste of the Passion fruit kouign amann was incredible! The barista kindly suggested heating it, which really brought out the passion fruit's flavor alongside the satisfying crunch of the pastry. A good way to start off my quiet Friday morning! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Passion fruit kouign amann - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

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Was excited to try this coffee spot. I went to grab a tasty drink for my parents. Ordered misoogaru (cereal and grain drink) for 6 dollars and literally received half a cup of iced milk.... it was so bland I asked for them to add more of the grain mix... even after, it was just milk basically... so disappointed never going to waste money here again for half a cup of a drink I could make at home. read more

Located off S. Western Ave in Gardena. Parking is shared with all the businesses in the plaza it's a small plaza with a lot of businesses. There is additional parking underground. The place is not big but has a good amount of tables to sit at. It's kinda like 85C where you look and choose your pastry/bakery items on a tray and take it up to the counter to pay and you order your drinks at the counter as well. The staff is nice and helpful. What I do like about this place is the freshness of their bakery items. I got the Pb&j croissant, butter croissant, a pretzel and blueberry scone type. All were good and would get them again. Overall a great little place. read more

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Came here on a Tuesday afternoon to get some remote work done. Smoking Tiger is located inside a shopping plaza and there was plenty of parking underground (I believe most of the upper lot spots are 20 mins only). In terms of ambiance, I would say the noise level is standard. I would say a good portion of folks here are working on things, so definitely a solid option if you want to be productive. I ordered a matcha scone ($4.50) and was excited to see that it had mini mochi bits and chocolate chunks in it. It had a nice light matcha flavor and I enjoyed the varied texture with the mini bits dispersed throughout. They have a pretty good selection of sweet and savory pastries, so I'd probably venture out to try another one next time I visit. Overall, I'd recommend coming here - cute cafe, yummy pastries, nice overall environment to get some work done! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - matcha scone ($4.50) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

PROS: - Ample parking in parking lot; most spaces in front are 30 min but there is additional parking if you plan to stay longer - Ample seating inside -- the space is great to study (saw plenty of outlets), catch up with someone, or just relax. I did think this could be a problem at times though, since a lot of students were around and studying for finals already early in the morning. Something to keep in mind. - Friendly staff CONS: - Matcha latte: the quality of matcha used was not the greatest. The matcha itself was a dull green, grainy, and tasted...old? It did not taste like ceremonial grade and left me with a stomachache afterwards :( It was a little too floral for my taste, which was odd since I got no sweetener in my drink -- only oat milk and matcha. Perhaps I'll give it another try in the future -- the pastries looked tasty, but my stomach wasn't up to eating. read more

BIG GIGANTIC FAN. It's rare to find a cafe shop that offer the tonic coffees. My first was in Vegas and it's hard discovery out in LA unless you live in the hipster hoods of Echo Park and the like. Another thing I enjoyed was their salt bread. The cream cheese was fluffier and lighter than regular tub of cream cheese you get at the grocers and I'm certain it's about half a day's worth of calories but when that smooth creamy bite with the umami of everything bagel seasoning on the bread hits your tongue, your cholesterol will forgive you. I would definitely come back to try more of their drinks in the future since it's right next to the women's only Korean spa that I frequent and also the same plaza as my dentist. Parking here is nuts, it's like trying to battle for Black Friday shopping at the mall so I recommend just foregoing the street level spots and go underground but also be mindful some spots are specific to certain retail shops. read more

I took a look at all the verities of delicatessens and because I couldn't choose one, I decided on FOUR different yumyums. They (did not) disappoint, omgosh!!! Very cheesy very fresh very flavorful on the highest level. I completed 3 out of the four. Service was nice and the restaurant is very clean. I absolutely love that I can actually think and get work done because the music isn't blasting my ear drums. Come here for ALL your coffee & bread needs, you won't regret it!!!! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - ALL was beyond fresh & delicious! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

I always come here for their drinks, I love their seasonal drinks especially in the summer. Winter ones have been alright. I got one of their black sesame matcha cakes today and it was quite bad, really dry and bad texture--taste wise it's a b-. Not worth the price, but again drinks are what i usually come here for and I also do enjoy their ube mochi and other small pastries. But god avoid those cakes read more

First time I heard of Smoking Tiger was at Cerritos and have been curious to check it out and what's even better is they just opened a location closer to me, yay! Overall, everything was quality. The drinks were amazing (love the lattes) and the pastries were on point especially when it comes to their garlic and cheese combo (croissant and garlic bread so yum!). They have a counter with ready-to-go baked goods (scones, cookies) and a see-through shelf with fresh and more savory items. The ambiance was very modern and gave off that Korean-cafe style you usually would see in SK. Service was good but slow due to the staffing and probably because everyone is still getting situated. No biggie though! I know I'll be back soon. Can't wait for more! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Cheesecake brownie, garlic cream cheese croissant (fave) and garlic bread with cream cheese. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

The coffee is incredible. They've got three or four different brew strengths and a fantastic menu. Try the espresso tonic if you go . They've also got delicious breads , free Wi-Fi, indoor and outdoor seating and a point system where you're going to quickly earn a free coffee. Use that to try one of their seasonal drinks.! And if you don't like coffee, they have teas and juices. read more

I am so glad that this cafe exists, especially since it's near the medical plaza I frequent. The Smoking Spaniard latte is definitely a wonderful choice if it's your first time visiting this spot. It's strong yet with hint of cinnamon balanced out with some creamy condensed milk. I had it warm since it was early in the morning and it felt so cozy. The barista is friendly and patient. I like to walk around and ask questions about the pastries, and he's never annoyed by me. It's obvious they actually enjoy working at a cafe. I had the matcha latte once and it was yummy, too. I don't think you can really go wrong with any option here. read more

Finally, an amazing coffee shop in Gardena! This location is pretty fun because it's located in the same plaza as TWO other "sister" shops to Smoking Tiger. So if your friends aren't a fan of coffee, you can head to Podong Seoul Tea for some tea/yogurt drinks instead. Or you can get some great tiramisu at Oncle's Cake Shop. Tons of pluses here -- there's an underground parking, so you shouldn't have any trouble hanging out here for a long time. There's WiFi and outlets, and a ton of other food options nearby if you plan to work here for a while and get hungry. Their pastries are pretty damn good, especially when it's more fresh earlier in the day. They've got an amazing array of coffee gear for sale, ranging from an Aeropress Kit to a Hario scale. They also sell coffee by the bean if you want to brew at home. Onto the drinks -- I've only had two drinks so far, and I honestly don't see myself ordering anything else anymore...because I think I already found my order. The Strawberry Forest on the seasonal menu needs to become permanent. It's very tasty, but keep in mind it's more of a dessert drink than a caffeinated drink. They have THE BEST espresso tonic I've ever had. Ask for it to be made with the Good Luck Baton beans. Like, I don't know how it's so good -- I've had many and it even beats Nook Coffee's version. At this point I'm making it a weekly tradition to order one. Very happy with this addition to Gardena, give them a shot! read more

Good pastries and drinks. I really enjoy the variety and most of all it's close to work and my students parents are near by so I usually get a little treat from them read more

die hard smoking tiger fan it's my favorite cafe in the area 100% recommend my go to order is a jeju matcha latte and a matcha scone! you can tell the matcha is real and not some powdered sweetened mix which i really like. the scone is a matcha base with chocolate chips and mochi bits which complement eachother really well without being too sweet. hojicha latte - also worth a try, good roasted flavor sweet potato mochi - personally wouldn't recommend, the filling was real sweet potato which was good but it was pretty dry and tasted stale i don't have them pictured but the earl grey scone and the potato garlic bread are also some of my favorites! service is solid, the people working at the register are always nice and it's a perfect place to study. the only con is there's only two or three tables with access to outlets so come pre-charged but it's usually not too crowded. overall a good cafe to study at or talk w friends at, great vibes read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - jeju matcha latte and matcha scone - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

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I've been wanting to check this place out for awhile. I ordered the Tiger Latte, which honestly wasn't anything to write home about. However there are a lot of other options on the menu I'll be returning to try, especially the Korean Honey Oat drink! Parking on the ground floor may be a little tough depending on when you come, but there's usually parking in the garage downstairs. read more

Cute spot! The coffee was really good and and we also got gal pastries, one sweet and one savory! I'll be back to try more, glad I found and tried Smoking tiger :) Ham and Cheese CroissantPistachio Croissant read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Pistachio croissant, ham and cheese croissant, Smokin Spaniard with oat milk and chai with oat milk. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

The drinks are very good and the pastries but the cheesecake is super creamy and delish!! The service is friendly and fast. The place is clean and nice! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Berry cheesecake! Sooo yummy ! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

Was working in the area and checked out Tiger Coffee. It's a tight parking situation, but I was able to find parking towards the back of the plaza. Inside it's spacious. There were a few people working from the cafe and outlets in the wall for charging. I ran into the pastry display case and checked it out. It's not packed full of pastries but the ones they had were like works of art. I bought an ube mochi and sweet pumpkin mochi treat not knowing what it was and a Nutella croissant. The mochi's were cool, definitely not super sweet but very true to the flavor of the vegetable it was modeled after. Nutella croissant was bomb and their signature coffee drink hit the spot. The staff were friendly and looked like they made every drink with precision and care. Definitely a stand out vibe from many other coffee shops I've been to. read more

Nice café/bakery in Gardena. I only got drinks but I did peruse the bakery section and will definitely try it next time. Great selection of sweet and savory pastries. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

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I came to meet up with a friend in the afternoon. Very quiet and nice little spot with pleasant staff. I did not try any pastries but they looked delicious! Got the "baby latte" (literally the name), and it was good. I would come back now that I know it's here. Parking in lot - I could imagine it getting busy on the weekends, but for the moment, it was peaceful. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Exterior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

I come here a few times a week to do homework and always find myself being able to do work here without being distracted, the workers are on top of their game at keeping the cafe look clean and presentable and are always so friendly when taking drink orders, my go to beverage here is the banana milk latte, I have yet to try their any of the pastries but am looking forward to doing it in the near future. Just a heads up there are hardly any wall plugs so keep that in mind but it's very spacious inside but there is limited seating, but I haven't found myself not being able to find somewhere to take a seat. read more

Was introduced to STCL by a co-worker. In Rowland Hghts for lunch and after next door stopped in for a quick drink. The Iced Jeju Matcha was good but the Corn and Sweet Potatoe Mochi was awesome. Counter folk was patience with questions and service was top tier. Great atmosphere to hang out. Come to find out there's a location a mile house in the South Bay and 2 locations within 4 mi from the office. Cool! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

Love the sesame tea i had awhile back. Tiger, banana and Spaniard lattes were all good. Spaniard was prob my fave so far. All the breads/parties we've had are good. I like all the scones (esp cinnamon, ube, and mochi cookie). They might be too dry for some, but perfect for coffee/tea. My son's fave is the garlic/potato chip bread. read more

First time at smoking tiger coffee and bread and OMG it's soooo good! Got the matcha filling crosspoint and hot Hojicha it was amazing! Love the art work in the shop and even on their cups it's so delicate and cute. Definitely would come back here to hang out, study, and most importantly try other drinks and food. read more

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I've been coming here for a minute (about 8 months), and the service and product are equally consistent and good. I miss the banana cakes, but the cookies are very delicious. I usually order one of three drinks, the chai, the fireplace latte, or the smoking Spaniard. All their drinks thus far are incredibly good, and the customer service is always positive. I even had my wife and three children get drinks here, and each of them were very impressed with the quality and taste of their respective drinks. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Chai - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

Such a cute little coffee shop. Located in a little strip mall with ample parking in gardena. I love the aesthetics of this cafe and appreciate their eye for detail in the wood seating. They have a small pastry display where you can pick your own pastries and you can order drinks at the counter. I tried their tiger late - with brown sugar and frothed oat milk. Drinks were made fast and I was so surprised at how good the coffee was! I'll be back next time I'm in town. read more

I love that this place is very chill. The Espresso tonics are one of my favorites. Typically come here to work and definitely will be coming back. read more

Great spot for studying! I really liked the atmosphere and the sandwiches were so yummy! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

The third time I came here, the barista (Sandra) already remembered my name. Great pastries, amazing coffee and friendly baristas that know what the F They are doing. Glad I found this place! read more

This place is located in a plaza that has adequate amount of parking, it has an underground parking lot as well. This located as both indoor and outdoor seating. I think it is a great place to do work and socialize. The bakery here is alot smaller than the other locations but still has a decent amount of goods. My favorite thing I get the hojicha latte. The matcha and strawberry matcha lattes I tried tasted water down and artificial. Hojicha Latte 5/5 Jeju Matcha 3/5 Strawberry Matcha Latte 3/5 read more

Love when Asian bakeries come out with new and exciting pastries so I was really excited to visit Smoking Tiger. There is limited parking upon entering the lot but additional parking is available underground and accessible via stairs. Personally, the stairs weren't the best maintained and not really the safest at night. I visited fairly early in the day and pastries were still coming out. I tried a variety of them, such as margherita focaccia and their scones and nothing was too heavy or dry. Also had the hojicha latte and that wasn't anything too special but I appreciate that it wasn't too watered down. There were a lot of interesting variations of garlic/cheese bread so looking forward to trying those next time. The interior is nice and the music isn't too loud for some work/studying but I'm not sure if the wifi holds up. read more

I'm sorry but I'm giving this place 2 stars only because there was literally NOTHING left but a few pastries. I've been dying to try a good almond croissant and what I got was a sad looking almond croissant :( The flavor was there but the texture was of a stale bread as you can see, it's no longer fresh and fluffy but sad and squashed. The nice girl behind the counter let me know they get a fresh batch stocked up every Monday. However I came on a Sunday afternoon so there was literally nothing left. So if you're looking to have options, come early in the week. You might have better luck than I did. I will try again and hopefully can change my sad 2 star review. I do understand it's not easy for bakery shops to continuously have fresh pastries on hand without it going to waste and therefore losing profit but hopefully they eventually come up with a better system so that no matter when customers come, they have at least some fresh pastries available. I do see good reviews for their coffees so I will have to try that next time. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Almond croissant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Gardena, California

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