Intelligentsia Coffee Shoal Creek Coffeebar

Really short walk from the Austin Public library. It's a little busy but not too busy. I had the latte it was good and then came back for an oatmeal raisin cookie. If I come back to this place it's because of that oatmeal cookie, soft, sweet and salty in every bite, the perfect combination with the latte.

Having known Intelligentsia Coffee from California, we had high expectations for this location. We used to visit their Pasadena shop regularly—whether for a weekend coffee break while strolling around or as a cozy spot to work on weekdays. It had a warm, inviting atmosphere that made you want to stay. Unfortunately, this location has none of that. It feels more like a quick-service coffee counter tucked inside an office building—just a place to grab a coffee and leave. There’s no inviting ambiance, no character, nothing that makes you want to sit and enjoy your time. Maybe it’s a different part of the chain, maybe it’s a franchise, but whatever the reason, this spot lacks the soul that made the California locations special. As for the coffee… I won’t even bother reviewing it. Enough said.

The baristas are all awesome and make great drinks!!! I got their cappuccino and I legit was transported to my favorite coffee shop in Dallas, Davis Street Espresso. The cappuccino was perfectly made and it’s the BEST capp i’ve had in Austin since I moved here. The coffee shop is also a short walk to the central library and ladybird lake, so I would definitely pass by and try it if you’re in the area. 3/22/25 Matcha is mid, it’s pretty grainy, wouldn’t get it again.

The coffee is great. It is a little pricey and not really worth the cost but it is good. The baristas are very friendly. There’s not much space to sit however.

Ruin an amazing coffee with terrible service. I was excited to try their Gesha…and at almost $20 with tax for a cup, this pour over came with super high expectations. Baristas were sub par trained for a Specialty Coffee shop. Menu didn’t have the coffee process specified, and the baristas didn’t know either. Had to guess based on tasting notes. Disappointed…. Our family owns the Spirit Mountain Estate in the DR. As coffee farmers and industry leaders, we have a high bar and looked forward to an elevated experience here in Austin.

Unfortunately this location takes much more than it gives in terms of value for the dollar paid. The seating is unnecessarily uncomfortable and cramped. The matcha latte was diluted when I was expecting a bright green. And looking at the drip coffee price, I was embarrassed for them. Staff was courteous and knowledgeable.

like the places, spent a week in Austin and I wanted to find a good place for coffee for me and my team. Baristas are nice and helpful. I highly recommend their matcha.

One of my favorite places to grab Matcha latte in downtown. They have Nitro Oat Milk Matcha Latte on draft which is delicious. Their matcha isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it. There’s plenty of bar seating inside, so usually there’s a place to sit, even that they are located in a popular downtown area.

For those of you living somewhat near the Seaholm area, this is a great alternative if you want a change from Merit Coffee. Don't laugh at me, but the best part about this spot is that they serve breakfast tacos until 11:30am, which is fantastic for night owl (late worm?) like me. As for coffee, looks like their signature is is this Avena flavor... but I tend to not like cinnamon in coffee so I didn't try it. But if you're into that, it certainly sounds interesting! I went with my go-to vanilla latte with oat milk, and it did the job well. Ambiance is amazing too. It's sitting right next to a hotel, so you get that luxury modern feel, which is fantastic as a place to relax or do a little laptop work.

Had a wonderful latte here this afternoon! The space is small, but not cramped at all. The tile on the wall is magnificent. Would definitely come back here for an ice drink! The Avena Latte was very refreshing.

After walking around the Austin library I needed one of the closest coffee shops nearby and Intelligentsia was my choice. They have stores in other cities like LA, Chicago, etc. The interior of the Austin location is small, but very nice and the staff was super friendly. I wanted the Iced Apple Chai, but unfortunately after a short wait it turns out it was sold out so I opted for the Iced Oat Matcha Latte which was originally costs $7. I have had matcha lattes from many places, but I was personally a little whelmed by the matcha flavor and there was zero sweetness which I was caught off guard by. I don't mind having a little sweetness, but none at all made the matcha flavor pretty overpowering and I wasn't a fan of this particular matcha taste. It's mainly personal preference, but this wasn't my favorite and the seats are a little uncomfortable to sit on. The customer service was outstanding and a 10/10 though which was the biggest plus for me.

Lovely and airy space, matcha latte was great and the staff when i went on a Monday afternoon were super friendly and kind. They were out of the nitro oat milk matcha but I'd love to try next time. Their drinks have never disappointed and even though they have downtown Austin price, this is worth it personally for an occasional splurge

Came by this coffee shop for an afternoon matcha. The matcha was super smooth. No matcha lumps, thank god! The staff was super friendly and had me sample the nitro matcha on tap which was interesting. It's a super spacious coffee shop and worth a try. Cheers!

From the large clear windows I could see that beautiful mosaic tile wall as I was walking towards the entrance. There was so much natural light it just simply felt inviting and a productive work space. Their menu is super nice and this shop is really meant for folks to be able to sit at a table and jump on their laptop. I'd more so say this is best if you're coming alone or with one or two friends. I opted for their cold brew just to taste the quality of their coffee beans and I was thoroughly impressed with them. I really appreciated their conscious efforts to highlight and bring awareness to the farmers they work with and the batches of coffees they utilize from around the world. As I'm writing this review, it reminds me how much I need to make a trip back sooner than later.

Popped in on my way to the Austin Nature Center. The iced vanilla latte was the caffeine boost that I needed. I ended up grabbing a salted oatmeal cookie too. One of the best cookies I've ever had!

Cute coffee shop near Austin Central Library. Got the draft oat latte - delicious and didn't hurt my stomach at all. Not too sweet, and not too bitter either. Service was very friendly and attentive, and the inside was really cute! Loved the blue and red tile wall!

Amazing drinks and great service. We got the matcha latte and Avena latte. Avena was wonderful with a variety of spices for a creamy but spiced holiday drink. We parked at the library, which is pay-for parking. There's some seating inside, tables are small or against the window which is great for solo working or meeting with a friend for a friendly chat. Would come back! I also liked that there were milk alternatives (whole, oat, almond)

This place is a good example of how a business should act when they mess up. I came in with my two girls before my younger's ballet class, we ordered three drinks and two pastries, for whatever reason the barista forgot to make our drinks. The other barista noticed we didn't have our drinks and made them for us, profusely apologizing even though it hadn't been that long that we had been waiting. Then while I picked up my drink at the counter and was chatting with the first barista she refunded me the cost of one of the drinks, I said, "You don't have to do that!" And she shrugged and said, "It's done!" The people are wonderful, the coffee was great, the latte patterns were gorgeous and the kids gobbled up the pastries so they must have been good! Thanks for your kindness! We will definitely be back!

Tasteful, Minimalist Interior. Solid velvety, microfoam lattes with pretty latte art. Polite baristas. The concrete chairs and tables are sort of *hard* (literally) to sit on, lol.

I absolutely love the avena latte. This used to be a seasonal item for them but now its available anytime. If you haven't tried it, its a must. Its a beautifully balanced latte with a blend of spices and notes of citrus. There is free wifi and several seating options. The only downsides are that they close at 4PM and there is no parking.

We stopped by on an early morning right at opening so the wait time was non existent. The shop is located in a very nice area and kind of tucked into a cul-de-sac downtown. Perfect for after a run/bike/yoga/ session. The almond croissant was so tasty! Very flaky and I recommend getting to warmed up! The avena latte was super tasty as well. A bit sweet so if you're not into sweet coffees be aware. The pour over was phenomenal. So much flavor and the presentation it came out in was super nice. The baristas were super friendly and the vibe was awesome here. Pet friendly too, we got to meet so many pups that morning! Highly recommend if you're in the area!!

My favorite coffee place in the city so far! Consistent, always yummy, and reasonable prices. A quick and convenient location, and they offer breakfast pastries, coffee beans, and merch as well. I come about once a week. Love their lattes on draft, but they also can make them with espresso. Both are great. My favorite drinks are the iced vanilla latte, matcha latte, and their seasonal avena latte - the best! The spices and cayenne pepper really give it a nice kick and it's really great. I have yet to try any of their pastries but they're always tempting, and the merch is cute. Coffee bags are a bit pricy but probably worth it if you want to make at home!

We visited this coffee shop from Dallas and were super pleased. The iced oat latte from the tap is one of the best lattes I've had. The nitro cold brew had strong notes of fruit which we liked because it was unique. A must go to coffee place if you want different tastes.

Nice convenient coffee shop, does what it needs to do! Staff were polite and quick with my order. Came in at 9am on a Thursday and it was pretty quiet. Good amount of chairs though not the comfiest if you're trying to do work here for a while. Public free internet: speed up 10 mbps download and 10 mbps upload I got a chai latte and it was good but on the sweeter side! Restrooms clean with a bathroom code

Nice downtown coffee shop for getting work done or meeting up with a friend. There is indoor and outdoor seating which makes this small shop more enticing. The baristas are friendly and helpful. I got a plain latte which was good. But they have coffee and alcoholic drinks on tap depending on your mood.

Intelligentsia is a great place to stop by and grab a cup of coffee. The area is nice and is attached to a hotel. However it kind of sucks they don't have any caramel! My go to is typically a caramel latte but I settled for the vanilla and I was not disappointed. My sister ordered a matcha latte on tap and she mentioned it was very good! The shop is a little bit small but they do have an outside patio area that is nice to sit out at if the weather is nice. Overall not too bad of a place - recommend their coffee for grab and go!

Started off Sunday Funday here and aside from the perfect downtown location and amazing service, their coffee was top notch. Iced Avena latte had so much flavor and was the perfect blend as we strolled around downtown. Steeped cinnamon, orange peel, vanilla, and ginger in a turbinado simple syrup mixed with expresso and oatmilk. The baristas were patient, friendly and helpful by offering samples to my husband as he tried to narrow down his choices.

We ordered nitro oatmeal match. It was very good. Highly recommend it! We also ordered ice mocha. It's good but no option to add whipped cream.

If you're going to come here ... be prepared to have your entire life savings taken away because THE LATTES AND MATCHA LATTES HERE ARE SO GOOD THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK. This is my all-time favorite place to get matcha lattes. Yes, it's a hefty $7 coffee + tip bill but I PROMISE you, it's worth every penny. It's so smooth, matcha-y, and delicious that I can't find another place that does it better. I wouldn't say it's the biggest coffee shop to do work or study at, but I come here purely to get amazing coffee and matcha. LOVE this place 11/10.

So delicious!! I live the coffee here but the service was a lil slow. We were waiting about 20 minutes for our two iced lattes. There was one person in front of us but i still didn't expect for it to take so long. You probably have to pay for parking at this location so keep that in mind. The area and vibe is cool. One complaint I have was that it was freezing outside and they had the door open. Didn't love that. But as far as coffee goes it's really good!!

After seeing the coffee in various grocery stores in Austin, we finally got a chance to visit the brick and mortar cafe in downtown. Location is definitely more convenient for those working or living downtown or if you happen to be walking around this nicer part of downtown. Otherwise, you have to find street parking. We got the Angeleno, definitely a more watered down drink than a sweet drink, but still enjoyed it. High ceiling, not too many outlets though, but seems like a quiet enough place to get some reading done.

Top-tier coffee. My usual order is a draft iced latte sweetened (latte with added house syrup). Their house syrup is 1:1 raw sugar and water, and they use an ounce to sweeten-- which seems to be just the right amount. Their matcha is also another great option. This space is great for studying/work and I've been here too many times to count. Intelligentsia has easily become a personal favorite.

Wow. Best Iced coffee I've experienced in Texas. I got the draft latte and it was so smooth and had great flavor.

Note no Splenda/sucralose sweetener...apparently I'm supposed to like Stevia (I do not). The espresso pull (for an Americano) was good with good crema (honestly as I would expect from Intelligentsia). Staff are nice, shop is modern aka utilitaria/German "Sprockets".

Your average, run of the mill, overpriced coffee joint in downtown Austin. Or is it? The barista's aren't very friendly and the drinks are just, ok. Look, I like my $6 cup of tea just as much as the next fella, but the atmosphere usually somewhat justifies the price. Intelligentsia's atmosphere unfortunately mimics the quality of drinks and friendliness of service. Just meh.

Super cute cafe, delicious pastries, expertly made espresso, and very friendly staff! Plus it has the bonus of some very fun people watching out the windows. Not very accessible parking-wise, but it's a great place to pop in if you are walking around downtown.

They have everything you could want in a coffee shop -- nice staff, a calm and relaxing vibe, and good quality coffee and drinks. Their draft iced matcha latte cannot be beat. Indoor seating can be hard to come by during busy hours, but it's the perfect place to swing by and grab a drink before walking around downtown. Worth the visit!

Love this place - I've been looking for a coffee shop in ATX with espresso tonic and this was finally worth finding. There is indoor and a limited outdoor space if you're walking in for a casual buy or some work time or for a morning chat.

Easily one of the best matcha lattes I've ever had. My friend had me get the nitro matcha latte and it was delicious. The perfect amount of creamy and sweetness, haven't had anything like it. It was really expensive, but worth the price if you want to splurge for a killer drink. The coffee shop was also very cute.

Excellent coffee, lovely staff, very uncomfortable chairs! Haha. Great place to sit and sip and have a quick chat maybe. If you do decide to sit down and work though like i did, your back may hurt a bit and it can be a little noisy with the high ceiling and small space echo! The pastries were great too! I'd go again for sure !

Intelligencia has been a staple coffee shop for years. They are pioneers. Yet, the cappuccino was only a grade B-. It wasn't as smooth as I remember.

Intelligentsia is a beautiful cafe to chill and do your work at! They have cute stations to put your laptop and food on :) and outlets are everywhere, although the outlets next to my station did not work at all :( their coffee and snacks are solid, so I would definitely come back here to try other things!

Best! Coffee! Ever! I believe Intelligentsia is a Chicago coffee chain, but I am so glad they managed to get themselves down here to Austin. Their iced vanilla latte is seriously one of my top 3 favorites in Austin by far, and I love how they used house-made vanilla syrup instead of generic vanilla syrup. You can literally see the vanilla bean specks at the bottom of the cup. Their staff is always friendly, the inside is clean, spacious, and bright. I love Intelligentsia. Huge fan.

Customer service was great and drink was really good. Ice mocha latte with vanilla. Amazing!

I'm not sure if they are trying to say that they are smarter then the next place? Or that they are the smarter barista (like they all have PHDs or something)? Or if their coffee will make you smart? Or what but I know this... the coffee was outstanding! I tried to order a caramel macchiato and I ended up getting schooled by the lady behind the counter... "we dont make that "Starbucks Drink", but if you want something sweet try this..." and she pointed at the pic on the counter (see actual pic) in what I almost took for an air of pure disdain... or at the least severe indifference. It is really bad when your shamed by the barista for ordering a mass chain coffee! Hey At least I wasn't trying to order a frappachino! So my witty come back was..."ok great... I'll take it." I didn't even read the sign... yep I'm pure bred lemming all the way! Then she asked "with the dash of cayenne?" What was I supposed to say? Cayenne in coffee? Really?!? So my next witty reply was, "you bet... fully loaded!" Take that you coffee hoity-toity!! Yeah now that is snappy banter! So she made it fully loaded and I got it. IT WAS AWESOME! The cayenne brought on some spice/heat and jumped up the taste of all the other flavors... making it a symphony blend of aromatic coffee like nothing I've ever had! It was AMAZING! A true artisan cup of life's blood!

My latte was good. I wasn't overwhelmed by anything here. The interior was minimalist and full of natural light. Large space and good offerings but nothing out of the ordinary for me. There's lots of coffee shops these days and I appreciate a little bit more flare to be impressed.

Amazing latte and very friendly staff. Great conversation with them and they thanked me by my name. Highly recommend.

My daily matcha spot! Their oat milk iced matcha on draft is so delicious and very creamy, I love that there is no ice in it. Must try!

Best tasting oatmilk latte from the tap ever! You could taste the toasted beans through the perfect amount of oatmilk. Cannot wait to come back to try other options.

Weirdly enough this is the only place really close to the Austin Central Public Library that serves coffee in the afternoon! Couldn't find anywhere else, but I'm super glad I stumbled in here. The guy behind the counter was extremely friendly and welcoming. They also sell super cute merch! Unfortunately I visited when they were only serving cold drinks due to the water infection, but luckily they have plenty of drinks on tap. I was thinking about a matcha latte (on tap!) or simple cold brew, but the guy convinced me to try a little bit of this drink they had that's a mix of cold brew and carbonated grapefruit juice. It totally sounds gross but surprisingly it worked?? It was super tasty, and I ended getting a regular drink size of it. Love that I was able to try something new!

I used to love coming here to get there nitro matcha however today it was terrible, not sure I'll be returning. So sad cause I used to really look forward to coming here.

Had a delicious drink at a very cool spot. It was chill with nice decor and a welcoming staff. I will definitely be going back whenever I am in and around downtown.

Matcha latte is the best, ever. Cold or hot, it's so delicious. Their regular drip coffee is better than any of the other nearby options. The most delicious rilletes anywhere in Austin. OMG, so good! I could eat one every day for the rest of my life.

If you want the best coffee in Austin, this is the place to go. Amazing customer service from the whole staff and a very great ambiance to chat with friends or study. I like everything about this coffee place. They also have great recommendations depending on what you like. Dora -one of the baristas- has great knowledge about coffee and makes the best latte art.

Small craft coffee shop with limited seating and limited parking. Wanted a pour over, but they didn't do that so I Just grabbed a cup of the daily brew. Saw a few pastries in the case but didn't try them.

I was immediately greeted by an enthusiastic worker and felt so welcomed! The cold brew was delicious and dynamic. The music and coffee noises weren't too loud but the store echos a quite a bit-great for coffee date, but not studying. There is also seating outside!

Wow, what a huge disappointment. I had been following Intelligentsia's Austin debut for months and finally got to try them today. My usual first order at a new coffee shop is their batch brew. It's cheap and it gives me an idea if the shop can keep their batch brew hot all day. While they did have batch brew here, it was $4.50. What the hell? That is literally the most expensive batch brew I've ever seen. In chatting with the staff, they told me the beans they use change daily so the price is never set. I guess I caught an expensive day, but from what I understand, the "cheap" day is still $3.50. That's still on the high end. I decided to get an Americano instead, which was around $3.50 and typically gives me more of a flavor punch than batch brew. Uh uh, not so here. I got my Americano and it was so bland. At first it tasted burned so I added stevia to it, but then it just kinda faded in flavor. For such a high end coffee chain to deliver such a bad product is really shocking. Blue Bottle charges crazy prices but at least you finish your coffee and go wow, that was worth it. Did I catch Intelligentsia on a bad day? I dunno, but I doubt I'll find out again. Their prices are simply too high when there's plenty of good local roasters in town for $3 or less for a batch brew. Whoever's choosing the beans and setting the prices here needs to wake up and see that it's driving customers like me away.