Royal Blue Grocery

Delicious coffee. the place smells good. The cashier is adorable. The barista is gorgeous . Lots of healthy people strolling through and they don't even know they are hot

Solid Coffee, pastries breakfast, and lunch sandwiches! Add a cute little grocery and this spot turns into a great economical find. Oh and the music was excellent.

I haven’t even finished the sandwich but HAD to leave a review. The Cubano is amazing! I’ll probably have another 4 before I leave Austin tomorrow.

doesn't take food stamps, expensive, weird vibe edit: people working there are cool. but some other things: it's basically like a small gas station without gas, but they have one of those screens asking for a tip like it's Starbucks. and like I said before ridiculously overpriced. their alcohol selection is also random and atrocious. they should probably specialize into something other than just having a few baked goods/sandwiches. don't really understand this place at all

Very welcoming people, good choices of food and they taste good! The lady who cooked our food was very welcoming and nice. The barista also makes good conversation and recommendation to travel. This was the place for me when I had a trip there. I went back there repeatedly because it was the most reliable for me! 😊

A mug, a Cuban and some food to go! It's amazing how many good choices are in a relatively small space. The best service on top of that. I like it!

This is my go to for a quick bite if I'm staying at one of the nearby hotels. Employees are always friendly and their pizza slices and sandwiches hit the spot. They carry a nice little selection of salads and a variety of drinks and snacks as well.

I found a rat 🐀 tail in my sandwich from Royal Blue. Eat at your own peril!

I was downtown yesterday so I stopped here to grab a sandwich and oh my gosh was it good. I got the Italian which was on fresh focaccia bread from a local bakery. It has delicious pesto, mozzarella, prosciutto, and some thinly sliced tomatoes. So good and the manager was so cool and friendly. The store itself has lots of snacks and drinks. They also have a nice coffee shop along with the deli that I will have to try another time. Super cute and cool place!

Popped in here for a couple of breakfast tacos, however, by 10 AM they had about four to choose from. This place sits along Congress Avenue near sixth Street and sees a lot of pedestrian business. It's got a nice vibe about it with its high wooden ceiling and decent wine selection. It sits between a cannabis shop, jewelry store, and a 7-Eleven. They do have fresh made sandwiches and a good coffee bar with plenty of cold drinks in the back. If you do decide to grab something to eat here, they have seating for about 20 people directly outside their door. Tucked into the front corner of the store is an added attraction known as wee's cozy corner kitchen which specializes in some Asian food offerings. Like most businesses along Congress you'll pay a little more and they do not have public bathrooms. The good news if you don't find what you're looking for here you can always go to the 7-Eleven 20 feet away. Plenty of photos below for added insight?

This review is long overdue as I stop by pretty frequently. This local market has everything you can think of. I appreciate the variety of ready to go meals. Service is solid and although it can get busy, the checkout line moves quickly. Sushi is available on Thursdays but the selection is limited - maybe they'll add other favorites to their selection (ex: California roll, shrimp tempura, spicy tuna). Otherwise this is a pretty solid spot to get what you need on the go.

Great breakfast tacos here! I had a bacon potato and cheese taco that was on par or better than some of the nearby taco places. My expectations were low, thinking "how good can it be? Probably like a 7-11 taco." Wrong! I got a taco around 11 am and it was very fresh. The house salsas are also good. The staff are very friendly and the place is clean. Good local beer selection as well. Check em out!

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

Said they close at 9p. Walked 20 minutes to arrive at 8:20p and they were closed. Beyond frustrated.

Feels like one of those NYC delis located near offices that serves a limited menu of sandwiches and bougie snack groceries. Though the prices seemed a tad more reasonable with sandwiches priced at $8.49. None of the sandwiches wowed me, but they were all satisfying. Cuban: My favorite of the sandwiches I tried. Had an especially cheesy cheese that melted outside the confines of the pressed bread. A nice bit of pickles and mustard to contrast the pork. The ham was thick and salty. The pork was tasty enough. It's not a Cuban sandwich for purists, but it's pretty good for coming from a non-Cuban restaurant. Reuben: They used turkey instead of pastrami. A very weird choice. It was disclosed on the menu, so it wasn't a surprise or anything but still an odd choice. The mild turkey just doesn't have enough personality to stand up to the pungent sauerkraut. So the sandwich felt a lot more imbalanced than a a pastrami-driven Reueben. Hot Italian: Definitely appreciated the effort of Italian cold cuts with an herbal pesto spread. However, the sandwich felt a little smaller than the others. Both the bread and the amount of meat.

What a great quaint local place. Fantastic coffee... had a wonderful hot Italian sandwich... plus got a water from the grocery part. Owner was there and we sat at a sidewalk table to enjoy the relaxed coffee and had a great visit with him. Really enjoyed the place and even more after learning the history

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 !

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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! :)

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.

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.

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!

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.

So good. friendliest staff. Excellent service. Food is always fresh.

It feels weird giving five stars to a convenience store and deli--and one that doesn't even make their sandwiches to order. But Blue Royal does so many cool things that it sort of creates its own all-purpose niche, and so five stars it is. To get something out of the way, you probably don't want to use Blue Royal as your regular smokes-and-newspaper stop. It's more like a closet bar and sitdown deli that just happens to look like a convenience store. Go to the 7-11 a few doors down if you want vintage hot dogs and a cup of this morning's drip coffee. It will probably be cheaper. No, Blue Royal is a different animal, one in which you go to the cooler in back, pick out a bomber of craft brew at a slight markup, have the guy at the front counter open it for you and give you a bar glass, and then go out on the porch to drink it. What you get, then, is some of the best people-watching in Austin, at the intersection of hipster, tourist, and homeless,* and a patio bar experience in the heart of Downtown at supermarket cost. It's a little inspirational. But what if you get hungry, you ask? You go in and pick a sandwich from the board, and they grill it for you, and it's eight times better than New World Deli,** a place that only does this for a living. I had a turkey reuben (not really a reuben, btw, as they used slaw rather than kraut, but I digress) the other day to dodge dropping money for Alamo Draft House's lame and expensive food,*** and it was awesome. (Also: many bonus points for being open on Easter until midnight. Everybody else running a business on N. Congress: quit pretending to be religious as an excuse to take an incredibly boring holiday off.) So, if you want to spend some time in a cool old space talking to the usual super-nice Austin weirdo staff in an old entertainment and business district, to get a little drunk, have a great lunch, and do some taking in the city all for like $20, I honestly can't tell you where else you might go. I'm not even sure any place else like it exists. *If you are going to people-watch the homeless, don't be a d*ck about it, and for the love of gods, if you take selfies with them while they are sleeping, I will hear about it and thrash you. **But honestly, New World Deli is okay in a pinch. ***The Alamo Drafhouse Ritz is awesome in every way besides the food. You should go there, too.

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.

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

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.

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!

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 ! ! !

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

Stopped in here for a quick bite to eat during a class I was taking across the street this weekend and was very pleasantly surprised at the great selection of fresh prepared foods available! I had a delicious turkey Reuben (generously sized, great habanero dipping sauce!) & chose from the wide selection of chips & drinks as well. People were very friendly and brought our food outside to us - nice outdoor seating area too. I'd definitely go back!

Needed to grab a sandwich or something to go for my plane ride home from Austin. Expectations were low. Expectations were exceeded. Great choices of sandwiches and salads to go! Paninis, cold sandwiches, salads (Greek, white bean arugula, tortellini). Fanatastic drink choices too including hard to find "Dry" in Lavender flavor. Grabbed a turkey with pepper jack and tortellini. Both delicious and travelled well. Sandwich was pack "dry" so not soggy hours later and tomato between other items. Good job! This is the way to make a sandíe to go. Staff was lovely/friendly and they recycle! Give them your business!

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.

Omg the coffee is amazing! I regret not getting his name today, but the barista with the cute round glasses made me an awesome drink with lavender. Super friendly staff and very convenient store! I'll definitely go back.

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.

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.

Looks can be deceiving! I went to this little market not expecting much. Upon closer inspection, they carry a good selection of sushi rolls, sandwiches, cold noodles and baked goods made by local restaurants. Love that and not to mention everything I've tried has been delicious (veggie roll, quinoa salad and chocolate cake). Must try if you haven't. It is a bit pricier than what you would expect, similar price range to Starbucks food and juices.

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.

The lady working tonight really made my day. On a work trip and after two nights in a row of bad dinners and mediocre service at The Driskill and Gloria's I stopped in RBG to pick up something edible. The lady working there was so kind and helpful and after two days of negative experiences it was refreshing. I wish I had stopped here sooner. I really love the selection and lots of healthy and local options.

Horrible customer service! First time trying it today for lunch and I kept trying to ask the young lady near the "Pick up Here" sign and even though she made eye contact with me, she never once asks if I needed help. So very rude! I didn't appreciate the entitlement at all! I will definitely never return. Your staff needs to remember, or be reminded that they are in the food industry & customer service industry - they act like they owned it; which by the way they looked, highly doubtful!

This place should have a 5 star rating but I always get this awkward reaction from the staff, here. - when I pick my item from the fridge and I go to pay for it in the front, they always push hard for me to tip them... Not sure if I'm out of touch, but I just grabbed a little $6 bowl of tuna from your fridge and I'm planning to go eat it in my office. Why does this warrant a stare down, Royal Blue? I still love this place, but I wish it wasn't so awkward to purchase my item. I'll be sure to tip you when I order something from your counter service.

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?!

Doesn't look like much, but wow! The number one option here is getting the turkey ruben with some coffee. So awesome! They have some other sandwich options, but I tend to go for that one always. I recommend dropping by here before or after hitting up a show at the Hideout Theater next door. Food options are good and it's just a nice little cozy place to stock up on supplies if necessary. Also, if you're from out of town, they do sell some drinks here and one of which is Fire Eagle. It's a wonderful IPA that is a little difficult (at least for me) to find in Austin. So whenever I'm in town, this is a great spot to drop by. Seating is limited inside and outside, but it's rarely too crowded. Parking... it's downtown. Find a garage or sidestreet. Service is friendly.

Best bodega i've ever been in. Those bean burritos are amazing too! Just be sure to get them in the morning before they're gone.