We came in on a Saturday night with a reservation and were shoved in the corner to the only open spot. This place is really small and cramped plus they try to get as many people in as possible which is not the right way to run a business. People come to paint to spend quality time with their loved ones not be shoved shoulder to shoulder with other customers. I think if the place put a limit on how many people were allowed to paint at a time and space the tables out more then it'd be better. Also the place is ran by 3-4 young woman who are doing their best but their needs to some type of older person who is a manager there to help them out with checking people at the front and helping customers. They're more focused on how much money they can make in a day than prioritizing their guests overall experiences. read more

I came to the Try It Class here with the intention of learning if I like making pottery or not. If I did I would move forward with the 8 week pottery class here. The location is great. You're by everything. Central Market, restaurants, etc so before or after the class you have something to do. So I really thought this was it. But I can't say I liked pottery at Cafe Monet. Anytime I had a question instead of providing instruction the instructors would just get their hands on the clay instead. Which is fine every now and then I can get helping me fix it. But it was every time I had a question. I rather have them tell me how to fix it. It started to feel like their creation over my own. The real issue was, I was the last person to finish so I missed part two. I was told it's fine since we're way ahead of time. The class was scheduled till 8 but everyone was done before or around 7. When I finally got done my instructor in the back, Sofia didn't say anything to me. I ended up having to ask her multiple times what the next phase was because she'd start then stop and never explain fully what was next. It's obvious I wasn't there when she explained it the first time. But she acted like I either heard it all or she just really didn't want to repeat herself which really wasn't fair to me. So I ended up not enjoying my experience here. I was nice I said thank you. We have the same name so I even talked about it. I even asked about their classes. I can't wrap my mind around why she was 0 help in the end. Especially for a class that ended almost an hour before it was supposed to. I look forward to seeing the final results of my pottery. But I personally don't plan on being back. read more

Fantastic class! Had a great time with our instructor Ash! Very patient and a lot of fun! I will be coming back read more

Cafe Monet - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Our first visits here were wonderful. When we scheduled for our second "try it" class, the experience was horrific. My mother was coming to town and for Christmas I had bought her the class a couple weeks in advance. The day before she gets here, about a week or so after we had scheduled AND PAID, we get notified that the class is being canceled. Granted it was for New Year's Eve, but the slot was open on the calendar and the lady we spoke to on the phone guided us and suggested that time to book. When we were notified the class we already paid for was canceled, we were also told we were getting a voucher instead of a refund. When I called (I had to call about 10+ times and then use someone else's phone before someone answered) I asked them to clarify this, she said that there were scheduling errors and they had to cancel that class. I am not upset that they had to cancel, I was surprised they were doing a class on New Year's Eve at 6pm, but to wait over a week to notify us, leaving no time to figure out a plan B and to not offer us something or do something to make it right is what baffles me. But it doesn't stop there. As I was on the phone with her I requested a refund instead of the voucher. She said this was fine and the money would be back instantly. 3 days go by no refund. We call back for an update and now we're told it can take up to 3-5 business days for it (which is no problem). It's been a week now so we call after still not receiving the refund and someone different lets us know that the refund process was never started. This person went forward with the process and we finally got our $300 back. After this experience, I would recommend caution to booking with them as it seems to be unreliable and the employees there could care less about making things right or inconveniencing their customers. It sucks because I really did love coming to the studio there. read more

Alex was SO patient and knowledgeable!!! This was my first time EVER, and I definitely want to come back! It was such a fun experience!

I love love love this spot. I'm looking for a local pottery wheel place in San Antonio. The instructor (Ryan, I think) helped me out and he was so patient and kind. He would offer suggestions and help us when we get stuck. The try-it class was affordable and I am interested in pursuing pottery now. read more

Cafe Monet - Pottery I made in studio - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Love it here!! I come to paint pottery a few times a year and every time it is an amazing experience. Lots of options to choose from, tons of colors of paints, and helpful staff. Would recommend to anyone - children, date nights, catching up with friends, solo craft night. read more

Such a fantastic art spot for kids and adults. Reservations are recommended for a reserved table but they do take walk-ins and they have lots of tables. I made a reservation for myself and my niece for her birthday. There is a full wall of options for you to choose from, cups, plates, bowls, decorations, so many. Every item is priced clearly. The cost of the item includes the paint, finishing, and baking of your art. Tax not included and tipping is available. They did such a great job of explaining the process to us as this is our first time. There are so many different techniques to learn stamps and processes available. I kept it simple since sometimes art makes me nervous but my niece just went to town and had a blast! Highly recommended for a kid/adult who loves art. Great experience-based gift and we are probably going to check out the pottery classes. pick up for finished items is estimated at 7 days after your paint day. read more

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I booked a pottery class throwing on the wheel with my grandmother. We had the best time. My grandmother had a stroke a couple of years ago and struggles with fine motor skills, following directions, and will get easily frustrated. The instructor was so kind and attentive with her, she was able to make all three pots will little frustration and I've honestly never seen her more proud of herself! I would highly recommend Cafe Monet! read more

Cafe Monet - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Austin, Texas

If I could rate this place 0 stars I would My bunny looked different as I had left it and I spoke with one of the employees and she technically said she couldn't do anything this place is so overpriced for no reason read more

I took the "Try It" Class and had lots of fun! The instructor was very helpful throughout the class with answering questions and assisting with my pottery. I enjoyed the experience and would definitely take another class here. read more

Our two grandchildren love a new experience, so for a Christmas present we gave them a lesson on the potter's wheel. They are young and had never done this before, so we decided to give them a private lesson. As soon as we arrived at Cafe Monet and met their instructor, we realized that this was going to be a terrific learning experience. The instructor, Matt, was kind and engaging - giving easy to follow instructions and making it all interesting. Not only did they have fun, but they made several creative pieces. They were enthused about the experience and excited that soon they'll be able to pick up their new pottery! I highly recommend this class and am thinking about taking one of the "try it" classes myself! read more

Came here for my daughter's 3rd birthday. Making the reservation was easy and the workers there were kind and helpful. The store was well kept and clean. It was a little pricey but still an overall great experience. Our pieces were ready a week later and pick up was easy. read more

Took my 12 yo niece to a "Try it" pottery class and they were beyond patient and helpful. I would totally do it again!

Alex was an amazing instructor for the Try It Class! I highly recommend coming to the class as it's fun, relaxing and productive! The best!!

We went to pick up artery that we made. When we got our pottery back it was not the same ones that we had created. Overall the employees are very nice and help just wish we had gotten to pottery that we made. read more

SO MUCH FUN, made lil bowls for my birthday! The staff is super friendly and the classes are a great time!

Alex and Matt were great. I have nails and they had suggestions for me to do the class. They were helpful throughout and I came out with three great pieces. read more

alex was great!! will be back for more classes! always wanting to learn new things and she was so patient and kind. read more

First time doing pottery and it was such a fun experience! Everyone was so friendly and helpful.

My mom, sister and I all made clay cups with their class. We received a text saying we still had 14 days, so only 4 days later I went to pick it up and they had already trashed it. I'm really upset about this based on how expensive everything was. Really disappointed. read more

*Updated* First time ever coming, and the actual painting experience was great. The people showed us how the whole process works, and I went on to paint my new bowl! The post experience of retrieving the bowl after it was glazed/fired; however, was originally disappointing. The outside of my bowl had rough lines across them (as you can see in the picture). The people at Cafe Monet told me the roughness of the bowl can be fixed by re-firing the bowl. So I left my bowl at Cafe Monet for an additional week, and when I came back to pick up my bowl...I noticed that the rough lines still existed and it seemed like my bowl was never re-fired or fixed. I pointed out the issue again to a different lady. She told me that she could re-fire it, but I would have to wait another week and come back to pick it up. I didn't want to deal with the risk and hassle of driving back and forth to picking up a bowl that would still not be fixed and have a rough line across it, so I ended up just taking my bowl home. After a while, the roughness started to bother me less as I started to love my bowl the more times I used it. The owner then contacted me regarding the original issue I had with my bowl. It means a lot to know that the owner and workers at Cafe Monet care about their customer's art pieces (even if imperfections happen to appear). The owner explained to me that the organic materials in the clay can reject the glaze, that re-firing "can" fix the issues but it's uncertain until they try it, and that clay can be unpredictable. Not everything can be perfect, but just have fun and get creative...your art piece will still be beautiful and you will love it. If you have any issues, the owner and workers at Cafe Monet will sincerely try to help resolve your issue and address your concerns. From the beginning when I walked into Cafe Monet...to when I addressed my issue and post-experience, the people at Cafe Monet had always been kind and helpful to me. Your experience and pieces of art are in very good and trustworthy hands. read more

Cafe Monet - Rough line due to clay rejecting the glaze. I heard back from Cafe Monet, and they addressed my issue. They truly care for their customers. - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Austin, Texas

Our Troop 3377 on the turning wheel and has earned their pottery merit badge. My son signed up for his own session next week and looking forward to make more things. read more

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Very good costumer service, we are not from Austin and they managed to get our pottery cured for the next day to take home even though it takes a week. Very fun and such a relaxing environment. read more

Had a wonderful experience here with my sister. We decided to book a reservation for pottery painting and are very happy that we did. Staff were friendly and helpful, and guided us through the process of painting. If we had questions about how to achieve certain looks, staff was knowledgeable and kind in presenting the information. The overall atmosphere was very peaceful which I also appreciated. Reasonable price for pottery pieces, paint, and firing. read more

Make a reservation! It was pretty packed when we went. Nice selection of ceramic pieces, most range from $24-32. There's no rush to get out and you can really take your time. read more

I took a 1.5 hour Try It class at Cafe Monet and unfortunately was pretty disappointed. The class started 15 minutes late and ended 15 minutes early. The description on their website said we would learn to make three different pieces, but the instructor actually only showed how to make one thing - a bowl. The biggest disappointment was that we didn't actually get to make anything ourselves. The instructor would tell us to do the first step, then she would come over and "check" if we had done it right which really meant that she would sit at the wheel and re-do each step for you. She literally made the entire piece for every student. We were each given very little clay. It wasn't enough to make a real bowl but rather more of a plate with a slightly turned up edge. The sponges we were given to work with were disintegrating and impossible to work with. I asked for another, but the instructor said what we had was fine. Overall, I left the class not knowing how to make anything and opted not to fire any of my pieces because I didn't make them. Definitely not an experience that's worth the $70 price they charge for the class. read more

I took a class here in October 2022 and it was a fun intro to the clay wheel! I misunderstood that it was a two day event and was only able to make the first session. I was told that my mugs would be finished and set aside for me in October and that they'd reach out to me and let me know when they were ready to go in a few weeks. By December I hadn't heard back, so I emailed. I never got a response, so I reached out again in January. I didn't hear back from them then, either. I ultimately never heard back again and haven't gotten any responses to my attempts to reach out. I would have at least appreciated a response and apology about the mugs not being saved! Class is great, just the lack of communication or follow through given the cost is a bummer. read more

They removed all cheaper options. And overpriced everything can't go for just a regular time out.

Can I start with how sweet Jules & her staff that were working are? SO SWEET! I've been coming to Cafe Monet for the past 6 years. My family & I do a yearly holiday tile painting. This year I had added on my new furr babe & they were kind enough to help with his paw prints. While my son + nieces painted. To top it off I showed up a little after 6 considering they were closing at 7, they were STILL so welcoming & patient. Did not feel rushed. Highly recommend going to her expanded location with your kiddos or yourself! Everyone has always been so friendly. Thank you Cafe Monet read more

They throw out your items if you don't show up in time. No calls, no texts nothing. Just $20-$25 for a mug that's in the trash. Oh, and a happy toddler! wont ever return. Not to mention the lady hung up on me when I said this is disappointing. There are plenty of other ceramic places to go, I don't suggest going here. read more

Bonjour, Claude... So let's say you're south of the river, it's close to Christmas (or Hanukkah), you've got some $ in your pocket, and you're thinking of creative gift-giving. Cafe monet could be the place for you... Pick a dog bowl, soap plate, mug, frame, etc., pick your colors, paint, and pick it up later. It's an easy process, and it's really non-master-artisan friendly. You can't go wrong. (Trust me, I saw some ugly ducklings go into the kiln and come out looking like swans.) Or, even if you hate what you made, give it to your hunter-savvy friends. They're bound to need some skeet, and it will be entertaining for them to blast something that doesn't look like a clay frisbee. :) Long story short, I came here with some girlfriends and have a plate at home that I made (that I really like). Two cautions: "Cafe" is a little misleading. We brought food in there, but couldn't start painting until we were done eating. And, it's slightly expensive, but overall, I'd definitely go back. read more

Cafe Monet - Voila - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Austin, Texas

My husband and I went to a pottery class for two evenings recently, and really enjoyed it. The instructor, Alec, was great!

Absolutely magical place to be, great prices, and wonderfully kind staff. They've got so many resources for those who might not feel confident painting, like stamps, stencils, art books and loads of inspirational resources to pull from. They've also got many specialized tools for those who ARE confident, so you can customize your piece to your heart's desire. Highly recommend as a fun afternoon activity for any occasion. :) read more

Really fun and affordable. They have a variety of items to paint and seasonal items too. Staff is friendly and open to helping with techniques. read more

This is a fabulous establishment. Such a fun place to bring anyone. The staff is really friendly and helpful even though they have to say the same stuff all the time. They keep the area clean despite having many people in and out including a large chunk of children. I love coming here. The pricing is so amazing. No studio fee just pay for the piece of pottery and then you come back later and pick up the fired piece. I can't wait to go back. read more

Cafe Monet - This is the neatly organized paint bottles - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Loved this place. Everyone was super nice, properly spaced tables with masks required, and minimal walking around since the paint is brought to you. Service was phenomenal and super nice. read more

We took my mother here for her birthday and had the best time! We took the pottery class and the staff and owner were so friendly and helpful! I appreciate how hard they worked to help us create some unique pieces and have such a special time. You can tell the culture and atmosphere are carefully curated by the owner. Loved our experience here and can't wait to go back. read more

I went to Cafe Monet this last Sunday and was greeted by the most friendly and engaging staff member. We were there over a few hours and besides being nice, she was constantly checking in with us and ensuring we were doing well. I would recommend this location and the very sweet girl that helped us. read more

Super Fun! Great experience. Staff was very helpful and kind. You don't have to have a creative bone in your body, they will help you :) read more

Cafe Monet - Painted this little creamer! So fun! - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Austin, Texas