This cafe is one of my favorite fantasy driven locations to visit in all of Austin. Their rotating special menu with unique flavors make this a standout in an oversaturated marketplace. Austin is known for having a lot of coffee, but very few have identifiable differentiators. Merfolk's creates coffee flavors based on fantasy lore, so you honestly never know what the special menu will have. That's why we keep spending our money there. Many of the drinks are sweet but the staff is more than happy to make adjustments as needed! The ambiance is also so cute and whimsical. I love being in beautiful spaces like this---it makes getting any sort of work done in my laptop much more enjoyable. read more

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Wow! The vibe is spectacular. Think mystical, steampunk, gothic, fairy tale, and then some. Incredible and welcoming interior design. Very spacious with lots of room for meet-ups, working remotely, having a coffee date, etc. The drinks are fantastic. I had the Jane Austen (iced) which is a lavender white mocha. They blended the flavors to perfection and I could actually taste the lavender without it being overbearing or not enough taste. My boyfriend had Angela's Ashes (iced)---I took a few drinks of that and woo-wee is it good. It's Mexican mocha, oatmilk, and cookie butter. The baristas are true artists creating liquid masterpieces. read more

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Stopped by Merfolk's Specialty Coffee and ended up catching a game meetup while I was there, which made the whole experience even more fun. The group was super friendly and welcoming, and for some reason everyone had party hats, which just added to the charm. It felt very wholesome and a little bit chaotic in the best way. The space itself is great for hanging out, whether you're there to work, meet people, or just enjoy a coffee. Good drinks, good vibes, and a strong sense of community. It's the kind of place where you might walk in solo and end up chatting with a table nearby. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Party timeee!!! 1st birthday! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love the place. From the whimsy of the decor to the creative coffees, this has become one of my favorite coffee shops in South Austin. It's also not very loud, so it's a great place to read, work, or quietly chit-chat. The baristas are really knowledgeable about coffee and can make whatever you need. If you like coffee and coffee shops, you gotta add this one to your list. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love this coffee shop! I first found out about it from my hair salon a few doors down. Once inside, the coffee shop is large and has plenty of indoor seating + a patio. The decor and murals on the walls are amazing! But the standout part is the coffee of course. Each month they have different mythical drinks made by their alchemists (baristas). They are super creative and have the most unique drinks I've ever seen. I do have to get the mythical drinks half sweet since they are too sweet for me, but just the coffee itself is great. I've had iced lattes, hot lattes, an americano, etc. I can't wait for pumpkin season again because the fall drinks are my favorite. They also have pastries and I believe tacos. Great local business and great people! read more

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Love that they change their menus at the first of every month! Got the Stegosaurus this time Such a great mid day pick me up! read more

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Wonderful Yelp Elite event! This was a weeklong party where you could stop by any time to help the business celebrate their one- year anniversary and enjoy a fun flavored latte (hot or cold) on the [Merfolk] house. There is a magic vibe with an amazing mural that includes several Austin features and several magical creatures. Check out the other art as well. There are lots of fun events hosted by the business including D&D miniature making, meetings for a diabetes 1 camp, and more. There is a board game corner and plenty of room to spread out, inside and outside. Pets are welcome. They get tacos from Taco Maria's down the street and I tried a chunky fun cookie from a home pastry chef down the street called Evie and Me. It was white chocolate and cranberry and super yummy. I got the Oh No Cleo latte "conjuration" with 12 ounces of flavor in a 16 ounce serving, making it 25% less sweet. It was wonderful! Little toffee bits and vanilla flavoring were much more exciting than your corporate fare. Music was calm and peaceful. Sharing some photos. read more

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The coffee shop i actually want to hang out at! This place has a unique vibe with a lot of thought putn into the decoration. I enjoyed just looking around and even the restroom has neat lighting. Also no annoyingly loud music to make talking with friends miserable. Plenty of seating options too. The people that worked there were totally cool, friendly, and helpful. The drink selections are truly one of a kind. I got a macha drink but it had blackberry and white chocolate. We tried about 5 other drinks and everything was really good. Also the prices weren't outrageous either! This is the spot I'd like to meet friends to hang out, play a game, get work done, etc. I just wish for two things: they were on the north side instead, and thelat they were open late to be a chill night hang out spot. read more

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Located not far south from Ben White / 290 off South Congress, Merfolk is a new local coffee shop with a pretty holiday-forward theme (Halloween?) and super friendly and welcoming vibe. The coffee shop has a bunch of specialty (mythical) drinks that borrow from things currently prominent in pop culture and have some unique ingredients to make the drinks stand out. Staff were incredibly welcoming and warm when I walked in and there were also a few other locals inside that were talking to the staff who had remembered their orders right when you walked in. They seem to have a good amount of local partnerships and events also hosted here and it seems like a pretty good venue for getting slightly larger crowds together based on the larger tables and seating arrangements. Glad to have a unique little option open up in South Austin since most things tend to be centered further north. read more

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Let's be honest, there are a lot of coffee shops to choose from in Austin. Most of them have really good coffee, too. Not all of them have truly nice staff. Merfolk's stands out to me because of the people. This is not a snooty coffee shop. This is a place to go if you want to order a coffee/black while you sit and work OR if you're wanting to order a playful caffeinated concoction from a nice barista and sit and soak up a little whimsy in a beautifully decorated setting. Every time we visit I want to go home and paint everything jewel tones! They offer a small menu, which I could probably describe if I didn't always-every-single -time order the gluten free buckwheat cake muffin thing. It's amazing! Really, if you're gf, consider it! They also have a great selection of different creamers and will look at the ingredients for you if you have dietary issues and not give you the eye roll. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Americano with steamed oat milk and honey - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is a very intriguing stop to start the day ~ the decor is thought provoking & unique from ANY other coffee location I have ever been to. I am not a Dungeon & Dragons devotee, also mystical themes aren't my thing. The chandeliers are really great oversized & impressive along with a painting of a countryside(?) scene that is very well executed. Service was friendly as the order taker had to explain the mythical drinks to me. I ordered the Adam Feather , nice however probably would be better for an afternoon boost served over ice opposed to hot as I did as it is pretty sweet & for me that's saying something as I like sweet drinks. We did have the mushroom pastry & bacon egg brekkie taco which were both good supposedly from the "Odd Duck" which we like Easy to find with plenty of free parking PLUS indoor & outdoor seating, Merfolk's certainly adheres the phrase "Keeping Austin Weird" Enjoyed the vibe buts it's about 20/25 minutes from us so not likely to be on our regular coffee runs read more

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I was craving a good cup of joe, and Merfolk's Specialty Coffee was one of the first that popped up near me. It did not disappoint. The flavor of the coffee was delicious and strong, without being overpowering. The espresso wasn't burnt, and the flavorings weren't overly sweet. The inside hosts many board games to grab and play, as well as plenty of seating areas to work from or to sit and sip at. The baristas were willing to help find the perfect fit on their menu for me and I will absolutely be coming back for more. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

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What a cute, fun coffee shop! I ordered the Oh No Cleo - a blend of toffee nut, vanilla, and hazelnut - it did not disappoint! The flavors were rich, smooth, and perfectly balanced, with just the right touch of sweetness. You can really tell they put a lot of care into their unique drinks. The biggest plus was the staff. They were super friendly and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

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This is an update to my original review. The first time we came, the lattes were fantastic. We drove over an hour to try it again today and it was disappointing. I was hoping for consistency... my quad latte today was just warm and very watery. I'd say the milk was only steamed to 110-115 degrees. There's no way it had 4 properly pulled shots. It almost tasted like a weak drip coffee with creamer. The other things in our order were okay. The best thing was the pastry, however, by 11am they were out of tons of stuff food wise. read more

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The coffee here is not it. Very sugary and you can't taste the beans. This place is more for fantasy-lore folks to enjoy the ambiance. Service is friendly. read more

This lil coffee spot is so cutie! More importantly they have delicious coffee. I've been a couple of times and both times ordered off of the seasonal menu because they are really nailing the festive combos. Everyone who works there is so friendly and will give great recommendations if you're in the mood. It's the perfect shop to work, read a good book, and they even have a little patio if you're feeling like catching some rays. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - pumpkin apple cider latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

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If you love banana flavoring this is the drink for you! The butter pecan and brown sugar helped ton it down a bit, but it was still a great latte all around. The service was great and friendly. The atmosphere is definitely great for working/studying during the day. I'll definitely be back. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Caesars Grail - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

An incredible experience! I walked in greeted by smiling faces and the nicest staff! They told me about the one year anniversary that they just had. The speciality menu that consists of all the top drinks over the past year, a personal recommendation and a hint of what is to come! The whole vibe does seem truly magical and mythical. With a wonderful color pallet and intricate decor every piece comes together to give a fun, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. It's a place great to pop in with friends, play board games, relax or even get some work done! I'll definitely be going back to hang out and try the new upcoming drink specials! read more

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I thoroughly enjoyed my recent visit to Merfolk's. I stopped for a pick me up before a lengthy hair appointment. The manager explained their mythical drink menu. The staff comes up with new drinks every month. The most popular one wins the staff member a gift card. To celebrate their one year anniversary, they offered the most popular mythical drinks for the year. I chose The Adam Feather, which is a Mexican Spices Chocolate latte with maple spice. It was rich and delicious and way more interesting than a a regular mocha. The vibe of the place is super chill, and next time I hope I have time to hang out awhile. read more

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Stopped by Merfolks Specialty Coffee for the first time today. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by Taylor. He was very friendly and answered all of my questions. I ordered Elli's Yuletide Chai. It had the perfect amount of gingerbread spice to make it a festive chai latte option for the holidays. The shop has inside and outside seating, fun murals, and plenty of board games to lose track of time. The shop had a fun and familiar vibe and Taylor welcomed in regulars by name. They also had a selection of breakfast tacos and pastries. The bacon & egg taco was a tasty compliment to my chai. I am not a coffee drinker, but they have plenty of tea concoctions that I look forward to trying in the future. read more

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Decent coffee, good service, and the space is great to sit and hang out to catch up with friends or get a bit of work done.

Really cool place! I love the decor and the cafe that feels a lot like a bar vibes that they have going. Coffee was good and the staff were super friendly! Definitely the type of place that makes you chuckle a bit. My favorite thing is the brown butter muffin (?) though. It was so fragrant but not just in a super buttery way but also from the natural taste of the flour they used and god it was perfect with the coffee read more

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What a pleasant way to start my morning! I was greeted as soon as I entered the room and given suggestions on the top coffee options. I ended up going for the iced Oh No Cleo! Super tasty! I would definitely recommend this coffee shop if you're looking for a good vibe and good coffee! The ambiance is super chill and they have an indoor and outdoor seating option. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Oh no Cleo! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

As soon as you walk in you can feel this place is different, in a good way. The ambiance is whimsical, with a fantasy theme and board games in the corner. The staff are super friendly and patient. They helped me pick out an iced cookie butter latte with oat milk that was tasty and I'm looking forward to trying a few others when I return! There's WiFi, comfortable seating, and it's definitely a good contender for a workspace if you're WFH. read more

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Merfolk's is a South Austin coffeehouse with a decent amount of parking and ample space inside to enjoy its brews, with a sprinkle of mermaid decor. My friend and I visited Merfolk's after being drawn to their specialty coffee menu. We both ordered signature lattes. I had the Cupid's Kiss, with salted caramel, honey, jasmine, and rose, and my friend ordered the Super Good Latte, a white mocha with maple spice and cinnamon milk. Although both drinks sound like they'd be super sweet, they were not, and had a perfect level of sweetness and flavor. My drink was tasty, and we were easily able to snag a table on a Sunday afternoon, which is all I really ever want from a coffee shop. Merfolk's carries a good variety of pastries from Sour Duck which we did not try this time around, but will next time. We saw other people playing board games stocked by Merfolk's, which I think is a nice touch. Overall, Merfolk's seems like a great place to work or meet up with friends. We will be back! read more

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Popped in on a business visit and ordered an Iced Latte w/ Hazelnut syrup and oatmilk. Have to say it was one of the best I've ever had. Love the ambience of the place. Has a modern yet mythical flair to it. One of the staff was working on a mural inside the establishment. I like how they use the term Alchemist versus barista for their bar staff, which is on point. Looking at their menu and yes those are mythical drinks only an alchemist could conjure up . I'll definitely revisit and provide a lengthier review. This is a hidden gem IMHO. read more

Great coffee, friendly baristas and gluten-free cookies and buckwheat cakes- can't get better than that! Cool place to hang out and study, too. read more

Shout-out to the Yelp Elite Event and Merfolk's Cafe! I got to try a complimentary mythical drink called "Labubu," and even though it's decaf, it was delicious. The blackberry flavor really stood out. It's a fun spot with unique décor and super friendly staff -- definitely worth a visit. read more

Interesting coffee shop on South Congress that I'd rate 3.5 stars if I could. The decor was eclectic and the coffee options were intriguing. Of course, they have your standard offerings, but they also had a menu of some unique combinations. I decided to get a regular iced latte with oatmilk although I was tempted to try one of these unique drinks with creative syrup combos. I didn't feel like spending $6.75 on a specialty drink that morning. I appreciated that they did not charge extra for non-dairy milk! The location is not difficult to find and there is ample parking. It has a decent amount of seating inside but none outside that I saw. Looks like they hold lots of activities there - an art activity was about to start when we were leaving. I'm glad I checked it out to satisfy my intrigue, but as someone who lives north, there are many other coffee shops I would go to first. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Non-specialty menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Merfolk is great. i've been coming here for quite some time now ever since i randomly stumbled upon it. The coffee is why I come back. What better way to start the new year than with an oat milk latte from Merfolk! Cheers to 2026! -アイザック read more

The vibes are lovely. I do wish the playlist that was going on was different. It has sea shanty vibes, but the music was very older pop? I'm not sure, it just didn't go. I forgive it because everything else was cozy and good, and the drinks were so tasty. Service is quick, but it wasn't very busy when I visted. They have a "Mythical Drinks" list that had fun labels and names like Elli's Yuletide Chai which was described as a Winter Spiced Chai Latte. I prefer tea during the evenings so I ordered the Enchanted Rose. This is a mix of green tea, rose and lemonade. Ten out of ten! That was a combination I have never seen before. It was incredibly refreshing. The person with me ordered Persephone's Secret. It was a dark hot chocolate with candied orange. I'm told it was a touch too sweet for the dark flavor and the orange did not come through enough for them. They still did enjoy it though. read more

Well, Austin, I didn't think you had it in you but you've changed. I didn't expect a swanky joint yet here I was, at Merfolk complete with a bar to sit on. I loved the barrista because on my v. short trip, I recall she is the only one with her manners in tact in all of Austin. When I said "hello, how are you," she replied proper with a warm and quick conversation. Just like what you'd expect at a decent cafe (that isn't going up its ass in attitude). I ordered a chai latte. The menu is overwhelming so if you're walking in after a long flight, take your time to figure it out before ordering. I found a peaceful corner to wait out an hour with my chai before the next appointment. I'd say a lovely place to stop over. read more

Merfolk's is one of the cutest coffee shops I've ever seen! It's super cozy, and the menu options are great. They have Wi-Fi and plenty of seating/outlets, so this would be a great place to work for the day. Food/Drinks: I got the grandma's cookies latte, which was so good. It truly tasted like a fresh-baked cookie in latte form. I didn't try any of the pastries but they all looked great. Service: Both the baristas I spoke with were very sweet and informative. I couldn't decide what to get and they had a ton of great suggestions and knew the menu really well. Parking: There's a pretty big parking lot shared with a few other businesses. I went on a Wednesday morning and had no issues finding a spot. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Grandma's Cookies Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

I came in on a cold rainy Friday and decided to get some crocheting done. It was a very warm and quiet place with a lot of seating both inside and out. I got their iced matcha latte and I think it is comparable to most matcha lattes. Service was super friendly and even brought my drink out to my table which might have been because I had a whole seat up with my crochet things but still something I don't see nowadays at coffee shops. read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Bar area - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This spot is one of my favorite coffee shops in Austin! Great place to study and work, or chill with friends with a good amount of seating--not to mention the adorable theme and interior. The breakfast burritos are tasty, and the coffee, whether you get a simple espresso or specialty drink, are equally delicious. The service is incredibly friendly and prices and great. At this day & age in Austin, it's hard to find a coffee spot that hits ALL the marks and this place is definitely it! read more

Been hanging out here on the weekends and staff has been lovely. Drinks are always great. Good place to get work done. Had a death in the family and brought coffee as a pick me up for the group. They loved it and it was a bright spot in a crappy day. Several family members requested it again as they loved the drinks. read more

I've been going to merfolks since I've moved into the neighborhood and my lord it's amazing. They have a really good assortment of specialty drinks every month and a killer vanilla latte. The tacos are great and so are the baked goods. The baristas are always so nice and engaging. I usually get a drink to go but when I do sit and enjoy, the vibes inside are immaculate, and it's always so clean. Highly recommend! read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Speciality Holiday Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Merfolk's was a great experience all around. The drinks were wonderful, the baristas were friendly, and the space is well decorated. They offer a good variety of coffee, tea, and pastries; we settled on a matcha latte, white mocha, and lemon pound cake. There is plenty of space (and outlets!) for study groups & settling in for a while, as well as a lovely pet-friendly outdoor patio space. Definitely will be a regular stop for us! read more

This coffee shop is so cute! I popped in randomly today and the owner was awesome. They do fun drink specials and I really enjoyed this lady gunslinger. A cold brew with butter pecan and a pear flavoring. Would deff come back here and some people were working. Good quality coffee! read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - Lady gunslinger - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place was very good, and fast. All their decoration ideas were on point and they even have board games to play and an outside patio. They're coffee was very delicious and rich, the only sad thing was there was no cold foam but still highly recommend visiting read more

Merfolk’s Specialty Coffee - White chocolate mocha and Salted Carmel latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Austin, Texas