While walking through downtown Abilene and exploring all the incredible storybook statues, we stopped for an afternoon pick-me-up. Monks wasn't on our busy afternoon itinerary, but once we saw its cute storefront, we knew we had to stop. Outside is their tarp sign, and on their windows was a touch of Halloween-themed decor. We immediately detoured to Monks and got in line. For a Saturday during midterms season, it was packed and there wasn't a single table available. There is plenty of seating at Monks, but it was truly full. Their coffee bar is long and narrow with touches of dark brown wood and black. My girlfriend, unsure what she wanted, asked the working barista what she recommended, and she suggested her current special (I love when specialty drinks are curated by individuals on the team). Her selection was an Irish Cream Mocha with a Caffè Ristretto shot, which she got iced. I ordered my standard lavender oat milk latte, but iced, which is abnormal for me. Being out in the sun made me want something more refreshing than a hot beverage could bring. They offered two sizes for iced coffee: 16 and 20 oz. My coffee was pretty good. I'm a huge fan of nugget ice, which is what they serve their iced coffee with, so I was already a fan. I also really enjoyed the flavors of my girlfriend's coffee after having a few sips. She seemed to really enjoy it. The merchandise section was really cool, with unique mugs and coffee-themed candles made in partnership with Abilene Candle Co. Monks will be a must-stop next time we are in Abilene. We were impressed by the staff's attentiveness, the excellent vibes of the coffee shop, and, of course, the high-quality flavors of the coffee. RIYL: Well-decorated coffee shops read more

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One of my favorite coffee shops in Abilene! I've been here a few times and have loved each drink I've ordered. I have also come here to study and they had quick wifi and seats available with outlets. The staff are all super friendly as well. My favorite drink is an iced latte with toasted marshmallow and coconut syrup. Rate: 4:8/5 read more

Monks Coffee Shop - Iced Latte with toasted marshmallow syrup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Abilene, Texas

Coffee is good. A little hipster place with art featured from local artists. Right downtown. Friendly Barista's. read more

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Classic college town coffee house with good coffee, a small selection of sweet or savory pastries, and plenty of big tables study at or chat. The staff is always friendly, and they put a java jacket on your iced latte. Stop by for that doppio after dinner or get a great cappuccino with breakfast. Monk's has some solid competition nearby, but we end up here most often. read more

tried it for the first time last week and i loved it! I got a vanilla carmel latte, iced and it was pretty sweet, the blueberry and pumpkin muffins were delicious. i liked the vibe they had inside with the mismatched furniture read more

Monks Coffee Shop - blueberry muffin, pumpkin muffin, iced vanilla carmel latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Abilene, Texas

Peeps. You know I had to check it out. Do yourself a favor. Great location, great place, cool baristas, with a college town slight grunge vibe. Coffee was on point with the self-serve style for drip. Check them out when you are in the City and tell them PK sent you. #Pkast #DrKindness read more

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A staple of abilene coffee. The atmosphere is what all coffee shops should have. Only negative is the location is far but in a small town it doesn't really an effect. Chai, cold brew, and scones always are on point. read more

This is such an adorable cafe shop in Abilene! Me and some of my friends drove to Abilene to try out this indian restaurant but decided to stop by to get some coffee here and it was a great decision! Their cafe is a nice place to hang out and their drinks are superb! read more

Monks Coffee Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Abilene, Texas

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Oh wow. Coffee just tasted like milk, no flavor at all, not a real cappuccino, was steamed milk with foam. Inside is gloomy, and sad old antique furniture grosses me out, I refused to sit down anywhere. Filthy place, bathrooms were horrendous. The whole place smells. One star for the scones, really really good. But they just come from a bakery, so a star by proxy. I heard this was *the* place in town...I have no words. read more

We've heard students rave about this place, so we had to try it for ourselves. It lived up to the hype. The nicest workers, exceptionally good prices, delicious coffee (we're coffee snobs), and plenty of great indoor and outdoor seating. We sat outside since the weather was so nice. It was great to have a place open in the evening so we could enjoy good coffee after a nice dinner downtown. We are fans and will definitely back. read more

Best coffee shop in Abilene! The baristas are so friendly and always make great suggestions there was plenty of seating. I didn't get any of the food but it all looked delicious. read more

I had an Iced Chai and a Lemon Scone. The Lime Scone is delicious too. The Chai Tea Latte is really, really good!

Relaxed and cozy vibe, would be a perfect study coffee shop-- however I only popped in briefly for a pick me up on our road trip. The baristas were so kind and knowledgeable, the drip (a Brazilian dark roast) and an extra shot sugar free vanilla latte were perfection. The pastries looked delectable and I left with a bag of Avoca whole beans roasted just 6d ago that I'm excited to try at home. Much appreciated, would love to come back! read more

Update: I've been here several times during my stay in Abilene. Servers are always friendly when I'm there. My go-to is the honey lavender latte with oat milk. The plain latte was okay; they definitely shine with the addition of syrups. They use waaay too much ice any time I get a large iced tea. After I finished the tea, there's still so much ice in it that there's not enough room to pour a 12oz can of sparkling water in the cup. There's a really nice outdoor area next door with tables for days when it's not too hot out. read more

We stopped in for a late lunch at Grain Theory which is a great place. We had passed some coffee shops and searched reviews on yelp and decided on Monk's Coffee Shop. So glad we did. Cool vibes when we walked in around 5:00 on a Friday. The place was comfortably busy. Ordered our favorite drink- americano with light cream and a pump of mocha. Service was friendly and wait was short. When we got our coffee we both took a sip and WOW!! Best ever! My husband said I must write a review. When we come back through town on Sunday we are definitely stopping again!! Great place! read more

I literally love Monks so much! Its one of the best coffee shops in Abilene. Its also a nice place to sit down and study. Recently I've become hooked on the Vanilla Caramel as it is super delicious. Also, the staff is amazing, literally everyone whom works there is a pure gem. Plus Monks is located in downtown Abilene so you could grab a coffee or tea and take a nice stroll through downtown. I would recommend Monks to anyone who needs a study break or a little pick me up! read more

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Pretty cool coffee shop. I met with someone who told me about it as that's her go to place. Great friendly service and coffee was really tasty. Def a must try. read more

Always the best coffee and drinks you can ask for. It's been about 10 years since visiting here and it's still a sweet space to relax and enjoy even a simple cup of delicious coffee. Friendly service and it's a general cool vibe I like. Thank you Monks for what you offer to Abilene. read more

I had a vanilla caramel with oat milk. It was great!! Very delicious! The ambiance was nice too! I will definitely be returning! read more

Monks Coffee Shop - 2 vanilla Carmel w oat milk 1 white chocolate mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Abilene, Texas

We spent the day in Abilene shopping and dining and the people at Monks were the loveliest of anyone we encountered. They were so wonderful to the children in our group. The ambiance was relaxing and cozy. They had a nice selection of coffee drinks and smoothies and answered the questions we had. read more

The ambiance is quiet, shabby chic, convivial if you want it that way, with lots of seating for small groups or single internet users. The staff, while I was there at least, accommodated someone who wanted to visit with coffee bar staff, while also taking care of orders and cashiering--not an easy feat--usually one or the other feels less than, but not this time. The coffee drink frapped was delicious and perfect even though I made it up on the spot (I don't like sweet coffee but it was HOT outside so I needed a frappe!). Will definitely make this one of my spots on repeat visits with my Air Force son. read more

This is day in and day out the most popular coffee shop in Abilene with out even trying

Meh... When I order a cafe-au-lait, then I'm told to go and get my own coffee to fill the cup up to where I want it, that's one issue. However, when I go to get said coffee and they are both empty...and the gal rolls her eyes back so far in her head that she becomes something out of the Exorcist...that is something else. I pay for coffee...how about you make it? Other server had no idea how to input things into the cash register, how to take my money, or much else. Probably not a bad place, but I expect more from my Barista. read more

It looked like a very popular place. It was easy to order and got my drink quickly. I drink decaf, but it was still very good. It's located in downtown Abilene. And it's surrounded by a lot of shops. Plenty of seating inside. Also, an opportunity to recycle cupholders. There is no drive-through at this location. read more

Monks Coffee Shop - Coffeehouse. Downtown area. Easy to find. Coffee was very good and it was decaf. Plenty of tables inside. Nice place. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Abilene, Texas

Very nice coffee shop located in historic downtown Abilene. The floor plan is open with lots of room and seating available. It's pretty packed full of people when I am in there in the evenings with a steady flow of people taking coffee and snacks to go. It never really gets too loud and people are very friendly and respectful of your space and it generally is quiet. The coffee is great with lots of different options to choose from and you can't really go wrong with any of it. The espresso is good by itself or added with any drink. I usually do a black eye, two shots of espresso with the rest filled with the house, light roast coffee that they have conveniently located at the coffee bar across from the checkout counter. The staff and baristas have always been friendly and very knowledgeable, you can tell they enjoy what they do and take it serious. It's nice to know that Abilene has another coffee shop that shows pride in the art and science of their brew. Y'all enjoy! MLA read more

Well honestly monks is pretty chill especially for college students but only issue was me and my friends faith is really apart of our life, They never looked at us a certain way they welcomed us and lol even tho we be filled with Joy they still never judge us. Love this place for our bible studies highly recommend and Muffins are so good !! read more

Cute vibe, most laid back coffee shop in Abilene. I enjoyed their sugar free Irish cream coffee latte. Great tasting pumpkin muffin.

Ordered a iced vanilla latte. What I got was soooooooooo sweet. Makes my eyes twitch. Be warned, ask them about how much sweetener goes into your drink when you order. read more

Loved this place! Clean and neat with smooth tasting coffee!! The atmosphere was well done. A large space with a modern feel. Not trying to be overly "coffee shop-ish" I parked on the street and had to walk a little but I think there was a Festival or something going on that morning. It's been a while but it was a Saturday morning I know. I'm a latte girl so I got a white chocolate flavored one. read more

Great service and a peaceful setting. Very friendly vibe. Good coffee and hot chocolate. Great place to chill out with friends or to study. The banana nut muffins are good as well. read more

Monks Coffee Shop - Muffins and hot chocolate. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Abilene, Texas

My wife and I came to the place on a whim and were totally blown away with how good the coffee is; and dont forget about grabbing one of their great baked goods. The guys were super nice and answered all of our " new comer" questions. Try the headless horseman iced. Mindblowing. Will defiantly be back. And the witches brew is amazing too. read more

Monks Coffee Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Abilene, Texas

Adorable coffee shop, very nice and well experienced young baristas. Coffees (Cubano, macchiato, Tuxedo and white vanilla) were super good!!my Ginger, Peppermint Honey tea was delicious. We were able to recharge to continue our road trip adventures. When in Abilene, will certainly stop back again! read more

This is the best Coffee Shop in town. Born and raised on the Eastside of the city and I always go over to Monks to buy a Green Tea Smoothie, and every time I go there, the Baristas know what I'm gettin. I've been a regular ever since I was in High School and I'd always come to this spot to just hang chill and get a cup of Joe or 2, and they never disappoint. Best Place in Town, friendly service and I Highly Recommend y'all check this place out when your in the ABI! read more

I go in all the time they know my order by heart. I'll take a break from coffee for a few months and still come in and they know before I order. Great service, they're always smiling and I honestly believe they have the best coffee shop in Abilene. read more

My favorite coffee shop! Has never failed to have the sweetest employees and most cozy/welcoming environment!

Baristas are nice, but the service is slow, particularly when its busy. Regular drip coffee is so so. Their hot tea is a standout! Highly recommend. Decor looks like my grandmothers sitting room... after a couple hundred people have sat in it. read more

Nearly everything about this place was very pleasant. The atmosphere was very relaxing with some comfortable places to sit, some large tables to accommodate laptops, and quiet music. The few different drinks that I've had here were all very tasty. I personally recommend the Royal Breve latte. The employees were all very courteous. And the parking is extremely convenient. (Note to the entire world: everywhere should have angle parking, it's so much easier.) My only "complaint," and I use that term loosely as this isn't the cafe's fault, is there were several individual customers who chose to sit at large tables that could accommodate four or more people. Our group of three needed to share a small table that was designed for two because the larger tables were taken by the inconsiderate. Several of these larger tables had a sole person sitting at them. What a waste of space. read more

I went to monks today just to get an ordinary cup of coffee, but let me tell you how life changing it was. The barista was jaw dropping my gorgeous, I would've asked for her number but her pure presence let me all but speechless, only able to utter my order. The atmosphere was pleasant and light, making me feel as if I had truly entered heaven on earth. The couches made me nostalgic of my grandma, making me call my own grandmother, she was delighted to hear from me only making this experience lovelier. The soothing melodies they played cured both my anxiety and depression: I no longer have to go to counseling, instead of spending $100 a week on therapy I spend $5 on coffee a week and am healed. read more

Visited Monks while taking a walking tour with our satellite office! We were greeted when we came in by the lovely, retro decor and also by the lovely young woman behind the counter. I love the vine of this place, its warm, comforting, and just a little bit kitschy. I just got coffee, a caramel macchiato to be exact, but I saw that they carry hot cocoa and tea as well. My caramel macchiato was the best one I'd ever had. Wasn't too sweet or strong and was at the perfect temp. Really liked it!! read more

I was kinda surprised to find this place in Abilene. After searching Yelp, it appeared that folks hadn't really discovered coffee here. The few places that exist have mediocre and/or very few reviews, so I was quite worried. I decided to just walk around downtown and see what I could see. This place only caught my eye because of the people coming and going and hanging around out front. I had to see what the commotion was. There was no sign. I was pleased to find a happening little coffee house with a good vibe. I only had an iced mocha and it was perfectly adequate. Pretty good actually, considering that I had nearly resigned myself to good ol' Starbucks. Vibe was good, staff was friendly and the coffee tasted fine to me. I will come back. read more