The bakery, the coffee, the teas, the deli portion...all amazing. I find it to be a great place to meet a friend and chat. They've got anything from snacks to full meals. The staff are helpful and friendly. I don't always know exactly what to order and they point me in the right direction. I will say most times it's not an ideal place if you're looking for a place to work...it can get a little loud, just because of the size of it. Parking can be a little challenging because next door there are some "NO RUSSELLS PARKING" signs, so you may need to circle the lot a bit or park way far away, but overall it's worth it. I don't know if they still do this, but a couple times I've been in during the afternoon and they were having half off coffee! Wahoo! read more

I have always gone to the Russell's here on Hancock since I lived in Austin , in the past years service was excellent. That had not been the case lately, a lot have changed . The service is different. The portions are very stingy. The staff,they appear to be in their own zone. Today was a great disappointment. I bought two a fresh apple fritter and a slice of chocolate cake. They laid all on the counter and told me thank you and have a good day without offering a bag for me to carry my items. Wow I guess they were expecting me to eat them all there. It's time to find a new bakery. read more

Despite driving by a zillion times, this was my first visit to Russell's. It was noon and I was pleasantly surprise to find parking and a quick table. I had cappuccino which was smooth and well balanced. Their espresso seems to have has a toasty flavor, and the foam is velvety and heavy. Friendly device and overall solid visit and I can see why they have been such a standout in Austin's coffee scene over the years. read more

We tried this as it is kinda close to our home, wasn't for me however they get a crowd so maybe it's me & what I ordered~ My cappuccino wasn't drinkable I am sorry to say, as the young girl who made it was lovely plus my cinnamon almond croissant , dense!!! Not flakey and neither flavor mentioned was evident...... Might we try Russell's again, probably and this time I know what not to order... read more

I cannot believe the low rating on this place. They have amazing tasting coffee. The pastry selection overwhelming. And the service is great. I also appreciate that I can ask for a mug for my coffee and the barista has been so kind. On my last two visits - she delivered the coffee to the table where I was sitting. The ambience is great, there is not much noise, this is a good place to work from. There are also outdoor seating options. read more

Russell's Bakery - A delicious americano - Bakeries Near Me - Austin, Texas

Workers were incredibly rude. They messed up my order and when I politely asked them to remake it I overheard them mocking the way I said "sorry." When I was paying for my order, which I was overcharged for, I told them to keep the change. They then said, in a passive aggressive tone to their coworker, "oh look girl we got 80¢!" Maybe if you were more polite you would've earned a better tip. Pastries were good, but service was not. This is not the only time I've experienced this at a Russel's bakery. The location on 2222 had horrible customer service as well. Only thing good about this place are the pastries and sometimes the drinks. Sandwiches aren't the best. read more

Absolutely no protein options! No breakfast options besides sugary pastries, makes no sense! This location is prime time but potential is not being filled. read more

They close their kitchen early regularly. I even called a to-go order 20 minutes ahead of time and yet still, they had already closed their kitchen. read more

The best coffee in Texas. Great service and excellent pastry The amazing bread is so good and the ambiance is amazing read more

See all

great food and great service! love the workers, always so kind. At times busy, at times quiet, always good

A very good home away from WFH situation, with excellent baked goods that will become dangerous if you're not scrupulous with self-control. Also home of the very best bran muffin I've ever had - not too sweet, decadently moist, just a few raisins, no frills but absolutely delicious. I'd make a special trip just for that, but since they moved Genuine Joe's books & games in next door, there's so much more to love. read more

I was underwhelmed with the baked items. The pastries that we had were either too dry, lacked flavor, or didn't have the right flakiness. I also had a lavender latte, which was good but not memorable. read more

Jess is the most amazing barista!! My kids love her and we will back again to visit her!!

Russel's is my favorite coffee shop in Austin! all locations have incredible service, great coffee, and good food! They have plenty of gluten free options which is surprisingly hard to find (I recommend the lemon poppyseed bread) and I really enjoy their coffee (my go-to is a strawberry mocha). It's a great place to study, catch up with friends, or read. There are only two drawbacks - at this location there's only one outlet, so I tend to not spend too long studying here for that reason & mainly come to read/catch up with friends. Also, they don't take cash which is super inconvenient- I hope they change that soon! read more

Russell's Bakery - Iced Strawberry mocha - Bakeries Near Me - Austin, Texas

Really should bring back breakfast tacos. The apricot scone is my favorite and coffee is good.

Great place to get lunch and talk with a friend! My favorite is a 1/2 BLT on sourdough bread with chips.

Delicious, homey and wide assortment of baked goods and other items. I was impressed with how big the loaves are! My tomato bisque soup was very flavorful and filled with tomatoes that weren't so blended it was like water, but actually had substance. The Greek salad had all my favorites and was a perfect complement to the soup. I liked the little crostinis to dunk and felt very full afterwards. The only thing that was rather different than a normal puff pastry was theirs. Rather than light and fluffy, it was dense and more cake-like which was surprising. The filling was also rather dense and didn't taste creamy like I would have expected. However, if you ignore the name and realize it's a dense cake with a heavy filling, then you'll be fine.:) read more

Russell's Bakery - Greek salad and "bowl" of tomato bisque, and hibiscus tea which was delicious! - Bakeries Near Me - Austin, Texas

Witches and wizards - gather round for we have a story to share about a magical land tucked away in suburbia. Grab your nimbus 2000 and fly on in for the brunch spot that makes Hogsmeade look like McDonalds™. Once you fly through the doors you'll see an exact replica - size and all - of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.... But don't be alarmed no whomping willow here. The only thing that will greet you are friendly muggles with good coffee and great food. I ordered an espresso-patronum and boy did it make me glow. The real magic here is the love that is baked into every loaf of their moist moist moist (super moist) gluten free breads. Yes. There are multiple types. No butter beer flavor, but alas, 10 points to Hufflepuff. Russel's puts the Dab in Avadacadabruh. 10 more points. Don't miss this Slytherin stoppin', coffee shoppin', jaw droppin' extravaganza! 10 more points. read more

What an amazing place! Writing this review while enjoying there delicious cinnamon roll and coffee, we stopped by today around 11:00, a lady(short hair) helped us out, she was welcoming, sweet and happy to see customers. We got blueberry muffin, 3butter crossaint, cinnamon roll and turkey and provolone croissant, it was $15 before tips. Everything is so reasonably priced, especially hard times like now, really appreciate it This is not a fancy place, it's one of those places where you can go often, as it's affordable but yet not compromised on the quality, pick up some goodies and enjoy it for breakfast or in evenings with your family and friends with coffee/tea. Cinnamon roll: I usually don't like cinnamon rolls as they're too sweet for my taste, but here they don't have that white sugar glaze so I wanted to try and glad I did, it's mildly sweet, beautiful cinnamon flavor, crispy edges, light, soft, perfectly layered. Turkey and provolone croissant : they keep them warm, but they happily heat it up in a toaster oven for you, it's huge, my son and husband shared it and my son absolutely loved it. Blueberry muffin: not much blueberries but light, mildly sweet, soft and flavorful. Butter Croissant: yet to try They have cookies, cakes, chocolate truffles, breads, coffee, espressos and many more. If you haven't been to this place yet, strongly recommend it. read more

See all

Stopped into Russell's Bakery & Coffee since it was my day off and I was in that neighborhood. I always remember the wonderful pastries we used to buy when we moved to Austin in the early 2000s. Today, I was hoping to relive that memory, but instead I was highly disappointed. I understand that ownership may have changed, but I patronized this restaurant because of the business name. My coffee tasted burnt as though it had been sitting in the pot and continuing to brew. AND the stale cinnamon almond croissant had hair on it sealed to the croissant with a simple syrup. I'm disgusted and won't be eating there again. I'll take the perfectly wrapped slice of Harvest Bread to work tomorrow and just leave it on the table for any takers. read more

Russell's Bakery - Cinnamon almond croissant and a large cup of coffee. - Bakeries Near Me - Austin, Texas

I moved a few months ago to the area and have enjoyed having Russell's as my local cafe. Service is friendly, coffee and food is great-to-good-enough, and there's plenty of sunny, cozy space to relax. I'd give five stars if the hot veggie croissant wasn't always sold out and/or more vegetarian options, the chairs were more comfortable, and fading and worn exterior and interior decor was refreshed a bit. read more

Lovely experience! Its a beautiful and cute location. They have gluten free breads which is important. The staff were helpful too. read more

See all

This is my absolute favorite spot for a dirty chai. I've gotten iced and hot and both are equally amazing. Their pumpkin bread is delicious too! This trip I branched out and got a cold brew with flavored foam, which was okay but not amazing. A little disappointing, since their chai is my favorite in town. The pumpkin muffin was good but not as moist as the pumpkin bread. Of the two, I'd recommend the bread. I definitely have my favorites when I come here and I try to branch out once in a while, but it's hard when the other stuff I've tried doesn't compare with my go-tos. But to recap, their pastries are great (especially the breads) and get the dirty chai. read more

Russell's Bakery - Pumpkin muffin and cold brew with sweet cream pumpkin foam - Bakeries Near Me - Austin, Texas

This bakery / coffee bar has been my saving grace for years. I work around the corner and have been lucky to see it grow and expand. The staff is something you only hear about from old austin. The guys and bake staff have been here for years with very few people leaving or coming in. I wanna say I have seen some of them for 15 years or so. Which is crazy it's like a unicorn in a sea of horses. That one gem amongst thousands of Rocks. If you have a chance to check out their goods. Highly Highly recommend doing so. Pro tip Their ice mocha is amazing Food wise the breakfast croissant (spinach and mozzarella) is delish. Bake side the warmed up cinnamon rolls yumm read more

Stepping into Russell's is like stepping back into an Austin time capsule. Not much seems to have changed here in decades, and that's what's nice about it: you get a glimpse into what "old Austin" used to be. We ordered coffees and pastries and found a seat at one of the cute tables there. The space is large and accommodating. The iced coffees were OK, as was the latte. Pastries, well, we've had better. The operative word here really is "OK." The chocolate eclair was OK. The apricot scone was OK. The banana chocolate chip muffin was pretty good, and while we loved the filling in the spinach-feta croissant, the dough was soggy and limp. The folks working are really nice, and we're glad to have come here once to try it, but it's unlikely we'll be back again. This place must be beloved to the neighborhood, though, as our precious Quack's is to Hyde Park. We wish them many more years of good business. read more

For years I have enjoyed the gluten free and dairy free baked goods from Russell's at various coffee shops and corner stores, but I had never ventured out to the source itself--and I am SO glad I finally did! The shop is bright and open with many tables to sit yourself at. There are also a few outdoor tables. The counter service is great, the man working it being very kind and knowledgable. I didn't get a drink or anything more than a slice of their renown lemon poppy seed bread (GF/DF), but saw many happy customers enjoying drinks and more bites. A great place to work or meet with people. All in all, I definitely plan to be back! read more

What an adorable little bakery! They absolutely love military service members too! I went it just to grab a sandwich and salad and was honored to have been thanked repeatedly and given a discount. I went in on a different day and was surprised with a paid off tab by a kind and sweet silent military supporter. I absolutely love this bakery!! Their baked goods and treats are the best and their coffee is so smooth!! I ordered a tuna salad on wheat with a house salad with their homemade pesto vinaigrette!!!! If I could give this place 10 stars, I would. The sandwiches come fully loaded with a lot of toppings, plenty of tuna and a hearty serving of salad. They aren't stingy with the veggies either! They keep you coming back for more with the literally icing on their cupcakes!!!! Decadent with intricate designs. The location is just Shy of 1.5 miles from Camp Mabry so you could walk there for exercise if you wanted! Plenty of parking and once inside, plenty of seating. It gets busy to so expect to wait a bit for your delicious delicate food! Smell the fragrance of the sweetness of the homemade wheat bread and baked goods once you have them in front of you. This is an experience as you rarely get homemade everything when you go out to eat! And lastly, savor every bite! I comment from Houston so this is truly a treat for me. read more

See all

Always a favorite for my family when in town. Customer service is always great, just disappointed in not accepting cash. The pumpkin muffins are the best, by far. They are most, fresh, and always perfect! We also tried the apple fritter, it was above average but can't compete against the muffin. Coffee is good and will be back when in town again. read more

Definitely one of my go-tos in North Central Austin. Quite an amazing selection of pastries.... Colorful and on theme for the holidays. They also make the perfect gift, and can be a nice little addition to any Christmas party you may be going to. Sometimes I even stopped in and picked up pastries for my kids birthday parties. Russell's bakery never disappoints! read more

See all

This Bakery has pretty good cinnamon rolls, they are close to Upper Crust Bakery but not enough cinnamon! The almond croissant was hard! I'll slice it at home and butter it! The loaf breads are very nice! Pumpkin spice was a favorite. The ambiance is not there! They could spend some of their income to fix this bakery up and i think they would have more people stopping in! I would suggest a great cleaning, new finish on the concrete Floor, paint the walls (they are green ugggg) new chairs, those iron chairs are too hard and heavy and maybe paint the tables. Put new tile floor in the one bathroom and get rid of every piece of art in that bathroom!!! It's terribly dirty!!! That front counter is awful with that fake grass on the front! Really people invest some money in your bakery! You have to put money in to get more out of it. Russell the owner needs to take better care of this restaurant!!! The atmosphere is awful! read more

Stopped to get myself a peanut butter cookie as a treat. It was not sweet. Really disappointing -- I threw it away. I don't eat much sugar so it's not as if I have sensory fatigue. $1.75 for a bad cookie. Shame. read more

Refuel here. My guy and I play tennis nearby this bakery once or twice a week. We stop by Russell Bakery to eat a late breakfast and grab a coffee afterwards to refuel and energize our day with a shot of caffeine. First the bad news (but stay tuned, there is good news): If you've read any of my other reviews, you know atmosphere is very important to me. You will not find it here because their inside dining area is closed. They have limited seating outside in front of and to the side of the building. It is way too hot in the morning to sit out front and the side tables are usually taken. Now, the good news: The coffee is delicious. We've had drip coffee, cappuccino, and lattes here and all are full-bodied in flavor and well prepared. The croissants are our "go to" food. Both sweet and savory are large and delicious. The muffins are always excellent too. Lastly, the staff are pleasant, polite, and efficient. I am very appreciative of good service. We'll keep coming back. Give this little bakery a try. You'll be glad you did. read more

Russell's Bakery - Ham and mozzarella croissant the size of Texas! Seriously, they are BIG! - Bakeries Near Me - Austin, Texas

Employees have always been great but the food and coffee quality is some of the worst I've had in Austin. And recently they just bought Coffee Shark which has been my daily coffee shop for years. This means no more greater goods coffee and I'm sure their menu will be replaced with dry, lifeless Russell's pastries. read more

I had a really nice cinnamon roll and cup of coffee here. Austin elite eat here as they gaze out over the unwashed masses.

Staff are great, food is on point. Coffee is pretty darn good. The only bag is parking can be tough but if you're out for a great ride or walk this is a great break from the day. read more

Love this place def a Jem of Austin, the croissants are so fresh and perfect! The service is 10/10 and I loved the vibe.

For the record - Russell Millner and his now ex wife "Gemma", sold this bakery several years ago. Yelp needs to update it's content because it's misleading and false. Now.....just wow, what a disappointment. K & S TIGON VENTURES LLC took over from the past owner, and this place has gone completely down hill ever since. I understand that everyone is suffering with low supplies and labor shortages, but the stale, hard, flavorless pastries from Friday really shouldn't get sold on Sunday's - certainly not at full price. Please try harder Russell's. You used to be one of my favorite places in the city... read more

The best gluten and dairy free lemon poppyseed bread ever!! I also love the hot tea selection. The space is nice for catching up with friends or just enjoying time on your own to read or study. I love the local art on display as well! read more

Went for late morning breakfast with four friends at the Russell's on Hancock. I believe it has some large tables that the Northcross location does not have. The service was very accommodating, setting aside two ham and cheese croissants for us to eat after our initial start with coffees. We also tried some Gluten Free Banana Bread and GF Lemon Poppy Seed Bread. Very tasty. W stayed two hours and enjoyed the visit as well as ambiance, service and flavorful beverages and baked goods. read more

WTF. Bought a loaf of banana bread. Got home and noticed it costed $20. Not kidding. It didn't have a price tag in the store and was too distracted to notice the price at the register. Simple ingredients. You can make it for about a dollar at home. It's very unethical to sell bread for $20 and not put a price tag on it. What's wrong with you people? Times are tough with the pandemic. read more