Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab
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I don't give 5-star reviews lightly, but Smoking Tiger Coffee & Bread on Western Ave in Gardena has absolutely earned every single star. This place is a total gem, and if you haven't been yet, you are seriously missing out! Let me tell you about the star of my visit, the Matcha Cream Filled Croissant. Oh. My. Goodness. This thing is on another level. The croissant itself is buttery, perfectly golden, and incredibly flaky -- with just the right amount of crisp on the outside. But the matcha cream filling? Silky smooth, lusciously rich, with a beautiful earthy matcha flavor that isn't overpowering or too sweet. It's the kind of bite that makes you stop mid-chew just to appreciate how good it is. I honestly could eat three of these in a sitting. The Korean-American fusion approach to their baked goods is inspired and completely unique, you won't find anything like it anywhere else in the South Bay or in Gardena. Seriously Impressive, I paired my croissant with their Iced Matcha Latte, made with premium grade matcha sourced from Jeju Island, and WOW, this drink is stunning. It's vibrant, beautifully layered, and tastes as amazing as it looks. The matcha is bold and authentic without being bitter, perfectly balanced with creamy, cold milk. Not too sweet, not too earthy -- just absolutely perfect. It's easily one of the best iced matcha drinks I've had in a while. You can customize your milk choice too, which is a great thoughtful touch. This place is warm & welcoming: The staff here is attentive, friendly, and clearly passionate about what they do. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a smile and made to feel at home. The baristas are well-trained and knowledgeable, they took their time explaining the menu and made sure my order was exactly right. No rushing, no attitude, just genuine hospitality that keeps you coming back. Decor is absolutely Charming. The interior of Smoking Tiger is adorable and so well thought out. It's modern, clean, and stylish with a cozy Korean café aesthetic that feels fresh without trying too hard. The lighting is warm and inviting, the seating is comfortable, and the whole vibe just makes you want to stay for hours. There's both indoor and outdoor seating available, which is a great bonus. Whether you're catching up with a friend, working on your laptop, or just treating yourself to something special, this place sets the perfect mood. One thing that really stood out to me was how immaculately clean this café is. The tables, counters, floors, and display cases were all sparkling, it's clear that the team takes real pride in maintaining a clean and comfortable environment for every guest. A clean café is a happy café, and this one passes with flying colors. Bottom Line, Smoking Tiger Coffee & Bread is the real deal. Creative, high-quality food, exceptional drinks, warm service, gorgeous decor, and a spotless space, this place checks every single box. The Matcha Cream Filled Croissant and Iced Matcha Latte alone are worth the trip. Do yourself a favor and go try yourself. Miguel C.
Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab is a Korean bakery chain in LA County and Orange County. Think of this bakery chain as the Korean version of 85C Bakery or Sunmerry. Currently the Coffee Lab has multiple locations with the flagship shop in Buena Park, nine Coffee Lab locations (as of March 2026), and one bread factory in Cerritos. [Parking]: The coffee shop is located inside a strip mall and parking is free within the plaza. [Atmosphere]: There are plenty of indoor tables to sit and study. Few outdoor tables are also available. [Menu]: Some of Yelp's top highlighted items are Matcha Pistachio Croissant, Cream Cheese Garlic Croissant, and Scones. Unfortunately, they ran out of some croissants. For drinks, they focus on Korea's iconic flavors like banana milk, yuzu, misugaru, and mugwort. The four signature drinks are the Tiger Latte, Smokin' Spaniard, Banana Milk Latte, and Sweet Corn Latte. *** Bacon Cheese Croissant ($6): An interesting croissant as it was sliced into two layers. It was a bit cold but tasted solid. Tiger latte (signature brown sugar latte with caramel & frothed oat milk over our espresso - hot, $6.25): The foam was alright and the sweetness was spot on. It tasted more like milk tea than latte for some reason with a hint of smoky aftertaste. *** I actually like Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab a bit better than 85C Bakery, but the bakery selection is fairly limited.
Came here a while ago with a friend and we got the matcha with banana milk and it was good! Today I went in after I saw someone on Instagram highly recommended the banana milk latte and I was not disappointed! It's so so good, one of the best lattes I've ever had! Definitely coming back to try more drinks plus their bakery items! The service was great and I love the ambience, it's super calm and plenty of tables!
I love this cafe. Their coffee and matcha drinks are very good. I also really like their matcha scone to accompany my drink. My husband is a huge fan of their Tiger Latte that has brown sugar. I try something different each time I go.
I ordered the Banana Latte and my wife ordered the Corn Latte. The foam of her Corn Latte was delicious. The coffee itself wasn't a great combination. It was at most a solid 4/10. The coffee took away from the Corn Latte and my Banana Latte was a solid 6.5/10. We bought their highly advertised garlic cream cheese bread. We had to ask if they could heat it up. They put it in the microwave, but when they brought it over to our table it was still cold. Service was friendly. Interior was clean. Coffee and baked good experience was not what I expected it to be.
I've already been here three times but Im just barely writing my review. Every time I come here I'm greeted very warmly and asked if I have any questions. They have a great selection of coffee and pastries. I have tried their banana coffee iced, which is SO delicious. I've also tried their Smoking spaniard latte and most recently I went and I had their seasonal apple crisp latte. I have never. I love that it has lots of space inside and then a little area on the outside. Plus there's lots of parking which I truly appreciate I would be there more often if it wasn't a little bit out of my way
Long‑time fan of this bakery, especially their cream cheese garlic bread, which I've ordered on multiple visits. Today I grabbed 3 items, paid with Apple Pay and rushed out. Upon arriving home, I saw I was charged $37 for those three pieces of baked goods. This charge seems far too high for what I purchased. Food is good, but this billing issue needs attention.
Ambiance: this coffee chain place is located in a packed plaza, the seating area inside is crowded, without enough charging stations, and the restroom is gross Service: staff here is friendly although not skillful to make decent coffee drinks Drink: I wanted to try their food, but all the pastries ones on the shelf look so stale, so the review is based on drink only HOUSE DRIP COFFEE - * watery, lukewarm, probably the worst drip coffee I've ever had TIGER LATTE - ** their Signature Brown Sugar Latte with Caramel and frothed Oat Milk over their Signature Espresso, sugary but lack of coffee taste, it's a shame to be their signature Price: poor quality and not worth $6~$7 cost per drink
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE their garlic cheese bread. I haven't tried anything but the two variations of the cream cheese garlic bread. It's so delicious. It smells so good inside. Price is about $5 each I'll try their coffees one of these days. Very clean inside and staff is clean. Quick service. Large parking lot but it is always filled.
I picked up a Too Good to go order from this place and I'm not at all impressed which is strange because on here and the app they have high reviews??? For one the bag that they put my items in was already used because it was crumbled and folded like it had been used already and I don't think I got what I paid for?! Why are you charging $6.99 for some damn pastries that look old and not fresh, this shyt should've been $2-3 dollars at most not $7.72 what I paid, don't worry cause I most certainly will never be returning, the vibes were there and customer service was definitely lacking!!
This was a nice place to get some weekend work done. It was a mix of people getting work done and groups of friends catching up, so it had a nice atmosphere. The staff was really friendly and attentive as well. I tried the iced coffee and tiger milk coffee. The drinks were okay but the coffee was a little too light for me. They had a little baked foods section at the front but I went later in the day so it was nearly sold out - hope I make it earlier next time to try out some pastries!
Banana milk latte was pretty damn good. I was fairly impressed by this place. They have several stores it seems and a central kitchen that pumps out their pastries? Usually coffee shops bring their pastries in from some local bakery but it seems like they legitimately make their own. Not only that but they are unique enough that I believe it. Not your typical almond croissant, blah, blah, blah that every other place has. Their unique takes on pastries genuinely makes me want to try them all. Kudos! Can't wait to go back.
One of my favorite coffee spots--Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab always delivers! From the moment you walk in, the vibe is chill, modern, and welcoming. The cups and sleeves are adorable with their minimalist tiger design--such a cute touch that makes every order feel a little extra special. The customer service is always kind and quick. Even when it's busy, the team moves fast without sacrificing friendliness, which I really appreciate when I'm on the go. As for the coffee? SOO good. I always go for the Tiger Latte--smooth, rich, and perfectly balanced. If you want to switch it up, the Smoking Spaniard is another solid pick with a unique flavor twist that never disappoints. If you're a coffee lover who also appreciates great service and aesthetic details, you'll love it here. Definitely a go-to in my rotation!
4 days ago
Branching out to different coffee joints in Gardena and Smoking Tiger definitely impressed! Plenty of good options drink wise and even solid pastries and small bites. So far have tried the Tiger Latte, Banana Milk Latte, and the signature Coconut Matcha (hella good if you're into Matcha). All made with distinct flavors that you can't taste without being diluted by the ice and has a good kick of caffeine to keep you going. Even tried a couple of scones, the ube and cinnamon honey. Ube is top so far with their blend of macadamia nut imbedded in the pastry. Ordered through the app but the service is always pleasant from the staff. Always friendly and never delayed. Great space to work in as well as there's plenty of sitting areas for you and your group. Overall will be back for more! read more
Really great coffee and creative drinks. The service was super friendly. They even brought out our drinks on the patio. There's a handful of tables inside and a patio as well. There's a parking garage, but I'm not sure if it's free. We found street parking around the corner. It's a great place to meet a friend. read more
I don't give 5-star reviews lightly, but Smoking Tiger Coffee & Bread on Western Ave in Gardena has absolutely earned every single star. This place is a total gem, and if you haven't been yet, you are seriously missing out! Let me tell you about the star of my visit, the Matcha Cream Filled Croissant. Oh. My. Goodness. This thing is on another level. The croissant itself is buttery, perfectly golden, and incredibly flaky -- with just the right amount of crisp on the outside. But the matcha cream filling? Silky smooth, lusciously rich, with a beautiful earthy matcha flavor that isn't overpowering or too sweet. It's the kind of bite that makes you stop mid-chew just to appreciate how good it is. I honestly could eat three of these in a sitting. The Korean-American fusion approach to their baked goods is inspired and completely unique, you won't find anything like it anywhere else in the South Bay or in Gardena. Seriously Impressive, I paired my croissant with their Iced Matcha Latte, made with premium grade matcha sourced from Jeju Island, and WOW, this drink is stunning. It's vibrant, beautifully layered, and tastes as amazing as it looks. The matcha is bold and authentic without being bitter, perfectly balanced with creamy, cold milk. Not too sweet, not too earthy -- just absolutely perfect. It's easily one of the best iced matcha drinks I've had in a while. You can customize your milk choice too, which is a great thoughtful touch. This place is warm & welcoming: The staff here is attentive, friendly, and clearly passionate about what they do. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a smile and made to feel at home. The baristas are well-trained and knowledgeable, they took their time explaining the menu and made sure my order was exactly right. No rushing, no attitude, just genuine hospitality that keeps you coming back. Decor is absolutely Charming. The interior of Smoking Tiger is adorable and so well thought out. It's modern, clean, and stylish with a cozy Korean café aesthetic that feels fresh without trying too hard. The lighting is warm and inviting, the seating is comfortable, and the whole vibe just makes you want to stay for hours. There's both indoor and outdoor seating available, which is a great bonus. Whether you're catching up with a friend, working on your laptop, or just treating yourself to something special, this place sets the perfect mood. One thing that really stood out to me was how immaculately clean this café is. The tables, counters, floors, and display cases were all sparkling, it's clear that the team takes real pride in maintaining a clean and comfortable environment for every guest. A clean café is a happy café, and this one passes with flying colors. Bottom Line, Smoking Tiger Coffee & Bread is the real deal. Creative, high-quality food, exceptional drinks, warm service, gorgeous decor, and a spotless space, this place checks every single box. The Matcha Cream Filled Croissant and Iced Matcha Latte alone are worth the trip. Do yourself a favor and go try yourself. Miguel C. read more
Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab is a Korean bakery chain in LA County and Orange County. Think of this bakery chain as the Korean version of 85C Bakery or Sunmerry. Currently the Coffee Lab has multiple locations with the flagship shop in Buena Park, nine Coffee Lab locations (as of March 2026), and one bread factory in Cerritos. [Parking]: The coffee shop is located inside a strip mall and parking is free within the plaza. [Atmosphere]: There are plenty of indoor tables to sit and study. Few outdoor tables are also available. [Menu]: Some of Yelp's top highlighted items are Matcha Pistachio Croissant, Cream Cheese Garlic Croissant, and Scones. Unfortunately, they ran out of some croissants. For drinks, they focus on Korea's iconic flavors like banana milk, yuzu, misugaru, and mugwort. The four signature drinks are the Tiger Latte, Smokin' Spaniard, Banana Milk Latte, and Sweet Corn Latte. *** Bacon Cheese Croissant ($6): An interesting croissant as it was sliced into two layers. It was a bit cold but tasted solid. Tiger latte (signature brown sugar latte with caramel & frothed oat milk over our espresso - hot, $6.25): The foam was alright and the sweetness was spot on. It tasted more like milk tea than latte for some reason with a hint of smoky aftertaste. *** I actually like Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab a bit better than 85C Bakery, but the bakery selection is fairly limited. read more
3 months ago
Came here a while ago with a friend and we got the matcha with banana milk and it was good! Today I went in after I saw someone on Instagram highly recommended the banana milk latte and I was not disappointed! It's so so good, one of the best lattes I've ever had! Definitely coming back to try more drinks plus their bakery items! The service was great and I love the ambience, it's super calm and plenty of tables! read more
I love this cafe. Their coffee and matcha drinks are very good. I also really like their matcha scone to accompany my drink. My husband is a huge fan of their Tiger Latte that has brown sugar. I try something different each time I go. read more
I ordered the Banana Latte and my wife ordered the Corn Latte. The foam of her Corn Latte was delicious. The coffee itself wasn't a great combination. It was at most a solid 4/10. The coffee took away from the Corn Latte and my Banana Latte was a solid 6.5/10. We bought their highly advertised garlic cream cheese bread. We had to ask if they could heat it up. They put it in the microwave, but when they brought it over to our table it was still cold. Service was friendly. Interior was clean. Coffee and baked good experience was not what I expected it to be. read more
I've already been here three times but Im just barely writing my review. Every time I come here I'm greeted very warmly and asked if I have any questions. They have a great selection of coffee and pastries. I have tried their banana coffee iced, which is SO delicious. I've also tried their Smoking spaniard latte and most recently I went and I had their seasonal apple crisp latte. I have never. I love that it has lots of space inside and then a little area on the outside. Plus there's lots of parking which I truly appreciate I would be there more often if it wasn't a little bit out of my way read more
2 months ago
Long‑time fan of this bakery, especially their cream cheese garlic bread, which I've ordered on multiple visits. Today I grabbed 3 items, paid with Apple Pay and rushed out. Upon arriving home, I saw I was charged $37 for those three pieces of baked goods. This charge seems far too high for what I purchased. Food is good, but this billing issue needs attention. read more
Ambiance: this coffee chain place is located in a packed plaza, the seating area inside is crowded, without enough charging stations, and the restroom is gross Service: staff here is friendly although not skillful to make decent coffee drinks Drink: I wanted to try their food, but all the pastries ones on the shelf look so stale, so the review is based on drink only HOUSE DRIP COFFEE - * watery, lukewarm, probably the worst drip coffee I've ever had TIGER LATTE - ** their Signature Brown Sugar Latte with Caramel and frothed Oat Milk over their Signature Espresso, sugary but lack of coffee taste, it's a shame to be their signature Price: poor quality and not worth $6~$7 cost per drink read more
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE their garlic cheese bread. I haven't tried anything but the two variations of the cream cheese garlic bread. It's so delicious. It smells so good inside. Price is about $5 each I'll try their coffees one of these days. Very clean inside and staff is clean. Quick service. Large parking lot but it is always filled. read more
2 months ago
I picked up a Too Good to go order from this place and I'm not at all impressed which is strange because on here and the app they have high reviews??? For one the bag that they put my items in was already used because it was crumbled and folded like it had been used already and I don't think I got what I paid for?! Why are you charging $6.99 for some damn pastries that look old and not fresh, this shyt should've been $2-3 dollars at most not $7.72 what I paid, don't worry cause I most certainly will never be returning, the vibes were there and customer service was definitely lacking!! read more
This was a nice place to get some weekend work done. It was a mix of people getting work done and groups of friends catching up, so it had a nice atmosphere. The staff was really friendly and attentive as well. I tried the iced coffee and tiger milk coffee. The drinks were okay but the coffee was a little too light for me. They had a little baked foods section at the front but I went later in the day so it was nearly sold out - hope I make it earlier next time to try out some pastries! read more
Banana milk latte was pretty damn good. I was fairly impressed by this place. They have several stores it seems and a central kitchen that pumps out their pastries? Usually coffee shops bring their pastries in from some local bakery but it seems like they legitimately make their own. Not only that but they are unique enough that I believe it. Not your typical almond croissant, blah, blah, blah that every other place has. Their unique takes on pastries genuinely makes me want to try them all. Kudos! Can't wait to go back. read more
1 year ago
One of my favorite coffee spots--Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab always delivers! From the moment you walk in, the vibe is chill, modern, and welcoming. The cups and sleeves are adorable with their minimalist tiger design--such a cute touch that makes every order feel a little extra special. The customer service is always kind and quick. Even when it's busy, the team moves fast without sacrificing friendliness, which I really appreciate when I'm on the go. As for the coffee? SOO good. I always go for the Tiger Latte--smooth, rich, and perfectly balanced. If you want to switch it up, the Smoking Spaniard is another solid pick with a unique flavor twist that never disappoints. If you're a coffee lover who also appreciates great service and aesthetic details, you'll love it here. Definitely a go-to in my rotation! read more
We love going to Smoking Tiger on the weekends. I always like to order a cold brew, but they also have a fun variety of seasonal drinks I keep an eye out for on their Instagram, as well as seasonal pastries. Got to grab their latest goguma/sweet potato creme brûlée bun this time around. How fun! read more
1 month ago
Today I got my matcha and it was horrible who ever was working today did want to work today cause the made my matcha nasty I'm sorry and this is my go to spot every other day smh disappointed this time around read more
1 year ago
Finally got to try this location! Went for a work day to break up the monotony of WFH for a hour or two and I was so happy to work at their cafe. They have plenty of seating for any size groups really. A lot of seating is in twos which definitely caters to those studying/working, etc. Quite a peaceful cafe in the late morning/early afternoon too. The baristas and bakers were kind and welcoming too. Very easy to order and my drink was made quickly. Wouldn't ask for anything more! I did get to order their strawberry matcha latte and I picked up a few on their baked goods to bring home with me. I really enjoyed their strawberry matcha latte, but it was very very sweet. So if you don't like your matcha too sweet, I would suggest a different matcha choice. I absolutely loved their pistachio croissant! Honestly it made me want multiple with how flaky and sweet it was. My second favorite was definitely the Ube scone. Pretty moist for a scone and just with a hint of sweetness while also being crumbly as a normal scone. Great combo! I enjoyed the purple sweet potato bread too as it was not as sweet so it was a delightful snack. Honestly I don't think you could go wrong ordering anything here as it is all delicious in its own way! read more
I discovered Smoking Tiger while visiting a friend, and brief parking (30 mins) is easily available. Need more time ? Underground is nice and easy! I ordered their Jeju matcha. It did come with some agave syrup, and even at light / half sweet, it tasted a bit too sweet for me. There are a great variety of tasty drinks on their menu as well as some temptingly tasty pastries on the side. The staff were friendly in order and in even in recommending drinks since I prefer no syrup / low sugar. Wi-Fi and seating was pretty easy to access on a weekend afternoon, making it a perfect study / meetup / work spot. Music? The perfect volume, not too distracting and just at the right volume - good, chill beats. The Wi-Fi isn't the fastest, but it definitely gets he job done. It was a tad slow when I first sat down and even crashed, but it was fixed within 5 minutes. read more
1 year ago
Tried the Banana Milk Latte, the ratio of milk to espresso was perfff, I wanted to try the Sweet corn Latte as well but i'll be back next time! Pretty spacious inside with plenty of room to study, they had some pastries that looked so delicious like the matcha and chocolate croissant! Only down side was the parking area. read more
11 months ago
4 months ago
1 year ago
Korean coffee shop with tasty little treats. Came here for coffee with a friend on a weekday morning and there was a good amount of people. Tried the bagel with garlic cream cheese and the pistachio croissant along with a matcha latte. The food is self-service and then you pay/order at the counter for the drinks. There's indoor and outdoor seating. Plaza parking is available underground but be sure to read the signs as some spots are reserved for certain businesses. read more
A Korean-inspired cafe that offers a self sefve pastry bar and popular lattes. This place has a nice minimalistic design to the interior. Plenty of seating for anyone who wants to enjoy their pastries and drink. The staff is friendly and patient and fast with their service. I ordered the ham and cheese salt bread, which was good and the Tiger Latte which has brown sugar added which is not too sweet. One of my go to's for break time. read more
1 year ago
Oh man, I wish I knew about this place when I was living in SoCal... stumbled on it looking for coffee after brunch in Gardena. Service is great, the guy taking our order took the time to explain the drinks and suggest what was popular. I'm huge on corn lattes, and this place has one of the best I've had :P SOOOO good. Just the perfect amount of corn milk that paired well with their coffee! Deducted a star for their bakery items in the case :/ Unfortunately did not get to try bc we saw a fly in there which probably contaminated everything in the case... It's located in a small strip mall area so parking can be iffy. But as for a working space, they have plenty of tables, play good music, and is a big space. read more
In the gray plaza opposite for yeems coffee, virtually no line. More parking underground. Its quite spacious with bigger seating ( not too much) and only two outlets by the wall. If they got extension cords it would probably be a better study spot. Chefs kiss to their graphic designer for making such cute menus and logo. Same items as the BP location from what I can tell. The cream cheese garlic bread smells really good. I got the sweet potato bread which is accurate to what I expected but nothing special, probably similar to the hmart. They have a lot of non coffee and matcha options/unique lattes. If you're not a coffee person I'd recommend their non coffee latte items that's located on the register area vs the screen above as their coffee has a medium roast. As a coffee lover, their coffee is roasted well (medium) with a nutty robust flavor. Making it good for a not too sweet latte. I got their iced corn latte which only came in a smaller 12oz cup vs the iced 16oz and you could upgrade size. The corn foam has a distinct corn flavor, but the coffee took away from the corn flavor making it more mild and sort of like corn to medium bitter aftertaste. I think this may be helped if there's was some sort of brown sugar syrup to it? ( like a grilled corn flavor loool), there is a splash of caramel syrup. However, if you like coffee i would recommend this place and they do have all those viral Korean breads to try. The staff was nice, the cafe was relatively quiet with students studying on the weekend so it's got good acoustics that's not too fitting for cafe chatting depending on the level of busy. Staff keeps the area clean~~ read more
5 months ago
The service wasn't great and only one drink was good or correct. I'm still not 100% sure one of them was the correct drink. I ordered 2 drinks through the app yesterday, the Honey Bori Latte (seasonal) and the Banana Milk Latte. The Banana Milk Latte was delicious once everything was mixed well, but the Honey Bori Latte was just bitter and then less bitter when mixed. It was already half melted, there was no salted honey cold foam or Jolly Pong which is supposed to be part of the drink. I got the order to go, so I didn't notice that my drink was wrong until I got home, so I couldn't even get it corrected. I didn't realize the drink was wrong at first. I thought it was just a flavor I didn't like even though I noted that I couldn't taste Barley at all. Then half way throught it, I decided to look at the description on the app to remember what it was supposed to taste like because it tasted like an ordinary flavorless latte. The description said there's barley milk, salted honey cold foam and Jolly Pong. That's when it hit me that I either got the wrong drink or someone didn't make it right because there was no flavor of salted honey and definitely no Jolly Pong in my drink. It didn't even look like I had cold foam topping my drink, but maybe that's because it was melting already. Overall, I was very upset and disappointed with my drink, but was happy my mom's drink was fine. Now this is only a part of why I was dissapointed with yesterday's experience. The other reason was the app and workers. Maybe the workers aren't used to working with the Smoking Tiger app yet? Or maybe the app still needs work, but the drinks I ordered through the app took forever to be marked ready even though my drinks had been ready for some time which was obvious because my Honey Bori Latte was already half mixed because the layers of ingredients were melting into each other. I arrived at the cafe about 5 minutes after ordering, but the app's estimated wait time was another 10 minutes which wasn't a problem for me, especially since I saw a person waiting for his order and some people inside the cafe, although it wasn't full like usual. I just assumed some people ordered before me, so I just have to wait a bit, which again was fine with me especially since I was waiting for my mom to arrive. At some point after the one person waiting for their drink left, I realized the 2 girls at the counter were just talking and not making any drinks. I checked the app and it still said my order was being prepared. After 2 more people ordered their drinks and received them immediately, I went up to the counter, by this point it had been the app's estimated 10 minute wait. I told the girl with glasses my name and showed her the order on my phone. Then she walked toward the fridge and got my drinks, put them in a drink carrier, passed them to me and then turned around while looking at the receipt paper that was with the drinks. That was it. She didn't tell me which drink was which and they were not labeled, so my mom and I just had taste them to figure out which was which. At most places, they let you know which drink is which, so I was just confused with the service I received, especially when the place wasn't busy. And to top it all off, my order was marked completed 10 minutes after I received my order which again just left me in confusion. I usually love this place and was saddened when they got rid of their Choco Mugwort drink, but I'm always looking forward to their seasonal drinks and baked goods. This time though, I don't think I was even able to taste one of their new seasonal drinks because it tasted like a regular latte with milk. I want to try their other current seasonal drinks, but I'm also worried about what I will receive in the future and I'm not ready for another disappointing coffee any time soon. read more
1 year ago
Initially intrigued by some of their unique bread, I made it all the way to the area to try the place out. I've been kinda missing mochi with unique fillings, which weren't that easy to find in LA. I called myself pretty lucky for literally getting the last piece of their ube mochi. It was uniquely filled with mashed sweet potato and it's delicate how the skin was so thin and moist while the filling was literally packed. For the size and price in LA, surely worthy! They did serve decent coffee and the space design despite being more like a chain-bakery-style sort of, I would say clean and convenient. Most guests seemed to be family or students coming for studying and hanging for awhile. read more
2 months ago
First time here and fell in love with the space and food! We got the iced banana milk latte, ube scone, jeju matcha latte, corn and sweet potato mochis, cinnamon honey scone. The drinks were delicious and the treats look so tasty. Good customer service and friendly staff. They made our drinks pretty fast. I recommend going early because they sell out quickly. We arrived around 2 pm and most of the pastry items were gone, but we still had plenty to choose from. Free parking in the lot and underground structure. read more
1 year ago
I love LA because of places like this - we are a diverse wonderland with delicious food (often hiding out in strip malls). This coffee lab is bright and clean - perfect study spot. Lovely staff. On the one hand, it's a ham and cheese, BUT ITS SO MUCH MORE! What is this pillow of deliciousness? Why does everything taste better here??? Shaken cold coffee was also nice. I now look forward to my oil changes at Honda next door. read more
5 months ago
We got the Jeju Matcha and Strawberry Matcha and both were really good! The jeju matcha was more bitter, but they let me add more maple syrup and that helped! Service was nice and friendly! The butter mochi set of 8 was $25 but tasted so good!! The original, earl grey, black sesame, and ube butter mochi came with 2 each. Lots of seating in the cafe too, with people studying or doing work. They have an underground parking lot in the same plaza with lots of parking. read more
Smoking Tiger is my favorite cafe in the neighborhood! It's the perfect place for working or catching up with friends. The best part is really the drinks! They have the classic coffee drinks, but also fun, delicious lattes & matcha. My favorite drink is probably their banana milk latte or sweet corn latte because of the unique Korean-inspiried flavors that cannot be found anywhere else. Currently they are featuring a summer drink menu and I also like the peaches and cream latte. Also, when you buy their coffee beans, you get a cup of coffee included! I would highly recommend coming here for coffee or a sweet treat! read more
One of my favorite coffee + pastry chain in socal Smoking Tiger opened quite a few more locations throughout SoCal since our last visit in December 2023. This location in Gardena is in a small plaza. The self-serve pastry bar has many offerings and a whole side counter of cookies. Inside is very spacious with many tables and seats. Would be perfectttt for working/studying or just hanging out with your folks here. Our go-to are the corn latte and vanilla latte with oat milk. They do not disappoint. I really enjoyed the corn mochi. The coffee salt bread and almond croissant were a bit drier than expected. 4.7 stars read more
My sister and I went in around 1pm on a Saturday. Roughly a 5-10 minute wait to order (mostly due to people before us with a large order) but a fast turn around on drinks! Pastry selection was about half since it was already midday but there was still at least 1 of everything left. I ordered the Earl Grey Lemon Sconkie, Corn Mochi, and Rose of Sharon Poor Over. My sister ordered the Korean Honey Oat and the Sausage Salt Bread which she said were both great. Sconkie was very sweet with a citrusy taste and a moist/chewy inside. Almost too sweet for my taste but was delicious and paired well with coffee. I shared this with my cousin who has a sweeter tooth and she loved it. Corn mochi was our absolute favorite! It had a cream filling with corn bits inside - made us crave cornbread. The overall mochi had a good balance of filling and mochi + the corn design imprinted on the outside was so cute. Rose of Sharon Poor Over was delicious but very acidic. It has notes of Stone Fruit, Chocolate Strawberries, and Orange and made for a somewhat sweet aftertaste. Took about 10 minutes since it's a poor over so I'd recommend if you're studying/working at the cafe. We spent an hour-ish working/reading and the ambiance was great. Plenty of seating which was out of view from the line to order and it wasn't too noisy. Overall a great cafe for drinks, pastries, studying, and ambiance! read more
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Are there any of the baked goods vegan?
We have on vegan pastry item called the Mochi Pie! It is delicious and we highly recommend it :)
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