Downtown Jo’s Coffee Shop

My husband and I had the Belgian bomber iced coffee for breakfast, along with a 2 egg platter and a breakfast taco with avocado. Great food, homemade sausage, good portions. Their pastry selection wasn’t much, so if you’re in the mood for something sweet, this may not be the place.
We sat outside and it was great… really dog friendly with a walk up order window.

I wasn’t too impressed with any of the food here, but the Turbo iced coffee was great!
THE WAIT
Around 11am on a Saturday, it was maybe a 10-​minute wait to order food, and we were immediately able to get a large booth for six. Our food took another 10 or so minutes to come out.
THE SERVICE
Fine, but a few of our orders seemed to get a little mixed up. Some came out with extra dishes — not a big deal, noting was missing.
4 stars: Turbo Iced Coffee.
3 stars: The tacos (decent meat, but the tortillas were stale).
2.5 stars: Bacon banana pancake (dry!).
2 stars: Egg sandwich/​Broken Yolk Sandwich (bread dry, not too much flavor).
Potatoes (too crispy, small).
See my photos for additional review details!

Breakfast tacos. These will be your new favorite breakfast food after dining here.
The vibe is hipster, there is indoor and outdoor seating, the coffee is great, what more could you want?
How about three varieties of Palmer drinks? The traditional Arnold is classically refreshing, the Robert is more Zen with green tea, and for a pretty, caffeine-​free drink, the Laura. They should make a Carl using a mango or tropical tea. He even played a yellow drum set, so tropical or mango tea would be perfect.
I love Jo’s for breakfast, and you will, too!

Great spot for brunch. The cashier was sweet and nice and the food was delicious. We had a bunch of different tacos and everything was great. The coffee was also very good. Would definitely return. One downside is that a bird shat on our friend during their meal. That’s pretty gross but also somewhat unavoidable given the large number of trees over the outdoor patio. Aside from that, no complaints (though some might see that as a big one!!!).

Easily accessible coffee shop, great for a pick-​me-​up as you walk through Austin. We got iced coffees and they were tasty and reasonably priced. They have an extensive menu and outdoor seating.

You won’t have a fine dining experience here, but you will definitely have a real
Austin experience (albeit it with a healthy dose of tourists. Don’t ask me how I know they’re tourists, I just do.” The eggs breakfast I had was good if maybe slightly overpriced compared to other places. I also had the latte. Good size & I’m always a sucker for a foam design (I think it was a leaf). Last time I went it was on a Sunday morning. Despite the long line, it moved fast. So much so that I was still wondering, «What am I going to get? What am I going to get when I got to the cashier/​order taker but I got a Chipotle vibe from him («Don’t ask a bunch of questions! Just order!») and I find Chipotle ordering stressful. (Don’t judge. Almost every on has indulged in Chipotle before moving to Austin.) The person who brought us our eat-​in order was friendly, helpful, and attentive. We were there around noon on a Sunday

In Austin for the day. This place was suggested by a lady at the Radisson Hotel nearby. We had tea/​soda, fried avocado burgers and fries. The fries were enough for two or three to share. The burger was hot and fresh.
It’s that time of year when it’s starting to get hot. The AC didn’t appear to be going much. The front door was open and the place was a bit warm. TMI, but I was sweating.

Hot Chai Tea Latte: YES! Get This if this is your normal drink. I think you have to be someone that likes that cinnamon flavor to like it in the first place. This was really really really good in my opinion.
Fried avocado burger: meh… I had to force myself to finish it. I don’t like to waste food. But my friend who I split it with said it was one of the best she’s ever had because the bun was sweet. So… my review for this is ambivalent.

Migas.
Get your lazy, hipster, skinny jeans ass over here and don’t worry about the calories or cholesterol. Just eat real food for a change.
I got here early, like when they open and the staff was fun and dancing to the disco pumping from the PA on this cold rainy morning! The service was fast and friendly and my Migas was like a slice of southern Sonoran heaven.

Friendly fast service, really tasty tacos, hot spicy chai. Was a great ‘me’ morning place.

I found this place randomly while walking downtown with friends during SXSW. It was pretty chilly outside, so we decided to make a quick pit stop for some nice warm coffee.
There was a long line inside, but there were two little windows outside convenient for placing to go orders. I ordered a plain latte and an Iced Turbo (I know I came in for warmth. but the Iced Turbo was calling my name!). The Iced Turbo came out immediately, and I really enjoyed it! It was very sweet, which was perfect for my sweet tooth. It contained coffee, espresso, hazelnut, chocolate, and cream. The latte came out 10~ minutes later, and I enjoyed it also.
For seating, there was a patio area in front with bar stool seating and table seating which were convenient while we waited for our drink orders to come out. It was definitely a good place to people watch and socialize.
Overall, I really enjoyed the coffee and would definitely come back to try their food menu items next time!

Rayfjord review,
I was saddened to see the poor, yet still pretentious hipster employees being subjected to the indignity of employment. They were so oppressed and beaten down by the capitalist «man» that they could not even make eye contact as I ordered at the counter. A further sign of their oppression, was when my to go order was brought out, the poor girl could only just sit the bag on the table ask she walked by!
If only we could do something to alleviate their suffering. Maybe we should band together and organize a rally for them. Someone can bring a guitar, we can form a drum circle and serenade them with nonsensical chants until they are released from their chains of oppression!

Oh Jo’s. I really wanted to like you. …But after two visits to your downtown location in less than a week, I have learned my lesson, and will not be returning to this location. Four stars for the coffee, but everything else is lacking.
The Spread: At a glance, the menu looks great. Tacos, burgers, salads, coffee… And fun variations on basic menu items, like the «Crazy Carl,» a breakfast taco with refried beans, fried avocado, pico de gallo and cotija cheese.
The Scene: Bustling, bright, well-​lit, casual place with plenty of tables, counter space and outside seating.
The Service: YIKES. The staff who take your order are friendly enough. But the service was S-​L-​O-​W. The first time we ordered, we waited for more than 25 minutes for our food. It’s only fair to acknowledge that their computer systems seemed down, so they were having trouble running tickets. But on the second visit, the service took at least 20 minutes. And what’s more frustrating is that they got my order wrong on both occasions! On the first visit, they forgot to omit an ingredient, but the second visit, they gave me the wrong item entirely. Sadness.

What better way to start the day than a cup of Jo’s. Cute little spot with outdoor seating. Extremely friendly and knowledgable staff. Great place for a date, read a book, catch up on work. Just like any other place in downtown Austin, it’s street parking only. Kid friendly. Haven’t tried the food yet, but there seemed to be a good selection.

I must admit that I love this place; good coffee, good food, friendly staff, and a low-​key setting make for a great way to start the day.
Dine inside or outside, an you’ll get the same great experience. This is becoming my go to spot for breakfast, and it all comes down to the breakfast tacos. Basically, anything with fried avocado is good, and in the case of the avocado, black bean & pico taco, this axiom holds true. The potato, egg, & cheese is a great way to start the day as well. Paired with piping hot Stumptown coffee, helpful, friendly service from behind the counter, and an un-​rushed atmosphere, I’m always happy when I get here.
In fact, the past two trips I was the first person at the door just before 7am. Austinites are too cool to queue, so the short wait before they open the door is more like a gathering than a line, and that’s ok. There’s no attitude on either side of the counter.

LOVE the coffee. LOVE the staff. LOVE the vibe.
This is a great coffee joint in the hood with a local feel despite its large size. Everyone that works there is cool, yet friendly– doesn’t have that pretentious hipster feel but still feels counter culture authentic with an emphasis on solid coffee done right.
It’s also a great place to take the kids too– my kids are obsessed with their giant $ 2.50 pancakes served with massive cup of syrup to drizzle onto them. They quietly and contently stuff their faces full of pancakes and bacon while I have some time to shoot off some emails on their zippy wifi and down a strong and refreshing cold brew coffee. This is the ultimate bliss for any mother with young kids!
Thanks Jo’s! We love you so much too!

I wish I could give this place more than 5 stars! The food was amazing, a lot of flavor. I had the migas and fried avocado tacos, both delicious and accompanied by tasty salsas.
My husband had the spicy bacon sandwich, SO good. They should make all their sandwiches on those sweet rolls! We split the Belgian bomber which is an iced coffee drink, a lot of flavor but not too sweet.
The guy at the counter was super friendly and provided spot on recommendations. Neat atmosphere, modern with lots of seating compared to other coffee shops.

These guys do it right. Great location, great outdoor and indoor vibe, excellent selection of coffee, iced ices (Arnold Palmer rocks) and some really great food options on the menu.
I had a salted oatmeal cookie with my Arnold Palmer before then wanting to go back for more. Ha!
If you’re in the downtown Austin area it’s well worth a visit!

Great outdoor patio dining experience. Delicious, breakfast tacos. I had the Chorizo soft taco, which was my favorite. It was served with a generous portion of meat and eggs. The bacon was also good, albeit a bit bland. The walk-​up service was efficient and practical. My friend had the iced Belgium Bomber, which she said was refreshing and delicious. Unfortunately, the one drawback was that there were far fewer seats to meet the demand on a popular Saturday morning! But, it could have been far worse.

I want so badly to give this place at least four, but I just can’t! The food is good and I think they make the best iced vanilla latte in Austin… BUT the it takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to get your food. Don’t come here when you’re hungry, come here when you’re almost hungry, so that by the time you are hungry, your food will be ready!
The employees are sometimes friendly depending on how busy they are (but they’re usually always busy) and the food is «pretty good.» It’s nothing to write home about. I will say they’re pancakes are really good. I think the food is a little pricey for just being okay.
If you choose to dine outside, do your fellow man a favor and clean up your own table. No one wants to clean up your mess after a hundred birds just picked at your leftovers. They usually leave a cart outside to dump dishes in — use it.

Local chain of just two shops (the other is on South Congress and is the more iconic of the two) with great and simple food (including some very tasty vegetarian options)!
There is seating indoor and outdoor, and their coffee is pretty great. Don’t miss it!

Went here for breakfast because it was in walking distance from my hotel. Colleagues have great reviews because they felt that the coffee was better here than many other places downtown.
The ambiance is really cool. It feels trendy and informal, and also very clean. You walk in and order at the counter and then food is brought to your table. The oatmeal and granola looked amazing– def getting that when I go back tomorrow. I had an egg white taco with bacon and spinach– very good as well. Good iced coffee too.
Prices were great! $ 7.50 ish for taco and large coffee.

The South Congress spot is more my style. Perhaps I am nostalgic about it because of the good times I’ve spent there with friends. The Downtown location is not your classic Austin Jo’s experience, but something its own.
The development of downtown has driven off many of the classic Austin spots that helped define Austin as a weird, or at the very least bohemian, sort of town. Anyone remember the cinnamon coffee at Las Manitas? So now we have the tony and the antiseptic. A true Austin vibe has been drained away, the brambles and overgrowth of non-​conformity have been cut back, and the whole place has come to feel very much like a generic downtown in any American city.
Jo’s downtown location inside has preserved a bit of the old Austin feel. Independent. Understated. Clean. Not for the Biff-​and-​Buffy crowd.
The coffee is quite good. The breakfast tacos — the potato, egg and cheese is the best of them — are the size of a three egg omelet wrapped in a thin flour tortilla for easy, grease free stuffing of said omelet in your face. One taco is enough at the downtown location. Two will be required at the South Congress shop.
The have the craziest, most delicious cinnamon rolls. (Yes, they are from Quack’s. .. but no matter.) You should try one of them. They are chewy to the tooth but tender inside and coated with a layer of cinnamon and sugar.
If you squint your eyes, you can pretend that the tony boutiques across the street aren’t there, that time and progress have not swept away a lot Austin character. Inside Jo’s you can still imagine what it would be like back in the day.