Coco’s Cafe

My BF and I were walking the hot streets of Austin and popped in for a cool treat.
Coco’s is located on Guadalupe street next to the Chase bank. There’s a good amount of seating and street parking is available.
We walked in and the place was popping, considering how scalding hot it was outside, there was an alarming amount of people ordering hot food, and it looked/​smelled AMAZING!
We weren’t hungry but we wanted something to cool us down. I ordered the watermelon juice with pearls, the tapioca pearls are hella fresh, they were still warm, and so delicious. It complimented the watermelon juice very well, you have the option to add pearls to any drink on their menu.
The BF ordered the Lychee slush with pearls and it was delicious as well, both drinks were extremely fresh, tasty and refreshing, not too sweet at all. Just what we needed!

Only tried their drinks; they were pretty basic drinks in terms of teas, juices, slushies options. Had to go for the Watermelon Juice, Passion Fruit Green Tea, Mango Green Tea, and Watermelon Slushie. I was dying after trying to walk around the Capitol Building in the mid afternoon.
Watermelon drinks were good and refreshing but got warm quickly. Just your standard watermelon drinks… nothing special.
Fruit green teas were very strong in tea flavor, which I definitely agree with. Again, super refreshing but not that special.
Maybe the food would stand out here?

Coco’s used to look shabby, but after they’ve renovated, the place looks cute and clean! The workers are friendly and Yen, one of the workers, went above and beyond to help me out! I would come back.

Was looking for a coffee shop with food near where the Megabus dropped me off and found this gem. Ordered the #5, Peppercorn Chicken w/​rice, vegetable egg rolls and a Thai iced-​coffee. Everyone was real friendly, food was great, coffee had a great flavor and WiFi was free. Definitely coming back!

This is only my first visit here. It’s out of the way for me, but there is another CoCo’s closer to where I am in NW Austin and will definitely be making it a regular stop for lunch. They are incredibly affordable compared to a lunch and desert at Phở Saigon and Bambu. I ended up leaving my wallet at home and only had $ 25 in cash on me. $ 20 paid for both my own meal and drink and my date’s (!!!). And it was damn delicious.
I’m impressed.
Parking might be a pain at certain hours. I lucked out and got a paid on-​street spot at 7:30 which was free after 6pm. The McDonalds parking lot is where my date parked which was also free and mostly empty.
Very small shop but very clean and well kept.

I’ve eaten here so many times that I’ve lost count. I’m a big fan of three of their dishes: Spicy Beef Noodle Soup, Peppercorn Chicken w/​Rice, and Green Onion Pancakes. Their boba drinks are mediocre in my opinion.

I don’t know what’s happened to Coco’s but after KFT came in West Campus area, it just isn’t the same anymore. My love for Coco’s perfectly cooked pearls remain… Except my past few visits, the pearls had been OVERCOOKED causing it to be mushy and not chewy. Even then, I decided to give it multiple tries after, but it was so bad to the point I had wished I had gotten just the drink and not the tapioca. If I’m not going to Taphouse and have the extra money to spend on boba, I’d just make the trip over to Kungfu Tea instead.
Also, they got new tables/​chairs that are incredibly high. It’s awesome that they’re renovating and trying to improve the place, but the place was small and crammed to begin with that the high furnitures are now intimidating and makes the place look even smaller.
I used to love meeting my friends here and sitting at the smaller tables for catch ups and small talks– but now with the new changes/​renovation, there’s so little room for anything. I guess to-​go is an option.

Decent boba. Prices are great but the milk teas were very sweet! Parking was also horrible here. All meter parking.

This place is delicious but what is up with the cloying smell of air fresheners every where? It’s like grandma’s house here. There are multiple ones on the long dining table and on the shelves and it makes it difficult to smell the food.
Are they hiding something in the basement?!
Anyways, otherwise the peppercorn chicken is the best (when I can smell it). And great milk teas.
Please remove the air fresheners.
Thanks!

I hadn’t had good boba for several months and was looking forward to finally getting legit boba once I reached Austin. Seriously the visit was such a disappointment, it was like I didn’t even get boba in the first place.
This Coco’s is located pretty much across the street from University of Texas. Parking is pretty much nonexistent if you come during rush hour, but luckily we snagged a spot right outside the storefront. I’ve been to several Coco’s in LA, and all of them have been super bright and welcoming, but this one was really dark and crowded. There’s quite a few tables, but pretty much all of them were occupied.
Menu wasn’t too complicated, but I just stuck with a simple milk tea with pearls. Price was less than $ 4, and the drink came out pretty quickly — but sadly, it was disappointing. Pearls were pretty soft and not chewy enough. The tea was bland, with a sweet tinge to it. I felt like I wasn’t even drink milk tea, just watered down black tea with soft boba. I actually had to force myself to finish the boba … it was that unappetizing.
Lesson learned. The best boba is really in the San Gabriel Valley. Even the milk tea and boba that I made myself tasted better than this.

Finally had some time to come down and give Coco’s a try. I was always confused by the name CoCo’s because growing up in California I remember CoCo’s being a chain restaurant very similar to Denny’s.
So with that in mind, when I hear CoCo’s, my image is of a sit down Denny’s style restaurant which this definitely is not.
This is a small café with a couple of counter type seating areas and a few sit down tables where you order at the counter, get a number and they bring the food to you.
We ordered a spicy beef soup, a curry chicken with rice, seasonal veggies, and a half green onion pie. Also got an almond milk tea with tapioca to drink.
I have to say everything was delicious with my favorites being the seasonal veggies, the green onion pie, and the tapioca balls in the milk tea. These stood out to me as being unique in flavor and something I would definitely order any time I come.
Not to say the dishes we ordered themselves weren’t great because they were, but I wanted to point out the things that I felt were special.
Another cool thing, with food orders they have a free vegetable self serve soup that us also quite a treat. It is like an egg drop soup with veggies.
The food came out quickly, I enjoyed sitting at the counter watching the traffic on Guadelupe while I ate.
I’ll definitely be back even if it is just for a milk tea.

I was born and raised in Taiwan, you might want to listen to my advices before coming here.
I have heard that this place changed a lot. Food quality and the price
Today I ordered some to go through Favor. It was a big disappointment.
–chicken nuggets were crispy but bland. Bland to a level that I had to add salt and spice myself. The breading was also too thick.
–green onion pie was soggy, and the taste was mediocore. I got only ½ of the pie and it was a lot. (8 pieces I believe).
–green tea milk was good though. Except to upgrade to a large is .75cents, another .75 cents for a spoonful of bubbles. A little too much, don’t you think?
–fried chicken steak with rice was a ²⁄₅. I liked the Chinese marinated pickles (sweet/​sour cabbage), large portion for the price. But the main chicken was too bland and plain, no taste really. Breading: chicken ratio was 2:1. I had the sauce that came with chicken nuggets, otherwise I didn’t know how to finish even ½ of it. Maybe add some grind pepper/​spice/​Chinese five spice? Or salt.
I don’t think I will come back for the food, but tea sure since it’s close to where I live. But nothing special about this place that will make me crave for it.

FOOD
I recommend the spicy beef noodle soup or peppercorn chicken with rice. The spicy beef noodle soup comes with these pickled greens on the side. Their noodles aren’t the best, but they’ll do for noodles close to campus. Beef can be hit or miss. The peppercorn chicken comes with one scooping of rice (menu on wall is deceiving because it shows two helpings of rice), your peppercorn chicken (basically fried chicken bites covered in peppers, and a few pickled cabbage pieces. I am sensitive to spiciness, but I still enjoy this dish (I just eat the chicken and avoid the peppers!)
Their food is inconsistent though… sometimes you will get a lot of chicken, sometimes you will get a lot of peppers. Sometimes the meat will be tender, and other times it won’t be. Honestly, it’s average, nothing amazing. Close to campus with decent food.
DRINKS
There are some things I prefer here over Tapioca House next door and that is their boba (the sinker only not the entire drink). I also like the Taro Milk and Taro Smoothie here (beware it is on the sweeter end). I do not like their black tea, yogurt green tea, or mango green tea. Not all smoothies/​slushies are made with fresh fruits, as indicated on their menu. The drinks here are pricier compared to Tapioca House and there are no punch cards sadly.
OTHER
— Limited tables here. They recently «upgraded» their tables and have stools. It really was a poor choice though because the huge one table took away so many seating options.
— There is limited parking in the back.
— You get free soup with your entrée! It’s located near the back with the condiments.

Disappointing lunch at Coco’s this week. The quality of food has really dropped since my last visit.
I am pretty sure my peppercorn chicken was reheated (microwaved). And the rice was hard and undercooked. Friendly servers don’t compensate for a crappy meal.

Delicious soup, really good taro smoothie, and service was above and beyond… but most of the food was only okay. I was really excited when I saw their menu bc it had pretty much everything I miss from Taiwan, but the actual seasoning and taste of their food was not quite there. I got the pork over rice and the portion was huge, but the meat and rice were a little dry. We didn’t like the kelp either but that may just be a personal preference.
Open late, good service, close proximity to campus, but food is on the mediocre side, unfortunately

This place always satisfies my Taiwanese food cravings when I can’t make it home to my mom’s home cooking!
UT campus location– street parking only, so can be a pain to drive around. Lots of students in this area so be mindful of the crowds. Restaurant is a little tighter in space versus the north location. New renovations.
Research location– more tables and space, large parking lot, less students. New renovations.
Favorite items:
Almond Milk Tea with bubbles
Green Onion Pie
Peppercorn Chicken– cannot stop eating this dish!
Spicy Beef Noodle Soup– reminds me of Taipei
Sticky Rice w/​Pork
Rice Ball

Randomly found this place when visiting Austin. Coming from San Antonio, it was nice to finally be around Asian food. I really like their milk tea boba. And all the food I ordered was yummy too. Small boba place, nice interior, dog friendly patio seating, and good music playing on the radio.

Spicy beef noodle soup is the best! Always stop by for a bowl when driving thru Austin

Decent Asian food and tapioca close to campus. Prices are reasonable given it’s on the Drag. As to the food, I usually order the peppercorn chicken or beef noodle soup if I’m here for a meal. Honestly, I think Tap House has better milk tea; the milk teas here are kind of watery and less strong compared to Tap’s. That said, I prefer the smoothies here over Tap House’s. The matcha smoothie is good! Think of it sort of like a frappuccino minus the whipped cream?
Service is quick and the establishment was recently renovated, and it’s nice and usually clean!

This place has about the most authentic Taiwanese food you can get in Austin.
It’s not saying much compared to food in Los Angeles or New York but I’ll take what I can get.
Drinks here are definitely on the sweeter side, ask for less sugar or half sugar if you prefer something other than liquid candy.
Definitely try the beef noodle soup here, it is amazing. The peppercorn chicken, eel rice, and their green onion pie are good as well.
One thing I wish they would have is stinky tofu. The fried tofu here is nice, but it’s nothing compared to the stinky ones you get in Taiwanese night markets.
The location up north has more seating but this place is closer to downtown. Be prepared to spend a good 15 minutes to find parking here though. Park in McDonald’s at your own risk! ;)

Taste is unbelievable, I would say they have a large variety to chose from when it comes to the drinks. Yummy

Good place for Taiwanese dishes and milk tea. Generally everything is pretty tasted, but some particular highlights are the Peppercorn Chicken over Rice (#5) as well as the Green Onion pies (pancakes).
The drinks are all pretty good, especially the slushies (like with lychee). The drinks are a bit more expensive than the competition, but the quality and taste are all pretty up there.

I don’t think I’ve had bubble tea in years, but I saw all the college kids walking down Guadalupe slurping it up, and I had to get me some. Super delicious, and pretty reasonably priced. I loved my mango smoothie, which tasted very fresh although it didn’t have the little asterisk next to it on the menu that indicated it was made with all fresh fruit, so something fake was in there, but I don’t even care. Big tapioca pearls that had good texture and didn’t get all mushy. Didn’t try anything else, but I was happy as a clam with what I got!

I have been here a handful of times because it is literally the only bubble tea café nearby — and quite possibly the only decent one that serves Taiwanese food. However, I do find that each time I visit, the drinks are made different each time (sometimes too sweet or no sugar at all) and the food portions vary (more meat/​less meat/​less rice — you get the point). So sometimes Coco’s can be a hit or a miss. But I do like coming here to get my fix of TW Café food and also the staff are much more pleasant than the other bbt place a few doors down.
The place can get super packed during friday nights/​weekends since it’s right in the UT campus. So, expect a little wait when you come during those times.
The popular items here: Peppercorn Chicken with Rice, Curry Fried Chicken with Rice, Fried Chicken Noodle Soup and Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. I would say the most popular item is the Peppercorn Chicken with Rice. Also, soup is complimentary with the order of a meal!
Overall, The food here is good. For the noodle soups, the noodles could be cooked a little longer so they are softer. And for the chicken, the pieces have definitely gotten smaller & they could give you a better portion.

Why Coco’s?
— Close to campus
— Fast service
— Bubble Tea! Bubble Tea ! Bubble Tea!

So here’s the thing about Coco’s…it has been around for a while and I still really like this place. Their drinks are always consistently good and they are good at getting out drinks fast. With that being said, I have a couple of gripes about their food. The prices keep rising which is understandable, but at the same time the portion sizes are a lot smaller. I LOVE their peppercorn chicken. It’s probably, scratch that, it IS the best thing on their menu and they used to give you a large heaping amount of chicken and rice in one order but I noticed that the last time I went I actually finished my order and I have never been able to finish my order all at once. All in all I still guess it’s pretty good for what you pay for, but my belly wants more chicken.

It’s our tradition to get the peppercorn chicken when we’re in Austin. I’ve ventured from this dish before and was unimpressed. The lunch portion comes with a scoop of rice and a small portion of pickled vegetables. The jalapeños that adorn this dish usually have the seeds intact still and gives it a good kick. Crave it every time in the ATX.
I think I’ve had the boba tea once, and I contracted diabetes.

Why is there no bubble tea close to me on South Congress?
The drive (and hassle of parking) by Coco’s is well worth it. Delicious bubble drinks, everyone looked to be enjoying their food, and the service is quick.
Minus one star for no parking but I will be back for food!

The severe shortage of parking here (and on Guadalupe in general) sure sucks… but I’ll endure it just to get my Coco’s fix. I’m head over heels in love with their Thai iced tea, which they can make with non dairy milk. I live in Dallas but am a vendor at New Bohemia on S Congress so I’m in Austin on business regularly. Coco’s Thai iced tea is often my ‘fuel’ for the 3 hour drive home. I buy 2 – 3 at a time but would buy 10 if I had that many cup holders. They’re amazing.
I’ve never tried the food but have heard good things, and this place is always packed full of diners. I need to try some of their noodle dishes next.

There’s no good authentic Asian food near UT, and I can’t say Coco’s helps that cause much. It’s not tragic, but the 3 stars are mostly because their boba is consistent and reliable, not because of their food or anything else.
The location is good for people living on campus, so that’s good, but the décor of the place is pretty beat up. It’s a little small and cramped and noisy, so don’t expect to be able to bring a large group or have really serious, important meetings.
The food is not bad; it’s edible and meat-​heavy. There’s basically no veggies. Would NOT recommend the Sacha Beef (not sure how to spell that). Two of my friends got it and both were disappointed. I do like the Vermicelli Soup with Ground Beef, though!
Drinks, though, are definitely better than Tap House/​anything else near campus. I recommend just starting with the basic Milk Tea with Boba, but I also like Thai Tea, Green Tea Milk, and Cappucino Smoothies.
Overall, it’s not too bad, but not a place is regularly go to for food. It is my go-​to for drinks, though, so yay!

Working on campus, there are limited options if you want anything that isn’t fast food. Coco’s was a nice change of pace as I grabbed lunch to go. The place is fairly small, but there were plenty of tables for anyone wanting to dine in.
The guy at the counter impressed me as the people in front of me were rude and wasting everyone’s time. He stayed cool as a cucumber and even had a smile for me when it was my turn to order.
I ordered the peppercorn tofu and a bubble tea. The tea was really good. Not my favorite in town, but a solid choice when I’m at work. The tofu was a surprise. I liked it a lot as the tofu was crispy and light with a nice flavor.
Prices are good for campus food!

For me, a trip to Coco’s Café is necessary a few times each year to allow me to reminisce of the good olé’ college times. This place will always hold a special place in my heart.
A few of my faves:
1) Milk Tea with Boba & Egg Pudding — Theirs is still on my top 5 (including a few spots in Houston)
2) Green Onion Pancake — I don’t know what’s in here, but it’s so, so, so addicting. That sauce! Oy.
3) Peppercorn Chicken w/​Rice — Fried Chicken. Enough said. :)
If you want cheap eats, definitely give this place a try.

For all the Coco lovers out there.
WARNING: They raised their prices up a dollar.
I was unaware of this when my boyfriend and I ordered the usual, 2 Peppercorn Chicken, half a pancake, and an extra bowl of rice. It was $ 1.62 for an extra bowl of rice… seriously?! It’s not like the portions got bigger. I actually feel like it got smaller. So I’m paying more, for less.
Although I love their food, this does disappoint me.

Coco’s is a pretty decent place to get food. Both their entrees and drinks are much more (maybe $ 1-​$ 2) expensive than Tapioca House next door, but the food is definitely much better tasting… and I think more trustworthy. Lol.
I order the curry tofu when I come here — it tastes exactly like you think curry tofu would take, nothing spectacular, but decent if you are looking for a pretty filling meal. The ground pork with rice is also yummy — it just tastes like ground pork, soy sauce, and rice, which is always nice. Noodle soup and peppercorn chicken are also good — peppercorn chicken is super flavorful and a bit spicy after more than a few bites. I also order the green onion pancake, which is pretty average and gets the job done. I once ordered the eggs in a blanket… lol, it was just a scrambled egg in a grocery-​store tortilla… and it was also lukewarm… I don’t know what I expected…
In terms of drinks, they are pretty expensive, so I don’t typically order them here. I like their mango and almond slushes though!
I don’t have much to say about this place, haha. The food is very average, but it’s a good place to get relatively cheap, quick Asian food near campus.