Kick Butt Coffee - (512) 454-5425

Visited this place once a few months ago. The coffee wasn't that special. Interesting decor looks more like a sushi place rather than a coffeehouse. Seemed kinda sterile. They do have free wireless internet. Overall I wasn't impressed. Other places in town are much more warm and inviting and have much better coffee.

I decided to go to Kick Butt coffee this weekend after reading reviews listed on here and I was not dissapointed! They have the most delicious Chocolate Frapps a girl could ask for=) What I liked about it the most is that it didnt feel as heavy as other Frapps usually do and it had this wonderful chocolate after taste that was so delicious it left me wanting more. I also liked the decor, my only complaint would be that I stood at the counter waiting to put my order in for a good 10 minutes without ever being acknowledged by the barista who was standing by the espresso machine making a drink. The place was not busy at all and I know she was making a drink for someone else however I do believe she could have said Hello and I will be right with you but she didnt nor did the girl who came in a few minutes later and just stood by the blenders talking to her as more people started coming in behind me.

This is a nice review from Lindsey Mullikin of Austin Monthly Magazine: WHILE CHATTING WITH A BANK TELLER about the lack of coffee shops along Airport Boulevard, Thomas Gohring came up with what he thought was a kick-butt idea. Merging his love of martial arts (he also owns Master Gohring's Tai Chi & Kung Fu) with the community's need for a little pick-me-up, he opened Kick Butt Coffee in February. Red walls, nunchucks, bamboo and oriental fans illustrate the business' ties to martial arts. The shop, which serves coffee, wine, beer and liquor, has round, cozy booths, a giant plasma screen TV and a Wii gaming system. But Gohring wanted to build more of a nighttime business in an area largely limited to daytime traffic. He asked his sister Joy, a stand-up comedian, to help start a weekly open mic night, and Kick Butt Comedy was born. The small coffee shop even opened its stage to out-of-town musicians, including John Biz, Aim Low Kid and Christpher Denny, during South by Southwest. Gohring built off that music foundation in May with a bimonthly blues [dance] night. While martial arts, coffee, comedy and music may seem like random patchwork, it's all tied together with a single thread, Gohring explains. "It kind of boils down to one question that we ask ourselves every step of the way: Is it kick-butt?"

I started drinking coffee after my visit to Hawaii over 25 years ago. I really enjoyed the bold flavor and aroma of a good cup of joe. I have been searching for a long time to find a place that reminds me of my first taste of good coffee and Kick Butt coffee does just that. I have tried all of the other trendy coffee shops and I feel as if I?m in a fast food restaurant line to get a cup of expensive and sometimes not so good coffee. Once you step inside the doors of Kick Butt coffee the aroma of the fresh ground beans slaps you in the face, wakes you up and makes you happy. Ahhhh, Coffee! The main differences between Kick Butt and the ?other ?coffee shops ?burnt beans? in town is the atmosphere, true baristas and the full bar. It is inviting and relaxing just like Austin. The martial arts theme is Kick Butt along with the Chinese art and bamboo plants. The Wii is fun to play with friends yet is not to noisy to hold a conversation with your spouse or friends. Being able to watch Kung Fu movies on the large screen TV is awesome especially if you have some time to waste. The coffee lattes are really good and tasty and if you are not a coffee lover then try the smoothies, frappies and chai tea. They are the best in Austin and are made using natural sugar. No artifical stuff in these drinks. I feel good about spending my money at a true local coffeehouse and not just another chain store. There are so many reasons to stop by Kick Butt Coffee with something going on everyday of the week no matter what your tastes are like. Stop in sometime soon.

Happy employees and a welcoming environment make Kick Butt a place to see and be seen. But drop any pretense because it is a typically laid-back Austin crowd - with talent and skills to share and develop. From comedy to music to poetry, Kick Butt has attracted a creative community like no other. For out-of-towners, you will feel right at home the moment you walk in. Though it may appear somewhat formal, seating is open and it is just cozy enough for a date or small business meeting. Studious writers will also find a daytime haven for the perpetual isolation of writing and creating. There is just enough buzz and traffic around you to feel at home (but yet not at home - where distractions abound). Unique and simple, Kick Butt has a social cycle like no other coffee shop in Austin: crowds and fun for comedy and music and serene times for concentration and just enjoying a nice cup-o-jo. Stop by. You'll see. (P.S. Master Gohring asked me to write a review - so that I can enter the contest.)