Lau Lau — Restaurant in Austin

If you’re trying to come here to work, get here early! This place is poppin’, for good reason :)

I came by around noon on a Wednesday and it was packed, so I left 🥲 Came back at 8:45am on a Friday, 45 min after they opened, and was able to snag one of the last few open seats!

The vibe is super cute, & upon coming up to order I was warmly greeted by the woman behind the counter. Looks like she talks to everyone that comes thru the door like an old friend, which I totally appreciate! The man was nice when giving me my drink too :)

I got a sesame ball and a Thai tea matcha w/ soy milk. The sesame ball was fresh and HOT omg lol but good. Not too greasy or sweet. The drink was yummy too. Not too sweet and the matcha was smooth. I make matcha lattes everyday at home, so I tend to only buy drinks that I can’t easily make myself.

I will say it tasted more like jasmine instead of Thai tea to me for some reason?… but I didn’t mind. Maybe because I only stirred it by swirling it around… which could’ve led to the lid being leaky, or maybe I just got a faulty lid. That would have to be my only gripe about my experience if I had to pick one.

But overall, I enjoyed my visit to Lau Lau and will def...

We visited this shop a few weeks ago. I ordered the Thai tea matcha, while my wife got the iced coconut milk tea.

The Thai tea matcha tasted almost entirely like matcha, with little to no Thai tea flavor, which was disappointing. The iced coconut milk tea, however, was flavorful and well-balanced.

Service was the biggest issue. My wife received her drink first, and when she asked about mine, she was cut off mid-sentence and told, “matcha takes a while to make.” While that explanation made sense, it was frustrating to see multiple matcha drinks go out to customers who ordered after us. We also noticed other guests experiencing delays or incomplete orders—for example, one man received part of his order before staff moved on to new customers, and the man who ordered directly before us didn’t get his drink until after my wife did. Altogether, the experience ended up taking around 45 minutes.

When my drink finally came out, I did receive an apology, which I appreciated, but the initial defensive and dismissive response left a poor impression. This may be growing pains from being a new shop, but service and communication definitely need...

Lau Lau is a warm, intentional, and absolutely beautiful community hub in the form of a coffee shop. The welcoming atmosphere is palpable, and it’s a really wonderful vibe in the shop.

The coffee is genuinely delicious, with unique specialty drinks inspired by Asian American flavors that are inventive. But the quality doesn't stop there! The pastry selection is fantastic, offering unique treats that pair perfectly with their beverages.

The super friendly staff are also great. Every interaction is warm and genuine, reinforcing the shop’s mission to be a welcoming, people-first space. The interior itself is incredibly cute and thoughtfully designed, embracing its heritage with beautiful red accents and cultural imagery that make the space feel vibrant and rich.

With lots of seating and a delightful array of small gifts and trinkets from Asian and Asian American makers, this is the perfect spot to linger, work, or grab a meaningful gift.

Lau Lau is a must-visit and a stellar...