Drifters Social Coffee & Cocktails — Restaurant in Buda

I REALLY wanted to like this place, and I've waited months to write a review because I was genuinely hoping it would improve. As a neighbor in the Bauerle Ranch neighborhood, I was excited to see a new place pop up to potentially work from. I have always loved Cosmic on SoCo/Pickle Rd. and hoped this would compare. It is trying to be way too many things to way too many people. There's a deck, a water feature, a 10 foot bug screen outdoor LED TV, a music stage, a chicken coop, a coffee bar that can't seem to decide if it sells iced coffee, cold brew, or nitro cold brew (every time I go in to order an iced coffee I am asked "is nitro okay?" or simply poured a cold brew instead and charged a different price each time I order. There's no consistency). There are or were a bunch of weird wayfair furniture on one side of the bar inside and a bunch of rugs stacked on top of each other that curl up when you walk over them, creating a super trip hazard. The bathrooms, for a brand new place, are very poorly maintained and someone who works there has a wild zyn problem and just spits their zin pouches all over the mens room. It has to be an employee based solely on the quantity of them in the urinals, on the floor, in the sink basins, etc. Then you've got pickle hub, or pickle pub? the name changed like a week after it opened, I'm assuming there was a trademark infringement issue from somewhere. Anyways, that place is wildly uncomfortable inside and out. The food trucks at this place are mid at best, but really aren't a good selection. This end of town is missing BBQ and a truly good healthy food truck that might be good for this location. Then there's the identity crisis - it's Drifters Social Coffee & Cocktails. During the day, on weekdays, this should be a coffee shop, with relatively quiet music, to enable folks to work from the location, breakfast tacos/sandwiches, etc. The coffee selection and service are not professional in any way, as mentioned earlier, and the music is way too loud for 10am on a Tuesday. This bar doesn't know what it is or who its customers are. Additionally, as a neighbor and property owner in the area, the massive "word art" banner they just strapped to their fence looks trashy and doesn't lift up the neighborhood at all. It looks like they went to Vistaprint and ordered the biggest thing they could get for $200 and just said "send it". I can't fathom, as a person with a marketing background, why anyone would spend the kind of money they've clearly spent on building this place out, logo design and branding, etc. then just slapped a fugly banner up on the fence. It's the entry point to the neighborhood, you had the opportunity to do something classy and upscale and chose to go the opposite. Lastly, there's the parking issue. They have guests parking up and down both sides of Lynnbrook Dr almost every day of the week, making it challenging for residents to access the area. Simply put, bad neighbors, and it's a...

Evidently this is not a coffee and cocktail bar. It's a bar for 🐋 to sit and gaggle over taylor swift. What an unenjoyable place. Checked out the pickle ball/sports bar and you have to spend at least $16 per game to play side by side pop a shot or skee ball with a credit card because they set up an $8 minimum per swipe on those machines. Pickleball is the most expensive I've ever seen it and there's a light that's brighter than the sun pointed directly at the court to blind you.

Edited September 18: Thought I'd give it another shot after they'd worked out some of the kinks. Tried to take a date to Drifters tonight and showed up to find a $30-45 cover at the door for Midget Wrestling. No option to bypass it to just go enjoy the bar. On a Wednesday. Get the heck outta here with the madness. We went next door to SABG instead. It's so incredibly unpredictable. They are trying too hard to be something for everyone, and unfortunately that means they are really for nobody. A bar needs to be predictable, it needs to feel like an extension of its patrons' home. This is just a dumpster fire of a concept to be honest. Also, they were giving away free shrimp tacos in the parking lot for some sort of tequila promotion, but you couldn't access the tequila promotion without paying the midget wrestling cover charge. If I were the distributor funding that promo I'd be pissed. If I were one of the food trucks paying rent to drifters I'd be even more pissed that the owners allowed a 3rd party to hand out free food, which would kill my business for the night. Make...

If you're looking for a coffee spot in South Austin that blends a laid-back vibe with an energetic community feel, Drifters is the place to be. This charming café offers plenty of seating, both indoors and outdoors, making it a perfect spot for remote work, casual meetups, or simply soaking in the Austin air. And let’s talk about the swings—yes, actual swings as bench seating! It’s such a fun and unique touch that adds to the relaxed, playful atmosphere.

I ordered a mocha latte, and it was incredibly well-crafted, rich, and flavorful. My only tip? Order a size up from your usual—the taste is absolutely worth savoring, but the mug size felt a bit smaller than expected.

The ambiance is fantastic, with a mix of people working on laptops, chatting with friends, or just enjoying the scenery. You can tell that Drifters isn’t just a coffee shop; it’s a community hub. During my visit on a weekday, I noticed a stage setup, suggesting that live music and events likely bring the space to life on weekends and special occasions.

The only drawback is the limited food options. While there are food trucks on-site, they operate separately and don’t always align with the café’s hours. I wish they would change this as this dissuades customers from spending longer time at their establishment.

Drifters is an absolute must-visit for coffee lovers and anyone looking to experience a truly Austin-style café. I’ll...