Folklores Coffee House — Restaurant in San Antonio

Folklores is Not your typical coffee shop... and they are soo much better for it! This gothic, punk-styled local hangout plays mostly metal, rock or indie music and the decor is a mix of local spooky legends (like La Llorona or the Donkey Lady) and eclectic punk rock posters from the last 3 decades or so. There is a cozy upstairs, with a long table with outlets, for people to get work done too... but that's not what makes this the Best coffee shop in the city.

Two days ago, I went in with my child. We are a bit strapped right now, and the past couple times I've been I've had to take advantage of their "free coffee board"-- a little something they started where customers can pre-pay for a coffee for someone who needs it. Usually I've never had to... as a single mama now, I simply can't afford the coffee, and a snack for my child. So I am grateful for these colorful little sticky notes that let me still get a drink and a sandwich for my little one... and the cashier didn't seem to judge when I used one for a 'free coffee'.

On top of that? The owners (or maybe the patrons?) started something a little new: a couple reusable bags were sitting out on the bench near the restroom, full of non-perishable foods, like pasta, sauce, bread and tortillas. A sign lay on top that said, "Free! Please take one!" implying those who are food insecure could take a bag. (Months ago, I would have just walked past-- the past month has included 2 trips to the food bank, the last included waiting in line for 2.5 hours for carrots, cabbage and diet soda...). My child and I took a bag (with better foods than the food bank offered), and as it was discreet, none of the customers paid any mind... it was a blessing that I am soo grateful for! It has me tearing up just writing this...

And amazingly, that's not all-- they've started a box to donate winter clothes. What's different? It's not just for donations-- the sign encourages people who Need the warm clothes to go ahead and take what they need.

THIS is what community is All about. Caring about your fellow human, helping those that need it. Not being loud or boastful about it, but offering people a hand, with dignity.

Oh, and yes, the coffee is...

Two stars for the coffee shop! Awesome decor and atmosphere. Great punk and rockabilly tunes on the speakers. The coffee, however, wasn’t that great. Not this time anyway. We were excited to have them on the south side and eager to give them a try. My daughter had vato rudo cold brew. We all tried it and agreed it tasted watered down. Didn’t have much of the coffee flavor you look for, say, in coffee. My wife and I both got the siuxie (I know I spelled that wrong). This was supposed to have some abuelita chocolate in it. And it did. Unfortunately, that was about the only flavor we noticed. Again, somewhat watered down, non-coffee flavor. We brought the sheena home for the boy. One sip and his first reaction was “tastes watered down.” Not sure what was going on today, but we do plan on giving them another try. I hope they take this review as constructive criticism and not as mean spirited. As I said, we are excited to have a cool little coffee shop on the south side and hope they are around for a long time. Oh, and my coffee had some weird black stuff floating around. Looked like seaweed or something. Didn’t notice until I was almost done with it. But I haven’t died yet,...

This is a cozy hole in the wall coffee shop with great eats and friendly customer service. On arrival we were greeted with smiles and all of our questions about products on the menu were answered thoroughly. The food was so delicious and wasn't too sugary. This was super important to me because I do not like sugary foods. So any sweetness came from the honey or the berries. The cbd shot in the sheena coffee was super relaxing and didn't hinder the taste of the coffee. Let's just say I was super relaxed during my visit. Each of these items alone were perfect and filling for breakfast or lunch alone. You could come in for a coffee and a fully loaded bagel and leave feeling super satisfied. The CBD shop was cute and cozy and the juices were so delicious. I purchased a sample of the juice and you could tell it was freshly made and again, the CBD oil did not hinder the taste of the juice itself. All in all, this is a super cozy spot that I will be returning to in the future!

Wanna see an in-depth video of the inside? Just type in CaffeineCarnalas in YouTube and check out the Folklores...