Free Bird Chai — Restaurant in South Lake Tahoe

Rarely leave reviews on coffee shops because of how many I go to but I think this shop is missing the mark on a couple points.

1. drink to drink consistency is very poor - we had two og chai that tasted quite different. If the baristas are not using a scale to measure the amount of syrup/chai mix they use, they need to change that.

2. the two drip coffee urns they carry are substandard. One was a third wave style acidic/fruity coffee that was okay, the “dark” coffee as they described it was on par with hotel room coffee and should not be served at any coffee shop

3. decor was great, neat decorations and such.

4. cashier/customer service was there to collect a paycheck, no friendliness or “coffee shop” vibe here. Maybe that’s Tahoe…

5. this part is subjective - House chai recipes are always very hit or miss for me. This one, IMO was a miss. I felt like this chai was way too cinnamon and clove forward. I missed the cardamom/pepper/black tea components in this. Very one dimensional. People that like big cinnamon flavors will probably love this.

6. the flavored latte (maple cinnamon) I had was overwhelmingly sweet half way through. The espresso component was there and not bad, but the over-use of syrup, and worse, that it was not mixed/incorporated into the milk evenly is another problem. First couple sips were decent but had to toss it out halfway through.

Highly recommend more attention to detail by this shop - I’m guessing adding a scale at all portions of there process will improve this across the board ( consistency in drinks, quality of the...

Free Bird Chai is tucked inside the Red Hut Cafe in South Lake Tahoe. While parking is a breeze, thanks to the strip mall location, the indoor seating is very limited.

Ordering was easy - they offer 12oz and 16oz for most drinks, with some exceptions like macchiatos and cappuccinos having an 8oz option too. Bonus points for offering almond, soy, and oat milk alternatives at no extra charge!

Unfortunately, the star of the show - the chai - was a bit of a letdown. I went for their classic chai with spices, black tea, and milk. The spice blend was way too heavy-handed, drowning out the tea and leaving a lingering bitterness. The tea itself was also very watered down. After a couple of sips, I had to call it quits and head elsewhere for a decent cup.

On the bright side, the barista was friendly, and the service was super fast. It wasn't busy at all during my visit, with only one or two other customers.

Overall, Free Bird Chai "might" be a good option if you need a quick coffee fix with alternative milk options (I don't drink coffee so I can't comment on that), but avoid the chai unless you're a...

There were 2 people working today, a lady who was curt/selectively polite at the register. The barista was hustling. It was a busy MLK Monday and I tried making polite conversation. She couldn't hear what I was asking over the loud music and when we inquired about the baked goods, she was curt. We waited in line for a hot minute and then we waited another hot minute for the drinks. There was a wait but when we received our drinks after a customer who came after us, we inquired with the barista if she had a hot drip. She said she it was done. We informed her the previous customer took a drip. She apologized and poured another but the cashier lady curtly said "She doesn't take the orders, she makes them." I told her it wasn't a issue but we were merely inquiring about our drip.

I understand you are over the tourists Cashier Lady and if you truly do not enjoy your work, please find another job. Your beverages and muffins are good, thank...