Irie Bean Coffee Bar

I was excited to discover Irie Bean; as other reviewers have pointed out, it's a cute place with a wide selection of drinks and snacks, and South Lamar could use more nice places to sit and get a cup of Joe.

However, as I sat with my book at a sofa near the front of the cafe, I became increasingly uncomfortable because of the conversation behind the counter between what I believe was an owner and one of the baristas. They were loudly making really ugly and crude gay jokes for what seemed like forever.

After a short period when the cafe had a rush of customers, the place emptied out some and the baristas resumed their conversation. One of them did a lisping impersonation of a gay guy who had come into the shop earlier in the day, and the two of them had a really intimidating and creepy discussion of "how both dudes get off when the two of them are having . . . (I'm censoring the sentence only to get it past the Cityscape filter; hopefully, this review won't be deleted)" and whether "the stink ever bothers gay guys."

I'm a native Austinite, and I sincerely can't remember a time when I've been more shocked and offended by the staff of a coffee shop or restaurant. There was something truly threatening about the conversation the staff was having. The place now makes me very uncomfortable. Certainly, gay and lesbian customers should be aware that they aren't welcome at Irie Bean, and will be subjected to an uncomfortable atmosphere there.

I work and live in the neighborhood. They have a great soy iced latte! Great back yard! I walk there almost every day!!

Love this place! I could just live here! really like the internet service and of course the coffee. love the atmosphere and the overall vibe. Really nice folks there. I stop in on my rounds and make sure to get my java!

The young Irie Bean Coffee Bar is much more than just java and beer. They have so much more to offer their customers than the normal coffee shops you will find in the area. They have a book club and a kids decaf club as well as a monthly Yappy Hour for dogs to enjoy and the occasional wine tasting parties. The staff is a personable mix of young people who aspire to make everyone as happy as they are. Everyone is friendly and carry smiles on their faces contagiously. Live, local, chill out music is playing on the back patio almost every night. I love the grass couch.

If you haven't checked out the Irie Bean yet, you really should. I'm a lover of the coffee shop atmosphere and this place has a great vibe. The staff is friendly, the coffee is great and there are so many fun things to do no matter what you're into - great live music, pet happy hours, wine tastings, coffee classes, kids events and more. My favorite part - a great patio. When you want to socialize with the staff or other customers or find your own space to read, work or reflect - you can find your place here. I took a look at their website too and it's pretty cool (check out the event calendar there).