Try Hard Coffee Roasters

Try Hard Coffee Roasters arrived on Austin's East Side in Summer 2020, launched by a team of baristas who knew the craft from the inside out. While the coffee industry was navigating a global disruption, this barista-owned-and-operated shop planted itself in the heart of the 11th Street district — a neighborhood already thick with local character — and built something that felt less like a startup and more like a neighborhood institution from the start.

The café sits at 1115 E 11th St, just up the road from Franklin BBQ, in a standalone space that spills onto both a dog-friendly front patio and a tucked-away back garden. Outdoor fans with misters keep things tolerable on Austin's hotter days, and the setup rewards the kind of unhurried morning that East Austin tends to encourage.

What sets Try Hard apart is the atmosphere it has built around its coffee. Daily DJ sets run from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, with vinyl spinning on turntables while guests work through espresso shots and breakfast carnitas tacos. The vibe leans 70s — eclectic, genuine, and unhurried. Seasonal beverages and homemade pastries round out a menu that treats coffee as the anchor of a broader morning ritual. They roast their own coffee in-house and sell their Try Hard roasts both at the café and online.

For visitors, Try Hard delivers a version of East Austin coffee culture that is harder to manufacture: barista expertise behind the bar, a DJ before noon, tacos worth returning for, and a shaded outdoor setup that makes the heat feel almost welcome. Multiple reviewers have called it their favorite coffee stop in the city. It is easy to see why.