Tantra Coffeehouse

good latte: check
good snack: check
plenty of seating: check
decent ambiance: check
friendly barista: check
not Starbucks: check

I thought Tantra was pretty cool and plan to come back when I'm in San Marcos.

Tantra Coffeehouse reminds me of what I like about San Marcos, I think it's More relaxed than Austin. There's less of the pretentious south Austin hipster crowd and the college students aren't sizing each other up based on their trust funds.

The outdoor patio is large and allows for ample room to sit and hang out on a cool night. Friends and I all sat and had beer chatting for awhile. I didn't have any food but I'll be happy to try some coffee and a snack next time I'm around.

Heard a lot of great things about Tantra so recently took it for a test drive.

Coffee's pretty good and the staff is nice and friendly. Didn't quite live up the rave reviews, though.

They're a bit on the spendy side, if you ask me (I spent more on two coffees and a snack than I ever have...ever). The outside has a much funkier vibe than the inside. Lots of unused space. Some sparse tables and lots of hard chairs. There was nothing about the interior that makes me want to come back. I'd like to see more comfortable seats, some art (local?), some books, games, posters, pictures, etc. All of the elements that make the great coffee shops great. I'll be honest, I'm kind of picky about my coffee shops. I like some flair and decoration and a nice funky vibe. I give them props for trying, but it isn't quite there yet. Maybe it's a work in progress. They're on to something good, just needs more development.