Blacksmith

So my friend, fiancé and I decided to try this place once I took a look at the reviews and photos.
Parking was a bit confusing and the pot holes were awful but once we got parking we came in through what felt like the back part of the place. It was crowded and there was a line. We spotted a table and ordered our food. The price was a bit steep but we ordered viet steak and eggs and the scone and some latte. The food arrived pretty quickly. Steak and eggs were ok, the biscuit with cream fresh and marmalade was really good and the latte very strong. All in all it was good but I’ve had better. Maybe I’ll give it another shot in the future.

We came to Houston from Alabama for Comicpalooza2016 and saw this place on Unilocal at 2am and decided to check it out the next morning for Sunday Brunch.
Let me tell you, we were so pleased with this place! The reviews gave us a heads-​up on the kind of busyness to expect on a Sunday, which helped a lot because when we got here it was PACKED. But the line moved quickly and within less than 10 minutes we had ordered and secured a table outside, since inside was full to the brim.
We tried a little bit of everything, a sausage egg and cheese biscuit, the bacon egg and cheese croissant, the biscuit with ham and red-​eye gravy, the olive orzo, more croissants and biscuits with the Crême fraîche and marmalade, and some lattes and tea.
While I didn’t care for the olive orzo (I loved the cucumber and feta but it has a bit too much vinaigrette) and the red-​eye gravy was a bit too thin and had too much coffee flavor (we Alabamians are hard to please unless we make it ourselves), everything else was delicious. The staff is friendly and helpful when it comes to the menu, especially the different kinds of tea, and the atmosphere is relaxed and perfect for a late breakfast or early afternoon snack.
We loved it so much we came back the next day for another yummy brunch before hitting the airport to fly home. Great job, Blacksmith! And thanks to everyone who gave such detailed reviews that helped us choose this place.

Went for breakfast and coffee. For breakfast I got the egg, cheese, and sausage biscuit. The biscuit itself was great. The cheese and sausage were fine. Tasted kind of out of the box or something. My wife got just the biscuit and that was a better.
The place was pretty crowded around 10 on a Sunday. And from what I hear it can be crowded often. But, they did move quick and there was open seating when after we ordered. Dis pre being crowded it wasn’t too loud. It would be a nice place to chat with a friend or study (unless you need a really quiet space).
The coffee was really good. My wife got an iced caramel latte with almond milk and really likes it. It is nice that they have dairy alternatives. I got a pour over (Ethiopia, Yirgacheffe) and it was pretty good. I missed how they made it, flat bottom filter but not the Kalita. But you get about 16oz for 6 bucks.
They also sell beans from a nearby roaster. The name escapes me. Most of them roasted 6 – 10 days ago. They had 5 or so different single origins, a few blends, and a few decafs for sale. But plenty of beans if you want it.

So, I returned to Blacksmith for round 3 except this time I also tried out the food. I got the cheddar and egg croissant and substituted the bacon for avocado (bonus points to Blacksmith for suggesting this!). I also grabbed a iced vanilla latte because it was a hot summer day and I refuse to join the gang of weirdos who drink hot coffee on steamingly hot days (looking at my uncle).
Quickly realized that Blacksmith’s food is just as excellent as their HOT coffees. The vanilla latte was pretty much comparable to one I’d get at Dunkin Donuts (i.e. crappy, sorry DD). I was a little disappointed that this place wasn’t all-​around fabulous but everyone has their faults. It’s okay, Blacksmith, I’m going to let this go because I’m not a fan of cold coffee anyway. Just try to up your game for those that are.
Service was excellent as usual, and parking was the same – spacious and available on a busy day/​time.

For some reason, it took a really long time for me to come to Blacksmith. Maybe it was its tiny seating capacity or lack of outlets, whatever the reason, I finally made the trip out here recently and was really happy with my decision! Now that I’m finally no longer a student, I don’t feel the need to compulsively scope out outlets, wifi passwords, and lighting… so I feel like a normal person in a coffeeshop for the first time in, what, 8 years?!
Blacksmith was a perfect re-​introduction back into civilized coffee society, where people come to coffeeshops to have fun and relax (whaaa…). I met up with a friend here for a morning coffee and I realized being a student really must have messed me up, because Blacksmith has BISCUITS and how did I never put that together, that I could eat BISCUITS with my coffee?!
My vanilla latte was perfection — creamy espresso, perfectly foamed milk, so smooth. My biscuit with crème fraîche and marmalade was divine. If you’re a breakfast lover like me, you might be tempted to opt for a heavier biscuit item, like the tantalizing ham/​gravy or the sausage/​egg/​cheese. Let me tell you know… start with the crème fraîche/​marmalade. It’s like when you go to a new pizza joint, you have to try the plain ol’ slice of cheese to set a baseline… same goes with biscuits. The biscuit is anything but plain — it’s crispy crunchy on the outside, fluffy warm and buttery on the inside. The crème fraîche/​marmalade combo is incredible. A perfect little morning snack that didn’t weigh me down too much. I’ve also tried the ham/​gravy/​sunny side egg biscuit and it was delicious, but quite heavy for a breakfast (and that’s coming from someone who loves a full breakfast!). It’s definitely enough for a lunch, with generous portions of gravy and ham.
Can’t wait to explore more of their coffee AND food menus. Saddening that their hours are shorter than most Montrose coffeeshops, but it’s a small price to pay for BISCUITS when they are open. They have a decently sized private lot for parking and on a weekday morning it’s no trouble at all.
PS: Outlets along the bar along the window only. Lighting at the windows is great. Free WiFi. Ahhh, old habits die hard.

Love, love, LOVE this little café! I have been patiently waiting for the right time so I didn’t have to rush and my boyfriend and I were finally able to enjoy an incredible breakfast! His mouth watering Square biscuits were coupled with a beautiful latte. I had the Dill Scramble on toast with a side of Olive orzo with a steaming cup of guava tea. It was quiet busy but the line moved quickly and our food was fresh and hot. I can’t believe it took us this long to finally get here but it was definitely worth the wait!

Went in for breakfast today. Overall not half bad but kind of lacking in a few areas.
Firstly it gets busy here. I never fault a place for traffic, but the layout here is a bit bizarre and counter productive to line formation. Makes for a cramped line and bunched patrons sitting down.
Price is pretty on point for the coffee. I got a cold brew for 4 bucks and it was quite tasty.
I also got a ham and brie sandwich that was decent. I would not order it again simply because I felt it was over priced ($ 9) for JUST the sandwich. Brie was not very melted, ham was lukewarm, and the bread was like that cold soppy toast from Whataburger. It satisfied the hunger but that was about it.
My wife ordered a breakfast croissant that took a lot longer to come out. After my father in law and I were almost done, we finally flagged the expo/​runner to check on the sandwich. Had we not I feel like my wife would not have received it period. Need some work on the expo organization.
I will be back as we are moving to the area soon but I may go on off days and pass on the food for now.

Absolutely amazing! The food is excellent and arrives quickly. When you walk in there is usually a line and there is only ONE individual who is processing your order. Which I am sure helps with crowd control seeing how the restaurant space is very small with limited seats.
Now let’s get to the important part… the food! Omg yassssssssss it was amazing! I got a Carmel sugar cane cappuccino. They quantity was great for me, it was warm and not hot which I liked because you can start drinking right away. The presentation was perfect with their foam designs.
I order the Kentucky hot brown sandwich. It arrived open faced in a small Dutch serving dish l. This sandwich was so rich and tasty. It reminded me of a chicken Alfredo sandwich with Texas toast and not fettuccine pasta, with two slices of tomatoes and a slice of bacon.
My sister ordered the Vietnamese steak and eggs, it comes with a baguette which is so fluffy and soft. It comes with a side of patè to spread on your bread. The meat was very tender and sweet. It comes with 2 sunny side up eggs.
Finally the biscuit! It was nice and crusty on the outside with a nice fluffy buttery inside. It was perfect for me. For happy with the taste that it wasn’t necessary to add the crème and Marmalde. Everything was so well flavored that one can’t help but to return.

The biscuits here have been raved about plenty of my friends. However, I didn’t really feel the hype. Don’t get me wrong – they were good! Just not as good as everyone else made them our to be.
My friend ordered a coffee and mentioned how it a little on the acidic side. Not being very knowledgeable about coffee, I wasn’t really sure what that meant… I went for the Valrhona mocha, and thoroughly enjoyed the decadent chocolate flavors. Though I personally wouldn’t study here (its just a bit cramped), I would come again for the hipster ambiance!

If you haven’t heard about this spot, you must be living under a rock! I’m not a coffee person so I haven’t tried those out. They look pretty cool though… one day I’ll order one to see what the latte tastes like. I would recommend getting breakfast or brunch here.
I came for one thing and it was for their steak and eggs! You heard me right. It’s just like that Vietnamese Bo Né. Steak, eggs, butter, pâté, and french bread. I don’t remember having that salad on the side. It probably wasn’t that great since it wasn’t memorable.
I’m a bit curious to try the Ron Burgundy. One day, I’ll come back to give this a try too.
This place is a bit small so prepared to wait for seating or go early to claim your seats.

I will preface this to say that I am not a coffee person, and therefore I am not a coffee shop person. The only reason we stopped in here on a busy Sunday afternoon was because we were in the market for a croissant or pastry after an early breakfast and a long trip to the bookstore. We googled ‘chocolate croissant’ and lo-​and-​behold: Blacksmith was directly across the street.
I honestly adore this little brick shop from the outside. I know that it was a gay bar long before I lived in Houston, but I remember very well the mural on the outside.
Inside, it’s got the industrial/​hipster vibe that so many people (including myself, I guess) love. There’s also a giant picture of Freddy Mercury. Awesome?
There was plenty of parking behind the building, as well as across the street. They were very busy when we went, so the small lot behind them was pretty packed with people waiting for spots, or driving down into a dead end, only to have to slowly back out avoiding pedestrians or other parkers.
Inside, they were packed. We watched though as they were quickly sending out food and drinks. Of special note, the breakfast biscuit with a fried egg on top looked AMAZING. Every single egg looked fried to perfection and was honestly VERY tempting even though I really didn’t have much room. My friend couldn’t resist and agreed that it was phenomenal.
I want to go back, and in looking at the pictures here on Unilocal as I’m writing this review — I’m damn hungry, too.

A nice spot to get some coffee – it’s relatively close to Rice University and service is quick. I like how there is an elevated patio outdoors and plenty of seating indoors too. I cam here during the wee hours on the weekend so didn’t run into any issues with parking but could imagine it getting crowded quick during weekday mornings.
The breakfast was solid – I enjoyed the dill scramble – which included 2 scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, dill, and red onion on top of pumpernickel toast. The food is «Instagram-​worthy» if you are into that type of thing. Other plusses for early birds include it being open early at 7 am daily.

WORST CAFE SUA DA EVER! Totally ruined my morning. Who uses regular milk for Vietnamese coffee? You use condense milk.
The biscuit with gravy and ham was salty and watery. The gravy was like a soup. I felt like I was eating a gerber’s baby food. My sister and I were playing with the food until we decided to eat it.
The ambience was pretty cool but the barista don’t know how to smile.
This place is a basic hipster coffee shop with tasteless food and mediocre beverages.

Man, this place is POPULAR. Like, out the DOOR popular.
And the door isn’t even close to the cash register.
Blacksmith seems like a nice hangout, especially for the young and hip. They offer locally roasted coffee that was decent, and a pretty wide (though pricey) menu! There is also indoor and outdoor seating, but it gets PACKED during pretty normal hours, so be mindful of that.
Boyfriend and I shared a cup of coffee, and he got a croissant breakfast sandwich while I got a biscuit/​sausage/​egg breakfast sandwich. Both were pretty good and the biscuit especially was really great, and quite filling, but I think it was around $ 7 which seems on the higher end of what I would expect.
If I lived in Houston, I might come back here during less busy times (not a weekend mid or late morning) because it is nice and a good place to hang. It seems like a pretty solid choice overall!

The number reason to visit here is the croissant sandwich. That is it. Get either one of the croissant sandwiches. I’m not sure what these guys do, but the bacon, egg, and cheddar croissant is insane, incredible, and simply put, divine. I repeatedly come back here purely for that small meal. Definitely worth the price.
Some negatives?
The coffee. Yes, their coffee is just terrible. I’m not a coffee snob or anything. I can get the fancy stuff or something as simple as dunkin donuts. My partner in crime is a coffee snob, however, and her tolerance is much lower. Needless to say, both of us hated the coffee and latte. Never again.
Water is your go to option.
Coffee? Southside Espresso will offer better coffee and not too far is also Houston’s best (at least my personal favorite — Black Hole Coffee). I’m not sure what these guys do wrong with brewing their coffee… just awful. I try to give people a pass on this, and I hate reading reviews that complain over the most minute things… but blah. You can do better.
Come here for the croissant. That’s all you need.
Parking is easy. Service is surprisingly quick once they get your order. The line… it’s always out the door, it seems, and it feels a bit claustrophobic at times. So, maybe I’m wrong about their coffee, since someone is obviously enjoying it. The croissant? Amazing.

Came here for lunch via a friend’s recommendation.
I walked in and wow, I didn’t know Houston hipsters were real. Anyways, I kind of awkwardly stood there waiting to order while a few of the staff just sat there and talked. Another staff noticed me only about 6 mins later… I definitely didn’t get a friendly welcome vibe. The workers seemed to be more interested in chatting with each other than attending customers.
I ordered the Vietnamese Steak & Egg ($ 15) and a chai latte with almond milk. The steak & eggs were good but — being born and raised in California — it tasted like my mom’s dish and something I can make on my own (aka lots of soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, etc). I’m not saying it was terrible but for $ 15, I expected it to WOW and BEDAZZLE me. Unfortunately — no. Not worth the $ 15. Where’s my food orgasm at, you know?
The chai latte on the other hand was DELICIOUS. It was the lightest and fluffiest (literally) chai latte I’ve ever had. ⁵⁄₅ for the latte. Basically, the latte saved this review. #latteorgasm
I will be back for the coffee/​tea selection and maybe give a chance with the other food items. Hopefully the staff will be a bit more professional. Pass on the viet steak & eggs.

Everything you’ve heard is true, the bad and the good.
The Bad:
Expensive: Single-​item breakfast for 3 adults and a toddler amounted to about $ 40! That’s without any of us getting the Vietnamese steak and eggs ($ 14?!) we all wanted to try.
Cramped: It’s a restaurant in denial. Face it, Blacksmith, you cannot fit into that coffee house dress anymore. You’re expanding. Please try on a larger facility.
The Good:
Food & Drink: The stuff that matters most was very well done. My croissant had sweet, crispy bacon and the perfect fried egg. There was just enough yolk to glaze my sandwich without smearing everywhere. DH’s red-​eye gravy item was on point. And the chai; for $ 4, I’ve gotten much worse. Theirs struck the delicate balance between sweet and creamy so as not to be overwhelming in either direction. We could not have asked for a better tasting breakfast.
I’d be much more inclined to go back with some sort of discount or coupon, but it’s not really that kind of place.

Yum, yum, yum — definitely get the breakfast biscuit, though I have heard rave reviews about all their food. But every bit of that breakfast biscuit is delicious — the sausage, the biscuit, the cheese, the egg. And their coffee and lattes are equally delicious!
They have a sign that asks you to stay only as long as you are enjoying their goods, so great place for a conversation but not if you are looking for a place to work for hours on end!

Definitely felt out of my depth here. Brought in by someone who doesn’t drink Starbucks on principle so I knew it was going to be high quality. I ordered an Americano and immediately noticed a difference from any Americano I’ve had before. My friend had raved about the quality and texture (yes texture) of the espresso based drinks here so I knew I had to try one. The coffee was definitely more «velvety» than other espressos and had a strong citrus/​acidic bite to it. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about coffee, but I do know what I like and it wasn’t that. Maybe that’s just what good coffee tastes like. I prefer a darker «diner style» coffee but that’s just me.
It’s surprisingly small inside and most of the tables were occupied on a Tuesday afternoon. Some tables outside but you’re basically sitting in the middle of Westheimer. Brick and metal interior. Hipster/​trendy atmosphere inside. On the loud side. Baristas were knowledgable and friendly. We didn’t try any of the food but I’ve heard great things. I know this place is good based on who I know that likes it so I’m committed to coming back and trying a different drink (perhaps the yogurt-​based beverage from the NYT?) and some food (looking at you Mr. Biscuit).

Pretty long line towards the back door and parking lot is always full for Blacksmith, Underbelly and Hay Merchant but a nice little hipster coffee shop with great food and coffee! The menu is fairly small and it takes a little but to get your order but the line moves pretty quickly and the changeover is fairly smooth so you can grab a table and parking spot! The inside has exposed brick with the menu on a chalkboard. Minimal in terms of décor and lots of people here just grabbing coffee and studying on a Sunday. There is minimal outdoor seating as well as indoor seating.
The croissant was crispy and soft on the inside, as it should be! The bacon crispy and egg over easy to perfection! The sandwich was simple but done perfectly. The café sua da didn’t taste like a normal Vietnamese coffee I’m use to. Less sweet but fairly good none the less. The biscuit dishes looked wonderful and so does the Vietnamese steak and eggs. Cool place to grab brunch and chill on a Sunday afternoon!

Came here at right when it opened on a weekday. Had no problem securing a parking spot or a table spot. Nice! (No idea what it’s like during the day or weekend… Aaaand don’t wanna think about it. The parking lot is shared by 4 (?) other establishments and Blacksmith isn’t exactly a huge restaurant)
Love the vibe: very relaxed, chill, a bit hip, but homey and welcoming at the same time. The coffee is pretty good (I got the flat white and my sister got the chai latte).
We ordered the Vietnamese Steak and Eggs and a biscuit with their crème fraîche and marmalade.
Steak and Eggs: A bit on the pricey side, but a good choice. The meat was marinated a little too sweet, but I kind of liked it like that. Pretty filling option, especially with the toasted bread.
Biscuit: GET THIS GET THE BISCUIT. It’s more like a scone, but it’s SOOOO BUTTERY AND FLAKY. The crème fraîche is WOW and that jam… DOUBLE WOW (WOWOW)… I don’t even know how to describe it but I hate myself for not getting one to-​go.
Cool place, would love to come back to try the other items.

I absolutely loved having brunch here this morning. It was super packed but not to the point where there was no space to sit. My friend and I came in stood in line people watching, looking at the places becoming available, and staring at the black board of a wall with the menu items in block letters. Everything looked so delicious that we got in a debate of what we could ask to sub to make it to our heart’s content.
When we finally approached the cash register we were greeted by the girl at the register who looked like an upgraded Asian version of Louise Black from Season 6 of Project Runway. I requested that my scratch biscuit be served without the sausage and I wanted the crème fraîche and marmalade. Absolutely amazing from first bite to the last. The only one star deduction is for not having options like other places where they have a lot of coffee available or if they did I totally missed it.
My friend got the Kentucky something and it looked really good. My macchiato was like what you would get from a coffee shop like Catalina Coffee or Siphon — not the mass market faux «caramel macchiato» ala Starbucks. Absolutely wonderful to sit either inside, or out. Definitely will be coming back for other tasty treats, et alia.

350+ reviews but here are my 2 cents!
Blacksmith is truly one of the best coffee cafes I’ve been to. It offers great service, delicious snacks, laid back atmosphere, and even accommodating parking (which is a RARE find for coffee shops in Houston)! Their crème fraîche biscuit is a MUST!
The interior isn’t big… it can actually be quite crowded on a busy day. This is one of the biggest downsides, especially for students. However, there are some seating outside that are perfect for a sunny day. Speaking with the servers is a pleasant experience, especially since these people are actually eager to help you with your coffee/​snack selection. Totes respect.
Food wise, definitely try their crème fraîche biscuit! The warm biscuit comes with a jelly and a crème, both of which supplement the already buttery delicious biscuit well. I would also recommend a coffee from Blacksmith to go along with your biscuit (I had their Americano, which was alright).
In all. Really fun time here :) whooohoo! Comecome (but probably not to study)