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Sad to post this since I had good expectations for their coffee, ordered a hot dirty chai. It came out lukewarm and not very good at all. Maybe it would've been better hot? In addition to this, it took about 15 minutes before the single worker in the establishment (who appeared also to be the sole cook) started on my drink. Felt unnecessarily long considering the establishment was half empty. Typically this wouldn't be an issue but had my dog waiting in the car and I thought this would be an in-and-out coffee run like other places.
This place is a bit awkwardly shoehorned in with a dinner restaurant. They have a wide beverage menu and somewhat limited food options (particularly from a vegetarian perspective). They had signs saying you'd have to buy a drink to stay there and work on a laptop, but the AC wasn't quite cutting it and I didn't feel like staying. having said that, the tea with mango jellies I ordered was strongly flavored and I was quite happy with it to start the day, so they achieved their basic goal. Many other beverage options seemed worthwhile. For those eating in, a selection of Filipino objects d'art dotted the walls.
Located adjacent to the Shabu Shabu restaurant and by the same owner. We came in early for breakfast, so it wasn't crowded. This looks like the kind of cafe people come in to fire up their laptop while sipping their coffee. I ordered a London Fog which i don't see often at cafes and split a katsu croissantwich with the Hubs. This breakfast sandwich was a tasty mix of salty and sweet flavors. Highly recommend this sandwich for it's unique combo French/Japanese flavors. The service was friendly and we will be back for sure when we are back in town.
I love this quiet, cute cafe! The drinks are well prepared and they have a great selection of cold and hot drinks, plus boba. I've always opted for a cafe drink but want to try their boba sometime. This is a perfect spot for meeting a friend to catch up or get some quiet work done. The service is somewhat handsoff, nothing special but you get your drinks in a short amount of time and they are always good!
They're hidden inside of the Thai shabu restaurant in the Ross/TJ's parking lot. Katsu chicken and waffles were very tasty with a mustard teriyaki type sauce drizzled on. Katsu was nice and thin and crispy. The waffles seemed to be made with tapioca flour? Like mochi waffles. Some shredded carrot and peas mixed into the batter. Our toddler loved it. Thai chicken breakfast burrito is nice as well. It tastes like red curry (complete with sliced bamboo, carrot, chicken, and broccoli). To be honest it was on the smaller side but maybe I'm just a fat f**k. Salad was basic ice berg with shredded carrot and a ginger dressing. Boba was decent. Flavor was pretty good albeit too sweet (brown sugar I believe) but boba was a little overcooked. Overall really tasty options and we will definitely be returning.
Popped into this place after carpool drop off for breakfast! It was such a relaxing and calm place to go after a hectic morning. I'd already grabbed coffee earlier, so I didn't try their drinks but the drink menu looked delicious! I did try Nana's Chicken + Waffles and was pleasantly surprised by their savory take on this popular dish! I'd highly recommend checking this place out - it's located inside Shaba Shabu and is a pleasant addition to the morning breakfast scene. The staff is also very friendly and helpful! Can't recommend this place enough.
This was a mid afternoon visit so it wasn't crowded. Service was great! The food was so flavorful and the portion was just right for lunchtime. I'm really surprise that I never noticed this place before in all my visits to this strip mall. I will certainly be back.
This place is my go to spot for authentic Khao soi in Raleigh, NC . I love the creamy spicy coconut flavors of this dish and how well it pairs with their dirty Thai lattes. Black Ivory is such a relaxing spot and perfect for studying or just enjoying boba with friends. Their service with a smile is definitely a win in my book .
What a neat addition to Midtown East! This cafe took over half of Shabu Shabu and shares an entrance with them. If you come in the morning, you'll see a closed sign for Shabu Shabu, but open sign on the side of Black Ivory. Super interesting and tasty selection of coffee, milk teas, and Asian breakfast options. I went in recently and tried out an iced mocha, black ivory milk tea, and the chok breakfast dish. Chok is a Thai Rice porridge with house made chicken and shrimp balls, shredded ginger, cilantro, crispy rice noodle, poached egg, and seaweed. It was super delicious and flavorful, it was a large portion and I could only finish half of it. The coffee was great as well and the boba in the milk tea was perfect. They have quite a few other breakfast items that I'm hoping to try on a return visit. They have plenty of tables and pretty solid wifi. A great low key place to work from. I'll be back!
Getting here was easy, and the parking was plentiful. Pleased with the welcome upon entering. I enjoyed Black Ivory cafe. Well-lit, clean, neat, large seating area, comfortable and very fitting for my afternoon meetup. The person I came here with chose this location, and I was in awe of the beautiful portraits from the beginning to the end. The services offered are order at the counter or with the QR code from your table. The staff is pleasant and responsive to all. I was overwhelmed with options and unsure what I wanted, so I chose the recommended favorite. I had the black ivory milk tea, and it was delicious. Black Ivory was a great choice. I plan to come again and try a hot option.
The description for this new restaurant is "Coffee, Boba and Asian Breakfast". Please know that to those of us that are not in the know, this is also a great lunch, dinner option. What might be identified as Asian Breakfast to the Asian community, might just as well be American lunch. Just sayin'. If you are familiar with Shaba Shabu on Wake Forest Road near the beltline (where Trader Joe's is), they have taken the once Japanese side of the restaurant and turned it into this new experience. This is a perfect place to have a coffee drink, or in my case, tea. It's very casual. Order at the counter. Sis ordered the Chicken and Waffles, while I opted for Chok. Water is of the get your own variety in small plastic cups (ask for ice if you want it). Not wanting anything sweet, milky or coffee like, I asked for hot green tea and was rewarded minutes later with a nice fragrant pot of one. Loved it. Seating options are tables or window seats. We opted to sit next to each other at the window watching all the bad drivers try not to back into each other in the Trader Joe parking lot. Very entertaining when behind glass, lol. Note, this is not fast food. You do wait for it to be properly prepared. What came out was flat-out fantastic. I loved my Chok! It was comfort food at its best. Creamy rich broth with a poached egg (more like hard boiled), with seaweed, fresh ginger and delectable salty chicken/shrimp balls. Crave worthy! Much of the menu is Thai style burritos. Can't wait to go back and try those. Sis also very much liked their different take on chicken and waffles. Even the waffles are different, being small bubbles, some of which have peas and carrots in them. Katsu chicken pieces on top, all topped with three different sweet/savory sauces. While she really liked it, she would have loved it had it been served warmer. Management appreciated the feedback and seems very welcoming of all suggestions and eager to please. Highly recommend trying out a new Asian experience. There's real quality and care going on here.
Loving this chill vibe in the restaurant. There are two sides, one is more coffee shop-sit down and work or have a chat with a friend. The other side is more of a restaurant sit down style. All of it is called ShabaShabu and Black Ivory. The menu is unique, with many breakfast items I have not tried before. I went for the chicken and waffle. It's a bubble waffle with peas, carrots and other things included. There a sauce drizzled over the top that has a little bit of sauce and heat, very mild. It was very different and tasted good, if savory is your craving, this is your place! I ordered a Chai Latte and it was delicious. I enjoyed trying a new place. One of the staff came over and asked how we liked our meal and for suggestions. Very clean and relaxing. I would definitely come back and sit to work and have a coffee.
I have to be honest when you walk in you're unsure of where to start, luckily there were customer there and I asked what would they recommend and was told to try their chicken sandwich. Cappuccino was done right and the sandwich was tasty: they also have boba tea and it's a nice ambiance for working on your computer. Nice cafe lounge
All I got was a latte, but based on the coffee and service and inside of the restaurant, I would go back to try the food and probably will at some point in time. Staff was friendly and place was clean. Grabbed a coffee to go and latte was decent. When I go back for more will update this review but for now it gets 4 stars. read more
2 months ago
Did a quick stop and grabbed a Latte to go, have been passing by this spot and had to check it out! Relaxing ambience with beautiful and captivating art. Service was quick and great customer service. Latte was just right for me, perfect blend of coffee and sweet! read more
8 months ago
Sad to post this since I had good expectations for their coffee, ordered a hot dirty chai. It came out lukewarm and not very good at all. Maybe it would've been better hot? In addition to this, it took about 15 minutes before the single worker in the establishment (who appeared also to be the sole cook) started on my drink. Felt unnecessarily long considering the establishment was half empty. Typically this wouldn't be an issue but had my dog waiting in the car and I thought this would be an in-and-out coffee run like other places. read more
1 year ago
This place is a bit awkwardly shoehorned in with a dinner restaurant. They have a wide beverage menu and somewhat limited food options (particularly from a vegetarian perspective). They had signs saying you'd have to buy a drink to stay there and work on a laptop, but the AC wasn't quite cutting it and I didn't feel like staying. having said that, the tea with mango jellies I ordered was strongly flavored and I was quite happy with it to start the day, so they achieved their basic goal. Many other beverage options seemed worthwhile. For those eating in, a selection of Filipino objects d'art dotted the walls. read more
Located adjacent to the Shabu Shabu restaurant and by the same owner. We came in early for breakfast, so it wasn't crowded. This looks like the kind of cafe people come in to fire up their laptop while sipping their coffee. I ordered a London Fog which i don't see often at cafes and split a katsu croissantwich with the Hubs. This breakfast sandwich was a tasty mix of salty and sweet flavors. Highly recommend this sandwich for it's unique combo French/Japanese flavors. The service was friendly and we will be back for sure when we are back in town. read more
I love this quiet, cute cafe! The drinks are well prepared and they have a great selection of cold and hot drinks, plus boba. I've always opted for a cafe drink but want to try their boba sometime. This is a perfect spot for meeting a friend to catch up or get some quiet work done. The service is somewhat handsoff, nothing special but you get your drinks in a short amount of time and they are always good! read more
They're hidden inside of the Thai shabu restaurant in the Ross/TJ's parking lot. Katsu chicken and waffles were very tasty with a mustard teriyaki type sauce drizzled on. Katsu was nice and thin and crispy. The waffles seemed to be made with tapioca flour? Like mochi waffles. Some shredded carrot and peas mixed into the batter. Our toddler loved it. Thai chicken breakfast burrito is nice as well. It tastes like red curry (complete with sliced bamboo, carrot, chicken, and broccoli). To be honest it was on the smaller side but maybe I'm just a fat f**k. Salad was basic ice berg with shredded carrot and a ginger dressing. Boba was decent. Flavor was pretty good albeit too sweet (brown sugar I believe) but boba was a little overcooked. Overall really tasty options and we will definitely be returning. read more
1 year ago
Popped into this place after carpool drop off for breakfast! It was such a relaxing and calm place to go after a hectic morning. I'd already grabbed coffee earlier, so I didn't try their drinks but the drink menu looked delicious! I did try Nana's Chicken + Waffles and was pleasantly surprised by their savory take on this popular dish! I'd highly recommend checking this place out - it's located inside Shaba Shabu and is a pleasant addition to the morning breakfast scene. The staff is also very friendly and helpful! Can't recommend this place enough. read more
This was a mid afternoon visit so it wasn't crowded. Service was great! The food was so flavorful and the portion was just right for lunchtime. I'm really surprise that I never noticed this place before in all my visits to this strip mall. I will certainly be back. read more
2 years ago
This place is my go to spot for authentic Khao soi in Raleigh, NC . I love the creamy spicy coconut flavors of this dish and how well it pairs with their dirty Thai lattes. Black Ivory is such a relaxing spot and perfect for studying or just enjoying boba with friends. Their service with a smile is definitely a win in my book . read more
10 months ago
What a neat addition to Midtown East! This cafe took over half of Shabu Shabu and shares an entrance with them. If you come in the morning, you'll see a closed sign for Shabu Shabu, but open sign on the side of Black Ivory. Super interesting and tasty selection of coffee, milk teas, and Asian breakfast options. I went in recently and tried out an iced mocha, black ivory milk tea, and the chok breakfast dish. Chok is a Thai Rice porridge with house made chicken and shrimp balls, shredded ginger, cilantro, crispy rice noodle, poached egg, and seaweed. It was super delicious and flavorful, it was a large portion and I could only finish half of it. The coffee was great as well and the boba in the milk tea was perfect. They have quite a few other breakfast items that I'm hoping to try on a return visit. They have plenty of tables and pretty solid wifi. A great low key place to work from. I'll be back! read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Hello Holly!…
Getting here was easy, and the parking was plentiful. Pleased with the welcome upon entering. I enjoyed Black Ivory cafe. Well-lit, clean, neat, large seating area, comfortable and very fitting for my afternoon meetup. The person I came here with chose this location, and I was in awe of the beautiful portraits from the beginning to the end. The services offered are order at the counter or with the QR code from your table. The staff is pleasant and responsive to all. I was overwhelmed with options and unsure what I wanted, so I chose the recommended favorite. I had the black ivory milk tea, and it was delicious. Black Ivory was a great choice. I plan to come again and try a hot option. read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much for the great review and support!…
The description for this new restaurant is "Coffee, Boba and Asian Breakfast". Please know that to those of us that are not in the know, this is also a great lunch, dinner option. What might be identified as Asian Breakfast to the Asian community, might just as well be American lunch. Just sayin'. If you are familiar with Shaba Shabu on Wake Forest Road near the beltline (where Trader Joe's is), they have taken the once Japanese side of the restaurant and turned it into this new experience. This is a perfect place to have a coffee drink, or in my case, tea. It's very casual. Order at the counter. Sis ordered the Chicken and Waffles, while I opted for Chok. Water is of the get your own variety in small plastic cups (ask for ice if you want it). Not wanting anything sweet, milky or coffee like, I asked for hot green tea and was rewarded minutes later with a nice fragrant pot of one. Loved it. Seating options are tables or window seats. We opted to sit next to each other at the window watching all the bad drivers try not to back into each other in the Trader Joe parking lot. Very entertaining when behind glass, lol. Note, this is not fast food. You do wait for it to be properly prepared. What came out was flat-out fantastic. I loved my Chok! It was comfort food at its best. Creamy rich broth with a poached egg (more like hard boiled), with seaweed, fresh ginger and delectable salty chicken/shrimp balls. Crave worthy! Much of the menu is Thai style burritos. Can't wait to go back and try those. Sis also very much liked their different take on chicken and waffles. Even the waffles are different, being small bubbles, some of which have peas and carrots in them. Katsu chicken pieces on top, all topped with three different sweet/savory sauces. While she really liked it, she would have loved it had it been served warmer. Management appreciated the feedback and seems very welcoming of all suggestions and eager to please. Highly recommend trying out a new Asian experience. There's real quality and care going on here. read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Hello Lori!…
Loving this chill vibe in the restaurant. There are two sides, one is more coffee shop-sit down and work or have a chat with a friend. The other side is more of a restaurant sit down style. All of it is called ShabaShabu and Black Ivory. The menu is unique, with many breakfast items I have not tried before. I went for the chicken and waffle. It's a bubble waffle with peas, carrots and other things included. There a sauce drizzled over the top that has a little bit of sauce and heat, very mild. It was very different and tasted good, if savory is your craving, this is your place! I ordered a Chai Latte and it was delicious. I enjoyed trying a new place. One of the staff came over and asked how we liked our meal and for suggestions. Very clean and relaxing. I would definitely come back and sit to work and have a coffee. read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much for your review Jacki! We look forward to seeing…
3 years ago
I have to be honest when you walk in you're unsure of where to start, luckily there were customer there and I asked what would they recommend and was told to try their chicken sandwich. Cappuccino was done right and the sandwich was tasty: they also have boba tea and it's a nice ambiance for working on your computer. Nice cafe lounge read more
Atmosphere: Black Ivory Cafe is the cafe side of ShabaShabu and has a good amount of seating. The window-facing office chairs are a bit out of place and the lighting can be dim, but otherwise, it is a good environment to study or work. Service: The barista was friendly! We were the only ones there on an early Saturday morning, so our drinks came out pretty quickly. Food: We ordered the Caramel Latte and Cortado for our drinks, and later ordered the Khao Soi. The Caramel Latte was strong and not too sweet, the barista kindly gave us additional caramel syrup on the side, which was convenient as we could adjust the sweetness level to our liking. The Cortado was hot, vibrant, and warmed us up. The Khao Soi was flavorful, but we would've liked a bit more noodles to help us finish the delicious sauce. Later, we decided to order a side of rice from ShabaShabu and mix it in! Overall: The interior has potential to be a better working environment, but at its current state, we enjoyed our experience at Black Ivory Cafe. The food and drinks were good, though we wish we got more out of the Khao Soi. We'd love to come back and try more of their food and drinks in the future! read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much for taking your time and writing such a wonderful…
Admin Note: It shares an entrance with Shaba Shabu. Excellent breakfast menu, outstanding breakfast drinks and incredible service. Chill vibes, fast wifi and a space that relaxes you for a comfortable time. Highly recommend. read more
8 months ago
delicious hot chocolate, vibes are great, and the guy who made it was nice. quiet but not awkward read more
1 year ago
Nice space! I went in as soon as they opened so there wasn't a crowd. I was happy to see an Asian inspired breakfast menu. I tried the Khao Soi and matcha coffee. Both were good. The breakfast food prices were good. read more
3 years ago
TLDR: The place for a nutritious, balanced breakfast. Ample seating and menu options. I stopped here for breakfast since they offered a unique menu. I ordered online, which was easy until the payment section. Discover is not accepted when using Apple Pay, but it is accepted when paying through the website. By the time I finished inputting all the required information, I had to restart since the original pick-up time needed to be adjusted. Online pick-up orders need to be placed at least 15 min in advance. Rather than being able to adjust the time and finish checking out, the site refreshed and I had to start over. It did keep the menu items in the cart though. I placed the order about 35 min in advance. Black Ivory shares the building with shabashabu. They share a main door. Black ivory cafe is on the right upon entering. When I arrived, the matcha latte was ready but not the crispy tofu salad. The salad took another 10 min. The salad was difficult to eat, but was delicious. The matcha latte was the perfect temperature and flavor. I was the only customer there and one employee was working. He was friendly and gave me updates on my order. Prices are reasonable to pricy, the crispy tofu salad was $11.90 and the matcha latte $5.10. Bathrooms are available down the hall. Overall, I loved the meal, just wish it was ready on time. read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much Jillian for taking your time and writing a review!…
2 years ago
This quiet little place was the perfect spot for breakfast. My husband and I love Thai food and this was a delicious choice. Although the menu is tiny, we both loved what we ordered. The man taking our order was extremely friendly and helpful. We will be back! read more
2 years ago
Inviting and clean environment. The iced latte was refreshing and not too sweet. Will definitely return read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much Diandra for taking your time and writing the…
3 years ago
Black Ivory Cafe reminds me of the cafes in Hawaii, it brought me back home. It is chill and spacious; it is great for morning coffee and checking emails or studying or catching up with a friend. It's that type of vibe. The workers were super nice! I loved their customer service and they were very cheerful!! I went there straight from a flight to get some breakfast and rest for a bit before heading to my hotel. I got the strawberry yogurt drink. It's a little too sweet for me, it's a perfect dessert drink. But it was still very delicious. I also got the chicken katsu croissant sandwich and it was SO GOOD! The veggies in it are a perfect combination to the chicken katsu and croissant! I highly recommend this place!! read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Hello Talitha!…
4 years ago
Black Ivory is new to the scene!!! Asian breakfast is the word! The best chicken and waffles I ever had! Black Ivory is part of the Shabu Shabu family. Soooooo good!! The art work is original by a family member and he does commissions. So talented!! read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much Beth! We really appreciate the support! We are…
3 years ago
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much for your input and for taking your time and writing…
2 years ago
3 years ago
Delicious food and lovely service! My first meal was the espresso caramel frappe (with brown sugar boba and "less sweet") with yummy Khao Soi (curry and noodle chicken soup). Absolutely would recommend. read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Hello! Thank you so much Deborah for the support and the review!…
3 years ago
Holy Moly! This was such an amazing experience! Food: Exquisite, Coffee: Outstanding, Cafe: Adorbs! We each got something different, we tasted each others and all was out of this world. The flavors were rich and complicated, the katsu chicken had a great crunch, and the baked good were so soft and flavorful. Wish we had this in Norfolk! read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much for taking your time and writing a review! The…
3 years ago
Was looking for a cafe to grab a solid cappuccino in the morning without a wait, found this gem! A teeny confusing cause it shares business space with the Shabashabu restaurant but it's very spacious and welcoming. Plus the proprietor is also the immensely talented artist who sketched the incredible lifelike portraits on the walls!! And I sprung for breakfast today and even tho I was very skeptical of liking chicken on a croissant SW, it was sooooo good. It was a breaded cutlet with tasty sauce, enjoyable! Support local read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much for the support and for taking your time writing…
3 years ago
Visited this place for a quick coffee and it was honestly the best drinks I've had!! For example, I used to drink matcha lattes from starbucks or random local coffee shops, but no matcha can top this one! The perfect earthy taste with some sweetness! Truly tasty and such a friendly and comfortable environment as well!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! read more
This coffee shop should be at the top of everyone's list. Blink, and you'll miss it, but this hidden gem near Trader Joe's is top-notch. The atmosphere is chill, and the space is large. It's a great place to get work done and enjoy a cup of coffee. I had the macchiato, and it was a TRUE macchiato. The service is fast and the staff is so friendly. They also have food, and its unlike anything you'll have before. Please try this place. It's just too good to pass up! read more
Business owner information
Juan R.
Thank you so much Deja for taking your time and writing a review!…
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More info about Black Ivory Café
3080 Wake Forest Rd
Raleigh, NC 27609
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(919) 501-7476
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http://www.blkivory.com
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