Been here several times with my wife and friends. Good coffee and helpful staff. They've always gotten our orders correct and quickly. Place has quite a few tables and is a cool place - Recommend to grab a cup or d Sit down and enjoy read more

Popped in here for a quick coffee. Just plain ole black coffee. I wish places would carry stevia and sugars that are not artificial. Overall, the coffee was good. The place was open and spacious. Easy to get to on foot but not sure about nearby parking. I walked over from the library nearby. read more

Open Eye Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

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Open Eye has some decent coffee, though not self-roasted, at a reasonable price, with abundant seating, nice staff, and a milieu good enough to sit and chat for a while with your buddies. To me, that means it checks all the boxes necessary for a coffee spot to be worth adding to the rotation, negative experiences notwithstanding. Compared to other competitors in Chapel Hill/Carrboro, it might lack a little in the vibes department, but I haven't noted anything that's caused concern. read more

Atmosphere: Open Eye Cafe is a warm, open cafe that lets in lots of natural light. There are plenty of tables inside, though we can imagine that it can get busy and crowded during the academic year because of how close together the tables are. We went during UNC's spring break, so we were able to enjoy the cafe on a quieter day. Service: Our barista was friendly, and our drink was ready after a short few minutes! Food: We ordered an Espresso Shake, which is made with vanilla ice cream, espresso, and chocolate syrup. The shake was filling and satisfying, and had a good amount of sweetness and coffee flavor. It tasted just like coffee ice cream! Overall: Open Eye Cafe is nice and spacious, and has a good variety of drink options. However, at the price point, we think that the quality could have been a bit better, which is why we gave them a 4. read more

Open Eye Café - Espresso Shake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Amazing study atmosphere and delicious drinks! I had the seasonal mint mocha with a matcha mint whip cream and it was perfect for a cold winter afternoon! read more

Open Eye Café - seasonal Mint Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

blah vibes. slow baristas. the espresso was good but it's best to get it to go. too crowded and a stale, uninspiring environment.

Best iced matcha Very friendly and smiley staff Played banana grams with my friends and had a great time read more

I wanted to purchase some Carrboro roasters coffee beans. Not only were the prices not posted but the staff just ignored me. Totally opposite experience of Cafe Driade which is excellent. read more

The coffee, tea, and chai lattes are decent. Nothing special, just good enough. That being said their prices are very expensive for what it is. They seem to be almost always busy, but I don't necessarily see why. It is a convenient place down the road otherwise I wouldn't stop by very often. One of my biggest complaints is that when taking your order, they always loudly ask if you want to leave a tip - Just seems awkward and pushy. Just give them a living wage and/or factor in tips in the prices if the customer has no better way to add a tip. read more

This place caught my eye as we were driving by. Nice staff, atmosphere, and beverages. My sweetheart got an espresso milkshake and I got a golden milk. We split a pumpkin chai muffin. Nothing to write home about but fun to stop in. read more

Open Eye Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Best coffee shop in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area imo. Super cute interior with local art and lots of indoor + outdoor seating.

I loved this place much more before Covid. Now it's almost empty inside with very little of the study spot charm it once had. Also the baristas did my absolute biggest pet peeve. Asking the customer who's taking their coffee to go if they want to leave a tip. It feels awkward and pushy especially when you wanted to just grab a quick coffee on the go. If I say no tip I feel weird because they put me on the spot and asked. If I say ok I feel like I was pressured into it...probably because I was. read more

Open Eye Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Friendly baristas. The coffee is always just right. Lots of outdoor seating. For an ice cream lover's treat try the Espresso Shake with whipped cream. Cafe has lots of devotees so bakery items tend to sell out early. read more

Before driving 2 hours back to VA we wanted to fuel up on some coffee. It was 60 degrees out and super windy so it felt cold. I don't drink coffee often but I am an Iced coffee all day kind of girl. I ordered a dirty chai with oatmilk and decided I wanted whip cream. I liked that they let me know they didn't have dairy free creamer which I was fine with. Generally I add a lot of sugar but this chai was perfect and nothing extra was needed. My sister ordered a hot latte. The space was pretty big which was nice. They hand you the drinks with no tops and you will bring it to the area that has lids, straws and sugar. If I lived here this would be a coffee shop I'd go to frequently. read more

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The best coffee in the area. I love the Piedmont blend from Carrboro Coffee Roasters. Never had a bad cup from this place. Recently tried their apple cider on the seasonal menu & it was great. Very flavourful without being overly sweet and perfectly spiced. Adorable shop feels right at home in Carrboro. The staff always looks happy to be there, they're always so sweet & helpful. Miss living down the street from this place but I will gladly make the drive a couple times a month to visit the area. read more

From first call to sipping a delicious oat milk-kissed Americano, my first Open Eye Café experience was tops! The woman who answered the phone was super-friendly and obviously proud to answer my question about organic/sustainably-grown coffee to say yes! to the latter. When I arrived to the shop the man who took my order was friendly and patient as I navigated the menu and ordered my drink. Now as I sit in the adorable back patio area with plants as pictured and thoughtful shaded area as well, I know I will be a regular here! read more

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My daughter and I were looking forward to having coffee together on an unusually cold morning last month. She brought her (7 pound) service dog in with her and was immediately told, "We don't allow animals in here!" by the woman at the counter. This was yelled out/announced to the general seating area and, to the embarrassment of my daughter, everyone within hearing distance looked up and stared at us. My daughter apologized, left and stood outside in the cold while I ordered. We then sat in the warmth of my car and had our (subpar) lattes. Advice to management - train your employees on disability sensitivity and inclusion. There surely could have been a more appropriate way to address this. We, unfortunately, will never have another chance to find out since we will not be returning. read more

I recall about 11 years ago when I frequented Carrboro I was told the open eye cafe was just a hipster spot. I never made my way to visit, but upon moving back to the area I figured I'd give it a try. The staff was very friendly, yes there seems to still be a hipster vibe if that's still a thing, but the coffee was good, plenty of places to sit, and a great spot to people watch or get some work done. No complaints, definitely recommend as a relaxing spot in the Carrboro area. read more

A little off the beaten path, the Open Eye café faces on Greensboro Street through three huge display windows And an inset entryway with thee most delicious old wooden door you've ever seen. It looks like a set piece from an old Western. Inside, there is a single common room that stretches out both h ways to include a mélange of tables, leather chairs, couches, and benches. The menu is complete for coffee aficionados, and also includes a few wines and teas. The music is a pleasant blend of indie folk-rock and there is a palpable buzz of friendly chat that rises and falls aloof with the level of the music. I had a wonderful cortado (two, actually, but who's counting) while waiting for my Lovely Bride to finish her weaving meet-up at Carr Mill two blocks away. There are great pastries from Guglhumpf, but my keto diet precludes this indulgence. It's quite tempting, though! The Town of Carrboro has pretty good WiFi, which permeates this non-rebarred brick structure without missing a beat. Why all towns don't do this is beyond me. IIt allows townsfolk and visitors alike to fully participate in the social web from anywhere in the vicinity. We know the telecom companies won't do this, because they only want the Benjamins. But I digress. Open Eye will be my new go-to spot here in Carrboro while TLB goes to these monthly meetings, and I'm happy to have the option! read more

This place stays busy for a reason! They have a wonderful selection of drinks from bottled kombucha to nitro cold brew. Lovely nitro cold brew! Smooth, full, and rich flavor profile. They have grapefruit kombucha which is a refreshing and hard to find flavor! Love their tiny vegan cupcakes in unique flavors such as root beer! They also have ginger chocolate cup cakes! Its really hard for me to find dairy free treats WITHOUT NUTS. I suffer from many allergies (dairy, nuts, avocado and gastrointestinal distress with corn and beans) so it can be nice when they provide these from time to time! I usually just order plain cold brew if not nitro cold brew (very simple and no allergens). So recently they added Oatly (oat milk) to people who have to deal with all those allergy problems! Soy free eaters come here! Bring your soy free friends this place is great :) read more

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I am a HUUGE coffee fan. Went looking for a place to get some work done. Walked in around noon to a packed house, but luckily a table was coming open close to a electrical outlet. I am pretty hard to please when it comes to coffee but my wife and I LOVED their oat milk latte! It's one of the best latte's we've ever had (after my home made ones of course). read more

Open Eye Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Open Eye is a solid long-standing coffee establishment and has a pretty devoted client base. Things I really like: - They hire people from Club Nova, which helps disenfranchised community members have occupations and purpose. - I'm not sure if this is still the case, but they have the BEST scones from East Durham Bake Shop. The cheese scone and the chocolate scone were amazing. - They serve hot tea in cute glass teapots. Things that are meh: - It can get loud and crowded. This is a favorite study spot for tons of UNC students - The drip coffee is really mediocre. I like supporting my local businesses, so Open Eye is a solid 4 stars from me. I'm a bit surprised at the negative reviews, but I guess since I'm from California, unfriendly service is not something I get bothered by. I haven't had a bad experience at Open Eye. read more

It's a solid mediocre coffee spot. Chapel Hill has a bunch of local cafes to chose from so it makes the competition amongest them harder. My go to drink is either a mocha latte or latte and I can tell alot based off how those drinks are made and the quality of them. I ordered their latte, however it looked m ouuu ch better than it tasted. It was okay. But their pastries in my opinion are what they are better. I also like that they served local brewed kombucha at the front. As for the interior it's what you would expect for a local college town cafe. read more

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Three and a half stars? Are you kidding? Look. If there is one thing I know a teeny tiny bit is what a killer cup of joe tastes like. And my friends, you will find such a thing at Open Eye. After being turned on to coffee like it ought be, at Stumptown in Portlalnd, Ore, I am always in search for the perfect joe. Milk, steamed, latte, poured. It doesn't matter. Just don't serve me a cup of brown water and call it a day. Make my tongue sing opera like Kathleen Battle. Whooooo Whee! Lovely, hot, with the most finely sculpted latte art which hung in there until the very last sip. Sweet rich medium body. Not one hint, nor one iota of bitterness. Not particularly floral or fruity. More caramel than citrus. Just solid, full flavored, but light. The milk done to perfection, not bubbling like a science experiment, but foamed out with a lace that clung like velvet down the cup. Shame I had to talk to my friend. I just wanted to cradle and stare into my cup in reverence. Nirvana. Aaaaaannnnndd. Wait for it. Friendly Baristas? I wasn't treated like a ding dong for being a newbie. The counter dude took my loot, chatted with me when I asked a confused question and gently showed me the nuances to their ordering system, even introducing the barista. Cool. It was like they welcomed me to their cafe home. You have got to be kidding me. Who could ask for more. Well my companion did. She was looking for something chocolate in the dessert case. And that was weird. Couldn't find anything resembling chocolate except a few macaroons on the counter. Naaah. Coffee this good, I want a slab of pie, or a hunk of layer cake. Add that, and I'm moving in. The space, oh yah. The ambiance. I forgot myself. Open Eye Cafe, were you a ever an auto garage in a past life? So spacious, and your owner decorated you with a cacophony of chairs and furniture. Open Eye, you have a kinda forgotten 60's feel, not contrived, but actual period. Your appearance is a little rumpled like hair and pajamas at 6am. Kinda higgledy piggledy. Not a particular cozy place. But there are a few corners to hide. Outside seating is plentiful and on this fall day, was a delicious sun trap outside perfect for watching bicycles, cars and pedestrians. I can't wait to go back. Five Stars on my next visit if the pastry/dessert case rocks. But with coffee like that you don't need me to tell you to go. Just go and see what coffee should really be. read more

Open eye is an extremely average coffee shop. The interior looks worn and dark and, of all the times I get coffee there, their drinks have not impressed me although they're still pretty pricey. There are better options in the area. Still, it has lots of space for studying, which is always a plus. read more

The coffee was okay, I've had better coffee in carrboro, but the attention was kind of cold, the wifi was not working properly, and I found everything overpriced. My friend paid 6$ for a cookie with chocolate jam. I could have bought that for 3$ at another nicer place. There is a nice atmosphere in the place. It's good if you want to get away from everything and have some time for yourself. read more

Open Eye Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

I've now been to Open Eye many times over the past three years and wanted to update my review. It's one of the best options for coffee in Carrboro, especially since a lot of options in the area close at 2 and for now, Open Eye closes at 6. Following the pandemic, I've appreciated the ability to order online and the baristas are always kind. read more

It's always kinda crowded, so the interior is noisy, but there are plenty of tables for doing work and relaxing. The coffee was great, a little pricey but worth it read more

My issues: bugs, prices, AC, and outlets. There are always, ALWAYS a bunch of houseflies circling around (even when I'm nice and showered, so not just me) no matter where you sit. One day I sat near the food fridge and watched several do a little dance on all of the food -- and the next day I see why: the doors are open on them, either through lack of care or to let the bugs out. They opted to stay, incidentally. So, I won't eat anything from here. There are few outlets compared to the chairs, and on this day where it's 97 degrees outside the AC is intermittent and it's hot as balls in here; I just stood up on my chair to check the vent as I write this. I was class of 2011 and it's gone downhill a bit since I moved back here. I've been a dozen times, and this is this gist: good coffee, fast enough service if a little typical too-cool-coffee-shop lack of social engagement. There's a ton of diverse seating options and the Town of Carrboro free wifi is strong here. read more

Cool place to go study or spend time surfing the internet, a large variety of coffee, and tea drinks and wine yeah both in same place at anytime. read more

Open Eye Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Cafe sells coffee beans and makes an array of excellent coffee and tea drinks. They also have a small pastry selection. During Covid they only have have take out and no indoor seating. The outdoor seating is out of service as well read more

Open Eye Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

To be completely honest, I didn't feel like the coffee itself was that amazing. I ordered a cold brew which was pretty average. There wasn't anything specifically bad about it, it just didn't blow me away. I do imagine, however, that this place would be really fun to work at/hangout once covid ends. Really nice atmosphere and tons of seating. read more

Great coffee, good bakery items, lots of seating indoor and outdoor, good COVID safety practices. Try the espresso shake for a real treat.

I've got jorts and pearl-snaps aplenty I've got thick-frames and fixies galore You want tallboys? I've got sixers But who cares? No big deal I want more... I wanna be where the hipsters are I wanna see Wanna see 'em sulkin' Walkin' around on those (Whad'ya call 'em?) oh - Toms Sippin' your Starbucks you don't don't get too far A local roaster's required for broodin', judgin' Scratchin' your face through that (What's the word again?) beard Down where they pout Down where they huff Down where they love the 80s worst stuff Wayfarin' free Wish I could be Part of that world... The coffee's pretty good, too. read more

I have visited Open Eye Cafe multpile times and the coffee/latte's have always been standard. Nothing amazing but never terrible. The food items are also nothing special. My favorite part about Open Eye though, and this is where everyone gives them a bad review is their service. Is it awful? Oh yeah. Its comically bad. The baristas seem miserable, and they might actually be. You ask for a coffee and get an eyeroll/sigh with "...what KIND of coffee....". It feels like something out of Portlandia. Maybe they are upset that their drinks aren't that great. read more

I try to make it a rule not to write off establishments completely, but I make an exception where Open Eye Cafe is concerned. The service here is some of the rudest, most inattentive you'll ever encounter. I'm not sure if this is some hip, holier-than-thou coffee shops (just kidding, you could see if that if you were blind) but there's really no excuse for "do you want something," while I'm perusing the menu. If that weren't enough, my fiancé and I spent 40 minutes waiting for a Macchiato and a drip Coffee. Considering they leave it on the counter and it's not table service that's pretty egregious. I get it. It's a place for chapel hill students to study (although I'm not sure how that works since there's always a million people sitting in here). Just rename it a library and get it over with. read more

It's way too loud here with regards to the music, the chairs are uncomfortable and awkward, the options are inferior to those at other coffee places in Carrboro, and there are too many plugs where your cord will fall out of the plug. So I'm lowering my review. Maybe I'm getting old and ornery? I dunno. All I know is that I cannot get work done at Open Eye. Also that sun glare during the midday is no fun. read more

Open Eye Café - I am Groot. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Wow is this space busy. All the students were in here studying and so it was tough to find a spot to sit. Which doesn't mean the space is small...it actually has a ton of seating but we were there during finals week. I definitely didn't hear any music while I was there. But I also didn't get the ugly looks from studying folks since my friends and I were there to take a breather and chat. So bonus points for tolerance. My hot chocolate was OK but not great. My friends enjoyed their coffee and beer so, yay, for carrying more than coffee. read more

This is just for the rating on the coffee I usually order an espresso shot or just a plan latte to see how the coffee is and can say it was very disappointing not much flavor maybe they are using old beans? Had to throw away the coffee which I never do. read more

I could not bear to study here - or read, or write, or whatever - unless it was absolutely necessary. There are always tons of people here doing whatever it is people do (here, it almost always contains Thomas Aquinas or some such, even when completely unnecessary), and between the talking and the music I just can't concentrate. The space is comfy enough, but I feel like I'm in the middle of a Bolshevik revolution meeting, and not just from the conversations going on around me. The place is industrial and very unclean. I didn't really notice the flies that much. The structure looking like a broken-down Ugandan hospital, that I see. I'm not a coffee person, but the food and drink I have had have been pretty mediocre. read more

Open Eye Café - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina