The Optimist Photos
THE OPTIMIST ATMOSPHERE
You might also consider
More like The Optimist
Recommended Reviews - The Optimist
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Stopped by for a seasonal beverage (Harvest Moon) and was glad to see they had house made syrups, it was a great cozy start to the day/season. Service was great and I was able to find a good spot to sit and work for a while on the outside patio.
Met a friend to work at the coffee shop in Raleigh. It's across from the mall set right behind Perry's Steakhouse in a convenient Raleigh location. Come in and the vibe is chill and relaxed yet at 9 am it was still bustling with prime grabbing coffee and getting work done. Being my first time I asked for a recommendation on what to drink and ordered their signature latte which was fine. Now here is where the good goes to meh at best. I was starving and ordered the cheese danish. Starving should mean anything tastes good but it was stale. I'd guess it arrived at the beginning of the week at best. Presentation was lack luster plopped on the counter in plastic wrap. So if you are headed in, I'd avoid the food and stick to drinks. Overall I'd say it's an average Space and Place to grab some coffee and work but nothing to grab your gals and flock to.
"Enter .... Coffee girl season" While I generally drink coffee most days - either instant regular or instant mushroom (do your research) - I'm finding my way to the pleasures of coffee. Enter The Optimist. We (a group of 4) were in the area - when the suggestion occurred. The Optimist is tucked away in a corner - sandwiched between businesses and other restaurants. I selected drip with oat milk - no sugar (counting calories and such). While I'm not a coffee aficionado by any means, I found the coffee smooth and complex (look at me!). Looking forward to trying other options. Service was good and the space was filled with, what appeared to be, students and remote workers feverishly working on life changing "tings" Looking forward to trying other options. Coffee house: 4.1
Cool place, nice atmosphere. Lauren was the barista, extremely nice and personable. Knew the coffee menu, and had good recommendations. Coffee was great, had the "Island Boy" just the right amount of sweet. Plus some of the flavors are made in house. Overall, great place.
I love this place! Even though it's been pretty packed every time I've came, it still feels lowkey because of the quiet and peaceful ambience inside. There's both indoor and outdoor seating with plenty of parking at the deck nearby. The inside is gorgeous, with multiple rooms, different types of seating, and plants you'll want to take home with you. I got a breakfast english muffin and caramel coconut mocha. Both were exactly what I needed this morning and satisfied me. Everyone here is always friendly and the service is always quick. They even have board games to play if you're here with somebody. What I really love is the mini private room they have- big enough for just one person, a laptop, and a plate. I actually took many meetings in here when needing privacy. It's such a cute touch.
Baristas are always super friendly when I stop by. Was luckily enough to stop by May the fourth week to get myself a blue milk (blueberry matcha). Does get a little sunny inside with the big windows.
LOVE LOVE LOVE. What a perfect coffee spot! Immediately upon walking in, the vibe was unique, friendly, and cozy! The vanilla latte was 10/10, the staff were very friendly and laid back, but it's the aesthetic... Between the games, books, plants, excessive windows, private areas, indoor and outdoor seating, and decor - we will definitely return!
Dropped into this location before heading to the mall across the street. We parked with ease in the parking deck attached to this building. Noticed that there were other businesses/restaurants on the walk up to the coffee shop. I was accompanied by 2 other individuals and we walked in with no wait to order. Although it was pretty busy from the inside, we found a table to accommodate our party. There are spaces to sit if you are solo as well. At first glance, the menu appears to be reasonably priced. I skimmed for a while and chose the pink matcha with oat milk. I love how pretty the matcha was! I could have gone for a sweeter version but it wasn't bitter as some other experiences I've had! The staff were friendly and happy to assist with questions about the menu and substitutions. There are so many lovely things about this space!!! From the unique private spaces to the collection of books that line the window. I was drawn to the plants and noticed they had a shelf for games. As we enjoyed our beverages, we decided to play, Cards Against Humanity! This made for a fun and interesting experience! There is outdoor seating available and since today was a nice day, the chairs and tables were occupied for most of our visit. If you're looking to get some work done, read a book, or simply drop in to try a new place, I think it's worth a try!
Unfortunately, we were so excited to try this but were very disappointed. I think this place is perfect if you are a single person getting only a coffee. Outside of that and you may be frustrated. It takes a long time to get what you've ordered. I was expecting the McOptimist like from the original location and instead got a flat sandwich. The flavor was there but I was still hungry after spending $10 on the sandwich. Come for a cup of coffee and the aesthetic.
I appreciated the wide selection of flavored syrups for my cold brew, though it would've been just as good black! Really cute spot to meet w/ friends or work from home surrounded by books & plants. The baristas were some of the nicest I've encountered. I'd love to sit on the porch area on a warmer day.
Kids were having dessert next door for shave icecream so stop by to get some coffee Beans supplied by black and white, barsita super nice and asked me how i like my macchiato. But i was expecting better extraction of espresso considering the beans by black n white. Still not bad and better than typical starbucks
Atmosphere: The new Optimist location opened in Fiction Coffee's old space, which is across the street from Crabtree Mall. The space is small but has several tables and big windows to let in lots of natural light. Service: The baristas were friendly and our order, especially the drinks, came out quickly. One thing to note was that modifications to some items (like the Hulk Smash) could not be made, but that may change once their kitchen becomes more established. Food: We ordered an Iced Nat King Cole and Cappuccino for our drinks, and a Hulk Smash and The Easy with chicken for lunch. The Nat King Cole wasn't too sweet and had nice hints of nuttiness. The Cappuccino was fresh and had a nice, strong coffee flavor to it. Both of our lunch dishes were delicious, but we thought the portions were a bit small for the price. Overall: As big fans of The Optimist and their original location, we weren't disappointed with their new shop! We're looking forward to watching them expand their offerings at this new location.
The place is cute and could be great. I didn't actually try their coffee only got food. The food was underwhelming. It said bruschetta style toast and it was avocado toast with a tomato. That's it. Barely seasoned. I expected more. I hope their coffee is better. I'll update my review then.
We just left this coffee shop, maybe 10 minutes ago and I had to leave a review ASAP. First, the aesthetic is so calming. Music not too loud, vibes were so chill. The barista was a vibe because we love a casual chat. Mind you, this is our first time coming here. I ordered the Stacy and he ordered Life's A Peach. We also ordered food, 2 different breakfast sandwiches and from the first bite, you know what I immediately tasted? SEASONING. Let me preface this by we bop around to so many different shops to try food and coffee and this exceeded our expectations. Whoever made the sandwiches seasoned these eggs to perfection and please know that we appreciate it so much. Like foreal. 5 stars. Vibes. Food. Delicious. Seasoned. Round of applause! We will be back! read more
1 month ago
Cute coffee shop near Crabtree Mall. The location is unassuming in a office complex, however I was pleasantly surprised walking in to see how nicely it was decorated with a large outdoor patio. I got an iced oat milk latte with housemade almond syrup. The quality of the coffee was great with just a slight hint of almond. Some of their syrups are made in house and others are not, so be sure the look at the menu. The Raleigh Coffee Passport brought me here, so I was able to use the discount. However the latte was over $7 full price which was a little steep for the size - but again the quality and taste were great read more
4 days ago
Stopped by for a seasonal beverage (Harvest Moon) and was glad to see they had house made syrups, it was a great cozy start to the day/season. Service was great and I was able to find a good spot to sit and work for a while on the outside patio. read more
6 months ago
Met a friend to work at the coffee shop in Raleigh. It's across from the mall set right behind Perry's Steakhouse in a convenient Raleigh location. Come in and the vibe is chill and relaxed yet at 9 am it was still bustling with prime grabbing coffee and getting work done. Being my first time I asked for a recommendation on what to drink and ordered their signature latte which was fine. Now here is where the good goes to meh at best. I was starving and ordered the cheese danish. Starving should mean anything tastes good but it was stale. I'd guess it arrived at the beginning of the week at best. Presentation was lack luster plopped on the counter in plastic wrap. So if you are headed in, I'd avoid the food and stick to drinks. Overall I'd say it's an average Space and Place to grab some coffee and work but nothing to grab your gals and flock to. read more
"Enter .... Coffee girl season" While I generally drink coffee most days - either instant regular or instant mushroom (do your research) - I'm finding my way to the pleasures of coffee. Enter The Optimist. We (a group of 4) were in the area - when the suggestion occurred. The Optimist is tucked away in a corner - sandwiched between businesses and other restaurants. I selected drip with oat milk - no sugar (counting calories and such). While I'm not a coffee aficionado by any means, I found the coffee smooth and complex (look at me!). Looking forward to trying other options. Service was good and the space was filled with, what appeared to be, students and remote workers feverishly working on life changing "tings" Looking forward to trying other options. Coffee house: 4.1 read more
2 months ago
Cool place, nice atmosphere. Lauren was the barista, extremely nice and personable. Knew the coffee menu, and had good recommendations. Coffee was great, had the "Island Boy" just the right amount of sweet. Plus some of the flavors are made in house. Overall, great place. read more
1 year ago
I love this place! Even though it's been pretty packed every time I've came, it still feels lowkey because of the quiet and peaceful ambience inside. There's both indoor and outdoor seating with plenty of parking at the deck nearby. The inside is gorgeous, with multiple rooms, different types of seating, and plants you'll want to take home with you. I got a breakfast english muffin and caramel coconut mocha. Both were exactly what I needed this morning and satisfied me. Everyone here is always friendly and the service is always quick. They even have board games to play if you're here with somebody. What I really love is the mini private room they have- big enough for just one person, a laptop, and a plate. I actually took many meetings in here when needing privacy. It's such a cute touch. read more
3 months ago
5 months ago
Baristas are always super friendly when I stop by. Was luckily enough to stop by May the fourth week to get myself a blue milk (blueberry matcha). Does get a little sunny inside with the big windows. read more
LOVE LOVE LOVE. What a perfect coffee spot! Immediately upon walking in, the vibe was unique, friendly, and cozy! The vanilla latte was 10/10, the staff were very friendly and laid back, but it's the aesthetic... Between the games, books, plants, excessive windows, private areas, indoor and outdoor seating, and decor - we will definitely return! read more
2 years ago
Dropped into this location before heading to the mall across the street. We parked with ease in the parking deck attached to this building. Noticed that there were other businesses/restaurants on the walk up to the coffee shop. I was accompanied by 2 other individuals and we walked in with no wait to order. Although it was pretty busy from the inside, we found a table to accommodate our party. There are spaces to sit if you are solo as well. At first glance, the menu appears to be reasonably priced. I skimmed for a while and chose the pink matcha with oat milk. I love how pretty the matcha was! I could have gone for a sweeter version but it wasn't bitter as some other experiences I've had! The staff were friendly and happy to assist with questions about the menu and substitutions. There are so many lovely things about this space!!! From the unique private spaces to the collection of books that line the window. I was drawn to the plants and noticed they had a shelf for games. As we enjoyed our beverages, we decided to play, Cards Against Humanity! This made for a fun and interesting experience! There is outdoor seating available and since today was a nice day, the chairs and tables were occupied for most of our visit. If you're looking to get some work done, read a book, or simply drop in to try a new place, I think it's worth a try! read more
4 months ago
Unfortunately, we were so excited to try this but were very disappointed. I think this place is perfect if you are a single person getting only a coffee. Outside of that and you may be frustrated. It takes a long time to get what you've ordered. I was expecting the McOptimist like from the original location and instead got a flat sandwich. The flavor was there but I was still hungry after spending $10 on the sandwich. Come for a cup of coffee and the aesthetic. read more
5 months ago
7 months ago
8 months ago
I appreciated the wide selection of flavored syrups for my cold brew, though it would've been just as good black! Really cute spot to meet w/ friends or work from home surrounded by books & plants. The baristas were some of the nicest I've encountered. I'd love to sit on the porch area on a warmer day. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Kids were having dessert next door for shave icecream so stop by to get some coffee Beans supplied by black and white, barsita super nice and asked me how i like my macchiato. But i was expecting better extraction of espresso considering the beans by black n white. Still not bad and better than typical starbucks read more
Atmosphere: The new Optimist location opened in Fiction Coffee's old space, which is across the street from Crabtree Mall. The space is small but has several tables and big windows to let in lots of natural light. Service: The baristas were friendly and our order, especially the drinks, came out quickly. One thing to note was that modifications to some items (like the Hulk Smash) could not be made, but that may change once their kitchen becomes more established. Food: We ordered an Iced Nat King Cole and Cappuccino for our drinks, and a Hulk Smash and The Easy with chicken for lunch. The Nat King Cole wasn't too sweet and had nice hints of nuttiness. The Cappuccino was fresh and had a nice, strong coffee flavor to it. Both of our lunch dishes were delicious, but we thought the portions were a bit small for the price. Overall: As big fans of The Optimist and their original location, we weren't disappointed with their new shop! We're looking forward to watching them expand their offerings at this new location. read more
The place is cute and could be great. I didn't actually try their coffee only got food. The food was underwhelming. It said bruschetta style toast and it was avocado toast with a tomato. That's it. Barely seasoned. I expected more. I hope their coffee is better. I'll update my review then. read more
2 years ago
Super cute coffee shop! I loved the vibes and people were working on their laptops so I fit right in. The person who made the coffees were so nice and the coffee was good! My cold brew was a bit bitter but still good! Def will return. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
this is my favorite place to stop by every morning for my go-to iced vanilla oat milk latte, and it hits every time! the atmosphere of this new location is so welcoming. there are tables to get work done or meet with a friend, a bar to sit at, a small conference room, and an outdoor seating area as well. the baristas are always kind and welcoming, and they know my order by heart now! highly recommended. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
More info about The Optimist
4509 Creedmoor Rd
Ste 104
Raleigh, NC 27612
Crabtree
Directions
Hours
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
