The Optimist Raleigh

Kind humans and killer cortados! I love ordering at the window, too. Today I dropped my drink all over the pavement getting back into my car, and without hesitation they made me a fresh one free of charge. A little kindness goes a long way these days!

Oatmeal and coffee are pretty good, what gave this a low rating was the experience. I was brought oatmeal with no spoon. They also didn't have any reusable spoons, only plastic. In which I had to get myself. Which is fine but odd to bring out a food item with no utencil. Was served my coffee in a throwaway cup which was disappointing as I did specify for here and see others being served their coffee in mugs. Just not the cafe experience I expected.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 1

This place can highly recommended and I needed a place to unwind. I got the Pancho Villa sandwich, no coffee, and it was extremely expensive for what was presented. The bread was cold, there was hardly any chorizo in it and I had to use a lot of salt and hot sauce to make it edible. I had not eaten breakfast so I was starving, but otherwise I would have not been able to eat it.
Aesthetics were very pleasing and sitting outside was refreshing, but I would not come back unless the drinks are better than the food

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 3

The coffee and food arrived promptly after ordering. The food and coffee tasted great.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Pretty cool coffee shop near Historic Oakwood in a neighborhood!

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

My matcha latte barely had any matcha and tasted like milk, no matcha flavor at all, verified by two other people. My boyfriend's mocha did not have a chocolate flavor to it and tasted incredibly bitter. Waste of money coming here

Honest review. We tend to visit a variety of coffee shops and decided to venture out of the normal downtown Raleigh area and went “further out” to check this spot out. The cold brew was so so, and the food was really disappointing. We tried the Pancho villa sandwiches and there was barely any chorizo on the sandwich, like a few specs.. and with the lack of chorizo there really was no flavor in the sandwich. Priced WAY too high for the quality and size portion of the food. Atmosphere did look nice but that did not outweigh the rest.

And I don’t know if it was just me but it almost seemed like the cashier was waiting to see what kind of tip amount I would leave (which I did) but it almost felt like a pressure tatic to leave one.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 1

Service: 3

Great spot with lots of indoor and outdoor seating available. Service was good and coffee came out quick to order.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Coffee not bad. Not a lot of selections though. Service was ok. There was indoor and outdoor sitting. Nice decor... Location was hard to find at first because it's located in a tall plaza with other spots..

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

It’s a very cute coffee shop, but it is very slow. I’m not sure if they’re understaffed or it’s just slow. I also thought the food was overpriced and flavorless. The food is fresh, though.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 3

A coffee shop that lives up to its name. Imagine being able to step away from the heaviness of life, being able to breathe, and relax with a warm cup of coffee or tea. ☕️ This is where you want to go.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I had one of their seasonal lattes with cardamom and it was splendid. The muffins are also great, but I haven't had any of the other food so I can't comment on that.

The atmosphere is absolutely perfect for hanging out and reading/working/just chilling, and the staff are all super nice! Definitely recommend for anyone looking for somewhere to do remote work.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I love taking my dog to the dog park around the corner, and my partner joins on his days off. Those days he’ll run up and get us our coffees and they are always so delicious, just perfect, and the great service is the extra mile. I can’t wait to just hang out and do some work there so I can add more to this review!

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

The Optimist in Raleigh isn't just a coffee shop; it's a whole vibe! Their drinks? Delicious. The food? Straight fire. But the real MVPs are Dee and Conn – they set the gold🏅🏅 standard for customer service and create an amazing atmosphere.
This place is laid-back, super friendly, and just the right kind of quirky (yep, there's a skeleton chilling, but it's all part of the fun). Whether you're chasing a caffeine buzz or need a cozy spot to hang, The Optimist is where you want to be.🤙🏽☕️

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This place is unrecognizable from what it started as 5 years ago. From gourmet english muffins with fresh toppings and perfect lattes to paper thin bread topped with pre-made industrial avocado spread and a luke-warm lack luster latte that I had to toss. The patio is falling apart with broken furniture, leaf debris and dust so thick that nobody can use the upholstered furniture. Absolutely disappointed in how much this place has been neglected.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1