BLK Coffee

One of the hardest coffee shops to find, but when you do, it’s totally worth it!
Food/​Drinks: They offer the regular standard coffee drinks but what they’re most known for is their Specialty Drinks, which include their signature VTM (Vietnamese Iced Coffee), LVTM (Less sweet Vietnamese Iced Coffee), and even their Blk’nd Mojito (Iced Mojito Latte). Their VTM is definitely on point! Like most Vietnamese restaurants/​shops that offer it, it’s on the sweet side, but what makes this unique is that it’s a good balance between the strong coffee taste and that sweet and creamy condensed milk. If you never have had Vietnamese Iced Coffee before, you really should. But be careful… it’s an eye opener!
My fiancé ordered their Blk’nd Mojito and there are very few shops that offer this option and even fewer that can execute it well. By golly, this place got it right! It’s light, and the mint taste isn’t overpowering either. I absolutely love this drink and if you’re big into mint, this is the drink for you!
Environment/​Ambiance: This shop is underneath the Google building. There’s no big sign from the street or anything, so it’s easy to miss. It’s kinda hard to explain even where to find it, but your best bet is to park in the parking lot structure (they validate parking for an hour!) and then walk toward the building. It’ll be on your right once you walk up to the building. The shop itself is small, probably not the best for a large group. There’s some seating indoors as well as outdoors, including a couch to chill out on. The space is modern, clean, and minimalistic. Oh, and no bathrooms. Yikes.
Service: In a word, chill. The employees could tell it was our first visit there so they gave us a sample of their VTM, which is why I even considered ordering it. They’re really friendly and laid-​back. If you have any questions about the menu, don’t be afraid to ask.
Tips: VTM or LVTM. But I also love their Blk’nd Mojito. I may just order multiple drinks every time I come in.

Best go-​to coffee place by UC Irvine campus! I go here when I crave Vietnamese Coffee. I prefer the LVTM over the VTM because I think the coffee taste stands out much more in the LVTM.
The food is also really great. I got to try their cinnamon pull-​apart which tasted great! Also got to try to their chicken banh mi, which also tasted great. The spicy mayo was a nice touch.
It’s a really nice, quiet, small location next to the Google building and is a great study space. Parking is located in the IMPAC parking garage, which is a pay-​to-​park garage, but BLK validates! Just ask the cashiers before you leave.

Coffee shop at the bottom of the Google building!
Good thing they give you free samples of the original VTM, cause I was able to decide the original was too sweet for me
—LVTM: less sweet version of the Vietnamese coffee, pretty good but dang I was wired afterwards
I would be down to come back and try their other drinks! The menu seems a little different from your typical coffee shop
NOTE: Free 1 hour validation in the parking garage if you ask the cashier!

Hands down one of my favorite places to go study or grab coffee at in Irvine. For university students who crave caffeine or just need that extra boost of energy to study, their iced VTM is your magic elixir! The staff and the owner are all super nice and chill. They also play cool music and the interior is nicely decorated, plus it’s right next to the Google building! I would also recommend the VTM frappé-​basically the VTM, but ice blended. It has a slightly less caffeine taste because of the ice, but still packs a punch. I’m literally writing this review because I had it in the afternoon and it’s currently 4AM and I do not feel a bit tired at all. Couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t able to fall asleep and then realized, I had BLK coffee! If you’re in the area, definitely check this place out.

MY FAVORITE PLACE!
I love their coffee and it’s a super cute location for studying or sitting with friends.
At first I would only come here to get the Vietnamese coffee (I recommend the VTM and the LVTM) but there is such a diverse menu that I am excited to explore! Today I tried something new and it’s probably my new favorite: Blk’nd Mojito. It’s a perfect mix of coffee and mint with some cream at the top.
The reason why I give BLK 5 stars is because of the customer service. The owner, John (Jon?) is such a genuinely nice man. He always stamps my card multiple times and today he gave my boyfriend a strawberry cream croissant and me a jalapeño cheese bagel with cream cheese for free because they were closing up soon!
P.S they give samples and they validate parking

Chicken Banh Mi & VTM iced coffee (light ice) AKA «#thefix» for me.
Tip: order ahead of time. They make the coffee as soon as you check in but the food is ready when you arrive.
Only down side like everyone else mentioned, the parking situation, yes its free, yes its at a business complex, but irvine people live in the FAST LANE and also want it easy to be in and out.
also, they’re TWO stops signs about 10 ft apart from each other. Watch out.

When I decide to have premium Vietnamese Coffee, I tell myself «BLK all the way». I’ve tried many Vietnamese coffees from different donuts shops and Phở restaurants but nothing compares to «BLK».
My first visit here my choice was the Iced Sea Salt Coffee. It was good, I did like the fact that it wasn’t too sweet, the drink was smooth until you get to the frothy top and of course you get that thin hint of salt. It did turn out to be really strong that it got me caffeinated for hours.
Their specialty is the is of Vietnamese coffee dubbed «VTM». I normally get this over ice. Its available in 16 oz. ($ 4.25) and 24oz. ($ 5.25). It doesn’t have much of a smokey taste, but it has a deep rich bold flavor to it, the condense milk maintains a strong taste and it adds thickness. By far this is the «best» Vietnamese coffee I’ve tried that always gives me that exhilarating experience.
Inside the shop it has that hip feel to it and they sell pastries, salads and sandwiches. It’s located next to Google and across Equinox Fitness.
I like their customer service. They’re friendly, kool kats here. One day, I came in with my son they offered him a small treat which was nice of them. They will validate your parking with purchase. At times I feel parking here can get in the way because it’s in a corporate structure which may not be easy on peak times to find a decent spot. When available there’s a designated spot for «BLK Coffee» customers near the parking the entrance.

Decided to check this spot out after finding out about their Unilocal Coffee Club promo for their Mojito Coffee.
Great customer service right off the bat. Knowing it was my first visit, they offered a sample of their VTM coffee, which is their take on the traditional Vietnamese iced coffee. They also mentioned considering the LVTM if you want a «lighter» version of the signature drink.
I went with the Mojito iced coffee deal. The combo of mint and coffee is a really good one, and if you haven’t had it before, I’d totally recommend it. It was just a bit too sweet, but I’d get it again and maybe ask for less sweetener.
I actually came back the next morning and got the LVTM. Well balanced drink, not too sweet, not too strong, just like they described it!
Parking is alright, there are some visitor spots around the campus, but the visitor spots in the structure are probably your best bet. I’ll be coming back for more soon.

4 star for the hot vietnamese coffee! Very good but kind of expensive. Interesting other flavors offered such as cookies and cream frapp. Husband’s caramel macchiato was average. Stick to the Vietnamese coffee IMO.

Ok I was finally able to try their cold brew coffee, and it was amazing. They use their beans from KEAN, and I’m an absolute huge fan of KEAN Coffee. I was so happy when I heard they use their beans because I actually live pretty far from both KEAN Coffee locations while BLK Coffee is literally a minute away from where I live. Also, the pricing is a steal for their high quality coffee ($ 3.55 including tax for a 24. oz drink). I knew I shouldn’t have had the VTN or LVTN but I fell into the hype and was too curious. However, I’m so glad I came back and gave it another shot by ordering their cold brew. I just wish they closed later…

I’ve been here twice now and tried their caffe mocha and americano. Mocha was a bit too «thick» for me, in a sense where it is too cream-​y. I don’t know, felt like a hot milkshake rather than a latte. For the americano, they used a South America blend from Kean coffee. I wanted to try Kean coffee but never really felt compelled to go so it was nice that I got to try their beans. But idk… the coffee was a bit dark for my taste so I didn’t really enjoy it very much. It was okay but not really my cup of tea.
The whole store vibe is cozy, petite, and had a mix of corporate and earth-​y elements (right by google store and succulents here and there). Free wifi, outlets, and they validate parking. There’s tables to study and couches for just chilling.

I found out about this place through Instagram. And when I looked it up, it had great reviews, wasn’t too far away from where Iive, AND right next to Google. That last reason has nothing to do with the place, but I mean, it is my dream to work at Google.
Anyways, my boyfriend and I decided to come here to get some work done because we get so distracted at home. The coffee here is so strong (and delicious too), especially the VTM coffee. Coffee anywhere else usually has no effect on me, but after a couple sips of the VTM iced coffee, I was wired and had laser focus. Definitely take it sip by sip because it will hit you HARD if you down it.
BLK Coffee is great to go to if you wanna get some work done, study for finals, meet up with friends, etc. The employees are really friendly and can answer any questions you might have about the menu.
They also have food here (bagels, pastries, banh mi), but I didn’t get anything though. I took a look at the prices for their banh mi online, and it seemed a bit pricey for a banh mi, in my opinion.
Free wifi! You just need to connect to Googleguest.
The restroom is over at Google. Walk down the hall past the elevators and the restroom will be on the right.
[[Parking]] On weekdays, they will validate the first hour of parking for you. But after that hour, it’s $ 1.75 per HALF hour, and apparently the structure rounds up. Yikes :(However, on the weekends, parking is free!
As for trying to find parking, that is based on luck. You can park in the designated the visitor parking spots, or the ones reserved for BLK Coffee. My boyfriend and I came here on a Saturday at around 9 AM and there were no spots open at all. We then left, went across the street, and came back ~10 minutes later and there were open spots. There’s no parking because you’re competing with the people going to the Equinox gym in the same complex.

Great stop for a cup to-​go or a work/​study sesh!
I’ve been dying to try BLK for a while now, and I’m glad I finally got a chance to stop by. The staff was incredibly helpful and very nice. Although the barista messed up my order he fixed it right away and was very helpful.
Location:
Parking is no bueno — I had to park at the Taco Bell across the street, but the walk was nice. It’s right under the Google offices so the location is well kept and very clean. The bathrooms are in the Google building adjacent to the shop.
Drinks & Food:
Great latte, not the best but was very tasty. The apple cinnamon muffin was delish!
Overall, with the location, food and staff BLK definitely deserves a 4 star review.

This place deserves 7 stars here’s why…
1 — Free Wifi!!!
2 — Black is my absolute favorite color
3 — The spelling of BLK because who has time anymore to spell out entire words…
4 — The parking seems difficult, but all you have to do is park in the structure, visitor is up front by BLK and they validate your ticket
5 — The guys that work there are SUPER nice and even remind me to get my parking validated
6 — The ambience & décor are killer
7 — Finally the coffee is AMAZING, coming from a coffee connoisseur who has been to almost every coffee shop in Orange County

Came here in the morning to study with my boyfriend before his final at UCI. It is located off the 73 freeway on center point. I believe the only parking was in the structure. Sucks that this place only validates for $ 3 (1 hour) every half hour after is $ 1.50 and they round up.
The coffee shop is located to the right after you cross the street from the parking structure. It provides open seating outside, perfect for studying on a warm day. But I also like the openess of the inside, very well lit with natural lighting because of the windows. There is not that many tables and chairs inside though. I would love to use this as a study place but the parking fee is kind of ridiculous.
The VTM was really strong but also really sweet, the alternative was the LVTM (unsweetened). Both drinks were really good and I would love to come back to try others. I also tried the chicken banh mi, it had a nice flavor to it packed with a thick piece of chicken. Eat this warm so the bread doesn’t get soft and chewy.

Truly a hidden treasure within the OC, Blk Coffee easily places as my favorite coffee place that I have gone to so far in terms of taste, presentation, and service.
I would easily give this place ⁵⁄₅ with taste. The drinks are always on point; and so is the food which I think is hard to find nowadays, it’s always one or the other being better. I’m typically not a fan of iced coffee, I usually order it hot but if I’m in the mood for something cold I’ll order tea instead, but the iced coffee here is SO GOOD. Will highly recommend the iced VTM (Vietnamese iced coffee), it’s really strong yet sweet. Also, they had just added anew drink to their menu called the Blk’nd Mojito, which I thought was great because it’s a combination of my two favorite drinks, and I don’t have to drive all the way to Philz Coffee for their mint mojito iced coffee. Can never go wrong with any of their lattes or hot drinks either, and you can also sample to make sure you’ll be happy with what you’re getting.
Presentation– Blk exceeds in presentation with both the setting of the café as well as their drinks. The place is nicely decorated with a minimalist look and is always very clean. Their drinks always come out very nicely as well, their latte art always looks amazing and never half-a**ed. Bottom line, this place is super «instagrammable».
Service is what ranks Blk as my favorite coffee shop. The employees go above and beyond to make their customers happy. On more than one occasion, they’ve given me a free drink just because I was disappointed that my drinks didn’t come with latte art. I also appreciate their efforts to check in with customers to make sure we’re satisfied, especially if it’s our first time having a certain drink.
There’s only one complaint I have for Blk, but even then I can’t really blame them for it. I like the location they’re in, however the parking situation sucks. Parking is $ 1.75 for any portion of 30 minutes, but Blk does validate for the first 30 minutes. For that reason, although Blk is my ideal place to either hang out or study, I know I can’t spend that much time here because of the parking rates. However, on the bright side, this practice does keep traffic flowing in and out of the coffee shop and people won’t be hogging tables for long periods of time.
Overall, I would consider Blk to be one of the best things you can find in the Irvine area, and would recommend it to anyone looking for good quality coffee.

Just started working in the office complex where BLK Coffee’s set up. No, I don’t work at Google. That’d be super awesome, but I barely know how to program my Mr. Coffee let alone code.
Still, my job requires the occasional pick me up and BLK Coffee is always ready to hook me up with some insanely strong, yet peculiarly smooth Vietnamese coffee, which they call a VTM. I’ve also tried their Sea Salt Coffee, which was nice, but didn’t shine as strong as the VTM.
VTM comes in hot and iced varieties. And if you’re like me, they also come with a side of jitters and bubble guts. The price I pay to create PowerPoint decks ad nauseam.
Moreover, they’ve got some really tasty banh mi sandwiches. The bread is softer than most baguettes. I appreciate it; my dentist does not.
Swing by if you’re in the area. They’ll take care of parking for you. I recommend you come on the weekend as the parking garage is a fustercluck M-​F. Too many cars and too few spaces in this area.

The highlight here was the VTM Iced Coffee which was pretty sweet at first sip but as I kept drinking and stirring, the boldness came out and surprised me! But it was PERFECT! I had heard about it being the strongest Vietnamese coffee in the area so being the coffee junkie I am I had to do some investigating!
Many coffee spots that have Vietnamese iced coffee on the menu don’t typically hit the mark on flavor, this place tho? SPOT ON!
Parking here isn’t bad at all! Because it’s FREE! You park in a structure but when you come in all you ask for is a parking validation and they give you one, just stick it in the machine at the end and be on your way!
I give it 4 stars however because their croissants were a little hard and were tough to bite into, tasted a bit stale as well.
Overall they’re awesome here, friendly service and even better coffee!

I had no idea of this place before my friend brought it up last month. Haha. Which shows that knowing friends that love to explore helps: P
A ten minute drive from UCI, you have to exit Jamboree and enter through Centrepointe. (Depending on what direction of Jamboree you are coming from). From there you will have a parking structure right in front of you. (IMPAC parking center). Look for the signs that say «Black Coffee Parking» and park there. You might be confused and be like wait BLK =Black? Apparently so. I parked there ahah xD. From there, you walk across the street into the complex and you are there!
Upon going in, you could tell that they make a lot of different drinks. But what people come here for are the LVTM and the VTM. They ask you if this is your first time, especially if you stare in awe of the menu. THEY DO GIVE SAMPLES so make sure to try it so you can handle! I tried the VTM iced coffee and I felt I could handle it and so I ordered a large iced VTM ($ 5.25 for 24 oz). My fellow foodie did the same: P. I don’t know, you might feel jittery and regrets later on the day. Because this coffee is strong. Anywho, they ask you if you need validation, and with that they give you a ticket for 1 hour of validation. (parking over there is really expensive!) There are some tables inside that you can sit and talk about life with a friend, or you can go here to meet someone on a first date! *wink wink*.
The coffee is definitely strong and they have ¼th ice. So there’s a good amount of ice but it will not get watered down. No matter what. This took me about 40 minutes to drink, and I drink a lot of things quickly. Especially iced drinks. And if this is strong for me, it’s probably strong for a lot of people. It’s not overly sweet (obviously still a good amount of sugar there tho) but the condensed milk tho. xD
Sample the LVTM. See if you like that. And then sample the VTM. Work the way uppp. :P
I’ll probably come here during a finals rush. Oooh the VTM.

CAFE SUA DA /​VIETNAMESE COFFEE
The iced coffee comes in two sizes: small and large. I got the small and it was more than enough. Although creamy and full of crushed ice, I didn’t think the coffee was as good as Little Saigon’s Kang Lac. I didn’t even finish my iced coffee. At $ 4 a pop, you’ll get a jump start on your day though.
CHOCOLATE CROISSANT
Delicious. Fluffy and full of chocolate. They toast it for you as well.
WIFI
Free and Very fast because Google is next door. Just connect to Googleguest.
PARKING
This kills the place for me. Parking is on the two hours and I came to the coffee shop do do some laptop work. I stayed over two hours and my parking fee was $ 8.75! They only validate $ 3. This isn’t LA people.