Binki Cafe Charlotte

Ordered online. Almost 19.00 for 2 mango boba. Got to storee and young lady was sitting at table. Order hadn't even been made. Told me to give her a few minutes and she would have it ready. I was the only person in the store. Floor was sticky and had a sweet sour smell. First visit and last visit

The cold coffee was just so bad. Was very watery. Did not like it at all. The mango milk tea was okay. The chicken popcorn was okay as well. There is ample seating space.

I echo the others here...I used to love this spot. It used to be vibrant and lively. I last visited in 2022 and people were there on their laptops, it was buzzing with conversation. I went yesterday --and it felt like I was in a foreign world. The floors are dingy and what used to be checkboard are now just grey, dirty squares. The handle on door was broken and the bathrooms are out of order. This place use to be so much fun to visit but now, it's a depressing as the employees look. I wouldn't eat or drink anything from this place and I'm just waiting on the other shoe to drop so someone nicer can take it's place. What happened? Were they sold to some other entity?

For whatever reason, I was craving Yakisoba. I Googled the closest place to me that served Yakisoba, and the Binki Cafe popped up on the local guides. The pictures looked pretty good. But after arriving their, it seemed that 90%+ of their clientele were only there for the Bubble Tea. And for the time that I waited for my order, they were making their Bubble Teas, just as fast as people could place their orders. The interior is kind of quaint with plenty of seating available. The food menu is very limited, not so for the teas. The Yakisoba had plenty of fresh crisp vegetables. I ordered both the pork and chicken varieties. Though the meat seemed to be in short supply. I would rate it a 3.75 overall, but Google doesn't allow for percentages. I'm not a big fan of Bubble Teas either, but that's just me. I won't be making a 2nd trip back for the Yakisoba either. Every business can't be good at everything. Capitalize on what you are good at, and excel. If you took the time to read this review, please take a 1/2 second and click like. Thank you.

I see this place all the time since it's near work but never ventured in. I am disappointed in myself for that now that I have had the chance to try them out as a Yelp Elite! I got the New York Galaxy tea which came with a light up cube which makes it so fun! And it's sooooo good! So fruity and refreshing! And I opted for the spicy popcorn chicken, and my goodness it's delish! Tip: get the sweet chili sauce to dip it in, takes it up even more a notch on the delish factor. The staff was very friendly and polite. Explaining to me what I can get as an elite. I went a little bit before 2 on a Monday and it wasn't crowded, so didn't have to wait long for my items. I can't wait to come back and dry more drinks, they all looked so yummy!

Went in three times and every time I stepped foot into this place the customer service was unacceptable . It takes less energy to be polite than to be throwing around objects and giving rude stares. Treat the customers that you DO have good because they don’t have many.

Waited thirty minutes for food (which I expected since it was busy). Food came out: chicken was rubbery and soggy, no vegetables or egg in the rice bowl, and the dish was slathered in mayonnaise. I only ask for refunds when food is quite literally inedible. Suffice it to say, I asked for a refund, which the owner refused multiple times after insisting it was "what I ordered." What I received did not even match the description of the item I ordered. She was extremely rude and blamed me for her own mistake. I am very disappointed, as before this encounter, I loved coming here with my friends, but after being met with such disrespect, I will not be returning. I feel bad for the staff who have to tolerate working with such a hateful woman. As someone who works in the service industry, I am graceful with subpar service, but this was the worst I have ever received.

Okay! You guys won me over! The 1st time I tried boba was share tea. It was a good introductory but the second time was at Binkin! & now I’m a fan! Loved the mango milk tea! Definitely get a large & thank me later! Follow on IG for more food reviews! @trendiblk_doll

The icrecream is amazing! I love it every time I get it. This is my second time being here and I have nothing bad to say about the icrecream, at all! Items ordered/purchased: 2 orders of the Twist 1. The twist original 2. The twist rolled in toasted coconut The atmosphere was very "youth oriented" and "open". Everyone seemed to just come, have a good time. The restrooms were not very clean, which I understand with the access to the public but other than that, the ice cream tasted very well. I probably wouldn't sit and eat due to the cleanliness but this is one of those places, it's probably best to order and then head to your respective place. The customer service was really good though! They are super kind and nice people. They also allow you to sample the ice cream just to see if you would like it, before you order it, which is really nice! Overall, great place for ice cream, especially if you're looking for a lactose-free ice cream that still tastes amazing!

They're located in a shopping plaza so they have plenty of parking. We stopped in on a Tuesday evening, so the place wasn't too busy, thankfully, for a weeknight. We had 6 in total for our party. I love the number of options that they have to offer and am glad they also had a variety of food. The wait staff was friendly and patient with the questions we had about our order. We did have to wait a while for our order of 7 deinks and 7 food items. The drinks came out first, then the ramen and then the noodles and rice. The drinks were delicious, and the galaxy teas were so pretty!! It was definitely difficult to select just one option to try. If you go with a large party and they're willing to share, I would definitely recommend going that route!! A must try spot if you're in the area.

My rating is based SOLELY on Halo Halo. I've had this on my list for quite some time and I decided to stop in one afternoon to give it a try. I'm a recent fan of Ube and I saw that Binki Cafe offered it. When I entered I was rather empty with someone grabbing their order before they stepped out. The business is clean and has an open concept. I told the person that I was new to Ube and that I wanted to try their Ube option. He told me about Halo Halo and explained what it was. I was very skeptical, it seemed like a lot but I decided to try it out. While waiting for my order a couple came in and ordered. They received their order before I did. While I was waiting for my order I realized that Binki offers more than just Halo Halo as an option for Ube. I could've just ordered soft serve Ube. I was wondering why the employee didn't mention that but sold me on the Halo Halo instead. Once I received my treat I was surprised. It looked like a dessert that a kid would order. I tried it and wasn't a fan at all! Beans, boba, gummy candy, and shaved ice with some other things mixed in were not what I was looking for. The dollop of ube on top was yummy. I wish I would've just ordered that instead. I'd revisit the company but the halo halo is an absolute no for me.

Soft serves were delicious and drinks were fun and delicious! Service was quick and it's always so fun to watch your drinks being made. I got the Tokyo drink which was super fun and pretty to look at. But also very refreshing and delicious! Cute, little place that is Instagram worthy. Great for quick grabs or little dates. Definitely recommend!

Updating my review, I've came here a few more times since my last review, about twice a quarter. The drinks and food is still to my same thoughts from last year. Boba milk tea is still the best in town, the boba is still soft and chewy. The lavender and rose are still our favorites. My gripe is with the customer service. The energy from the first two years of opening and now is extremely different. The employees are very low energy and on their phones more often, no matter which shift, which is the same as last year, but with more detriment to the front end of the store, the interior is starting to have a dingey look. I mean this by: stained room dividers, trash on the ground and on the tables. Lack of "fresh" look is needed, by either removing the "hand drawn" look or cleaning up the place and adding some fresh greenery and removing the black curtains that cover the barista area! It was an engaging area, and it was fun to watch the drinks being made, and it let on so much more light. The combination of a messy store and low motivational employees, doesn't match the excellent drinks this place offers.

The food is pretty good and they have a lot of options to choose from. My boba tea was also delicious. Service is alright with no complaints. It's a cool little restaurant with options to dine in or carry out. I enjoy coming here!

Their brown sugar bobas are perfectly chewy so a good place to get your boba fix Tapsilog: good portion but a bit too salty Katsu: freshly fried, well breaded. Also good portions. Popcorn chicken: they know how to fry

This place could definitely use some redecorating. There was a mid match of themes going on and the place felt a little bit dingy. But don't judge a book by its cover! The food was delicious ! We had the chicken Katsu and Yakiudon. In both meals the chicken was tender and moist. The udon noodles were chewy and NOT mushy. The drinks were a bit too sweet even after changing the levels. I'll have to try the drinks again. BUT the STAR OF THE SHOW of the Soft Serve Ube!! ITS LACTOSE FREE and was delicious! It's didn't have a heavy ube taste where it just tastes like a potato but it had a more Ube Vanilla taste to it which I prefer. The mochis in the ice cream was also very soft and chewy!

What a cute little spot! I was able to walk right in and place my order in no time. I got the Tokyo boba tea with lychee jelly and passion fruit boba! 10/10 - Yum! I ordered the blue sky for my little one with passion fruit boba 10/10 - He loved it! The popcorn chicken was absolutely yummy! 10/10 - While I was flicking a few pics my son devoured them, thankfully I was able to enjoy the few bites I had... Sheesh! This was a delight for sure, I seen so many other things that I will for sure come back to try!

This is my most favorite restaurant. I moved to the area recently and was used to a Filipino community. Charlotte is lacking. I found this restaurant and have been back 3 times. The pancit is absolutely delicious!! I get the pancit canton, and my daughter gets the pancit bihon. We get the shumai, which is also delicious! The Shanghai egg rolls are more like what we are used to as lumpia. The menu lumpia, while flavorful, did not have meat in it, but again, it was delicious. I absolutely love this restaurant!! We will be going back several times a month. I don't know how they do it, but everything I tried I love!

Binki Cafe- It's a hip and trendy spot in an old fashioned diner space... A unique place with tons of drink variations- from slushees to soda concoctions to Ube ice cream to milk tea and boba - anyone can find something to their liking here- Highlights: the popcorn chicken- piping hot, good portion size!!! The toasted coconut is a great ice cream topping! Lowlight: the bathroom is not pleasant, it's not somewhere you want to go unless absolutely necessary. Let's just put it that way.

The Aesthetic: Hip Filipino, Korean and Japanese counter service shop with great milk teas, snacks, comfort foods, and desserts. The booths felt very 90's, loved it! The Price: It's affordable! The food is very high quality and the portions are generous for the price. The Parking: There is plenty of parking throughout the plaza, I've never had trouble finding a spot. My Order: The Japanese chicken curry is so comforting. It's one of those staple dishes I cook in my home, but I love that I can order it here and get two meals out of it because the portions are large. I also enjoyed the lumpia and earl grey milk tea. I can't wait to try more. The Conclusion: I highly recommend this shop if you're craving yummy tea or comfort foods.

It's a cute shop decoration wise but be prepared to repeat your order 3-4 times. The boba is good. Took around 30 minutes for one order of popcorn chicken. There were only two other customers in the store and it still took a very long time. It's good for drinks because they are fast, but forget the food because your quick trip will turn into a long wait. The photo of my popcorn chicken speaks for itself. Price was insane for quality of food. Insanely disappointed. Don't let the cute decorations fool you. You will pay more money than necessary for below average food.

Always a favorite spot when I visit Charlotte. Great food and drinks. Service has always been good.

Am so glad I returned here to try "New York", one of their unique signature drink...in the "Galaxy Tea Series". This fruity mixed tea is seriously fun! I'm normally not an avid fruit drinker, but their tantalizing mix managed to seduce me. In addition to the fruity mixes in this drink, I added the Boba, then this wild "popping" Lychee...and that itself was an amazing discovery! Can't believe I never tried the "popping" version of Lychee. Literally, the fruit just pops in your mouth...just sooooooo refreshingly good!! Then the fun part...this electric cube (looks like an ice cube?) that changes in color, from Blue to Purple to Pink to Red to Yellow to Green. THIS is a Must-Taste, Must-See drink...that is all. I also tried their Kakuni Buns (Pork Baos). It came in 2 small pieces, in paper box. Though not terrible, these small buns were not the best...and definitely not authentic in texture and taste. Still, not a bad option if you're looking for something smaller, yet substantial, to eat? Despite the disappointment in the buns, the "New York" Galaxy Drink more than made up for it. Besides, they have such an exciting menu of both foods and drinks to try! If this place existed closer to the southern end of Charlotte (where I live), I'd be coming here regularly.

This unsuspecting dinner looking restaurant has delicious boba tea and a crunchy chicken popcorn that are a great way to start your dinner on a Friday evening. I had the passion fruit with lychee boba with less sugar and it was so refreshing. The popcorn chicken was savory and nicely seasoned. I also had the Japanese curry katsu and was perfect for the rainy evening. They were always busy when I was there with a young crowd. Their system is you pay when you order it and they'll call your order number to get your food. It's simple and effective. I would love to comeback to try the other dishes as well.

Nice small cafe in a large shopping center in the University area with tons of parking. The artwork is cool. It is a little dark inside. The nuggets I got were a nice snack. The teas are definitely picture worthy and a nice added touch are the light up ice cube. The galaxy teas are refreshing just a little too sweet for my liking. There is some seating inside and some just outside the cafe. The staff here is very nice and helpful with any questions you may have on the menu and they offer their personal opinions on what they like.

Friendly staff and delicious drinks! Cute and nice inside! Fun place to stop by if you love boba!

The food was very tasty I order Pancit and Lumpia with a Strawberry flavored black tea that was really sweet but very good. The Pancit didn't taste authentic however they give you a large amount so it was definitely worth the it. The lumpia is more like a spring roll they don't add any meat in it.

Great boba, don't eat the food! I really wish they offered a lower rating than 1. I asked what were some good items on the menu and this is what they recommended.

First time visiting and unimpressed to be honest. Ordered 3 drinks mine being the brown sugar milk tea 50% sweetness and it tasted horrible.. my two daughters didn't hate their drinks but wasn't the best they've had around Charlotte. As you're sitting waiting for drinks and look around the store is a mess..floors look dirty, booth seats with duct tape, scuffs all over walls...drinks did come out fast. Probably won't visit again

I usually like this place although its always busy and thats always a great thing but Ive been here twice this month because Ive been craving the Halo Halo but they seem to not have it every time i've gone for some reason either they ran out of some ingredients or what not, which is upsetting not only that the cashier wasn't as helpful and when i asked her for a lid she was to distracted with her phone, I try getting her attention twice until someone ele came to assist probably not a great idea having someone distracted on the phone cant promise ill be back, ill probably call before i even bother to go back, because halo halo is the one reason i would go bk if they no longer have it that would be heartbreaking.

They were out of ice cream when we arrived, like many reviews on here mentioned. I got Seoul and Sakura rose milk tea for my drinks, and my boyfriend got Hong Kong and Caramel milk tea. They were all delicious, but they seem to fit different moods. Seoul is great for if you're craving something sweet like gummy bears. The Sakura rose milk tea is great for a more mild mood. We also got the takoyaki and fried oysters. The takoyaki was pretty good and my boyfriend enjoyed the fried oysters. I'm not much of an oyster person, but I won't fault Binki for it. All in all, I will definitely be back for boba. I may try some of the other food on a day when I haven't already had papusa for lunch.

My husband and I recently went to North Carolina for a family wedding and the day we were leaving we decided that we wanted to check out the Boba out here and compare it to where we are from. Upon the recommendation of the family that lives out here we came to the Binki café. Great spot, plenty of parking in the front, I really appreciate that they have their menu on the front window so you don't have to enter and feel like you're in someone's way while trying to figure out what you want. It is a little noisy inside so be sure to speak up when ordering so the person at the counter can hear you. Other than that we had no issues with placing our orders, again they do you have another sign showing what their menu has to offer right at the cash register so you don't have to keep looking around for a menu. It only took about seven minutes for all of our drinks to be finished, pretty much as soon as we were ordering I saw an employee rush over to look at what order was being placed and immediately start working on the drinks. All of our drinks were delicious, very refreshing. I'm really glad we decided to try this place before leaving! As far as how it compares to California... I think our drinks were delicious in their own way from here, definitely not some thing that was better or worse but just very enjoyable and brought a wonderful end to our trip out here!

Not sure what the deal is during the week but I went here on a Sunday and it was extremely busy! The line was out the door, there was not an empty table inside or out so I placed my order online and still had to wait a very long time for them to prepare a strawberry milky way when my food was ready.......unacceptable. The food was just ok, I had the pancit binon which was just rice noodles and vegetables, the lumpia were regular spring rolls, nothing Filipino about them. The strawberry milky way was very good, but I'll pass on the food.

Great ice-cream and quick service. They used to have these amazing black cones but they don't anymore with is rather said as it was great with the Ube ice-cream. I was hoping they would bring it back for Halloween but they didn't

Tried Binki Cafe for lunch yesterday and overall, we would definitely eat there again. Our favorite thing we got was the Pancit Bihon, it has such great flavor! Absolutely delicious, with a bit of heat. Tonkotsu Ramen & Miso Ramen were both good, the bamboo shoots were huge and unappetizing for us, but that's probably a preference thing not an issue. The only thing we didn't love completely was the Teriyaki Rice Bowl with Garlic Rice. The Garlic Rice was so overly garlic, it was too much, and the chicken was very dry. We also got Strawberry Milk tea with Boba (good), Thai Tea (delicious), and a Strawberry Mango Aurora smoothie- was disappointed with that one, it's supposed to be half/half and it was almost all Mango with only a little bit of strawberry (which was delicious don't get me wrong.. but my kid picked a smoothie because they wanted one of the multicolor options). The restaurant was clean and the cashiers were friendly.

This is a two year old family ran business. I stumbled in by way of a Yelp Elite Event. Thanks Yelp for doing your part to keep me in the "know."The menu is huge, but talk about bells and whistles! They have glow in the dark ice. I ordered chicken Teriyaki and coconut boba tea with a bit of chocolate. The actual BOBAS were good, but the milk tea wasn't a deep coconut flavor. I also wish they had sugar free or fat free options. They encourage electronic tips on the checkout process. Beware.... They do cut a lot of corners. The boxes that they put the food in soak completely through in one hour. Upon my drive back to Concord, I ended up with a bag of thin gravy. The decor is is best described as "HIP." Parking is great. Not sure if I will be back. It is 3.5 stars for me.

Okay this reviews gonna get a little personal. I absolutely fell in love with Binki Cafe because I lived in Guam for 2 years of my life and loved the Filipino culture I had the extreme pleasure of being introduced to while living there! Coming to Binki Cafe and discovering the owner is Filipino and they offer authentic Filipino food I haven't had in decades, just made my entire day! I ordered the Thai tea soft serve ice cream in a vanilla cone, brown sugar boba, pancit bihon and lumpia!!! FANTASTIC! No complaints whatsoever. The food was amazing and so nostalgic for me. The inside has so many fun places to take cute pics for the gram. The owner and his wife are such a treat and everyone working there was super nice. Their menu is insanely impressive, there is literally something for everyone. I encourage you to maybe try something new here that you'e never heard of. I truly don't think you'll be disappointed. I can't wait to come back and try more items from their extensive menu. Love love love Binki Cafe!

Stopped into Binki Cafe to check them out from a Yelp event. I was very surprised to see the selection of teas, drinks, Tai Ice cream and even food. Since the aroma of the freshly cooked food was lingering in my nose I had to give it a taste: I ordered the teriyaki chicken with an upgraded charge of $2.50 for garlic rice (which BTW was yummy); my only critique is the containers are a little flimsy. FYI I ordered the Galaxy NY and it was yummy. I had a chance to speak with Ojohn and Jessica who were very informative. They told me that Binki Cafe is a family owned establishment, and they put a lot of love in their food and drinks.

Moved here from our of state and so glad to be introduced to this bubble tea shop. I love that they also sell snacks and food! The service was fast and efficient. There's plenty of seating inside the shop. Can't wait to go back to try other drinks and order food! Plaza has lots of parking available.

Absolutely adore this place! Get the lavender milk tea you won't regret it!! I got mine with the brown sugar boba and my friend also loved his honey dew milk tea!! :)

What a fun place! Thanks to a partnership with Yelp Charlotte, I was able to order a free item. The menu can be a little overwhelming if you aren't prepared. I made sure to take a peek at it before arriving so I would be ready. The cashier was patient with us as we fumbled through ordering. Lol. For this visit I ordered the Seoul Galaxy Tea. It had beautiful layered colors topped off with a super cute LED ice cube. The drink had a delicious and unique flavor but was a little on the sweet side. My husband tried the Caramel Cafe Latte with almond milk. It was really good. I'm already looking forward to what I will try on my next visit. Thanks for offering this cool Yelp event! Pro-tip: Be sure to register for their rewards program with your cell number or email at checkout!

such cute cups!! I got the Thai tea with 75% sugar and lychee jelly. They have so many desserts!!

We are out here trying to find the best boba spot & this one takes the cake so far. Probably the only place I'll get me an Oreo shake like drink for now. Very personable, honest & a lot of options. Plus they have food which is nice. Parking is easy and in the VIP section(right in front), a bit pricey but that's boba for ya and as far as the decor could use some changes to be more inviting but I was there for my tastebuds so boom.

Street food galore! Great tasting take on Asian street foods. The Japanese fried chicken was our favorite. The takoyaki was also good. I got the Sakura boba was unique and we all liked it. The black sesame boba was also unique. Lots of options on food and drinks. We will definitely come back to try more!

I have been here quite a few times and I love it. I have started going here instead of Starbucks which is in the same shopping center. I am a big fan of their caramel caffe latte with a milk cap. It delicious. Every time I go it is consistently good. They have a huge variety of drinks to try and also food you can order as well.

Drinks were awesome different varieties of all flavors of boba they even had cold tea, and different flavor slushy's and/or ice cream served in a cup or cone and they sell food too even though I didn't try any because I only had a sweet tooth but I can say they did look delicious ...

I have been wanting to try ramen for some time and recently stopped by Binki Cafe. I love spicy food so I decided to try their spicy salmon ramen. The spice kind of hits you at the end and it's packed in the juice. There's some seaweed, fish cakes, scallions, and bok choy! The salmon seems a bit thin to me but overall I like it. I also tried a veggie lumpia with the Thai chili sauce. I loved them! I can't remember what veggies are inside but it's delicious. I plan to go back and try another ramen as well as the halo.

I'm a boba fiend and this place has been one of my faves since they opened. Great quality boba and appetizers. The service is always quick even when they are super busy. My fave is the passion fruit jasmine with double boba or mango green with double boba. The nice thing is that they're open semi late into the evenings and close to UNCC and the light rail. Def a great spot to meet a friend for boba.

I've had Binki so many times and have enjoyed everything I've gotten! I don't have a picture but their chicken teriyaki bowl is massive and has great flavor. Try the garlic rice because it's delicious! They also have a huge menu of drinks and desserts. Even though they aren't my favorite place to get bubble tea they do have some great flavors and I really like the Milky Way drinks.

Wow delicious boba and cute eclectic place! I had the taro with milk foam and it was one of the best I've ever had in a long time! They have an extensive menu that makes me wanna try everything. And the inside is just too cute!!! Looks straight out of a comic book.

I only got a galaxy drink, which tastes like a capri sun so it's gets a high rating from me because it was good! I might go back to try the food.

A cute coffee cafe located in the University area. A place where you can get a different flavor of beverage than what you may find elsewhere. Love the New York mural on the walls. Illustrated in Black and white...very cool. The owner told me that they left New York a few years ago and moved to NC. So glad they did. Try the Galaxy teas. They come in light up cups. I posted the two beverages we got. They were awesome! For the menu check out their website.

It was awesome. Tasted DELICIOUS.Blinking Ice Cubes were so cool omg it was so good!!! Strawberry boba=delish

I came here once before when they first opened and didn't enjoy my drinks so I haven't been back since but I decided to give it another try. I got the wintermelon milk tea and it was decent compared to my previous experience which was that the tea flavor was lacking and it was just way too sweet. Now, their tea flavor actually comes through now and I could even taste the wintermelon. I asked for less ice so that my drink wouldn't end up being watered down, but it still happened. As for the boba... if you're going to be known as a boba tea place, make sure your boba is up to par. Their boba seemed to be of different sizes and didn't have the proper consistent consistency. Some were way too soft, some were chewy, and some were too hard. Some would even just get stuck in the straw. Besides that, my friends wanted to try the turon and halo halo and these surprisingly didn't disappoint! These are definitely better shared. My friend said the turon tasted good and it sounded crunchy. The halo halo had a bit too much ice, but the flavors weren't diluted. I wish they used ube ice cream but their combo works. It was a better experience than I expected so give them a try! Service was prompt and staff came by to check up on us too!

This place is cute and tucked away in a shopping center near UNC Charlotte, in the North part of town. I've come here over the years and it's always dependable for a good experience. Staff is fast & friendly It's always busy, which is a good sign Line moves quickly Food comes faster than I expect every time Tables are always clean Bathroom is clean Vegetarian food & drink options Vegan food & drink options Food is good Waffle fries are good Ice cream is good Boba Tea is good Milk tea is good Iced Green & black flavored teas are good The free parking is good, sometimes packed but always enough space I really have never had even an ounce of a complaint coming here. I love their consistent quality of food & service.

Used to be a chill place to sit inside with your friends and have a nice meal. Music is much too loud as of now to even think to yourself. It literally vibrates your seat.

Thank you to the Yelp elite event we got try this amazing establishment. It was pretty packed when I got there and it's hot but the tasty tea made it worth it. I had the Tokyo galaxy which has beautifully blended colors. The flavor is very fruity but I also added strawberry jelly boba. My wife opted for the lavender boba tea and she loved it. We will definitely be back for more. Thank you for hosting us Binki cafe!