Black Cat Frozen Custard & Coffee

Dec 3rd I found this place on google and drove over 20 minutes close to closing time. A young lady helped me.. very sweet, genuine, and made my first visit there a great experience (see 1st pic). Ordered a 2 scoop sundae. Decided to go back due to the awesome energy from my first experience. Also, I fell in love with the chocolate custard ❤️. On my second visit, I ordered a single sundae… when I tell you this guy didn’t care I was a new returning customer who drove from Salem to get this custard lol.. anyway check out pic 2 because this scoop was a kids scoop and his service sucked.. my first visit deserved a 5 star.. my second visit deserved a 1.. but I still gave them a 2 all for his service. I work hard for my money and believe in supporting local businesses.. but service is everything.

Conspirator Coffee was unfortunately at capacity when we arrived on a Saturday afternoon. but we really enjoyed Black Cat! The pumpkin custard was delicious and hit the spot nicely after Tokyo Sando down the street. The decor was the best part! We sat on the cozy green couch near the door. There was art for sale on the wall leading to the bathrooms not unlike Memento Mori Cafe’s setup, which I think is a nice touch. The bathrooms are unfortunately not themed, but there are a decent amount of stalls so you don’t have to wait on anyone. Can’t wait to return for the speakeasy!

We met another couple for a double date. They were running late due to traffic so we enjoyed coffee first. I had the chilli mocha, it was delicious. My wife got the affogato, and it delivered. Once we got settled and the other couple arrived, we ordered our custard (I had the ghoulish German Chocolate concrete). Such a yummy treat! Unless you’re really hungry get the smaller size, it’s plenty. Cool steam punk and black/purple theme inside with more elf’s on shelf’s hidden throughout than I would have guessed, I counted four but wondered if there were more. (This is late November) We didn’t go into the speak easy but still had a great time. I have liked other frozen custard more at other places but this was really good and fun!

Super fun environment for a spooky writer like me. Good latte, and the fig toast was really nice (they made it vegetarian for me). Personable barista in the back - make sure you look at the instagram before going and know there are narrow twisty stairs to exit the speakeasy so check in if you have mobility issues. You’ll need to use transit or street side parking.

Very unique dessert spot with a hidden speakeasy. Portland downtown doesn't have many dessert places so it was a pleasant surprise to see this one pop up. It's location is a few steps away from a few eateries and a short walk from the waterfront. My group got the pistachio custard and enjoyed it. It was small though for the price (dinging one star). However the experience of being in a well-made space, the liveliness of the customers and the coolness of walking though the hidden corridor makes this worth a visit.

A very cool and unique Custard shop in Portland! Big Witch energy which was very very cool! The atmosphere was definitely very fun, and the staff members were great! Price point was definitely high, but I thought it was worth it! Would definitely be back! The storefront was clean, menus were slightly confusing, but the staff helped me out and it was all good!

Flavors are incredible, we tried the seasonal pumpkin, vanilla and chocolate flavors, all were absolutely amazing! Small sizes are still a huge size! Definitely get a lot for each serving, atmosphere is super cool too! Staff was super friendly. Right by some parking and ravens manor.

The atmosphere is steeped in mystery and quiet theater, like stepping into a carefully guarded secret rather than an ordinary café. Cozy yet unsettling, it invites hushed conversations and slow, deliberate discovery. This is the kind of café where whispers linger, eyes drift toward the walls, and the room itself becomes part of the ritual. When the moment is right, speak the phrase and pass beyond the veil; the Conspirators Lounge awaits.

I stride through the entrance in my gray Costco tracksuit. It was $30 and I'm not even a member I peruse the menu, containing my bloodlust spurned by the price of toppings for gelato. I get a plain scoop of chocolate and a 12oz mocha. Hot. The gelato is fantastic. I pickup my mocha at the counter and whisper the password for access to the exclusive lounge The barista hands me a "key" and points me towards my destiny. I approach the secret door, cautious but hopeful I push against the secret entrance but the door proves surprisingly light. I burst into the speakeasy with Kramer-like momentum. Everyone looks at me. I'm in. I cooly make my way to the leather couch while admiring the neo-gothic decor. Finally - a sensible lounge in Portland. My calm interior is once again set ablaze by the nearby dregs of society. A couple on a first date talks about dogs. A woman is on a macbook by the window. Someone in the corner is possibly latino. I'm surrounded by the enemy. I make an escape up the black metal stairs and settle into the darkest corner I can find. My brooding is again interrupted by three mid level managers discussing publishing. Somewhere a devil cries. Looks like my search for my next nest of darkness continues. The mocha is really good

Stopped in for coffee on a slow weekday morning with family visiting from out of town. It was a fun and unusual destination. We enjoyed the hidden room. Quirky and unusual and that made the stop perfect. If I'm rating this based only on the coffee, I'd give it a three out of five. Expresso had a very bitter vibe. There are far better drinks to be found in Portland. For the experience, I'd bring friends and family here again.

Super dope vibe but the secrets out the staff are amazing and if ur lucky enough to find the hidden speak easy....BONUS!!! Highly recommended!!

Nice (and spooky) custard joint. Being from the midwest, we opted for the turtle sundae and thought it was decent. The custard itself was good, along with the fudge and caramel on top. The pecans would have been better salted, and the redi-whip would have been better as a more natural whipped cream. Price was a tad high around $10. But it definitely hit the spot. Seating is somewhat limited but we found a couch to lounge on. Yum.

I'd give this place a 3.5, but I plan on going back to try it again at some point. I got a chocolate custard shake with caramel and hot fudge added, neither of which I tasted. I think I paid $20 or so for the shake and the cup, which is a bit steep for such a plain shake. The vibe is really cool and a little spooky, and there's a hidden coffee shop inside the armoire which I didn't go through. The seating is pretty minimal so it's mostly a custard-to-go place in my opinion.

Came here for their coffee shop speakeasy. Found the password from their IG! There were a few people waiting, but we probably only waited about 10-15 min or so to get in. I love coffee & I love speakeasies so to combine both concepts was amazing for me! We tried a couple drinks, the lava salt caramel & their apple cider warmer. Both drinks were actually really good & tasted very unique! Overall, loved the spooky vibes & the unique drink menu, would love to come at night when they serve alcoholic drinks next time!

Amazing find! Delicious homemade custard in vanilla and chocolate. Seasonal pumpkin is heavenly and I grabbed it with their homemade chocolate cone. The cone was so light and crispy that I grabbed a second one because I love waffle cones. Buddy ordered a pumpkin shake. Delicious! Love the theme and the decor... very haunting. Street parking. Please come and create your own adventure.

This is a cute/Halloweeny decor place and I love all forms of ice cream BUT the trendy idea doesn't make up for a weird experience. I found the menu pretty confusing. It's only located in a big binder and has a lot of text. It's just over explained and over complicated. You have to flip back and forth between pages to figure out what you want/how to order. It also has a coffee menu but as far as I can tell, you have to get coffee in the secret other side of the business. I also found it annoying to see people constantly trying to get into the "speakeasy" coffee bar next door. People kept standing in the door, not being able to get in. Not know going how to get in. You need a password and a dagger to get in. (Spoiler, the Password is in the bio for Conspirator's Coffee Lounge) I feel like it's too secret that it's exclusionary. I hate to be a hater but it was just an unpleasant experience to be in there.

Fun, cute spooky ice cream shop connected to a Speakeasy type coffee shop. The ice cream shop is fairly standard and straightforward. We tried the banana split (2 chocolate, 1 vanilla) with strawberry, pineapple, and hot fudge. The color changing spoons were fun. Used the password (found on IG) to receive our dagger that is used to access the secret coffee shop and it is worth the work if you are looking for beautiful quiet spot for tea & coffee. We really enjoyed our mocha and lavender cold brew (fragrant and not sweet) Cocktails are available from 5:30pm but there are only 3 house cocktails offered - thankfully there was one vodka based drink (my allergies restrict me to certain liquors) with earl gray syrup. It was sticky sweet, so it was one and done for me. The decor and rules for keeping this a relaxing, serene space make me want to spend hours here!

I'm so glad I stumbled into the dark den of deliciousness that is "Black Cat Frozen Custard". I had a great meal down the street and was hoping to find something sweet nearby .Saw black Cat and decided to check it out. I didn't get coffee. I was on a mission once I saw they had custard. Having a hard time deciding, one of the cashiers suggested I build my own. She recommended biscoff cookies for the blend I had come up with. Great recommendation that made for an incredible concoction.

Loved this cute coffee shop! They had a great cafe speakeasy as well!! You need to know the password!! The staff was wonderful and the desserts were to die for!

Black Cat Frozen Custard was such a pleasant surprise! I loved my Trick or Treat creation, and the whole vibe of the shop was great. The employees were so friendly and happily answered all our questions about their custard and the speakeasy next door. Such a yummy, fun stop!

Cool, dark themed coffee and dessert shop. The decors were 10/10. The secret door connecting the coffee shop was super awesome. Their frozen custard had more of a regular ice cream texture to me in the Pistachio Potion Sundae. Flavors and mix-ins were good though. The Concrete was similar to a DQ blizzard but a little more gourmet. I'd pick the Concrete over the Sundae next time. Very generous portion.

The place and decorations have a haunted and scary vibe, nice attention to details. The service was friendly and attentive. We split a vanilla sundae with peanut butter pieces and whipped cream. The portion is generous and the custard was creamy and sweet. One complaint is there are no visible menus. When we walked to the front of the counter we were asked for our order, however we didn't know flavors, sizes, toppings, cost. The server gave me a booklet to read to place our order. By then there were a few people behind us in line. So I'd recommend a visible menu to easily place orders.

Went after dinner at LeChon since it was nearby. Service was pretty slow since there was only one cashier. You'd think for something that has only premade ingredients, the operation would run smoother. My husband and I split a pistachio concrete, which was so sweet you could barely taste the pistachio. Would have been much better with less than half the sugar. It did have a good texture though; very thick and creamy. My Midwest friends each had a concrete of their own and they seemed to enjoy it so it seems to be a matter of preference on sweetness levels. The interior design is witchy. The menu book is labeled as "spells" and there's brooms/cages decoration. There's also a closet that (we think) leads to a speakeasy. Seems like you need a code to enter. There's a few indoor seats; plenty of people were also standing.

There's a new kitty in town! I have been excited for them to open. I love custard. I also love a late night option because I frequently go out to performances which get out 930-1030 and I would love a late night option. That is not a bar or brewery. I knew that they had just opened. A friend, who is vegan, and I were in Lake Oswego at a musical. We really wanted to do something and something sweet sounded amazing. She gets really happy when she's got a lot of vegan options to choose from. Just walking in and looking around is spectacular. Talk about eye candy. This is a Gothy dream!! Every corner has something spectacular for you to look at. The building itself is gorgeous! They have a fantastic entrance to the speakeasy section where there is ample seating. You sheathe a knife in the door and it opens... so fun... plus you can wander up a spiral staircase to another "secret" space. They clearly had a lot of fun decorating it but it really reflects on the owners and they're adoration for the macabre. The menu has all sorts of fantastic witchy vibes. My friend got a shake with a chocolate sprinkle rim. She also bought and paid for a fantastic skull drink glass that it came in. It had a lid and they kindly will rinse it for you so you aren't taking home a chocolate mess in your purse. I highly recommend the hibiscus lemonade because it is amazing. I delighted in the fact that they will make you a real banana split with vanilla custard plus chocolate, strawberry and pineapple. Cherries and whipped cream on top! Delicious!

I absolutely love this place and come visit Alanzo when I'm in town. The coffee is amazing as is the spooky ambiance vibes. Def order the dairy free custard with the pistachio creme on top after your coffee XO

Went for a mid day run and ended up here. Been hearing great things about this mysterious establishment as there's a speakeasy coffee shop behind one of the walls that requires guests to find a password in order to enter the Conspirator's coffee lounge. Once inside the coffee lounge you're welcome with a nice almost exclusive feeling lounge with a beautiful spiral stair that leads you up to a more intimate setting. I ended up ordering an affagato as that's the best of both world with their creamy ice custard and a shot of espresso. I have to say the custard was silky smooth and I wish I ordered more. The price was moderate for the affagato, but wasn't unreasonable. Seems like the are a lot of people are already in the know about this place, but I would still highly recommend bringing out of towners here.

Wonderful little place; the still feels secret side of Portland is alive and well, spent about an hour shatting with my mum, who asked on entering and looking around, 'Why is my broom up on the wall?' and gestured to the rack of ready to fly brooms. The "Concrete" I got was quite delicious, and the Mom said her Sunday was absolutely delicious, so I'm quite happy to have a new place to go that works when she's in town. Could describe the rumored speakeasy, but might have to kill you after, not sure on the rules for that one yet. ;)

A cool dessert spot located in downtown area. They have some tasty custard as well as smoothies that are rich in flavor. I have been here a few times now and have enjoyed their dessert. They also have a speakeasy lounge inside where you can order coffee/tea as well as items from their original menu.

Ambiance and service: 5 stars. There's actually a lot of seating, so small groups can fit and you can feel free to lounge over your food/drinks. Coffee and pastries: 4 stars. I got the Americano and an everything gallette. Frozen custard: 2 stars. It tastes like regular soft-serve, not frozen custard.

The most delicious custard and it paired so well with root beer for my float! The ambiance in here is perfect, you could bring your laptop in to work during the day, and then head upstairs to their secret coffee speakeasy! It is password only, so check out their social media for clues

I grew up on East Coast style custard and THIS IS IT. I've been absolutely dying for Portland to get real frozen custard for 20+ years and I'm thrilled. High-quality ingredients, fun atmosphere, and the coffee shop is wonderfully serene. No one under 13 allowed in that area, so be forewarned! My only slight quibble is with all the quality ingredients, why choose to put fake whipped topping and bright red maraschino cherries on top of the sundaes? Next time I'll ask for it without, but there will be many next times!

BEFORE YOU GO FIND THE PASSWORD. Meh. Basic ice cream "custard", nothing special about it except maybe that the menu is found in a leather spell book. The place has a cool look, but it ends there. *Plenty of cool spots in Portland. The secret coffee shop is accessible through a wardrobe. Sounds cool. Here's the kicker - you must know the password to get a dagger (acts as a key) to get in. The staff will not just give it to you, I tried 3 different possible "passwords" & I was not correct so I did not get in. The place was busy with people milling around not sure where the line is, many people looked in the wardrobe - but couldn't get in. It was far too warm in there and I did not know I needed to scour social media for a password, so I left. Sorry, but it was nothing special and not a place I'd return to. Pretty disappointing, the appeal is definitely not the food, it's the adventure. Know before you go what the new password is, hopefully you'll have a far better experience than I did.

Such a cute and spooky ice cream shop that I will definitely be going back to! I went for the vegan option which is a soft serve but one of the best vegan soft serves I have tried in a while. My build your own was vegan soft serve in a cup with rainbow sprinkles, simple and sweet. I popped in on a Sunday afternoon, it was a little busy but staff was friendly and patient when I walked up to the counter to order and was not ready at all! I did not try to look for the password to the secret coffee shop on instagram as I really went for the vegan soft serve that day. However it seems like a really fun experience! 10/10 would highly recommend whether you're going for custard, vegan soft serve or to get the dagger to enter the secret coffee shop.

My friends and I went in during the week. I got the campfire coven and its the perfect summer treat. The custard is so creamy and rich. A marshmellow top with chunks of graham crackers and chocolate. The toppings are evenly distributed into the treat and keep their crispy/crunch texture. The size may not look large but its a big serving. The spoons provided even changes color! That's such a small detail but so cute and fun. The staff were great in answering my questions and the menu allows you the freedom to building your own dessert but has season options. The only con would be not a lot of seating avaliable but in a good area to walk around with.

This place is so cool! The vibe is very fun and the custard is unbelievable. I brought my daughter with me this time and this is her type of place. I highly recommend if you're downtown or just looking for some great dessert. This is the place to go.

Creamy and dense custard in a "speak easy" style spot with a "wicken" theme. A couple of menus on small table along with QR code to same near the start of the line to order. Custard is yummy, they ran out of a couple of menu items both times we went. Only con: really slow service.

Absolutely obsessed with this place. The custard slaps and they have vegan options for my vegan friends. Even more delightful is the speakeasy cafe. The vibes are on point. It's peacefully quiet and no kids are allowed which is necessary for my life. The staff is also lovely. They currently have pumpkin custard so you for sure want to get the pumpkin affagato.

Super cute spot, really nice vanilla frozen custard and a surprisingly awesome speakeasy attached!

Such a cool place with imaginative and magical qualities that make you forget the troubles of the real world. The interior design is incredible and thoughtful. Friendly and accommodating staff, you can tell they like their job which is nice. I do wish they had more vegan custard and ice cream options but worth experiencing and discovering the secret within nonetheless.

A very picturesque and eclectic spot - classic Portland vibes all around. We tried the pistachio flavored custard (vanilla base) and it was excellent - super creamy with well-balanced flavors and a satisfying pistachio crunch. The space itself is also really cool, featuring a hidden door that separates two areas, adding a fun twist to the experience. The atmosphere was lively, with lots of people clearly enjoying themselves. Service staff is also great. Definitely worth a visit!

Black Cat Frozen Custard feels like a secret spell tucked into downtown Portland--low light, apothecary-Wiccan charm, and desserts that enchant. Their surprise banana split was pure magic: chocolate, strawberry, and peanut butter in perfect harmony.

My Bestie and I went here for a friend anniversary and it was so good and the people who are working were so sweet and kind decor was really cool and it's a really fun spot for people who like spooky things

Passed by this place and I just knew I had to stop in for a sweet treat. The custard is DELICIOUS! I'm already planning on going back. I loved all the spooky decor and there's plenty of space to hang out while delving into your sweet treat. Shout out to the sweet lady taking my order, there's so many options to choose from but I didn't feel rushed at all.

I took my daughter in for her birthday today, we ordered coffees and was very excited because this was the sort of place she loves. Ordered the coffee and waited. Finally after 15 minutes we asked if there was a hold up and the guy said he'd go check. After 20 minutes we got our coffees. The ice cream shop was nice but honestly I will never go back or suggest anyone to go here. Our coffees had been sitting in a secret section we never knew about. The coffee was so watered down from sitting because we got iced. The guy never once said oh you need to go somewhere else to pick up the coffee. If you want customers to come back try explaining to people where your product can be collected

What a great experience! We heard it gets busy so we went close to opening on a weekday and it was perfect. To get into the conspirators coffee lounge you must have the password phrase but it's super easy to find on their socials. I even go one of the three words wrong and they didn't make me re-look it up which was appreciated! The Coffee Lounge is 13 and up so either be ready to take turns while someone watches the little ones, or come without them. The decor is beautiful and I can tell it will just get better and better as time passes and the decor gets more curated and collections grow. My daughter said the ice cream (custard) was the "best ever". The vanilla custard base was delicious, and the toppings were just what you'd expect. Prices were fair, the ambiance made the prices feel like a bargain! I also got the lavender iced coffee and it was strong and herbal, not just a too-sweet lavender syrup on ice; actual lavender buds in it, which I appreciate. While we were there several people came in that seemed timid and not sure what to do to get to the coffee lounge. I'd say do a little bit of research before you go so you know what the password is and the process of getting your riddle, and more than anything? Don't stress and just have fun! It's an experience to enjoy.!

Stopped in for custard tonight and it was so good! We eat quite a bit of custard back home, and this was the best concrete I've ever had! The spooky atmosphere was so fun and they didn't miss any details! Can't wait to come back hang out in the hidden speakeasy-style coffee lounge. You access it through an old armoire with the password on Instagram.

This place is fantastic! The decor is unlike anything else in town. The custard treats are amazing. I've been twice and gotten concretes both times. The first time I built my own and the second was one of their seasonal offerings. My wife has tried a seasonal concrete and then a seasonal sundae. While a little pricey, it's a fun spot to try particularly if you know the secret password!

Spooky and charming ambiance with a black cat theme. Servers were interesting and nice. Crowded on a hot day but we got a seat at the window bar. Delicious concretes! I loved the heath bar in vanilla, he his chocolate in chocolate. Pricey but worth the experience!

So cool! Must visit spot for a taste of Portland weird. Custard was authentic, staff was very friendly, and the vibe was awesome. Will be back!

Cute spot with a cool speakeasy coffee bar! The speakeasy's cocktail bar will open next month I think. The concrete custard was okay, not frozen or "concrete" felt like regular soft serve. Pistachio one wasn't strong pistachio flavor. Spot overall was a cool theme and busy! Friendly service

This place is SPECIAL. Really great ambiance, custard is just like I've had in the mid west, and incredibly friendly staff! The speakeasy is one of the coolest things I've seen in Portland, password is in their Instagram posts! Makes it feel super exclusive. Had such a blast and is a refreshing reminder of what Portland once was. I will be back!

I have stopped in to this cozy new spot for custard treats three times so far. There were so many people in line on one of them that I knew it would take a long time so didn't stay, but I had a good experience on the other two occasions. First I ordered the seasonal vanilla/pistachio/chocolate sundae and it was so delicious I decided to order it again the next time but in concrete form. I decided I prefer the sundae presentation--custard stayed firmer and I liked being able to taste the separate components. The flavors were indescribably delicious. The witchy theme and decor is cute but not my thing though not off-putting. My only problem was not knowing where to order and what the menu options are. There is no board up high or menus near the door, so by the time you get to the menus you are next in line and the menus are hard to read and figure out. These glitches should be easy to fix once they get their feet under them and I can't wait to stop in and try another flavor. Frozen custard is SO good, it has ruined my taste for regular ice cream. Subsequent visits to my usual haunts for my longtime favorite treats have been disappointing and just made me want to go back for more Black Cat custard lol

Custard was tasty, reasonably priced. Obsessed with the ambiance! Excited for the coffee speakeasy in the future

While the reviews of this place are generally high, I found it to be some of the worst quality ice cream/gelato. The food was mediocre (such as the cone being soggy), yet was priced really high. For that price, I'd rather just go to Kates ice cream in NW Portland. It appeals to children and wouldn't be something anyone should look for if they want a nice dessert or drink.

staff made you feel like an inconvenience for wanting anything and you literally pay a ridiculous amount for the most boring, tiny scoop of custard. Absolutely no effort for customer service or satisfaction. I would not recommend going unless you want to be disappointed.

Stopped in at Black Cat today to try out their frozen custard. Worst ice cream experience ever. Cost $48 for 3 people (what a rip off). Had the pistachio potion and it was so cloyingly sweet and had absolutely zero flavor. Go to another ice cream shop and get your fix as this place doesn't even deserve a rating.

This has ruined regular ice cream for me. So rich and creamy. I'd go here even if the decor wasn't so cool, but that is just a plus. Can't wait to bring visitors here!