I Like It Black

I had an incredible experience at I Like It Black this past weekend. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and full of genuine community. Aliyyah, the owner, was absolutely amazing—super friendly, engaging, and intentional with every person who came through the door. We had a great conversation, and it was clear how much heart she pours into her work and community. The coffee was outstanding—beautifully crafted and full of flavor. I also want to add that I’ve been a fan of Aliyyah’s bakery, Make My Cake, for many years now. I’ve visited countless times over the years, and the quality, consistency, and care have always been top tier. It’s no surprise that the same excellence and hospitality show up in her coffee shop as well. If you’re in Harlem, both of these spots are absolute must-visits—exceptional products, authentic service, and a true sense of community. I’ll definitely be back.

Extremely warm and inviting vibes, adorable aesthetic, and great service. Matcha is very high quality and they just started offering student discounts! Owner Aliya is a delight.

My first time staying in Harlem and I stumbled on an incredible Black-owned coffee shop that was an absolute vibe. The owner radiates a vibrant, beautiful energy, the space is visually on point, and the coffee and food were outstanding. I ordered the Morningside sandwich, a blueberry muffin, and an oat-milk latte—10/10 across the board. The hot-sauce kick on the “crisps everything” butter croissant was next-level, and that muffin has no business being that good. Black ownership x Black & Brown coffee-maker supporters—you simply can’t go wrong here. I’ll definitely be back.

Awesome coffee, and awesome pastries!!! Muffins are some of the best I’ve tried, love the lemon poppy one! They aren’t too sweet which is awesome. Owner is super nice too, she struck up a convo with me and even offered to connect me with some people in my industry. Really nice environment and great service overall.

The Morningside breakfast sandwich is incredible. Can order on an everything flavored croissant, which is delicious. Coffee is great too!

Make I Like It Black your go to coffee shop!! Great coffee, connected to an incredible bake shop “Make My Cake

Friendly staff, you can see they have passion about their job. Coffe is great, I got a pumpkin spice and a corn muffin, the combo was terrific. My partner had a cheesecake that was also really good! The only thing that got me confused, was they have the coffee shop and the next door the bakery, so you can get coffe from one counter and bakery from another.

I give it a 5 stars for staff friendliness, coffee shop charm. The barista was v personable and let me stay past closing time. I don’t drink coffee so I got a chai latte and it was a 4/5. They use a boxed chai but wasn’t my favorite flavor. The pricing is fair. Would come back again and try their matcha and the baked shop next door.

The coffee was delightful. Loved the southern cold brew! Amazing bakery next door. Highly recommend to any visitors.

This place was so cute! On my last day in New York, I wanted coffee and stumbled upon this place not too far from me. The flavors looked very interesting and I was definitely excited to try it. Love the pink lids as well. It added something cute to the cup! The service was really good! The cashier helped me pick what I thought would be good and it was! The desserts taste great too!

What a nice GEM to find on my short trip! I was only in New York for the weekend, and I stumbled upon this adorable coffee shop in Harlem, my favorite city in New York. Not only was it adorable, but it's also BLACK OWNED! This filled me with joy! The ambiance is very cutesy and fun, with pink paint gracing most of the interior! I ordered a regular coffee and got to chatting with patrons, and it turns out the owner's child and her friend were in the building. They taught me all about the history of the shop, their bakery next door, and gave me countless recommendations on things to do in Harlem for the duration of my trip. The wifi was good, the coffee was great, and the window seating made me feel like a NY artist for a few minutes, watching the busy passers-by while I studied my script. I definitely will return, and I recommend everyone to give this place a shot if you're in town!

One of the highlights of my trip! This Black owned coffee shop in Harlem is a must visit! Aliyyah the owner was a delight to speak with.

Best iced coffee I've had in a long time. Didn't try the baked good but they looked great. Lovely staff.

Cute little coffee shop on the corner of 125. I ordered the French toast muffin and it was bomb I highly recommend. It's the perfect blend of maple flavoring with a crisp outer and soft inner. The latte was perfect, I looove chicory in coffee so obviously when I saw it I had to order it. It did not disappoint! Check this place out!

Cute little spot for a quick caffeine fix with great friendly service. There was also a lot of cute wall art as well. I wish it was a bit bigger because I would love to come here to work from time to time!

It's a wonderful place that's open for the breakfast rush if needed. It seems they offer breakfast sandwiches that range from $10-$14. It's small but with enough seating to rest for a moment and finish your muffin before rushing to your bus. While the blueberry muffin and blueberry fizz were alright, it's a 3/5 in the flavor department. The blueberry muffin was soft but it was missing something, maybe vanilla, more blueberries or a little more sugar. It definitely tastes fresh and I wouldn't be surprised if this was house made but it was missing that something to really make it pop. The blueberry (?) fizz was a combination of steeped blueberry tea and a carbonated water. It comes unsweetened and it's a bit tart, towards the end of the drink you really taste the green tea leaves. I would suggest asking for it to be sweetened. I enjoyed the barista that am. They were pleasant and had a great easy going attitude for the morning. I wouldn't mind coming back here and people watching or trying their other dishes. It's great spot for a change of scenery in this concrete jungle. As always thank you for the service and God bless you all!

This was the cutest shop. It's Blacked owned with a delicious bakery next door that is also Black owned. Coffee was good, but could have been a little hotter. Customer service was wonderful. I would highly recommend you stop in for a cup of coffee or cinnamon roll.

Deeelicious! Got an iced latte and the cheese and pastrami croissant. Love when a spot warms it up for you. It was incredible and the latte was nice and smooth. There's a cute little table set up outside as well as seating indoors.

The morningside - egg, cheese, avocado, and hot sauce might be the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. Coffee was great as well. Love this place!

Please do better. My last latte was yet to be desired! And to come by today and see your barista, digging in her braids, I chose not to open that door today! Since 2021, I've had one decent latte here. I wanna support! But your baristas are NEVER ready for customers. Always running for the back, or today, scratching her braids, behind the register. It doesn't make me want a coffee. I'm going around the corner to Plowshare, because you forced me.

Tried the matcha latte with oat milk. While i did not have high expectations to begin with since its not a specialty shop, the matcha was still disappointing. The color of the latte was a decent green but the taste was...off... the matcha has floral almost herbal after tastes that really threw me off. nothing like the earthy or even astringent matcha ive had before. this is probably due to it being a lower quality mactha blend or not the right kind for lattes. if i do come back, would rather stick with trying a coffee

Every time I come here things are changing LOL not in a bad way though but just so you guys know never expect the same decor or menu at this point but I like change, came today and they have a variety of lemonades and iced teas even some seasonal coffees for the fall already. I got a large strawberry lemonade came out to $9

After being shoved outside at Sea and Sea with our fish sandwich we needed a place to sit and rest. It's a lovely little bougie coffee shop. The boys provided great friendly service. It is adjoining a bakery and we were able to take our tea through and relax, purchase a cupcake for our already full tummys.

Love getting my coffee here and trying out their summer drinks In the afternoon. Always Excellent service, always tidy !!q

I snuck into this spot just before closing last Tuesday and fell in love! The space is cute and they have an expansive menu with plenty of specialty drinks and a bakery attached next door. I ordered the pumpkin chai latte and the barista made it special for me, asking if I preferred it on the sweeter or spicier side (which was not necessary but very kind) and it was delicious! The barista working was so lovely to chat with too! Will definitely be back.

A charming, welcoming spot for Starbucks-priced and Starbucks-quality coffee. But the staff (on my visit, at least) was so charming, I'd only want to come here. Coffee is top notch and they have a variety of moist muffins and savory pastries. And you can indulge your sweet tooth at the bakery next door.

Significant price increases...Prefer lattes from plowshares around the corner which also has better seating options.

OVERALL -Really good coffee -Solid breakfast sandwich -The sweet and savory breakfast sandwich leaned heavily toward the sweet side. -Will definitely come back ARRIVAL: Stopped by for coffee and breakfast on a Tuesday afternoon around 1pm. There was no line and no customers other than me. I did not know anything about this place other than I had walked by before and saw on the website that they served breakfast sandwiches. FOOD/DRINK: The sweet and savory sandwich was pretty good! For some reason, I was picturing an English muffin that had been dipped and cooked in French toast batter rather than a French toast flavored muffin, but that's probably just me. The muffin was very good on its own. They toasted it on the griddle so it was warm and crispy. The sausage egg and cheese part was cooked well and tasted good too. The muffin is just so thick in comparison to the egg, sausage, and cheese that its flavor overpowers them. It's not bad because the toasted muffin is so high quality, but you're mostly tasting the sweet cinnamon flavor of the muffin with an occasional bite of the other ingredients. It's unlike a McGriddle where the savory and sweet flavors are more balanced. When I come back, I'll probably try a more straightforward breakfast sandwich on a croissant or something. SERVICE: Service was great! Staff was very friendly and I received my order quickly. One of them gave me a knife and fork for my sandwich, which I didn't think was necessary at first, but certainly was once the muffin started to crumble after a few bites. I really appreciate that kind of foresight/consideration. Made me feel like the staff was genuinely familiar with the menu and not just how to make the items. ATMOSPHERE/LAYOUT: It's a simple, classic coffeeshop layout with a service counter and pastry display. There are maybe 4 small tables with stools. There is a door that connects directly to the bakery next door.

We loved this wonderful place. Great coffee and service, plus they make cake in a jar.

I took a trip to NYC & I was in Harlem looking for a local coffee shop to support while exploring the area. I checked my maps and saw coffee shop was near by. Something about the name struck me. I stopped by and discovered this cute and cozy coffee shop. The owner was very friendly. She told us the meaning behind the name of the shop. Their mission is to support black and Latin owned coffee businesses by featuring their coffee blends. The owner was very personable and the matcha late I ordered was good! Next door they have a bakery in which I ordered a delicious strawberry lemon cupcake. The cupcake and late were a delicious pairing. I do plan on returning before I head back home.

I don't know what it is about the coffee here, but this place had the best latte that I have ever had. I am a coffee fiend, so I've tried my fair share of coffee shops around the city, but something about the coffee here is different. The latte has this deep nutty flavor that I really enjoyed and I have yet to find any lattes that come close to the flavor of the coffee I had here. My standards for lattes have been ruined ever since I've had the coffee here, and I find myself thinking about this specific latte every time. 5/5 poggers

Highly recommend the Uptown Cristo $8.50 - FRENCH TOAST MUFFIN SEASONED TURKEY SAUSAGE EGG SMOKED GOUDA $8.50 you can change type of cheese or type of muffin they also had blueberry , lemon poppy seed, and pistachio freshly baked daily Cheese options: Smoked Gouda, Cheddar or Swiss I had blueberry last time and French toast this time- really having a hard time deciding which was better! Grilled buttered muffins are my weakness The flavorful seasoning on the Turkey sausage blows me away everytime. Daniel you do a fantastic job making breakfast with love and care- Thank YOU!

Coffee was good, so go for coffee and leave. Dude was moody today, maybe he's having a bad day, but borderline rude. Went there to enjoy the morning do some work, but they had no wifi available, the rude dude just said to join a random open spectrum line. Lol! Had to leave I couldn't sit and work, I wanted to try a second drink but "maybe" next time.

The coffee and ambience is superb. Super friendly staff, quality espresso, and InCrEdIbLe breakfast sandwiches. I got the sweet and savory and it was EVERYTHING.

Loved this place. Really great food, service and ambiance. Loved the pink coffee cup lids.

Was looking for a solid coffee spot in the neighborhood when I stumbled upon this shop on a walk. Located right next door to a Black-owned bake shop, this Black-owned coffee shop has coffee, pastries and warm sandwiches among the offers. Ironically, I got an almond milk latte. I usually add cinnamon powder to my order, which They did not have, but they dod have a homemade spice powder blend ( I did not try ). Anyways, the service and latte were superb. Check them out. Will be back!

Harlem has changed so much and many local businesses have been bought out by bigger corporations. It's great to find a coffee shop with a local owner that knows the neighborhood and is giving back to build up the community! Danny was gracious enough to tell me about the special southern cold brew he made and the history behind it. The southern cold brew was great! It has a touch of sweetness but bold flavor! Thank you Danny for the hospitality and great history lesson!

If you are ever in Harlem, New York, you must stop by I like it Black coffee shop. The blends of coffee are amazing and the owner is a gem! Very friendly and personable with great customer service. I love and highly recommend the spot!

I went here after my gym workout and it was amazing. I had the mint sweet tea which was great. My friend had a coffee mocha which he said was very good. The bill came out to 9 something which I thought was good. I look forward to returning. The service was great the gentleman answered all my questions and also gave me a sample when I asked to try the teas. They are also straw less which I think is environmentally friendly.

I only have coffee black so I saw the name and I was sold. I ordered a red eye (black coffee with one shot). The coffee itself was delicious and it hit the spot. Nothing is better than a tasteful coffee in the morning. I had my coffee delivered but I would love to stop by in person one of these days!

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST COFFEE SHOP IN ALL OF NYC! A world selection of real coffee, fresh baked pastries, delicious fresh teas and beverages, and the staff super friendly! Love this place. Patronize and keep it here!!! Locals will Love it and foreigners will think they have found a gem! Blessings and peace. HAPPY FLAVORFUL AND TASTEFUL HOLIDAYS! You

Dude at the front was friendly. Ordered a sandwich but it took about 20 minutes. The barista had to go and get the person from next door make it. As she was coming in to do so, she claimed out loud "I don't make sandwiches". Ordered a cappuccino with whole milk. The milk tasted expired. I ended up tossing both sandwich and drink and went to Starbucks a couple blocks away. Disappointed since the reviews made me want to come here. Needless to say, never setting foot in there again.

The coffee I get tastes really good but it's $10 every time for a medium iced coffee, and I feel like that's a lot! Too much! I get one almost everyday so imagine.. other places it's around $6 for the same kind

We got a oat milk latte and americano, both had great flavor. The latte had a nutty, pleasant taste while americano was smooth. We got a morningside sandwich and it was on a beautiful croissant roll, eggs done perfectly, ripened avo, and a dash of hot sauce that gave a nice kick. Super cute interior with pink espresso machine and even a bakery next door!!

I loved everything about this place. The owner was awesome. Drink is delicious. Everything was warm and friendly and fantastic. If I could give it 100 stars I would.

Large iced coffee cost me almost $8.00. The price caught me by surprise not gonna lie. The coffee was good (3 out of 5 stars). I left a tip and basically had a cup of coffee for around $10.00. For this reason I will not go back.

Super cute place in Harlem. Wouldn't recommend their matcha but I did enjoy their butter croissant. Have a few different fresh pastries and the croissants looked the most appetizing. They also have a few other options for food such as avocado toast but haven't had the chance to try it yet. I had to give four stars bc the ladies working there are so attentive and welcoming. Very kind. Next time I'll have to try a coffee instead of a matcha. If you're looking for a cute cozy cafe to work, this is the place.

Very cute little place and I want to support female African American entrepreneurs. So definitely worth coming here. BUT... I just paid $20 for a small latte and an avocado toast (nothing special added) and that is super overpriced for what I'm eating. If you're ok with very high prices, it's a good place.

I've never been so happy to find a local coffee shop. When my partner and I moved into the neighborhood, their dad helped us explore the area while we were working, and raved about this place. When we finally went ourselves, I was addicted. The coffee is outstanding, the staff wonderful, the pastries next door tasty, and most of all the MORNINGSIDE SANDWICH is the stuff of dreams. Every friend I have come to visit I bring there to hang out, and multiple friends have said they could eat that sandwich every day and die happy. It can be a little expensive, but it's always a treat for myself and I'm happy to support a local business and a nice staff. When I get a raise I'm going to eat breakfast here every single day. If I ever have to move I will be bereft.

I came here yesterday for the first time. I had the pumpkin pie vanilla chai and it was amazing!! I came back today for another one! And I tried their Morningside sandwich and OMGGGGGG. Its a toasted everything croissant with an egg, avocado, Gouda cheese and hot sauce

so, i like to frequent this place whenever i was around that part of the neighborhood, but recently witnessed a situation with the manager (maybe owner?) being openly condescending & unkind to the barista working the counter, blatantly talking over & interrupting them. as someone who's in food service, and was eating a meal there & enjoying their coffee at one of the tables here, i was made super uncomfortable by this whole interaction. besides that, the food, pastries, & drinks here are truly great (from the espresso to fun seasonal drinks), & every interaction i've had with the baristas here have been great. they're always super warm & helpful! usually a great atmosphere for a casual coffee shop treat, i was just super put off by this most recent experience.

$6 for a cold brew?! Yikes. This is Harlem - keep it affordable! Also post your prices on the menu- creates less a sticker shock.

It's a cute little cafe. VERY little. Only one table with high stools in there. I see Make My Cake is attached next door but I don't recall if there are places to sit in there; they didn't appear to be open when I went in around 10:00am. The Iced latte was on point though, and the staff is friendly, so I might stop in again if I am nearby but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there if there's no place to relax.

I've been biking by this place and decided to try it. $6.25 for a SMALL regular iced latte! I mean that is just ridiculous. I can now say that I supported because that was my first and last visit.

I stopped by after getting a haircut nearby. The gentleman there, Danny, was nice and helpful. He recommended that I try a medium roast coffee, which was a little lighter than my usual dark roast preference. It was great, and I could taste the fruity flavor he described. I definitely plan to return!

Grabbed a quick lunch today and they couldn't have been nicer! Incredible peach iced tea and avocado and egg croissant. Will be my go to spot when working in Harlem!

I've been walking pass this shop for about 3 weeks. Since walking by, I had a desire to go in but I didn't . Today I decided to go in and I am so happy I did. I ordered a toasted croissant with butter, and a French toast muffin. Yes guys a French toast muffin. Once my order was done, I decided to sit down and stay. I ordered a Saratoga still water, and I stood up at a high table and bit into my buttery croissant. OMG it was so crispy and delicious. It was the perfect bite. I ate with glee and now it was time for my French toast muffin. My first bite was like the beginning of a good party. Good music to groove to, but not too wild. The second bite was like the next song the disc jockey plays that compliments the first song. My third bite was an absolute explosion. It was the "That's My Song" of a bite. A song that makes you feel good and you want that feeling to stay for the duration of the jamboree. I guess you can tell I love music lol. Customer service was A1 and I complimented the two gentlemen on how welcoming they were. My overall experience was delightful. Good service and great eats are key essentials for a successful business and I wish them much success.