Java Jive

I had lost my wallet downtown Raleigh this weekend. One of Java Jives staff members found it. She contacted me to let me know she had it and I could pick it up at the coffee shoppe.
I had only been to Java Jive once before as its not close to where I live. It’s a great little place and the staff was very kind. For a Good Samaritan to find a wallet and return it proves there are good honest people out there.
Before I left, I had to order something. I got a Chai Tea latte and they gave it to me on the house. A situation where I should be paying them for my great-​fullness and they in turn truly made my day.
The Chai was also, perfectly made. :)
Thank you!

Amazing coffeehouse! Very cute and a nice place to get some work done. I recommend the Iced Thai Coffee — amazing.

I will not be returning to this Java Jive. I walked in to meet a friend who works at Wake Tech and ordered a large coffee which costs $ 4.25, which was poured promptly. When informed of the price, I let the lady at the register know that I only had a credit card to pay with. She told me that she couldn’t process a credit card payment less that $ 5. I had just eaten lunch and told her that all I had was a credit card again, to which she rudely replied that she couldn’t accept that. I thanked her for her time and walked out. She wasn’t apologetic or kind about any of it. Additionally, if they are trying to grow their customer base then they should accept debit/​credit card purchases of any amount.

Informed the owner that it was against the law to charge a minimum purchase to use one’s credit card and the owner began attacking ME and blaming ME for the situation. She still refused my card. Never raised my voice or accused the owner of trying to stiff the card company or the consumer. Went home and googled it – the law was actually CHANGED in 2013 so that the practice is no longer illegal. (Note: It might be still be for debit and that’s what I using but I don’t think she even checked or understood it was ever illegal for credit cards so why ruffle feathers unnecessarily? Not worth mentioning, I think.) Called to APOLOGIZE – got the apology out and she hung on up on me without even saying goodbye. Again, wasn’t anything but polite on my part. It’s a draw between the bad service and the credit card policy that will keep me from returning here. Terrible experience. I don’t think she’ll miss me or any other consumer who doesn’t care for the minimum purchase policy…
There’s a Starbucks ½ mile away in Harris Teeter. I’ll be going there for coffee in the future.

Been here several times. The unique coffee drinks are delicious and definitely don’t disappoint the customer. The service is wonderful. The staff is pleasant, helpful, and patient. The food selections aren’t quite ample enough compared to other coffee houses, but the drinks are made with care and taste better here than the typical places (Dunkin Donuts, etc). It’s a locally owned place, and the owner seems to take pride in the store. The seating is comfortable, but I wish there was more. So glad to have this little gem in Cary.

Love the coffee — probably some of the best in the area. The baristas are sometimes friendly, sometimes not,. The space is sometimes comfortable, sometimes not — they change it around often. If you want a friendly, comfy place to hang out, this probably isn’t the ideal place. If you just want a good cup of coffee and you don’t mind a business-​like attitude, Java Jive is perfect.

I much prefer to patronize local coffee shops instead of the chains, but will probably choose the Starbucks up the road going forward. Practically every time I’ve been in here the barista/​owner? acts like its a big imposition to wait on you. It isn’t that hard to wish someone a good day or say that you hope they enjoy the beverage. And certainly a smile isn’t too much to ask.

Love this coffee shop! They have delicious high quality coffee & bakery goods! I also love their green smoothie! I only wish they were open later at night.

Owner is never nice or polite. Biggest concern is that no one that is a customer not use their bathroom but has no concern at all that the bathroom lock is broken. I went in 2 weeks apart & told her that the bathroom lock is broken & both times got a cold stare with «I’m aware» & that’s it. The light was burning out as well. Someone walked in on me as I was using the bathroom because no note was put on the door that the lock is broken. Prices are increased but you can’t fix the lock? I’ve heard they are going out of business… I see why.

This place is a little out of the way if you’re not often in the southern portion of Cary. It’s nestled in a strip mall near the country club. I stopped in here to grab a coffee on my way to drop off my dog at the vet.
The fact that this is a locally owned coffee shop is great. They definitely play up that vibe with the décor and ambience. I had a kid — maybe 16 or so? –taking my order, so if you’re expecting a fancy coffee pro you might be disappointed. For me that just made it seem even more like a local place, which is great.
For the time I stopped in (maybe 8:30 am on a weekday) I would have expected a lot more people. It was pretty dead, with maybe the owner and what seemed to be his buddy hanging out there.
As much as I liked some of the local décor, it was pretty mismatched and a bit run down seeming. I didn’t get «hipster run down» vibe here, more like «I don’t want to pay for furniture so I got it on Craigslist» vibe — maybe not quite that bad but you get the idea. I don’t think I’d want to hang out inside for a long time, though the patio seemed really nice.
Overall the coffee was good. It didn’t slap me in the face like Starbucks, but it wasn’t super bland «most people add sugar» type coffee either. For some reason the cups make a difference to me, and these were the styrofoam kinda plastic ones that just don’t make you feel like the coffee will be great. Psychological, I know, but little things are what make good coffee shops.
I wanted to like this place more than I did. I would stop here again on my way by, but I won’t be making any special trips either.

This is a very nice location for such a disappointing coffee shop. The place was empty and the owner didn’t give me the time of day. I wish the chai was better because maybe I would come back for it.

I used to like it here but now it kinda sucks.
Several months back this was my spot to chill out on the couch and write in my blog while sipping iced coffee. It was mellow and the service was smart and dependable.
Now, for some reason the couch was moved to the other side of the room and jammed in a tight corner immediately behind a close table and chairs. It’s very abusive to personal space and the old spot was filled with a much less charming outift. It was a really bad move.
Also, the last few times I dropped in, the wifi didn’t work. The barista seemed like kind of spacey and didn’t know what to do to fix it either time. Nice guy, but… yeah. None of the servers knew what «simpe syrup» was and there were no straws one time for my iced coffee.
I really used to like it here. But some missteps in the hiring and other across-​the-​board fails will keep me away indefinitely.

I wanted to like it, especially after other reviewers whined about the $ 5 minimum credit card rule. (Evidence of an understandable ignorance of the upfront credit card fees small shops must pay.). But, I’m just not impressed at this point.
What I first notice with a coffee bar is the equipment used, how the «barista» interacts with the product they are making (a chef is intentional and particular while a cook just makes the food), and then the presentation/​packaging. My drink and that of those who followed were produced with milk that was not textured and usually re-​steamed two or three times. I couldn’t watch the espresso shots but I listened to the machine to gauge shot times. The sounds and taste in my drink suggests the shot was way too fast.
The place is kind of ‘cute’ though the seating choice and layout implies the owners found a great deal from a friend or patio furniture dealer closing out merchandise. More seats and easier layout wouldn’t be difficult.
In summary — if you area coffee foodie (coffee snob) don’t expect to be wowed. If you are looking for a caffeine fix then support the local place and drive past the green mermaid. So much opportunity wasted.
** random string of consciousness re: Java Jive and the business ***
In our family we joke about «the Keys to the Game» as often presented by commentators prior to a hockey game. The keys are usually obvious and fundamental like, «play all 3 periods, keep the pressure on at both ends of the ice, and put the puck into the back of the net.» The challenge of course is in the execution.
My love and ‘rooting’ for independent coffee bars is probably beyond most. The keys to the game for an Indy coffee bar are arguably more numerous and just as challenging… with less protective equipment. One of the keys for me is passion by owners for coffee and a resulting coffee house culture. A love for «Coffee» (big «C», not little c) will determine many things. The standards or quality for espresso shots, texturing of milk, sourcing and diversity of coffee beans, and even hiring of employees. I don’t see that passion here. The owners need to join the Specialty Coffee Association and/​or take a trip to Seattle and fall in love again.

Yes! Very happy to have found a good coffee place! Coming here from Seattle — the land of (so much!) coffee — it’s been tough finding something that isn’t just super sweetened or ‘empty’ feeling (yes, I’ve become somewhat of a coffee snob). This spot, though, HOORAY! Their coffee actually tastes like coffee, and they can make all those specialty coffees no problem too. Whew! I was worried I would be stuck brewing my own stuff at the house permanently… but, now there’s a spot I can go for a treat!
The coffee is fair trade and all that jazz, but really when you see that advertised it means the people care about the coffee and will hopefully be able to make a decent beverage. They CAN and DO that here! The service was friendly too… so all positive.
My husband’s favorite is a cold Americano, and he commented that they seem to do a cold brew here because it wasn’t a lukewarm, watered-​down mess! Score!
We’ll definitely be back… maybe try a few other creations, or just make sure they’ve got our favorites down! ;)

I was looking for a space to hang out and do some work. I searched on Unilocal and Java Jive came up close to my location so I decided to check it out. The space is some what disjointed and has a lot going on. I ordered Chai Tea when I went to pay I pulled out my card (I rarely carry cash) and was told it didn’t meet the minimum so I tacked on some unwanted $$ (and calories) to my order and indulged in a bakery item. The chai tea and scone were both good.
I set myself up in the back of the space but when I went to find a plug for my computer there was only one outlet in the front of the store where patrons were already sitting close by. I relocated but thought it was somewhat odd there was only one outlet. I stayed for about an hour but probably would have been longer (and ordered another drink) if not for feeling like I was hogging up all the energy in the spot. Another negative (as I touched on earlier) was the space it self… A lot going on and pretty distracting.
I would go back for a quick drink/​carry out but not otherwise.

Great coffee drinks! Great friendly service! Nice atmosphere! I go to this coffee shop all of the time and am never disappointed. The chocolate chip scones are perfect with a nice cup of coffee. As far as coffee drinks go, I recommend the Bianca (on ice).Love it!
I noticed another review comment about the inability use a gift card from shop with same name. I travel a lot and see plenty of places with same name. It’s a privately owned business so I can’t imagine they would accept other shop’s cards. It’s not a chain location. I think that is what makes it special. You don’t see this coffee shop on every corner!

Do not buy a gift card and expect to use it at another Java Jive– even though the logo and name is exactly the same! It is not made clear at the time of purchase. We have tried four different times in the past year to redeem a card given to us. Owner Sherry Reed was unsympathetic and unwilling to see the customer’s perspective.

Great coffee and concoctions can be found here. They have WiFi, so if you need to connect you can just run in and pop open your laptop or other mobile device.
I always get the cold, blended milky way mocha. This location has a very clean and fun atmosphere.

This is my Friday coffee stop and I love the service I get! The owner is very nice and open to new ideas, she even customized an Americano drink for me that’s my immediate go to order! The employees are nice but it takes some coaching when I have to explain a custom drink choice. I love all the little local goodies in the shop too!
Cash is best here and they do ask for purchases to be over $ 5 due to high credit card fees; I’m perfectly alright with that because I know how much those fees are per transaction.
It’s nice to have a local coffee shop with a local Fair Trade coffee company as a supplier. I’ll continue to support this establishment, they make my Friday mornings happy!!!

Went in to get a latte and walked right out after I saw a sign that said they don’t accept credit cards for purchases under $ 5.
I’m all for supporting local coffee shops but why buy a latte + something you don’t need just so you can use your credit card? I understand they get charged a fee for credit card transactions but if they’re gonna fret for a few cents then I’d rather spend my money somewhere else.