Joe Van Gogh Broad St. — Restaurant in Durham

A modernist coffee shop in North Carolina's research triangle has drawn attention for its precise balance of academic utility and calculated aesthetics. Joe Van Gogh, situated in Durham's evolving suburban landscape, offers sixteen seats and specializes in sweetened matcha preparations.

Lord, these walls have witnessed the slow dance of progress and pretense, where the pothos vines, green as dollar bills, hungry as graduate students, drip down from industrial arteries above, while below the chosen sixteen perch upon their metal thrones, bathed in the glow of MacBook affluence and neon flame art that burns but does not consume.

The air here is thick with possibility and oat milk steam, heavy as August kudzu but filtered through Swedish design principles, while the young prophets of suburbia tap out their digital gospels beneath Edison bulbs that cast no judgment. They come seeking salvation in sweetened matcha, green as old money, smooth as new ambition, their faces reflecting the holy trinity of ambition, caffeine, and WiFi signals strong enough to pierce heaven itself.

The congregation, beautiful and curated as the hanging plants above them, flows through this temple of temporary permanence: Asian STEM apostles and young Caucasian professional disciples, all drawn to the promised land of precision-poured lattes and power outlets abundant as Southern sunshine. Their fingers trace the grain of wooden slat walls that whisper of artisanal authenticity, while their leather laptop sleeves rest on concrete floors smooth as forgotten tobacco fortunes.

The establishment has successfully captured the area's emerging professional demographic, with a consistent weekend crowd despite limited seating. Industry analysts note the strategic positioning of both menu and design elements to appeal to the region's growing technical workforce and affluent student population. Current wait times for seating average 12-15 minutes...

I'm usually not one to rate local businesses with anything less than 5 stars but I'm starting to get tired of the routine attitude and disregard the staff here treats people with. I put in an online order with a specific pick up time and it was ready 14 minutes early. The drinks languished on the counter until I could get there at my specified pick up time and as anticipated, the cold drink was sweating and the hot drink was one step removed from tepid. This is an easily resolved situation though, so we asked for ONLY the hot drink to be remade. When I tell you the look the barista gave us made it seem like we had asked for feet pics or something unprompted, I'm not kidding. They looked irritated that we'd even think to ask for it remade and looked at their watch to check what time it was (I guess to compare to when they put it out). We did get it remade but you'd think it was a personal affront to the barista to do so.

This is not the first time in recent months that we've had a bad experience either. Like many, I've had poor experiences with attitude and absolute silent treatment. I don't expect them to put on a fake customer service voice and ask how my day is, but a simple "Hello, what can I get for you?" is better than someone coming to the POS and then just staring at me...

The attitude here is pretty bad. I get that COVID is making things hard, I really do care, I just can't see being rude to customers during this time. They made my order wrong and were very bothered by having me ask for it to be remade after they tried to argue that it was fine as it was. I paid for a 20oz drink with an extra double shot added, and got a 16oz. How are you going to argue that the extra shots are in there when I paid almost $7 for a 20oz drink? It's my partner's birthday and I thought a nice coffee was in order.

Let me suggest that you change the attitude or the counter help to accommodate paying customers who meant no ill will, just wanted coffee.

That breakfast burrito I got was burnt and bland, bland, bland.

Not sure what advice there is here. Maybe just missed opportunities.

I loved the location near the Co-Op, such a disappointment that this location is the next closest.

The coffees today weren't very good even when they were remade/mine was right the first time but not good.

I was a barista for a long time, so you can save the eye roll and dismissive attitude, which you couldn't spare me this morning.

I'm sad to say that we might not be back if our next experience is...