BLACK MOON KOVEN

My favorite spot in Juneau! Great coffee, fantastic food and the sipping broth warmed my entire soul. The staff is super cool and friendly too! Big fan. Big fan.

Forget the Hangar on the Warf, THIS is the best food in Juneau. The vibes and decor are unique as well. Plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. If you have any allergies, this is the place to come. They can cook everything in sesame oil to even accommodate sulfite allergies. This place is not to be missed.

We just arrived in Juneau, and I have found my coffee spot! What a great, cool, eclectic, funky vibe. and the coffee was fantastic.

We arrived later on a Sunday afternoon. The servers never missed a beat and never made us feel uncomfortable, considering we came so close to their closing hour. They treated us as if we were their first customers of the day, not their last. What a refreshing breath of fresh air, considering service has taken a hit post-Covid.

Local Robot art, doll head candles, gilded insects in frames, planchettes, and more fun treasures, adorn this crazy, cool, space; and I was left feeling like I have so much more to discover. I can’t wait to go back and if you haven’t gone yet, what are you waiting for?

An EDIT: The food is AMAZING!!!! Everyone told me that…and they were right! I had this incredible Bone Broth, Pork Belly Noodle Dish…and can’t wait to have it again!

My god what a gem in Juneau. This cute little witchy breakfast spot has such an eclectic menu it took me nearly 15 minutes just to decide what to order. Of course I hodgepodged my order to be the biscuits and gravy with added potatoes and eggs. Every damn thing on that plate was delicious. The gravy being in a cappuccino cup did so much for me it didn’t even make sense it was just so darn cute. Also the potatoes could keep you safe from any vampire with all that garlic and I loved every second of it. Considering the place is witchy I assume they use black magic on those biscuits cause DAMN. Already can’t wait to come back and try more.

The Dowser was one of the best things I ate while staying in Juneau for three days. I will remember that sandwich fondly for years to come. *Chef’s kiss*

I really wanted to like this restaurant. Thought the vibe was cool and it’s been on my “to visit” list for awhile but the service was awful. Waited 30 minutes for our food and found the order never reached the kitchen. Asked for drinks while we wait and they immediately messed up the drink orders! They were very apologetic but frankly, I can buy the same Costco ingredients and make the same mediocre food at home for much less (and faster).

The spicy noodles were good with the brisket but I had to add more kick for spice. It was warm and comforting. The waitstaff was friendly. However my boba tea tarp was like water. After two sips had to throw away. Sad because it was $5.

Black Moon Koven is one of my favorite eateries in town, and I feel lucky to have access to such a treasure in downtown Juneau!

Upon stepping inside the restaurant from Seward St., you'll be met with the sounds of a cluster of bells hanging near the door. It makes sense, because magical bells are typically hung from doorknobs or nails in the homes of the enchanted. The decor is uniquely curated for everyone that visits, and often you'll notice a new painting by a local artist or figurine made of faux taxidermy on the wall. The place is dark and moody, but somehow bright and whimsical at the same time. A bar with stools lines the northern wall, leading you to the counter where your coffee, boba tea, or food could be made to order.

While I'm not writing this review to talk about the regular menu, I will declare that Black Moon Koven has the best spam and brisket musubi in southeast Alaska! I said what I said. Now, if you're feeling hungover from one too many drinks the night before, I also highly recommend the mini Moon Fried Rice. Heck, get an XXL Moon and you'll be eating off of that all day. It's savory, salty, and beautifully gluten free. In fact, the GF waffles are life changing, and you can never go wrong with an overloaded Banh Mi sandwich (not GF, but hey, not everyone is cursed).

Very recently, I decided to give the food subscription a shot, and that's really what this review is about. Not long after signing up, I spent 20 minutes with the owner, discussing not only my food allergies and aversions, but we talked through my relationship with food. When do I eat, why do I eat, what's a memorable childhood meal, and what makes me feel like my best self. While the questions felt personal and deep, I felt safe and in a judgement free zone to explore them with her over the phone. A week later, I visit the restaurant to pick up my first meal. It's pasta! But it's gluten free, tender, and very well done. There are Japanese sweet potatoes, a spicy red sauce, and ribs! It's enough to spread over two feedings. And that's how big the servings are each time I picked up my subscription. There is also a special infused water of the day, which is important for that hydrated life. My favorite meal continues to be these marinated chicken thighs on butter lettuce with very chopped up kimchi. It was a spicy salad, and I still have mouthwatering dreams about it.

Seriously, do something good for yourself and get on the list for a food subscription. Something that helps you feel like a better person. For me, I had to leave my work-from-home job twice a week to pick up the meals, and that alone was so good for my mental health. Then I would take home the most savory, aromatic meals that could feed two people (even though I wouldn't share). And finally, you get to try new things, like Japanese sweet potatoes, chicken soup with mushrooms and GF dumplings, or more vegetables than you can imagine drenched in an exquisite chili oil. I mean, you are what you eat, so eat good things.

We had the walking noddles and hash with brisket. Brisket was well cooked but food overall and noodles especially were lacking in seasoning/flavor. Disappointing for a very spendy breakfast

One of the things I do religiously: support the businesses of other marginalized people. When I heard about this place opening, I ran towards the opportunity of making sure another BIPOC restaurant was successful. Easy to say, I became a faithful regular who also spent a decent amount here. This changed recently when I was accused of unethical behavior. I was accused of giving them a fake 100. As a BIPOC person, specifically Black- this is a dangerous accusation to make. I could've easily lost my job or worse. I found it so emotionally taxing to try and explain to my employer, my boss and bank that I am not and never have been an unethical person. Luckily, the owner reached out to me and my boss to apologize but I was devastated to see the business I had so faithful support, fail to truly support me. What hurts the most is that this place identifies as a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ and was a vocal supporter of BLM, but when it came to me and the impacts of the accusations to my life and career, the buck stopped at "I'm sorry". I wasn't expecting such an apology from an establishment that prides itself on equity and respect for all people. I encourage the owner to truly display this and not only say you support marginalized communities but to show it through day to day action. You had a true opportunity to continue to build allyship and you chose not to. I hope others pay attention to this review and ask themselves how they're truly building allyship. This is an example of how not to center equity, inclusion and justice in your business.