“Easily our favorite find since our daughter started school at UC Berkeley. The people there are so down to earth so kind. The food is amazing all the empenadas we have had are delicious. The Boba drinks there are so different than your run of the mill Boba “
“I'm not normally a tea drinker but I had the Hojicha latte and I have become addicted. It's amazing!They also have nice pastries with a French influence as well as a number of fancy teas for sale. My daughter said the strawberry milk with boba is delicious.Central location on Piedmont avenue with Wi-Fi and power if you need to do a little work on your laptop.Highly recommend.“
“Delicious food so we can back both days of our trip! We live in Chicago but don't have something like this that we have found which is saying something!Food was awesome and server Noel was so friendly and helpful(^_^)Thank you so much!Vietnamese boba coffee drink was really good and I love being able to get pandan waffles or pho^_^Vegetarian options: Vegetarian pho! great tofu in it had flavor(^_^)Wheelchair accessibility: Accessible from street level!“
“Overall Thoughts: We stopped by this spot while walking through Chinatown on LNY 2024— it was crowded with a long line, but my friends and I were able to snag one of the tables inside. The menu offers a diverse array of drinks from smoothies to coffees to fruit/milk teas. As a durian lover, I specifically went because they had various durian-flavored drinks (durian mango smoothie, which I ordered and durian latte, which I’ll have to return someday to try). We waited ~10-15 min to receive our orders, but we weren’t in a rush and it was worth it. I’m not sure what typical prices are like in SF, but the prices here seemed standard but maybe on the higher side.Drinks I tried:- Durian Meets Mango Smoothie (5/5): Delicious— I’ve never had a durian-mango combo drink before but these being 2 of my favorite smoothie fruits, they paired beautifully together. I loved the creaminess of the smoothie, the mild yet distinctive durian flavors, and the sweetness of the mango chunks.- Avocado Sago Smoothie (5/5): If I wasn’t such a durian fiend, I would even say this was the best drink I tried here. It was so delicious…- Honeydew Smoothie (4.6/5): Pretty standard smoothie— very light and refreshing.—Price (relative to peers): 4.2/5Drinks: 4.8/5Ambience: 4.5/5Service: 4.6/5Overall Value: 4.5/5“
“I got the strawberry black tea with cheese foam, grass jelly, and boba at 25% sweetness.The sweetness ratio was perfect! The boba was a tiny bit al dente but everything else was excellent. If you’re a fan of Pokémon and collectibles, they sell that as well.“
“Favorite milk tea shop in Oakland! What I like most about Golden Tea Shop: variety of tea (they have four different Oolongs!), strength of tea flavor, and value (probably best bang for your buck in Oakland). Personal drink rotation includes the Roasted Black Milk Tea, Roasted Oolong Milk Tea, Jinxuan Oolong Milk Tea, and Thai Milk Tea - all great whether iced or hot. Their fruit teas are also a refreshing choice for summertime (personal fave is Honeydew).Recommendations: Their 50% sugar level, to me, provides the tough-to-find optimal sweetness for those who don't like their milk tea too sweet. While I do enjoy i-Tea as well, I find that their 30% sugar level is still indulgently sweet. Would also recommend at least 75% ice for iced drinks - 50% tends to lead to a lukewarm/cold temp that is not as enjoyable. Finally, would suggest ordering online ahead of time (I use TPass) - drinks can take a while if there's a rush of orders.“
“I'm obsessed with this place. I've ordered their jasmine milk tea with boba at 25% sweetness twice and it's high-quality tea. I've also had their Vietnamese egg coffee and it's so sweet and creamy! The service is efficient and friendly. The ambience is cute. I wished I lived closer.“
“Cute little dessert shop in Downtown Berkeley with so many yummy mango desserts! We got the Pomelo and Mango with Sago (most popular drink) and the flavor is not too sweet and the texture is so unique. The mango also tastes very fresh. Will come again to try other drinks and desserts!“
“Thomas, the 'bobarista' at Happy Lemon, is a true maestro of bubble tea! His passion for creating delicious and unique concoctions is evident in every sip. Thomas takes the art of boba crafting to new heights, ensuring each drink is a burst of flavor and joy. If you're a bubble tea enthusiast, a visit to Happy Lemon with Thomas at the helm is an absolute must. Exceptional service and unparalleled boba mastery!“
“Great place for tapioca drinks! The blended/slushy honeydew with boba (which were tender) was flavorful. Their cinnamon roll was delicious AND the staff was friendly. We also got some lotto tickets since they also sold them (cash only). Would definitely come back again to try other drinks and snacks ??“
“It is one of the best boba tea I’ve ever tried in Bay area. I had mochi soy drink with 0% sugar. The mochi is super soft. I wish I could get more mochi. The mochi cream is light sweet and full of flavor. The milk tea has strong tea aroma without being bitter. The parking is a bit tricky since it is in downtown. I ordered online and came for pick up since parking is tough.“
“Has been on my list to try for awhile now and finally had the opportunity to today! Location says the tenderloin but the surrounding area was not too bad. I ordered a jasmine milk tea with boba and loved that the tea flavor tasted high quality, delicate but also strong (sometimes milk teas just taste like milk) , boba was perfectly chewy, and they also use fresh milk (they do have non dairy oat or almond alternatives). They also give you the option to opt for a paper cup to be more sustainable at no cost. The quality of the drink reminded me of places like Asha tea. Would definitely frequent this more often if I lived in the city but now I know this is a solid spot whenever I'm in SF.“
“i've been wanting to try asha tea house for years after my friend raved about their milk tea in berkeley. so glad i got to come on a saturday morning!// ambiance //asha tea house is located near union square/financial district. it's a smaller interior but a really nice ambiance. there's a few tables to enjoy your drinks or pastries and you can see the baristas making your drinks. i like the dim lighting and decor--feels very cozy.// service //the cashier answered my questions about the sweetness of the hong kong milk tea. after we placed our order, our drinks were ready in three minutes// hong kong milk tea (boba, less ice, less sweet) $6.25 //i really liked their hong kong milk tea. the black tea flavor was strong and it was sweetened with condensed milk. i got less sweet because i was worried the condensed milk would make it really sweet, but it actually wasn't much. i enjoyed the less sweet version but i think regular sweet would've been good too! the boba was chewy and a good consistency.// would i reorder/return? //i would come back especially if i was looking for a boba shop in SF that has a nice ambiance and sitting. i think their tea is good quality and strong.“
“I did catering here and I'm glad that they open early on a Saturday as well as their online system, was smooth convenient to use. Kalua pork was too dry. If I knew, I would have opted for either crispy shrimp or chicken katsu. I wished that they had pork katsu so I would have ordered pork katsu and get a variety of chicken, beef and pork. BBQ chicken was nicely flavored and tender as well as their BBQ short ribs. They tried to be healthy with cabbage on the bottom and broccoli on each corner. I ate the veggies with the abundant meat. Macaroni salad was on point. Spam musubi and lumpias were added and nice starters. Portions are generous.Recommended spot - especially when feeding a village party!“
“5/5 Love boba binge. They get my business at least once week. Love the milk tea and the Thai tea Meatball and egg is my go to bahn mi. Only complaint I have is sometimes they aren't open at 11 or even 12 on Saturdays. So the schedule is just kinda when they are open. Missed out on them a couple times because I didn't know when they would be open. Great service, great staff.“
Bubble Tea • $
“The Tie Guan Yin milk tea with boba, 80% sweetness and less ice is my favorite boba order in Berkeley. It’s pricey but always tastes great. The seating is very comfortable but the indoors is a little cramped. Order ahead if you don’t want to wait 15+ mins at the busiest times.“
“Genuinely surprised that I could still find a drink (+ topping) for less than $4.50, so I really consider it a steal. We just got a classic Assam milk tea + boba and honestly stumbled upon it because it was the closest shop within walking distance (and still open) from the restaurant we ate at. Is it the best drink or boba I've ever had? Definitely not, but it's also not towards the bottom of the scale. I have to say the price to quality ratio is just stellar. The inside was quite big, looks like they have it set up for people to work and hangout there. It wasn't crowded though, probably because we went pretty close to closing time.“
“New Teaspoon location and a new boba spot in Pinole! One thing I love about teaspoon is that they seem to be pretty consistent at each other their locations. This location seems to be pretty up to par with other locations I've been to. The jasmine and Thai tea were more tea forward which is good! They are true to what sweetness levels you ask for. I've fallen victim to requesting 50% sweetness at other boba shops and still having my drink be overly sweet. That was not the case with my creamy jasmine! The inside is very spacious and clean with a good amount of seating. And board games are spread out throughout the tables. Great start! I'll be back when I'm in the area.“
“This is my FAVORITE cafe, any time I can make it over is a special treat. They have such uniquely crafted drinks, and such kind workers. They also have really cool art and tea-esque things for sale in-store!!!! I've gotten yummy syrups from there.“
“As a Taiwanese I approve of this! The boba is very good and the tea is also very good. There's a combo deal for medium hk milk tea with an egg waffle. We had lychee oolong and hk milk tea with an egg waffle. The waffle is also good. Light and fluffy. They made it right after ordering which makes the crust crunch.“
“They give you what you ask for consistently so you can’t fault them anywhere but when matched against some of their competitors they fall short in portion size and it looked like prices had gone up a bit since last visit.Ordered a mango chia w/ ice cream, coconut/mango pudding, mango sago.Parking: Middle of Oakland Chinatown your parking luck will b tested.“
“One of the only places in an area with mostly hospitals & retirement homes that has hot food other than Tommy's Joynt and the overrated Lemoncello. Great Mango Green Tea with Lychee Jelly. Just as good as Super Cue across town where I grew up. Good Poke Bowls. Amazing croissant. Best one I've had since I was in Switzerland . Best Spam Musubi in the city. Family ran. Nice to see a migrant family be in touch with AI; speak English and become a part of the community in a Sanctuary City. Reminds me of old Americana the old Candy Stores that kids hang out at after school.“
“lady luck coffee is a small drink shop in chinatown that serves coffee and boba. definitely more of a takeout spot than a sit-down cafe. the employee working at the time was very sweet and friendly when answering questions about the drink.// iced vanilla latte with whole milk ($5.50) //the latte came in a cute rounded boba cup. it had a good balance of vanilla and espresso.it was sweet, but not too much; i asked and the employee said the drinks here are not too sweet (or as sweet as starbucks) so i did not modify the sweetness.we took our drinks to go and drank them in a nearby park. i enjoyed my drink and would return. prices are reasonable for SF.“
“I was about to drive all the way to Berkeley to get a Korean corn dog and saw that this place was closer to home. Figured let's check it out and saw that it was the same one as Berkeley. Yay ordered a half and half original and three donuts. My son ordered a half and half hot Cheetos and we were so quiet while eating our corn dogs because damn it was hella good! The cheese was melty and was strong with each bite and the outside was nice and crunchy. The hot dog was ok, I preferred the cheese more. The donuts were mochi and perfectly yummy! Just a note- they don't serve corn dogs after 7:30pm.“
“Delicious food and would recommend their waffles! Their smoothies/drinks are great but I had to take off a star because it was vett try hard to communicate with the barista who did not seem to know English very well, but she was still very kind.Wheelchair accessibility: No stairs and it is easy to aces with a small ramp“
“Absolutely incredible customer service, super friendly and accommodating! The server Hannah absolutely made my day with her friendly guidance and introduction. The food was delicious too had so much fun with the spicy Cheeto and fruity pebble dog.“
“This is the best tea I've ever had! I got the roasted oolong, Thai tea and Matcha latte. They were all extremely fresh tasting and delicious. We also got the Taro, which was also very fresh, but because of that tasted like drinking pureed taro root. I personally didn't enjoy it.The teas are served in amazing glass jars which you can reuse for next time. The staff are very friendly and helpful.Dietary restrictions: They had milk alternatives.“
“Hi Quang! The Classic Milk Teas from Top Up Tea were absolutely delightful! The balance of tea and milk was perfect, resulting in a creamy and smooth texture. The tea flavor was rich and robust, and it blended harmoniously with the sweetness of the milk. Overall, the taste was fantastic!As for the service, it was exceptional. The staff members were friendly, attentive, and efficient. They took the time to explain the menu options and make recommendations based on personal preferences. The order was prepared quickly, and the drinks were served with a smile. The overall experience was delightful, and I would highly recommend Top Up Tea to others. Keep up the great work! ???Hello Quang! The classic milk tea from Top Up Tea is truly delightful! The balance between tea and milk is perfect, giving it a creamy and smooth texture. The tea flavor is rich and rich, blending harmoniously with the sweetness of the milk. Overall, the taste is amazing!As for the service, it was exceptional. The staff are very friendly, attentive and efficient. They took the time to explain the menu choices and make suggestions based on personal preferences. Orders are prepared quickly and drinks are served with a smile. The overall experience was enjoyable and I would highly recommend Top Up Tea to others. Keep up the great work! ? ??“
“Came here on a Friday afternoon after I picked up the boys. Boys wanted some ice cream on a hot day and I had a craving for some boba. We ordered through the window. Kids got some Thai tea ice cream and I ordered boba. Everything came out very quickly. The staff here is very nice and courteous. If you guys are around the area and need something sweet please come by here and try them out“
“Loved the mango boba with red beans ❤️So delicious and comforting, what’s more is that I paid the price of 1 for 2 with their special discount that day . Too bad there’s no branch here in the L.A. area .Dietary restrictions: With the customized ordering, you can opt to reduce the sugar in your boba drink, I only had 50% of the amount of sugar for my calorie limit. So that’s really great and my boba tasted so yummy , my hubby had one too?“
“Me and my friends ordered Boba tea from zero&. They have an amazing selection of items that you can customise based on your own preferences. I love the coconut, mango tea and the ube taro tea, so flavourful and pretty inexpensive. Their service was very quick and I didn’t have to wait more than 10 minutes before I got my “
“My daughter had been raving about this place for months. I finally joined her this week, and I was blown away. The food was delicious, made fresh in front of our eyes. The atmosphere is adorable with fantastic pink clouds floating above. And the service was warm and memorable (they even provided a complimentary treat for my daughter's birthday!). This is a must see spot , and I can't wait to return!“
“I recently visited and was blown away by their incredible offerings. The black milk tea with boba was an exquisite blend of flavors that left me craving for more. The Hong Kong style milk tea was a delightful balance of sweetness, and the boba pearls were cooked to perfection – soft and chewy, enhancing the overall experience.What's even more remarkable is the affordability. Shockingly, Sweetheart Cafe offers their delectable treats at half the price compared to other places, like the one in Berkeley. So if you're in the mood for some top-tier milk tea without breaking the bank, this is the place to be!*THERE'S an exciting bonus for all Pokemon Go enthusiasts out there. Sweetheart Cafe offers a unique Pokemon Go Level Discount that truly sets them apart. As a long-time Pokemon Go Player, I never imagined I would get tangible benefits from my gaming passion. Here's how it works:Level 1-28 = 5% DiscountLevel 29-38 = 10% DiscountLevel 39-46 = 15% DiscountLevel 47-50 = 20% Discount“
“Just got a Banana Hojicha here after Skyler answered a few questions. They were friendly and informative in helping me choose between Banana Hojicha or a Hot Honey drink. Everything was fresh! Soft chewy boba??. Thank you, Skyler! ?Dietary restrictions: I can't have dairy.“
“Great Boba place with plenty of yummy choices. Decorations are fun, and there is a kids' play area that was clean and fun for little ones to enjoy. Every wall seems Instagram worthy for pictures. It's worth checking out if you're in the area.Kid-friendliness: They have non caffeine drinks with less sugar options for kids.“
“The average star review should be higher than 4. This is easily a 5 star location. The product quality is that of some high end place. I know the dine in area is closed off but it's still worth stopping by to get something to go. I'm not going to say what I get cause I don't ever want it to sell out. It's a slushie but I won't say which flavor. The service is always great. The wait time is reasonable. They fix products with intention. They pay attention. The area is starting to get sketchy though with the car window break-ins; so, be aware of your surroundings if you go in a car. The car break-ins have nothing to do with the business itself, I just wanted to alert y'all.“
“If you haven't been to this location before, be warned that there isn't a ton of street parking directly next to the store, but there is a parking garage within walking distance that has 1 hour free parking! The interior isn't huge, but you can definitely go in to sit down with a couple of friends! We only came for the drinks (D3 & B2). The service was quick as well. I generally try to go by the rule that if you've never had a drink before at a new place, you should always get 100% to try the drink how it was intended to be made. That being said, we got the B2 with green milk tea & 80% sweetness but didn't really feel like the flavor was super strong... I definitely feel like I should have gotten a 100%! There was A TON of boba in there, which was half appreciated but also it was so difficult to try the drink on its own! We also got the D3 with 100%( Milk with Caramel, Boba + Pudding). The caramel definitely makes this feel like it's 200% sweetness, so you could totally tone down the sweetness for this drink. Other than that, the boba was nice and chewy, a little smaller than usual though!“
“It's not my first time trying Boba Guys nor my first time trying this location. I've been a customer for a couple of years now, spanning back to when their strawberry matcha drink held the boba spotlight. Previously I never lived close enough to a location to become a regular, but I recently started frequenting the area around this location and it has received the majority of my boba business as the de facto boba shop within walking distance.I'm still not accustomed to SF boba prices and the drinks here are definitely on the pricier side. I've tried the mango jasmine fresca with aloe jelly, rose black tea with boba, Hong Kong milk tea with boba, ube latte with boba, and Thai tea with boba. I've ordered with the casher in-person, at the kiosk in-store, and online through the boba guys website. Most of the time I'm walking the dog so I have to do the obligatory "walk in while holding the dog in my arms," but the staff have always been friendly and accommodating whenever I come in.When I decided to try the mango jasmine fresca, I was actually a little bummed that there was a passion fruit jasmine fresca which was exclusive to New York because that sounds much better to me personally. I usually get crystal boba with my fruit teas so I was surprised to discover that Boba Guys actually doesn't do crystal boba--they only have regular boba, almond jelly, chia seeds, and aloe jelly. Going in I thought the mango jasmine would be more like a Starbucks refresher, but I want to say that it was on the sweeter side to be considered refreshing. Boba Guys also doesn't formally do a sweetness adjustment for a lot of their drinks--when I ordered the Hong Kong milk tea I agreed to add more black tea to make it less sweet but for the ube latte they would have to take out some ube puree so naturally I opted to leave it as it because everyone knows that puree is the good stuff.Boba Guys will stay a reputable and reliable chain in my book, and as long as I'm in SF I'll know that it's a solid option for satisfying any boba craving. I do appreciate how they keep the menu fresh with a variety of seasonal offerings but and I would recommend them to anyone who is a boba modernist (likes coffee with their boba, cloud foams, drinks with multiple layers, uncommon offerings). For those that are more traditionalist, the Hong Kong milk tea and Thai tea are definitely done well here. For those with furry friends that feel equally bad leaving them outside as you do bringing them inside and end up carrying them, the staff at this location have always been proactive in getting me set up with a drink carrier, flat-bottom bag, and straws in the bag when they see me with my hands full.“
“I'm on the fence about this place. The food is really good, but it's expensive. I've only been once, but it was during happy hour, which is why I went. Pictured is the only thing I ordered and my bill was $60 with the 20% gratuity. You don't really have a server because the menu is digital (take your phone), and you'll order and pay thru their portal. The staff don't speak much and the items all came out at separate times. It was tasty but a very strange experience. I might give them another try, but I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone and ruin my review reputation.“
“Boba is a hit or miss. This place was very good. I got the coffee cream and sis had the pearl milk tea. Added pudding to the coffee and it was great, had a nice sweet creamy and somewhat saltiness to it, although not sure if they put espresso shots or what but the caffeine level didn’t seem too high. So just depends what you like.. nice inside plenty of seating friendly staff no food available, but plenty of drinks.Parking: Busy on weeknights barely found parking“
Bubble Tea •
“The drinks so good but the costumer services they are lazy and don't know which is your order and I'm waiting for more than ten minutes. Don't go early people working in the morning they don't care your order and pretending didn't see you standing there and waiting your order.“
“Stumbled on this in Ross alley . Rushed In and asked for a hot milk tea with boba . She made it For me quickly it was delicious . My friends all wanted one later ! I wasn't sure what to expect because it's not well signed and there appears to be only person working. So don't be in a hurry . Worth the wait though“
“My go-to for traditional non-milk teas; I favor hojicha & matcha. The seasonal flavors such as yuzu & asian pear add another level of variety & complexity & you can get it unsweetened as well. There are local baked goods but they disappear quickly, but I was able to snag a black sesame cookie. The matcha sparkler hits the spot on a warm day too.“
“Tried house black (got a glass cup for free!) Wasn't very sweet 5.45 nvm kinda sweet. Good tea flavor. Hardish boba (not as soft as I wanted)11.20.2023. A little confused about the pricing because I think the menu in the store is not updated. Plentea 7.25 (I added honey tapioca for 0.50). I asked for a glass bottle. Plentea is basically a potted plant drink. Tea I believe, topped with milk and crushed oreos. The oreos added a nice cookies n' cream taste and a different texture. Boba was decent, a little on the firm side. Now that I've tried plentea a couple of times, I don't think it makes my favorites list or perhaps I didn't choose the right drinks. A solid boba place, just not my FAVORITE. (I do like the bottles tho).01.16.2024. Regular milk tea with boba. The boba was hardish. I wonder because it was sitting out for a while in the jars? Also got a fruit tea with jelly.03.06.2024. Matcha latte potted plant + boba. YUM. oreo definitely added cookies and cream flavor which was yummy. matcha was stronggg.“
“My friend visited me from SF cause I've been ill for a long time and she brought me Tibear. It's pretty local to their neighborhood in Richmond district by Golden Gate Park. She frequents there often and is a big boba connoisseur since our college days so I was excited to try it.She got me a brown sugar boba fresh milk and it was pretty good. I think what sets this drink above the rest was the quality of brown sugar syrup they use. They brown their boba themselves and make it fresh which is amazing. Check it out on your way to GG Park! :)“
“The mango pomelo sago drink was really good and so much better than I expected. The black tea latte tasted like any other milk tea. The pearls was a bit hard.There is no interaction with the staff; you order on the machine, you wait, and you grab and go.“
“Stumbled upon an amazing Taiwanese restaurant on Google during my unexpected trip to San Francisco. Must-try dishes include the incredible Popcorn Chicken, classic Braised Pork Over Rice, and delightful Sweet Potato Fries with Plum Powder. The restaurant offers a cozy ambiance, and the friendly staff enhances the overall experience. A must-visit for an authentic taste of Taiwan!“
“I don't care if this place is in the Tenderloin. I walk from da apartment to Da Hot Spot (about a mile, I live in Nob Hill) to get BoBa. Their food is pretty good too. The service is great and friendly. I don't know if the man that makes my boba owns the place, but he takes good care of everyone that walks in like he does own the place. Everything on da menu that I've tried has been good. So go there tomorrow morning and get you a boba breakfast.... That's not a real thing. I made it up. However, if you drink boba for breakfast like I do, then you can call a boba breakfast“
“I was coming here everyday when I first moved to Berkeley. The Yakult teas and Oolong teas are my favorite. I'll usually add taro balls and Mochi jelly!! Those are the best two topping options, but their boba is also delicious with a perfect consistency. I think this is a bit pricier for the area, but honestly I think it's worth it sometimes.“
“Wow- just discovered this gem recently- purchased some yummy chicken soup and crackers. Went back today for more soup and a slice of their quiche lorraine..an incredibly interesting selection of great things to eat as well as coffee. If in the area, I would definitely stop and take a look.I travel from Piedmont as they offer delighst you cannot fins elsewhere in one spot!.“