I tried various Happy Lemon stores and none of them has tasty drinks, and yet this brand was on recommendation to me. Many other boba stores actually have better milk tea. This place, I have tried 3 times with different items because I thought there must be something good about it that my friend recommended it. Nope, they’re pretty average. Nothing special.Kid-friendliness: They serve waffles and milk teas.Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair entrance and elevator
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
Maes Jada
They are so friendly and the drinks and the food very good ?
David Garry
The drinks are fine - it’s the constantly >20 min wait times that are insane. It’s also impossibly hard to access, on the 2nd floor of an abandoned mall where the escalator up has been broken for almost a year. It’s literally faster for me to drive to another boba place even though this one is right next to me, because of how they consistently take FOREVER to get the drinks out. It’s unfortunate because the drinks themselves are fine. :(
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Roasted Tea w Salted Cheese, Salted Cheese
Mark
Managers have horrible customer service skills. The actual barista’s / employees are much more skilled with customer service and I have appreciated the times they helped me so much.Yet I’ve walked in on the managers snapping/being rude to their employees; which is hilarious considering the skill gap.Place is never open on time; once came in at 3pm and the store was still closed. Not surprised employees don’t stay with how management seems to act, and of course management can’t be damned to work as much as they expect employees to.Also a dollar for no ice is a damn joke. The Uber storefront for this place is even more insulting.
Phoebe Yeh
They ask for extra 1 dollars for NO ICE! Very nonsense!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: With Salted Cheese
Lavender Clouds
Music is way too loud ??...I don't mind waiting but I feel like I want to run out of there because I hate the quality of the music and The volume is way too
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jessie Fadayel
They close early when the time says 8! Showed up now 5 times at 7:30 and they’re always
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Brian Y.
All my kiddos wanted were the bubble waffles after the movie next door, so I ordered and the cashier took my order and told me 10 min. 15 minutes later and still there was nobody at the waffle station, so I had to remind him. Fast forward fifteen minutes, and finally the bubble waffles showed up. I told the cashier that a 30 minute wait was ridiculous, which he just dismissed.Never again . If you are gonna be slow, then at least don't lie about how long it will take . Ugh .
Rhonda Lam
Despite this is a chain boba tea shop, and I have little to no high expectations for it, the variety of selection and flavors that they offered are quite unique and surprising. I’m always fond of the salted cheese and green tea/matcha flavor, and this shop offered a tiramisu cheese which can I cannot find anywhere else in the Bay Area. Although the matcha flavor wasn’t strong enough, the texture of the tiramisu cheese was very foamy and satisfying for my cravings.The setting and decor of the shop is cute with friendly staff even at the end of the day. It is a forgotten place in the Tanforan mall where half of the shops are closed down.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Son Lee
I've been to a number of Happy Lemons, but I haven't been to one where the manager lady us very talkative. Not in a good way, but more combative. She repeatedly told me how I should order my drink and then started on conversation about the downtown location. I mentioned it was busy, but she found it skeptical. It was funny how she just can't believe it was busy or perhaps more successful than her location.Long story short, drinks were great! Got the Mango tea with Mango Boba and it was perfect. Service was uncomfortable and that added to the atmosphere quality as well.Will come here again, but make the conversation short with that manager lady.
I have a drink from here regularly. The managers of the store and the employees are really kind. I feel refreshed drinking from here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nelson W.
There seems to be some shadiness going on with this particular Happy Lemon especially with the lady (manager?) that several reviews have mentioned. I didn't want to post a bad review based on one bad experience, but after a series of incidents it's time to give my verdict. It all started several months earlier when I tried to use my rewards card. The lady told me the rewards card is no longer being accepted and that HL is moving on to a rewards app which was still in progress.The next time I came in was about two months later. Remembering what she told me previously, I said "so you are no longer accepting the rewards card, correct?". She said "right, yesterday was the last day you could use the rewards card." That was my first red flag - how could yesterday be the last day when two months earlier you told me you've already stopped accepting it? I tried to use my app to earn my reward, but realized I had to sign up first. I didn't want to bother to sign up that time so I just let it go - no big deal.I was reluctant to come again but we were at Tanforan today and the wifey wanted HL. We wanted a D6 - Ube Milk Tea with Puff Cream and Taro Balls (at least that's what shows on the menu). We wanted to substitute the taro balls for crystal boba and thought it should be no problem since they are the same price. The lady gave me some BS story that nobody has taro balls anymore anyways. She told some d*** joke that that hasn't been available since 2021, and that now is 2023 - "so you know they would be expired by now." So apparently they replaced taro balls with regular boba (but with the same menu price). When I asked for crystal boba instead she added $1.- Why would they display taro balls if they haven't had it for two years? And why would they replace it with regular boba (which costs less) and still charge the same price for the drink?- Why would they charge a full $1 for crystal boba when it's the same price of the taro balls ( which is what it should be)? Or even if I'm upgrading from regular boba to crystal, it shouldn't be a full $1.- I showed my app this time and she just asked me to scan my barcode. I haven't seen my reward points registered yet.- They're always reluctant to let me keep my receipt. When I do ask for it, the lady always tear off the bottom part. I wonder if it's to prevent me from entering some code to my app to manually add my reward points.Like I said, shadiness.
Juan V.
This is one of the best places to get a boba or refreshing drink at the mall. I got the mango and matcha and it was yummy. There is lots of drinks on the menu to try out.
Adrian F.
My partner and I have been going to this Happy Lemon for years now. Their drinks are made correctly to order 99% of the time and the preparation of the drinks is top notch, which has kept us coming back to this location time and time again. Other Happy Lemon stores and their drinks don't compare to this one in this regard.The owners have also always been very kind and really care to get everything right on your order and get it to you as quickly as they can. They are very friendly and even memorized my name and order. My favorite boba shop!
Nhie N.
First time trying out the app, only took 3 mins so it was way faster than what I expected, the staff is nice and friendly too.
I tried various Happy Lemon stores and none of them has tasty drinks, and yet this brand was on recommendation to me. Many other boba stores actually have better milk tea. This place, I have tried 3 times with different items because I thought there must be something good about it that my friend recommended it. Nope, they’re pretty average. Nothing special.Kid-friendliness: They serve waffles and milk teas.Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair entrance and elevator
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
They are so friendly and the drinks and the food very good ?
The drinks are fine - it’s the constantly >20 min wait times that are insane. It’s also impossibly hard to access, on the 2nd floor of an abandoned mall where the escalator up has been broken for almost a year. It’s literally faster for me to drive to another boba place even though this one is right next to me, because of how they consistently take FOREVER to get the drinks out. It’s unfortunate because the drinks themselves are fine. :(
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Roasted Tea w Salted Cheese, Salted Cheese
Managers have horrible customer service skills. The actual barista’s / employees are much more skilled with customer service and I have appreciated the times they helped me so much.Yet I’ve walked in on the managers snapping/being rude to their employees; which is hilarious considering the skill gap.Place is never open on time; once came in at 3pm and the store was still closed. Not surprised employees don’t stay with how management seems to act, and of course management can’t be damned to work as much as they expect employees to.Also a dollar for no ice is a damn joke. The Uber storefront for this place is even more insulting.
They ask for extra 1 dollars for NO ICE! Very nonsense!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: With Salted Cheese
Music is way too loud ??...I don't mind waiting but I feel like I want to run out of there because I hate the quality of the music and The volume is way too
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
They close early when the time says 8! Showed up now 5 times at 7:30 and they’re always
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
All my kiddos wanted were the bubble waffles after the movie next door, so I ordered and the cashier took my order and told me 10 min. 15 minutes later and still there was nobody at the waffle station, so I had to remind him. Fast forward fifteen minutes, and finally the bubble waffles showed up. I told the cashier that a 30 minute wait was ridiculous, which he just dismissed.Never again . If you are gonna be slow, then at least don't lie about how long it will take . Ugh .
Despite this is a chain boba tea shop, and I have little to no high expectations for it, the variety of selection and flavors that they offered are quite unique and surprising. I’m always fond of the salted cheese and green tea/matcha flavor, and this shop offered a tiramisu cheese which can I cannot find anywhere else in the Bay Area. Although the matcha flavor wasn’t strong enough, the texture of the tiramisu cheese was very foamy and satisfying for my cravings.The setting and decor of the shop is cute with friendly staff even at the end of the day. It is a forgotten place in the Tanforan mall where half of the shops are closed down.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
I've been to a number of Happy Lemons, but I haven't been to one where the manager lady us very talkative. Not in a good way, but more combative. She repeatedly told me how I should order my drink and then started on conversation about the downtown location. I mentioned it was busy, but she found it skeptical. It was funny how she just can't believe it was busy or perhaps more successful than her location.Long story short, drinks were great! Got the Mango tea with Mango Boba and it was perfect. Service was uncomfortable and that added to the atmosphere quality as well.Will come here again, but make the conversation short with that manager lady.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Mango Chunks
Restaurantji Recommends
I have a drink from here regularly. The managers of the store and the employees are really kind. I feel refreshed drinking from here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
There seems to be some shadiness going on with this particular Happy Lemon especially with the lady (manager?) that several reviews have mentioned. I didn't want to post a bad review based on one bad experience, but after a series of incidents it's time to give my verdict. It all started several months earlier when I tried to use my rewards card. The lady told me the rewards card is no longer being accepted and that HL is moving on to a rewards app which was still in progress.The next time I came in was about two months later. Remembering what she told me previously, I said "so you are no longer accepting the rewards card, correct?". She said "right, yesterday was the last day you could use the rewards card." That was my first red flag - how could yesterday be the last day when two months earlier you told me you've already stopped accepting it? I tried to use my app to earn my reward, but realized I had to sign up first. I didn't want to bother to sign up that time so I just let it go - no big deal.I was reluctant to come again but we were at Tanforan today and the wifey wanted HL. We wanted a D6 - Ube Milk Tea with Puff Cream and Taro Balls (at least that's what shows on the menu). We wanted to substitute the taro balls for crystal boba and thought it should be no problem since they are the same price. The lady gave me some BS story that nobody has taro balls anymore anyways. She told some d*** joke that that hasn't been available since 2021, and that now is 2023 - "so you know they would be expired by now." So apparently they replaced taro balls with regular boba (but with the same menu price). When I asked for crystal boba instead she added $1.- Why would they display taro balls if they haven't had it for two years? And why would they replace it with regular boba (which costs less) and still charge the same price for the drink?- Why would they charge a full $1 for crystal boba when it's the same price of the taro balls ( which is what it should be)? Or even if I'm upgrading from regular boba to crystal, it shouldn't be a full $1.- I showed my app this time and she just asked me to scan my barcode. I haven't seen my reward points registered yet.- They're always reluctant to let me keep my receipt. When I do ask for it, the lady always tear off the bottom part. I wonder if it's to prevent me from entering some code to my app to manually add my reward points.Like I said, shadiness.
This is one of the best places to get a boba or refreshing drink at the mall. I got the mango and matcha and it was yummy. There is lots of drinks on the menu to try out.
My partner and I have been going to this Happy Lemon for years now. Their drinks are made correctly to order 99% of the time and the preparation of the drinks is top notch, which has kept us coming back to this location time and time again. Other Happy Lemon stores and their drinks don't compare to this one in this regard.The owners have also always been very kind and really care to get everything right on your order and get it to you as quickly as they can. They are very friendly and even memorized my name and order. My favorite boba shop!
First time trying out the app, only took 3 mins so it was way faster than what I expected, the staff is nice and friendly too.