In honor of National Boba Day, I've decided to review a boba spot. I've been coming to Factory Tea Bar for many years and I have seen it endure the many changes of the Mission district. So I'm glad to see this place still flourishing. It's a big space so great for bigger groups and hangouts. They have added games so you have more things to do. When I went recently i got their Factory Milk tea, half sweet with pudding. My parents got a Passionfruit green tea and the aloha blended drink. I thought my tea was still too sweet even with it being 50%. My mom's Passionfruit green tea tasted a bit overbrewed since it was a bit bitter on the tail end. But my dad's aloha blended drink was good. But this place has been a staple to go to when I'm near for many years. So I would go again.
Jacqueline T.
Factory tea bar has a very special vibe. There is a variety of boba tea. My fave is the dirty nom nom. It hits the spot. More importantly, this was the spot for my first date with my boyfriend. Extra special fun memory.
Emily L.
The nomnom milk was great, boba was cooked perfectly. Fries were great too but a bit pricey. We went on a late Friday night so it was busy. There is a game side of the place which was fun. We paid for an hour of billiards ($15) but we were annoyed the cashier made us leave 10 minutes early before our time was up so that the next party could take the table. We didn't feel like arguing though so we just left. Parking is a bit tough. They have a lot but super small. Likely better to park on the street if you can.
Braxton H.
Factory Tea Bar is a cozy little place to hang out with friends on a late night. What I enjoy about this place is its ambience, from its bright lights and teenage environment. I really appreciate and enjoy how this place is open late and is a spot for young adults alike to relax, talk about life, and play board games. There is a variety of entertainment here, from its claw machines to its Jenga and Cards. I ordered the Brown Sugar Milk Tea and it was really delicious! I wish there a more decent portion size l, but for the experience, I really enjoyed it :)
Katie R.
The service here is always friendly and the drinks are fine. The real issue is they always have their disability access blocked. Everyday there are chairs in the front parking area clearly marked for disabled parking with a wheelchair symbol, as well as cord and/or hose barriers along the paths and ramps where people with mobility aids should be able to access. They also often have one or two of the doors locked, so neither door which both have the wheelchair accessible symbol posted on them are accessible. The front door by the sidewalk is permanently closed. Everyone should have access to boba and gaming. It's also somewhere I'd like to spend time with my mom but unfortunately it's set up in this exclusionary way.
Arlene R.
It was my first time here and I enjoyed my time. It is a loud and chatty environment. It's an all around chill place with great drinks and food. There's an arcade with pool tables as well. The service is so fast. The employees were pushing out so many drinks in less than a few minutes which is impressive considering how packed it was. I definitely recommend.
Sarah A.
Had hopes for this spot because it was in a really cute location. Unfortunately, it didn't perform as well as I'd hoped. Ordered combo 3: fries & popcorn chicken As well as Hot Nom Nom with boba Fries was delicious, on the saltier side in case you're not a fan Popcorn chicken was under seasoned, a little bland in my opinion Drink was ok, could be creamier but at least boba was good Ambience and environment didn't feel cohesive. Super bustling so it had a lot of potential, but ambience isn't cohesive. Feels like half thrown together regarding seating, furniture, etc. Some design aspects were cool and great ideas but I wish there was consistency to make it feel more welcoming Staff was half and half. Lady that was there was the only one helpful or welcoming. Two guys that were there weren't helpful, though one seemed to be new so he gets a pass from me. Other guy seemed to not even care about doing anything. When I ordered, he just stood there, when I asked where the restroom was, he just stood there. Meanwhile, the lady was trying to be helpful while prepping orders Staff
Jessy Vasquez
This place can have very good drinks. I say may because this place is popular and when they have a large crowd they get a lot of orders. My go-to drinks are the Jack and Rose and flirting with Taro. On the days they are busy I do find my drinks lacking in the flavor department and last night my Jack and Rose was missing the point liquid which I assume is what gives it its floral taste. Other than that this place is a great place to come to and have drinks and chill. They have claw machines and like all machines, it's chance-based. Beware of the claw machine with the eeveelutions the claw is way smaller than the actual price so it is nearly impossible to win.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pudding, Passion Fruit
JoAnne
Ordered Almond milk tea. Forgot to tell them no sugar. When I asked the server was really nice about it and make it less sweet for me. Great service!! .. they also have a lot of little gift items to purchase. Cool set up.
We enjoyed factory tea bar for friend game night. The claw machine has boba plushies, the appetizer plates were stacked and had elote fries, there is cool hidden artwork, and I'm in love with brick toast we also got a boba tower of tea. Such a fun idea for a friends night out! FOOD: Peach Black Tea Tower w/ Grass Jelly Caramel Brick Toast Elote Fries Calamari Sweet Potato Fries Popcorn Chicken
Jonathan N.
I usually come here with a group of friends as this place is known for having group hangouts and an arcade. First thing I want to say is that if you're looking for a high quality boba spot, this is probably not the place where you wanna be since the quality isn't that good. However this place offers snacks and combos that go along with the drinks that you order. Additionally, there is a small arcade at the back of this store where everyone can hangout and play games together. Overall, it was an okay experience.
Anny O.
Nom nom milk tea 4/5 - I think this is one of the best drinks. Its kinda like brown sugar boba milk tea. My sister and I both got one each but here's was a lot sweeter. Mine was a little more bland even though we both didn't make adjustments to our drinks Elote fries 3/5 - I wish there was more of the toppings like cheese and sauce. It was decent but I wouldn't get it again for the price.
Bonnie D.
I haven't been to factory tea bar in years. I think the last time was pre Covid. I use to come here during my first few years of college to study and do work. I would say it has become more lively throughout the years. They added more claw machines and now an area for pool tables in the back and a couple of karaoke rooms. I would say they have now converted to more of the hang out spot to be at in San Gabriel. The tea is still good. I tried the Sakura green tea and it was light and refreshing. I tried to order on the phone to pick up ahead of time but they actually don't make the drink until you check in to pay.
Cherry C.
I like this place. At a certain time there are a lot of students from San Gabriel high that show up so I recommend going when it's school hours or early reservations. Food is alright but I like going for the karaoke. It's priced alright and is pretty cute.
In honor of National Boba Day, I've decided to review a boba spot. I've been coming to Factory Tea Bar for many years and I have seen it endure the many changes of the Mission district. So I'm glad to see this place still flourishing. It's a big space so great for bigger groups and hangouts. They have added games so you have more things to do. When I went recently i got their Factory Milk tea, half sweet with pudding. My parents got a Passionfruit green tea and the aloha blended drink. I thought my tea was still too sweet even with it being 50%. My mom's Passionfruit green tea tasted a bit overbrewed since it was a bit bitter on the tail end. But my dad's aloha blended drink was good. But this place has been a staple to go to when I'm near for many years. So I would go again.
Factory tea bar has a very special vibe. There is a variety of boba tea. My fave is the dirty nom nom. It hits the spot. More importantly, this was the spot for my first date with my boyfriend. Extra special fun memory.
The nomnom milk was great, boba was cooked perfectly. Fries were great too but a bit pricey. We went on a late Friday night so it was busy. There is a game side of the place which was fun. We paid for an hour of billiards ($15) but we were annoyed the cashier made us leave 10 minutes early before our time was up so that the next party could take the table. We didn't feel like arguing though so we just left. Parking is a bit tough. They have a lot but super small. Likely better to park on the street if you can.
Factory Tea Bar is a cozy little place to hang out with friends on a late night. What I enjoy about this place is its ambience, from its bright lights and teenage environment. I really appreciate and enjoy how this place is open late and is a spot for young adults alike to relax, talk about life, and play board games. There is a variety of entertainment here, from its claw machines to its Jenga and Cards. I ordered the Brown Sugar Milk Tea and it was really delicious! I wish there a more decent portion size l, but for the experience, I really enjoyed it :)
The service here is always friendly and the drinks are fine. The real issue is they always have their disability access blocked. Everyday there are chairs in the front parking area clearly marked for disabled parking with a wheelchair symbol, as well as cord and/or hose barriers along the paths and ramps where people with mobility aids should be able to access. They also often have one or two of the doors locked, so neither door which both have the wheelchair accessible symbol posted on them are accessible. The front door by the sidewalk is permanently closed. Everyone should have access to boba and gaming. It's also somewhere I'd like to spend time with my mom but unfortunately it's set up in this exclusionary way.
It was my first time here and I enjoyed my time. It is a loud and chatty environment. It's an all around chill place with great drinks and food. There's an arcade with pool tables as well. The service is so fast. The employees were pushing out so many drinks in less than a few minutes which is impressive considering how packed it was. I definitely recommend.
Had hopes for this spot because it was in a really cute location. Unfortunately, it didn't perform as well as I'd hoped. Ordered combo 3: fries & popcorn chicken As well as Hot Nom Nom with boba Fries was delicious, on the saltier side in case you're not a fan Popcorn chicken was under seasoned, a little bland in my opinion Drink was ok, could be creamier but at least boba was good Ambience and environment didn't feel cohesive. Super bustling so it had a lot of potential, but ambience isn't cohesive. Feels like half thrown together regarding seating, furniture, etc. Some design aspects were cool and great ideas but I wish there was consistency to make it feel more welcoming Staff was half and half. Lady that was there was the only one helpful or welcoming. Two guys that were there weren't helpful, though one seemed to be new so he gets a pass from me. Other guy seemed to not even care about doing anything. When I ordered, he just stood there, when I asked where the restroom was, he just stood there. Meanwhile, the lady was trying to be helpful while prepping orders Staff
This place can have very good drinks. I say may because this place is popular and when they have a large crowd they get a lot of orders. My go-to drinks are the Jack and Rose and flirting with Taro. On the days they are busy I do find my drinks lacking in the flavor department and last night my Jack and Rose was missing the point liquid which I assume is what gives it its floral taste. Other than that this place is a great place to come to and have drinks and chill. They have claw machines and like all machines, it's chance-based. Beware of the claw machine with the eeveelutions the claw is way smaller than the actual price so it is nearly impossible to win.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pudding, Passion Fruit
Ordered Almond milk tea. Forgot to tell them no sugar. When I asked the server was really nice about it and make it less sweet for me. Great service!! .. they also have a lot of little gift items to purchase. Cool set up.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bubble Waffle
Very nice
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We enjoyed factory tea bar for friend game night. The claw machine has boba plushies, the appetizer plates were stacked and had elote fries, there is cool hidden artwork, and I'm in love with brick toast we also got a boba tower of tea. Such a fun idea for a friends night out! FOOD: Peach Black Tea Tower w/ Grass Jelly Caramel Brick Toast Elote Fries Calamari Sweet Potato Fries Popcorn Chicken
I usually come here with a group of friends as this place is known for having group hangouts and an arcade. First thing I want to say is that if you're looking for a high quality boba spot, this is probably not the place where you wanna be since the quality isn't that good. However this place offers snacks and combos that go along with the drinks that you order. Additionally, there is a small arcade at the back of this store where everyone can hangout and play games together. Overall, it was an okay experience.
Nom nom milk tea 4/5 - I think this is one of the best drinks. Its kinda like brown sugar boba milk tea. My sister and I both got one each but here's was a lot sweeter. Mine was a little more bland even though we both didn't make adjustments to our drinks Elote fries 3/5 - I wish there was more of the toppings like cheese and sauce. It was decent but I wouldn't get it again for the price.
I haven't been to factory tea bar in years. I think the last time was pre Covid. I use to come here during my first few years of college to study and do work. I would say it has become more lively throughout the years. They added more claw machines and now an area for pool tables in the back and a couple of karaoke rooms. I would say they have now converted to more of the hang out spot to be at in San Gabriel. The tea is still good. I tried the Sakura green tea and it was light and refreshing. I tried to order on the phone to pick up ahead of time but they actually don't make the drink until you check in to pay.
I like this place. At a certain time there are a lot of students from San Gabriel high that show up so I recommend going when it's school hours or early reservations. Food is alright but I like going for the karaoke. It's priced alright and is pretty cute.