This little tea place has the BEST halohalo in Tampa, nothing comes close (ube AND leche flan on your dessert, anyone?) Roberto knows his stuff, and puts a lot of effort into making the dishes authentic, but also adds in his culinary tweaks, which are delightful and refreshing! We were able to try the chicken adobo and the balance of salt and acid was beautiful, aside from the perfect texture of the meat. Customer service was excellent and you can really see the care that goes into making sure your food comes out right. I was very impressed, and recommend this highly.
star manley
Used to frequent this cute little joint long before Covid was a thing. It was sold by the previous owners but the new owner, Roberto, definitely took it up a notch. The tea selection is wonderful and boba can be added to whatever drink you choose. Food is awesome and an upgrade from the previous offerings. The Bao is not to be missed! Will be making it a point to come a lot more often!
Precious Washington
I just had the pulled pork Bao's, and oh my God... they are so delicious. Rob was very courteous and polite and gave me top notch customer service and made sure I was a satisfied customer. He even allowed me to try the vegi rice bowl on the house, which was also delicious. Even the cook was super nice and the taste of the food was above and beyond most flavors that restaurants have. I really enjoyed my experience and will definitely be back.
Victoria Sedlak
Awesome little hidden gem!I stopped in after getting my nails done next door to grab a tea, and the customer service was top notch. My Thai tea was delicious, and I’ll definitely be back to try the food!
Sofia L.
the tea was okay, but the boba was very chewy and tough, wasn't very good but it's probably cause it was my first time there.
Yankely G.
It was all really the amount of flavor is amazing that orange chicken was so flavorful and the customer service was amazing
Courtney Ueltschi
First of all, AMAZING customer service! The food speaks for itself, so delicious. Presentation isn’t everything, but it definitely helps. This was my first time trying TBD, but overall 5 star experience. Also has perfect smoothies. If you’re in the area, this place is a must try :) plus it was very fast
Kristina Gorman
Tucked away in a somewhat obscure location, this place is a gem. The clean, modern bistro-style shop primarily features a plethora of fresh tea concoctions and a small menu of Asian-inspired cuisine. The proprietor is exceptionally cordial and engaging. The food was also great. We tried the chicken teriyaki bao, pork lumpia, and chicken adobo rice bowl. All items were fresh and freshly prepared to perfection with quite authentic flavors. The tea was also refreshing and flavorful. Lastly, and perhaps most remarkable, was the halo halo. Absolutely the best halo halo I’ve ever had. This place is well worth a try. I’ll definitely be going back.
Kiera Matthews
It used to be an american tea house, but Roberto has really switched it up. It's got a great menu for handheld food choices and a slew of tea.Roberto is insanely passionate and you can tell he wants you to enjoy your time.The food is made fresh to order, so be patient if it takes a bit of time.The shop is small, but quaint.I would come here for a bite to eat during lunch or with friends. Or even to eat and study.The chicken teriyaki and pork Bao Buns were yummy.The things I didn't like was the hanging menu isn't intuitively placed. It's not behind or in front of the counter to order, it's to your left when you walk in. The other thing I disliked was the fly that kept getting bold enough to come near me.The shop wasn't dirty, by any means, but that fly wanted to taste my Bao Buns and I didn't like that it took away from my experience.
Neva Mcgriff
Had the absolute pleasure to try Bao for the first time here and it was everything I dreamt it would be. I can’t wait to go back and try all of the other types they have or maybe try a bowel. The reason we’re absolutely delicious and the owner was so friendly and inviting.
Definitely a hidden gem in an unsuspecting location. From the moment we entered we were impressed. They have a great little seating area and we were greeted right away and provided a run down of their menu. I got the Mojo Chicken Ricebowl with Chimichurri sauce and my husband got 3 Bao buns, 2 pork and one chicken. The food was delicious and presentation was on point and the drinks were refreshing. We devoured our food before I could snap a photo! We are already looking forward to our next visit.
S W
You know the food is good when you have to remind yourself to eat like a LADY and less like a SAVAGE! Chimichurri Chicken and Banana Bread Tea are delicious! I’ll be back.
Tina Iddirisu
Halo Halo was amazing! The owner is warm and gives personal attention to his customers! They have the best bao buns. Everything tastes so fresh and is beautifully presented!
Bliven R.
I've been here once before and I was impressed. Last week I was very disappointed. I ordered bulgogi rice bowl and Thai tea. After waiting almost 30 minutes my food was ready. The boba was over cooked and the tea was bitter. I have had bulgogi plenty of times in my life, this was shredded pork with extra greasy teriyaki sauce at best. I took a few bites and realized the pork tasted really off. So off that I did eat the rest of it. It tasted like 4 day old left overs that were warmed up in the microwave. The rice was over cooked to mush. I literally wasted $20 on food that was inedible. If you're going to make staple Asian American dishes at least put a little pride into it. This food is a joke.
Alexa
I love this place! The food is always amazing and you are greeted with enthusiasm the moment you walk in . On my last visit I had the halo halo desert. It was so good and the presentation was beautiful. I definitely recommend visiting.
This little tea place has the BEST halohalo in Tampa, nothing comes close (ube AND leche flan on your dessert, anyone?) Roberto knows his stuff, and puts a lot of effort into making the dishes authentic, but also adds in his culinary tweaks, which are delightful and refreshing! We were able to try the chicken adobo and the balance of salt and acid was beautiful, aside from the perfect texture of the meat. Customer service was excellent and you can really see the care that goes into making sure your food comes out right. I was very impressed, and recommend this highly.
Used to frequent this cute little joint long before Covid was a thing. It was sold by the previous owners but the new owner, Roberto, definitely took it up a notch. The tea selection is wonderful and boba can be added to whatever drink you choose. Food is awesome and an upgrade from the previous offerings. The Bao is not to be missed! Will be making it a point to come a lot more often!
I just had the pulled pork Bao's, and oh my God... they are so delicious. Rob was very courteous and polite and gave me top notch customer service and made sure I was a satisfied customer. He even allowed me to try the vegi rice bowl on the house, which was also delicious. Even the cook was super nice and the taste of the food was above and beyond most flavors that restaurants have. I really enjoyed my experience and will definitely be back.
Awesome little hidden gem!I stopped in after getting my nails done next door to grab a tea, and the customer service was top notch. My Thai tea was delicious, and I’ll definitely be back to try the food!
the tea was okay, but the boba was very chewy and tough, wasn't very good but it's probably cause it was my first time there.
It was all really the amount of flavor is amazing that orange chicken was so flavorful and the customer service was amazing
First of all, AMAZING customer service! The food speaks for itself, so delicious. Presentation isn’t everything, but it definitely helps. This was my first time trying TBD, but overall 5 star experience. Also has perfect smoothies. If you’re in the area, this place is a must try :) plus it was very fast
Tucked away in a somewhat obscure location, this place is a gem. The clean, modern bistro-style shop primarily features a plethora of fresh tea concoctions and a small menu of Asian-inspired cuisine. The proprietor is exceptionally cordial and engaging. The food was also great. We tried the chicken teriyaki bao, pork lumpia, and chicken adobo rice bowl. All items were fresh and freshly prepared to perfection with quite authentic flavors. The tea was also refreshing and flavorful. Lastly, and perhaps most remarkable, was the halo halo. Absolutely the best halo halo I’ve ever had. This place is well worth a try. I’ll definitely be going back.
It used to be an american tea house, but Roberto has really switched it up. It's got a great menu for handheld food choices and a slew of tea.Roberto is insanely passionate and you can tell he wants you to enjoy your time.The food is made fresh to order, so be patient if it takes a bit of time.The shop is small, but quaint.I would come here for a bite to eat during lunch or with friends. Or even to eat and study.The chicken teriyaki and pork Bao Buns were yummy.The things I didn't like was the hanging menu isn't intuitively placed. It's not behind or in front of the counter to order, it's to your left when you walk in. The other thing I disliked was the fly that kept getting bold enough to come near me.The shop wasn't dirty, by any means, but that fly wanted to taste my Bao Buns and I didn't like that it took away from my experience.
Had the absolute pleasure to try Bao for the first time here and it was everything I dreamt it would be. I can’t wait to go back and try all of the other types they have or maybe try a bowel. The reason we’re absolutely delicious and the owner was so friendly and inviting.
Restaurantji Recommends
Definitely a hidden gem in an unsuspecting location. From the moment we entered we were impressed. They have a great little seating area and we were greeted right away and provided a run down of their menu. I got the Mojo Chicken Ricebowl with Chimichurri sauce and my husband got 3 Bao buns, 2 pork and one chicken. The food was delicious and presentation was on point and the drinks were refreshing. We devoured our food before I could snap a photo! We are already looking forward to our next visit.
You know the food is good when you have to remind yourself to eat like a LADY and less like a SAVAGE! Chimichurri Chicken and Banana Bread Tea are delicious! I’ll be back.
Halo Halo was amazing! The owner is warm and gives personal attention to his customers! They have the best bao buns. Everything tastes so fresh and is beautifully presented!
I've been here once before and I was impressed. Last week I was very disappointed. I ordered bulgogi rice bowl and Thai tea. After waiting almost 30 minutes my food was ready. The boba was over cooked and the tea was bitter. I have had bulgogi plenty of times in my life, this was shredded pork with extra greasy teriyaki sauce at best. I took a few bites and realized the pork tasted really off. So off that I did eat the rest of it. It tasted like 4 day old left overs that were warmed up in the microwave. The rice was over cooked to mush. I literally wasted $20 on food that was inedible. If you're going to make staple Asian American dishes at least put a little pride into it. This food is a joke.
I love this place! The food is always amazing and you are greeted with enthusiasm the moment you walk in . On my last visit I had the halo halo desert. It was so good and the presentation was beautiful. I definitely recommend visiting.