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So thought this place was going to be good but overall the drinks are way too sweet. I went over the weekend for their grand opening buy one get one free special and tried 4 different drinks. Tried the guava and grapefruit, Hawaiian tea, kumquat lemon tea, and their classic yunnan milk tea. Ordered all drinks 50% sweet and 50% ice. The only drink that was okay was the yunnan milk tea. All the others were way too sweet even at 50% they tasted more like 125% sugar and that was without adding any toppings. If you like your boba extra sweet, this place is for you but I prefer to taste the tea in my drinks. The service was friendly but even though the line wasn’t too long maybe 20 people, it still took about 45 minutes from start to end to receive the order. Drinks are also about $5 without any toppings, a bit on the pricey side for boba. Would be worth it if it didn’t taste like straight sugar. Most likely won’t be back.

7 Leaves Cafe – Menu with Prices – 18547 S Western Ave, Torrance

Based on the previous yelp reviews and all the hype about this chain, I thought 7 leaves cafe would be my new go-to place. Sadly, this place fell below expectations. The venue is small, with a long table and a bench. its mainly a grab and go place. They offer a decent selection of milk teas including Jasmin, Oolong, and Taro Milk Tea. They also serve strawberry croissants which looked good, and macarons. However, I just wanted the drinks, so I went for the Assam Milk Tea, which according to the menu is “black tea carefully balanced with real sugar and milk” and the Jasmin Milk Tea with the option “lightly sweetened with honey boba,” for my mom. the service is good, I got my drinks within minutes of ordering and then I left. But the downside is that the drinks were loaded with sugar. Now, if you are reading this and love sweet drinks, then this would be the place for you. Sadly this place doesn’t allow you to adjust the sugar levels. I tried getting both drinks with no sugar and they said the most they can do is make it “lightly sweetened” So I did that for the Jasmin Milk Tea. Sadly, the this store and I have different definitions for the words “lightly sweetened.” The Assam Milk tea was supposed to have this bold flavor of black tea, but that was negligible when doused with a concentrated amount of sugar. To top it off, I think they were out of boba and didn’t tell me or somehow confused the word “boba” with “Aloe Vera” because I ended up with a Jasmin Milk Tea with Aloe Vera instead of Honey Boba. We ended up throwing the drinks away. So, I will try and come back just for the pastries. While they offer stamp cards, I doubt I’ll be back for the drinks anytime soon.

Kung Fu Tea – Menu with Prices – 2067 N Central Expy Suite 100, Richardson

Kung Fu Tea One of my favorite Boba chains and has locations all over the US. My favorite drinks from KFT are the milk teas. The Milk Teas at KFT are my favorite because of how creamy and rich the milk tea is compared to other Boba shop chains. The inside of the place is clean and looks nice but tables can be dirty like any other boba shop. The staff can make common mistakes just like any other boba shops. Another thing is their attention to your sugar preference. Sometimes I can order 50% sweetness but it’s still really sweet at KFT. This goes for every single boba shop out their is their attention to your sugar preference that you order. The same thing applies when you ask for less ice at KFT and all boba shops can give you normal ice amount. I’ve been to many boba chains and my favorite boba chain is ShareTea for its generous serving of boba and you get a larger size for the same price as a small size at KFT. The tea creaminess of the milk tea at ShareTea is more subtle then KFT. So it’s all a matter of your preference if you want more tea and stronger tea flavor go to ShareTea if you like your tea creamy but get less tea go to Kung Fu Tea. Another thing I don’t like about KFT is that they use a lot of powder flavoring for fruit drinks like taro. My favorite drink at KFT is oolong milk tea with boba because it’s creamy and rich flavor and a nutty taste. Drinks I recommend ordering are the Matcha red bean slush, oolong milk tea, and Kung fu tea. KFT also has an app to earn rewards and points every time you buy.

Molly Ramen?Poke?Tea – Menu with Prices – 869 Lynnhaven Pkwy #109, Virginia Beach

This location had $1.99 Milk Tea specials on Wednesdays so this was an opportunity to try it out. When you walk in, you place your order on a tablet. It’s very user friendly and it allows you to customize your order. I was with my family that included kids so we customized their drinks to no sugar for them. Since we knew it was going to take a while to get our order, we played some board games in the waiting area that was provided. The restaurant is spacious and clean. They offer poke bowls where you can see the toppings you want through the glass (think of Subways) as well as Ramen bowls. I noticed it was one guy making the drinks as well helping customers at the counter. They seemed to be understaffed but hey we are chilling so really no rush. Finally our drinks are ready! Sooo…. this is where it went downhill. Our drinks were all mixed up! The label that said NO sugar definitely had it. The label with the taro drink had the mocha drink in it and etc. The boba amount was very stingy that one of the drinks had literally 5 boba pieces in it. Because my 2 year old niece don’t need any sugar as requested, we asked if they can remake it because it was too sweet. Even at their mistake they made us pay for a new drink. The guy was going to remake it for free but the other staff lady maybe the “owner” said something in their language and said we would need to pay…sheeesh horrible customer service at its finest! At $1.99 that is what it’s really worth. It tasted like flavored milk, no strong tea notes, bubbles were a little too hard, and just overall not good so I’m glad we didn’t pay the full amount. My sister went back the next week with her kids and their friends and the Wednesday special is now $2.99, maybe due their popularity. But since kids don’t know any better on quality and taste, it’s a cheaper way to get them boba teas.

Gong Cha Richardson – Menu with Prices – 1425 E Belt Line Rd #102, Richardson

This place is amazing! Not only is the location super close but it’s next to Target! lol I love myself some milk tea and Target. My favorite drink is the Earl Grey Milk Tea with the 3J’s. I thought that with that many topping, the milk tea would be overpowered but it’s actually the opposite! You can still taste the tea and enjoy the toppings. This place also give a generous amount of toppings. The lemon aiyu with the white pearls is so refreshing on a hot day! The milk foam dirty brown sugar milk tea is so good, very similar to a caramel milk tea, but more milky flavor. The milk foam green milk tea is amazing! You can really taste the green tea flavor. Matcha milk tea is mixed ver well and there is not a powdery taste at all. The strawberry milk tea reminds me of an artificial strawberry pocky flavor. I do recommend all drinks to be less sweet though because this place tends to be on the sweeter side.

7 Leaves Cafe – Menu with Prices – 375 Saratoga Ave Suite N, San Jose

Finally got to try out 7 Leaves after all the hype from my friends. I think I got the wrong drinks so this deserves a second trip and update. This is what I thought of my first experience though. Location (3/5): Store is located on the corner of a plaza that’s kind of hard to get into. Lots of cars going in and out and it’s one of the entrances that immediately curves right/left depending on which entrance you turn into. Parking shouldn’t be a problem but it was pretty packed when I went. Also, take your belongings with you or hide them in the trunk because the parking spot next to me had shattered glass from a car. Store (4/5): It’s a pretty nice looking store but it’s sort of small. If you are planning on camping out for the day, you better go early because there aren’t a lot of tables inside. I think there’s enough though if you plan to chill for like 15-20 minutes after you get your order. Service (5/5): Pretty good! No issues here. I think the store is staffed by half ABG’s which isn’t a bad thing haha. Drinks (2/5): I’m a pretty standard boba drinker. Normally love to get a good quality PMT and I’d be pretty happy. However, I went bold this time and wanted to try something special from their menu so I went for the Mung Bean Milk Tea. We also opted for the Taro Milk Tea but that’s pretty standard. 1.) Mung Bean Milk Tea – I got 50 sugar/50 ice and it still tasted hella sweet. It’s pretty thick so be prepared to feel like you are eating a liquefied green bean soup. I think letting the ice melt and slowly drinking helped but damn this drink is hard to finish. If you are a big fan of Vietnamese drinks from Bambu, I think you’ll like this more but I wasn’t a big fan. 2.) Taro Milk Tea – 50 sugar/50 ice and it also felt very sweet. Tastes pretty good though and thought it was a good take on Taro Milk Tea. **I like how the toppings are only additional 55 cents. We got boba for both drinks and they were sweet and soft just how I like them. I have to try this place again and update my review after ordering maybe an Assam Milk Tea. That’s probably going to satisfy my tastes more.

JB Juice & Coffee – Menu with Prices – 4635 Frazee Rd, Oceanside

I’ve been coming to this shop since it replaced “Cuppys Cafe”. I live about 5 minutes away by drive or 30 minute walk so I come here often. The family there are very sweet and have gotten to know me and my fiancé. Their drinks are always sweet and refreshing. They have a variety of “toppings” (more like stuff to add to the bottom of your drink) from traditional boba, unique popping boba, to jellies, to red bean. I’ve tried their smoothies and they’re delightful but some are very much sweeter than others. Their milky frosts are amazing during the summer and have a candy like taste to them (without it being over powering.) On a day where I want something to sip and relax with, I get milk teas. I’ve tried a variety of them and they’ve all been extremely impressive! I’ve tried every topping and my favorite is the red bean because I grew up with it. Although it’s extremely sweet so be warned! Overall, this place is lovely. It is run by only two people thus it can have a bit of wait when they’re busy. But it’s never crowded and they always make sure you’re satisfied. They also have their kids in the corner minding their own business as they play and not bother anyone. They’re very sweet.

Milk Tea Lab – Menu with Prices – 1601 Branham Ln, San Jose

Rundown: I’m not sure exactly how to review “The Lab” AKA Milk Tea Lab (MTL), but I will try my best here. I sense that people in the bay area are picky how they get their boba served and itemized. I have probably only tried 3 other Boba places in a 10 year span; coming from an amatuer POV, I feel like the prices here are fair for quality and size. The people here are out-going, attentive and pay extra attention to detail. I am a basic tea drinker, normally I don’t have any special/extra requests for my tea. I got a Sm. Mango green tea @ 100% sugar and 100% Ice? Not sure I could definitely taste Mango, Green tea and sugar fusion in my drink. It was pretty sweet and lightly tart, but I liked the taste. Most of my Boba experience have been careless, so this was different. Next time I will request lower sugar levels! Ahhhhh! :+)’ My mom got a Sm Peach green tea: 100% sugar 100% ice and she also liked her drink, I think my mom like’s boba more than I do. She likes sweet things, cuz she’s a sweet and beautiful person. Good match! hahaha! The space is really BIG and reminds me of like a big A** toddler play room/daycare or something, they have few tables and some armchairs. The atmosphere is really laid-back and casual lots of SPACE and lots of pastel going on here. Reminds me of my nieces old bed room! Some kind of DJ set up in the back too, I’m assuming for local talent show’s. They also have some kind of periodic table for tea recommendations for geeks too and board games too! Fun place for 1 on 1’S and family time! Enso#84 The Lab#24 Yr#26 _Let’s smile and have some fun today.

Lollicup Tea Zone – Menu with Prices – 1550 E H St #H, Chula Vista

My go to boba place even though there’s a boba place across the street from me! The boba here is always nicely chewy and sweet. Usually, when you get boba late at night or close to closing, a shop’s boba is hard and VERY unappealing. But fear not, this boba shop has fresh boba even to the very end of the day. The drinks are blended to perfection. Drinks are not too sweet– if you’d like a modification on sweetness, just let a worker know! The shop is pretty spacious. However, if you go right after one of the schools get out, chances are you’ll be around a lot of middle/high schoolers. If you do catch yourself in this time, don’t worry because the line goes by pretty fast and your drinks come in a timely manner. The owners are amazing and friendly as always. Today, I went to the shop to get a friend a gift. I got a Taro slush with boba, bag of Sour Patch kids, and a gift certificate. The owner offered to put the bag of candy and gift certificate in a boba cup and seal it! It was super cute! To overlook this place would be a crime. It’s not the trendiest looking place, but it is the tastiest.

Sharetea Fullerton – Menu with Prices – 2445 E Chapman Ave, Fullerton

I’m rather picky with my teas and milk teas, but when I’m craving a drink, Sharetea is one of the top choices on my list. The quality and service is amazing. I also love how they are consistent. Of the many times I have gone, only once did an order taste different than usual, but all other times I’ve gone, the drinks almost always taste the same, which I love. Lots of other places can be very inconsistent, so even if you order the same drink every time, you’ll be surprised every time. Not Sharetea — if you have drink favorites, you will know what you’re getting 98% of the time (in my experience). No funky tastes, weird sweetness levels, inconsistent ratios and tastes, etc. This place is located in a plaza relatively close to CSUF and Troy H.S., so this place (especially towards the evening) is always swarming with students. Parking can be a bit difficult when it’sa busier time since the lot is shared with other businesses. As for the store itself, it’s pretty small, a few spots for 2 people, one larger table for 4, a small bar-like table towards the back, and a couple seats against the wall where people wait for drinks. If you’re looking for a place to sit and study, this isn’t the best spot to do so, it can get quite noisy. During peak hours, the line is always out the door, BUT the service is pretty quick! It’s amazing how quickly they make the drinks despite the amount of orders. For drinks, I have a set list of drinks I get when I go here: -Strawberry black tea (80% or 50% sweetness) -Mango green tea (80% sweetness) -Mango milk tea (80% sweetness) -QQ Happy Family Milk Tea (80% or 50% sweetness) These never fail me and I just switch drinks depending on my mood. I love that with their milk teas, it isn’t overly milky or an overload of tea. The ratio is really good. I believe they use non-dairy milk (not powder, woohoo!) for their milk teas, but it’s best to ask in case. For their fruit teas, I always love how refreshing they are and aren’t head achingly sweet. The boba pearls are also great, not overly mushy/soft and also not super hard. I think I’ve only gotten a couple drinks where the boba was too hard, but very few times. It has been solid all the other times. Prices aren’t that bad! It’s about $5, give or take depending on what drink and the toppings. Their drinks all come in one size so the price does justify the amount you’re getting. Overall, Sharetea has great drinks that are consistent, with great quality and service! They also have stamp cards, so make sure to grab one if you’re a frequent boba drinker!

Feng Cha Teahouse – Menu with Prices – 2701 Custer Pkwy, Richardson

My current favorite place for boba in DFW right now. The cafe is really cute and lets in a lot of natural light. It seems like a great place to read, study, or meet up with friends as there is quite a bit of space with plenty of seating and tables. Feng Cha has some of the most unique boba drinks in DFW that I’ve seen so far, and a variety of milk foam caps you can add on (taro, cheese foam, sea salt, matcha, etc), so Feng Cha gets major points for that! You can also adjust the sweetness of your drink here, which is a must for me in a boba shop. I enjoyed my rose oolong with the addition of matcha milk foam (70% sweet). This combo went pretty well together and I thought the matcha tasted pretty good. I tried it with taro milk foam once as well and this was not my favorite combination. I thought the taro was on the sweeter side, which was a negative for me. I’ve also tried the dirty boba (70% sweet), which was pretty delicious at first. It has cheese milk foam and brown sugar on top. After a while though I realized I couldn’t finish it. It is super rich, creamy, and sweet. If you want something more decadent, this might be the drink for you! We also tried the afternoon tea matcha cake. Unfortunately, it was just alright. It looked very pretty though. It was disappointing that the matcha milk foam was just thrown over some basic pound cake. I think it would be a hit if they introduced the first Japanese souffle pancakes in DFW and then they can throw the milk foam over that. It seems like that’s getting pretty popular right now. Overall, I can’t wait to try more drinks and milk foam combinations! There is also a Feng Cha in Carrollton now, which is closer to me! YAY! Summary- Favorite Drink: rose oolong with matcha milk foam cap (70% sweet) Business tip/gold mine idea: Ditch the pound cake and introduce the first Japanese Souffle pancakes in DFW on your menu, so you can throw milk foam on top of that!!

Short N Sweet Tapioca Tea – Menu with Prices – 35 SE Everett Mall Way # 10, Everett

This is probably one of my favorite stops for a sweet drink in Everett. The Jasmine Milk Tea with boba and (brown sugar) crystal jelly is so delicious I always finish it before I even make it home. All of the standard milk teas I’ve tried here have been delicious and the Super Krazy Drink is surprisingly good too! The Super Krazy Drink is actually a nice way to sample all of the boba, jelly, and pudding flavors all at once and see what you like best. I wouldn’t order it often but it was definitely worth a try. The sandwiches are also very good and I’m looking forward to trying their ice cream soon. The parking can be a little iffy as the lot is small but there’s usually a space or two open. Just be prepared for a little wait. Even if there’s only a couple of orders ahead of you, it’s going to be around 10-15 minutes while they prepare your drinks. Everyone is very personable and accommodating, it just seems like it takes a while to prep and seal your drink in the machine.

Fat Bee Drinks – Menu with Prices – 14553 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park

This place used to be my favorite, go-to place for boba in the OVP area. However, with the changes being made to this place and the inconsistency, I have found better places to go which is super disappointing for me to say. I love supporting local businesses and mom-and-pop places over chains establishments, but too much has changed with this business for me to return in the future. My favorite drink of all time is the Triple Bee Milk Tea which is milk tea and comes with boba, herbal jelly, and pudding. The milk tea is great. The toppings that come with the drink are all my favorite. The drink itself is perfect. Priced at about $6/cup, I could convince myself to pay for it. However, these drinks used to be served in a large, standard boba cup size, but the last few times have come in a tall, skinny cup that I would finish in less than 5 minutes. If I pay $6 for the drink, I would expect to have more of the drink. With the tall skinny cups, half of it is toppings. There is just no balance nor consistency with the drink. Next, I’ve had bad experience with the incompetent new employees at the establishment. I used to have great experience with the owners, and I can empathize that no business owner wants to be at their business 7 days a week to supervise staff, but more training could be done. I had ordered the triple bee milk tea once and was told that they were out of boba that day and that I would have to wait 15 minutes for boba to be finished. As the triple bee milk tea came with boba, herbal jelly, and pudding as listed on the menu, I asked if there was a way to get something else instead as I was pressed for time and didn’t come here to wait 15 minutes for a drink. The girl who took my order said yes, I could substitute something else for the boba if I didn’t want to wait and was CHARGED for the substitution! I was furious! When asked why I was charged, she stated that it was because the topping I picked was not a part of the original drink and considered “extra”. First, the topping that I was substituting for was unavailable at the time, so saying that it was not part of the drink is ridiculous; providing a drink with only 2/3 toppings listed for the same price is also ridiculous. I thought it was standard courtesy that a substitution was NOT considered “extra”. When the drink itself is $6/cup, an extra $1 for a SUBSTITUTION is more than laughable behavior! I did not post this review right after this incident as I did not want to quickly tarnish my overview of Fat Bee, nor did I want to berate a local business, but I and my friends have had less enticing service and handling of business here. With the loss of the punch-card service, I was already struggling to find reasons to drive 25 minutes out to my favorite boba tea place. Without the enticement of a rewards program, I was more tempted to go to establishments close by but stuck with Fat Bee as it was 1) my favorite and 2) a local business. After all the mishaps I have had since coming to this place when they first opened, I am now inclined more than ever to never return here again, which breaks my heart to say the least.