Fun, little, tea shop! I like the graffiti style decor and bold color choices. It all adds to the…read morevibrant feel of the place. The fruit freeze and ice cream are as expected and comparably priced. Service was good, friendly, and didn't feel like had to wait particularly long for four orders to be made.

True rating: 4.5/5 I…read moregot the lavender matcha, and was definitely surprised by how much the lavender took over (not in a bad way; at other places, sometimes the floral notes are barely noticeable). The boba was 90% there in terms of chewiness. I think if it was cooked just slightly longer so that it was softer, it would be perfect!

The best Taiwanese food in the Chicago area! Popcorn chicken is legit with the light crispy coating…read moreand tender chicken. You can customize the spice level by adding your own togarashi. The deep fried basil leaves just melts in your mouth. I got the beef noodle soup and it was very flavorful with very generous portions of beef shank that is perfectly cooked. My husband got the braised pork bowl which he really enjoyed, and he said the sausage was the best he's ever had. The drink options were vast and one can customize the amount of ice and sweetness level, which I appreciated. So glad we found this gem of a place. We will definitely be back!!

Doing an updated review of this place and it's just been consistently amazing. So great that you…read morecan order online and they love to send you the coupon. Coupons and deals as well via text to your cell phone. This place has been so super consistent that visitors have really enjoyed it. And people who've never even tried Taiwanese popcorn chicken have legitimately loved it and fallen in love with it. I love that the cook behind the scenes is truly Taiwanese and it brings a real hundred percent level of authenticity to everything she touches and makes. I appreciate that completely. This is definitely a go to for me and so super convenient because it's near my house.

Straw & Bubbles Tea Bar is for sure my daughter's go to when she has a taste for boba/bubble tea or…read moreramen. She has been there with friends as well as myself multiple times. (I wish they had a loyalty program or punch card of sorts for her because of her affinity to the store!) Last night, she had a taste for bubble tea so we took her after dinner and we had some pleasant surprises in our drink choices! My boyfriend got the Cookies and Cream milkshake with oat milk ('cause dairy) and it was thick, delicious, and had a strong ratio of milk to cookie in it. Last time my parents took my daughter, I tried a Coconut Purple Berry tea and added tapioca. It is tea, coconut milk, and like, chunks of guava--delicious. I can tell you my daughter's go to is a Taro Milkshake which is milk and taro blended--very delicious! The presentation is appealing--it looks like white clouds in a purple sky. Other drinks I have tried include their galaxy lemon tea, a sort of ocean lemonade (?), etc. My daughter also lives for their croffles--I know she has had matcha, tiramisu, plain, etc. Last night's choice was matcha and there was not a crumb left in the box. Ordering is easy on the kiosk, and the staff is quiet, but friendly. I have been there with different sized groups at different times of day, and the food, drinks, and service are always consistent. Sometimes it's packed, sometimes it's not. Driving back home, I wanted to yell at all the youths in that green siren logoed coffee shop to drink something better across the parking lot, but I did not. I hope Straw & Bubbles continues to find Mount Prospect to be a good home!

Straw and Bubbles is a nice gem in Downtown MP. The Taro…read moreMilk tea here was really good, and they have a nice cozy sitting area where you can even make your own ramen! They have ALOT to choose from with bowls on the spot so you can enjoy there. You order through the Kiosk so it makes it easy to look at all the sweats and drinks they have. We also got a plain croffle that went perfect with our drinks but will be back to try other treats they have!

What really draws me to this place is the menu & the vibes! I wish it was closer to me though…read more They have 2 sides to the store - the bakery side and the cafe side. I made the mistake of going into the bakery side on accident and tried ordering a drink lol. If you follow them on IG, they release their "test kitchen" menu every month where they showcase specialty drinks. For May, they have a thai tea matcha latte and I HAD to try it. Thai tea & matcha are my absolute favs. It was worth the drive for me. I also got their ube banana pudding which was really good. It was more pudding than bananas/wafers but still really good! Can't wait to see what other specialty drinks I'll get to try!

Finally found a place that has good egg coffee! I just wished that they were a little closer to…read morehome. Walked in and this was a spot you can enjoy your coffee/matcha/tea with your friends and just hang out. It had a nice space that was kinda spread out. The employees were nice and friendly! Side note: if you are lactose intolerant....theres a little machine with lactaid! So you can still enjoy your drink!! There were a few drinks that sounded good, but I couldn't walk out with multiple all to myself. Self control and need to pace myself. I definitely ordered the egg coffee and was asked how strong I liked my coffee. Amazing that they have this option....because there are days that I feel like I need really strong coffee! I went with medium because it was already mid afternoon. I can't have my energy continue late and possibly not be able to sleep. Even though most of the time I can still fall asleep, but you never know. New coffee spot, gotta meet in the middle! Needless to say, I loved it! It was the perfect definition of strong! I'll definitely have to come back again...whenever I'm around the area to try the other drinks on the menu!

Super pleasant experience at Around Cafe. Friendly service, cozy (approachable, nothing fancy)…read moreinterior perfect for a small group chat or reading, and delicious drinks! Black sesame latte was great. Earl Grey drink was also very tasty. Thanks for a great spot! We'll be back.

I love how it's very conveniently located near the Arlington Heights Metra station…read more The family had made plans to make a day out of Chicago downtown and we opted to park and ride at Arlington Heights Metra station. It was a pretty chilly morning, so I was definitely in the mood for a cup of hot coffee. Around Cafe is one of many shops around the station, which makes it very convenient. I can see myself becoming a regular if I lived in the area and had to take the train into Chicago for work. It's a nice little mom-n-pop store that's set up nice and cozy. I had a cup of espresso matcha latte, which was exactly what it sounded like. Definitely hit the spot for me. The place probably had maybe 5 to 7 tables for seating and most of them were occupied despite it being pretty early. Lady baristas were all very nice and lively, which made the atmosphere nice also. This was my one and only visit, so I don't like to settle on a verdict yet, but if I'm in the area, I can see myself visiting in the future.

We really like gong cha compared to other boba spots. I think their prices are fair and tapioca is…read moreyummy! We got: Matcha bubble waffle with brown sugar syrup: 4.8/5 I love it when it's right out of the waffle maker. Perfectly warm and crisp with the brown sugar sauce. Taro smoothie: 4.5/5 it's good and not icy. Perfectly warm consistency and taro flavor. Matcha strawberry: 4.5/5 great matcha quality! Pepperoni bubble waffle: 2/5 a bit lacking both in size and flavor. I think I'd be fine if it was bigger even if it's more pricy. The restaurant itself is very cute! And there are indoor seating available.

Located in a plaza so parking is easy. There's tables and seating here. Open quite late and pricing…read moreis amazing. They have $3 ice tea drinks . Service is quick and good as well. Definitely recommend!

The boba is absolutely amazing. The service is very good, and the workers there are super sweet. I…read morejust really need them to get onto DoorDash!!

Yum yum! Had a hankering for boba and this place satisfies that need. I was in the area and went…read morehere to get a boba freeze. One of my favorite things in the world is Taro so getting a Taro freeze with boba and clear jelly sounds like heaven to me. This is exactly what I got and it was delicious! It wasn't too cold and while there was boba, it didn't overpower the drink itself and neither did the jelly. As expected, this place is overpowered by little youngins with a sweet tooth but I can't blame them. It's not like they made the wait any more longer or shorter. The customer service was good and quick, nothing to complain about. I will continue to come here when I have a boba itch. I've also tried their bingsu which was also really good but....alot. It's packed with red beans which are sweet and delicious, ice cream and fresh fruit. I know for a fact, I cannot finish it on my own so I suggest sharing it with someone else. Other than that, it is certainly a delectable and yummy dessert. Highly recommend. Overall, I will continue to keep coming back here for you Lincolnshire/BG locals, I would encourage you to do the same. Prices are decent and your sweet tooth will be satisfied for sure!

I was craving frozen yoghurt and this hit the spot! We are lacking great fro yo places in the…read morenorthern Chicago suburbs; drove 20 minutes and this place did not disappoint. No yoghurt aftertaste, just creamy smooth. Favorite flavors were the pistachio and dutch chocolate. So good! Will be back.

As expected Froyo place! The usual popular flavors. Good selection of toppings and designs on cups…read more The store appeared clean and tidy. The toppings all nicely distributed into the containers -- no stray toppings in other containers. We made an unexpected stop for a frozen treat and it did not disappoint!

Brightly lit boba shop with nice wall decor and a plethera of menu items. From little chocolate…read morebites to warm croffles and cold gelato. Upon walking in the lady helped us out by giving recommendations of things to try and a few samples of their gelato. Ordered a number of items to give them a try. Croffles, gelato and boba!!

I've had strawberry smoothies w/ tapioca from multiple places in the suburbs & Chicago too, and…read morethis was the most disappointed I've left a beverage cafe. Even after shaking it the consistency was way too liquidy to be considered a blended drink, it was translucent before I was even halfway done, never has this happened anywhere else. This recipe needs to improve to be considered a smoothie, I could have gotten a slushee from 7/11 or gone to a local takeout restaurant and gotten the same type of watered down drink - too much ice and not enough flavor.

Cute spot to stop by if you have that "need something sweet" fix. My friend and I had a taste for…read morebingsoo after dinner so we stopped by. It was kind of late, but we came in....employees were probably also not expecting many people if anything, because it was snowing too. Although there were quite a few different crowds that came in after my friend and I did. The bingsoo was okay. My friend and I shared a cup since we were still pretty full from dinner. I wish there was a little more to it. Sweet enough to get that "sweet fix" and call it a night. I also ordered the almond milk tea and it was good. It was a nice balance. The menu also has other items to offer like shakes, coffee, ramen, sandwiches, etc.

Tried a few drinks here and everything hit…read more The Java Chip was the star for me it tasted exactly like the old McDonald's chocolate chip frappe that got discontinued. Super nostalgic, perfectly blended, not too sweet, and really satisfying. The taro was smooth and creamy with a nice authentic flavor, not overly sugary or artificial. The strawberry milkshake was also solid fresh, classic, and refreshing. Cute café vibes, lots of drink options, and a great spot to chill with friends. Definitely coming back to work my way through more of the menu.