Very disappointed I always ordered four different entree and they only gave one two sauces. That's horrible ask to spoke the supervisor she said that was since last year not true but whatever for sauce. read more

Food is inexpensive (a full meal can be around $7.00) Crispy tofu fried rice is delicious. There is plenty of rice. Boba milk tea may not be the best, especially in Riverside. However, the selection of milk teas are greater than other boba shops. read more

Me and my friend stopped by here for boba before hitting up the movies because we were really craving it and we saw that it was cheaper than other places nearby the theaters. I ordered the Thai Milk Tea with Boba (in medium), which was surprisingly under $4 in total. While it was fairly cheap, it didn't taste all that well; in fact, it had a really strange taste compared to any other Thai Tea I've had in my entire life. Upon taking a sip, I was hit with an excessively sweet, sugary taste. Then, immediately after, it tasted bitter, "plastic-like", and rubbery, like I had just drinken some sort of chemical. This was a big flag telling me they probably used powder instead of genuine tea. Also, the boba was not fresh at all, as it was really hard and cold. I don't think I'd come here in the future for boba because given my experience, it is definitely more worth it to go elsewhere nearby and pay a little extra for better quality. Although, for the food/snacks they sell, my friends say they're pretty good, but I've never tried them myself. read more

The food/ drinks are so good that my boyfriend drags me 38 miles out to Riverside w him to go eat from THIS specific boba restaurant. But cannot lie, the drinks are good and the selection is HUGE, and they have the best (and biggest) veggie rolls that I've ever had, unmatched anywhere else. Last time he got the rice and shrimp and it was a huge portion, pretty worth the price. Alsoo they stay open later than most boba shops, this used to be the place to go when I still dormed at UCR, they always got yo back 10/10 read more

This area has been around for years, yet, still many people go here. I am one of those people. I come every now and then. It can be tough at times when you're trying to figure out where you want to go for Boba because there's like 2-3 other boba tea places nearby lol. Drinks wise such as smoothies, they're alright, I'd probably go elsewhere. Food wise, I like their squid rings (they're fire to me ), and the popcorn chicken (with the fried rice), I always get those. Gladly to see they started having not just 1 person work at the counter but 2, sometimes 3 (rarely). It gets ridiculously packed, so it can take forever to get your order especially if many people have ordered before you. Very limited seating, you'll expect people to be eating there or sitting there as they're waiting for their order. Music is cool. I'll hear music that I know I like, and I don't know that I have to Shazam to figure out haha. Overall Boba Cafe is good. I would say the only thing that gets people is if you're waiting for your order to pick up or to eat at the place with many people waiting for their food too and if there is only one person working at the counter. read more

Worst Thai Tea I've ever had. How can you mess up Thai tea? Literally the sweet tea at McDonald's mixed with creamer tastes better. The customer service is non-existent. They even put tape over all the open outlets so no ones able to charge their phone. Why be in the shopping center near a university if you don't want students studying in your business? read more

When is this place not great! I've yet to try the food there but the boba drinks are so good .. I always order a taro snow with light boba or a honeydew snow .. I always bring my out of town era to this spot and they beg to come back for more! read more

Great food, and friendly staff. The boba options are plentiful and did i mention the price? Delicious food at a low prices, check it out, yummy food near UCR read more

Typically I like to chew each individual boba 5-6 times. The boba here was slightly more chewy than usual and had an average bite count of 8 but had great tones of honey and was very delicious despite the harder consistency. The strawberry lychee green tea and rose milk tea were both exemplary. Above all, the price is the most enticing part of the experience. For a medium sized drink (which was average size in comparison to most boba places) with double boba and two flavors added to a green tea, the price was still only $4.50! As compared to an average of $6 for an equivalent drink at other boba shops. It was such a refreshing change to not be SWINDLED out of my money for once and actually get what I was paying for. 10/10 would recommend this place, keep up the good work Boba Cafe! read more

i came to get a drink and i was waiting for my order and i turn around and there's a roach on the wall read more

Boba Cafe - roach - Bubble Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

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Okay, so this place may look like a hole in the wall. That's because it is. Although they just repainted so that's nice. This place has all kinds of slushy drinks with boba. But what people don't know is how good there food is. The food is a nice mix of Asain culture with a bit of American influence. It's almost like fast street food. Don't get me wrong they have some really good traditional dishes but they also have these awesome snacks that are ready quick to fill your craving and make it back to class on time. Around great place I would recommend. read more

Boba Cafe - Pork bean curd with rice and fried dumplings. NOTE the dumplings take more time Cuz they have to make it by hand. But worth. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

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Best boba in riverside ! Drinks are bomb my fav is black mango tea with boba and mango popping boba and vanilla slush with boba only boba place I go to read more

One of my favorite places to go. I always get popcorn chicken fried rice spicy. Chicken Fried Rice

The server was nice and helped us with our order, (Udon Beef Noodles, and Pork Chop Fried Rice) food got to us fairly quickly, however once the food here I noticed that there was a hair, yes a whole long ass piece of hair in my pork chop. I wish I snagged a picture before I told them about it, but they apologized and redid my order. But like anyone else I lost my appetite at that point. Also the atmosphere is weird, they serve boba and fried rice with EDM playing in the background, like we talking hardcore EDM rave type shit. The only thing missing here is some molly and ecstasy and dim the lights and you've got yourself a new rave spot. I've never eaten fried rice while listening to EDM, and I don't think I ever will again. read more

There is some good to this place but overall their customer service is lacking and that alone is enough to NEVER RETURN. I ordered a drink. the drink was bland, flavorless, and I've ordered this drink before only it did not come the way it had in the past. When I explained that I tried it despite the fact it was not in the same form it had been in the past when I had enjoyed it, she proceeded to ring me up second time for the new and supposedly correct drink. First off when a customer tells you the drink you served lacked flavor automatically you should ask how you may correct this mistake. Not only was there that fact (it had no flavor) there was the additional fact of it NOT being the correct drink!! And she charged me For the new drink. Most important of all... it sucked as well. Will not be back. Do love their fried rice But not enough to sacrifice my high standards of quality customer service. Very disappointed. read more

Delicious food & drinks here, with excellent service.!!! been here many times, always my first choice when i am near by the area.  loves their boba, not super sweet but very Q chewy. popcorn chicken are my must order item. read more

I simply just love the food here. I would either drive 30 mins or literally 1hr30mins to 2hrs just to get food here. All of their food is great from the appetizers to the full entrees. Their popcorn fish is amazing al a carté or as a combo, the beverages are just delicious. There are so so so many, and a few ways to have them made. Their milk tea is awesomesauce also Taro it reminds me of cinnamon French toast cereal !!! I just love this place. Probably go tonight ! Stay safe BOBA CAFE! read more

Their boba and tea just don't compare to the surrounding area's other boba joints. It has a weird flavor and the boba isn't the right consistency. But it's the only one open until 1am. Also, their music is consistently too loud! Seriously, you drive people away because of it!! It doesn't have to be so ear-piercingly loud!! read more

Was in the mood for chicken and saw this place was open late. The popcorn chicken was so good. The boba was honestly one of the best Iv ever had it was sweet and the texture was perfect. The atmosphere was interesting with techno music blasting, definitely college area. Vegetable noodles were also tasty. The guy working there was super friendly and helpful. read more

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We headed here after a long day and got our grub on with a plate of combination noodle. This plate is my favorite and have been ordering this for a couple years now. The combination noodle consists of chow mein noodles, beef, chicken, and a few pieces of shrimp. The cuts of meat are usually good with no fat. This place is highly recommended. Visit me on Instagram "5outherncal1" Catch you on the "B" side... read more

Boba Cafe - My fav...combination noodle - Bubble Tea Near Me - Riverside, California

A good place for a snack and boba in between classes. Also good for some fast asian food for a dinner :0) Favorite Menu Items **Squid Rings**: Perfect crispiness. Not chewy and not gross; unlike many other boba place-style squid rings. I usually get them non-spicy; has just the right amount of saltiness to it. **Fried Fish Cake** Perfect crispiness, also not chewy. So yummy. Tomato-Egg combo: Tomato and scrambled egg in a thick sweet/ salty sauce, on top of a bed of fried rice. Mmmm. Comes with your choice of tea or milk tea. Popcorn Chicken combo: Popcorn chicken on a bed of fried rice. Mmmm. Comes with your choice of tea or milk tea. Good simple fast asian food for cheap. Ever since relocating, I really miss this place! read more

probably the most detailed and truthful review you'd get for this place! Food: Food is actually not bad depending on the day you go and what you order. I honestly only like the food that the cute adorable old man makes. He actually takes his time [but not his sweet time] to make the food good. The other cooks seem to rush it and it really doesnt turn out well. My favorite things on the menu which i recommend would be the singapore rice noodle, teriyaki chicken fried rice, and the popcorn chicken fried rice. Actually, their fried rice in general is really good BUT only when the nice man makes it :] [in my opinion] Drinks: The drinks are good or bad, depending what you get and WHO makes it. Yes there is one way to make the drink, but sometimes people put their own spin to it or rush too much through it and make it, well not that good. When you come here and want to get a regular green or black tea, i recommend you specify how sweet you would like it because some people either add too much or too little sugar. Another tip is to ask to taste the pre made teas that you are thinking of getting which would include the jasmine, thai, milk, and honeydew. In my experience, the honeydew is always consistent and yummy. The thai on the other hand can be EH at times. The milk tea well i think most of the time its good, but ive heard people state that it tastes like iron. And jasmine, well im not a big fan of it just cause i dont like the green tea taste to it haha but thats just me. RECOMMENDATIONS: cookies n cream, mango and strawberry slush, green tea slush, and taro yogurt. honestly, you can mix ANYTHING and theyll do it for you :] be creative! the workers [well atleast my friend and i enjoyed it so we could taste them as well :] ] consistency: SLUSH: icy SNOW: a lil creamy YOGURT: thick and creamy Ask to try the boba too, cause sometimes it could run on the hard side. Decor: They really need to remodel this place. Its always so dark at night and the red walls aren't helping as well. They need to make the place more friendly looking and some bright colors. Sometimes i liked the dimmed lights at night, but i really think it'd be a happier place to go to if it were brighter. Service: Depends on the day. Sometimes it could be great, but sometimes well the wait could be real long like up to 30 min just for a drink or food. Overall, alot of people say the items are a hit or miss. This really depends on the day and time you go. Depending on who is working. Try not to go when it is busy cause thats when you'll get the bad experience. read more

How do I explain my complicated relationship with Boba Cafe? As a student at UCR, I never really came here much, but I did work there for like 3 days. (the owner called it training and I was never paid for working there which left a bad taste in my mouth. I left because it wasn't training so much as it was "start working and you'll figure it out") Either way seeing how their restaurant operates, makes me never want to get boba from there ever. I can't say much for the kitchen because I was never allowed to go back there. Besides my bad work experience, what would I say about the place? It's good... for Riverside? There's not a lot of Asian restaurants in the area so this place hits the spot when I'm in the mood for chow fun or anything remotely Asian. I would never drive all the way here to get food, but if I'm in the area? Sure. I recently moved back to Riverside, and do come here every once in a while when I miss Asian food. Their chow fun noodles taste like they are in the right direction, but it is still missing a lot of flavor. Like I said, good for Riverside, but not the best. That's really the only way I could describe this place, it's ok. Don't get the drinks though. I cant actually tell you how they taste but from making them, I don't recommend. read more

I looked back at my old review and saw I mentioned sub par customer service. The service and food quality have gotten worse. Life Cafe across the street is MUCH better. The guy got one of our orders wrong and when we asked him to make us what we ordered he said "Well we already made you this one". SO WHAT?! First of all, that is not our fault. Second of all, that's not our problem. Thirdly, the customer is always right, and in this case we really were right because it wasn't what we ordered. I really have never! I got combination rice noodles, edible but not good. The shrimp was overcooked and the beef was that weird tasting cheap beef really bad diners use. No. Just no. My friend got beef stew over rice, he'll eat anything and he wouldn't even finish it! My friend whose ordered they got wrong finished it because he'll REALLY eat anything haha, again it was that weird textured/tasting diner beef. He had asked for the unagi bowl and the guy somehow got combination udon plate from that haha, I have no idea how, maybe because their music is so friggin loud, but the combination udon plate turned out to be kind of good. Lollicup, Pho Vinam, and Life Cafe are right next door, have comparable prices, more comfortable seating and atmosphere, better service, and MUCH better food. If you're coming here because it's late, Dennys would even be money better spent. There is absolutely no reason to come here, I truly am never coming back because of the guy last night and the food being bad. Why blame the customer for your mistake, take some responsibility and work on your customer service. No. Just no. read more

Wow this place... where do I even begin? Firstly, I'd like to state that my 2 stars is only for the the guy with the faux hawk that works there. BIG UPS TO HIM BECAUSE HE MAKES SOME GOOD DRINKS! Now, on to my actual review.. They totally lie about the combo coming with a drink. If you look at the menu it clearly states that it comes with a green, black, or milk tea. Do you get a drink with your meal? No. ALSO, above on this page states that if you print out this yelp page you'll receive a free drink with a $5 food purchase. To save paper, my bf just showed the lady who worked there the yelp page and she pulled some bs saying that we had to print the actual page out.... FOR WHAT? so she can read all the same old reviews? What kind of difference does it make? Seems to me they just make excuses to not give you your moneys worth or follow up on their "promotions". The prices are only okay, food is decent. I've tried the spicy pork rice combo and the popcorn chicken rice combo. Nothing too fancy. I really wanted to like boba cafe, but the service here sucked. The woman who worked there completely favored people of certain races and catered to them while she had me wait 15 minutes while there was no one else in line to take my drink order. I probably won't be coming back anytime soon. read more

Honestly, the boba drinks are low quality at best. Most of the time the drinks arent measured properly and are eye-balled so don't be surprised if your drink tastes different than the last time you ordered it. All the drinks are made from powder or syrup along with some ice, water/tea, and fructose. Oh, and the honeydew milk "tea" has no tea at all. It is made with water. To be safe, I recommend the mango slush. As for food, you can't really go wrong with the popcorn chicken (as a snack or fried rice). Their spicy bbq pork isn't so bad either. However, everything here is very oily (even their veggies!) so i wouldn't come here if you're trying to lose weight. PS. avoid the bathroom. if you need to go, go to Denny's across the street read more

I don't even want to give this restaurant one star is was that horrible, i got the "specialty" caramel coffee and it was sooo sweet it hurt my teeth to even drink, my boyfriend got the cookies and cream specialty drink and it tasted so artificial ! Not only the Drinks we're bad but the popcorn chicken was so chewy and greasy, I was so bummed I really had high hopes for this place.. read more

This place aight... popcorn chicken was undercook but gotta give 3 stars becuz a beautiful asian girl took my order. Think her name was Kayley man shawty be fine as hell read more

Boba Cafe was the first boba I ever had in Riverside. Most students come here because it's the closest boba place to school & it's cheap! I have tried many different drinks on their menu and it's just a hit or miss. So most of the time I stick with Jasmine Milk Tea with Litchi jelly! The boba here isn't that great...a lot of the times it's too hard or too mushy. However, the convenience of this location keeps this business going. Also, it's open until 1AM I believe...which is great when I'm tired of studying. It's dirty inside, low lighting, shady...but it's alright. you just have to stand haha. The bathroom is pretty disgusting too. & the couches are about a million years old. Service is not too great either. Most of the workers there just want to get things done. In the morning~afternoon there's usually only one girl trying to get everyone's orders & making them. Poor girl. I always feel bad and so I let the wait time slide...If I see the line is too long I usually don't wait because it can take up to 40 minutes to get your drink & meal o_o' not worth it. Also, one time I went at 12:00AM to get a drink and the workers were just flirting and chillin' while I was waiting. Finally, when they paused their flirting they looked over at me and said "Sorry, we're not selling boba." I was so shocked that I asked again, "....You're not selling drinks but you're Boba Cafe?" like...WTF. They explained to me that they shut down the machines because they didn't expect anyone to be coming in & the cashier was closed...................uh, okay. Does your boss know about this? And they continued to flirt and laugh like I wasn't there...cool. So I'm never going at that time again. So rude. The best time to go is evening/dinner time. The popcorn chicken is the best meal to eat there! Everything else, especially the soups, are bland. Once you find a good drink, I would say stick with it. I have tried so many different drinks and a lot of them had either way too much sugar in it or was way too bland. I would also get jelly over the boba pearls because it has more flavor and theyre fun to chew on. The boba is just plain gross. My friend usually orders it without the boba because it's gross and sometimes they fill it up with boba halfway o_o I just don't understand. Only come here if you're okay with cheap-quality drinks & mediocre service. I only come if I have no time to go to a better boba place. read more

Boba is ok. it's more ice than actual smoothie. I went today and they charged me $8.08 for 2 medium bobas and I had $8.06 (I didn't want to break a 20) and they said No. wtf? I come all the time and even tip them and they're seriously saying no to 2 cents less ? cool place but they're seriously cheap asses read more

This place is a perfect example of a place that has continued to digress throughout the years. In my freshmen year, this place used to be cool. Walking distance from UC Riverside and boba at the standard price. The environment is kind of dirty, and it has a dingy look to it overall. Definitely not a place I'd like to hangout at. If you can, get the food to-go. This place has continued to get dirtier throughout the year and definitely not a place I'd go to again. read more

The juice slushes are terrible. Usually on the sour side, even the mango. Last I checked, mangos are a sweet fruit so the slush should've been sweet too, right? The same goes for the orange, pineapple and cantaloupe. I've been here so many times, the most recent was last week. It was years prior that I was there last so I thought of giving place another shot. Bad idea. The mango was still sour. But on the flipside, if you love sour then this is the place for you. It's not you, it's me.. read more

My friend had the Thai Tea with Boba. She told me to have a sip and I almost gagged after I took a big sip from their fat disgusting cups that spilled half the drink before you put the straw all the way in. It was the taste of rubber. It was quite deceptive being four dollars something for a gallon of gasoline I felt a little jipped for my friend. read more

I have visited this establishment on and off on various visits to the IE over the years. Pretty much consistent quality of food and drinks. I was especially glad to see two varieties of hot ginger tea: one with milk, and one without. However, the cafe could stand more vegetarian offerings (especially considering the close proximity of the shop to the UCR campus). And cash only cramps my style. Otherwise, you can count on consistent ok quality from Boba Cafe. read more

Boba was okay, customer service was blunt to the point it almost felt rude. Food was good

I went with my friends and it seems pretty cool. Missed Asian food and seeing rice I drool. Had a bit of boba that I chose small with the meal. Anyways the total cost is really quite the deal. It's worth it, depending on what you choose to order. I chose Kimchi Fried Rice cuz I couldn't decide any faster. So many to choose from noodles, rice, and more. Food here brings good satisfaction down to the core. read more

Two words: SHITTY BOBA. I don't know why, but I had high hopes for this place. Not to be stereotypical, but a boba place near a university with a high Asian-American population should be of at least some quality, but this was not the case with Boba Cafe. I ordered a Passion Fruit Milk Tea w/ Mango Jelly. First of all, it took about 5 min for my drink to get made, which is the longest I've ever had to wait for milk tea. Considering the fact that the place was less 1/3 full, this was pretty unacceptable. The drink itself was the opposite of what I expected. I tasted a small bit of passion fruit, but the rest of it was just bland. There was no sweet and sour effect that you usually get from passion fruit drinks, which was highly disappointing. Sorry guys, but you have to step your game up. If I'm ever back in Riverside, this is one place I'm definitely avoiding from now on. read more

I swear I'm on a roll with finding places in Riverside I never reviewed while there. Anyways, gotta give props to Boba Cafe for being my boba stop during my time at UCR. I tried settling for Life Cafe's $2 boba, but the grainy milk tea sediment drove me to my end. And I'm not baller enough to flock to Ten Ren's all the time, so Boba Cafe it was. I had dinner at Boba Cafe a few times with some friends, and the food is alright. Not great, but it's edible. The popcorn chicken isn't bad. A big hot spot for UCR students. The people who work there are mostly UCR students, so they're all good. Except for that one fat girl who ripped me off by not giving me my $1.50 discount. Also, service can get really slow during peak hours, and esp when the place is understaffed. I waited like 20 mins for a boba milk tea once, but I couldn't be mad because there was one girl doing everything - washing/cleaning, taking orders, running in and out of the kitchen, etc. But yes, come to Boba Cafe! read more

4 stars for nostalgia! I attended UCR a little over 5 years ago and came back to visit. Boba Cafe was still a staple at the UV and I was pleasantly surprised. So many other restaurants have come and gone; also many chains have popped up in the area. Their drinks have always been consistent and their combos reasonably priced. This is a college area so they know their demographic well. I hope it will withstand the tests of time, happy to see it hasn't changed, though it could use a bit of a facelift :P read more

Thai Tea boba has a very strange after taste and tea contains residual from tea leafs