The best boba spot in Seattle, you can't convince me otherwise! You get a cup and can mix and match whatever tea, milk, slushie, and toppings you want. They have over 15 options, ranging from classic Hokkaido and green milk teas to lavender, rose, Yakult, mango, and taro slushies. The topping selection is just as good, featuring boba, egg pudding, crystal jelly, aloe, popping boba, and more. You can also sample the t's and boba's before you pick what you want for your cup. ​On top of the drinks, they serve delicious traditional Taiwanese snacks like popcorn chicken, fries, and waffles. The staff is super friendly, there's tons of seating both indoors and outdoors, and there's a cute mascot greeting you out front. Definitely worth a visit whenever you need your boba fix! read more

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Boba Up has a unique concept where you can DIY your own bubble tea! Buy an empty cup from the front counter, and then fill up the cup with whatever tea or toppings your heart desires. They also let you sample the tea, so you can be sure to be putting only your favorite drinks or toppings into your cup. After filling the cup, they seal it with the machine and you're ready to go. It's a fun experience and a great spot to get bubble tea if you like adding a lot of toppings. Drinks are on the sweeter side; it would be great if they added less sugar to the drinks so you can customize the sweetness yourself. ​​ read more

Boba Up - Yakult slush with aloe - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Shockingly, I have not taken the time to leave thoughts here. I was starting school when Boba Up was being built and had an extremely brief chat with the owner in 2018 as I inquired about the shop and concept. Honestly, they have a pretty mediocre reputation among Asians who are familiar with boba, but I'd say Boba Up is good for what it offers (overly sweet dessert). Perhaps a decent entry to assimilate into boba before venturing into the more authentic spots. To quickly get the cons out of the way, quality isn't super high and price started out lower than others but have been steadily increasing to match or surpass other boba spots. Sweetness cannot be lowered and by default, it's pretty high. Toppings can get stale (particularly the boba) as it's left out and not always fresh. They also supposedly offer a free birthday drink but it's almost impossible to redeem (eventually after over 5 minutes, might as well buy a drink - my friend just recently had this dilemma). For a quick list of pros, they are one of the closest options for boba near UW campus, they have the best opening flexibility (open later than every other spot), and obviously variety so there's almost something for everyone. Come here for sugar, desserty drinks, the customization of toppings, or just a refreshment. Don't come here expecting strong authentic tea. Decent amount of seating with board games available, so stay for the vibes. An occasional visit for me when I'm in the mood, but realistically not the best boba experience. read more

Boba Up - Drinks - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We've been to Bobafest every year since it started and we always go here first for the split cups. Staff was great with moving people through the line quickly and efficiently. The vibes were pretty good and most stuff was clean and orderly even in the midst of boba fest traffic. My only complaint ever is that they don't have more opportunities for split cup the rest of the year. read more

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Place is cool. Love the self serve concept. Cool college vibe. Kid love the topping selection - said she just wanted all topping ONLY - lol.... -overall nice place and cool vibe. Will definitely be back whenever is the University of Washington area..... read more

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A custom boba drink shop that has a wide variety of options for drink mix and toppings! Absolutely should be tried at least once, and you can taste test all of their drinks (except their specialty drinks that are made by the barista). You are able to mix and match toppings and teas. There are also slush options if you prefer a smoothie vibe! 5/5 - Regular Drink - Mix and matched tiger milk tea, black milk tea, and oolong milk tea with boba and lychee jelly. Sweet but not overbearing and super delicious! read more

Boba Up - Interior - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Conceptually I love the self-serve tea idea, and the staff was friendly, and the space is nice enough. But my main issue is that most of the sweetened teas are just way too sweet. Both my friend and I couldn't finish our drinks because they were just that sweet. The standard in almost all other boba shops is that you can choose the level of sugar you want. I'd think this could easily be solved by making all of the sweet drinks closer to 0% or 25% sugar and allowing everyone to self-sweeten with a simple syrup dispenser (maybe with some easy guidance on how many pumps are needed for different size cups and different levels of sweetness). If they did that, I'd have no trouble giving this place five stars. read more

The drinks were all too sweet, there was no way to adjust the sweetness, and you couldnt taste the actual flavor.

What a cool little concept Boba Up is. Build your own boba. My daughter found this in her endless watching of IG reels along with other places around Seattle in plans for a short trip up there for her spring break. Boba Up was a definite stop for her. Boba Up is right by the University of Washington campus and probably a pretty smart location for college students. Grab a cup, including one that would break your bladder (my daughter wanted that, but that wasn't happening). Fill in your boba, jelly or custard, or all of the above and then add your beverage or beverages of choice that also includes a sugar syrup, frozen beverages and various coffee or teas. You could make one interesting drink if you choose. I just kept it simple, a Thai iced tea with a strawberry freeze float on top, no boba. My daughter went more complicated and enjoyed whatever it is she got. The prices weren't bad for the average college student and they had food options as well. She found something cool and kitchy. Enjoy, and support local. read more

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Ordered a boba and bubble waffle with chocolate sauce. Yummy. It's a self serve boba place with a ton of choices and it's open late. There are tables but they can fill up fast. read more

Boba Up - Waffle. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The concept of self-serve boba is kind of the antithesis of everything I believe in - good boba drink should be freshly brewed, with fresh milk and boba, which isn't really conducive in a setting where you're scooping the ingredients yourself and the drinks are pre-mixed/pre-made. Nevertheless, I wanted to keep an open mind. I definitely think there's an audience for this concept, but unfortunately, it's not for me. While the milk tea and boba consistency were better than what I was expecting, the tea still felt super watered down compared to other shops (note: I'm also one of those people who order my drinks at 0% sugar, so it is not a sweetener issue). The payment screen also asks for a tip despite the fact that you're basically creating your own drink. The place is also oddly designed, as you're supposed to start the boba process on the opposite end of the cashier, instead of walking straight down. I'm sure this causes confusion for any new patrons. I would probably try the food next time my group suggests this place, but it's a pass for me on the drinks. read more

Love the simplicity of it. You walk in, pay for your cup size and voila, you're give the options of flavors and boba. Aside from being able to taste test most flavors and ingredients, it's all self serve! The cute bucket is worth it. The staff is very friendly. Definitely worth checking out when you come through U district. If you're the type to try anything once, this is a must. The prices are very good for the size cups you get too. That is a win win. Good prices for customers especially college students and good for the company as it is constantly busy along the Ave. read more

This is one of my favorite bubble tea spots in Seattle since it's all self serve. There's a wide varity of jellies and puddings to add, fruit teas, slushies, and milk teas. They also serve food which is pretty good as well. A lot of student come in to hang out or play board games so it's not a great study spot. read more

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My daughter is a teenager and completely obsessed with boba. I must say this is a good place to get some whenever you are in U-District.

Absolutely loved this make your own boba shop. So many flavors, add-on and amazing staff. Someone's little one made a mess and the staff politely asked everyone to be careful and cleaned it up in a jiffy. It was my first experience making my own boba. Excited and indecisive but in the end I enjoyed it. Prices are reasonable and shop is clean and tidy. read more

Boba Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

First time in (to any boba self serve) and it was super fun and nice! The staff was super helpful in letting us know what to do since we weren't too sure. The variety of drinks they had was also amazing. There's something for everyone. Even the topping variety was nice. Not many places have pudding of rarely have grass jelly in stock i feel. My mixture was rose milk tea with yakult slush which was so good. I feel like the flavors were not overwhelming at all either. I had a lot of fun going in and being able to make my own drink and the place was super cute in general. Would definitely come back if i'm in the area. read more

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My new FAVORITE BOBA SPOT In Seattle! Boba up is like a Willy Wonka Factory, for boba drinks :). Love that you can sample so many different kinds of boba drinks and toppings before filling up your cup. There's at least 10 toppings to choose from and an assortment of 20+ teas/slushies to taste. I can't believe we were able to get the parents to get on board with sampling the boba drinks... when they normally would not drink that stuff! Most importantly, they enjoyed the experience!! After you've filled up your cup, the attendants can help seal your top. There's a fast turnaround for customers, and the staff keeps the place clean between the rounds of clients. They have board games that you can borrow, to keep your group entertained. It's situated close to the University of Washington and can be a foo study spot. There's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, which allows folks to hang out, while sipping on their drinks. This place will tickle your tastebuds and leave you wanting to come back for more! read more

Boba Up - Entrance to Boba Up! Cute photo op with their mascot. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

A DIY boba bar!? The stuff dreams are made of! Boba Up is really fun. Loved sampling the drinks before I decided on the brown sugar tea with boba. It's an interesting system they have, but very easy and self-explanatory. They also had a variety of board games to play which is fun. We'll definitely be back when we're in the area. read more

Boba Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Came for boba fest this year! They do the self serve split cups during boba fest, so we had to come and check it out. It was pretty busy with a line out the door when we arrived. We paid for our split cup and got in line for the self serve station. Ambiance is cute! I'd imagine it's much more pleasant on a normal day. Lots of seating inside and outside. I appreciated that employees were cleaning, mopping and maintaining the boba areas. I got the Hokkaido milk tea with boba and the oolong milk tea with pudding. The overall quality of the boba was just ok, on the harder side. The teas tasted good and I appreciated they weren't too sweet, I definitely felt caffeinated. read more

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My first boba experience has been at this place. The best thing about this place is their self serve option. You can make your own boba by mixing and matching based in your interests. I haven't seen this self serve option anywhere else so far. The service is good. Close proximity to the university. The ambiance is very cute. Overall, a decent place to try out boba. I really love their spring special berry flavors. read more

Boba Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Woah, I haven't seen a self serve bubble tea place in a long time! The last one I went to in San Jose closed after only a year in operation, so I was excited to see one in the U District. Ordering here is pretty simple - go to the front counter, select the desired cup size, then off to the self serve section. There are something like 20 different drinks to choose from and mix, and a bunch of different toppings to add. They even supply a plastic glove and small sample cups to try as many of the drinks and toppings as desired! I especially loved how there were descriptions of each drink hung right above the dispenser, listing both the tasting notes and potential allergens. It's pretty thoughtful since most other boba places are black boxes when it comes to what actually goes into the drink. Regular ($6.34) - They have suggested drink ratios printed on the cup itself - about 2cm up for the toppings, 5cm for light ice, and 8cm for regular ice. Like most people, of course, I completely ignored the recommendation and filled my cup with a massive amount of boba to start. After sampling a couple of teas, I eventually went with the Oolong, which is delightfully roasty and toasty and isn't totally overladen with creamer. While they presweeten the tea, it's only at around 50% sweetness when compared to most boba shops. For those who want it even sweeter, there's a fructose dispenser to the side to sweeten to preference (although it was out of order when I visited). There's also an option for those who think the pre-mixed drinks are too sweet: there are dispensers for unsweetened black and green tea at the end of the row to dilute to liking. After sampling the boba, I found it to be a bit on the firm side, even while soaking the in the warm liquid container. Fearing the pearls might firm up too much, I went with the drink with no ice at all, and while the boba did harden up a bit, they were still pleasing enough to chew. Milk Tea Rating: 4/5 Boba Rating: 4/5 At the end of the day, the drinks here are not the best you can get in the area, but this is such a unique place to visit that I can't help but give it a 5. I'm usually a boba snob, but I will definitely be back just so I can sample other drinks and try to create my own perfect concoction. Bathrooms - Two larger ones, one for each gender. read more

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How I heard of this place: We hosted an exchange student for nearly a full year, and this was his go-to for Bubble Tea. It was high time we sampled his favorite spot in town. Type of cuisine: Bubble tea, slushes and smoothies, as well as a handful of savory Asian-inspired food options, as well as fries. Ambiance: Cute and quaint, the inside screams kawaii. Pink decorations throughout echoed the cherry blossom festival at the University of Washington just up the road. The space is otherwise dark and dipped down a small set of stairs off of The Ave, not allowing for much light to stream through the front windows. Seating is available throughout the center of the room, tables/chairs somewhat crowded for the packs of people that must occupy the place on occasion. Around the perimeter customers first pay for their beverage size then make their way around, wearing a provided plastic food glove to select their favorites among the dozen or so available teas, milk teas and slushes. Also available to serve yourself is the selection of jellies and boba, pudding and popping boba to the far right. What I ordered: I selected the smallest size, likely about 16-ounces, and did a combination of the taro slush and the pineapple-coconut slush, adding popping strawberry boba as well as mango and rainbow jellies. What I loved: It's great that they allow for sampling, too (only after purchase)! We had a great time trying new-to-us flavors, and figuring out which combinations would make a great treat on a crisp spring day after viewing the cherry blossoms in The Quad. Why I loved it: It was easy and quick, we never felt rushed, and the young man at the counter was very friendly and helpful, quickly assisting us to seal our beverages. Cost: High read more

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We love how we can choose how much ice or toppings we can put in. In addition, if you love to add more syrup or vise versa the drink only then it's a win win for everyone . The ambiance is as busy as it can be because it is in the middle of the university campus right across the school. Service wise you pretty much serve yourself . Although, you have to buy the cup you wanted first and pick from 16-32 oz. However, you can also order ones that they can make for you as their special. In conclusion, I hope they make one in federal way south area, because it's really good . read more

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So fun! This place is absolutely worth a visit--DIY boba, hello! For $14, two regulars can get a customized boba experience. You start by choosing your boba flavors or popping bubbles, then top it up with tea of your choice. There's even a guide on the cup to help with the boba-to-tea ratio, but I've seen people go all in, with some filling their cups up to 75% boba and popping bubbles! I personally love experimenting with different milk tea mixes. The descriptions above each flavor and the option to sample are fantastic additions that make sure you pick the perfect combo. It's such a fun, interactive way to enjoy bubble tea, and I have no regrets about the sugar overload! Highly recommend for a unique bubble tea experience. read more

I stopped by to try out this self serve bubble tea spot near UW. Just purchase an empty self-serve cup at the register, and then fill it with as many toppings or different teas as you want. The highlight of this place is the customizability and variety of drinks. There are also some sample cups so you can taste the teas before adding it to your drink. Thwre were so many options to choose from, and I ended up layering pudding, grass jelly, and strawberry bubbles in milk tea. It's located a few steps below street level, and there's a giant yellow statue outside with a big cup of bubble tea which is easy to spot. read more

Boba Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I would say that overall this place is more gimmick than quality, but that being said - it's not bad boba. You're given a single glove and a cup at the front where you pay and go down the line to choose your drink options. I ended up getting mango-passionfruit tea and some light mango boba, which usually I don't get. Once you're all set with your liquids and boba choices you head to the corner where they seal your cup and give you a straw. There are even plenty of seats if you want to enjoy your drink in house. For me, something was a little off in the taste of the tea, almost an onion like quality to the passionfruit, but the boba definitely saved it. I also loved that I could choose exactly how much ice I wanted and the drink was sealed correctly so I could mix it. All in all it was an okay to good boba experience, but I probably wouldn't push to go again. read more

Boba Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

A pretty fun experience at a decent price. I like that they tell you exactly what's in it, including the level of sweetness and which type of tea base. The food is alright but not worth it for the price. The cream cheese wontons were undercooked, which was baffling since they only need to be fried for a few mins. Nothing here speaks of quality but it's good for quick bite. read more

Boba Up - Menu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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4.5 really unique experience to make your own boba drink. Bustling place but a pretty quick trip through the boba bar. Everything was stocked really well. I say the only reason I take off 0.5 is because the milk teas ere not as flavorful as I'm used to. More milk. Still good just not strong flavor. read more

Boba Up - Boba, custard, peach green tea and strawberry slush - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Visited during the U District Fair and it wasnt so bad. Love the concept of serving yourself a cup of boba and you get to control how much ice, toppings, and flavor you want all. They also offer sample cups for you to try. The only difference is just the type of cup you get and what size. You do get your cups sealed at the end, so no free refills. Staff didnt seem to thrilled to be serving today. Probably because it was during the U District Fair and its been overwhelmingly busy with the line constantly piling up all day. With that, all tables were definitely taken. If you do visit on a day that isnt busy, they have a shelf of board games for you to borrow and play. Overall, will definitely come back here again. Maybe another time when they arent so busy, I might spend an hour or two with the husband/friends when we are in the area. read more

Great boba flavors. I tried here rose tea and brown sugar and it was amazing. Service was too good and the ambiance was great. They have decorated very nicely in Christmas. read more

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Came during boba fest and literally stood in line for 30+ minutes. The concept is cool, the whole diy aspect is nice...so is the split cup option but I don't know if it's worth close to $10 to do a split. Milk tea itself is ok, oolong is better than basic black tea. Boba is chewy, grass jelly is a little bland. Interior is cute, they definitely tried to channel spirited away. Not sure I would come back. read more

Boba Up - Oolong n boba, black tea n grass jelly. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

After dinner, I wanted to grab boba (even though I was sooo full) and noticed there was one on the same block as the restaurant we were at. My friend and I decided to check it out. It's located in a "basement" area with stairs going down next to Starbucks on the corner of University Way NE and NE 42th St in U District. There's only paid street parking (paid until 8pm, I believe) that could be very difficult to find during dinner rush hours and on weekends. I walked in and noticed it was a self-serve boba shop! What an interesting concept! Similar to a self-serve yogurt shop but backwards, I could choose my toppings first then add in ice then the drink flavors (mix & match was possible!) then additional sugar level. There were a ton of different flavors ranging from teas to milk teas to slushies. And I had the power to do whatever I wanted for my drink! Great concept! I was actually a bit overwhelmed with all the choices that I only got custard and oolong milk tea. LOL. I was hesitant to mix the flavors in case it didn't taste good. Since it was also my first time, I didn't know if taste testing was okay which totally was as multiple people after me did it, darn LOL. I'll mix and match next time! And honestly, I was totally fine with just the oolong milk tea without ice and additional sugar. The milk tea itself was perfect in sugar level and there was a strong tea flavor which I really enjoyed and did not expect at all as it didn't seem like tea was an important focus among all the other flavors and varieties offered. Very enjoyable! I definitely want to come back (maybe after dinner at the same restaurant again LOL) and do a little mix and match the next time. Very unique experience that you don't see in boba shops! They also serve some foods/snacks to compliment with the drink. read more

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update: round 2! had another great time here. i've tried essentially all of the boba spots near udist at the time of writing this update and for the unique experience, value, and even quality of the boba & toppings, you really can't beat boba up! good seating selection indoors, they keep things clean, and the staff are quite friendly and helpful. i like that trying samples is quick and easy and everything is very sanitary with everyone being given gloves. i always sample the different teas that stand out to me and what can i say, i make a mean mixed boba ‍ definitely check this place out! it deserves 5 stars. keeping my 10/10 overall, taste, and price ratings from before. read more

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Finally got to try this place. Such a great concept. You purchase the size cup you want ( small, medium, large) then you fill It up. You receive a cup and a plastic glove to use when touching dispensers or ladles. You start at the topping bar which has popping boba, lychee jelly, aloe, pudding and I believe another option or two. The next stop is the tea line. There are sample cups available for you to use as well. There is fruit tea, milk tea, and slush. There is also water, ice and syrup for your liking. However, they warn that the tea is already sweet so taste before adding sweetness. Lastly you seal you drink and grab a straw and enjoy! read more

Boba Up - Lychee, strawberry popping boba, mango passion fruit tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The Boba experience was amazing. I loved how you could pick your flavors and even mix them. It was also incredibly convenient that you could choose the amount of Boba or your choice of topping that went into your cup. I am definitely up for boba up. read more

3.5 stars for taste: Tea is decent but the boba is chewy and needs more flavors. 5 stars for experience: Pretty unique concept where you are able to mix and match any drink with various different toppings. The fun part is that you are able to do a taste sampling of the different flavors before committing to one. read more

So many choices for drink and toppings. Get the split cup if you can't make up your mind like me , now you can try slushees and milk tea at the same time with different kind of toppings. read more

Boba Up - REGULAR - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Such warm and friendly service! I was visiting from Los Angeles and I loved the quality of the toppings and drinks and it's right next to University of Washington! Super convenient but also very relaxed and casual for people to hang out at. read more

Amazing variety of options, a boba shop like no other. Self serve boba and board game amenities. Will be coming back. read more

Boba Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We were visiting Seattle and happened to find this place, what a blessing. There's not a ton of parking due to it being on campus, but we didn't have a ton of trouble. This is a self-service aka build your own boba experience. It's usually busy, lively, and fun in the shop. You pay for your cup size and you have at it. We got the bucket because it's massive for such a good price! You can mix and choose your toppings, with plenty of options of milk teas, various fruit teas, and some slushies, etc. There were little sample cups if you want to test the flavors you're interested in. There were so many choices, it was so fun and such a creative option for boba. I stuck with the jellies and did mostly fruit teas and slushies. There's even extra sugar you can add if you like really sweet drinks, but the flavors are premixed and you can't really dilute unless you add ice or leave room to add water. If you get the tub, staff will close it for you at the end. Really endless spectacular creations and so affordable. Staff was super nice, accomodating, and welcoming! The shop has a decent amount of seating, but got busy. There's board games available to borrow if you want to stay. I recommend this place for a boba, casual date, a new experience, to make your own drink, or just a sweet treat. read more

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