My friends and I were looking for something fun to do last weekend and decided to look for a…read morekaraoke place. We found this one through Yelp, but couldn't find information on prices, times, reservations, or anything. We called the number we found online, but no one answered. We called multiple times, but ended up with no information, so we decided to go and talk to them in person. When we got there, we found about 4 college aged students who did not speak much English at all. When we asked the cost, they said it was $15 per hour. We decided to go ahead, because that isn't bad at all. They had us sit in the waiting room for about five minutes, to clean the room (although there were zero costumers anywhere so I don't know why they hadn't done that before, instead of standing around and talking like we had seen them doing as we walked in.) We were then lead to our room and began singing. That part was pretty fun, and the music selection was decent, with many fairly current songs available. When we were leaving, however, we were informed that it was actually $15/person/hour rather than the $15/room/hour like we had been told. As we stood there in disbelief, the girl ringing us up said she would charge us $40 in total (there were four of us), which was a nice gesture, but still a lot more than we had been expecting. It wasn't the girl's fault, as she wasn't fluent in English, but it should've been written somewhere or explained to us better. We then shelled out the $40 and left, knowing we would never go back. All in all, the place was dirty, smelled bad, poorly lit, had poor service, and was way too over priced. Go at your own risk.

Encore is now the best Boba shop in Iowa City…read more I think this is the best bubble tea in Iowa city some of the more exotic flavors I have yet to try because thery are frequently sold out. I wish they'd have more ingredients in stock so I can try all of the exotic flavors Please get all the flavors.

The bubble tea here is delicious...and non-dairy! You can adjust the ice and sugar levels although…read more regular sugar (which I ordered by accident) is not too sweet. The large is also not that large...wish there there were a few more bubbles in the drinks. Parking can be difficult (it's off-street only in a busy area).

Favorite place to grab boba downtown…read more I keep it plain with the #1 most popular item - Teamo Signature tea. Why go wrong when you can get something right each time? Friendly staff, always willing to make recommendations. I imagine it would be a nice place to study as well, given the open concept of the inside.

I had the tarot ube brulee boba tea and it was the best tasting boba tea I have ever had in my…read morelife. And I profoundly love boba tea and do not get it anywhere near as frequently as I desire. It was so rich and creamy, a heavenly blend of ube and caramelized goodness with perfectly tender boba pearls that have me yearning for more. We got it at 50% sugar and it was still very sweet so next time I would probably go for 25% sugar even. They also have shave ice and mochi donuts and they had neither of those when I was there because it was pretty late but you bet I'm going to be back soon to partake of this deliciousness as well! I love the decor, lots of green and cozy and clean and bright. So perfect! Service was fast and friendly! They also have ordering kiosks that let you get exactly what you want without having to talk to anyone. I always joke that Iowa city has more bubble tea places per capita than than anywhere I've ever lived... So fortunate to be living here!

When you walk in, you'll order using the kiosks which is super easy. I got the Kyoto matcha creme…read morebrûlée and it was very good! At first, it tasted perfumey, but it got better the more I drank it. The place is super cute and inside the mall so there are plenty of shops and restaurants you can visit while in this area!

Tried this place for the first time and the food did not disappoint! It was authentic and…read moredelicious! The restaurant vibe was hip and fun, the walls were designed with colorful graffiti art and they had a karaoke corner. Our group ordered Kimchi fried rice, jjajangmyun and Korean style bibimbap. All dishes were tasty! The jjajangmyun noodles were perfectly chewy just how I like it. And the bibimbap was served in the traditional clay pot, it was a little on the spicier side but it was so good I finished the entire bowl. The only thing I was missing was the banchan (Korean side dishes). Understandable since we ordered a la carte whereas if we ordered kbbq or the meat combinations it would be included. We definitely plan to come back and try more dishes! Highly recommend!

One of the best places in town to get Korean food. When friends want to try Korean food for the…read morefirst time I usually take them here since there is a fun vibe and the food is reasonably authentic. They also have great cocktails and plenty of soju.

I've had a lot of boba in my life, and I would say La Tea definitely leans a little less…read moretraditional compared to more authentic spots. That said, there's one drink here that truly pops off -- and it's what keeps me coming back. The Uji Matcha Latte with tapioca and red bean (half sugar) is my go-to order, and it's delicious. Perfect balance of earthy matcha, chewy boba, and just the right amount of sweetness from the red bean. Honestly, I like it even better than some matcha drinks I've had in Seattle! I think that drink is better than the random drinks I've tried at Teamo which is next door. The last time I stopped by, we were heading out on a road trip, and I ordered a small -- but heads up, the bottle is a teddy bear shape, which while super cute, isn't the most convenient if you're trying to fit it in a car cupholder. Still tasty though! Overall, I'd rate their boba quality around 3 stars -- but that matcha drink alone is a solid 5 stars in my book. Plenty of seating inside (the space is surprisingly big) and a few games at the front if you're hanging out for a bit. Tip: Stick to the matcha drinks if you're a fan -- they do them really well here!

La Tea and Teamo are right next to each other. I wanted to go to Teamo, but due to the Pride…read moreFestival, the line was much longer at Teamo. Being an impatient gremlin, I went to La Tea instead. I love Jasmine Milk Tea; that is my go to everywhere I go. I'm always trying to find the next best Jasmine Milk Tea place for my tastes. Let me tell you, this place is not it. There was a reason that Teamo's line was much longer then La Tea. My tea did not taste like Jasmine at all. I was with my best friend and her mom. This was her mom's first boba experience, so she thought it was great. My bestie doesn't go out of her way to drink boba or milk tea, so she thought it was fine too. Basically, if you're a noob when it comes to milk tea, it'll taste good to you.

I love La Tea. I consistently order the same thing every time I visit (customizable iced fruit tea…read morewith tapioca pearls). They have a large menu and staff are happy to explain things if you have questions. The reusable cups are a nice touch, too. I typically only see one person working when I visit. If there are a few customers ahead of you, plan to wait a little bit for your drink. Conveniently located (for me anyway) in Old Capitol Mall. Recommend!

Not bad food. A bit spendy for what it is, but it feels like the type of place you're meant to go…read morewith family or friends and all order something to split.

Shit hole. Stood and waited for more than 20 just for someone to come out of the kitchen. No…read morehostess. Two little kids running around the restaurant. I finally had to ask if we were to seat ourselves. Finally got a menu but again waited for almost 15 and no one came to our table. We finally got up and left. Two different Chinese restaurants in downtown Iowa City SUCK BALLS.

This hidden gem has great food...the Taiwanese beef noodle soup is very good, as are the milk teas…read more The sashimi was fresh and delicious, and the green tea (jasmine) was served in a lovely tetsubin tea kettle. Seating is adequate but it wasn't busy last few times we visited. Nice staff and quiet atmosphere. Trying to find the entrance is a bit of a challenge (off the main road and at the end of South Dubuque, across the street from Graduate by Hilton). I discovered this place by accident while trying to find the library and had parked in one of the public garages (also across the street from the restaurant).

By far my favorite sushi/poke bowl spot in the Iowa city area. Soseki never misses, the portion…read moresizes are great as well! The staff is so friendly each time I come in. Will always recommend Soeski to others! Try their delicious poke bowl!!

We went for the lunch special, the service was great, the food was tasty, and it was well worth the…read moremoney.

The service here is horrible. One waitress for a busy Friday evening. No one to bus the tables. My…read moredaughter and I waited 15 minutes just to get someone to seat us. The two of us were seated at a huge table. What a shit hole. I'll NEVER eat here again. The waitress spoke no English and didn't understand my daughter when she asked for an ice tea