I have heard from several friends that the place was good. I personally enjoyed the strong tea flavors, but I also like fruit-infused teas, so I chose Osmanthus Oolong tea with passion, konjac, light sugar, and less ice. I am so in love with the tea here, it tastes exactly the way I like it. I love how they use the teapresso machine to brew the tea leaves which makes the flavor stronger. The cafe's decor looks clean and it has a good vibes, and when I went, it was not too busy. You can also order through their application and earn points or at the Kiosks and put your phone number to earn points as well. read more

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Chicha San Chen is the super hyped bubble tea shop from Taiwan that's apparently won a bunch of tea related accolades that I won't pretend to be remotely familiar with. Their ordering system is entirely via two kiosks, which can be annoying if the customers ahead are slow, ordering a bunch of drinks, or both. They really should have a policy for cashiers handling smaller orders (2-3 drinks or less) and forcing kiosks only for larger groups. The estimated wait times vary pretty wildly, so take their posted estimates with a grain of salt. It stated 15-20 minutes when I was there, but it took about 25 (and we were just the 2nd group in line, though there were clearly tons of queued orders already with people standing around or sitting waiting). When we finally got our drinks, the Classic Ding Dong Oolong Milk Tea and the Milk Tea with Taro Balls and Taro Paste, I was expecting really prominent tea flavor like you get from the best milk teas in Taiwan and HK, especially given their hand-brewing process for each cup (which partly explains why wait times balloon). Sadly, I got very little tea flavor from either drink. That said, the fresh taro paste and taro balls were very tasty, with the balls having fantastic QQ chewiness. Prices are a bit much though, at almost $10 for that drink alone. I honestly think they could cut costs on gimmicks like the rope carriers (cute for influencers, but pretty useless and likely jacks up the price for regular customers). One silver lining from the long wait is that we spilled over into a free tea tasting slot. Miranda was fantastic as our guide as she was super friendly, funny, and knowledgeable. She walked us through how their Lishan Oolong Tea (sold separately, not used for in-store drinks) is harvested and sun-baked into 5 different varietals, each with unique colors, aromas, and tastes (and following the sun both literally and figuratively in terms of names and descriptors). Overall, it's a fun experience if you enjoy that sort of thing (and your wait happens aligns with a tasting slot or you can always a reserve ahead of time as well), so 5 stars for Miranda and the tasting, but the actual milk teas were lacking and a disappointment given the hype, cost and wait. read more

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The boba here...so good...very chewy and soft. I've never had such well behaving balls in my mouth in my whole life...service is good! I got to go so I didn't care about ambience but it felt safe and nice and not smelly while waiting! Got the oolong milk tea. It was okay, was more wowed by the boba but will try new drinks soon! Note: always get perfect sweet, light ice Ranked best to worst Best toppings Boba Taro paste Konjac Taro boba not as good as regular Best milk tea Cassia Black tea Green milk tea Oolong Bubble (normal black) milk tea High mountain Pouchang Best milk additives Cream (wow...) Milk Oat milk (cant taste the oat at all, i generally like oat) Mousse read more

Order: Dong ding oolong milk tea: tea is freshly brewed to order, was not too milky. Bubbles (boba) was chewy and soft, just right. the classic milk tea and can't do wrong with this order Lemon condensed milk: lemon is very tart, balanced a bit with the creaminess of the milk. Clean, well lit interior space with lots of seats. There are samples in the front to try. Place can gets busy with a queue and there is an estimated time posted if you're in line. Great place for tea based drinks. read more

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Omg I'm so obsessed with this place! My husband got the dong ding oolong milk tea and I got the classic milk tea - both were so good! Their boba is super soft with the perfect chew. This place is so legit because you can see them brewing the tea right in front of you. The storefront itself is airy and spacious. They have I think 2 kiosks where you can order from and our drinks came out pretty quickly. It's right down the street from in n out which is a huge plus! read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

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Finally got around to trying Chicha San Chen and it was very much worth the hype in my opinion. I mean, I went back a second time in one week to another drink (Osmanthus Tea with Cream) and it was just as good. The tea is very robust here so that tea espresso machine they have is definitely worth it even though it means your wait is going to be a little longer since each cup is brewed separately. Also, because the tea is the main character here and not pre-brewed, I don't think you need toppings. In fact, toppings will probably detract from the experience. Moreover, adding toppings here will probably tip your drink over $10 which is kind of crazy in my opinion. The interior is also very nice. It's a nice space to just sit and relax with your drink. I can confidently say that they are one of my top tea shops at the moment for an occasional treat. read more

Chicha San Chen - Mango Lemon Condensed Milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

One of the best boba spots in the area. The drinks are consistently well-made with great balance -- not overly sweet, and you can really taste the quality of the tea. The milk foam is rich and smooth, and the texture of the boba is perfect -- soft with just the right chew. Everything feels fresh and thoughtfully prepared. Service is quick and friendly, even when it's busy, and the shop has a clean, modern vibe that makes it a nice place to stop by. Definitely a go-to spot whenever I'm craving boba. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

Fairly new boba tea shop in Daly City. What makes this place unique is that the tea is made to order using a drip/pour over method. The tea flavor is very pronounced for most of the drinks. The Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea is recommended here and we also enjoyed the classic fruit tea. They also offer a cute take-way entrapment to carry your drinks. Periodically, they offer a free tea experience where someone walks you through various tea tasting to show how different tea roasting can result in different tea tastes. I haven't seen this at other boba locations. I did try this experience one time and it was fun. Probably took about 10 min. The interior offers a number of seats to hangout...pretty cool. In my opinion, one of the better places to grab boba among a sea of boba shops in the Bay Area. read more

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The place is nice and clean, bright, and offers plenty of seating and tables, which makes it a great place to hang out or get some work done. The drinks are always high quality and so good, and the customer service is consistently friendly and fast. They have self-order kiosks which makes everything super easy, and there's plenty of parking which is a huge plus. My go to is the Green Milk Tea with Taro balls and Taro Paste 10/10. However, Prices are on the higher side (around $9 per drink), so it feels more like a treat than an everyday go-to--but overall, a great experience. read more

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I love chicha san chen because they have organic milk options, brew their tea fresh, make some of their toppings fresh, and just taste good! This chicha san chen is no exception. They have cute decor inside so definitely check it out. Tip: If you want to avoid the lines, you can online order ahead of time! read more

The tea is so good here. I got an iced tea with no sugar. Cute cup holder design, too. Came over after shopping nearby at HomeGoods. Very busy store. My little fur child was with me and we were just grabbing a quick tea drink before heading home, so didn't stay too long. The store looks clean and modern. Would come back and try other teas and maybe a tea experience another time. Located inside the Serramonte Mall area by Gellert Blvd and Serramonte Blvd. read more

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Can someone tell me why I'm not tasting what everyone else is tasting? I really want to like this place but I can't justify paying so much for a drink that I don't really like. The first time I tried this place, I waited a good 45 min for my drink in San Gabriel. I didn't think it was anything special especially since I had to wait so long. Maybe the long wait ruined my experience? The second time I tried the same drink from Cupertino and I was still not impressed. If it weren't for the unlimited BOGO on your birthday, (Buy One Get One Free all day on your birthday with a valid ID) I wouldn't even give this place so many chances! The prices are super high for drinks that don't even taste that great. I love milk tea but the Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea just wasn't it. The Black Tea with Cream wasn't that great either. My sister got the Bubble Volcano and it wasn't terrible but definitely not worth the $8.95! The fruity drinks tasted a little better and I'm usually more of a milk tea person. Overall, if the drinks tasted more to my liking, I think it's a cute place to come to often and the staff here are super nice! read more

Chicha San Chen - Lemon & Mango Condensed Milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

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Chicha San Chen is one of my favorite boba spots. Their oolong tea is always delicious and very consistent, and the boba topping is just as good every time. Ordering is done through an iPad, and you pick up your drink from one of the workers. The staff are always very sweet and welcoming. This location also has plenty of seating, which makes it a nice place to relax and enjoy your drink. They even offer board games for customers to play, which I really enjoyed. read more

Chicha San Chen - Dong Ding Milk Tea w/ Bubble - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

I came to Chicha San Chen with a few friends on a weekday afternoon, and we ordered through self-service kiosks and grabbed our drinks after seeing our orders popped on the screen. They have a limited selection of cards and games, and we played as we enjoyed our drinks. I got their Honey Osmanthus Oolong Tea with boba. The tea itself was fragrant and smooth, and the honey went well with the floral osmanthus taste. The oolong base was not too bitter and tasted of good quality. The boba also had a good chewy texture. This drink was well-balanced and I would order it again! This location is comparable to its other locations and has a wide selection of drinks. read more

Chicha San Chen - Honey Oolong Osmanthus Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

We first tried Chicha in Fremont and were pleasantly surprised there was a location in Daly City! We ordered the bubble milk tea and mango osmanthus oolong tea as recommended on their most popular item menu. The mango osmanthus oolong tea is so refreshing and delicious! This location is big and clean with lots of seating. You can order via kiosk and they have a TV that updates in real time when your drink will be ready. While we waited, a worker named Miranda went around offering a complimentary tea tasting and was very informative about Chicha and their high quality tea. It took about 15 minutes and would recommend to partake since it's complimentary and by the time it was done, our drinks were ready! read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble milk tea and mango osmanthus oolong tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

We ordered the DongDing Oolong with cream, which was a bit of a mixed bag. The drink had a lovely, rich texture that wasn't watery at all, but the sweetness of the cream unfortunately overpowered the tea. We could barely taste the Oolong itself. On the plus side, the service was great--our order was ready in under 20 minutes. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

My first experience at Chicha San Chen was at their Cupertino location a few years ago, and although their online ordering system was great, the wait time was horrendous. I'm happy Chicha San Chen has expanded since, and I'm thrilled that one of their latest branches is in Daly City. Drinks are always delicious and tea flavor strong. My go-to order is the osmanthus oolong tea with honey, perfectly floral and not too sweet. I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes for my drink, although I often visit on weekday evenings (non peak hours). read more

I have been to Daly City and the Cupertino Chicha San Chen locations. Daly City is the newer location and serve better boba in this location. I have also been to the one in Vancouver, Canada and that one is my favorite as they allow to steep the tea longer for stronger tea taste. This Daly City location is less crowded, very good service, very nice and polite staffs. They have some benches and tables for people to gather and enjoy their drinks. I also saw people play card games at one time. The place is clean and not noisy. I will definitely come back again. I tried both oolong milk tea with boba and black tea with grass jelly (no sweet and hot) both I like it. read more

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Up there for the most consistently great bubble tea I have had in the Bay area. The boba was chewy and the dong ding oolong tea is richer than a typical oolong, and tasted great with low sweetness. Really liked it's softer lighter flavor. Lots of seating inside, and they also have a (paid) tea sampling/tasting area which I haven't tried yet but looks cool. It's a very popular spot so expect crowds most times. I usually order ahead online to avoid the lines. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

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Always down to come here even though I know it's not a quick stop Drinks take 10-20 minutes because of their process but they have lots of staff up front! Also they have a free oolong tasting on the weekends! The specific tea isn't an option on their menu, but you can buy the tea to drink at time. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

Came for boba, and the staff asked if we should like to experience a free tea tasting. We got to try out some of their oolong tea, scheduled immediately. With the backdrop of nice tea decor and a presentation on an iPad, the staff explained to us how the tea is selected, grown, and brewed with the utmost care, and brewed us each a cup of oolong of our desired roast level. She was really sweet and helpful. At the end she gave us each a small gift of beautiful dried fruit. The tea was amazing, with an aroma similar to hojicha, but tasting sweet and leaving a fragrant aftertaste. This place is so underrated, I don't get why it isn't perpetually packed. read more

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This place was on my radar for a while and I'm so glad i finally got a chance to swing by. Was in the bay for a little bit and decided to go here after HeyTea and got their oolong and it was sooo good! It was so creamy and flavorful and ive never had oolong this good in a while. Inside was so pretty and has decent seating for maybe 20 people and parking was easy. Similar POS ordering style like HeyTea or Mollytea but i appreciate it. Drink was ready for us after 5 minutes and not going to lie, we were so lucky we showed up on a random Monday evening and it was EMPTY read more

Chicha San Chen - Oolong milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

So, judging by the tea, it taste good. But, I would not consider this a Boba establishment. I also feel like most of the tea's that I've tried here had a very light taste to them. I personally love tea. I am a tea connoisseur. And I like all different types of tea. I don't know maybe this is just not my spot. My husband loves it though. I've been here about three times and each time tried a different drink. Sometimes I feel like the sweetener overpower the drink. But, they do taste healthy. read more

Chicha San Chen - Giant cup outside - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

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Apparently, there's a lot of hype around this boba spot, and the lines are no joke here. Ordering online lets you get most of the wait, and having a partner makes it easier to double park and grab the order. The drinks here are definitely high-quality, and the boba is really really well-made. I can't remember exactly what we got, but we got one standard milk, tea and a more dessert tea. I liked it, but it comes on personal preference. (The drinks also come with a cute little sling that makes it easier to carry.) Distance and convenience is probably will stop me from coming here more often but whenever I'm in the area, or showing someone around Chi Cha is definitely high on my list. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

Definitely pre-order using Snackpass! Chicha is my favorite boba spot in the Bay Area by far!! People long their dong ding milk tea, but I think their best drinks are their fruit teas (esp the passion fruit one) and their taro series (esp swapping out reg milk with oat milk for their non tea taro one when I don't want caffeine). My only qualm is I wish they had large size cups because I always want more after I finish my drink. read more

Chicha San Chen - Get it with oat milk! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

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Miranda hosted our tea tasting. She is extremely knowledgeable and made our experience very enjoyable! We tried their level 2 and 4 Lishan oolong teas. Both were very good! We'll be back for more tea leaves. Thanks Miranda! Remember to go to Taco Bell Cantina this summer. read more

To save time, order on Snackpass app. In person is through the snackpass kiosk. A tea espresso cafe. The aroma of the tea spreads throughout the store. The drink ranges from $6.25 - $8.75. The tea base is $6.25, adding milk is $1.25, and adding topping is another $1.25, it does add up. My favorite was bubble milk tea ($8.75) and Ding Dong oolong tea with mousse ($7.50). Some teas are flagrant than other, but all the teas are really delicious. Clean environment, there is also card and board games. Does get a bit crowded. Definitely want to try the tea tasting next, it runs about every 40 minutes from Thursday - Sunday. read more

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This place was POPPIN for the longest time, but now that the hype has come down, I finally was able to get to try this place a couple of times. I got the fresh organic milk with taro ball and taro paste. I've tried replacing it with oat milk and real milk is significantly better. It was delicious. I've gone late in the day so I needed something caffeine free, but I have heard that the tea quality is very good and if I can get there early enough I'd love to try out the Dong Ding oolong or sparkling peach tea. My order was estimated to take 15 min and was ready by 5. I like the rope bucket handles that come with the drinks. Solid place for boba! read more

I'm happy another boba shop has made it to Daly City! I'm always looking to try new shops around the Bay Area and my bestie highly recommended this place. She ended up taking me when we were both sick and needed a pick me up. Chicha San Chen took over where Max's used to be at, where there's plenty of parking and eateries around the plaza. When you walk in, you are greeted by two kiosks where you can order your drinks. I do wish they moved them elsewhere since there are multiple people coming in and out of the store, so it does cause some traffic towards the front. They have a variety of fruit and milk teas, and they also do have some samples on the drink counter for you to try before you order. My bestie recommended the dong ding oolong milk tea and I wanted to try a fruit one just to see what it was all about. I ended up ordering the following: -1 Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea +I added taro balls (which are freshly made in house) -1 Passionfruit Lemon Condensed Milk tea May I also say that the interior is SUPER beautiful. It seems so spacious and luxurious due to the ambiance they provide. It has open seating, board games, and it looks modern and chic inside. It's beautiful and you couldn't even tell that Max's was there in the first place. REVIEW OF EACH ITEM: -Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea: My bestie told me she tried this because it had a funny name, but I do appreciate the taste of this alongside the freshly made taro balls. The oolong milk tea is light, and more milky. Adding the taro balls made it feel like a Chinese dessert, which was delicious. -Passionfruit Lemon Condensed Milk Tea - I really liked this drink! This would be super refreshing on a hot day. I was afraid it was going to be pretty sour, but the lemon and passionfruit balance out. I feel like you do taste more lemon than passion fruit, but the fruit flavors are muted due to the condensed milk mixture. It's the perfect balance between tea and condense milk. Definitely recommend trying the condense milk series if you're looking for fruit options! Overall, my visit with my bestie was great! The service was amazing and the workers there are attentive. I do appreciate the open space and how clean everything looks inside. Definitely will be back! read more

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D1 loves Chicha San Chen. As they opened one up close to her in WA, so this was my chance to finally try it. There are 2 order kiosks as you enter the establishment. Very convenient bc you can customize it to your liking: less sweet, less ice, etc. Very bright inside. Very aesthetic looking. Bathroom was very clean. There are a few tables and some benches and stools to sit on as you wait. I like that there are screens everywhere to let you know the status of your drink. A little on the pricey side but very fresh tasting. Definitely a limited sweet treat item. read more

Chicha San Chen - Chicha San Chen, Daly City- passion fruit green tea, osmanthus green tea w boba- 12.28.2025 - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

I finally tried Chicha San Chen for the first time and got the Dong Ding Oolong milk tea with Oat milk, 0% sugar, and boba. It was the perfect sweetness for me. The drink was tea heavy and the milk was light. The boba was also soft and chewy which was a plus. The downside for me was the drink was kinda expensive, coming close to $10. It's a bit hefty but worth trying at least once so I would recommend! Mid-way through we got invited for a tea tasting reservation and got to try out different Lishan teas which was a cool experience for my friends and I. Shoutout to Shi for being a good tea tasting host! read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

First impression was really good. The place is neat, clean, and well organized. Parking can get super crowded because of Honegoods and the other businesses in this complex, so plan a little extra time if you are driving. You can order online or at the kiosk. There are only two kiosks and they get busy fast, so I would recommend ordering online. Once you place your order, you get an order number that you can track on the monitor above, which is super convenient. We ordered the Mango Osmanthus Oolong tea and the Dong Ding Oolong milk tea, both with light ice and light sweet. Both were really good and nicely balanced. I loved the mango flavor and also got boba with it. I also noticed they offer free tea tasting sessions. I didn't do one today, but it's definitely something I would come back to try since it looks like a cool way to learn more about their teas and the process behind them. On the pricing front, once you add boba or jelly, the drink comes out to almost $10, so definitely not cheap. Overall, solid experience and really glad to have this spot in the neighborhood. Will definitely be back. read more

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CHICHA San Chen is a Taiwanese boba chain with locations all over the country. This location is in Daly City near the Serramonte Mall and just off the 280 freeway. The interior is bright and spacious with both smaller and larger tables. They even have some board games for customers to play. Order at the kiosk and watch the status of your order on the screen. We ordered the mango osmanthus oolong tea ($7.50) and the dong ding oolong milk tea ($7.50). The osmanthus tea was fruity, mango-y, and tea-forward. The dong ding milk tea had cream on top which I thought it needed to add to the sweetness as the tea itself was not super sweet. Between the two I preferred the former. Like others have mentioned the drinks are on the pricey side especially if you add on boba for an extra $1.25. The drinks are good though so it's a good boba spot to come once in a while. read more

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I grew to like this place. Today I tried the warm ginger tea with brown sugar and milk - a great comfort drink on a cold winter day. I also tried a sample of the warm osmanthus oolong tea with cream. The tea tasted fragrant and smooth. Gonna get that next time. Last time I tried some mango tea drink and I thought it was just okay. For first timer, I would recommend getting what this place is known for - oolong tea. read more

Chicha San Chen - Ginger tea with brown sugar and milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

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Had to see what the hype was all about with this boba spot! Inside is very bright and tranquil with almost a spa-like vibe. Highly recommend ordering ahead of time on the Snackpass app to skip the line. I wanted something non-caffeinated, so I opted for the Lemon and Passion Fruit Condensed Milk ($7.95) with taro balls (+$1.25). The creaminess from the condensed milk balanced well with the tartness coming from the lemon and passion fruit. The taro balls were bouncy and had a fragrant taro flavor. The signature cup carrier it came with was also both adorable and practical. This was the most expensive boba drink I've had ($9.55 total including service fees). Though I enjoyed my drink, I don't really see myself returning, given the influx of other more affordable boba shops in the area. I'm glad I got to give this place a try! read more

Chicha San Chen - Lemon and Passion Fruit Condensed Milk w/ Taro Balls - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

Have been coming here almost weekly, always fast and friendly service. Was able to participate in the Lishan Oolong tea tasting. Our tea ambassador Miranda was very informative and welcoming. Learned a lot from her and look forward to coming back to try the other roasts. read more

Chicha San Chen is a really good boba spot! It's a beautiful place with some seating. You order from the kiosks. Samples are often offered. They brew each cup fresh, so the wait time is going to take longer than normal. While we were waiting for our drinks, we got to do the tea sampling session. It takes about 20 mins. The lady was so knowledgeable and taught us all about the brand and how the tea leaves are harvested. We got to sample some tea while getting educated on the diff roasts. Highly recommend! read more

Chicha San Chen - Tea sampling - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

3.5 stars due to lackluster staff, no tea tasting after being here for almost 2 hours, slower than slow service in making and getting our drinks, and the weird added taxes that seem expensive at like $1.25 per drink. Oh yeah, and the weird looks they give when you actually take a sample. My mango osmanthus oolong drink tasted like dessert even though I requested the lowest sugar. My passionfruit drink which I was able to say no sugar for still tasted very sweet. My coworkers drink was also very sweet. I feel like they don't use fresh fruit as their base, like a fruit puree and instead use a canned version. Super expensive at nearly $7 per drink with lots of ice even though we say "less ice." Been here multiple times and not sure when they'll get better and faster and doing things. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

First time here, came with some friends and we had a great time. Despite the crowd, we found a table and ordered through the Snackpass app. It can take 20-30 mins before your order is ready so expect that in advance. The wait was ok when you're just hanging out with good company playing Cards Against Humanity (they also have giant Uno). Not sure how long we hung out there for, but eventually a friendly staffer (thanks Ariel!) offered us a free tea tasting session (think they had a free time slot! Usually requires reservations). As a somewhat avid tea sipper, I found the ~25 min tea tasting experience rather insightful: learned about brew portions, steep time, different roasts and caffeine levels, and of course their advertised 'high mountain" tea and the benefits of tea leaves picked from a higher altitude. They also explained the use of their Lion Teapresso Machine for their tea orders, which takes a little longer to brew HQ tea, and I guess explains why your order can take 30 mins to be ready during busy hours. Initial thoughts: pricier drinks at a smaller standard size; but the tea flavor was bolder and deeper. And after the educational tea tasting, I appreciated the process of producing HQ tea more. I would come back again to try another drink. read more

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I came here on a Saturday and the lines are super duper long. we tried the mango and the classic original. I like the way how we can customize the orders. We tried the original boba with less ice and perfect blend. It was about 20-30 minutes wait. They also had a section where the staff is explaining the ways of making different types of tea. I would definitely come back to try other drinks. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Daly City, California

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