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    Chicha San Chen

    4.0 (1.3k reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Chicha San Chen Photos

    Business Info

    CHICHA SAN CHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Chicha San Chen

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    Milk Tea (front) & Taro Milk Tea (back)
    Joann V.

    4 stars Chicha is the it-girl of the SGV. It doesn't matter how long they've been around or how many locations they've got or how expensive their beverages can get...she just keeps pulling in crowds year after year. I stopped coming for a couple of years b/c I have the patience of a bird. Luckily, since I was in the plaza, I had the chance to rediscover their tea! Chicha's menu is straightforward and doesn't have a large variety, but what they do have is very well executed. This location is busy like most of their other locations, but I wouldn't say their wait time is worst than Molly Tea. I got these drinks after lunch: Taro Milk Tea ($8.75) - This was part of their summer series and I got this at 50% sweet and less ice. It was the perfect amount of sweetness b/c the taro and mochi were a little sweet, too. Mom loved it! 5/5 stars Regular Milk Tea ($7.25) - got this at 100% sweet and it still wasn't too sweet. 4/5 stars Service was decent and ordering at the counter was easy. I was surprised that I could smell the aroma of fresh brewed tea! I think my wait time was around 10 minutes from order to pick up. Free parking on site, but it does get super crowded. I guess I'll be coming back soon!

    Karen T.

    Originating from Taiwan, this CHICHA San Chen location has become a staple of the SGV. Their teas are premium and authentic, which explains the long lines here. I am a big fan of their osmanthus oolong tea, dong ding oolong tea, and cassia black tea bases. For the teas with fruit, I really like how they don't taste artificial and super sugary. Their milk teas and lattes are smooth and creamy. Although the freshly brewed teas here are top tier, this particular store feels way too small for its crowd. Every time I've been here, I've had to line up outside with the line out through the door. The wait times will vary depending when you go, but it's never been a quick visit for me, even on a random weekday afternoon. Now that online ordering is available, I would suggest using it.

    Osmanthus Oolong Tea
    Stella W.

    I truly don't understand the hype. Order: Osmanthus Oolong Tea: 100% sweetness, less ice, boba. Tasted literally like water with a hint of sugar. No hint of tea flavor. I felt like I just drank a cup of iced water with boba. Not worth the $7. Ambiance: Very very small space. 4 tables, but very cramped. Service: nice workers. Waited about 10-15 minutes for my drink on a Saturday. Not the worst wait time. Parking: really congested, but lots of parking underground. Be careful.

    Taro
    Travis P.

    Second time coming here, and the experience wasn't as great as the first. We waited about 10-15 minutes for our order, only to realize they had finished it but never called our name, so it was just sitting there. As for the drink, it was pretty mid. We paid $9 for a taro fresh milk and it tasted like it had no sweetness. We were told the sweetness couldn't be adjusted, which made it even more disappointing. Overall, this visit was a below-par experience compared to our first time.

    Menu 3/2025
    Annie T.

    Wow I'm obsessed with their Taro Milk Tea Series special. I wish they will keep this on their everyday menu.

    Left:  Osmanthus Oolong Tea Right:  Dong Ding Oolong Tea Latte
    Vanna T.

    Stopped by for their limited taro series and ordered their popular taro milk tea. It tasted amazingly delicious with taro balls and taro paste. Wish it came in a large cup size tho. It's very busy on the weekends so better to stop by on the weekdays. Their drinks are more on the pricey side, but the flavor is definitely worth it. They charge 20 cents extra for a bag. Like how the cup holder comes with a string that you can hold onto the drinks. However, their lids are not tightly closed so be careful when drinking it. Nice and good service. Cute lil boba shop in a very busy business plaza. Limited parking upstairs, but there are additional parking spaces in the underground parking structure.

    Grape high mountain tea
    Joann C.

    It's great to find tea shops where you can order ahead online! This cuts the wait time and the drinks are pretty good. Parking was a little hard but there is a quick loading zone if you can manage to get the spot. I got the grape mountain tea. You can taste the freshness and quality in their tea. It reminds me of the teas I had in Taiwan. Overall, super cute place to have tea.

    Osmanthus Oolong & Dong Ding
    Kevin T.

    This review is long overdue as I've tried other Chicha San Chen spots. This spot is definitely the most busy of all the spots I've been to. Even when the shop just opened, the line is already forming. My wife and I love Chicha San Chen and this was the spot to go to after our lunch meals. This specific spot is a bit smaller than the other ones I've been to but they have some tables inside. For such a busy shop, they only have one ordering kiosks which is not ideal to move the line. Would be ideal to have 1-2 more. Online ordering is available which is a huge plus. However, staff here is efficient and fast, which subsides the lack of additional kiosks a bit. Osmanthus Oolong Tea w/ Mango This drink is one of the best and among one of their signature drinks. I feel like you can't really go wrong with osmanthus at any location and San Chen is no different. Super fresh, and just super refreshing. Wish that the cups were bigger but besides that, absolutely amazing drink. Great balance of flavoring as there's no flavor overtaking another. Very well rounded drink. Dong Ding Oolong Tea w/ Organic Milk Also another signature drink. Sweet, fruity, and has that floral aroma all around. Very smooth, rich, and versatile in my opinion. Highly recommend if you're having a hard time deciding what drink to get. Parking here is free with a sizeable ground floor lot and a underground lot. Overall a great spot with very high quality drinks, signature cups, simple/clean design, and quick service. Love Chicha San Chen and one of the best tea spots around.

    Cool looking ornaments
    Sammy B.

    The great thing about looking for tea in the SGV area is you can go blindly into any tea shop and you'll find above average tea most times. On some occasions, you find those that subvert expectations in the most delightful way. Thads what Chicha San Chen did with me with just a free sample. Firstly, let's talk parking here. Located in a multilevel shopping plaza off busy Valley Blvd there are times you'll have to look for a parking spot in their plaza parking. Luckily, they have underground parking too. Secondly, the shop is small. It is the average size of a tea shop but half of their seating is sectioned off for what I can only imagine is employee space for extra inventory or breaks. Because of this you'll see a queue is set up outside for ordering. You'll have to be careful though since you are asked not to block the entrance for the salon next door. Still, you can always loiter outside in the plaza elsewhere. When it comes to tea, it's not a complicated menu. With only a small selection of teas it means they cater to high quality over quantity. When I went I specifically wanted to get a milk tea and the one I got didn't disappoint. The boba was fresh and chewy with sweet flavor. The tea itself was also complex, only accentuated by the milk but not diluted from it. The real surprise was the sample tea they were handing. It was their oolong osmanthus tea with mango and it was a delight! When the tea hit my palate I swear I felt a sense of freshness, like a small portion of stress instantly evaporated. The tea was sweet without being too sweet and although there were multiple flavors none of them overshadowed the other. It caught my attention immediately and we had to get it. As far as price goes, Chicha San Chen is a bit on the pricier side. Their average price for their tea hovers above $8. Also, the merchandise they sell is also on the pricier side although they looked like stuff I would probably buy at a store. It was of great design and looked well made. Even though a few days passed I'm looking forward to visiting Chicha San Chen more for 2026. I'm hoping each sip of tea will be a getaway from the daily stresses of life and a small vacation to a sweet moment.

    Peach dong ding oolong tea - very strong tea flavor - I enjoyed it  Green grape osmanthus tea - refreshing - preferred the peach
    Rosanna L.

    Heard all the hype about this place and finally had a chance to try it. I ordered via their online website. We opted for the seasonal drinks. I ordered the peach dong ding oolong tea. I really enjoyed the refreshing and strong tea flavor. We also got the green grape osmanthus tea. It was refreshing. I preferred the peach drink over the green grape drink. When I arrived to pick up, there was a long line for ordering at the kiosk and picking up. My order wasn't ready yet. When it was ready, the girl didn't call me so I just stood there waiting. After about another 4 minutes she finally called me. I'm not sure how they can better set up their pick up line so to reduce all the waiting time but definitely needs improvement. The only bad part is that the drinks only come in one size only (smaller than usual) and they are extra pricey. So you are basically paying for their strong tea flavor. My drink came out to about $9/drink. This location was located next to Mian and has plenty of parking (including underground). If you like strong tea flavor and willing to pay more for it, I would recommend this place.

    Alexander Y.

    Have visited Chicha San Chen plenty of times now, so I figured it was time to write a review. I have had several orders here, but my favorite has to be the Bubble Volcano. This is probably the best cup of boba I've ever had! You can see how the quality of the ingredients elevates this drink! What makes them so popular is that every tea is brewed fresh to order, using top-tier tea leaves that emphasize quality. What helps a lot is that they have the Teapresso machine, which speeds up the order process. They also recently started using kiosks rather than have someone take your order, which REALLY speeds things up. The lines are significantly better than they used to be.

    Green tea
    Mike Y.

    Came here on a Thursday afternoon with no wait time and no line. Fast service. Did the make your own Brew selection. This time order green tea with lemon and grass Jelly light sugar light ice. Fresh brewed green tea with surprisingly good amount of lemon flavor combined. Grass jelly fresh Easily devour a cup Quite pricy $8.25 Good quality of tea, but you pay for it.

    Inside
    Sarah S.

    Came here around 8 pm on a rainy day Saturday and surprisingly there was no line! I'm assuming because of the rain. I've been here before, and had their oolong tea (highly recommend), but decided to get a bubble milk tea this time. Really tasted the difference between having their freshly steeped tea and other boba shops. The consistency of the boba was also good! Not too firm or squishy. My friends and I were lucky to snag a table, but if you're making plans to come here, would not count on finding seating. This is more of a place to pickup and go!

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    Page 1 of 34

    Chicha San Chen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Chicha San Chen

    Does bubble milk tea contain dairy?)🤍🧋

    All items in our store are dairy products. Thank you for your inquiry. Please do not hesitate to reach out for more information. Thank you.

    Is the boba vegan friendly?

    Do you carry crystal boba?

    Unfortunately, this store does not offer crystal boba.

    Do you have hot boba options? Or is it only cold/iced boba drinks? Thank you!

    Hi, we did serve hot drinks with bubble, but not in mousse series. Thank you.

    Will online ordering come back?

    Sadly no, I asked myself and they said no. But on a better note. I have been 2x and the lines have been fairly short. I went on a Sunday night and also a weekday.

    When will you open for paying at the store and indoor dining?

    Hi~we are open for paying at the store and indoor dining starting Sept 5, 2022. Thanks.

    Hi when are you bringing back the taro drinks?

    Hi, thank you for your interest. Unfortunately, taro series are seasonal item, please follow our IG: chichasanchensocal for any further updates. Thank you.

    Do you have no caffeine tea options?

    Hi, we have no caffeine option such as brown sugar bubble, all type of lemon condensed milk, and taro ball and paste with fresh milk. Thanks.

    Do they not have boba? I tried ordering online didn't see boba option?

    They definitely have boba! I noticed they sometimes run out of certain toppings early, maybe that is what happened when you checked?

    How is this business handling the re-opening? What safety measures are they taking? Are they offering dine-in?

    No Dine-In, take out only and they hand you the drinks in a paper bag after they've confirmed your call number.

    I tried your Mousse topping today 10/18/2020; what is it made with and what is your cheese foam made with as well?

    Cheese

    I wonder if they enroll in fantuan, uber eat, or instacart? it's just not so convenient driving there for a cup of drink.

    Hi Ss M, thank you for your support. Unfortunately, we don’t offer other delivery option at this moment. Please follow our Instagram/Facebook @ chichasanchensocal for any updates. Thanks.

    Can we order the king milk tea with no boba? If so, what is it called on the online menu?

    Hi, thank you for your question. The milk tea of our signature “Bubble Milk Tea (King Milk tea)” is - Black tea with Cream. We also have another 3 kinds of topping to choose besides bubble(boba); Coconut jelly with pineapple flavor, Konjac jelly and… Read more

    Are there non-dairy options for milk teas?

    Hi, thank your for your support. Unfortunately we doesn’t have any non-dairy options yet at this moment for milk tea. Thanks.

    Are you open again? And if so what's your store hours now!

    We reopened since 5/1(fri) with adjusted hours (12:30-7pm) with "Online Order" and Pick-up only.

    Are they still open during shelter-at-Home?

    We reopened since 5/1(fri) with adjusted hours with "Online Order" and Pick-up only. We will continue to follow social distancing practices in the best interest of our staff… Read more

    What kind of milk is used? What drinks are sugarfree.

    We use organic whole milk. Order your tea without “flavoring” as plain would give as sugar free option.

    Do they have WiFi? Is it a good place to do work/study?

    They didn't have wifi when I went. I don't think this is a place to work / study. It's quite small inside. About 4-5 tables. Very tiny space.

    Are you open today?

    We are closed today due Chinese New Year, we reopen on Tuesday Jan. 28. Happy Chinese New Year!

    Do you guys take phone order? if so, do you have a separate line for pickup orders? Thank you

    Phone orders is not yet available, we are still working out on it. Thank you for inquiring.

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    I always love coming here! At peak hours parking is atrocious and since it's a small spot there is…read moreusually a line outside. You could order take out by skipping the line and going straight inside. You order through a paper and the server will come and double check that it is everything you ordered. Inside was clean and they have a restroom in the back. I got the popcorn chicken, sesame noodles, and mango tea. Can never go wrong with a popcorn chicken. This was my first time trying their sesame noodles and it was delicious! It was nutty, chewy, and perfectly sauced up. I was even dipping the popcorn chicken in the sauce. The teas always come in HUGE cups. The mango tea is my favorite. I would say their tea is usually on the sweeter side. Safe to say this place never fails me.

    P P Pop has been on my list for years, and I'm so glad it's checked off - and with little wait,…read moretoo. (Expect 15 - 20 mins) Parking is abundant, since there are few businesses in this plaza. For starters, my friend and I shared the xiao long bao, popcorn chicken, and beef rolls. Our first item, the popcorn chicken, was divine - medium and fried to perfection, couldn't ask for better! The xiao long bao was next on the list, and these featured a more thick but still chewy skin. Unfortunately, two of ours were served "stuck together" which led to them breaking - sad! The last item, the beef rolls, were amazing as well. Not only is it a timeless classic, but the beef wasn't too dry. Between these tasty bites, we also shared a honey lemon green tea. My friend warned me about these mug sizes, and yes... one is probably enough for a table of four to share! This drink was super sweet, and it was definitely in need of dilution to be drinkable. Once your belly is full, though, good luck getting out! The space inside is fairly tight but nonetheless well worth a visit! Easily one of the best popcorn chicken in town!

    Photos
    P P Pop - Interior, before it got packed a 1/2 hour later.

    Interior, before it got packed a 1/2 hour later.

    P P Pop - Popcorn chicken

    Popcorn chicken

    P P Pop - Taiwanese Beef Roll

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    Ahgoo's Kitchen - Water spinach

    Ahgoo's Kitchen

    3.9(270 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    Aghoo's Kitchen offers excellent Taiwanese cuisine, which is itself a fascinating blend of regional…read moreChinese cuisines. Grab a basket of the fried sesame scallion bread and get something saucy to dunk it in. Green Onion Sesame Pie: This prized basket of northern-style flatbread is probably what most people here are waiting for. The fried bread is cut into wedges with a crispy crackling exterior topped with fragrant sesame seeds. Inside, the bread layers are soft, pillowy, and bursting with green onions. Of course, it was the first thing that arrived, so we each voraciously ate a wedge on its own. Fish Filet with Bean Sauce: If you have enough self control, wait until they bring out the fish. The sauce is thick and savory. There's so much flavor from the minced garlic, fermented black beans, and scallions. The silky sauce seem to find a way into all the nooks and crannies of the stellar bread. Fried Red Yeast Pork Belly: The cooking technique of this dish is pretty cool. This is like a crispy char siu. The rich pork belly is marinated in red yeast rice wine for its aromatic flavor. It is coated in tapioca flour and then fried. The edges are crispy and kind of chewy while the meat is juicy and tender. Tofu Skin, Soy Beans, and Mustard Greens: The super thin tofu sheets and soy beans are a Shanghainese classic. With finely chopped mustard greens, the dish is a delightful study of textures: crunchy greens, chewy soy beans, and snappy from the tofu skin. The flavor is neutral and nourishing. Parking: It looks like there are only street parking spots, which there are plenty of. But, they have a lot in the back accessible through the alley by Alessandro Avenue.

    Had to check this place out as I grew up eating Chinese Islamic food and heard their sesame bread…read morewas good. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I would eat the sesame bread every day. It was crispy on the outside and so soft and fluffy on the inside. Delicious especially when you dip it in the fish bean sauce. The fish in bean sauce was perfectly cooked and the sauce was savory and a perfect companion to the sesame bread. The mustard green, tofu skin and soy beans was good. I've had better as it was a little too salty. But this dish paired perfectly with everything else we ate. The highlight and unexpected stand out was the pork belly. I honestly didn't know what to expect when we ordered this dish. I thought it would be more like a braised dish. But man was I surprised. This is essentially char Siu that they batter like the Taiwanese pork chops. So you know this is a winning dish. This place isn't too big and they had a line out the door with people waiting for dinner. Definitely come here early. Staff was friendly and as quick as they could be. Definitely will come back.

    Photos
    Ahgoo's Kitchen - Inside of the restaurant

    Inside of the restaurant

    Ahgoo's Kitchen - Water spinach

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    Why Thirsty - There are two styles to these sweet potato fries. The Taiwanese style & Crispy style.

    Why Thirsty

    4.0(675 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    $$

    COVID-19: Social distancing is not enforced at this establishment. Some of the staff wears a mask…read more All customers are not expected to wear a mask. It's optional now. The staff also wears gloves when handling food. There are some hand sanitizers available for customers to use. This place is available for take outs and has no indoor & outdoor seating available with limited capacity. They are only doing To Go orders. They are not sanitizing in between customers. COVID-19 Vaccination Proof: This establishment currently does not require proof of vaccination. While I was grabbing my food from this establishment last month, I asked if they had any special offers and they weren't offering any at the moment. They currently don't have happy hour. They also do not allow pets in their establishment UNLESS it's a service animal. Parking: The parking lot for this establishment is pretty big. They do share the lot with several other establishments. The lot doesn't really get busy, so you shouldn't have any problems with finding parking. I did notice that some spots are smaller than others. Food: I ordered a mild spicy popcorn chicken and minced bowl/ plate. The popcorn chicken was very flavorful, crunchy, tender, and juicy. Big portion for like $10. The Taiwanese seasoning mix brought me right back to the night markets to Taiwan. It's truly the 5 spice powder that hits the spot. The batter wasn't thick, so the chicken didn't taste very battery/ cakey. That's what I hate about some places that make popcorn chicken. It also wasn't too spicy for me. It was just right. I ordered the minced bowl, which is actually a plate. For like $12, it was actually pretty good and the portions was huge. The boiled / blanched cabbage and broccoli were soft, sweet, and tasty. I could taste the sesame oil on it. It wasn't salty. The sweet corn and diced juicy tomatoes combo was good too. The boiled tea egg was pretty delicious. You can actually taste the tea and soy sauce. The egg was nice and soft. And now, for the braised minced pork. The pork was very delicious and it just melted in my mouth. I love that there were some fatty pieces of pork too in the dish. It balanced out some of the pieces of pork, which had too much meat in it. Definitely a very savory and rich dish. Omg and the sauce from the braised minced pork drizzled over the rice was just so perfect! It made the rice extremely delectable. This is hands down one of my favorite Taiwanese dishes, and it was made perfectly. Staff: The staff here are very friendly, welcoming, and kind. They are closing this restaurant down in February 2026 due to rising rent and the landlord's unwillingness to upgrade the place. So sad. I'm seriously upset to see this place go. They accept both cash and credit cards. There is a $20 credit card minimum.

    Why thirsty has been around for a while. I really love their Taiwanese railroad pork chop rice!…read moreIt's probably the best Ive had in LA. Most places make the fried type of pork chops. But I personally love this Railroad Pork chop because the spices are very flavorful. I haven't been here in a while and I just found out they only do take outs now! Which it's usually what I do, order take outs when I am in the area. I guess this is reduces their overhead costs! I just hope they will stay in Business! The pork chops had been consistently tasty and tender. The veggies and corn are good too! Wish they give more corn! The price are still reasonable given the good portion of food. Service is just phone orders and pick up now. Ambiance looks like when it was covid times. But it works as long as I get my favorite pork chop rice!

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    Why Thirsty - Try "The Railroad" it's authentic pork chop rice

    Try "The Railroad" it's authentic pork chop rice

    Why Thirsty
    Why Thirsty

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    Chicha San Chen - bubbletea - Updated May 2026

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