I am glad I did not have to wait the hour because I went right when they opened. Would not be worth it to wait an hour. They did take a little longer making the drinks and my drink was pretty watered down. I got the Metal Goddess. My cousins got the Phoenix Oolong number #2 and 13 and the Rising Buddah and those were better. I would say the drinks are more watered down than stronger though. The workers also say Yes Chef to each other so that was pretty interesting..... I would come back but would not wait in line for it. read more

What once was Orobae (which was terrible imo) I was willing to give desouro a chance since the owners split ways last year. As I have heard the rumors of SH and past illegal actions against its employees it was kind of disheartening to know the same owner is running this show. A poorly ran show this was granted it was their grand SOFT opening. It was clear they wanted a back of kitchen vibe along with the owners ambitions of chasing a Michelin star with the constant yelling "yes chef" which did not make any sense to me and corny. There was a clear lack of time urgency / management. Speaking of which we got in line at 9:30 and didn't get our drinks until 11:40. On the drinks side we got 3. The No. 2 phoenix, Hokkaido Metal God, and the Charcoal Roasted all of which were oolong tea based. Drinks it's self were amazing but not sure how I feel about $6 price tag for a "medium" sized cup when Omomo is across the street and and I can get a drink twice the size for the same price. I asked for full ice and half ice in another, when they came out my half ice turned into no ice as they brew the hot tea directly overtop effectively melting everything leaving 2-3 ice cubes... When it came time for the drinks to come out it took a total time of 6 mins from the cashier to get the drinks. The person handing them out was super nice and ensured us that they wanted a 100% satisfaction rate or they will remake the entire drink - which I contribute the long wait times for in conjunction with people taking 7+ minutes trying to order drinks with the cashier. Overall as a new business I hoped they learned from Orobae and turn a new page I recommended their drinks as they are not too sweet and full in flavor. Recommend our drinks in order with 4/5 sweetness 1. No 2 phoenix 2. Hokkaido metal god 3. Charcoal roasted read more

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Good milk tea at a reasonable price. The boba is slightly hard rather than soft and chewy. The store is clean, and the staff is friendly read more

Desouro - Galle Ceylon Medley black milktea and Metal Godness Oolong milktea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Came on a Friday evening - it was a bit rainy so there was no wait at all! Ordered the Phoenix oolong milk tea #2 with level 3 sweetness. Tea had a delicious floral flavor that was refreshing and perfect level of sweetness. The boba was sweet, soft, and chewy! Solid milk tea location. read more

The line wasn't too bad but the wait was a bit longer than I expected. I assumed it was premade but they "brew" it on the spot? I got the #13 and it was underwhelming. I had high expectations but it was so watery from the hot tea. It left a weird artificial perfume after taste in my mouth. I don't think I'll come back. It was too watery to call it a milk tea. read more

I've come here a few times because the drinks are good and it tastes just like Orobae. The Phoenix #2 milk tea is my favorite because of the deep tea flavor! Also this place has very good tapioca balls that are soft and chewy. I went today and they definitely improved their customer service where it's more relaxed and causal! Worth checking out at least once! read more

Got the metal goddess oolong tea. It's actually one of the best teas I ever tried in my life. I have pretty much tried all their teas and I love them all. It's healthy here and a little bit of hint of sweetness. The owner is amazing and the tea shop is just beautiful once I walk in. I feel like I'm in an ancient Rome or Greece. The SERVICES exceptional amazing. Their employees are very sweet and knowledgeable with their drinks. read more

Desouro - Healthy powerful magnificent tea of the Orange County - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Amazing service. They explained thoroughly each drink and explained how fresh every drink was and the process. Drink itself was solid. Sweet and not too sweet. Line was long but went by fairly quickly. Lot of students seem to go there and so it was fairly loud, but it's to be expected at a busy boba restaurant read more

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I was able to get it line before they open and only have to wait 15 minutes (from order to getting the drink) The tea I ordered was white peach oolong but it tasted watery. I would not come back since there are better and stronger tea options available. read more

I waited a very long time for my order, and the staff made mistakes on all three of my drinks. I didn't add boba, but they added boba to all three cups. Two of the drinks were also not what I ordered. I didn't have time to check everything or go back to the shop. The milk tea was extremely sweet even though I asked for 50% sweetness. I understand the shop was busy, but they should still be more careful and attentive. With such a long wait time, customers can't always stand there and check every drink. read more

Desouro - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I was not much of an Orobae fan since I never wanted to wait in those ridiculous lines. Honestly, I have been avoiding trying Desouro too for that exact reason. I was at Kitakata and after we finished our meal, we saw no line so decided to give it a try. The cashier was really welcoming and educated us on the menu. I asked for a sweet black milk tea, and she recommended me their 2 top drinks, which were the Red Jade and the Aged Crescent Personally, I did enjoy the Red Jade more, as it was sweeter and more flavorful. Both were so delicious that I had to bring my boyfriend back to give it a try the next day. He gave the mango slush a try, which was perfectly sweet and tasted like real mango, not just the syrupy tasting mango. Because they make all their drinks on the spot including brewing the tea to order, it does take a bit longer than other boba spots. We waited for about 30 minutes to order and get our drinks. It was not too bad compared to the 2-3 hour waits people have been speaking on. I did want to give a shout out to their employee, Brianna, who was very sweet and seemed like she actually cared about giving great service to customers. Although our conversation was short, it seemed like she genuinely cared if we enjoyed our drinks (and this goes for both times I visited). I will definitely need to return to give their other drinks a try! read more

Desouro - Red Jade with Boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Orobae pt 2 is here!! My friends and I went on a Sunday around 4:45 and the line was already past the cbb bank. We thankfully had a friend who was earlier in line who got the drinks for us, but I'd estimate waiting on average an hour. I got the rising phoenix #13 with level 2 sweetness because I like my drinks only slightly sweetened. Overall, I wish the tea flavor was stronger, but it was fragrant. I feel like it's too milky, but each drink is made individually which is a plus. I did like the rising phoenix #13 better than the #2 as I prefer a richer and fuller tea flavor. They are still in the soft opening phase so still smoothing out the creation process I'm sure. read more

It was my first time here, and the guy who took our order was very nice and suggested several drinks for us. I ordered the Honey Red Jade Milk Tea with full sweetness (I wanted to try full sweet for my first visit), but it turned out to be too sweet for me. They kindly remade the drink with half sweetness without hesitation. I really enjoyed it afterward and was also pleasantly surprised by how fancy and clean the packaging was. read more

Desouro - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

came here around 20 minutes before opening and got in line. before opening they made a designated area for us to enter and exit. staff was very nice as they welcomed each of us and thanked us for waiting :) they really make sure that you like your drink and you can let them know if you need any changes. inside is clean and an open concept. you can see them making the drinks i tried a few drinks and i liked them all! they have a nice tea flavor and were milky as well. i wish my drink had a littttle more ice but it was great still. the drink was a little too sweet for me. i got level 5 but because the cashier said it wasn't too sweet. but i'll definitely get like level 2-3 next time :) read more

I'm a bit sad to say that I went here two weeks ago and the Phoenix 13 is not the same anymore. The milk tea was more milky and it seemed like it diluted the tea's flavor. I think what made Desouro's milk teas so different from other boba shops was how well it balanced the milk creaminess and how the tea's flavor was still distinct in the drink. So it is disappointing to see that they may have changed the balance. I was a bit in denial and tried it again today, thinking it might have been just the way they made it the other day. But the Phoenix 13 still had a weaker tea flavor. Since they have that taste guarantee, I decided to take them up on it to modify the drink to my liking. I asked for less milk, since my issue was that the milk seemed to dilute the tea flavor and they said they couldn't do that! They could only change the drink to an entirely different drink--offered to re-make the Phoenix 13 as a pure tea with no milk or to try the Rising Buddha milk tea. Ended up trying the Rising Buddha milk tea and it was stronger in tea flavor: it has top notes of rising phoenix and bottom notes of a barley-like tea. It was better than the current Phoenix 13, but not still not the flavor I was originally looking for. Anyways, I just think it's weird that they would claim to remake the drink to your preference for a taste guarantee, and then reject the modification you ask for. I still believe Desouro has one of the best milk teas out there--it's one of my favorites--but I guess I just have to give up on looking for that flavor that made me fall in love with this tea shop in the first place. RIP Rising Phoenix. read more

Desouro - no 2 and no 13 phoenix MT - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Wonderful, kind, and amazing team. The owner is really sweet and knowledgeable, and recommended the best drink there for me to have! Highly Recommend the METAL GODDESS OOLONG MILK TEA. The flavor was strong and delicious. It definitely is a creamy drink, I can tell from the rich after taste so I probably won't come here all the time unless I try a pure tea instead. The staff is so kind and remade my drink to 0% sweet from level 2 sweetness. Thanks! read more

Hi Ya'll! I'm not sure why Desouro only gets a 3.9 star ratings. They deserve much higher rate for sure. The drink tastes the same as Orobae, and I'm not too sure what made others to say the drinks are disappointing . Desouro's pure & flavorful tea is really distinctive compared to all the other tea places. They recently made a new menu for matcha. Wow! No bitter taste, just smooth matcha taste! So so good! I've never had matcha taste this amazing before! Their signature Drink that can never go wrong: Phoenix no.2 Oolong milk tea Try Desouro Matcha Blend with Milk! Thank you for having this tea place in Irvine!!! I've been keep coming again and again! read more

Got the Phoenix no 2 milk tea & mango oolong - both drinks highlight the quality of the tea & are adjustable in sugar / ice levels - I got level 3 for both & it was perfect. Service is friendly but the wait is long - I waited probably an hour on a Sunday afternoon. Personally don't think it's worth the long wait, but the drinks are very good! read more

Wonderful shop -- highly recommend! The owner, Ken, greeted us with a huge smile and took our order. Their drinks are higher quality than the average boba tea shop, definitely more curated & unique. Ken was kind, patient, and attentive when explaining the menu items; I didn't know what to order so he asked me a lot of questions to understand what flavors I enjoy and what I was in the mood for. While we waited for our drinks, we saw the person ahead of us receive their order. The employee who handed him the drink asked him to try it and let her know if it needed adjustments. The customer responded by saying he didn't really like the drink -- in that moment, Ken walked by and personally asked for the customer's feedback, with specific questions about what the drink was missing. He offered to remake it with those noted adjustments. What stood out to me was how kind and affirming Ken was about it. It was honestly very refreshing to see, because as a customer, it's frustrating when you spend money on something and end up not enjoying your purchase/experience. The worst feeling is bringing it up to staff or management but feeling dismissed. But this shop definitely has that culture where they WANT to make sure you are satisfied, and they are happy to remake your drink for you. Ken did it with a smile and said something like "we'll keep working on it until you like it." You can tell he really takes pride in his craft and is passionate about delivering good drinks and service. As far as my drink, I really enjoyed it. I ended up ordering the Metal Goddess Oolong Tea with light sweetness, half ice, and tapioca. The tea was rich and had a lot of depth of flavor, and it paired nicely with the sweetness level. Also, the tapioca didn't taste artificial like most others usually do. I've never had "boba" like this before. I'm looking forward to trying more items on the menu! read more

Amazing tea! Will drive out of my way for it Hokkaido and goddess all the way! I don't care for the Togo box as it leaks. But it is a must! read more

My sister in law stood in line for a while to get us some drinks for after we arrived in Orange County. They were able to give the boba on the side to maintain the texture, which was nice. For our milk teas, the Red Jade was a black tea base, and the Phoenix No 2 was an oolong base. The red jade almost reminded me of cereal milk due to the natural honey sweetness of it. Both drinks were 3/5 sweet, which was on the sweeter side for me, so I would go with 1 or 2 out of 5 next time. As a bonus, they had a nice to-go carrying case to keep the drinks in place! read more

First time after meeting and talking to owner. The customers behind me recommended Phoenix #2 or #13 for strong...caffeine? I chose #2, sugar level of 3 with boba and luke warm. Yummy! Friendly, smiling staff informed me that they can modify or corrrct the taste to our satisfaction! Just ask! Long line here, but it goes fast! Good relief after eating ramen next door! read more

Desouro - Phoenix #2, sugar level 3, lukewarm...minimal ice...yummy! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I was really excited to try this place since we loved Orobae, but unfortunately, the drinks here didn't quite live up to that expectation. We tried the Phoenix Number Two and Hokkaido Metal Goddess, both at 70% sweetness. Compared to Orobae, the flavors were weaker and felt a bit diluted. Many reviewers have made this comment, and we agree. On the plus side, the staff was very nice and helpful, which I really appreciated. The interior, space, and vibe inside felt odd -- there wasn't any décor, and it seemed like they were trying to create an "elevated" experience, but the drinks didn't quite match that. Overall, it's an okay spot, but I'm not sure I'll come back. Four out of five stars at best. read more

I used to go to Orobae before it closed, so I was curious to check out Desouro after seeing it pop up on TikTok. There was a long line (about an hour wait), but not too bad. The service was great and the staff were super attentive and friendly. I ordered the Rising Buddha Oolong Milk Tea and the Metal Goddess Oolong Milk Tea with boba. Both had a strong tea flavor and a good sweetness level (not too sweet!). The boba was chewy and fresh. Loved the overall vibe. It was clean, minimal, and dog friendly. There's no seating area yet, but everything else was solid. I mainly wanted to see what the hype was about, and overall had a really good experience! read more

The Gyokuro green milk tea is my favorite drink among all the tea places in Irvine. So good. I'm also usually a tapioca hater but their pearls have the best texture and the right amount of sweetness. The complaints about the interior and flow are weird. It's as simple as it gets ... You order and then stand in line on the side of the counter to get your drink. They do a good job making sure the teas are distributed based on the timing of who ordered. Not sure why that is confusing to some of you people lol. Workers are really friendly and have been trained to provide good service. It's nice, though I've never had to send a drink back. read more

It was my first time coming here and the service was amazing! I was recommended the Desouro Phoenix No. 13 Oolong Tea, and I also tried the Desouro Rising Buddha Oolong Tea. Both drinks were really good. The drinks don't come with a lot of ice which I personally didn't mind at all. The boba was so good too! Since it was my first time, they even had me taste the drinks before I left to make sure I liked them. Everything was so good. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

I used to love Orobae, so I had to check this place out. Came during their soft opening with my cousins. We ordered a lot of drinks and everyone seemed pretty happy with it. The drink names are still exactly the same like Rising Phoenix, etc. I got the Rising Buddha this time and it was good, but the drinks were way too sweet for me. Even after the ice melted, it was still too sweet and I have a sweet tooth too. I recommend getting sweetness level 3 instead of regular sweet (5). read more

Service was nice but the tea was pretty bland. Boba was cooked very well with a strong honey flavor, but overall it ended up being very average. read more

Desouro is the best tea spot around! Their flavors are top-notch, each brew carrying a rich aroma that hits you the moment you take a sip. Every tea is unique in its own way, so there's truly something for everyone. I also met the owner during my visit he was incredibly welcoming, greeting every customer and making sure everyone loved their drink. If someone wasn't satisfied, he was more than willing to remake it at no charge. You can tell he cares about people leaving happy. I've visited many other tea places, but this one is hands down the best by far. read more

such a cute spot with the best boba and aesthetic but the cherry on top is definitely how friendly everybody is! Gigi is so sweet and kind and helped me pick out the best choice! read more

After a few years of living in Irvine, I can confidently say that Desouro has the best coffee/tea in town! Tucked inside a Heritage Square Plaza, it has an upscale, cozy, quaint vibe with super friendly service. I ordered almost all the milk teas on the menu. The Red Jade Black Milk Tea was one of the best teas I have had in a long time. Balanced, rich, and just sweet enough. The Phoenix No. 13 Oolong Milk Tea was equally impressive, with the perfect balance of a floral and nutty flavor that was not overly sweet. Both drinks were beautifully crafted and memorable. If you're in the area, please do not miss Desouro. It is a true hidden gem! read more

Desouro - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

From the moment I walked in, the high-end, spotlessly clean atmosphere, think sleek minimalist design, and not a speck of dust in sight. The staff? Incredibly friendly, attentive, and very knowledgeable. They not only recommended the perfect tea pairing but also dropped a clever one liner about optimizing brew time that had me laughing. And the tea, each cup was incredibly clean, smooth, and bursting with delicate flavor. No bitterness, no astringency, just pure, velvety deliciousness. This place is an absolute must visit. I'm already planning my next one. read more

Great Place ! I love the look of the place first of all. Everyone there was super nice, the cashier was very friendly, polite, and understanding. She made ordering for my friend and I super stress free. They have a bunch of options and the way you choose is fun too. The whole vibe of the place makes you feel like you're getting the best service, and you really are. They have a 100% guarantee for a good drink, something like that. So if you don't like your drink, they'll make it again. Something I found super interesting is that their drinks aren't bitter because of the way they're brewed. That's literally all you could ask from a tea shop. The size of the cup is good too, not too small and not huge. Their boba is good too, nice and chewy. But wow, their tea was honestly super good, like it just soothes your tastebuds lol. They don't have seating inside, but I won't hold it against them, only because there is somewhat seating outside. I would've loved to sit, but because of the location, I went to walk around some stores with friends. I rarely give boba shops a 5 star so, I would most definitely recommend this place !! Too bad I'm not close by it, I'd be here everyday ! read more

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As a huge fan of Orobae, I was really excited to try Desouro. I'm going to make lots of comparisons to Orobae since the menu and drink crafting is essentially the same. I'm sad to say the quality of drinks here, though, is not comparable and everything about Desouro is worse than it's previous form. I tried 4 drinks (Phoenix no 2, no 13, metal goddess, and rising Buddha). No 2 and metal goddess is definitely reminiscent of the rising Phoenix and metal buddha from orobae, but a very watered down tasting version. It wasn't as creamy as their orobae counterparts and tasted more bland. All 4 drinks were this way, unfortunately. I wonder if they're using less milk or a different one from before but definitely no where near as good. The boba was also worse in quality. They tasted old, not chewy and fresh like orobae was. There's only one size, and it's fairly small, and the even quality of the cup/lid is worse than orobae. Service overall was good, though. I didn't hear the "yes chef" that I've read in other reviews, which I hope they're not doing anymore. The initial spiel from the cashier is a mouthful, though, and while I appreciate the explanation and consistency of it, it seems very robotic in a sense. I felt service and interactions at orobae was more natural and polished, but understand desouro is still in its soft opening stage and training everyone. The wait is awful. I definitely feel like they could move things faster and be more efficient. Hopefully they'll work out those kinks and improve the drink quality. I may try to visit again in the future once they're more established. Hopefully they will replicate the flavors of Orobae better as time goes on. For now, it's unsatisfactory and not worth the wait nor the price. read more

Tea was made fresh and delicious. Tea flavor was coming out quite nicely, you can taste the difference. Service was excellent and will definitely come back. read more

Desouro - Phoenix #2 - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

The milk tea was so good! The boba was nice and chewy, and the milk tea had an almost crème brûlée taste to it. And the service was amazing! Also the staff were really nice! read more

Desouro - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I really enjoyed this boba place! The service and owner was SUPER friendly. The owner was really frie and made the experience even better. I would definitely come back again. read more

Desouro - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Tried this boba shop recently and the drinks were great! The milk tea had a nice strong flavor, and the boba was perfectly chewy. I'd definitely come back for the drinks! Worth stopping by! read more

This review is for the amazing service and smiles from Ophelia & Aleda (sorry if I spelled your name wrong). It was my first time here and Ophelia was so welcoming and helped guide me through the menu. Aleda made our drinks for us and she even encouraged us to try the drink before leaving to make sure we love it, if not she'll make us something different. Thank you, I'll be come back just to visit you girls again! read more

Desouro - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I compared the Desouro cup size so you dont have to. Their cup sizes are a good 25% smaller than every other boba shop for the same price. I will not return unless they change their cup sizes to the proper amount because this is daylight robbery. The drink doesnt even taste the same from 3 years ago. Owner getting a bit too comfortable with scamming customers. Won't be returning. read more

Desouro - I compared the Desouro cup size so you dont have to. Their cup sizes are a good 25% smaller than other boba shops. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California