I was around the area in Merced after visiting some family -- and we searched up boba places near our area. We came across Em-Tea on Apple Maps with 4.0 stars, and we decided on this location. It genuinely did not disappoint, the inside ambiance was super cozy and I loved the vibes it gave! Me and my sisters ordered the Thai tea, a drink mixed with mango and passion fruit, original milk tea, and mango tango. Our personal favorites were definitely the mango tango and thai tea, the flavors really hit! The service they delivered was quick and patient since we were still deciding, but overall everything was great! We aren't from Merced, so it's definitely a place we will come back to again the next time we visit our family or pass by Merced. read more

Came here while I was grabbing lunch at a place nearby and figured it'd be nice to get some milk tea as well. There is ample space inside of the facility with plenty of seating, alongside a claw machine and a shelf with board games. The menu was a little overwhelming (the default drink is that they let you pick multiple flavors and I didn't want to risk messing up my own order), so I went with one of their specialty drinks, the Caramel Camel. I set the sugar level to light, yet it reached a level of sweetness that was so intense that I had to get it redone. Even with an ever lighter level of sweetness, it still tasted excessively sweet. Overall, an interesting experience. If this is the best that Merced has to offer, I feel kind of bad for everyone in Merced for not having access to better drinks. Not sure if I'd get the chance to return as I don't normally go to Merced, but on the off-chance I end up in this area again I'd hope that maybe one of their other drinks was better. read more

Em-Tea - Caramel Camel (specialty drink) - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

See all

Legit boba spot in Merced that has come through for me in times of need!! Lol You KNOW I can't live my life without boba every once in a while.. okay, sometimes more than that, but whatevaaaa!! Haha! My friend recommended this place when I said, "Let's get boba!" She's a sucker as much as I am, although she doesn't admit it. I have been happy with the service and products here. They can make you a hot milk tea, which I absolutely LOVE!! So far, my fave has been their Earl Grey Tea (light sweet) with Oat Milk. I have had it hot and iced, and was happy both times. Not super sweet, but just enough! I also like that they have the surprise cups here. You know me, always falling for those surprise cups even at the risk of getting something PINK!! Blechhhh, lol! So far, I've had 2 pandas, and only 1 had a pink bottle. I'd call that a win! The surprise cups are $4 extra, but I am extra sometimes, so I don't mind it. Em-Tea is a casual spot that's open late to satisfy your boba cravings. Pricing is average, with a good selection on their menu. They have a kiosk you can order from, but I have had to place my order with a cashier for the hot drinks. Hope you like it here as much as I do! read more

See all

Sure it's a little pricey for a boba, but they brewed the tea fresh. We had to wait a few minutes but well worth it. My wife got us a fruity drink with refreshing aloe Vera chunks. After days at Autocamp, this drink is like a sip of water after being in the desert. The ambiance is standard for your typical boba store. We got ours Togo and the large form factor of the drink hid a special surprise for the kiddos. read more

See all

Made to order boba. You select the level of sweetness and the type of boba you prefer. They have cute cups that have surprise treats for people who collect plushies. Staff is courteous. You may want to stay to enjoy the vibe and socialize with friends, or take your delicious treats to go. Wait time is appropriate to have your favorite drink prepared. read more

The service was quick and easy. They have a kiosk where you can place your own order. I like that because I don't like talking to people. Lol. The price was reasonable, and the cup was big. I would try more drinks when we come to Merced to visit. The place was cozy, too. read more

Em-Tea is hands down the best bubble tea spot in Merced. I've tried a few drinks here and wasn't super into the watermelon one, but their traditional milk teas totally make up for it. My favorite is the Jas-Chai-Me with boba. It's got this perfect blend of jasmine and chai flavors -- just the right amount of spice. Their drinks can be on the sweeter side, so I usually go with the less sweet option and it hits just right. If you're in Merced and craving boba, this is the place to go. read more

The staff is incredibly friendly with questions and if you don't like your drink they'll remake it for you. The inside is a little small but cute place to hangout with friends. I like that they added a point system for perks like a free drink because I'd always lose the punch cards. I like their macaroons & fruity teas the most, very fresh ! read more

Em-Tea - Pomegrante Hibiscus with Chia - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

I got a large boba milk tea with extra boba. The taste of it was different from the usual because I tasted a hint of cinnamon in the drink which I don't mind. But it's not common to have in most boba milk teas. It's a nice environment and setting. Worker was nice and friendly! Super fast too. Would come back to try different drinks. read more

Em-Tea - Regular boba milk tea large with extra boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

the menu/ordering process is extremely confusing. and why is the cheese foam at the bottom...it tastes weirdly artificial as well i wouldn't recommend it at all. they gave me almost no ice so that's probably why it sunk to the bottom and made the drink very cloudy. the roasted oolong tea is good though and probably tastes better without the foam. i hope the owner can reflect on this as constructive criticism. read more

Em-Tea - roasted oolong with cheese foam - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

The service was bad. The lady wrote "cunta" as my name on the cup. She wasn't very friendly at all. This was my first time there and it was horrible and not to mention the matcha milk tea is disgusting and to watery. I will never be coming back here! read more

Em-Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

Was in the area visiting a friend in Med school. Super glad she found this place on Yelp ranked top boba places in Merced! The flavors were strong and amazing. Servers were kind and provided great recommendations. Scenery inside the store was beautiful and clean. It was properly a/c'd inside as outside was super hot. One customer returned a drink and said to remake as it was super sweet for her. We had no issues with our drinks. (5/5) Lychee Iced Black Tea -- super refreshing on this scorching hot day. (5/5) Taste of Love --- amazing drink that was blended and kept us cool. It had Yakult in it with raspberry purée and taro. We also added Taro Boba. We 100% will definitely be back if ever we're in the area on our way down to SoCal from SF. Keep making them dranks ---EM Tea! My boyfriend and I had a convo that 2 EMTs/paramedics opened the boba shop up together. Cool name! read more

See all

I can't give this place any higher than three stars. I usually order the taro slush. Though it is good, there's no "wow" factor. You can get this quality of slush at Quickly's. However, their large is large. For the price I paid, including the boba ($8.00), I got what I paid for. As to the quality, it's pretty mediocre. I've had both bad, good and OMG THAT'S GOOD. Milk tea/ boba is my kryptonite. Service is decent. Will I return? If there is nothing else nearby that's open, sure. Price:$$ Quality: B Service: A read more

I love Em-Tea so much!! I come here every time I'm in Merced. Great service! It's a cozy place with great vibes. It's got board games too. read more

Em-Tea - Mango Peach Green Tea, normal sweet - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

Honestly the best boba shop in Merced! Conveniently located in Raley's plaza so that you can grab some boba to sip on while grocery shopping and open relatively late so that you can do some late night studying! It's a very cute vibe: I like the wall decor, they play lively pop/kpop music, it's well lit, it smells amazing, and the staff are very pleasant. They have a huge menu for their drinks! My usual go to are the iced Thai milk tea with boba, iced rose milk tea with boba, and (if you're looking for a non-caffeinated dessert drink) a coconut mango slush with lychee jelly. If you're not much of a sweet-tooth, they have the option for you to add light syrup so that it's not so sweet. I also really enjoy the boba. The texture is very soft and chewy: this shop hands-down makes the best boba pearls around! Aside from the drinks, they also have other desserts, like the macaroons! I really enjoy the macaroons, especially the vanilla and pistachio flavors! read more

See all

The owner is so kind and friendly and the service is fast and efficient and the environment is beautiful our favorite flavor is peach and guava with peach tea read more

Em-Tea - Peach with green tea and guava with green tea love it favorite been coming here since they first open - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

The atmosphere is awesome. I wish this place existed when I was in college. It had plenty of room to set up for studying. It has a corner with games, which makes it a cool little spot to meet with friends. I deducted one of the stars because we were looking really forward to getting Mochi donuts - the whole reason for our trip- and they were out! (With no information on the frequency in which they are made/sold) The teas on the other hand were delish! (It was 29.66 for our 4 drinks today) read more

Em-Tea - Nice environment - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

See all

Atmosphere is mostly quiet or soft background music. There three stations for you to place your order. You can pay at register or at the stations -- gives you pay options at end of the order. Water station is free and available. Some board games are available to play. Other merch are available for purchase such as cups, mugs, anime figures and hello kitty toys, etc. Macaroons are also available for purchase. Restroom is at the end of the hall. Staff is friendly and work quickly to get orders out. Lots of college students come here to study and hangout. Overall, good vibes and clean. Drinks are decent! read more

In the middle of Merced, we found a great Boba tea place. I consider myself a boba connoisseur, and this place was a surprise find. Their teas have great flavor and they have a wide variety of toppings. I got a standard black tea with their cheese foam and boba. My wife got their rose tea which is specially brewed with their taro boba and it was on point. They have many flavors and specialty teas that they brew fresh. In the middle of a hot Merced summer of 100 degrees, these drinks hit the spot! We will definitely be back when we visit our daughter who is at UC Merced. read more

Em-Tea - Rose tea with Taro Boba and cheese foam. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

It's all ice. It's too expensive for such little amount of tea. I will say I enjoy the "tea" and that is why I've gone here but, this time around it was way too much ice. I'm not paying this much again for ice with a splash of tea. read more

Em-Tea - Ice with splash of tea. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

Great teas with great flavours--a Briton would be quite impressed & satisfied by the many varieties, flavours, & add-ins! Sweetness & milk in many forms plus all sorts of flavours & add-ins! My favourite is the Genmaicha premium medium hot tea with extra-light honey. My only criticism is there should be a large hot beverage to match the large boba-/milk-teas. With quick turnaround service and an ordering kiosk, you can get your favourite tea in a fun environment (replete with communal games) very inexpensively and with highest quality! read more

Peach boba is my daughter's favorite. Coconut is my other daughter's favorite. The boba is fresh and sweet. You can tell the boba is fresh here. Lychee jelly is a good addition. Non dairy option is good here, especially for the lactose intolerant folks My favorite is the iced Matcha Green tea less sweet with Boba. Service here is okay, the staff seem very busy and overwhelmed at times. They could use another person to help with all the orders and customers. Restrooms were clean and stocked. read more

It's been a long while since I last visited Em Tea! I remember frequenting this place as a student. Yet during all those times I had never tried the Bee yo self drink. I'm glad after all this time I finally did and it was delicious! I love a slushy yogurt drink and the honey added a perfect level of sweet to that tartness. It was really refreshing and surprisingly so filling. This is probably my new go to whenever I visit now :D My bf got the taro milk tea w/ cheese foam and it was really great too. I've had some cheese foam drinks in the bay area and they can be really salty sometimes and ruin the milk tea but this went really well with the taro I think. Also ummmmmm I'm obsessed with the little bear ears on the lid... SO CUTE read more

See all

Their teas are good I've tried a few, but definitely get something you're used to and don't waste money read more

this place messed up my order twice u heared it people twice and there was this gurl who gave me attitude and i will sue them they

First boba here was great, went with the coconut and it was tasty. Can't wait to go back. read more

Em-Tea - a hand holding a cup of milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

BEST BOBA EVER. you guys need to go omg! try it all its amazing the service is so quick and amazing i just love the entire vibe !!!

Was driving back home on the 99 when I saw this place pop up as a recommended boba stop near UC Merced! It was delicious!! The mango slush wasn't too icy it was blended perfectly and the poppin boba are always a sweet surprise! Will stop by again read more

Em-Tea - Mango slush with strawberry popping boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

Solid boba spot in the area. Merced doesn't have as many boba tea spots as I would like and we finally settled on Em-Tea. Ordering and wait was fairly easy + quick. The drinks are colorful and there are many options for toppings. Note: This rating is based on the options in the area but probably would not compete very well back in LA. Parking: Big lot! Safety: Everyone had masks and it seemed like a clean spot. read more

Em-Tea - Boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

I love their Tea! They have plenty of options to choose from. I've had quite a bit of teas from here, but one day I came in here, and they told me I needed to try the Okinawa tea. It's made with Black Tea, regular milk, and lightly sweetened. This one sent me to the moon and I can't get enough of it. Every time I go in here now, I always get the Okinawa. Out of the whole valley, this has to be one of my favorite tea spots to visit. Love the vibes, and I enjoy the friendly staff working here. They're pretty quick too especially during those peak hours. Now, be ready to find parking when coming here because it's in a busy shopping center especially those going to the grocery store. The parking lot is huge however so if you don't mind parking close to Yosemite and just walking then you're good. Highly Recommend read more

You're not going to find many boba shops in Merced, Em-Tea is one of the few. They're decent, but definitely nothing to write home about. Em-Tea is located in a food plaza that's quite popular with the locals. There's many other restaurants in this plaza, so this is good spot to pick up some boba to accompany your meal. You can create your own drink from a large list of flavors or pick one of their specialty drinks. Some drinks I tried include the Strawberry and Lychee Milk Tea, which was okay, but nothing to write home about. I also took a sip of the Galaxy Fall, and while it is aesthetically pleasing (before you mix the drink), it was a bit too sour for my tastes. Lastly, I had the Guangxi Jasmine Green Milk Tea and it was watered down, much to my displeasure. I could barely taste the jasmine tea flavor. I think my sister got the best flavor down (she goes to UCM), Okinawa + Wintermelon Milk Tea, it tasted pretty good. read more

Em-Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

Punny boba cafe concept, the interior was super cute with plenty of space for studying / working . The menu had interesting selections and the drinks are huuuge! The large cup is easily shareable between two people or you can choose the option of putting the drinks in a light bulb cup. Bathrooms were clean and the space was light and airy. Lots of parking outside too. read more

Em-Tea - Menu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

I would recommend the tea but the service is what disappointed me. This was my first time here along with my partner, I ordered the tea and they took forever to give my partner's drink when there was no one in line. Literally we were like the only ones who ordered. I felt like the gentlemen who helped me got upset that I did not give a tip. Like I said this is my first time here, I didn't even know then if these drinks were good. In the end, I tell him thank you and guess what? He completely ignores me and doesn't say anything back. He continues to do what he does and I felt so bad. My partner noticed too and we decided not to come back. We felt bad the whole way home, how can someone make us feel so unappreciated. Beyond rude and really upsetting. The guy cannot say he didn't hear me because I was like right next to him and there was like no one in the tea place really. I really don't know what happened. read more

Em-Tea - Blueberry boba tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

Order on a kiosk, and drinks get called out super quick. Drinks are always delicious. Staff is super friendly as well!

A hidden gem in Merced. Love their boba! They have tons of different flavors. If your a student at UCM they have plenty of tables to study and be sipping some boba. The space is very peaceful and comforting perfect to jam out to studying or simply get work done. Perfect for a relaxed hangout with friends. The staff is very friendly and they do provide board games. read more

Em-Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

See all

As someone who's only ever lived in the Bay Area & LA, I actually think Em-Tea's drinks are comparable to high/mid-tier boba places even in those areas! Really, really enjoyable. The decor is cute and there is a good amount of seating inside, and service is alright as well. I really like the way the menu is organized; instead of overwhelming amounts of premade drink combos, Em-Tea lets you order by step: 1) size/temperature, 2) flavor, 3) tea/milk/sugar, and 4) toppings. They do have speciality drinks on the menu as well, and the variety of unique flavors available is pretty impressive! I got the a large tiramisu iced black milk tea with light sugar and pearls; the sweetness level was perfect, boba was cooked well, but most importantly, the tea tasted rich and quite strong. The tiramisu flavor, which is new, is a bit sweet but was exactly what I had been hoping for, so zero complaints from me! The size of the large drink is generous, and our drinks were prepared quickly. Hands down will be coming back to try some other flavors! read more

Em-Tea - menu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

See all

Em-Tea is the only boba place in the Central Valley that is worth visiting. There isn't a lot of boba out here besides Quickly and I would rather.... Um, never go there again lol. So it's a bit of a drive from where I live but it's actually pretty good boba and worth it! I got a large lavender black tea with normal sugar and boba. First off, the large is LARGE!! My small hands had trouble with it Lolol. The boba itself is very good, chewy but not over cooked thankfully! The tea itself was pretty good but waaaay too sweet, so I'll definitely go with light sugar next time. I've always enjoyed the very artsy and inclusive vibe from Em-Tea and that's why I come here. I'm a queer.... In the Central Valley... lol. So having the Pride flag on the wall makes me feel a little more welcome here than other places. read more

Em-Tea - Lavender Black Tea with Whole Milk and Normal Sugar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Merced, California

The only Tea in Merced that makes boba just right. you order your drink through the kiosk and you're drink will be up in 2-3 mins.

I've been to just about every boba shop from Modesto to Merced and several of the best rated ones in the Bay Area. Em-Tea is right up there with the best of them. Family favorites are Bee Yo Self and Galaxy Fall. I rarely make a trip to Merced without stopping in. read more

My family and I came to Merced, Ca on a Sunday to visit the nearby Winton Cemetery. We ate lunch and after I decided I wanted some Tea plus my mom wanted Thai Tea. So I enter this cute Tea shop. There was about 7-8 people inside enjoying their tea and three people in front of me. My middle sister comes and sneaks behind me as she was letting me know that my older sister wanted a Thai Ice Tea as well. Their menu items are so full and filled with so many flavors. All slushes are not made with tea but every item with flavored tea you have your choice of black tea or green tea. For my moms and older sisters Thai Tea...I selected black tea with normal sweetness with milk. There are so many combinations you have to choose from and there are even teas that you can put in a light bulb...very trendy. For two Thai Ice Teas and Taro Slush with boba it came to $13 dollars which is not bad at all. The two people in front of me ordered the same thing and I took their drinks on accident as I thought it was mine. Anyways besides that mix up the drinks are pretty good. The customer service is pretty good. And they even have treats. If you are in the area I definitely recommend to come out and try this tea place. My family loved their drinks too! read more

See all