First time trying Gathers Tea Bar and I'm already impressed. The drinks were smooth, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, not overly sweet, which I really appreciate. The boba had the perfect texture, soft and chewy just how it should be. Service was quick and friendly, and the whole experience felt easy and welcoming. Great spot for a refreshing drink, especially if you're looking to try something new. Definitely a strong first impression. I'll be back to explore more of their menu. read more

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Came here on a Saturday around 4pm and we were able to find parking quickly. We waited roughly 20 minutes to order cause it was decently packed inside. Definitely order the cream version of the matcha latte. It's soooo good. I ordered 2 drinks: strawberry matcha latte with oat milk and a mango matcha latte cream with oat milk. The regular matcha latte has a stronger matcha flavor and the color is a dark green while the cream has a lighter cream color but the matcha was perfect amount. The cream is so much smoother. I will definitely be coming back and trying the strawberry matcha latte cream version. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Strawberry Matcha Latte and Mango Matcha CREAM - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Honestly, it didn't fully live up to the "best matcha" hype for me. The mango matcha had a nice umami flavor and was good overall, but the flavors and textures didn't really come together how I expected. The mango piece also tasted expired which threw it off for me. The roasted oolong milk tea was just okay. Nothing bad, but nothing standout either. The tea itself tasted more like a regular black tea than the roasted oolong flavor I usually like. The boba was chewy and good, and the lychee jelly was fine, but overall pretty mid. I do like that they focus on high-quality, tea-forward drinks with ingredients sourced from places like Japan and Taiwan, and you can tell they care about the process. Just didn't hit as hard as I expected. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Mango Matcha Latte - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Such a cute place. The service is pretty standard and the tea is pretty good. I will definitely recommend and will be back. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The matcha at Gathers was absolutely phenomenal!! Highly, highly recommend their strawberry matcha cream, however they have lots of varied boba and matcha options that I'm sure taste fantastic. The cafe itself is quite small and there was a bit of a line when I went Sunday morning. So don't expect any seating to be available if it's busy. But the service is relatively quick and efficient. Highly recommend giving this place a try if near UIC campus, after all it was named as the best boba place in Chicago! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Strawberry Matcha Cream Latte - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tiktok brought me here of course. Something told me to come before 10am. After all, it is a Sunday. But I did not listen and came at noon. Luckily when I got there it wasn't too crazy, but the line was just at the door. This place was packed inside and it felt a bit overwhelming. There are kiosks to place your order which is smart so the employees can focus on making drinks due to the large volume of traffic. Luckily it only took about 3 min for me to place my order. It was easy to do. I've heard about the infamous mango matcha latte so that is what I ordered. There's an area to wait for your drinks and they even have seating. I was able to snag a spot and people watch. 1 thing about this place is the people who come in here sure do dress nice so I'm glad i put myself together somewhat instead of coming in my pj's. I think people are in and out typically because of how crowded it is. It would be nice to enjoy the ambiance if there were more room. It is a nice vibe inside. After maybe 7 minutes of waiting my name was called according to my drink order. Once I left, the line was out the door. So the question is does the mango matcha latte live up to its name? It most certainly does! The drink is really good. Totally understand the hype. Thank you Gathers for making my drink and managing the foot traffic so well on the day to day. read more

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Their teas are pretty good! Not too sweet but still flavorful! Prices are more reasonable than other tea places that charge almost $9 a drink read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Strawberry Fruit Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

There are two main types of Boba: Tea boba and candy boba. Both are delicious, but in their own ways. Gathers is a tea boba house, it is all about the subtle notes and well brewed expertise of their teas and matcha. They also have some candy options, but their tea is where they really shine. One of the best boba shops in the city if you're looking for tea boba. I will say, they are so popular and busy they have designed their interior for efficiency, not for lounging. Plan on taking all of your drinks to go, there is not much room to lounge. read more

Gathers can get busy as it's a pretty popular spot and it's not too big. Because of this, the service can be slow. The store is very cute though and also sells matcha powder + matcha bowls. I tried the mango matcha and the matcha latte, and both were pretty good, though the matcha latte was a little astringent. I would come back to try their other drinks! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - mango matcha, matcha latte - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The tea was excellent! Cute shop for a date with bubble tea that lives up to the hype. Service was fairly quick despite being busy. The lychee jelly was excellent. The tea itself was really good and high quality. I will definitely return read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Brown Sugar Assam Black Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Takeout/online order: First off, I underestimated how popular this place is! We tried to order at 3pm on a Sat & they were not taking online orders until 4. Once were were able to place our order, it did arrive quickly. We ordered larges of the strawberry matcha latte and the black sesame matcha latte, both with oatmilk. I will say, they were quite delicious! I would give the strawberry matcha latte a 4.5/5 and the black sesame a 4/5. Both at 50% sugar I believe and they were still sweet, but not too sweet. I really enjoyed the strawberry puree and the fragrance of the black sesame! Some of the matcha does shine through which I appreciate, instead of the flavors overpowering the matcha taste. Both of the lattes were a bit on the thicker side and leaves a slight film in your mouth, which I personally am not the biggest fan of, but otherwise if I'm ever in the area I would return! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Strawberry Matcha Latte and Black Sesame Matcha Latte both w/oat milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I totally get why this place is in top matcha lists in Chicago. I got the mango matcha latte with oat milk and it was super tasty! The matcha taste compliments the more stronger mango flavour well - making the drink refreshing and enjoyable. The drink was made relatively quickly given how popular it was. There were three self order kiosks which were nice. Love the packaging and decor in this spot. I'd definitely recommend for matcha drinks here, but if I'm back in the area, I wouldn't mind trying their non matcha drinks as well! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Mango Matcha Latte - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best boba shop in Chicago! The quality of their ingredients is unparalleled. All the staff are courteous and helpful, knowledgeable about the menu and ready to offer suggestions. The cafe is super busy, so seating is limited. It's not a place for working, but great for takeout or a quick meetup with friends. read more

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Gathers is one of the best milk tea shops in Chicago and I love coming here! I tried their Hojicha Latte with Kinako Cream with toasted genmai on top today, and this was delicious! Hojicha was amazing as always and the kinako cream was the perfect amount of creaminess, savoriness, and kinako! The crunch that came with the toasted genmai was a fun addition to give the drink some texture! Loved the balance of the drink overall and would get it again! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Hojicha Latte Kinako Cream - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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On a cold rainy night in Chicago, what are you gonna do? One excellent option is to hit up Gathers Tea Bar! That's what I did and I would do it again. After taking in their delicious-looking menu for a bit, I went with the Black Sesame Matcha Latte. The flavor of the matcha was exactly how matcha should taste... and adding black sesame just gives it that special boost in the yum department! While I would order this again, I intend to try some of their other drinks first, particularly the strawberry matcha, mango matcha, milk tea with boba, and some of the other drinks that caught my fancy. *****FIVE STARS***** read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Black Sesame Matcha Latte!! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came to Gathers Tea because of all the great reviews -- but unfortunately, I left really disappointed. We ordered 3 drinks in total. I decided to try their Mango Matcha Latte, since they're known for their matcha. That drink was excellent. Definitely a 5-star drink. However, everything else about my visit was the reason I can't give more than 1 star. I also ordered the Brown Sugar Assam Black Milk Tea with extra toppings (grass jelly, custard pudding, and tapioca -- an extra $1.75). The toppings were chopped way too finely, which ruined it for me, and the tea itself was bitter. I had to go back and ask for more sweetener just to make it drinkable. But the worst part was the Passion Fruit Tea with lychee jelly. It was extremely bitter and undrinkable. When I went back to the counter -- already trying to be polite since I'd just asked for help with the milk tea -- I mentioned that the passion fruit tea was way too bitter and asked if it could be replaced with something else. The staff told me no, they couldn't do that. I tossed out the drink and left. I've been to many boba shops, and while I rarely ever have to ask for a remake, it's usually standard for shops to offer a replacement if a drink is undrinkable. Not here. Overall, very disappointed in both the drinks and the customer service. Unfortunately, I won't be coming back. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Stopped by Gathers and tried the mango matcha cream -- so good. The matcha flavor was strong and really flavorful, not watered down at all, and the mango added the perfect touch of sweetness. Even though it was busy, the line moved fast and I didn't wait long. Quick service and quality drinks -- definitely coming back. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute small tea cafe. Got the mango matcha with cream with 50% and it was perfect. Glad I did not keep it at 100% cause it was still sweet. Also got the ube taro as well . Now that was definitely overly too sweet for my taste. Good for as a dessert type of thing. The kiosk was easy to navigate as well and probably took about 5 minutes until our order was ready which was not bad at all. The cafe was also decorated so cute. Would come back and try other drinks especially the matcha ones read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The hype is real Everyone I've put onto this place is hooked My go to order is the mango matcha Have tried their hojicha with black sesame as well as the seasonal pumpkin but the hojicha has a grainy texture towards the end that I'm not a huge fan of If you order ahead, be prepared to wait a bit as they don't start preparing orders until you arrive for pick up! read more

I have been coming here to Gathers for a bit, it is my go to place for my favorite sesame horchata 0% sugar with boba. This place is solid with people towards evening hours and yes, ordering online is easier but not sure why I have to check in to verify the order (even though you paid already) and have to wait for the drinks. Overall, they make the best drinks and it is consistent. Parking is great here too. I highly recommend. read more

I think we just didn't get the right drink. Wasn't the biggest fan of the miso caramel corn (limited time/special drink) -- there wasn't much corn flavor, tasted like caramel creamer and milks. I heard the other drinks are amazing so would like to try other drinks next time! Very busy with limited seating read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Miso caramel corn - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had to find out what the hype was around Yelp's best boba and best matcha in Chicago (separate years I think). I'm inclined to agree, but with low sample size and competition isn't too crazy. Convenient location near campus and easy to access. Inside is a bit tight with seating and it gets somewhat packed, but outside is nice to walk. Two tablets to order on makes the process pretty efficient. I typically don't get boba in matcha but I figured it was a chance to do a 2-for-1 taste test for both the boba and matcha. Pretty pricey spot though, around $10 average for large drinks. Black Sesame Matcha Latte w/ Golden Boba - at first, I was disappointed and thought they didn't whisk the matcha well. Then I realized it was black sesame powder and that's impossible to grind down. Matcha was actually really smooth and had good grassy undertones. The black sesame and golden boba combo tasted like tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) which was cool. Golden boba always has a better bounce so the pearls here had the best texture I've had in Chicago but they could have more flavor, as they were pretty bland. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Black Sesame Matcha Latte w/ Golden Boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The teas and matchas are high quality. It appears most of the drinks are made to order and fresh as well. The aesthetic of this place is great too. The only downside is how crowded it does get. Despite being pretty crowded, the line moves along fairly quickly! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is the spot. Probably my go-to matcha spot in Chicago, and we always have to stop by whenever we're in the area. This place does matcha lattes, matcha creams, hojichas, and more. Both the Mango Matcha Cream and Strawberry Matcha Cream are always perfect. Just the right amount of matcha flavor and it's fluffy since it's a cream. Gathers is known for their matcha creams but their regular matcha drinks are great as well! This place is always packed but service moves relatively fast. We probably usually wait around 8-15 min once our order is placed in-person. Limited seating inside and more of grab and go spot. read more

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Ok I'm a believer. Gathers Tea Bar makes delicious matcha that's smooth, robust, and not too sweet. Located close to UIC with a casual ten minute stroll, it's an easy pit stop for students and matcha lovers alike. The inside is simple, with electronic ordering tablets at the front and a bustling line of drink makers in the back. My mango matcha boasted of real mango puree, creamy oat milk, and smooth decadent matcha. I opted for the smaller size and immediately regretted it when I took my first sip. The ginormous 24oz is the way to go. Sweetness levels range from 50% to 100%, and oat milk is an extra $0.50. My 50% was perfect with the sweetened mango puree, but if I had just ordered a regular matcha latte, I'd probably opt for 70% sweet. They also offer a variety of Hojicha drinks, which looked delightful. My biggest regret before leaving Chicago was not making my way back here. It'll be a definite pit stop on my next visit. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Mango matcha latte with oat milk. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Im not even joking when I say this place has the best matcha I have ever had. I completely understand the hype now. I would recommend getting 75% sweetness though because 100% is too sweet. 75% gives you a hint of sweetness while being able to taste the naturalness of the matcha. There is a line at the door per usual but we didn't wait more than 15 minutes for our drinks which is kinda surprising based on how crowded it was. Will be coming back! read more

Stopped by after a long day of being out and about, and I am glad that we did! The drinks we ordered were all very delicious, especially the strawberry hojicha latte that my friend got, which surprised me, considering that I heard about this place for its matcha. I also enjoyed my mango matcha latte and the strawberry matcha latte as well. The interior of the cafe is pretty cute and nicely decorated as well. If I am ever in the area again, I would definitely stop by to get another drink, maybe two. ;) read more

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I highly recommend ordering before going, especially on the weekends. Make sure you let them know when you get there so they can continue to finish making your drink. I usually get the mango or strawberry matcha drink. They offer 2 different sizes and milk alternatives. read more

I've had more Gathers than I'd like to admit and I've followed them since their early days. They're a true testament to dedication and craft in the intersection of tea tradition and boba to set the standard in Chicago over the years and easily competes with the best outside of Illinois. One of very few tea shops in all my travels that brew exceptionally so the tea is strong and present--even in flavored and milk-based drinks. They're also one of few places I trust with high quality matcha. My go-to's: hojicha mt, earl grey mt, matcha mango, osmanthus [any fruit] oolong, genmaicha mt They tend to run sweet so I'm almost always 0%-25% sweet unless it's a flavored drink where you just gotta tank it! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is so good! Had high expectations based on other reviews and this place definitely lived up to the hype. Tried two drinks: * Hong kong style milk tea (50% sweet) - Very strong tea taste with the perfect level of sweetness and creaminess. I think this is the best hong kong style milk tea I've had anywhere. I prefer my drinks not too sweet and 50% was just right for me (maybe even slightly on the sweeter end). The condensed milk flavor blended in seamlessly with the tea. * Iced matcha latte (non sweet) - Strong high-quality matcha taste! I got 0% sweetness because I wanted to truly taste the matcha and this delivered. Not grainy at all and the matcha color was also very rich. Would love to go back and try their other drinks next time I'm in Chicago! Unable to comment on service as I ordered through DoorDash but I loved how their drinks were sealed and also had a plastic lid for double protection, especially for delivery! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Hong Kong milk tea, matcha latte - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As we gathered.... And all sure gathered here! I do not recall a boba spot this busy unless it some special event. It's Sunday around noon 1:30pm and it's crowded. There's a line to order, ppl waiting for their orders and those just sitting to enjoy their orders. My daughter wanted to come here as they boasted their matcha and we want to see if it lives up to it AND... it surely did. Her drink was sooo good matcha definitely above par to most stops. My Jasmine tea drink was also soo good. I would love another one but we are not staying near here. Tea was fresh and very flavorful. Shop is clean and aesthetically pleasing. You can buy their matcha and even some mech they have. Great location as it's by a university and also little Italy. read more

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Finally made it after talking about it for soo long and I can say their matcha drinks are definitely one of the best in the city. I can actually have a milky but also matcha-forward drink...and not watered down... Definitely coming back to try other drinks! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best matcha in the city! We tried the Strawberry Matcha Latte and the Mango Matcha Latte and they were delicious. I will say if you tend to like less sweet matcha definitely tread lightly as these drinks are more delicacies than "earthy" tasting - the employees described their products as their Lattes to be more matcha-leaning whereas their Creams to be more of a dessert. Cute & clean inside although limited seating so I'd plan to just come here for pick up. Can't wait to try more flavors! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Mango Matcha Latte, Strawberry Matcha Latte - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I think I may have just found my newest obsession. I ordered the matcha latte with oat milk and 75% sweetness, and it was perfection. Matcha was creamy and not overly earthy. The oat milk was a great balance to add grain and nuttiness to your latte to wash out any earthiness while still being able to enjoy the tea taste. They also have incredible seasonable flavors to fit the time of the year - I can never decide which one I want! Not sure if it was just the time of day I went, but it was packed.. also I wouldn't be surprised if it was always this packed because it is located by UIC, and seems to be the hot spot for everyone. I didn't feel like I waited too long for my drink even though there were tons of people ahead of us. This is def a chill place to go with your friends if you want to try something different in little Italy ! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Matcha latte w oat milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Located in the UIC area. They have the best bubble tea in Chicago! I come out of my way to get drinks from here. In the front of the store, they have 3 tablet kiosks of where you can place your order. All of the staff are dedicated to making your delicious drink. The drinks are made fresh! Wait time is usually abiut 5 minutes, even when the store is full. Their signature boba is golden boba & it has the perfect chewy- yet tender texture. I typically order their Genmaicha, a nutty brown rice green tea. They do use non-dairy creamer (but it has a milk derivative, so it is not vegan). You can customize tour drinks by selecting different milks, sugar level, and ice levels. read more

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Who doesn't love Gathers! Tucked in University Village by UIC campus/UIC medical district (my old stomping ground) on Taylor street. Plentiful street parking in front of the shop. Super crazy busy no matter what time or day. They seriously blew up. I really enjoy their unique flavors that you won't be able to get any other boba shop. Hack: if you can do online order, DO IT! Cause it gets crazy crazy busy and so crowded to the point where you run out of standing space. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pros: Gathers Tea Bar makes some delicious matcha! I would recommend trying the Mango Matcha Latte AND/OR Peach Oolong Tea, but everything I have tried is yummy Cons: I wasn't impressed with the atmosphere of the cafe, but I usually grab to-go and walk around Randolph Street so it doesn't matter to me read more

I heard about this gem of a spot on Tiktok, so I had to try it while I was visiting Chicago. I got here around Thursday at 12pm and there was a line! The interior was clean and cute. I got the strawberry matcha cream with 75% sweetness. Let me just say this is the BEST strawberry matcha I've ever had. The matcha was vibrant and smooth and there was just enough strawberry flavor! It was a bit sweet for me at 75% sweetness and I would've enjoyed it even more at half sweetness. If I ever come back to Chicago, I'll definitely be back and get multiple drinks. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Got the hojicha with sesame. Customizable sweetness levels. Mucho options for customization. Tea: Assam Black, Jasmine Green, Peach Oolong, Osmanthus Oolong. Fruity: Lychee, Mango, Passion Fruit, Peach, Strawberry (Directly Sourced Japanese Matcha) Lattes: Regular / Black Sesame / Brown Sugar / Rose / Strawberry Ditto on the Hojicha Lattes. Add "milk" to your tea to obtain milk tea. Specialities: House Chai / Hong-Kong Style / Thai Tea / Banana Milk / Ube Taro Monster / Mango Matcha (Latte / Cream) / Strawberry Matcha Cream / Lattes with Kinako Cream (kinako is a type of roasted soybean flour). If I was a college student in Chicago, I'd also come here to get a boba fix. The menu itself has quite a bit of variety, so it'll take several visits to work your way through all their offerings. I estimated waiting between 5-10 minutes after placing my order. The interior has a nice design. Since the place is popular, it can be a bit loud, so listen carefully for when they call your name at the pickup counter. Along the walls and the front window is some counter seating. They also sell some merch, like hoodies, if you're into that kind of stuff. read more

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Love the extensive menu, easy and quick to order. Really yummy drinks. The golden boba tastes really good, loved the Hong Kong style--the milky taste is really strong but a light ice shake evens it out really well. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Hong Kong style, rose matcha with custard - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois