As someone who makes their own matcha everyday, it's always a hit or miss when I buy matcha outside. After trying two other disappointing matcha shops in Chicago, I definitely think Gathers Tea Bar is a HIT. Their plain matcha latte is not bad, but I would recommend their mango or strawberry matcha latte! read more

Got stuck in Chicago for two extra days so I was needing a matcha kick badly! So Yelp suggested this spot. Wasn't far from my hotel and I got on the bus a few stops. Bright and airy inside. Fast service. It was good. The creamsicle flavor is unique. But the matcha here isn't high quality like I'm used to at spots in New York. But Like I said it was still good and I drank it ALL. read more

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

Yum!! I tried this place out for the first time yesterday (I ordered the mango matcha) and found it to be a bit sweeter than the matcha I tend to go for. I did do it at 100% sweetness (go big or go home, right?), so I'm not holding that against them. Sometimes you just have to make the wrong choice in order to make a better one. I think the sweetness would have been just right for me if I had chosen the 75% option. Loved that the tablets allowed for fast ordering. I'm not always into that (bring back the lost art of cashier conversation!), but the tablets make sense with the fast-paced nature of the shop. Don't know when I'll be back in that area, but when I am, I'll definitely pay them another visit! read more

I'm glad my daughter is a big fan of good matcha! She found this GTB and boy am I happy she did. She took charge of ordering our drinks while I got to soak in the vibe. It's simple and clean with accent custom neon sign messaging on mounted on a few walls. The clear drink cups creates a clear canvas for the colors of the drinks to shine through. Aside from drinks, GTB sells products for making amazing drinks like matcha. My drink actually contained real orange pulp and and orange slice that looks like had been burnt a little for that unique flavor... I could be wrong but it sure looked like it! Perfect for a summer thirst quencher. read more

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This place hits the spot! I was craving literally Hojicha and black sesame which they had surprisingly enough! Though the matcha drinks looked really good though! I can't wait to come back and try them! Anyways the hojicha was perfectly made but they only had oat milk available for non dairy option. Hojicha tea went so well with the black sesame! You can really taste that black sesame. I can drink this all day! Service was quick! They have kiosks to order from. Ambiance- chill vibes. It does get pretty busy here! read more

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Tried the mango matcha cream drink at Gathers Tea Bar and it was honestly a solid pick. Nothing super over-the-top or crazy, but just really well done. The matcha had a nice smooth flavor without being too bitter, and the mango added a good amount of sweetness that balanced everything out. The cream on top tied it all together and gave it a nice texture. Overall, just a really solid drink I'd definitely get again if I'm in the area. read more

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

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The Strawberry Matcha Cream was easily one of the best strawberry matcha drinks I've had. The strawberries tasted fresh and natural, and the earthy matcha cream balanced the sweetness really well. We ordered it at 50% sweetness, and it was perfect. Definitely a 9.9/10 for me. The Assam Black Tea was just okay. 6/10 The tea flavor was a bit too weak for my taste, but I really enjoyed the boba and jelly toppings, which added a nice texture to the drink. read more

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Quick trip to Chicago and we wanted tea... wow, Gathers was an excellent choice. They have a big menu and the drinks are really refreshing. Space also has some seating area. Street parking available in front of the store. We didn't pay since we were going to be in and out, I grabbed the sesame hochica latte and the peach oolong. I am a fan of real flavorful tea Please come and create your own adventure. read more

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Gathers is always a great choice! For matcha, jasmine green milk tea, hojicha....they have a revolving menu of seasonal orders that I am always nervous to try but have heard great things about. The boba is always perfect and drinks can be customized to your liking. The store is aesthetically decorated and great for pictures (except for the crowds of people). I love that their cups have illustrations by a local artist. It's a must to try! read more

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

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Theee BEST strawberry matcha latte I've had this far. Matcha was high quality and very green in color. Sweet but not too sweet. Oat milk alternative and different boba and toppings available. Customer service was excellent. We were greeted by multiple staff members upon entry. Street parking available. We'll definitely be back. Recommended. read more

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The matcha powder I bought (pictured) is really good both by itself as a hot tea as well as in iced lattes with whipped cream. It makes an excellent bright green foam. I will get another container soon. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Premium Blend Ceremonial Grade - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

not a fan of their matcha. we got a black sesame matcha but we tasted the matcha itself before mixing. it's very vegetal and tasted so much of grass and spinach. it has slight umami and bitterness, but just didn't sit well with the black sesame as well which was very grainy read more

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

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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

Gather's Tea in Chicago was amazing!! The drinks were really delicious, and I loved the vibe too. The mango matcha cream is so good!! I really love it and would definitely come back again heheheh read more

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I loved this cafe! The matcha was so good. It was the perfect amount of sweetness mixed with matcha. I ordered through a kiosk so I didn't have much interaction with the staff but they made the drinks well. The drinks did take about 20 minutes to come out but they were really good. I would definitely come back. read more

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My family and I decided to try Gathers Tea Bar for their matcha while visiting Chicago, and I can honestly say that they're more so a boba spot than a matcha one, which is understandable. We ordered their matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte, and the matcha flavor is subtle and almost not there. Their staff is friendly and welcoming, and there is a good amount of seating inside. I'd recommend this place as more of a boba place rather than for matcha. read more

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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 got the matcha latte (extra matcha) and thought it was decent. you can def taste the matcha and i like how they use simple syrup so nothing is overpowering it. i will say, i wish the matcha was stronger, it was kinda eh, i was hoping for something strong since i got extra matcha the strawberry matcha was good, jam adds a nice sweetness to it. the black sesame matcha i did not like as much, thought the matcha flavor got pushed to the background more yummy rating: 6.5/10 read more

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

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

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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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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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

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

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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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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Quality is top tier, workers are polite and help-full The drinks always taste wonderful And on time read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Earth day matcha - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Gathers was recommended to me by some local friends as "the best matcha in Chicago" so we had to make this our last stop before we headed to the airport. It was phenomenal. An intense matcha with detailed origins (including cultivar!) which is rare from matcha shops these days given how trendy it's become. Not only do they have the traditional classics, they're also innovative with their latte options, including rose, mango, black sesame, and more. We tried a good variety of both matcha and non-matcha items -- specifically, I got the seasonal mint Thai green tea, and was pleasantly satisfied with all of the drinks, not just the matcha. the cafe itself is a chill space with self-ordering kiosks and seating, but can definitely get busy as this place is popular. You could add boba toppings too, but I opted not to and just enjoyed my matcha (with half sugar) as is and enjoyed every sip. Goodbye Chicago; I love you so matcha! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Rose Matcha Latte Black Sesame Matcha Latte Mint Thai Green 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

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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Loved this place, hadn't ventured this far south in the city since I've moved but the area was really cute! The shop was super busy but we got our drinks very quickly, and they were sooo good. The large size upgrade only being an extra dollar is a great deal too, definitely need to take advantage of that when I go back. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Brown sugar matcha latte with sea salt cream - 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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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

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

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

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

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

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

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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