Adios Te'Amo (still one of the best boba shop names of all time), and hola Goolu Tea! With the BOGO special grand soft opening on 06/15/25 Father's Day, I happened to drop by, but lines were ridiculous, so I decided to go across the street instead. With the dust settled, I returned the next day to find the place completely empty, with the menu very limited. No smoothies, and no milk teas. I usually don't like tea without milk, so once again, I crossed the street. Third time's a charm, right? Tuesday I returned again, only to be met with a sign explaining that they will be closed both Tues and Wed for staff training. Then and there, I decided that Thurs 06/19/25 would be the day! I rounded up a posse, and determined we'd all collectively see what Goolu was all about. After a few days of high anticipation, once I arrived with my small group, once again, I was disappointed that the menu was still limited. However, since I already made the commitment, I was going to give it a try no matter what. Ordering is all done through giant touchscreen tablets. TVs likely displaying the menu have not yet been turned on. Prices are quite exorbitant, to be honest, with $7.50 being the base price, and some items in the $8.50 range! The one drink that caught my eye was Passion Fruit Mango Lime Tea, which does go for that cool $8.50. I ordered with zero sugar and no ice (which is whimsically labeled as "save for tomorrow" mode). Others in the group got Preserved Plum Lime Tea with less ice and regular sugar. So, what's the verdict? I actually enjoyed mine quite a bit. It is refreshing and flavorful, with fresh ingredients. The price still seems steep for what you get though. On the other hand, the Preserved Plum Lime group was less than impressed. They collectively didn't approve of the taste, and certainly not the overall value. Seating is decent for socializing, but not too conducive for studying, as there is only a single row of tables along the west facing wall. Bobaristas are decently polite, although not super friendly, but they get the job done. They are also a mix of various backgrounds. The Thurs afternoon crowd ebbed and flowed. At some points, it got decently busy, but never slammed. At other moments, they were swatting flies (Chinese slang for business being dead). Parking is ample, as the strip mall lot has abundant space. The location is wedged between Habit Burger and Orange Theory Fitness, at a 90° angle from the street, but with a building partially blocking visibility 90' or so in front. Goolu isn't exactly hidden, but it's not necessarily highly noticeable either. As more menu options become available, I'd likely come back to give them a shot, but as it stands, with Boba Bliss directly across the street, it is a tall order for Goolu to compete with. P.S. The cups they use are very high quality, and I kept mine to reuse in the fridge! Isn't it funny how just a few years ago, everything was supposed to be "eco-friendly," with paper straws and cardboard to-go boxes that disintegrated before arriving home, but nowadays we have gone full circle with packaging that is more robust than ever?! Unfortunately, I feel most people will still throw it all away, causing even more waste. read more

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Such a great new healthy boba option in Castro Valley. Actually I'm not sure if it's actually healthier but their lime tea drinks feel light and refreshing. I ordered the strawberry hawthorn lime tea drink with coconut jelly and it hit the spot. Definitely on the pricier side but will still come back given they're a bit more unique. Now a fan of lime tea!! read more

Goolu Tea - A2 - Strawberry Lime Tea (Incorporating Hawthorn Sauce) - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

place is quite spacious. you can place order through kiosk or even to staff. i will say the drinks are so refreshing and mostly the durian tastes so great but recommend less sugar cause their durian is sweet. love their lime tea collection mostly for: * orchid oolong lime tea * jasmine coconut lime tea * durian lime tea their great toppings: * coconut noodle * house made water chestnut boba quite pricey for me but still a recommended place for boba or tea lovers... read more

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This was a very expensive drink. However, if you frequently have tea with fresh fruit, this would be a good place. They used a lot of real strawberry versus powder. I did not try their boba because it was already $8.50 for their strawberry lime tea. read more

Goolu Tea - Cool top lid - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Both of the drinks were very refreshing! The Phoenix Lime Tea has a slight bitter after-taste compared to the Four Seasons Oolong Lime Tea. I got less sweet for both drinks and I thought that it was a good balance. The drinks weren't too sweet nor sour. I usually hate sour drinks so I was worried about getting less sweet but this was good! The Phoenix Lime Tea tasted more bitter than sour. The Four Seasons Oolong Lime Tea was lighter and a little more sweet. read more

Goolu Tea - Left: Phoenix Lime Tea with agar boba Right: Four Seasons Spring Oolong Lime Tea with peach jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

The location has plenty of parking so that's lovely :)! Upon ordering, our drinks came out within like 5 mins. We watched them make the drinks in front of us and it was nothing short of quality! There were many tables inside. I wouldn't say it's a place for large groups but a small party would work if you are trying to hang around while sipping your tea :)! I love that lime is their specialty. My husband and I got the phoenix + strawberry. Strawberry super refreshing, phoenix has a bitter after taste of a traditional Chinese lime tea would. If you like that, we would recommend! Would definitely come again! read more

Goolu Tea - Strawberry + Phoenix - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Since I was in the area, I wanted to try a boba spot I didn't have near me. A few spots came up in my Yelp search, but I decided on Goolu Tea because I was intrigued with the somewhat unique menu featuring a lot of lime tea drinks. Upon entering the establishment, I noticed how clean it was inside. Even though ordering is done on the kiosk screens to the left of the door, one of the staff behind the counter welcomed me in, and I thought that was a nice gesture considering I would be placing my order myself. Although the lime tea drew me into the store, I eventually ordered the Strawberry and Hawthorne Smoothie since I was curious to find out what Hawthorne is; I ended up asking the guy behind the counter and he described it as "a Chinese fruit" and I guess that convinced me to order it lol. The drink was ready in less than five minutes. While my drink was being prepared, I did notice a lady pounding/mashing fruit in a cup so I assumed that was for my drink since nobody else ordered at the time; I'm impressed with the labor involved with preparing the drink. The smoothie was very good. I was able to clearly distinguish the strawberry flavor from the Hawthorne flavor and the Hawthorne had a nice texture to it (somewhat resembling popping boba with a denser outer skin) and reminded me of something that is added to Vietnamese desserts or drinks. Since the place is known for its lime teas, I wasn't surprised that there was a hint of lime in the my drink and I think it was a nice addition to add to the overall flavor. I noticed there were mochi donuts in the display case at the register so I decided to get a few as well. The mochi donuts were definitely fresh, had a nice bouncy texture I expected, and had flavors that weren't too sweet. The strawberry was my favorite, followed by milk chocolate, and lastly cookies & cream, only because the cookie part was very fine powder and I wanted more crunch from the cookie, but again the mochi donuts were all good. I wish Goolu Tea had more locations in the Bay Area so I can try more of the items on the menu. I did like that there was a parking lot with a good amount of spaces available for a Sunday afternoon. The next time I'm near Castro Valley I definitely want to come back to Goolu Tea! read more

Goolu Tea - Strawberry and Hawthorne Smoothie - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Hands down the best hand crushed lime tea I've had!! I really liked the guava and peach lime tea, it wasn't too sweet! I would recommend ordering ahead since each drink takes a bit of time to make. read more

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Tried this new place in CV and it was pretty good, different because most of the items are lime based. I ordered the jasmine green tea with the links cold foam and it was good, different! I also ordered the guava tea it, the guava is crushed fresh by hand. If you like guava and pulp this is for you! I tried the coconut avocado smoothie which was pretty good, I wish I had a description of what was inside of the drink because it had some type of pearl and most likely coconut bits. The service was good, a little slow, but it was only 1 person working. read more

Wanted to try the tea here. Opted for the strawberry limeade as is, and it was pretty good. The place is clean and it wasn't super busy although i know it can get busy. We made our orders on the kiosk and patiently waited for our drinks. Apparently after quite a few minutes our drinks were sitting on the table. Never once did we hear a name, which was asked on the kioski or a number called out. After standing up from my conversation just to check what was taking so long, (with the 3 people i was with) i notice our drinks just sitting there. I understand a text was sent, but I've always had a name or number atleast called out, we were too busy talking neither myself nor the person i was with who also ordered saw the text. Especially because no one else was in there, and where we were sitting we didn't see the person out our drinks down. Had i not checked, idk how long our drinks would have been sitting there. read more

Such a fresh and simple take on fruit tea and milk tea. And for the area its in I am super excited! So close by to home. Their mochi donuts is hella good too. We had the pistachio matcha one. Perfectly chewy and not crazy sweet. The bright and light vibe of the space is really cute. Staff was friendly and helpful. Will be back to try other items. read more

Goolu Tea - Love this spot! The guava lime tea was so refreshing! And the brown sugar milk tea was good too! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

im happy that lemon tea spots have finally made it to the Bay Area. I love spots like these in Asia. This is definitely a bit higher priced which I don't think is super worth. However, it's a cool concept & different from normal tea spots. Super refreshing on a hot day & the parking is ample here. Would come again to give other drinks a try. read more

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I wasn't sure what to expect with lime tea but was pleasantly surprised. I would return to try more flavors. This time we got the Pineapple lime and Phoenix lime. Ordered from the kiosk and watched the screen that tracked the orders process. The cups that the drinks come in are great quality and def can be re-used. read more

Goolu Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Omg I love their teas and boba!! I love their unique style of tea which is using lime in their teas. They have the softest boba in the bay. Boba should never be hard and chewy. You can tell they take their time making their boba. They are always consistently soft and melts in your mouth. Mmmmmm yum! My fave drinks are the strawberry and peach lime tea and any drinks with matcha. Depending on what drink I get for that day, I usually like to add a second topping (other than their soft boba) such as their coconut noodles or their water chestnut balls. On top of their amazing teas, all the workers there are so nice. Especially Ken. He usually knows my drinks before I even order and gives me the best suggestions of which toppings to pair with the teas. We are lucky to have this boba spot in the East bay. I hope they stick around for a long time! read more

We got the guava and peach lime tea, Mochi donuts and strawberry lime tea. The drinks were fine. The guava lime tea was a little bland. I couldn't take the guava or peach flavor. The strawberry lime tea was better. The mochi donuts were good. Service was fast and not that crowded. read more

This place took over the Tea amo and it was definitely a change from what Tea amo had to offer. This place has lemon and lime based tea drinks so a majority of their drinks are going to be on the more refreshing, and fruitier side as opposed to milk teas. I'm glad I tried this place cuz the service was excellent and the drinks were delicious. The workers were super nice and even offered donuts to us because it was near closing time. My first sip of tea after my run was so refreshing it felt as if I stepped into a room with the air conditioning set to the perfect temperature after running on a hot summer day. The lemon was tart and it was hitting different from what I'm used to. It's not quite the same as the lemon teas that I'm used to but it significantly better. I would come back again to try the other drinks on the menu. read more

I recommend this spot if you like lemon or lime teas!! I got the phoenix lime tea w water chestnut boba and it was super yummy! the chestnut boba was new to me but I loved the texture that it added to the drink. We also tried the durian smoothie which was delicious if you like durian! The drinks were pretty pricey tho. read more

It's my go-to Boba place at the moment. I've tried several different drinks from this shop and they're all good. I especially love their cold foam. It's different from the other boba places. I also can't get enough of their water chestnut topping! Prices are a bit steep in comparison but their quality is better. I'm also not much of a lime tea person but I was curious and tried their Phoenix Lime Tea and Strawberry Lime Tea. They were really refreshing. read more

Newly opened tea spot! Super excited to try their lime teas! I got the Phoenix Lime Tea, Pineapple Lime Tea and Strawberry Lime Tea.. all were delicious! My fave was the Phoenix Lime Tea! Will definitely be back to try more flavors! read more

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Drinks are very pricey for what they are. The store was basically empty when we ordered, but drinks still took 20 minutes to come out. You order on a kiosk, so there's not much service to really care about. The interior is pretty spacious with lots of seating, seems like it could be a nice work/study spot if that's your thing. I got one of the hand smashed lime tea drinks and it was very bitter, so I didn't like it. Overall, I wouldn't come back even if I was in the area. I'd choose something else nearby. read more

Drinks were so good and refreshing! Loved every drink and honestly nothing was crazy sweet which we loved. As someone who loves sour and sweet drinks it was really good and a refresher after a greasy meal. The only issue was the boba, it was kinda gross and hard bleh. I couldn't finish my drink because the brown sugar in the boba made it icky. read more

Goolu Tea - A0 - Orchid Oolong Lime Tea, A6 - Pomegranate Lime Tea , B4 - Durian Smoothie with Sticky Rice - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Went back and ordered the Strawberry hawthorn smoothie (water chestnut boba included) at regular/recommended sweetness. This was so refreshing and delicious! The strawberry flavor that was missing from the strawberry lime tea was very prominent here. 5/5. read more

Goolu Tea - Insulated double-drink bag available for 25 cents. Non-insulated bags are also available. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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I'm a fan of this place. My piece of advice is: if you order more than 1 drink, order it separately. It is counted by "visit," but not drinks. You can order 3 drinks each time, but then you'll be paying 30 drinks for 1 free drink. But if you separate your order, you only need to order 10 drinks to get a free drink. read more

We wandered here after a run and it was the perfect post-run treat. The ambiance was fresh and bright, the cups super cute. The place was still in their soft opening phase so the employees were still learning the menu and getting adjusted to being open so... some of the interactions were a bit awkward but not bad! We were able to get our questions answered (like, what is Phoenix Tea? It's a high grade oolong, fragrant black tea for those who are wondering! We were!) We went with the fruity tea drinks and were not disappointed. The price was a little high imo but the drinks were excellent and refreshing. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here but it's surely going to be part of my post-run ritual whenever I'm in the area. read more

The place is located in a strip mall so there is plenty of parking. Saw the hype on social media and decided to give it a try. Ordered Phoenix Lime Tea and watermelon coconut lime tea. They are very refreshing. Phoenix Lime Tea is similar to the Ya Shi Xiang Lemon Tea from MoonTea. Definitely a place to go if you want refreshing drinks on a hot day. read more

Goolu Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Goolu Tea is located in the Castro Village Shopping Center. This is a pretty busy plaza and this side used to be quiet, but lately, the parking on this side fills up rather frequently and quickly, especially on weeknights and weekends. Some employees are more friendly than others here, they are usually pretty quick to take your order here, but they usually take a really long time to make your drink, even when you are the only customer. I usually get their Jasmine Milk Tea with Lime Cream Cold Foam - before the lime cream kind of sounded and tasted kind of weird, but it has grew on me. I usually order boba with it, but their boba is a bit different than other shops - I do not really like theirs and it also changes the drink dramatically. The milk tea tastes better without the boba. I enjoy their Uji Matcha Donut with Pistachio, but their flavors rotate. They update the flavors they have in store on their online ordering, so that is convenient. read more

I really like this new boba place. The employees are very nice and helpful when we were asking about the menu. It smells so nice and fruity in the shop. We got the guava peach lime tea with less sugar. It was so refreshing. I'm a fan of fruit teas so I'll definitely be coming back. read more

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Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the flavor variety at Goolu tea. It's a clean interior space with various options of matcha or iced fruit teas. Some are unique like Orchid or Strawberry Guava. I opted in for the orchid infused fruit teas drink, iced. It was interesting to say the least. I enjoyed it but I could imagine it not being for everyone. Next time, I'll have to order the matcha flavors and try them out. They also have mochi donuts like the previous location, haven't tried those yet. They have free wifi in case anyone is looking for a study cafe. Our drinks came out quickly. read more

New spot that took over Te'Amo. Refreshing, fragrant, fresh fruit tea done right if you order it with less ice and less sugar. Got the watermelon and coconut tea, which had generous fruit bits of both inside. The lime flavor in all their drinks is their signature. You can taste it, but it's not overpowering. There's seating inside with some plain decor, and some outside shared seating area with the Habit next door. read more

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This place is super cute! It is very clean inside with nice decor and friendly employees. I love the option to get your drink less sweet! They offer delivery, but picking up in person is very fast and convenient! Glad to have this in our neighborhood! read more

I was lucky enough that My friend took me to their store soft opening. The drinks were so yummy and unique, unlike other bubble tea stores around. I got to try their watermelon drink and it was so refreshing . Their location is next to the OT. The owner is also so nice and friendly. Will return to try other flavors read more

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I was hankering for a good fruit tea and stopped by Goolu tea after coming back from Oakland. The store is super clean and very cutely decorated. First walking inside the smell of limes fill my nose and I can see that they're hand muddling the limes. You order from those touchscreen kiosks and we barely waited five minutes for our drinks. I got the pineapple lime reg sugar and the guava lime with peach jelly. I definitely preferred the guava one over the pineapple drink; the fruits they use are super fresh and good quality as well as their cups. However the pineapple lime drink tasted like how Lysol smells (or like those antibacterial citrus wipes) and left a bad taste in my mouth. Not knocking down this business at all; everything was great, but the drinks weren't my favorite. read more

Goolu Tea - Guava peach lime and pineapple lime - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

IG @allysxn.eats | tried the coconut avocado smoothie 0% sugar and was disappointed. the avocado wasn't super fresh and i didn't particularly like the jelly they put in it. i think agar boba or lychee jelly would have tasted better. maybe the smoothie would have been better if we didn't get 0% sweet too. seems like people like the other tea drinks better so would have to try that next time. read more

The distinct lime teas sure are different. It's new, but it's not really something I would come back for. On the otherhand, they have a durian smoothie that sounds interesting. Might be back to give that a try! The matcha is definitely artisan level, quick and premium service. read more

We ordered three drinks to get a well rounded opinion. The A1 Phoenix Lime Tea was a popular drink so I gave it a shot. It was a little bitter and I was slightly overwhelmed by a variety of flavors. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't order it again. The A2 Strawberry Lime Tea was pretty good. It was a nice refresher on a warm day. The B1 Avocado and Mango smoothie was creamy and satisfying. Not too sweet. The packaging was superb. I was very impressed by the reusable cups. I'd be interested to try other flavors. read more

Goolu Tea - B1 - Avocado and Mango Smoothie A2 - Strawberry Lime Tea A1 - Phoenix Lime Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Fast service. Our super big group didn't faze them and still got our orders on time. Didn't know lime as base would taste really good with brown sugat boba. Nice hangout spot too. read more

Goolu Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

So glad they kept the Mochi Donuts from the previous tea place that was here! Had the Strawberry Lime tea and it was very fresh and good. The employees were very friendly and very efficient. The drink was ready quickly and tasted great! Will definitely be back to try other drinks! read more

Tried this place yesterday and was surprised to see that Goolu had taken over after Te'Amo closed about a year ago. Overall, I thought it was pretty good! I ordered the Matcha Guava Strawberry and the Mango Coconut Matcha. The Matcha Guava Strawberry tasted exactly as advertised, while the Mango Coconut Matcha was mostly mango-forward, though it was still delicious. I also liked that the matcha was a deep green color with a thick, rich consistency--lighter green matcha often tastes watered down to me. They also serve mochi donuts, and overall, the experience felt very similar to Te'Amo. read more

Goolu Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

I've been here a couple times. Their avocado and coconut smoothie is so good and filling. There are crunchy bits in it tha adds to the creamy texture. Yuuuummmmm read more

Goolu Tea - Avo and coco smoothie - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Pretty quiet on a Monday afternoon. There are order kiosks by the left side when you enter. Love their fresh lime teas and the lesser seen hawthorn and guava flavours. read more

Goolu Tea - Menu part 1 Feb 2, 2026 - Bubble Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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