Typically, my reservations about bubble tea places are the following: 1) huge menu, no vegan options, and 2) half the boba don't fit up the straw. Neither is an issue at Happy Lemon, where you can substitute in oat milk or almond milk. And whether the boba are smaller or the straws are bigger, it just works -- you're not left with a cup full of boba when you finish the drink. This place is a good go-to for drinks and snacks, so much so that I'd choose it over nearby competitors. read more

Happy Lemon - Almond milk bubble tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Still my favorite boba place in Evanston. The order ahead and pick-up option is super convenient. When you order in person, the egg waffle can sometimes take a bit so I recommend just doing pick up. This place is known for their cheese foam and lemon teas so I highly recommend giving those a try. There aren't a lot of seats in the shop so most people just sit for a bit and then move on. It's not a place you and sit and study for a while. The employees are very nice and professional. read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Updated review solely based on the new cup sizes.... I get inflation but these drinks cost penny's to make you think about it really... the size is somewhere I between a tall and grande hot drink cup at Starbucks... read more

Happy Lemon - A large?!Boba Milk Tea with Pudding & Lychee Jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

When I saw the sign in the window advertising the Winter Melon Lemonade, I knew I had to have it. It was a great choice, I added Mango Crystal Boba and this drink was sooo delicious! The staff was very friendly and helpful, even when they got busy. The store itself is small with only 2 small tables for 2 inside. It was a nice warm day when we went, so we walked outside with our drinks. A perfect drink for a prefect day! read more

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I got the strawberry Shortcake with oreos. It's great that they offer the option of less sugar. I got 50% less sugar. The drink was great, and I did not miss the sugar at all. This is a small location in the middle of the block, so it's easy to miss. You have to make it a destination. But, once you do, it's well worth a trip. Service is fast, and they do get busy, especially on a hot day. read more

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Had to come by to celebrate National Boba day! This go around I got two drinks that were recommended to me by the staff because it was their favorites. The first drink was the mango matcha smoothie with the mango Crystal boba. It was delicious, the Crystal boba was nice and chewy but not like tapioca, and the smoothie itself was the perfect combination of sweet and matcha. The mango Yakult smoothie was great too! This one reminds me more of a mango madness naked drink but better! The mango chunks and smoothie made for the perfect pair! All in all, they were great recommendations, and I am already craving more! read more

Happy Lemon - Mango Matcha Smoothie & Mango Yakult Smoothie - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I might be only person who came here for the waffle and not the bubble tea...oops! I DO want to come back to Happy Lemon for some delicious boba, but this visit was made later in the evening after dinner and I knew if I got something with caffeine I would be up all night. So, as a sweet treat I came to Happy Lemon for a waffle. This shop is cute but TINY. It's more of a grab and go type of place, and less of a spot you'd stay, especially since there are only about 2 tables inside. I ordered the original waffle with the taro puff cream dip it comes with. It came out to about $7 total, which seems pretty on par for any sort of dessert. It took about 5 minutes for the waffle to cook, but it's nice to know it's fresh! The waffle was so yummy!! Slightly crispy on the outside but light and fluffy on the inside. The taro puff cream dip is what really took it to the next level though. It was a perfect consistency and sweetness. It really leveled up the waffle! Can't wait to come back for boba in the future. read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

This is a review with respect to the service my wife and mother in law experienced today while ordering their bubble waffles. First off, they only had one buffle waffle maker working. That's fine if that's the case and my mother was told 20 minute wait since there was one person ahead of her. We decided to wait since my daughter really wanted one. 40 minutes later, having almost given away our waflle to someone who was several orders behind us and having instances where the waffle maker was empty while they were focusing on making drinks instead, they left there really annoyed and put a bad taste for the whole business in general. We typically give the benefit of the doubt to places as we understand that things happen but having a terrible service is not tolerable. We love the product but may not go back if this isn't addressed! read more

First time trying when I visit Vegas it was kind of on the strip it was outside no place to sit. It was decent came with boba. Will try the one in Chicago! read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Happy Lemon is just the treat that I need after a long day. It's located in a busy part of downtown Evanston. I absolutely love their Mango Matcha smoothie with crystal jelly balls. I personally prefer to get 50% sweetness; however I would say I lean more towards the mild side vs loving overly sweet things. The drinks come out very quickly, so you aren't waiting for too long. There are a few spots to sit inside, but I personally prefer to grab and go. I highly recommend trying Happy Lemon if you can! read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Overall, the drinks are pretty decent. I got the mango matcha smoothie and I'm pretty impressed with it. I will say the restaurant itself is pretty small. However, they are pretty quick. I understand I am in a college area which makes sense for all the students. One of the students made a statement saying the mango matcha is the best. I will give it four stars. The drinks are good however I wish the place was a little bit bigger and more places to sit. I may be being a little biased but even for quick restaurants like this, you can only imagine how small this place would be if it was even more packed. read more

Happy Lemon - Mango matcha smoothie - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Simple and sweet, Happy Lemon serves up all your favorite teas, smoothies, and even bubble waffle in a small but efficient restaurant. Without heading into Chinatown you can also enjoy the salted cheese, pudding, jelly, taro ball, and puff cream options that you don't typically find elsewhere in the suburbs. The service is quick and friendly and the decor is bright and happy. Definitely make sure to try their delicious bubble waffle if you get a chance. read more

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After going here and seeing the filthy conditions inside, I was hoping to hear from the owner, but no response. Bye bye forever. read more

Happy Lemon - Dirty garbage can. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Love this place even more now with online ordering system (link in Instagram bio). I moved further away so I can't go as often as I like, but I my Happy Lemon fix every so often! I ordered my drinks online and when I got there, I skipped the line and picked up my order. The only downside is I have to make sure I get there on time so my waffle will be fresh & crispy! :) Here's what we ordered: Our favorites -milk tea with salted cheese: signature drink & a must order at Happy Lemon. Skip the straw and drink at a 45 degree angle -milk tea with Oreo & puff cream Oreo: my personal favorite. I actually prefer mango Oreo but wasn't available via online ordering -Freshly Squeezed Lemon Black Tea: a family member's favorite--closest to Hong Kong Lemon Cha) matcha latte: always a classic Non-caffeinated (marked with green leaf on the menu) -strawberry shortcake: taste just like it sounds; a smoothie or strawberry and cake blended together -purple taro smoothie with boba: better than others -mango lemon slush: comes with lychee jelly. It's very lemon flavored; expect sour! read more

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We got the matcha mango smoothie with pudding and strawberry green tea with lychee jelly! It was just okay for us! We got 100% sugar for our fruit tea, but there was no sweetness and more acidic in our opinion. Possibly the strawberries were not ripe at the time and they don't make a syrup out of them. The matcha mango was good, but we wished there was more mango to the drink because there was very little and the idea of it was a really yummy combination. read more

Happy Lemon - mango matcha with pudding and strawberry green tea with lychee jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

If you need drinks split into 2, they are happy to do that here. Great for having shared separate drinks. The purple taro milk tea, was very subtle in flavor. I think I was expecting a bit more taro flavor but it was not super strong. Bubble waffles do take about 5mins each and one of the machines was not working so my order of 4 bubble waffles did take a bit longer on this visit. I do prefer the regular flavor over the chocolate. I did notice after ordering that they do have Oreo now, will have to try that one next time. read more

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yom drinks, quick service, and very cutsie store! the mango matcha smoothie was DEVOURED read more

Happy Lemon - Mango Matcha Smoothie - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

This was my first "non-sponsored" visit to this Happy Lemon location. I was given an opportunity to check out this little refreshment joint through a Yelp community event in early May and I swore that I would be back as soon as I could. One thing I have to emphasize: if you don't want your drink too sweet at all, take the initiatives and asked for 30% or less sugar. Everything is customizable, including the level of ice. I always ask for 0% sugar and I definitely enjoy my beverage this way. Otherwise, the staff will proceed to making the items the normal way. Lines were long during my Yelp visit. However, when my partner went in to order for both of us, there was only one set of customers waiting ahead. That was a slightly chilly weekday evening though. I bet as we approach to "true" summer weather here in Chicago, people will start popping up and "Happy Lemon" will be a much happier place to stop by. read more

I've been here twice and both times were really good. I'd have to say my favorite is the mango matcha smoothie. It actually has chunks of mango in it and it just elevated the smoothie. I also finally got to try the bubble waffle. I just got the traditional waffle and it was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. When I found out that this spot was Taiwanese owned, I had high expectations (since bubble teas originated in Taiwan) and this spot didn't disappoint! read more

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My husband and I stopped in to Happy Lemon to get a quick snack. We ordered the oreo bubble waffle with the cream puff dipping sauce. It takes five minutes to cook your waffle. We waited ten minutes because there was a huge order in front of us. The bubble waffle was good and you could taste the oreos in the batter. The cream puff dipping sauce was not special and added little flavor to the waffle. Happy Lemon is a solid choice but I will have to hit back to see if there is something that sets them apart from the competition. read more

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Went yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. This was our 2nd trip to Happy Lemon. The first trip was for a Yelp elite event prior to their opening. My daughter was getting her wisdom teeth taken out the next day and can't have any chewy stuff for 3-8 weeks. She chose to go to Happy Lemon for her last boba for awhile. Everything is made to order. The bubble waffles take 15ish minutes so if you order one, please be patient. It can't be made in advance otherwise it would lose the crispy outside texture. The tea is brewed, not the powdered stuff. You can customize the sweetness and ice levels. I got my strawberry green tea salted cheese without sugar and enjoyed it. I forgot to add boba. Sad :(. It was the first time I ordered a salted cheese drink. I always thought it was weird. The last time we went, I tried my daughter's and it tasted like cheesecake. I love cheesecake. My daughter ordered her milk tea with 30% sugar and ice. And it was good, too. Everyone is so nice! Please be patient, since everything is made to order and they've only been open for a month. It's a small space. Try to tip as much as you can! The employees are all college students. One of them is a student employee at my office and worked 3 jobs this summer. I believe they give a discount for NU students. read more

Happy Lemon - Milk tea with salted cheese and boba, bubble waffle, strawberry jasmine green tea with salted cheese - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Was super excited because you don't get really good tea places along the north shore that often. Had the chance to check it out for a soft opening. It's located in a great location along Chicago (the street) in Evanston right down the way from my friend. So we'll be spending alot of time at Happy Lemon this summer! The place is known around the world, so this is one of the first in the Chicagoland region. It's already along the coastal locations...why do good things always take so long to reach the Midwest?! Oh well worth the wait! Last time I was in BC, I happened upon a Happy Lemon - and it was awesome. I had to have one of their salty cheese milk teas. It was great. Not overly sweet, smooth and balanced. A great drink and one that I'd find hard to beat. The salty cheese hits you immediately non the first sip to awaken your buds and then the sweetness from the milk tea makes you just appreciate the balanced tastes. I also had a bubble waffle - Trin made a special half choco and half regular waffle. The texture is nice, crispy and chewy at the same time when right off the iron. I like the crisp edges and it was great dipping it with a side of salty ube cream (I'd say it's a must try with the bubble waffle). The owner is great, a good local business (gotta hear the story of how it all started). It's a little tricky if parking for pickup up since there's no direct curb parking (bc of evenaston bike lanes). But I parked across the street and had wifey rush in. There's an apartment building next door that is valet, so don't annoy the valet too much by parking in that lane. read more

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Can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet, but my wife and I have come here several times since they've opened. We always try to make it a point to stop by whenever we're in/around Evanston because their teas and bubble waffles are just so good! I've found myself going for the good ol' classic boba milk tea and my wife likes the jasmine green tea with salted cheese. There's a strong tea flavor in the milk tea that's hard to find at other places, and the boba has always had the perfectly chewy texture whenever we've gone there. The bubble waffles are fresh and perfectly made, and I always finish mine way too fast. Service has been smooth each time that I've gone there, and if it's really busy then they've usually been consistent with telling the customers approximately how long the wait is (especially if you're ordering bubble waffles). I met the owner, Trinh, during the soft opening when she took my order, and she was very friendly with all the customers and her employees. She met my daughter that time, and when we went back a few weeks later she remembered our names which was a pleasant surprise! I'm also a fan of their Instagram posts and I'm glad to see that they like to enjoy themselves every now and then and keep a fun atmosphere in their store, haha. read more

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I left Happy Lemon with a happy stomach. I went to their Evanston location with my cousin who highly recommended the place to me. I'm glad I went with her because I was able to try one of their signature salted cheese drinks. She ordered the jasmine green tea w/ salted cheese. I love the cheese foam but I don't think it complemented the green tea. I want to try the milk tea w/ salted cheese for that familiar salty-sweet combination. You can actually add salted cheese to any of their tea series for an additional charge. I also took a few bites of her cheese bubble waffle. It tastes like an upgraded version of a standard waffle with its crispy shell but chewy inside. You can order their waffles with dipping sauces like regular or taro puff cream. My typical boba tea order is either taro or brown sugar. At Happy Lemon, I went with their dark brown sugar boba w/ fresh milk, one of their specialties. I rate their version as better than what I've tried in other places. You can adjust the ice and sugar levels, and I suggest half sugar or 30% because it's a really sweet drink. There was no line when we first entered and no long wait for our order either. They have a bench, small couch and two small high top tables, so we decided to sit and finish our drinks and waffle first. A couple groups followed us though, and we became cramped in that small location. I'll be doing carry-out next time, which I hope is soon because I enjoyed what I had. I want to try more of Happy Lemon's diverse selection of drinks with modifications and add-ons. read more

Happy Lemon - Dark Brown Sugar Boba with Fresh Milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Cute little boba shop on a Main Street in Evanston! Staff was friendly and efficient! Parking is on the street, but there was also public parking a couple streets away. In such a good location! Bubble waffle was crunchy and delicious and when we ate the left over an hour later, it was almost mochi donut consistency- super yummy! The drinks were so good with the perfect sweetness! Def recommend! read more

Happy Lemon - Passion Fruit Jasmine Green Tea with Lychee Jelly Strawberry Jasmine Green Tea with Lychee Jelly Oreo Bubble Waffle - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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The staff is very kind & helpful! Tons of variety to choose from. Very limited seating space. read more

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MMmmmmm shooketh! That salted foam is chef's kiss. Came opening weekend and it was popping! Everyone was trying to get the buy one get one promo & what a steal. Quite a drive from where I live but worth it for the bogo deal. Parking is in the heart of Evanston downtown so parking can be a bit of a struggle to find parking. If you are in Evanston I would recommend stopping by. Next time I would want to try the egg waffle it was opening weekend and they were behind on orders and only 2 waffle makers so it took awhile for the other orders to come so I didn't try it this time. read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Happy Lemon (8/10) Grand opening in Evanston, IL. BOGO on select drinks for today and tomorrow as a grand opening special. I ordered a milk tea with salted cheese. The milk tea and salted cheese were both very good. Just on taste alone 8.5/10. -.5 to the overall rating because I waited over 25 minutes for the drink. Assuming the longer wait was because of the grand opening special but it was worth it. read more

Happy Lemon - Milk Tea with Salted Cream - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Visited here for the first time on a Saturday evening after having dinner a block away. As soon as you walk in you are engulfed in the smell of fresh bubble waffles being made. So I had to order one and it was delicious and twice the size of my head and well worth the five dollars. We ordered three different drinks two with Boba one with the salted cheese that they tout being famous for. The great thing about the drinks is that you can control the sugar levels and they actually listen and abide by your request. The drinks were made fresh on the spot it does take some time as they are not highly staffed and the space is quite small. Seating is also very limited inside as the interior is small too. Unfortunately when you walk outside there really isn't a place to stay either whether provided by this business or by the city of Evanston. I will say this with the growing number of Boba places in downtown Evanston I am so glad they are on the scene and I am definitely coming back. read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

We got the milk tea boba with a chocolate waffle. I think this place is a nice and fun spot. I felt the boba was tasty but the waffle was decent. The service was good but there isn't much seating. It's close to the river and a nice walk with the boba. read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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I'm a fan of this place. Tried their bubble waffle so many times and today they gave me this. Not quite sure if I'm gonna try this or not. Better check the quality next time before you leave the store. read more

Happy Lemon - Original Bubble Waffle - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

We stopped in here after an event next door at the Crystal Ballroom. We'd been here once before for a Yelp event prior to their opening, and I was eager to try it again. The space looks a little less fresh than it did prior to opening, but the normal wear and tear is the sign of a place that's loved and visited often. I ordered an iced boba milk tea and my husband ordered the lemon slushie. They were made quickly and we headed out (this is a very small space and there were four students at the one table). No big deal - we sipped our drinks as we drove home. My boba tea was delicious and had a ton of boba in it. I would probably order my boba tea a little less sweet next time based on my preferences, which is one of the great things about Happy Lemon -- you can customize the sweetness of your drinks! And my husband's lemon slushie was tart and refreshing. It would be perfect for a hot summer day. Love this little spot and their friendly employees, and I'll look forward to stopping in again. I still haven't tried the bubble waffle so there's definitely a reason to come back soon! read more

Seriously happy lemon? I paid full price for this. This is not the first time. I used to love this store but recently it always have issues. read more

Happy Lemon - Freshly Squeezed Lemon Honey Jasmine Green Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Obsessed. I missed the Yelp event here but was glad to be in the area and give it a go anyhow! I enjoyed my milk tea with Oreo cookie crumbs and boba. Parking at the nearby Target was a total breeze. I would definitely return--especially on a hot summer evening! read more

We had tons of fun here, where the inside of the shop reflects the playfulness of the experimental drinks. I heard about their famous cheese boba and rock salt boba a few months ago and decided to give it a try. The boba snob I traveled with was sufficiently impressed with their tart but refreshing lemonade, and I was very happy with my drink: the classic milk tea cheese boba. Its location is centered in walkable downtown Evanston, right next to Joy Yee if you're looking for something sweet after a meal. The service is efficient and clean, and the drink menu boasts a creative approach to traditional milk tea/fruit boba that, despite the seemingly unorthodox ingredients, somehow works. Big fan. read more

Happy Lemon - Milk tea Milk Tea with Salted Cheese with regular boba, Freshly Squeezed Lemon Black Tea with lychee jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

My drink was good. It was very fragrant, but a much needed refresher on a warm summer day. We attempted to come here a second time, but it was packed with students on the second visit. The space is tiny. It smelled odd on the second visit. Not sure if that was the cheese or not. I also witnessed the employees being very messy at the small counter and station that they have. For these reasons we ended up changing our minds. Overall it was just a little too chaotic for our liking. read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

The strawberry shortcake smoothie with mango jelly is phenomenal!!! I'll definitely try this place again!!

Came in after lunch. First time trying Happy Lemon. It's a small place with a couch and 2 tall table with bar stools, making it more of a grab and go place. Their menu ranges from milk tea, to teas, to fruit smoothies. They are apparently known for their cheese foam, which my sister got and I now wish I added that to my drink. We both got the taro milk tea, she added the salted cheese to hers. I took a sip of hers and it was quite interesting, salty taste with something sweet. They also serve bubble waffle, a HK style dessert. It smelled and looked yummy, will try next time. Staff was nice, patient, and professional. I can see how they took their time making our orders. I like the grittiness of taro in my milk tea, can definitely taste both taro and milk. Definitely recommend stopping by if there's one near you. read more

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Ugh, it pains me to write this review! I'll start by saying I'm a fan of Happy Lemon's drinks and waffles! However, this review is based on the horrible service and experience encountered at this particular location on our last visit. Went in on a Tuesday evening to purchase a couple of chocolate bubble waffles. There were 3 orders ahead of us, and we were told it would take 20-25 minutes for the 2 waffles. We were willing to wait since we came all the way just for the waffles! Turns out one of the waffle makers was broken. So, instead of 2, there was only 1 maker available. Several people came in after me for drinks, and those were being made while the waffle maker was free. Wouldn't you think that they would start a waffle and then start prepping the drinks?! The mismanagement was horrible. What was supposed to be 25 minutes turned into FIFTY!!! Normally, I would've walked out, but these waffles were for a toddler who would've been really disappointed not to have one after a long drive over! No one working was friendly. 1 of my 2 waffles was almost given away to someone behind me. Garbage can was gross and overflowing, and not one employee thought to take care of it. It was a disaster of a trip. People behind me canceled orders because of the ridiculous wait and mismanagement of workers/ time. Will NOT return to this location! I would rather drive all the way to the UIC location, which is friendly and clean! Seriously, though... if you are known for waffles and drinks, how do you not have a backup for a waffle maker that goes down?! It's mindblowing. I get that things happen, but at least train the staff to handle such situations. read more

Super, super yummy! Went with my bf as we were first timing it here. The location was a bit small and very busy but it does not take away from the quality of the food and drink they provide. Everything is delicious! We both got a large mango, matcha smoothie with crystal mango boba and an Oreo bubble waffle which we shared. The bubble waffle was super yummy and each little bubble had tasty dough in it. The drink was top tier! You could taste the fresh mango chunks and the boba was chewy but not too chewy. I also really appreciated that when you place your drink order, you can let them know about how much sugar you want in the drink. It's a nice little personalized touch and to make thing even better, the workers that were there when we came in; a woman and a man, were super helpful, kind and busy preparing drinks. Their customer service was A+ considering how busy they were. Also!! The decor is super cute! I love how everything is lemon themed. It's cute, quaint and cozy. Overall, we will definitely be back and this place is gonna on my boba list as top tier. I look forward to coming back and trying other drink and nibble waffle flavors. Hurray for Asian owned businesses because this experience was great!! read more

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