Quality/Quantity - My daughter was down, so we got her a Lycee Yakult boba drink. She is already feeling better. This is my daughter's favorite Alameda boba place. Ambiance - Nice remodel. Plenty of street metered parking, but we walked from Mekong Kitchen where we had lunch; see other Yelp review. Service - Counter service. Price - $8, expensive, but worth it to cheer up my daughter. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success here from 12+ years. read more

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Japanese food with no Japanese standards. I ordered Pork Katsu Curry. The curry taste was good but extremely inadequate for the serving size. They had the audacity to want to charge more for extra curry when it was inadequate quantity to begin with. I doubt if they have sat down and eaten the food themselves to find out if the ratio of rice to curry was adequate. The katsu was dry and had next to no flavor. The tables were dirty and unwiped. I guess they expect customers to wipe tables since there were Clorox wipes at every table. Maybe I am spoilt by food and service standards in Japan. read more

Go to spot for boba in alameda. The service is efficient. The ambiance is casual and food is okay. Price is high for boba. Will return. Some items were on the menu but not available at this location. Like the tiramisu. read more

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Still great food and drinks with the finished updated look!!! Too bad they couldn't all look this nice. Though I will say one thing, the tables got smaller. read more

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Friendly service. Delicious variety of boba tea cold or hot. Snacks are our family's favorites. Liked the chicken #1 snack and the waffle pancake with condensed milk. read more

i Tea - Condensed milk cakes & waffle were super delicious - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

The boba is good but the service is terrible... I don't know if it's new management but it was not like this before! Hopefully they do better read more

Service was amazing. Sesame bubble waffle was incredible. Drinks were tasty but sweetness levels vary from drink to drink. Leans sweet for creamy teas and less sweet for fruity teas. read more

I asked for a Thai tea with a nondairy alternative and there's no milk in it. The Thai tea base tastes fine so honestly it wasn't worth the hassle of ripping off the seal and asking for milk in store. I used to really enjoy the service I got from one particular lady, but I haven't seen her in a while and the service has gone downhill. Edit to reply: I ordered it with oat milk, the bobarista that made the drink forgot to put any milk. read more

i Tea - A Thai tea with oatmilk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

Have been here a few times and so far it's been quick and the drinks were always good. Usually get 25-50% sweetness and I'm glad they get it right. Service is quick and no frills. read more

I enjoy coming to this i-Tea location when I want drinks and snacks and still want to stay on the island. My usual items include roasted oolong milk tea, pomelo green tea, and super grapefruit. I recently tried their matcha oreo smoothie, it was good and not overly sweet. For snacks, I like their fried calamari (good seasoning), sweet potato fries, and sesame balls (perfect small snack size)- all their snacks are a shareable size! + they recently upgraded to nicer cups + option for online ordering, useful for large orders read more

I like to get their signature milk tea and popcorn chicken. They have lots of drink options as well as food. Good location, lots of parking, always a great option whenever the boba craving hits! read more

Second time experiencing poor service here. I wasn't even frustrated, just shocked. The younger staff were polite and helpful, but the adult employee had a bad attitude and honestly could learn basic customer service from the kids working there. I ordered two drinks and popcorn chicken to go and wasn't given a detailed receipt. When I came back, I was asked for another receipt I never received, and there was confusion about the $0.10 bag I had already asked for. After an awkward exchange, she finally gave me one but looked clearly annoyed. It's not about the dime , I had already tipped. Service and attitude matter, and this experience makes me think twice about coming back. read more

the mango sago is top tier. definitely trying again. so good and refreshing. the mango was fresh and not very sweet. read more

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Of all the boba shops in Alameda, iTea is my favorite! I love their fresh fruit teas with bits of fresh strawberry & mango and how we can customize sweetness and ice levels. Their popcorn chicken is the best! Nice chunks of chicken vs the tiny bits of cut up meat you get at other places and you can adjust the spice levels. There are 4 other boba shops closer to my house, iTea is my fave. read more

So sweet, it was hard to drink - even at 50% sweetness level. Next time, I'll go with even less sweet or zero. After a few sips, I had to stop and take it home for dilution. Tea quality seems to be ok but average given significant competition in the Bay. Service was functional/transactional like most bbt places. There is plenty of indoor seating for groups and this location also serves food/snacks. Note there was NO restroom for customers; this was extremely inconvenient and we were fortunate we could return to subpar mini golf next door to use their facilities. Overall ambiance was not great altogether. There's a large parking in the strip mall but with extremely narrow compact parking spots - consider parking on the street to avoid some hard dings on the car. read more

i Tea - We tried a range of bbt options - they were ok, mine was so sweet that it was hard to drink without further dilution. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

At this location, it's a hit or miss. Sometimes their boba isn't sweet, and sometimes it is. Sometimes their tea is too watered down, and sometimes it isn't. But so far, it's been pretty consistent during the night time, in afternoon; towards the night it tastes slightly different. They have street parking and public parking lot in the back. If you're a mango person, and like a creamy texture, their Mango Sago is delicious and a must try! read more

The manager janey Lu send me a picture of myself and my friend. I feel harassed and will never go there again. I can't believe this all over because she didn't wanna give me any whipped cream that already came with the drink. I'm taking this to HR immediately, but I will also want others to know that this is harassment and discrimination. read more

Things I like about this place: The milk teas and popcorn chicken, parking lot, Clorox wipes on the table Things I don't like about this place: No bathroom, non existence service (clean your own table), have to ask for literally everything (napkins, sauces) I'm always back for specifically the popcorn chicken! And the drinks haven't disappointed me thus far. read more

i Tea - Oolong milk tea & strawberry mango milk tea with boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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Unfortunately I need to start double checking my orders after they've been made. I was holding my toddler with me so I had to just grab and go. I usually don't mind it enough to leave reviews but the frustration of tipping beforehand as a regular and particular it being a larger order this time. $4 tip and came home to realize they still didn't even get it right. Overall no huge issues with how drinks taste and staffs are usually friendly for the most part but service can still be better though. read more

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Ordered their signature boba milk tea no sugar no ice. Found out that this means they top it off with water because the drink was kinda watery. Id recommend not adjusting the ice level if you want a decent drink. Service is good though; the staff is pretty nice. Place is clean. read more

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In response to the owner's comment: It wouldn't be crème brûlée without the caramelized sugar on top; otherwise, it would just be custard. The caramelized sugar layer is what gives crème brûlée its signature texture and flavor. Without it, it really would just be custard. It's that contrast between the creamy base and the crispy top. If you're not able to make it, don't say you can. I'm really disappointed. I ordered my son's favorite crème brûlée drink here in Alameda, which he always enjoys in Castro Valley and Oakland location. When his drink arrived, it was missing the caramelized sugar top that he loves. When I inquired about it, the staff said they couldn't provide it for the drink he ordered. Really? I couldn't believe it! My son was left disappointed, so I ended up drinking his drink, and we drove to Oakland to get his usual drink that this location refused to make but up-charged the drink. read more

We ordered the chicken cutlet with rice and curry, ramen, and two drinks. We spent over $40. Yet, when we requested for additional curry because of how stingy they were with the serving, they told us it would be an additional $1.50. When we told them that the portion was so small to begin with, the staff responded saying our request is the same as asking for extra boba in a drink. Even the drinks were not made well. They had little to no taste. Additionally, the older female staff member we spoke to was very rude. She behaved as if we were crazy for our request. It's a very poor way to treat your paying customers. Not only that, but the staff does not even clean the tables. They put Clorox wipes on each table so that the customers clean the tables themselves. It is an extremely lazy operation this I-Tea is running and very disappointing to see how something as simple as customer service is neglected today. We will not be coming back to this location. read more

i Tea - Chicken curry - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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I come to this place at LEAST once a month and my kids and I love it! This is the only place we get boba in Alameda. The workers are really nice and charismatic! There is one worker specifically that we love, my kids love seeing her. One time my daughter forgot my son's order and was getting nervous, but the employee somehow remembered it! Love this place. Highly recommend. read more

i Tea - Oolong Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

When they first open this itea in Alameda I supported them from the get go. They are run by many youngsters and majority of the time I order is 40% correct and 60 incorrect. I always text in my order with basic English but for some reason always mess up my order. But I still support them. Last week 01/10/2025 I order 5 grass jelly milk tea and 2 orders only came with grass jelly. Today 01/18/2025 I order again and yet again they got my order wrong. This time I'm done ordering from them. Too many chance and still mess up again. I try to support small business as much as I can but every time you get your orders mess up you just know when to throw in the towel and today is the day. Good bye itea in Alameda. Guess I'll be supporting the one in downtown Oakland little farther but at least they get my order right. read more

Food and drinks here are always good. Service are always well ambience are regularly music and conversations great place to be in. read more

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have been going here for seven years and drinks have always been consistent. boba is always fresh and you can taste the quality of the tea. i'm constantly craving it read more

I haven't been to i-Tea in years. Tonight i was really craving a black tea oreo creamy so I came in about 15 minutes before they closed. I felt bad coming in so close to closing, but the woman that rang me up was so friendly. She let me know that they didn't have anymore boba, so she upgraded me to a large free of extra charge. It may not seem like much, but those little moments mean a lot. Whoever that friendly woman was, thank you! read more

I ordered a popcorn chicken. The image showed basil with garlic. What came was big chunks of breast meat and raw garlic, and no basil! The most disgusting popcorn chicken I've ever had and it's $10! read more

i Tea - Gross popcorn chicken - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

The staffs are always nice and provide fast service. Even though the parking lot was full, there was no one in line here. In addition to our amazing drinks with soy milk; we also order takoyaki and garlic chicken wings. We chow down so fast, seem like with a blink of an eye everything was gone. Fresh, hot and yummy. read more

i Tea - Hokkido milk tea with oat milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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It's very good, they made my drink right!! I got a Oreo milkshake drink with strawberry drizzle. Their service was A1!

Pros: parking lot in back, drinks are good, customizable ice and sweetness for most drinks, signature boba milk tea is always delicious (and the texture of the pearls are always just right!) Cons: service is on the slower side, long wait times, food tastes low quality given the pricing, no customer restrooms. Bottom line: the convenience (parking lot) and good milk tea keeps me coming back, but it's lacking quality food worth the prices. The wait times are also over 10-15 minutes sometimes when it's busy, even if it's just a simple milk tea with boba. I love their milk tea but it's a bit dreadful to come in when the line is out the door and an iced milk tea can take 15 minutes to make it to my hand after ordering. read more

There's a parking lot so I like how it never is an issue. I got the strawberry and mango tea with boba. I couldn't get 0% sugar because of the syrup so the lowest I got was 30%. It was delicious and refreshing. There was two people working (I think) so I did have to wait a while to order but I honestly was not in a rush so I did not mind. read more

i Tea - Strawberry and mango tea with boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

They put hardly any boba in my boba. Very disappointing. I guess that's why the kid in front of me ordered extra boba.

2ND RESPONSE TO THE "OWNER": Your understanding is honestly at the lowest level. How many times do I have to repeat that we didn't know, & you could've handled it professionally as a "business owner". You're upset about staying past 9pm, but if it was such an issue, why still take our order in the first place? For some more change? This isn't the only bad review about your poor customer service. What's really sad is that you can't handle criticism. As a "business owner", you're supposed to be able to accept bad reviews. Customers don't leave them for fun. It's clear you're just miserable. At this point, go talk to yourself. 1ST RESPONSE TO THE "OWNER": Oh, so that was you? Okay. Everyone can see the way you're responding and the tone you're using, EW. (Well well well. Here you go, guys. She just proved me right). I clearly said you could've just told us nicely and been more friendly, like any professional owner would. None of us knew. And nothing was done "nicely" from you. Your face said it all -- that frown, miserable face. Why even run a business if you don't have the patience to deal with customers? We could go back & forth all day, but at the end of the day, running a boba shop doesn't make you a queen, thinking you're better than everyone. Your little boba shop is not the best in Alameda, you need to calm down & be humble. *** Everybody go check the other reviews about their service, it's just not us. Go see how the "owner" respond to the customers as well, just terrible overall. BAD BUSINESS. *** INITIAL REVIEW: This place made me and my family terrible last night. We showed up around 8:45pm thinking they closes at 10, but they actually close at 9. They still took our order but rushed us the whole time, and instead of telling us nicely, the owner or manager gave us a really rude attitude. Like "Girl, nobody told you to start a business or work here if you don't want to deal with customers. You look miserable". Super unprofessional and unfriendly. We won't be coming back. If you want good service, go to the one in downtown San Leandro -- they're way nicer and more welcoming. read more

The drinks are very sweet, even with lowered sugar adjustments, but overall they taste good. As for the roasted oolong, I just wish it tasted more roasted. The boba and tofu toppings are yummy. Heads up the Thai tea stains your mouth orange for a little! For itea one of my favorite drinks is the honey brown rice milk tea. Drinks were made super fast and there are a lot of tables inside, it's mostly clean and cutely decorated. I like how each table has hand sanitizer and Clorox cleaning wipes. read more

i Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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I picked up a to go order and the woman who helped me refused to give me a bag. I offered to pay for a bag but the bag wouldn't meet their minimum charge to use a card. It's a to go order for multiple items and I spent over 200x the cost of the bag. I would have canceled my order if I could. Ended up juggling multiple items walking home. You'd think a bag would be a given or factored into the cost of a to go order. Lost a returning customer over $0.10. read more

There's metered parking on the Main Street but also free parking behind this location. Their takoyaki is actually pretty good. At first I didn't care for this place too much and been constantly going to Ding tea down the street but then after a year or two, I gave it another go since I was at Marketplace and this place is pretty good. Not sure if anything has changed since then but I grabbed two milk tea, signature and winter melon and both were good. I adjusted my sweetness and ice level to lower numbers and it was still very delicious. Definitely will come here again, it's always decently packed when I come here, at least 80% filled and people constantly coming in and out. This place is a little slow though. read more

i Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

I went there today honestly great place the line was a bit packed some of it leading outside but due to their fast service I got to the cashier fast speaking of cashier very nice lady Honestly the best part was the cold inside since it was really hot this afternoon in my opinion great place they also had so many different things like ramen this little honeycombed shaped food that kind of tasted like waffles and of course boba this place is epic this deserves way more then 3 stars read more

I have been going to this place for years but this week their paying kiosk does not have a tip removal option. There is no way to reduce the tip to 0 or skip the tip. They changed it since I visited last. You have to tell the worker to remove the tip. I usually tip well for good service but I should have an option to decline, especially at a place that is self service, grab and go. Boo on I-tea Alameda! read more

Stop by today bc I want popcorn chicken basil. It's a no no . Too salty, same box but some pieces are supper Hot ( which is good) some pieces are cold. Feel like they cook some and add some leftover to my box to complete my order to save little money ! Never again! read more