Their basil chicken was really good, better than I expected and my favorite drink lately has been the white peach blossom oolong latte, so refreshing and not overly sweet. Service is friendly and quick. Love how expanded their menu is, a ton of good options to choose from. read more

The food was terrible, chicken wasn't even cooked properly. Waste of money and time. Very poor quality. read more

Drinks are good, just make sure to tip. Otherwise your order will be sitting there. I noticed that service isn't good when tip is not given ! 5 orders after mine were placed and given while I saw my drinks sitting behind the counter while the employees avoided bringing it up front and ringing my buzzer. read more

Good and filling snacks and drinks! Price is high just for boba though. All the young workers do the bare minimum customer service wise but always ask for tips on the screen. No indoor seating. This use to be a great place to hang out and after Covid, it's just kind of a take out situation. Sad read more

Mar 2025 Popcorn chicken - still taste and smell great. There were a lot of new staff. Probably wait a few months before going again for their drinks. The drinks are really sweet even if you order 30% sugar only and they are putting too much milk. I had the same issues back in Feb 2025 with all 4 drinks. read more

This place would actually get 4 or 5 stars out of me, if it was not for one thing which I will go into more detail below. I was craving some milk tea and I-Tea is always my favorite place for Earl Grey. I ordered online, which seems simple enough and it allowed me to do customization for my order. By the time I arrived, my order was ready for pick up. The staff wore gloves and had masks on. They had a plexiglass at the front when you order/pick-up and they encouraged social distancing. 5/5: Milk Tea was very good and consistent with other I-Teas I have been to. 80% sugar with 50% ice is my go to combo for when I want to drink now, and 0% ice when I want to save it for later. The taste of the Earl Grey was amazing and going less boba means I dont end up with only boba when I finish my drink. 4/5: Basil Popcorn Chicken. It was delicious. Plentiful in the cute pink box it came in. The sauce was either sweet & sour or sweet thai chili. Everything paired well. My only concern was that I wish it could be a bit more crispier/crunchier, but that is a personal thing for how crunchy I would like things to be. 1/5: Curly Fries. My biggest complaint was the curly fries. Online, they described they serve their curly fries with Japanese Mayo, House Seasoning Sauce, and Seaweed Sprinkles. I also placed a side for some Ketchup on the Side. And what did I get.... just regular seasoned curly fries, not even my side of ketchup. I got no Mayo, no House Sauce, and not even a little sprinkle of seaweed. I had to ask for my ketchup again, since it was not placed in my bag. I only noticed I had plain fries when I got home. If I am going to spend $7 for your special curly fries, I expect it to be as advertised, otherwise I could get that same amount for a lot less at other restaurants. Overall - 3/5 stars (but would be 5/5 for just Milk Tea alone). The Milk Tea is amazing and they have a plethora of choices for you. Always go plus sizes since that extra bit is so worth it. The food is also good, but maybe skip the curly fries for those who are interested. read more

i-Tea - Panda got really thirsty for his Earl Grey MT - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

Always consistent boba. The cashiers are friendly. There hasn't been seating here for a while. I would prefer more boba in my drinks but that's why they have an extra boba item on their menu. My go to is K1 and I'm never disappointed. Egg pudding and boba! Yum read more

drinks are very good. But one hour wait for one drink is insane . Workers look like they don't have sense of urgency.

I feel like when it comes to i-Tea, people either really love it or believe it's mediocre. Pros: - decent boba. Their happy hour deals used to be really great (but recently they raised the price) - Easy parking, decently large parking lot and after hours, people always use the Wells Fargo lot adjacent to it - Decent food actually - it's crazy that i-Tea isn't really just a boba shop anymore, it's like a literal dinner place with real full on meals or shareable snacks (LOVE their curly fries drizzled with japanese mayo) - My go to is either the roasted oolong kreama or just regular roasted oolong tea Cons: - ALWAYS PACKED. ESPECIALLY HAPPY HOUR - even if you come at like 10pm, there's going to be random CVHS high schoolers hanging around, a pseudo car meet up in the lot next to it (I'M NOT KIDDING - kids will rev their parent-bought luxury cars and you know that the louder the sound of the car the smaller the d....) - long af line bc everyone and their moms is here - not enough sitting space Overall actually because of the crowd (and bc i hate running into people I know) - I avoid this place unless it's to meet up with friends in Castro Valley. The food / tea is consistent with all other i-Teas. read more

i-Tea - roasted oolong milk tea with boba - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

This is probably the worst iTea I've been to. Not only was the sitting area disgusting, it also smelled like rotten eggs. I understand that I came close to closing, but this is still ridiculous. Also, whoever the cashier girl was too busy trying to close her register that she couldn't even look you in the eye when taking your order as well as doing other things so it took much longer to get orders done. Eh, wouldn't go here again. I'll stick to the one in San Leandro. read more

i-Tea - Overflowing garbage - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

We really like their Basil Popcorn Chicken. The chicken bites are juicy and deliciously fried to perfection. There is an option to add extra whole garlic pods as well as basil to the dish. After much trying we have finally found our best Bobba tea here - Brown Sugar Bobba Latte!! Delicious and made to perfection. The other's we have tried and found alright were the signature Bobba milk tea, crème brûlée Bobba milk tea, and the double choco tea bobaccino. read more

i-Tea - Entrance now expanded - 2/19/2022. - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Sometimes it is all about how serious you are taking your job. Yelling with a high voice during a rainy quiet day isn't very appropriate. I would suggest the company would provide a voice training to their cashier. Getting minimum wage doesn't means that you can be impolite to your customers! Base of the food quality and the attitude of its' cashier, I don't even wanna give one star. I gave one star because I can move on to complete this post! read more

i-Tea - Main door - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

One of my favorite spots for boba, although ironically I don't always get boba in my drink. My favorites are the Jasmine Green Milk Tea and Earl Grey Milk Tea. They've also added many options for food with snacks as well as entries. Sometimes the wait time might be long but you can phone in or order online. I would suggest to ask what is the approximate wait time because it can vary. You know it's a popular place when there's often a line. Currently it's only takeout, they haven't reopened for dine in. read more

i-Tea - Milk tea in the "Tall Cup" basically the large size - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Food's great here! Service is all right. I've tried the calamari, the fries, and the takayoki. The tak isn't as good as Quickly. I picked thirty percent sweet on the smoothie. It's all right. read more

I love iTea!! Whenever I want a cool drink on a hot day, I go to iTea! If I am craving mozzarella sticks, I also go to iTea! Since COVID (I am not sure if they did this before COVID), you have to order your food/drink online. I actually like this so it saves me time. Typically I order H8 Strawberry Crystal without the crystals but add boba. If I am also hungry, I ordered the mozzarella sticks as well. The Strawberry Crystal drink is like a strawberry slushie but melts a lot better than typical slushies!! I love their boba as well. Also their mozzarella sticks are amazing! They are my favorite mozzarella sticks. The batter stays together really nicely when you eat them and I appreciate that! Overall, I enjoy going to iTea for a snack! If you are looking for some good boba and something to eat, iTea is the place to go! Enjoy! Simona read more

i-Tea - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

This is my family's go-to for boba drinks! Our faves are the brown sugar latte boba and the strawberry fruit tea. The food is also good but definitely expect a wait if you order food - I always order in advance. They got rid of tables during Covid so it's to go only - we miss being able to sit there but there's such high volume it makes sense to have it just to-go. read more

Forgot my phone at home and although I was standing right in front and speaking with the register worker, they were unable to take my order. Workers did nothing to accommodate.. just said that they were unable to take my order without phoning in. Though the girl at the register went on and on about how the business has the right to take orders however they want, the were unwilling to simply take my order. read more

OMG Im from LA and have had boba from both LA and SF and I have to say, i-Tea has the best tasting boba I've ever had. The pearls were very soft and sweet. There is a HUGE wait because of how popular it is, but I would say the wait is worth it. They don't have tables or any sitting areas, which was very upsetting. So be prepared to go back to your car and drink your boba there. read more

This review focuses on the service. We ordered two milk drinks, which took 30 minutes to prepare. Understanding that it was quite busy, we waited patiently. However, after noticing that orders placed after ours were being completed, I followed up with the lady at the front. She informed us that our drinks were being made, but after another 10 minutes, we still didn't have them. When I followed up again, it turned out our order hadn't been started! If I hadn't asked, no one would have checked on our order, and we would have kept waiting. We don't care if the food is good or not; we won't be coming back. read more

4yrs later and when sticking with the order ahead option I've changed my tune. If you're craving noodles I highly suggest the seafood Yaki Udon. The basil popcorn chicken with house sauce is perfectly crispy, fragrant, and flavorful. Also can't go wrong with the curly fries with house sauce! read more

i-Tea - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Came on a Saturday around 5pm. Crowd was in clusters, but since it wasn't too busy when we went, our food/drinks came out reasonable time. The shoyu tonkotsu and miso ramen had good tasting broths (not super flavorful, but still good). It's not the best ramen, but it had plenty of toppings. The pork was just ok. Curly fries were good especially since I got them extra crispy , but I could have done without some of the Asian seasoning on there. Friend thought udon was okay. We liked our passionfruit green tea w passion jelly (30% sugar) and super fruit tea (50% sugar, would try with 30% sugar next time). read more

i-Tea - Curly fries, miso ramen - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

I would do anything for this i-Tea, genuinely this is the best location they have. I went to their soft opening and have been going ever since. Best drinks are the roasted oolong milk tea with egg pudding and boba or their thai tea. THE FOOD You need to try their mozzarella sticks, popcorn chicken, curly fries and garlic noodles. read more

I really enjoy coming to this place. Wait times can be a little long. So I highly recommend that you order ahead. Your drinks are fairly decent read more

i-Tea - I got the fresh taro blended, added boba - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

This place is happenin'. Came in on a weekend evening and line was out the door. Plenty of parking around the area. This i-Tea has a nice ambiance, is good for groups, and has lots of drinks and food items to choose from. My only recommendation would be to make the food menu bigger because the font is so tiny unless you're standing at the cash register ready to order. I ordered the black garlic oil ramen ($11.99) and a milk tea with no ice and 30% sweetness. The black garlic oil ramen consists of pork slices, corn kernels, garlic cloves, fish cakes, bamboo, chili threads, green onions, nori, and a perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg, Honestly, I didn't expect much, but I was impressed. They nailed the soft-boiled egg; the squiggly ramen noodles had a good consistency (not mushy and no uncooked); and the broth was flavorful and garlicky. I'm sure the garlic warded off whatever cold germs I had left. The milk tea had a strong tea taste and the sweetness level was just right: I wouldn't go any sweeter. For this i-Tea location, happy hour is Monday through Thursday 8-10 PM and Friday-Sunday 9-11PM. Those are looking like pretty happy hours to me, indeed. Now if only they had listed what the happy hour deal was exactly. Guess I'll have to come back and see. Until then. read more

See all

This isn't my go to location but kids have an activity nearby. Since it is a franchise, more likely the food and drinks are of the same quality. Parking is challenging as it is located in a small shopping area. It was packed when we arrived. Service was slow. For one drink we basically waited for more or less 15 minutes. We never waited this long at our usual spot whether it is packed or not. The staff behind the counter was a bit disorganized. The two staff members we talked to were just okay and not friendly. In our usual spot, they are always pleasant and cheerful greeting people who are walking in. It is a cute place. read more

i-Tea - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

(8/11/21 12:30pm) I was just visiting a friend for the weekend (I'm originally from socal) and he highly recommended this place for boba in the Castro valley area. We ended up getting the boba milk tea, popcorn chicken, curly fries, popcorn chicken, Creme brûlée boba milk tea. My personal favorite was the curly fries. The sauces similar to takoyaki on top of the fries were a nice touch. I also liked the Creme brûlée. It came with a spoon and you can use it to break the top layer of the drink. I mixed it and the blend turned out really nice (and very sweet). First time trying it and was happily surprised. I appreciate how Covid-19 conscious they are by only doing takeout. However, if you're looking to dine in, again, they only do take out at the moment so you'll need to eat your food elsewhere. The workers were really friendly and were fast with the order. Would highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

i-Tea - Creme brûlée boba milk tea - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

When I was a teenager, I use to hang out at ice cream shops and burger joints. But now adays, kids are so lucky, they get to add boba tea cafes as a hang out. I know I would had been spent all my allowance here and hung out. i-Tea opened it's doors to thirsty customers craving milk tea with boba. It was a big hit! Then they started expanding their menu by adding ramen, udon, rice bowls and even deep fried bread desserts. Guess what? It's working, almost everyone in the lunch line came in to order food and drinks! This little cafe is making good profit. Kudo's to them! The food... it's not bad! Not bad at all. Basil popcorn chicken comes out freshly deep fried. Although it's all white meat and dry, the basil gives it an exotic fresh taste. The ramen and udon was very nicely cooked and flavored. And of course, the milk tea with boba was perfect. What's cool is, you can choose your level of sweetness, which I will do next time. My taste buds for sweetness level has changed over my lifetime. Good fast food. Fairly fast service. Seats are taken up rapidly during peak hours. Plenty of parking in this small mall. Lots of boba and ramen fans in this cafe. The patrons appear very happy with what they are served with :) read more

See all

My husband and I don't drink a lot of bubble tea since we try to avoid sugar and man are these drinks so yummy and sweet. We do, however, stop by here 2-3 times a month to get lunch, because the chicken bites and onigiri are just that good. We don't bother getting fast-food chicken nuggets any more because the chicken bites here are so much better, besides being cheaper for the amount you get than a place like Chick Fil A. They're hot and crispy and fresh, you can order online and pick them up when they're ready, which only takes a few minutes if you're only ordering chicken and croquettes. The onigiri take a bit longer, expect more like 10-15 minutes for those. The croquettes are slightly sweet and super crispy from panko bread crumbs on the outside, very soft mashed potatoes inside with corn, peas, and carrots mixed in. It's the closest thing this place has to a vegetable to go along with my chicken. For a well-rounded lunch, I recommend driving around the corner to the Habit burger and pairing your chicken bites with their tempura green beans & ranch dressing, because that way you get a tasty green vegetable as well as some cooling ranch to help balance the spicy powder on the chicken bites. I do wish they had more vegetable options like tempura veggies or salads here so I didn't have to drive to 2 restaurants to get a balanced meal, but this *is* after all a tea place, I can't fault them for a lack of food variety. The one drink I have tried here is their creme brulee milk tea, and man is that fluffy custard on the top of the drink mind-blowing, but after eating all of that the rest of the milk tea is pretty plain in comparison. read more

See all

I came in for a Thai tea, popcorn chicken and sesame balls! Thai tea was on point They give you a lot of Popcorn chicken and of course I had to share with my classmates because I couldn't finish it myself! The sesame balls are mini but has a kick full of red bean filling! 10/10 read more

I have ordered boba drinks here several times. Always through the app. Quick service, they text you once it's ready. The brown sugar boba latte is my favorite. Very flavorful, sweetened to perfection. The boba is soft and so good. I actually tried a few other local boba tea places and found that iTea is the best (in my opinion). read more

i-Tea - Brown sugar boba latte - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Easily the best iTea in the entire bay area. Nothing comes close to how vast their selection of boba, snacks, and even ramen is. The overall quality is much higher than expected from a boba shop, and honestly you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I frequently order H6 - Oreo black milk tea smoothie and miso ramen, and have never been disappointed with the quality. There's also a massive parking lot that has tons of space for several dozens of cars adjacent to the store. read more

See all

It's rare to find a place that serves good boba for an affordable price ~$5 nowadays, but i-Tea is able to deliver on both. Some drinks come with boba and toppings without you having to add the extra $$ for them! For drinks that come with toppings, you can swap them without another topping for free. My go-to is the jasmine green milk tea with egg pudding, or their signature B6 (matcha milk tea with red bean and matcha pudding). The pudding texture is sooo good and I've never had matcha pudding anywhere else before! I've been eyeing the durian drink and look forward to trying it on my next visit. Food-wise, they have the usual popcorn chicken and go-tos for boba tea shops, but also nostalgic Hong Kong cafe style and Japanese dishes. They get busy, so be sure to order online for pickup to minimize the wait. They do not take phone orders. As of December 2022, it's takeout only with no areas for seating. read more

The boba is good but the Garlic and Basil popcorn chicken is amazing! Have recommended this place to my work team when they are in the area. Staff is always friendly and the ambiance is always mellow and happy. read more

We still love I-tea 6 years later! Post-Covid (even though we are still living with Covid) there is still no indoor or outdoor seating. Everything is to-go only. Quality is still good! I love using their app to order ahead! They text you when they receive your order and when it's ready to pick up. It usually takes close to 20 minutes as long as it's not near the time CVHS gets out, then the wait time is extended. Hopefully by spring/summer they can open up on-site seating. read more

Miso ramen was fire . I would recommend anyone wanting to try it to do so. The soft shell ramen was also very good . read more

i-Tea - Miso ramen - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Have reduced my visits there since they removed the "guest checkout" option from their online order platform. Tried to order in person but their store is too small to hang out with other customers who don't wear masks. Negative experience with the phone order, took a few tries to get someone to answer and they overcharged me (who'd order M8 Taro Boba Purée Latte and add taro boba?). And the drink I picked up didn't appear to have more taro boba in it. The cashier has tried to help take out the charge for the "extra topping", but I still ended up paying more because they did the math wrong. If rating on the drinks alone I might give 4 stars. read more

The service is amazing and the workers are very nice. Also the drinks are beautiful and the popcorn chicken is amazing and juicy.

My 4 friends and I order food and drinks here weekly, sometimes twice a week, spending at least $100 each time. The food itself is quite good. However, many times including the past three orders, the staff never texted me that my order was ready, leading me to wait until the food grew cold. I'm usually very respectful of their instructions to NOT COME IN until the order was notified as being ready, lest the staff give an exasperated reply of "your order's not ready yet". But if they forget to text you, then you're stuck waiting. This latest time, I waited 50 minutes from my order time only to finally have enough, ask them about my order, and be handed my cold food and melted drinks. I verbally pointed out to them for the third order in a row that they forgot to text me. I received no apologies from the staff, nor even any recognition that they screwed up. Even now, that order still has no text/email letting me know that it's done. If you're the owner or a media manager for this chain/location, know that your staff needs better training or some sort of pulse check to ensure they are performing. Either they are not being honest with you when they screwed up, or you are aware but don't care enough to improve. read more

This is one of my favorite boba spots in the Bay!!! But there was no seat and dine in. My favorite is the brown sugar boba latte 30% sugar, the brown sugar boba is amazing!!! Workers are always hustling and working fast, sometime there's a 15+ minute wait But most of time it's pretty fast. Ooops, they have a app right now, I usually order on the app before I gooooo. read more

i-Tea - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Got the boba fix during Covid-19! New set up of having to call in your order and they will text you when ready. Be aware of the wait time and that they don't take walk ins for the time being. read more

i-Tea - Boba - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Castro Valley, California