This place is small, when I mean small I mean smaller than my closet, with Rona going on, they have made the purchase/order area smaller than two shoe boxes, keep your giant platforms at home. On to the goodies/drinks, they seem different in a good way from the other iTea in the area. I can't quite put my finger on it but is seems more homey vs. a formula drink like you get at the other locations. The Super Grapefruit I got was super real, it really tasted like grapefruit especially since I ordered no sugar, the syrup from the aloe I ordered seem to balance it well. The taro drinks we also go were on par but just different in a more organic sense, and not artificial at all, which is a GREAT thing. The killer app is to call ahead your order and pick up. I think their online app takes a few ducats out of their pocket. Heaven knows with Rona happening these small businesses need every last one. read more

Real tea used for their drinks, no powder! I personally love their Super Fruit Is my personal fave, packed with real fruit inside! I get mine a 30% sugar, light ice, and add lychee jelly. Yum. They're also pretty good for their Brown Sugar Milk Tea and Brûlée Milk tea. If you think of going around noon/early afternoon, I'd suggest to call ahead and placing your order. Otherwise you can wait anywhere from 15-20mins for your drinks. read more

Great boba shop that makes good and great drinks, depending on what you get. I've always enjoyed coming here for the fruit teas and smoothies, since it seems like it's their specialty. They have very good boba, but if I wanted a drink for its boba, I would go to another place within Oakland Chinatown. They have decent cremas, but this isn't my spot for cremas either. No food options at this place either. I was a bit disappointed that they were closed during the initial shelter-in-place since I had preferred to come here over a few of the other places that offers similar products. Most recently, I discovered their Brown Sugar Boba Latte. It's a bit sweet if you get the 100%, but they have an option of 50%, in which they use either less brown sugar, or less concentrated brown sugar. My old go-to was the Green Tea Match Smoothie that had Red Bean toppings. The small issue with that, and most other smoothie/slushy drinks is that if you drink too fast, you only get a layer of ice (first world problems, right?). So, especially during warmer months, I tend to go for an iced team or milk tea. I heard, however; that their brown sugar boba latte is made different each time. Sometimes it has perfectly chewy boba and great creamy, not overpowering, milk. The one I got was a bit more creamy than I am used to. Felt like they were using Whole Milk. I'll have to come back to see how it changes and whether it stays my new go-to. read more

i-Tea - Brown Sugar Boba Latte $5.25 - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

We love this location! They're consistently good. There was a huge line which is outdoors and even though it was raining we happily waited with everyone else. Had to get my fav matcha smoothie with red bean and grass jelly! When in Oakland! read more

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Still me and my brother's 5 star milk tea in the area. They are fast and proficient. The staff serves the community well. Throw back picture for bonus. read more

i-Tea - Tb pic, when they first opened! - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

I go here all the time. Never had a problem. I order what I usually get and this time it was missing a topping. I ask to correct it and instead of just going on to do it the order proceeds to argue with me saying that "next time you should listen to what I say". I did listen but of course she felt the need to argue about it. I have never had someone talk back to me like that over something so simple. I just wanted a simple mistake to be fixed not a back and forth argument. Please do better. read more

My new favorite boba place! I recommend the B1 signature boba milk tea 50% sweetness - it's so good! read more

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For the price, they definitely give you a lot. But the drinks we tried tasted very artificial rather than real fruit so very syrupy. I would not recommend the drago fruit crema nor kiwi tea. read more

It's a very small shop. It's literally a shoebox. Only 2 people can fit into the shop. The drinks are just ok although there is a large selection of different drinks from milk teas, fruit teas, etc.. I've had better boba. Service could be better. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this drink! Typically? I get milk tea, but the heat made me err for something in the fruitier side. I got this drink at 30% sweet and less ice but it was just right. There was a good flavor of pomelo, and I love the Aloe Vera chunks that were in it - instead of the typical jellies, they were real pieces of Aloe that were quite tender and juicy. My only complaint was that it only accepted cash, which I find pretty ridiculous. Especially as most places now have a card minimum, it is possible to pay with card beyond a certain threshold. However, here it is not. Other than that, a great drink. Pro tip during quarantine: call ahead and order - they are not accepting in person orders! read more

i-Tea - Pomelo Green Tea with Aloe Vera - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

I'm in the Bay Area for the week and was craving boba for a midday pick me up. My friend, a local, said i-Tea was a must-try. One sip and it became clear why. The two of us shared the mango milk tea with sabo & mango chunks and the taro milk tea with boba and they were both outstanding. Decadent, reasonably priced, and so fresh!! I would come back in a heartbeat. This might be some of the best boba I've ever had! read more

i-Tea - Mango milk tea with sabo & mango chunks and taro milk tea - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

After lunch one day, a few friends and I decided to swing by i-Tea for a quick dessert drink. And what better dessert drink is there in the middle of Chinatown than boba? I've heard about i-Tea and was excited to finally try it. This location is super small; if more than 5 people stand inside, it's already too crowded. It's also cash only!! I ordered a drink and was told that it takes 10 minutes to make. I changed my order 3 times before finding one that wouldn't take so long. I got the Fresh Taro Milk Tea ($4.50) with 30% sugar and 50% ice. This drink had bits and pieces of fresh taro which I liked and was a super refreshing milk tea. The little bit of caffeine it had definitely kept me going through the day. It was a good try but I don't think I'd frequent this location since I rarely carry cash and there are plenty of other boba competitors nearby. read more

i-Tea - Fresh Taro Milk Tea ($4.50). - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

Located in the same center as the Oakland Library Asian Branch, it is in a busy location of the Chinatown area in Oakland. Just on the outskirts of the center in one of the outer shops, if you walk by it you may even miss it, as it's quite literally just a hole in the wall. If you're here on a sunny day around the noon time hours, just make sure to try and find shade, as the location is facing the sun every time I've been, so it will certainly start to heat up after awhile, especially when their line starts to pile up. It's a small shop, not a lot space to fit people inside, so when it gets busy it's really just a line out the door, with maybe 4-5 people that can fit comfortably inside waiting for their drinks. It's snug is the word I guess. Often times, it feels like even the back where the people are mixing drinks are so cramped, I feel like I can hear them just running into each other at times, trying to get past, lol. Keep in mind, like many of the other restaurants and shops in the area, they only accept cash, so make sure to have it handy on you if you plan to get a boba from this i-Tea. The other aspects are pretty much the same as all the other i-Tea, minus the food, as this location is just for drinks. I mean, where were they going to make the food anyways, with what space? They have the specialty drinks, and appear to be all the specialty drinks as well. So I feel they may have changed owners since the last time I've been to this i-Tea which was awhile back, but not exactly sure. One of the mainstay employees that used to be at the cash register every time I was there before isn't there anymore, or maybe just off, but things do seem a bit different (and I'll tell you why in a bit) than before, so me thinks there may have been change. I just got my usual at all the other i-Teas; a passion fruit green tea with boba. Here's where it gets a bit muddled. The drink was not to the i-Tea level that it usually is, and also just not even as good as it used to be from this shop. One of the issues with the drink was the inconsistent mixing of the syrup, tea, and water balance that I'm accustomed to. With a set system, there really shouldn't be that varied of a mix when it comes to making the drinks. However, today, it was falling all over the place that's for sure. There was so much syrup in the cup that it started to become tart, and left me feeling at a loss for the passion fruit touches I craved. The boba was fine, and that was at least the one thing that was consistent, but the drink itself was a miss for sure. In the end, there were some pluses and minuses from this visit compared to previous ones. While the person in the front seemed to be a bit more expedient in getting customers orders in, and they seem to make the drinks faster now than before, the drink itself was just not up to the level of what I'm accustomed to from this chain, and even from this particular store in the past before. If I'm in the area again, of course I'll be back, but it will most likely be a gamble on whether or not it's a hit or miss on all aspects if previous experiences are any indicator. Not a bad option for boba at all, as it's one of the better places for it in this part of Oakland, but do make sure to either be here early, or fairly later in the afternoon. read more

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I wish to give her zero star, poor customer service, I asked her light on the humbly she started yell and scream, and respond I can't change. I been Judged there as immigrant. Sorry read more

i-Tea - Receipt. - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

Just had the strawberry fruit tea last night and I already know it's going to be something I crave in the future. I got 50% sweetness and 50% ice and it came with crazy refreshing tea, fresh strawberry bits, boba, and strawberry jelly. DELISH. 10/10, I'll be seeing them again soon. read more

Overall: As a tourist, this really hit the spot when the sudden craving for bubble tea hits! Location: This was located on the main street and really visible with a window ordering system that seemed effective. Service: I don't remember the name of my drink but it had tofu pudding and red bean which was great with the perfect balance between the two. read more

Yum! I came here craving a boba and got the super fruit tea! It was so good, and very refreshing. They include chunks of real fruit in it. I got 50% sweet which was perfect for me. There's street parking but I parked in the garage so I could also pick up some dim sum. There was only a couple people in front of me, my drink came out within 5 minutes. read more

i-Tea - Super fruit tea - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

Today's orders: * (1) Avocado Smoothie $5.75 * (2) Fresh Taro Smoothie $9.90 * (1) Mango Sago $5.25 Pros: * iTea as a whole is a great boba franchise * The drinks we ordered were as good as to be expected * Large variety * Not ordered today but their Fresh Taro Milk is good * Some of their drinks use real ingredients (i.e. real taro, avocado, durian, etc) Cons: * This location is very small and there's usually a long line * It takes them a while to whip out drinks * There's sadly no more durian sago * Trying to find parking is terrible (park in the garage) * They charge the same whether you want boba or not Neutral: * Standard Chinatown customer service read more

i-Tea - Interior - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

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I am so happy their prices are not really high like other places because they have good drinks. I recommend their mango fruit tea and the N9 strawberry mango fruit tea. They use real mango bits and it's really refreshing. As I wait for my drinks I see the other ones people order and they look really good as well. The only downfall is their app for ordering online does not always work. read more

Well I guess it's a sign of the times that a new generation of boba has hit Chinatown! While nothing beats the mango smoothies I used to get at another establishment back in the day, their mango sago is pretty tasty with fresh chunks of mango. Service is very quick and prompt with a less than 5 minute turn around! read more

Don't order the fresh mango & cheesma. Mangoes and ice are too big, can't drink through the straw cheesma too salty. read more

i-Tea - Fresh Mango cheesma - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

I love love love I-Tea and would come here more often if I had the time. Drinks: I absolutely love all their drinks. I've tried many different flavors like the Apple green tea and mango sago and they all exceeded my expectations. They use fresh fruit and I can definitely taste the quality difference. As for prices, their drinks are reasonably priced and similar to other boba shops but this specific store is cash only. Service: nothing spectacular but they're generally pretty nice and make the boba relatively quickly. I ordered two drinks and got them in less than 3 mins. Ambience: one star off for such a small shop & cash only. This i-tea is so small that I could only fit in there to order my drink and had to wait outside so other people could come in to order. Also, cash only for any price amount is pretty inconvenient if I didn't plan on going to i-tea but then stopped by on the way later. Overall, great quality drinks and one of the best boba places in the east Bay Area! read more

i-Tea - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

I got two drinks today. And although ordering and getting my drink was quick it is not okay to have white hair or lint in your drink. As I was drinking my mango sago I felt something weird in my mouth and I thought it was the mango at first but then as I spit it out I see the white hair. Be careful as you drink your boba if you come here. read more

i-Tea - White hair that I found on my drink - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

My name should be I love boba. I'm surprised that I'm not giving birth to baby boba balls. Anyways, Itea is one of my favorite chains because of their consistency in drinks and extensive menu. It also has great value in terms of size to cost ratio. Though this is their tiniest location and one with the worst parking it offer's my husband's favorite durian sago drink with fresh durian (I know I hate the smell and taste too). I've tried a number of their drinks my normal go to is either their jasmine or oolong milk tea or the mango sago yum. However, recently I tried the brown sugar milk tea which I really enjoyed. Note that I always get all my drinks at 30% sweet because I don't want the sugars to overpower my tea flavors. Overall, if you can find parking and wanna just grab a quick boba this is your spot. Note, the wait time can be crazy so they do take call in orders. read more

i-Tea - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

I've always enjoyed i-Tea bobas even if the service is hit or miss depending on location. Came here for the first time and noticed that the interior is just as small as the SF location on Irving. The menus are basically the same and I got the Mango Chia Seed w/ Boba while the gf got the Panda Milk Tea. I've never been a huge fan of the Panda Milk Tea, and this time was no exception. The Mango Chia Seed w/ Boba however was bomb! The chia seeds complimented the mango drink well and their boba had the perfect softness and chewiness good boba should have. Service was friendly and quick. Cash only at this location so make sure to bring some. read more

First time trying i-Tea in China town Oakland! I ordered there best known drink, mango saga! I wasn't sure what to expect but it was delicious! I see why it is so popular! If you love mango and want something different then a tea, I would highly recommend you give it a try! It's basically a mango smoothie with chucks of mango and sago (small tiny "boba"). This place is cash only! There was a short line close to 7pm on a Friday night. This place is also a grab and go. No place to hangout and sit and chatX read more

i-Tea - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

Taro and sweet red bean topping--what is this? Growing up, my Texas Tea did not have any of these amazing ingredients in it. Well, here is another reason for me to never go back to the South. I am so late to the game, but i-Tea is worth the cash and the wait. Sure, I have had boba tea before, but this tea right here, this tea right here!!! I came here twice within 48 hours. And I walked 30 minutes, more like power-walked, the second time to this place. This place is very small, just enough space to see the menu items, put in your order, and wait outside for your number to be called. Sure, I do not know much about boba tea, but this place earned my 5-STAR rating. I need that Taro (Almond) milk tea with the red bean topping pulsing through my veins. I can see myself treating myself at least once a month by coming here. I will be here after mid-term and final exam season, for sure. read more

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This i-Tea is a nice spot to grab a refreshing cup of boba within Oakland Chinatown. I've been to quite a few i-Tea locations throughout the bay area and I find this one to be a bit on the better end. I typically order one of their milk teas and have never been disappointed with the end product. It's great on a sunny day to enjoy a cup by the Renaissance Plaza. It is a pretty small location so I actually don't recall if they have any seating inside at all, but their selection of drinks is very extensive. read more

---CASH ONLY--- Oh, i-Tea... now I know why people wait in line for you, even when you've just opened your doors at 11:00AM. Superior black milk tea in Oakland Chinatown -- I've yet to find a better standard for high quality TEA in bubble tea. The GOOD/ Recommendations: - Black Milk Tea w/ the 3G thing in it -- so good omfg - they have a high quality/ higher caffeine content one too (#1 on premium tea menu). - I love their Brown Rice MT (M12 I believe) the one w/ the Crystal Pearls and chia seeds - Get their drinks at 75% or 80% sugar... mmm - If you're waiting outside for your order, the nice cashiers will bring it out and hand it to you with both hands. The Meh: - Zero seating - Always a 4-5 person line and a 10 minute wait - Cash only -- I've missed out on many opportunities to drink here and am so sad LOL - Pricey ~ $4.75 - $5.50 / drink and cash too? you're killing me... gotta save it for dimsum ;__; read more

Just left. Either it's empty near closing time, I lucked out, or it was pretty empty because it's late on Mother's Day. Either way, this is the fastest I've been in and out aside from the time i came right when it opened. Ordered the mango sago and it's hard to go wrong. It's deliciously but lightly sweet and the fruit pieces add the perfect "something extra" to the drink. When it's busy, it's busy (line very long and long wait time for drink expectedly). This isn't a place where one can sit and drink so if you come on a busy day, take your drink and take a walk to the lake. You'll enjoy the views, a cool drink and nice weather. read more

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This was my first time trying this place, and honestly, it was great! I don't remember the exact name of my drink, but I do know it was listed as the K6 on the menu. There's always a line here, but the turnaround time is decently quick. As for the drink I got, I believe it was something with hazelnut in it. I remember ordering it at half-ice and half-sweetness, which was perfect for this drink. Any sweeter and it would have been overbearingly sweet to the point it's disgusting. It also came with egg pudding, which added some nice flavor and texture to the drink. read more

I got a Japanese Matcha Red Bean drink ($4.25) And i was expecting to feel like i was in Japan after they took over 30 min to make it but it was just whatever NOTE: It's hard to find parking there and cash only! read more

i-Tea - japanese matcha red bean $4.25 - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

very small store front for both order and pick up, can get chaotic at times. My friend and I got here a bit before 11am so we had to wait for them to open. I swear we're not crazy and wanting boba that early in the morning - there were at least 5 other parties lined up behind us waiting for them to open! large menu selection, lots of variety going from those old mom & pop boba shop type of options (such as avocado smoothie), or those newer hip boba options (ube, creme brulee, etc.). I loved their wide variety and it was definitely hard to get just one drink. great option and convenient location! just wish they had a larger store front to meet their customer demands! read more

Really good drinks, and despite the store itself being rather small they were able to pump out the drinks super fast! There were quite a few people there in line and after having their drinks I understand why! Would definitely go back next time I go to China town in Oakland! read more

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i-Tea is located in Chinatown in Oakland. It was historically hot today, and I needed to stay hydrated. I decided to go here and get a drink. The staff were friendly and courteous as I placed my order for a Guava Fruit Tea. It was made quickly. It tasted yummy and kept me cool. I will be back again. read more

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Delicious boba tea in Oakland Chinatown, super busy and always a line out the door, but it moves quick! My favorite is the fresh fruit teas! Always get them 50% sweet is perfect for me. read more

After having a delicious lunch nearby, I wanted a boba drink. My, this neighborhood has a high concentration of boba tea places! Yelp reviewers led us to i-Tea. We would've walked right by had it not been for the line of customers waiting outside. It's tiny inside with no seating and a dizzying array of choices to pick from. Since I couldn't decide between several drinks, the person behind the counter recommended that I try one of their staples: black tea with boba! It's always a bit of a surprise how well some places make this drink - i-Tea didn't disappoint and totally worth the short wait! It turns out that there is a location in Sacramento so I'll need to pay them a visit and see if the quality is just as good here in my hometown. read more

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I've been here likely more than 100 times already because this is my favorite boba franchise. When I'm at the Oakland location, I always order the purple yam latte with boba 30% sugar, 30% ice. This is the only location in the east bay that has purple yam latte. It is yummy! Just the right amount of purple yam flavor, just the right amount of sugar and ice, and the boba has the right amount of chewiness cuz who likes hard boba or mushy boba?! My bf gets the mango crystal at this location cuz it has the right amount of of creaminess so it's not like a slushy and the mango flavor is delicious. Usually the mango crystal drink comes with mango chunks on top, but I guess not today! Other drinks I usually order (other itea locations) are fresh taro smoothie for extra hot days, lychee green tea, strawberry mango fruit tea, fresh taro milk tea, Panna cotta milk tea with boba, matcha red bean smoothie. read more

i-Tea - Purple yam latte with boba abs mango crystal - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

Every time my friend comes to pick me up from Chinatown, she asks me to go to iTea to pick her up some rose tea. The last time I also ordered the rose tea with egg pudding. The tea was excellent and I liked the consistency of the egg pudding. This time around I decided to get the guava tea (no milk is included in this) and substituted egg pudding for the boba. I got it with 30% sugar and 30% ice. It was a bit strong for me but I drank most of it. However, the egg pudding was overwhelmed by the guava tea. I can see why the qq jelly and boba would have gone better with this drink. I couldn't even taste the pudding even though I could see it. Normally there is a wait if you go after 12:30 pm on a weekend. I ended up waiting about 20 minutes to order and receive my drinks. I think 20 minutes is a bit long but they are popular. There isn't any seating inside and they ask that you wait outside for your order since there really isn't much room inside (can fit maybe 5 people including those who are ordering). Another downside is that because it's so small, you basically have to be at the door to look at the menu to figure out what to order. Since they have an extensive menu, you may feel rushed to just pick something. There is street parking outside but since they are located on Webster St., it is often too busy for someone to wait for you if they are driving and there isn't much parking. They are also park of the Pacific Renaissance Plaza which has a pay parking lot. read more

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Just today October 15, we ordered one B6 and 1 B2, the B6 is ok, but B2 matcha milk tea is really a mess, tasted like you leave it outside the fridge for 3 days and put it back to sale it, it actually stale. The f*** up thing is my kid drank it too. I called them and they made me wait 15 mins then just hung up. read more