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Jinshan Cafe was an unexpected stop during a walk home through Chinatown. I needed a short break, a cup of coffee, and a place to sit for a few minutes, so I stepped inside. An older gentleman behind the counter took my order for a small latte and was friendly and helpful in getting me situated. The latte was good, although a bit pricier than I expected at just over $7 with tax. The café itself is small but comfortable, with a handful of tables along the wall and some interesting artwork that gives the space a little character. While sipping my coffee, I noticed they also serve ice cream, and flavors like Red Bean and Black Sesame definitely caught my attention. I managed to resist the temptation this time. A group of students and teachers arrived shortly afterward, making the café a bit livelier, so I finished my latte and headed out. Overall, it was a pleasant place to take a break in Chinatown.
***3.5 Star** JinShan Cafe is located in Chinatown, and like many mom-and-pop shops, it seems they've expanded their menu beyond drinks to help keep the business going. Sometimes that kind of expansion can end up diluting the quality or taste of the beverages. While exploring Chinatown, I noticed a couple of signs posted around the corner pointing people toward JinShan Cafe, so I decided to stop by and support the business. Inside, they sell various knickknacks, and the décor feels a bit random with different items put together throughout the space. The owner/barista works behind a plexiglass barrier near the counter. I ordered the Vanilla Latte, which was good, along with the Black Sesame Latte. I should know by now that black sesame drinks can sometimes be disappointing, but I keep giving that flavor a chance. Sesame Latte (looks like vanilla latte with flaked of black sesame at bottom). Unfortunately, I could barely taste any black sesame flavor in it at all.
Small cafe in Chinatown that seems to be a mom-and-pop store. The owner was nice and when I order my ube boba tea, he was quick. The menu was okay. Nothing that stuck out for me, but I would come back if I want to enjoy a quick boba drink.
Street parking only, a bit hard since it's Chinatown Small Mom shop, trying its earnest to make an earning, selling drinks, lunch meals, desserts (smoothies and ice creams) and gift items on the side as you walk into the shop For a small store, she made a good strong iced coffee, she made it right so I needed others to know Give her place a try
the worst matcha latte I've ever had. I got the black sesame matcha latte ($7.50) and it was basically straight up milk with a sprinkle of black sesame chunks and some bitterness. there was no matcha flavor at all. I overheard the man who made the drink saying that he was covering for his wife, so maybe it's a one-off?
I found this spot on Yelp while searching for a boba spot, and we picked it because of the cute illustrations of all the matcha and coffee lattes. I ordered the black sesame matcha latte, and my friend ordered the ube matcha latte with boba. My matcha latte tasted like a bland version of black sesame milk. Unfortunately there was no matcha flavor at all. And even though I ordered my drink at the regular sugar level, it didn't have any sweetness at all. My friend was surprised by how bland my drink was because she ordered her drink with "less sugar" but her drink was sweeter than mine. My friend's drink tasted like slightly sweet milk. She ordered oat milk for her drink but neither of us could taste the distinct flavor of oat milk. No matcha taste either. And the boba wasn't boba - it was crystal boba like the kind you find in canned boba drinks, which is misleading since crystal boba is another topping option you can pick from... We really wanted to like this spot because it looked so promising, and the bobarista seemed friendly, but their drink ratios need some improvement - especially if they're a mostly matcha and coffee latte spot. They sell scratchers and lottery here too. Definitely a first for a boba shop. And I saw they have some food options too like spaghetti. We'll probably keep an eye out for reviews before coming back here again.
Got the strawberry matcha and the black sesame matcha and both were really flavorful. You could actually taste the strawberry and black sesame clearly, but they didn't overpower the matcha itself, which I appreciated. The shop owner was also super sweet and gave us great recommendations for places to check out around Chinatown, which made the visit feel really personal. Such a cute little spot to grab a drink while exploring the area.
4.5 stars. The brown sugar ginger latte here was really interesting! Really unique flavor and the ginger was pretty strong, but not overwhelming. I was drawn to the shop because of the gorgeous drawings on the sign outside, and I'm so glad I took a chance! There was a good amount of espresso in my drink. Service was fast and friendly.
Not only is the matcha super diluted, the "ube" cream is basically for aesthetic purposes only. I barely tasted it amongst the straight up milk that I was drinking essentially. On top of that it was $7.25 for the drink so not worth it at all. The service was fast though and it's basically one guy running the show.
The owners here are super nice and accomodating! She is super sweet and genuine! She gave me a great rec. I got the Osmanthus Latte. It was really delicious. The combination of floral flavor and caffiene was exactly what I needed. I liked the cozy mom and pop shop feel to the cafe. They have a bench in the store that you can wait for your drinks in and two tables where you can sit and work. They have two outlets. Overall would really rec this place!!! Give them a try!
I saw Jinshan pop up on my Yelp hot and new page and had to stop by the next time I was in Chinatown. I like that they have an extensive menu with some more caffeinated offerings as well as boba ones. They differ from other boba places and cafes in the neighborhood in that they offer unique drinks with osmanthus, ube, matcha, taro, black sesame, and ginger flavors. I enjoyed my Matcha Ube latte with boba ($7.10)--it was sweet and the flavor had depth and complexity. I will be back to try other drinks. Wall art is cute, service was helpful as I took a while to order because the menu was so big!
Brief Summary: - Cute interior that gives calm and relaxing environment - Love their miniature coffee decorations - Strong tea flavor in their milk tea drinks - In the heart of Chinatown - Inside, there are a couple of places to sit Lately, I have been searching for a tea place in Chinatown because I haven't been here in a while, and I tend to crave boba in between my walks around town. While searching on yelp, I discovered this shop, squeezed and secluded off the main Grant street. I had walked down this street a couple times in the last month, and I have noticed that at one of the street corners there is a propped sign with a list of tea drinks. Deciding on here, I made my way there. The store is cozy small with adorable and eye-catching decorations that bring calm to the mind. I love the miniature espresso machines decorated behind the staff counter and the different wall decorations that speak the tea and coffee language. There are different tea options, and for starters I chose the classic milk tea. A group of mine and I arrived at this tea shop pretty late in the afternoon, so we were informed that they were nearly out of boba pearls. An interesting coincidence, but only one was interested in getting boba pearls and the rest just wanted a plain milk tea, so it worked out great in the end. The wait wasn't too long despite the large group. The tea tasted really nice. I liked how it stood out like the main character in the plot; not sitting near the sidelines with the milk and hot water. Even when the ice melted, it retained its tea flavor. There are some teas, where the milk is the first to taste or the tea is watered down; this is not that. Even though it is my first visit, it was a splendid first tea, so I'll visit here and try their other drinks, coffee, lattes, and maybe their specialty drinks.
I was in Chinatown for the night market and noticed that this cafe was opened later than their store hours is typically stated. Their signage outside was what drew me in, the drinks looked vibrant and delicious. Upon entering the store I was greeted by who I assume is the owner of the establishment. I ordered an iced ube matcha latte and a hot mocha. Unfortunately both drinks were severely underwhelming. Just by looking at the matcha color, you could tell there was barely any matcha powder. Still i wanted to give it a chance so I took a sip. All I tasted was the oat milk, i couldnt taste any sweetness, matcha, nor ube. The mocha was a similar story, it was really watery and didn't taste remotely like mocha. Maybe I ordered the wrong drinks but it was a very unpleasant experience. Plus there were two beta fish in these small vases being used as decoration.. they looked pretty lifeless :/ read more
Absolutely the worst milk tea I've ever had. My husband and I got the matcha sesame cream latte and the ube matcha latte. I kid you not, I tasted zero matcha in mine or even any sesame. It was basically all milk. I took one sip and one and done. My husband hated his drink as well. It was sooo diluted with milk. The signage displaying the drink is pretty much false advertisement. There is no quality to our drink. To have spent $15 for two drinks, is a big disappointment. The people were nice but I'm sorry to write this review, it was really terrible. Both drinks were a no. read more
This was definitely my first time ever coming to San Francisco's Chinatown. I've actually only been to the one in New York!! This one is a fraction of the size, but it's easier to get to for me! Hee. I will say if you park on the street, make sure you turn your wheels the correct way!! Sadly out in front of this coffee shop we got a $273 ticket because our wheels returned the wrong way. I actually didn't think that this street had that much of an incline, but safety first! What a happy note, my boyfriend won $20 scratch off here and his sister got $15 of another series of scratch off tickets! Lol as we congratulated each other on our weddings, other people came in. Hee I also love the mural that was being painted outside and there was an artist or two out there, painting it as we walked by! I honestly love the community aspect of these beautiful heroes that give so much detail about US history, especially within are many different cultural nationalities! I will definitely come back to this coffee shop and get more items! About a block away is the Bruce Lee Mural, in case you're looking for that!! Hee read more
Jinshan Cafe was an unexpected stop during a walk home through Chinatown. I needed a short break, a cup of coffee, and a place to sit for a few minutes, so I stepped inside. An older gentleman behind the counter took my order for a small latte and was friendly and helpful in getting me situated. The latte was good, although a bit pricier than I expected at just over $7 with tax. The café itself is small but comfortable, with a handful of tables along the wall and some interesting artwork that gives the space a little character. While sipping my coffee, I noticed they also serve ice cream, and flavors like Red Bean and Black Sesame definitely caught my attention. I managed to resist the temptation this time. A group of students and teachers arrived shortly afterward, making the café a bit livelier, so I finished my latte and headed out. Overall, it was a pleasant place to take a break in Chinatown. read more
***3.5 Star** JinShan Cafe is located in Chinatown, and like many mom-and-pop shops, it seems they've expanded their menu beyond drinks to help keep the business going. Sometimes that kind of expansion can end up diluting the quality or taste of the beverages. While exploring Chinatown, I noticed a couple of signs posted around the corner pointing people toward JinShan Cafe, so I decided to stop by and support the business. Inside, they sell various knickknacks, and the décor feels a bit random with different items put together throughout the space. The owner/barista works behind a plexiglass barrier near the counter. I ordered the Vanilla Latte, which was good, along with the Black Sesame Latte. I should know by now that black sesame drinks can sometimes be disappointing, but I keep giving that flavor a chance. Sesame Latte (looks like vanilla latte with flaked of black sesame at bottom). Unfortunately, I could barely taste any black sesame flavor in it at all. read more
Small cafe in Chinatown that seems to be a mom-and-pop store. The owner was nice and when I order my ube boba tea, he was quick. The menu was okay. Nothing that stuck out for me, but I would come back if I want to enjoy a quick boba drink. read more
Street parking only, a bit hard since it's Chinatown Small Mom shop, trying its earnest to make an earning, selling drinks, lunch meals, desserts (smoothies and ice creams) and gift items on the side as you walk into the shop For a small store, she made a good strong iced coffee, she made it right so I needed others to know Give her place a try read more
the worst matcha latte I've ever had. I got the black sesame matcha latte ($7.50) and it was basically straight up milk with a sprinkle of black sesame chunks and some bitterness. there was no matcha flavor at all. I overheard the man who made the drink saying that he was covering for his wife, so maybe it's a one-off? read more
2 years ago
I found this spot on Yelp while searching for a boba spot, and we picked it because of the cute illustrations of all the matcha and coffee lattes. I ordered the black sesame matcha latte, and my friend ordered the ube matcha latte with boba. My matcha latte tasted like a bland version of black sesame milk. Unfortunately there was no matcha flavor at all. And even though I ordered my drink at the regular sugar level, it didn't have any sweetness at all. My friend was surprised by how bland my drink was because she ordered her drink with "less sugar" but her drink was sweeter than mine. My friend's drink tasted like slightly sweet milk. She ordered oat milk for her drink but neither of us could taste the distinct flavor of oat milk. No matcha taste either. And the boba wasn't boba - it was crystal boba like the kind you find in canned boba drinks, which is misleading since crystal boba is another topping option you can pick from... We really wanted to like this spot because it looked so promising, and the bobarista seemed friendly, but their drink ratios need some improvement - especially if they're a mostly matcha and coffee latte spot. They sell scratchers and lottery here too. Definitely a first for a boba shop. And I saw they have some food options too like spaghetti. We'll probably keep an eye out for reviews before coming back here again. read more
8 months ago
Got the strawberry matcha and the black sesame matcha and both were really flavorful. You could actually taste the strawberry and black sesame clearly, but they didn't overpower the matcha itself, which I appreciated. The shop owner was also super sweet and gave us great recommendations for places to check out around Chinatown, which made the visit feel really personal. Such a cute little spot to grab a drink while exploring the area. read more
4.5 stars. The brown sugar ginger latte here was really interesting! Really unique flavor and the ginger was pretty strong, but not overwhelming. I was drawn to the shop because of the gorgeous drawings on the sign outside, and I'm so glad I took a chance! There was a good amount of espresso in my drink. Service was fast and friendly. read more
Not only is the matcha super diluted, the "ube" cream is basically for aesthetic purposes only. I barely tasted it amongst the straight up milk that I was drinking essentially. On top of that it was $7.25 for the drink so not worth it at all. The service was fast though and it's basically one guy running the show. read more
2 months ago
2 months ago
The owners here are super nice and accomodating! She is super sweet and genuine! She gave me a great rec. I got the Osmanthus Latte. It was really delicious. The combination of floral flavor and caffiene was exactly what I needed. I liked the cozy mom and pop shop feel to the cafe. They have a bench in the store that you can wait for your drinks in and two tables where you can sit and work. They have two outlets. Overall would really rec this place!!! Give them a try! read more
I saw Jinshan pop up on my Yelp hot and new page and had to stop by the next time I was in Chinatown. I like that they have an extensive menu with some more caffeinated offerings as well as boba ones. They differ from other boba places and cafes in the neighborhood in that they offer unique drinks with osmanthus, ube, matcha, taro, black sesame, and ginger flavors. I enjoyed my Matcha Ube latte with boba ($7.10)--it was sweet and the flavor had depth and complexity. I will be back to try other drinks. Wall art is cute, service was helpful as I took a while to order because the menu was so big! read more
6 months ago
This disgusting shit. what in the absolute heck is this bs? let me tell y'all something, they got these "egg rolls" from costco and heated them up in an AIRFRYER. disgusting for $15 mother fing dollars. This is a tourist TRAP. do not be fooled by these jokers. read more
Brief Summary: - Cute interior that gives calm and relaxing environment - Love their miniature coffee decorations - Strong tea flavor in their milk tea drinks - In the heart of Chinatown - Inside, there are a couple of places to sit Lately, I have been searching for a tea place in Chinatown because I haven't been here in a while, and I tend to crave boba in between my walks around town. While searching on yelp, I discovered this shop, squeezed and secluded off the main Grant street. I had walked down this street a couple times in the last month, and I have noticed that at one of the street corners there is a propped sign with a list of tea drinks. Deciding on here, I made my way there. The store is cozy small with adorable and eye-catching decorations that bring calm to the mind. I love the miniature espresso machines decorated behind the staff counter and the different wall decorations that speak the tea and coffee language. There are different tea options, and for starters I chose the classic milk tea. A group of mine and I arrived at this tea shop pretty late in the afternoon, so we were informed that they were nearly out of boba pearls. An interesting coincidence, but only one was interested in getting boba pearls and the rest just wanted a plain milk tea, so it worked out great in the end. The wait wasn't too long despite the large group. The tea tasted really nice. I liked how it stood out like the main character in the plot; not sitting near the sidelines with the milk and hot water. Even when the ice melted, it retained its tea flavor. There are some teas, where the milk is the first to taste or the tea is watered down; this is not that. Even though it is my first visit, it was a splendid first tea, so I'll visit here and try their other drinks, coffee, lattes, and maybe their specialty drinks. read more
3 years ago
I stumbled upon Jinshan while I was exploring Chinatown one morning. It was raining and I was looking for something warm, but as soon as I saw the iced Matcha Ube Latte on their menu, my mind was made up! Because of the rain, Chinatown was pretty quiet that early in the morning, and so was the cafe. Just one couple sitting inside, and enough seating for me, but I wanted to keep walking. The person behind the counter quickly took my order and got started on preparing my drink. $6.50 for the drink, and for my first time trying it, well worth it! The ube added a creamier element to the matcha and I really liked the balance of flavors. And it was a beautiful drink! Chinatown is full of little cafes to try, but I think I'd still like to try another drink from JinShan next time I'm in the area. read more
4 months ago
I've been seeing photos of Jinshan on Instagram so we had to make a stop on our way out of the city. It's a very tiny little shop, and parking can be a little tricky in this area, so my husband ran in to get the drinks really quickly. My matcha strawberry latte was very pretty and the colors were vibrant. The strawberry was sweet and the drink was delicious once mixed! The honeycomb latte unfortunately was disappointing though. It tasted like a bad bitter iced coffee and had zero inkling of honeycomb. Didn't look the menu photo at all - the color was way off and it didn't come with the pile of honeycomb on top. Wish we picked a different drink instead! read more
2 years ago
I came here on a Saturday afternoon and it was pretty busy and there was only one person working. I felt so bad for her working a rush alone but I admired how well she worked under pressure and still got the drinks out in a timely manner. I ordered the brown sugar boba latte and it was SO good. The boba pearls were perfectly sweet and chewy and the espresso tasted so good with it. Would definitely recommend especially if you get thirsty while exploring SF Chinatown! read more
Not everyone comes to Jinshan Café these days. There were plenty of customers who came to better ice cream parlors and cafés such as Matcha Café Maiko. That's the reason why I saw a couple of reviews on Yelp about Jinshan Café. The matcha drinks in the special drink menu still didn't disappoint. I'm good with either strawberry, black sesame, or ube mixed with the matcha drinks, but not red beans (too old school). Coconut milk and lychee jelly with no sugar was absolutely precise for me. Too bad I didn't tell an Asian barista to not include ice, for I should've finished my whole cup while enjoying the Lunar New Year festival. The interior of the bubble tea café was just as ordinary. Despite not being one of the best, Jinshan Café needs more customers to help keep the business running. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Their stand menu outside was what attracted me to come inside. After seeing the ads for this place, I decided to come give them a try. After the lady told me that they make their ube in house, I was tempted to get a drink with it, so I ordered a matcha latte with ube, thinking that the ube would like like a paste of some sort. The ube in my drink did come out purple like the illustration on the menu but I was expecting it to be handmade taro paste, not just ube foam milk. Oh well, no big deal. While I believe they are using authentic matcha and ingredients for their drinks, the matcha and ube flavor could have been more pronounced. I also should have gotten normal sweet becuase I usually order "less" at boba places but the "less sugar" here is borderline no sugar at all, which also downplayed the flavor of the drink even more. My friend ordered a black sesame latte, which to their surprise actually came with coffee in it (I suppose most other places just give you black sesame and milk) you can request no coffee. I will probably get their espresso drinks next time and order normal sweet with other adjustments. read more
4.5 stars! This is a new addition to the boba scene in SF's Chinatown. They serve several drinks with ingredients like osmanthus, ube, matcha, taro, black sesame, and ginger. The ube is a little too light for a matcha combo for me, but the matcha itself is nicely strong and creamy. On the other hand, I really like their latte with osmanthus syrup which looked to be made with real osmanthus pieces. Loved seeing the variety in flavors they offer and can't wait to go back to try more! (a plus- the bags are specially made to carry two drinks at a time so you can def treat yourself to more than one). Service is very nice and they have a few indoor seats to chill at. read more
7 months ago
1 year ago
8 months ago
2 years ago
Ordered the Matcha sesame cream latte because it sounded interesting. I loved the unique flavor the sesame flavor has with the matcha. The interior was very cute and the worker who took my order was very nice and asked if I liked my drink! Definitely give this place a try! read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
I bought two cups (no sugar coconut jelly latte and ube coconut water) both are pretty good!! Recommended!!!!! read more
3 years ago
Nice spontaneous find! Black sesame cream latte was super yummy. Full of flavor. The matcha was made the traditional way with a whisk before going into the latte. The black sesame cream was delish. I want to top everything off with that cream! read more
2 years ago
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