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JJ's Tea House is one of my favorite lunch spots in Columbia! We stopped by on a Monday afternoon and it wasn't too busy. Service was quick, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming--especially thanks to the owner, who is absolutely adorable and always greets guests with a big smile. I ordered the unagi rice bowl, and it was amazing. The eel was cooked perfectly--tender with just the right amount of char--and the sauce had a great balance of sweet and savory. The steamed egg is one of my favorite sides. We also tried the crispy tofu appetizer and the popcorn chicken rice bowl. The tofu was super crispy and flavorful, though the popcorn chicken could use a touch more seasoning. To top it all off, I had a green tea with boba, and the boba was cooked perfectly as always--soft and chewy with just the right texture. Highly recommend JJ's for a cozy lunch with delicious food and friendly service!
So happy to find a boba and popcorn chicken place here in Columbia... I got the 2 for $6 milk tea special with the jasmine and Thai tea....would get the jasmine again We got side orders of popcorn chicken, fried tofu (to die for!!!) and their Beef noodle soup Love that you can fine a Taiwanese boba place Parking is a bit challenging with the construction going on and I couldn't find the underground parking entrance...
This place was outstanding. I was in town 4 days and ate here 3x. The soup was in such a flavorful broth and had fresh ingredients. Everything was so good I couldn't think of what could make it better. All three meals were wonderful
The food here was really authentic and yummy! Everything came out fresh and tasted homemade. Good portion sizes and I really liked the mini tapioca pearls :)
I really wanted to like this place. I like the fact there's a garage with minimal parking for each restaurant on site. FYI: parking states 1 hour. I looked at the menu for a while to figure out what I wanted, and settled on the chicken wings and the fried salmon with the sides of the day. I then went back and ordered the mango fruit tea. The food took about 10-15 minutes to prepare. The drink was super fast. I opted for takeout as I didn't want to lose track of time and gave my car towed. The chicken wings sadly were over saturated with salt. The wing was crispy though. The salmon was under seasoned. The green beans and the egg soup were good. The white rice with what I assume is a teriyaki sauce was good too. The mango fruit drink was too sweet for my liking. I should have asked if they do less sugar. The drink was good, but simply too sweet for my liking. Sadly, I don't think I'll return, but the young lady at the register was super pleasant and helpful. I probably would have fared better if I had taken her recommendations.
Absolutely one of my favorite spots from my days on campus and still make the trip here when I can! Such a great spot with a lot of tasty options. My favorites are the boiled vegetables, Bao appetizer, and the spicy wontons. Also, you can't leave without a boba milk tea! They have a ton of delicious options. If you can find parking near by it's worth the stop.
Fast and friendly service very generous portions enough to share.Tried this establishment for the first time and was very impressed with the quality of the food.you can take your food to go or eat in. Customer service was ok and overall the establishment was clean.They also have outdoor seating,also.parking is a bit tough due to construction in the area I tried the fried dumplings and chicken fried rice it was ok some of the rice in the middle of the dish was hard and really cold.
Thankful to my local yelp for sharing this gem. After working a long day I needed a pick me up and decided to go ahead here for a nice tea. This gem is nestled on the corner of Main and Blossom. When you walk inside you are immediately hit With the amazing aromas coming from the kitchen. The Smells make your mouth water instantly. So what was supposed to be a quick stop for a drink turned into a drink and a snack lol. The inside of the restaurant it's a little old but has a home like field to it which makes you very comfortable. Everything was clean and the customer service was spectacular. I got a Thai tea add honey and it was amazing. I also tried the spicy wontons and the octopus balls "takoyaki". Both were absolutely delicious. I'm already planning my next meal at this establishment which will be the steamed eggs which will be my first. Can't wait to come back.
Not to be confused with the AA Tea House (they have alcohol FYI), the DD Tea House (Barbie's place), the PP Tea House (they have no bathrooms), and the ZZ Tea House (kinda boring). What teahouse, I hear you say? The JJ Watt Teahouse is what! I mean is Watt. Anyway. This is a super friendly bubble tea shop located in South Carolina, which has really nice employees, especially the girl that was serving me. I genuinely loved the bubble tea, despite the lack of boba, and they were out of tapioca which was a little bit annoying, because after all they are a bubble tea shop and tapioca is their main topping, but it was a busy game day, so it's understandable. In most large cities, this place is probably around 4 stars, the fruit teas tasting just a little bit fake but not bad at all. Milk teas maybe closer to 5. Service was definitely five star service. And I enjoyed it a lot, the girl was an angel, but one or two people weren't as friendly. However the fact that they were out of tapioca is something I'd worry about, but in the city of Columbia there's absolutely no great bubble tea, and this is clearly the best place to come within a hundred miles in any direction. Now I have to go write another review of another place although I'm not sure Watt. Get it. JJ. Watt.
The orange chicken is good! Not too soft or too crunchy. The greenbeans are cooked to a perfect crispness.
One of the (not so hidden) gems of Columbia - better milk tea (and tapioca pearls) than Corner Blend, and the food is delicious! Remember they're cash only until $10. If you don't have cash, I recommend grabbing some milk tea and the popcorn chicken appetizer - it adds up perfectly, and a great pick-me-up.
Wow great find freshly made items and everything cooked to order the General Tso was really good and had a great heat level
I was really excited to try JJ Tea House. It's not everyday you encounter an authentic Taiwanese restaurant. Walking in, the restaurant is spacious. You order first and then the food is brought to your table. I liked the causal concept. I ordered chili wontons and a salt and pepper porkchop. The chili wontons were delicious. The salt and pepper porkchop showed up to my table and I immediately thought wait this is not correct. I clarified with the staff member and she told me it was indeed a salt and pepper porkchop. Well a salt and pepper is traditionally deep fried so I wasn't sure what I was looking at. I accepted it and although it was not what I was expecting, it was an incredible meal. I thought they gave too much white rice but the overall presentation was beautiful. The minced pork over the rice and the steamed egg were perfect accompaniments. I ordered a milk tea to go and it was only okay. The boba was cooked too long as they were very soft. Softer than they should be. Otherwise, this was a solid choice to dine in the area. read more
1 year ago
JJ's Tea House has been a staple for years and I am so glad I finally got a chance to try them. Their pork based broth is so flavorful and perfectly balanced. Their noodles have a great texture to them and make their soups absolutely standout from the rest. The shrimp bao buns have great texture and flavor! The staff is friendly and the service is quick! I had my order to go but the interior is nice. You can tell it's a mom and pop shop and it truly feels like someone's grandmother is making the food back there. I'm looking forward to my next visit to dine in! read more
1 year ago
JJ's Tea House is one of my favorite lunch spots in Columbia! We stopped by on a Monday afternoon and it wasn't too busy. Service was quick, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming--especially thanks to the owner, who is absolutely adorable and always greets guests with a big smile. I ordered the unagi rice bowl, and it was amazing. The eel was cooked perfectly--tender with just the right amount of char--and the sauce had a great balance of sweet and savory. The steamed egg is one of my favorite sides. We also tried the crispy tofu appetizer and the popcorn chicken rice bowl. The tofu was super crispy and flavorful, though the popcorn chicken could use a touch more seasoning. To top it all off, I had a green tea with boba, and the boba was cooked perfectly as always--soft and chewy with just the right texture. Highly recommend JJ's for a cozy lunch with delicious food and friendly service! read more
So happy to find a boba and popcorn chicken place here in Columbia... I got the 2 for $6 milk tea special with the jasmine and Thai tea....would get the jasmine again We got side orders of popcorn chicken, fried tofu (to die for!!!) and their Beef noodle soup Love that you can fine a Taiwanese boba place Parking is a bit challenging with the construction going on and I couldn't find the underground parking entrance... read more
This place was outstanding. I was in town 4 days and ate here 3x. The soup was in such a flavorful broth and had fresh ingredients. Everything was so good I couldn't think of what could make it better. All three meals were wonderful read more
10 months ago
2 years ago
The food here was really authentic and yummy! Everything came out fresh and tasted homemade. Good portion sizes and I really liked the mini tapioca pearls :) read more
I really wanted to like this place. I like the fact there's a garage with minimal parking for each restaurant on site. FYI: parking states 1 hour. I looked at the menu for a while to figure out what I wanted, and settled on the chicken wings and the fried salmon with the sides of the day. I then went back and ordered the mango fruit tea. The food took about 10-15 minutes to prepare. The drink was super fast. I opted for takeout as I didn't want to lose track of time and gave my car towed. The chicken wings sadly were over saturated with salt. The wing was crispy though. The salmon was under seasoned. The green beans and the egg soup were good. The white rice with what I assume is a teriyaki sauce was good too. The mango fruit drink was too sweet for my liking. I should have asked if they do less sugar. The drink was good, but simply too sweet for my liking. Sadly, I don't think I'll return, but the young lady at the register was super pleasant and helpful. I probably would have fared better if I had taken her recommendations. read more
2 years ago
Absolutely one of my favorite spots from my days on campus and still make the trip here when I can! Such a great spot with a lot of tasty options. My favorites are the boiled vegetables, Bao appetizer, and the spicy wontons. Also, you can't leave without a boba milk tea! They have a ton of delicious options. If you can find parking near by it's worth the stop. read more
3 years ago
Fast and friendly service very generous portions enough to share.Tried this establishment for the first time and was very impressed with the quality of the food.you can take your food to go or eat in. Customer service was ok and overall the establishment was clean.They also have outdoor seating,also.parking is a bit tough due to construction in the area I tried the fried dumplings and chicken fried rice it was ok some of the rice in the middle of the dish was hard and really cold. read more
Thankful to my local yelp for sharing this gem. After working a long day I needed a pick me up and decided to go ahead here for a nice tea. This gem is nestled on the corner of Main and Blossom. When you walk inside you are immediately hit With the amazing aromas coming from the kitchen. The Smells make your mouth water instantly. So what was supposed to be a quick stop for a drink turned into a drink and a snack lol. The inside of the restaurant it's a little old but has a home like field to it which makes you very comfortable. Everything was clean and the customer service was spectacular. I got a Thai tea add honey and it was amazing. I also tried the spicy wontons and the octopus balls "takoyaki". Both were absolutely delicious. I'm already planning my next meal at this establishment which will be the steamed eggs which will be my first. Can't wait to come back. read more
Not to be confused with the AA Tea House (they have alcohol FYI), the DD Tea House (Barbie's place), the PP Tea House (they have no bathrooms), and the ZZ Tea House (kinda boring). What teahouse, I hear you say? The JJ Watt Teahouse is what! I mean is Watt. Anyway. This is a super friendly bubble tea shop located in South Carolina, which has really nice employees, especially the girl that was serving me. I genuinely loved the bubble tea, despite the lack of boba, and they were out of tapioca which was a little bit annoying, because after all they are a bubble tea shop and tapioca is their main topping, but it was a busy game day, so it's understandable. In most large cities, this place is probably around 4 stars, the fruit teas tasting just a little bit fake but not bad at all. Milk teas maybe closer to 5. Service was definitely five star service. And I enjoyed it a lot, the girl was an angel, but one or two people weren't as friendly. However the fact that they were out of tapioca is something I'd worry about, but in the city of Columbia there's absolutely no great bubble tea, and this is clearly the best place to come within a hundred miles in any direction. Now I have to go write another review of another place although I'm not sure Watt. Get it. JJ. Watt. read more
3 years ago
The orange chicken is good! Not too soft or too crunchy. The greenbeans are cooked to a perfect crispness. read more
5 years ago
One of the (not so hidden) gems of Columbia - better milk tea (and tapioca pearls) than Corner Blend, and the food is delicious! Remember they're cash only until $10. If you don't have cash, I recommend grabbing some milk tea and the popcorn chicken appetizer - it adds up perfectly, and a great pick-me-up. read more
3 years ago
Wow great find freshly made items and everything cooked to order the General Tso was really good and had a great heat level read more
3 years ago
My wife and I tied several entrees and appetizers and were very impressed. The standouts were the Crispy Chicken Bao and the Spicy Wontons. Both are our entrees were excellent but paled in comparison to the two appetizers. The popcorn chicken is OK but is not anywhere near to the perfection known as Yen Su Gee at Eggroll Chen. We strongly recommend JJ's Tea House. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
5 years ago
Obsessed. Thai milk tea, orange chicken, spicy wonton. So cute inside, very clean. Always smells delicious. read more
3 years ago
Good and fast service. Food was delivered promptly. You are greeted as soon as you walk in, the seating area is clean. read more
A COLUMBIA STAPLE. recently opened up about a year ago but is SO SO SO LOVED. Love supporting local businesses especially family owned ones. The workers and family are so sweet and helpful. I haven't explored their menu too much bc I always get the crispy chicken cutlet but I recently got the crispy chicken cutlet and shiu ramen on a whim because I was really hungry with my boyfriend after class on a cold rainy day. WHAT A GREAT DECISION TOO. CRISPY CHICKEN CUTLET NEVER DISAPPOINTS AND IS CONSISTENTLY DELICIOUS. AMAZING FLAVORFUL BREADING. SHIU RAMEN IS SO SO YUMMY AND HAS SO MANY TOPPINGS I LOVE IT SO MUCH I ACTUALLY WANT TO EAT IT LATER WHEN I CANT FINISH IT (UNLIKE MENKOI WHERE I USUALLY TAKE IT TO GO BUT ALWAYS END UP THROWING IT AWAY AND NEVER FINISHING IT.) If you want quality food come here. It's my favorite local spot for a quick asian bite. I take all my friends and family here and they're always blown away by the deliciousness. They have lots of finger appetizer foods as well as drinks like boba and desserts like shaved ice. Other recommendations that I have yet to try from friends - beef noodle soup They also have a 2/$5 boba milk tea special. Bang for your buck! But I'm lactose intolerant haha so I usually just order a passionfruit tea. They also brought out bao's to the menu that I've yet to try but contain crispy chicken cutlets and have good reviews amongst my friends. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
6 years ago
Praise Baby Jesus, there is finally a boba stop that I can recommend here in Columbia, SC. I'm extra af when it comes to boba, so I'm happy there's a place here that can accommodate. So far I've tried their matcha snow blend sweetened with mango syrup (a personal creation I requested and they were nice enough to oblige and execute perfectly) and jasmine milk tea blend. Both with boba. They have fruit syrups made in-house instead of powder (Some flavors may still be powdered, but for sure they have real fruit syrup.) Their matcha tastes good--not overly sweet and still a bit bitter. Their jasmine milk tea was waaay sweet but I didn't ask for less sweetness; I will next time. Boba feels a bit too chewy for my taste, but I don't mind it too much. If this place offered more size varieties and was open late, it would be perfect. Still giving it 5 stars for best boba tea in town. read more
6 years ago
Heads up, it's a $10 minimum to pay with credit cards! Was pleased to see boba in SC. However, the boba was a little on the mushy side. The classic black milk tea also did not have any taste, which was disappointing. If this restaurant can take the boba out a minute earlier to preserve the texture of boba and invest in better tea, it will really make this place stand out. The lemon slush tasted similar to Minute Maid frozen lemonade. The outdoor seating was nice but needs to be wiped with sanitizing wipes more frequently between customers, especially during COVID-19 times. read more
5 years ago
JJ Tea House is a great college hangout spot close to USC. You can even see Williams-Brice Stadium from outside the restaurant! There is only street parking so unless you're lucky wear comfortable walking shoes because you might need to walk a little bit from wherever you find parking. They're boba drinks are pretty standard. Nothing crazy special. They have a good selection of food to choose from. The food is your typical Taiwanese tea shop snacks, which is exactly what we were looking for. We ordered the ham fried rice, medium spicy popcorn chicken, takoyaki, and fried tofu. The fried rice comes in a huge serving. My husband said it's one of the better fried rices he's had in SC. If you like spicy food opt for hot on your popcorn chicken. The medium spicy was barely spicy. I would consider it a very mild spice level. Overall, the popcorn chicken has great flavor and is very crispy. The takoyaki is very filling. I would've like to have bigger pieces of octopus though. Otherwise it tasted pretty good. The fried tofu paired very nicely with the sauce they served it with. The breading wasn't too thick. I'm not sure what they bread it with but I think it might be some sort of tapioca or rice flour because when you bite into it it has a stretchy texture to it. Overall, JJ Tea House is great to hangout with friends and share a couple snacks. Definitely my favorite spot in Columbia when I'm craving some Taiwanese popcorn chicken! read more
4 years ago
5 stars - great service! Loved the fried rice, best in the midlands. Also recommend the Taiwanese Sausage appetizer with extra garlic. read more
4 years ago
Love their boba and teas however this is probably the second time I have gotten food here and my order was incomplete. I ordered crispy tofu rice and I checked the corner of my box and saw tofu and rice so I left the restaurant. When I got home I opened the box and it's half empty, there were supposed to be two sides and a sauce. I actually liked this place as one of the good restaurants on campus so this is super disappointing. read more
7 years ago
It isn't easy finding Asian restaurants in Columbia, let alone boba or Taiwanese food! So glad we found this gem. I am from Hawai'i and I am most likely drinking a boba drink a day. So coming out to Columbia for a long vacation, I was craving boba, badly. My husband and I played it safe and ordered a regular black tea milk tea with boba. The milk tea was good, the boba could be better or maybe fresher (?) since we did come for a rather later dinner at 730pm. We ordered beef noodle soup, spicy wontons, and beef scallion pancake. I had to take one star off for the beef noodle soup because we asked for it mild but it came out really spicy. The spicy wontons were delicious but set on a paper plate. Once it cooled, it got stuck to the plate so it's better to eat them while they're fresh and hot. The beef scallion pancake was also really good and my daughter loved it. Willing to come back to give their boba another try earlier in the day when the boba is usually found to be fresher. read more
4 years ago
My hubby & I went in for the first time today, I've been seeing this place a lot so I had to check it out and let me tell you it didn't fkng disappoint everything was soooo delicious and the employees were so nice we are definitely coming back to try the noodles read more
7 years ago
A much better boba place next to Corner Blend... I highly suggest you come here for boba instead of over there... trust me. This is coming from people who drink boba almost on daily basis in Southern Cali. I had the Taro milk tea with boba. Tasty, boba was chewy and was in good quantity. I'd be coming here if I'm in the area. read more
6 years ago
This is HANDS DOWN my favorite restaurant and authentic boba tea house I've ever been to (and I've been all over). The owner is soooo kind and they have such a great variety of authentic boba tea flavors including my favorite Winter Melon and Matcha (really has the deep authentic matcha flavor that I love so much). Everything I've had including food has been amazing especially their bao, homemade wontons, udon stir fry and crispy tofu just to name a few! If you want authentic boba with real fruit and flavor, COME TO JJ'S!!!! Don't go to corner blend next door!!!! Put it this way, last week I went to JJ's 4 times because it just satisfies that craving you can't satisfy in South Carolina! Wish I could give them 10 stars. read more
I hate leaving bad reviews, but this one has to be done. I ate here last night with a friend. We ordered a handful of appetizers to share and one main dish each. We didn't have our socks knocked off, but it wasn't bad by any means for the most part. The takoyaki was a massive letdown and the spring rolls were a bummer. Spring rolls were very obviously from the frozen section at Walmart. Takoyaki was just plain old bad. Looked great from the outside, but the inside was an awful mess with very little (if any) octopus. We each tried one piece of takoyaki and didn't eat the rest, I brought it home for my dog who is a huge fan of everything edible. Popcorn chicken was really good, but the spice level is definitely catered to the Western palate. Beef scallion pancake wasn't bad, but not great either...one pancake for $9 felt like a rip off. Boba tea wasn't bad, either. Spicy wontons were good, but again, also something from the freezer section at Walmart. They keep water in a jug behind the counter, so whenever you need to refill your 8oz Dixie cup, you have to wait in line. Beef noodle soup was pretty good, but lacked depth of flavor. Pho Viet down the street has a much better beef stew noodle (no I'm not talking about their pho). Pork over rice was good, but again, lacking depth of flavor. After dinner, my friend and I went home and we both were sick very quickly for most of the entire night. I gave my dog the leftover takoyaki and if I wasn't awake throughout the night for myself, my dog was needing to go outside because he got sick, too. Had the three of us not gotten sick, I would have given this place a solid 3, but alas, we won't be returning and I'd advise others to stay away, too. The food wasn't good enough to risk a full night in the bathroom. read more
3 years ago
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More info about JJ Tea House
601 Main St
Ste D
Columbia, SC 29201
Downtown
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(803) 834-6666
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