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    Kung Fu Tea

    3.6 (196 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Order Kung Fu Tea Takeout or Delivery

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    Recommended Reviews - Kung Fu Tea

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    Small But Yummy
    Cris R.

    This is the place for boba. The texture of the tapioca balls are on point. Simply the Best! Service is quick when not busy. They do offer small little plates almost tapa style. They have a variety of bobas. Nestled near Northwestern University, its the place to hangout bringing a nostalgic ambiance with its games like SORRY, Connect4, etc. You can play boardgames and simply catch up on convos with friends. I particularly love the Taro Milk Tea, 50% sugar, with extra tapioca, extra ice. Staff is super friendly and chippy. Its in downtown Evanston. Come check it out. Cheers & Enjoy!

    Julius P.

    We we're driving around to find a great Bubble Tea place. We we're in Evanston, Illinois by the lake and craved bubble tea. This place has is small but has a cute and decorative interior. We thought the boba tasted good, and something we can walk around with near the lake. The cashier didn't speak English but was friendly and did his best to help us. We ordered and went on our way. I would recommend if you are looking for a little bubble tea on the go!

    Taro Slush with boba
    Talia C.

    Crit: I don't usually like writing lower starred reviews, but my drink was bad enough that I wanted to warn future me not to order it again. I got a Taro + boba slush from DoorDash. To be fair, I've never gotten a drink there in person. But this is the most mediocre bubble tea smoothie I've gotten. Sad to say. The flavor is very artificially sweet and the boba pearls taste burnt, so I decided not to eat them when they come up through the straw. And actually now that I've paused drinking to write this review, I won't be finishing the rest. It's just leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth. Positives: - They followed my instructions to make it dairy free (yay!) - My drink was packaged carefully and showed up completely spill free - The cup is cute and the drink is a cheerful purple color It was fun to try a new place, but I'm gonna have to stick to Joy Yee for the good stuff.

    May 2018
    Allison T.

    I continue to go back, so I owe you more stars than 3! I'd be happy to give 5 stars except we always end up with 1 cup that's not completely closed so we always experience a leak. I always end up ordering 4-5 drinks because it's my family fave. My go to drink is the Kung Fu milk tea with less ice, half sugar, and boba. Half sugar is still sweet enough! Covid quarantine times made me realize what my favorite food items are and Kung Fu Tea, oh how I have missed you. So glad to see you reopen again.

    On their mobile app, KFT's advertised Tuesday BOGO promotion on winter melon drinks.
    Howard L.

    Ugh, we had a bit of a goofy experience at this store and with KFT's mobile app.  Wife and I were in the area, and it was a Tuesday afternoon, so we thought we would do the Tuesday BOGO promo shown on their mobile app (see photo) and which offered numerous winter melon flavored drinks for the Tuesday BOGO. Using the app though, the only products you could order were winter melon teas, but not the milk strike or milk cap, and we really didn't want caffeinated tea at 3pm. That was goofy item 1.  So I called the store and asked if they would honor the BOGO if I placed a walk-in order.  The helpful and empathetic attendant Julianne answered and told me sure.  So I went in to order and was told they could not do a milk strike as they didn't have the ingredients.  That was goofy item 2 I thought.  So I ordered 2 winter melon milk caps, but they made the drinks without boba and I only later realized they should have come with boba.  That was goofy item 3.  Overall, Julianne was friendly and helpful, but we might have had a confusing dialog on what drinks come with or without boba in the stated price.  Anyway, she asked me if I wanted boba in the milk caps, and I just said include whatever the BOGO deal includes, so I'm not sure why they left out the boba. The winter melon wouldn't normally be a flavor we would pick, and despite wishful thinking, it did taste like the name describes - like a cold winter melon soup taste, ugh, but we were hoping for something better and you never know til you try.  Wife and I both agreed boba would have helped the drink flavor.  Julianne was also nice in that she let me use a credit card for the $6.41 transaction despite their sign stating cash for transactions under $8.  Overall, despite the BOGO, this visit was a bust because KFT's own mobile app doesn't even let you use it for what's advertised (therefore no reward points also), and this store wasn't even prepared to make a milk strike.  I sent the mobile app feedback to KFT's feedback page and hopefully they will fix this annoying snafu for others.  This store btw occupies a small space and there's limited seating fyi.

    Oolong Milk Tea
    Mira D.

    i go to the kung fu tea in the bay area and atlanta pretty frequently. decided to stop by this location while touring northwestern. pretty sure the prices are a bit higher here. i got the oolong milk tea, green milk tea, and kung fu milk tea all with less ice and 30% sweet. the boba was good consistency and chewy. 30% sweet is more than enough (KFT drinks run pretty sweet and you can tell they use fructose in my opinion). also tasted less creamy than usual (more watery) only frustrating thing is that they have a $8 credit card minimum and when i came at 12pm and wanted to use the kung fu tea rewards app, they said the system is closed until 1pm? found that kind of annoying since i was planning to use a gift card and a discount, but if it's the system i guess it's not their fault.

    Lidia M.

    I had a really funny experience as a longtime customer of Kung Fu Tea. I walk in, order an oolong milk tea with boba, lite ice, 50% sugar, and an avocado rice ball. The order is made quickly, and they charge me for boba, the usual. The place nowadays is messy, but the cashier used a mask. This time, however, I realize something's off. My total came to be $8.55 and on top of that, because I use my card, I get charged an additional 50 cents. Kung Fu Tea Evanston, I talked to the person working there and she told me this: Actually, we charge 50 cents if you use your card no matter what, even if you go above the $8 minimum. So, I tell this person working here that the multiple signs you have inside and outside the shop should really say: "We charge 50 cents for using a card, always" Not "$8.00 minimum OR 50 cents will be charged while using a card." That's false. I've been a longtime customer, purchasing from their many locations for 5 years, but I cannot respect this company any more after this incident. 50 cents may be small, but no customer should tolerate lying and false statements from ANY company, much less stealing money and overcharging. And later, not willing to fix it when they've been caught. I give it three stars because the drink itself was tasty, and the boba was soft and chewy. But the service was terrible and the signs completely misleading. Moreover, no stickers were used to reference "lite ice" and "50% sugar" and my drink was filled halfway with ice. I left feeling cheated and completely lied to. This is not okay, Kung Fu Tea.

    Get your evanst on
    Fox E.

    More like Kung Flow Tea... Uh, uh, uh... It's been 10 minutes, and I'm DUE For another drink from Kung FU So now I'm going to rap for YOU And if it really sucks, just BOO So if you and your bf are THROUGH And you need something (someone) to DO Let me show you how my legend "GREW" And all my urban myths are TRUE Be glad your sister never KNEW What we did, or she'd want me TOO So do me like they do the DEW And I'll stick atop you like GLUE There is no taming of this SHREW I'll be the driver, you the SCREW You the river, me CANOE Me the foot and you my SHOE Me Roger Daltrey, you the WHO You Chinatown Houston, me LOU Me dictator, you my COUP You Nepal, me KATHMANDU You 80s radio, me CUTTING CREW You a doctor's office, me the FLU You the Synagogue, me the JEW You the toilet, me the POO Wait, what Anyway Those boys will have to join the QUEUE And wait until I'm done with YOU You'll bounce like a KANGAROO Cause we're lovers, not fighters like FOO And when we're done (in a day or TWO) After I've made your kitty MEW And after I've finally WITHDREW Then it's time to go to Kung FU! WHAT What to get: Lemon Black Tea With Tapioca! Or in winter: Any of the hot milk teas! Which milk teas are best: Honey Oolong! Oolong! Maybe Taro or Almond! The Kung Fu Fighters are one of my favourite bands. Their biggest hit was "Learn To Fu" but I also really love "Ever-oolong." I really like the Evanston location of KFT, and even though (gasp! shock!) there are only three Kung Fu Tea locations in the greater Chicago area (I mean San Antonio has four, so what's up CHI?), there is a very clear winner out of those three and it is right here. This is actually the only one that made me a good lemon black tea out of the three of them. In fact it was really good here, really mediocre in Chinatown, and really horrendous in Uptown. It's the only one which is a really great place to hang out as well. It's a lot more Suburban than the other two I guess. They have friendly service and it's comfortable, although (like both of the others, but maybe less so) parking can be a little tricky because it's right in the middle of Evanston, so you might have to use meters but it's not bad. If you do have to use meters and aren't sure how, let me know, I'll convert for you from feet and inches. Ohhhh. So definitely a good location of KFT and the best one in the Chicagoland area. Try the Lemon Black Tea with Tapioca as I said. And while it's somewhere between 4 and 5, it's closer to 5, and by the very low, disappointing Boba standards across Chicagoland, there's no doubt this is getting 5 stars. Also don't miss the nearby DB3 Donuts, some of the best Donuts in the entire country (check my review of that place), as well as the lovely views of the lake at the very-close-by Northwestern University campus. Now let's finish that Kung Fu rap, shall we: So like Britney and Tinache, I made you OOH And now I'll introduce you to something NEW I'll give you yummy Boba to CHEW That defines a five-star REVIEW Lemon Black Tea's what I'll give to YOU It has a lot to LIVE UP TO But I know you'll share my POINT OF VIEW Like the 90's web you'll scream YAHOO Palestine will hear you louder then NETENYAHU Who's big on Google but not on YAHOO Crap I just double-used YAHOO Oh well, Altavista's dead, Excite TOO And no, my income tax returns aren't TRUE But like Joey said, that point is MOO So before we get audited by internal REVENUE Let's go and get Boba from KUNG FU! (And let me know please when you're period's DUE) WHAT

    Hannah K.

    Love all the Kung Fu Teas! My order is always consistent and so yummy! This was the perfect end to our meal at Evanston!

    Sesame matcha - delicious tea. Bubbles not so great - too dense
    Alison Y.

    Came here to satisfy an afternoon bubble tea craving. They've got a good set up where you can order your drink from a tablet they have set up or you can order at the register - nice to have that option to decrease contact during covid. I'm a huge sesame fan so whenever I see it on the menu that's what I tend to try. I was impressed with their sesame matcha milk tea. Both flavors were distinct with every sip, it was lactose free (I believe) and the medium size was perfect to satiate my craving. My only disappointment was with the boba - it was super dense and gave my jaw a workout- I ended up scooping it out when I got home. I don't come a lot so unsure of it was an off day or that's how they make their boba but im willing to come back and try it again next time I'm in the area and craving some tea.

    Surim H.

    I wish there was a Kung Fu Tea in the northern suburbs but until then I guess I'll be making the trip to Evanston. During covid they are staying opened safely. They are limiting the number of people inside the store as well as setting up kiosks so that you have less direct contact with employees. Service is always quick and I haven't had any problems with orders either. My go to drinks are Kung Fu milk tea (less ice and 50% level sugar), taro milk tea and passionfruit green tea with mango jelly. They have good snacks as well like the popcorn chicken and rice triangles with spam that come with a side of spicy mayo.

    Claw machine only minimally rigged (non-heavy plush are achievable!), a very high standard when it comes to claw machines. Matcha Red Bean Slush is bomb. Student discounts are available and the staff are kind.

    Taro Milk Bubble Tea
    Andrew M.

    Positives: * Workers greeted us very warmly when my friends and I walked in and were very attentive and friendly during our entire visit. * Menu was very well organized, easy to read, and full of flavor options as well as the option to customize the sugar and ice level in the drink. * The bubble tea itself was overall pretty tasty. Negatives: * Even though I ordered a "little" sugar (30%) in my drink, it still tasted almost as sweet as my friend's drink, which was 100% sugar. * Comparing it to other places that serve bubble tea (Joy Yee, Avalanche, Vivi's tea, etc.), the taste of the tea is average.

    hot almond milk tea with tapioca

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    8 months ago

    This place had some of the best bubble tea!!! The staff is also always super friendly and helpful. Definitely check them out!!!!

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    2 years ago

    Got a thai milk tea. Really good and refreshing. I'd definitely get it again. The guy who gave it to us was really kind too.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Kung Fu Tea Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kung Fu Tea

    Is this a place you would sit at and get some work done (like a regular cafe)?

    I wouldn't just because the space is so limited there and I feel like a lot of people would be going in and out

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Newport Coffee House - Coco brew (old version as 2025)

    Newport Coffee House

    4.4(125 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Love this bright, clean, and professional coffee spot! Plenty of free parking with a large lot…read moreattached, which makes stopping by super easy. The baked goods are incredible, and the baristas are friendly and easy to chat with. Lattes are beautifully made, and I really appreciate the care put into the latte art. A great place for quality coffee with a welcoming vibe.

    Please bring back the old version of COCO BREW. I'm begging…read more I've been a regular since they first opened a few years ago, I think around 2019? Their Coco Brew used to be one of my absolute favorite coffee drinks for years, up until recently. I'm not exactly sure when the recipe changed, because as far as I remember it still tasted the same through 2025. I've been busy this year and haven't come as often, but the last three times I ordered it, it was completely different. And since it was made by different baristas, I'm assuming this is a recipe change rather than just inconsistency. (Check the photos to see the differences!) The old version was much lighter, mildly sweet, and had that lovely coconut milk aroma. It tasted fresh, smooth, and really balanced. The new version is totally different. The first thing I noticed was the color. It's way darker now. And the taste matches: darker, more sour, and with a strange almost medicinal aftertaste (reminded of some cough medicine..) The gentle sweetness and mildness are completely gone. Now it somehow tastes strong, sour, and watery at the same time. What happened?? Please don't change something that was already so good. Even the ice seems different now. It used to have smaller ice pieces that filled the cup more evenly and let the liquid move through, so you got that really pretty layered look with the coconut milk and cold brew. Now it's large chunks of ice just floating on top. Anyway, this is just my little heartbreak over a drink that used to be so beautiful and delightful. Other than that, the vibe is still nice as usual, maybe a bit more crowded than before. The decor is still cute, and I've always liked the woody interior. It's also one of the brighter coffee shops in Evanston, with really nice natural light.

    Photos
    Newport Coffee House - Indoor vibe

    Indoor vibe

    Newport Coffee House - Bar area and tables

    Bar area and tables

    Newport Coffee House - Maple latter and avocado toast

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    Maple latter and avocado toast

    Colectivo Coffee Evanston - Coffee & fabulous raspberry almond croissant

    Colectivo Coffee Evanston

    3.9(194 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $

    I was quite impressed by this location, particularly the hot food. I was staying in the nearby…read moreHilton Orrington/Evanston and this is the closest coffee shop I found on Yelp. The coffee is standard (nothing special) but the hot food is what really impressed me. I had the bacon egg and cheese croissant, and it came out so fresh and hot that I couldn't touch it for a few minutes. Once it cooled a bit and I sunk my teeth into it - oh my! Delicious. It doesn't like much in the photo (and it comes wrapped in paper almost like a fast food sandwich), but the taste is great. I liked it so much that I came back the next morning for a Cajun breakfast burrito and same story - piping hot and delicious. Portions are perfect for breakfast. Location is perfect for those at or visiting Northwestern. And the dining area is quite spacious, welcoming, and clean. Staff are quite nice as well. Highly recommended if you're in the area.

    After being quite impressed with a Colectivo Coffee in Madison, Wisconsin, I was a little bit…read moresurprised to see that it was a chain. While waiting for my car to charge nearby, I decided to pay this location a visit. I ordered one of their seasonal lattes, a small hot one. All in all, there was a lot to like! First, the coffee wasn't overly sweet and had some actual coffee notes, instead of all of it being buried under milk and sugar. Second, they have more than enough seating for everyone who wants to grab a cup. Because of the number of people working, I can't call it a "third place" but the fact that they are welcoming to students and Yelpers alike without making them keep buying beverages or banning laptops outright is worth a shout-out (you'd be surprised) One of the best things about this place was the service. The person taking my order was very kind and welcoming, and the coffee came out very fast, especially considering how busy it was inside. Final verdict: I appreciate that Starbucks has to deal with ten times the online and mobile orders. Still, I feel as though Starbucks needs to take notes - for what it lost, it seems Colectivo still has.

    Photos
    Colectivo Coffee Evanston - Pumpkin spice latte

    Pumpkin spice latte

    Colectivo Coffee Evanston - Oatmeal and oat milk cold coffee

    Oatmeal and oat milk cold coffee

    Colectivo Coffee Evanston - Outdoor Seating

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    Outdoor Seating

    Matari Coffee - Iced tea

    Matari Coffee

    4.1(94 reviews)
    3.9 mi

    I would give Matari 4.5 out of 5 stars, so I'm rounding to 5 based on service and ambiance! I heard…read moreabout their fruit mousse cakes online, so we knew we had to stop by to check it out. The cafe is immaculate and service was very friendly. The person who took our order was patient as he explained the different pastries in the case. I wish they had signs explaining what each pastry was so I could have decided while waiting in line. We ended up sharing an iced pistachio latte (delicious and 10/10!), the pistachio cheesecake (10/10!), and the strawberry mousse cake (7/10 - a subtle sweetness, great texture, but needed more cake or crust inside as it was mostly whipped cream and the shell). The mousse cake was $12.00, which felt steep considering it was mostly whipped cream, even though it was obviously beautiful. We would definitely come back for the coffee and to try more menu items! Check this place out!

    I wanted to like it. I did. But after a few visits, it's just not for me…read more The first trip, I tried the Matari Tea: Green tea, Himalayan pink salt, milk, and spices, topped with roasted pistachios. Sounds good, right? Alas, it could not have been blander. I couldn't taste any "spices" or even the hint of salt. The profile was that of very watered-down tea mixed with milk, and a ton of pistachios floating on top. Like, barely crushed pistachios. Huge pieces, covering the top of the drink, bobbed around like tiny icebergs, and even they somehow had a toned-down flavor. The drink was definitely a swing and a miss. Fast forward two weeks, and I tried Matari again. This time with a simple cortado. I sat at the table right by the door, and the espresso was pretty good. Solid body, not too bitter. It was on the pricy side ($7+), but I was ok with that. But then, I'm hanging out, sipping my coffee, and I catch a burst of perfume-like scent. I'm shocked, but whatever, I figured someone in heavy perfume walked by, no big deal. A few minutes later, wham, I'm hit in the nose with another burst of perfume. Then, I see it. A slight haze around me. So, not a heavily perfumed woman after all, but an automated air-freshener. After further inspection, I see the unit plugged in on the ground right behind my chair, which sprays up and out on a timer. That's right, an air freshener right next to a table where people consume food and beverages, shooting a mist into the air that slowly rains down onto my head and table, and into my coffee. I ended up tossing the last few sips of my cortado, as I could taste the scented whatever-it-was in my cup. I'd have gone to the counter and asked for a new one, but I was so over my visit by then, I just opted to get out. The staff aren't very friendly. Not rude, but they don't give off a welcoming aura, and I didn't feel like trying to explain the issue. Lastly, can we talk about their little "your order is up" beepers? We've all seen them. The little electronic things that blink and make a noise when your order is ready, so you can go snag it from the counter. When I think of a coffee shop, I think quiet and peaceful, or perhaps a bit louder, with bustling people and well-paired music. At Matari, it's an insane BEEP BEEP BEEP that goes off every few minutes when an order is up. I get it, you don't want to bring the food out to your customers. But does it really need to feel like an airport Chili's? It's a bummer, because Matari is beautiful inside. It's clean, it's chic, and its location is at a notable crossroads in Skokie with plenty of parking, leaving it extremely convenient. They've even got an easy-to-use website, which so many coffee shops simply do not have. There aren't a lot of coffee shops in this particular part of town, which is why I so, so very much wanted to love Matari. But subpar drinks? Air freshener spray intrusions? Frequent and obnoxious beeping? I tried. I'm sorry. I just can't.

    Photos
    Matari Coffee - Inside

    Inside

    Matari Coffee - June 2025

    June 2025

    Matari Coffee - Bakery

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    Bakery

    Kung Fu Tea - bubbletea - Updated May 2026

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