Introduction to another part of my in-town runner-ups from my alphabet series: Finished my prior to 2018 to 2024 alphabet series, but before continuing onto my 2025 picks, I realized when choosing 2025 picks, I had more that were out of town on vacation than in town, and I wanted to support local places (even if they are chains in some cases) in central MD & DMV. For example, my original K pick representing 2018 was in Wilmington, DE. I didn't have a runner-up replacement for 2018 representing O, which was a restaurant in Lancaster, PA or V, one in Tempe, AZ. So, K is for Kung Fu Tea is the only business representing 2018 for the runner-up business. Kung Fu Tea experience: I first discovered Kung Fu, I think in the early part of 2018. From 2017 to 2020, I lived in Wheaton, so downtown Silver Spring wasn't far. I went to this location a few times in this time period. In summer 2018, I took 2 or 3 dates to this location after dinner or what have you. We drank our boba tea outside. This is a very small location with perhaps a couple of inside benches but mainly for to go. I guess if the weather was bad, you could hang in Ellsworth Place, the mall connected to the Kung Fu Tea. Boba tea is solid here, but there are some better places. In 2024, I was down here for an advanced movie screening at Regal Majestic, and I had a 20% off at Kung Fu Tea. The cashier couldn't figure out how to redeem the deal, so I walked out because the 20% off was the catalyst for going there in the first place. So, I wasn't impressed with the staff that day. I like some other locations better. read more

Great bubble tea shop here in Downtown Silver Spring and in fact the only one here. It is part of a large chain but staff and tea is great. There is no seating inside but that is okay. read more

I went to the establishment and purchased the Mangonada slush. After I received the product I asked the employee with the blue / turquoise hair for some napkins. She slammed them on the table with no eye contact like she was having a bad day . I requested a refund and the one with the blue turquoise hair was about to do it, however, I asked a different employee to complete the transaction because I no longer wanted to interact with the employee. I asked the employee was there a manager in the store, she said no , so I asked what was the employee name , she told me she couldn't tell me that . So no manger in the establishment no one has a food handler license and poor customer service. Great ! read more

My order was taken by Ethan and he was very quick and pleasant to converse with. Will come by again.

This tea is awesome. Just as good as it looks Boba is my favorite and they do it just the way I like it. Strongly recommend it. read more

Kung Fu Tea - Brown Sugar Oolong Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I love the taro drinks. Ethan made mine to perfection, adding only minimal sugar as I requested. Good customer service too.

Kung Fu tea in silver spring is a great location. Ethan and Felicia are very smart, professional and tip worthy!

loved this place so so much the employees are really nice especially the trainees and the drinks tasted awesome 10/10 would recomend read more

Kung Fu Tea - Passion Fruit Slush - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I just got into bubble tea in the last few months and I don't know what took me so long. Actually, yeah I do. I tried it once in college and it was not good. And those black pearls were just not for me. After seeing it featured so prominently on social media in the last couple of months, I thought I would give it another try. I came to this place and notice that there were a lot more options than the first time I tried it years ago. I decided to get the ginger milk, with lactose-free milk and crystal bubbles. Wow... Can you say "obsessed"?! I mean, it really makes no sense for a drink to be this good. I only wish that they sold it in a larger size because I could drink this stuff all day. It's the perfect sweetness, just a little bit spicy from the ginger and the crystal bubbles give it a fantastic texture (since they don't really have much of a flavor themselves. They're kind of like a very lightly flavored jello if that makes any sense). I love ginger and this is absolutely one of my favorite drinks. I've also tried the honey oolong milk tea and the winter melon tea. I love the honey oolong and will probably get it again, but I will pass on the winter melon. It just wasn't my thing. They also have a mystery Japanese snack that you can get for about two bucks. I've tried a bunch of them and I've never been disappointed. The hot garlic shrimp chips are my favorite! I'm literally finding every excuse I can now to pass through downtown Silver Spring to stop at this place. read more

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Accepts both cash and credit card. Update - May 2020, they are still open for business. Strictly carry out. You can also order online for store pick-up and or delivery service using door dash. We decided to give this place a try as other bubble tea shops have been closed due to the health crisis. Please note that this bubble tea shop is inside a shopping center. It's literally located across from the Regal theater. There is a separate door you can use to enter into the bubble tea shop. Due to the health crisis, all drinks will be placed on a table to allow for touchless order pickup. We ordered their black milk tea and their Thai tea. Both were equally good. They provide decent amount of bubbles in their drinks and you can customize it to have more / less sugar or ice. Many drinks can be made hot and or cold. The staff here seems friendly. If you are in the area, this place has decent bubble tea. They also have a rewards program in which you can download the app on your phone which helps you get points to get free drinks in the future. read more

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I'm not sure when they opened up but already 75+ reviews so it must have been here for some time! To me it's still new. Located on the corner next to Ben & Jerry's, this bubble tea location is fairly small with only a handful of seats. It was not busy for a Saturday afternoon. No one in line, one friendly cashier, and payment by app. I ordered the large Thai milk tea with bubbles: $4.75, and I paid with their app. Downtown it to get your third drink free! The drink was ready within a few minutes. Super excited that this one opened up. Try it for yourself! read more

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Good boba! My partner had the Thai tea and its bubbles. I had the black tea with bubbles. Both were good! My tea was floral and tasty!

You could say I'm a bit of a boba tea connoisseur at this point, and I'll say I'd be back but only if I was desperate. ++ Decent service and friendliness from staff who took our orders Window bar seats where you can people watch - - I didn't care for the extra bitter tea Boba here was flavoured with something I just couldn't figure out that wasn't straightforward sweetness or fruit flavour but something in between...bottom line is that I didn't like it read more

Kung Fu Tea - Medium green tea with boba - extra bitter tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

My go-to bubble tea spot. I use the app, so the rewards you get when you scan the code, or order through the app makes it worth it. The wait times have gotten a lot better, but because it is downtown Silver Spring, you will wait. read more

This is a great location in the heart of downtown Silver Spring! I stopped by on a Friday afternoon with my cousin to catch up over some bubble tea. Service was friendly and prompt. We ordered the Kung Fu milk tea and the jasmine milk tea with bubble. Usually I'm really picky with the consistency of the bubbles but this time, I was not disappointed. The bubbles was just right. Not too hard or soft. The milk teas themselves were not too sweet either which I prefer. Will be a returning customer for my bubble tea cravings :) read more

I love coming to this location. I was graciously served by Tiff after having a long day. The teas are delicious. I recommend the passion fruit green tea with bubbles! read more

Kung Fu Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Placed a pick-up order 30 mins in advance and realized I placed the order at the wrong location. Tried to call in to cancel for more than 15 times in over 10 minutes but nobody answered. Tried to send a message to the official page on Facebook, an hour after, still nobody read it. Other locations are quick to communicate with me if there's anything wrong with the order. This place is unreachable. Just wasted my $6.xx :/ Edit: Thank you for the refund though. Minus one star for 15 minutes of frustration from trying to reach someone at the store. read more

Kung Fu Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I've been to many KFT's in the area but this one has the best service and consistency BY FAR! The baristas are always friendly, and the wait for the drinks is never too long, no matter how busy it is. And bonus points for the drinks always being on point with the taste and desired ice/sugar levels that I ask for. Highly recommend their new White Grape Slush. It reminds me the Grape Sac Sac drink from the Asian market (IYKYK). read more

Kung Fu Tea - White Grape Slush with Mango Popping Jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Horrible experience. The children making the drinks forgot to add brown sugar to my drink and filled my cup with complete milk. Never going back to this location. read more

Kung Fu Tea - Highly disappointed. This is full of complete milk and no brown sugar at all. The kids working here don't know what they are doing . - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I consider myself a "virgin--first timer" when it comes to the Bubble Tea thing. I heard about it often and was curious to see what the hype was all about. Welp, I can honestly say this place has made me a believer in drinking tea.....in a form other than just hot water and a tea bag in a cup. Kung Fu Tea puts a really cool spin on drinking tea and something I thought I would never enjoy....tea with milk!! I used to think that the combination was so disgusting and why waste an already perfectly, flavorful good tea with milk!? Well, I definitely stand corrected. Thanks to Kung Fu Tea, it's now my new go to tea choice when out and about running around the city. Their signature drink which is the KF (Kung Fu) Milk Tea...go figure...is my favorite. It is a smooth blend of non-diary milk, oolong, jasmine and black tea with chewy, black boba (tapioca) balls...hence the name bubble tea.... that has a unique bold taste -- that's not too sweet and not too strong/bitter....and sweeten just right. For those that are not into the milk tea thing, no worries...this place got you covered with an assortment of classic black & green teas, fruit flavored tea drinks, slushy iced drinks, coffee & lattes and to round it all out....milk & yogurt tea drinks. I counted out all the possible options...and I think I stopped somewhere around over 50+ options. I will admit when I first walked in, I was overwhelmed. There was a lot going on behind the counter and a lot of options to choose from. But, thanks to the cashier....the process became simple. You basically walk in: 1) Choose your Cup Size 2) Choose your Sugar Level 3) Pick a Flavor from a Menu of Many Options You can also create your own drink or customize one of the many options with toppings (like bubbles, fruits, or puddings). This option is clearly for the more "experienced" bubble tea drinkers. I'm still a newbie in the sense. So far, I have only tried the KF Tea and the Strawberry Lemonade Green Tea....and I can attest that they are both really good! With spring/summer around the corner, I am sure I will be making many more stops to this place to try some of the more non-conventional, exotic flavors...like the Taro Slush or Mung Bean or Pomelo Fruit Tea! I will be back for sure! read more

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Classic KFT, located on the first floor of Ellsworth. Been here a couple times, but the most recent time was a bit mixed. First, the place was pretty gross, with leftover food all over the ground and tables not wiped down. The games were dirty and broken, with pieces missing. Tea was good as usual, but it did take a while to come out, longer than usual. 3/5 for the experience, 4/5 for the tea read more

Kung Fu Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Amazing! I've never been to a tea business like this 1 that prepares the tea on the spot w so many variations from cold small, cold medium, hot, w and w/o milk/ fruit flavor, additives, etc. I ordered the Honey Green Tea and it wad fantastic! The menu has so many options that or can be overwhelming. I am definitely looking forward to returning back to this business (hopefully closer location) asap! read more

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I came here with a friend after the Thanksgiving parade in DTSS. It was a little tricky to find as we didn't realize it was in the mall. Anyway, we finally found it--its across from Ben and Jerry's. There is a small area with chairs but I might plan on carrying out. Like other Kung Fu Tea locations, they have an extensive menu but the young lady who took my order was very helpful. I got honey milk tea with pudding and boba with regular ice and regular sweetness and my friend got the piña colada slush with regular sweetness. Both of our drinks were yummy--just what we needed on a nice day. Before ended this review, I must note the service. The young lady was great. Not only did she give suggestions, she managed to have a sense of humor. I wasn't sure if having boba and pudding was too much and she said, go for it--it's almost thanksgiving. I like the way she thinks so I took her advice. Also, when I was finished with my order, I turned around and saw that they line was pretty much outside the store. The cashier never rushed me and never looked flustered. I look forward to trying different drinks. Keep up the good work! read more

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This new location just opened in Downtown Silver Spring, it is alot smaller than the other locations with limited room for seating. The quality of the drinks are comparable to other locations. On my last visit I ordered my usual, Matcha Milk. The staff was polite and my drink came out in less than 2 minutes, granted I went in the afternoon on a weekday and there was no one else in line... but I still appreciate the quick service :) Parking can be a hassle, but there are two garages in walking distance from this location. This Kung Fu Tea is located inside of the mall right across from the Ben & Jerrys. I would recommend this location, especially to those who have not tried bubble tea yet :) read more

Kung Fu Tea - Kung Fu Tea in Downtown Silver Spring - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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I was craving a boba tea and went to place an order on door dash. I haven't been to this location personally but we ordered the Purple Yam (Ube) Latte, the Blue Island Punch and the Oreo Slush. I'm not a huge fan of the Ube latte, I thought it'd be sweeter but the presentation was beautiful. The Blue Island Punch was BOMB and tasty but the winner was the Oreo Slush and I was NOT expecting it to be soooo good and the best part was it is dairy free. They have tons of dairy free options which is great for me because I am lactose intolerant and dairy also breaks me out. I definitely plan on visiting Kung Fu Tea again as they have several locations! I'll probably try more of the slush flavors. read more

Kung Fu Tea - Oreo Slush, Purple Yam Ube Latte, Blue Island Punch - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I occasionally crave a good Boba tea and this place does a great job of serving up a tasty one. Recently tried their coconut milk tea with pearls and it was delicious. Loved the fact that I could customize it with less sugar. This is a cute location located at the Ellsworth place in downtown Silver Spring. Will make it a habit that visit whenever in the area. read more

Kung Fu Tea - Coconut milk tea. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

It's not a surprise that I love boba tea but who doesn't these days. However to my surprise and also not surprised, Kung Fu tea finally added actual non dairy milk to their menu. Finally I can drink boba to my hearts content whenever I want. Don't ask me though how many times I've been here in the last few months. Way too many to count! I'm also always excited that they continue to add new flavors to the menu as well as having seasonal flavors. If you haven't tried Kung fu tea yet, what are you waiting for?! read more

27 July 2021 - my nephew and went here on a hot day. We had the peach oolong tea and the strawberry lemonade. My nephew loved his drink and I enjoyed mine too. We'll definitely have to visit again next time I have him read more

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Located inside the Ellsworth Place Mall in downtown Silver Spring on the first floor, as soon as you enter. You can spot the place from Fenton St as well. Parking available in paid garages (free on weekends and weekday after 7 PM). Limited seating space but this is more of a grab and go place. We love Kung Fu tea and the fact that they try to constantly come up with new flavors. They brew a new batch onsite every two hours, which is pretty cool. Having said all this, this particular location needs to tend to the customers better. I ordered tea with no sugar, and no ice but got it with a lot of ice and what I was sure was at least 50% sugar. When I told the cashier about this, he said that's how he punched it. He offered to make a new drink for me but I noticed I was the third person there whose order he messed up. Then there was one woman whose order was punched in correctly but the person making the drinks didnt bother reading carefully. I understand its a busy location and you strive for fast service but you should really spend some time making sure you get it right the first time. read more

Why can't kung fu tea keeps its drink consistent. Sometimes it's really good. Other time bubbles are too sweet or not sweet at all, too hard like rocks. Bubble scent is not as strong as it suppose to be. Employees don't know how to make bubbles. Just soak bubbles longer after boiling it. It's not only this location that have these problems. All of six Kung Fu tea locations in Maryland I have been to are not consistent either. Ughh read more

Kung Fu Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Really nice to be able to customize your drink (what kind of topping (bubbles, red bean, mung bean, etc), sugar level, and amount of ice). Another thing I noticed about this place is that bubbles are really quite sweet. This place probably has the sweetest bubbles I've ever tried. Most places have fairly neutral-tasting bubbles, but the bubbles here really stood out in sweetness, while the milk tea itself tasted quite neutral. At least, this was what I got from trying a friend's oolong milk tea - the milk tea itself was neutral, not too sweet, but the bubbles were really sweet. I got Kung Fu milk tea with 70% sugar, less ice, and mung beans (instead of bubbles). Because of the mung beans, the drink was like a tea and contained no milk, unlike regular (bubble) milk tea. It tasted like a slightly sweet black tea - the beans were pretty sweet but not too much, and I'm glad I got less (70%) sugar instead of regular 100%. Also, I tried another person's passion fruit milk tea, and it was really delicious, very fruity (no milk) and refreshing! Might get that next time... read more

I Was trying to order pick up via the app but it's always down at this location. Hope they fix this issue soon. Other then that my drink was great as always, I've been getting a different drink every time I come in and Kung fu tea has yet to fail me in that part. Also the wait wasn't too long, I was able to go pick up something to eat and come back to pick up my drink. read more

Kung Fu Tea - Strawberry Lemon Green Tea Punch - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I am starting to spend more time in Silver Spring and stopping by Kung Fung has been a wonderful post dinner thing to do. After a few visits to this location and a few to the one in Georgetown and a couple out in VA, I do believe that this is my favorite Kung Fu location. One thing I like about this location is the small set-up. I prefer the minimalist approach to the Georgetown shop but at this one you can easily be in and out or you can sit in the window and people watch. The location also gives you the option to stroll around downtown Silver Spring or to check out the mall. The mall is a lot better than it was, by the way. I also really like the service. It's smooth. Everyone knows what they are doing and how to do it so there is little wait and no hiccups. My review would hold more weight if I ordered the same thing at different locations and was able to make comparisons like that. With the expansive menu and the posters highlighting so many suggestions, I tend to always order something new. I was feeling the Herbal Jelly I got last time instead of Boba so I may try something like that again. read more

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I'm no milk tea expert, but teas I've tried here are good. I'm not in love with milk tea, but I enjoyed the melon flavored one I had. Tapioca beads are just weird. You suck 'em up through big plastic straws then chew them while drinking. Now if they were filled with vodka, that would be awesome! read more

The place is at the corner as you enter the mall. It's small place yet they make good teas. I personally like taro and always ask them to make it less sweet and always perfect. They could get very busy and waiting can be up to 15 minutes which is completely worth it. read more

Can customize sweetness but can't do light or half sugar. The only way to decrease the sweetness is by halving the powdered mix. Not authentic but at least customizable. read more

I have ordered thai milk tea from uber eat it this morning. It was with only milk power flavor and no thai tea flavor. I used to have thai tea from Kung Fu tea before and I knew that it was not right one. read more

3.5? They don't deserve a 4 so I had to go down. I was skeptical because it was 6:30 On a Saturday and pretty much nobody was there... And not in the good way ya feel?? Pros: - Bubbles are good consistency! More solid and has nice chew compared to other KFT. - Good taste. Had three drinks (taro green tea, peach oolong, and almond milk) and they all were really good. Other places sometimes have weird aftertaste like over brewed tea sometimes gets. Cons: - Not super important but girlfriend at the counter had mad rbf, pick a different cashier! I want someone friendly or at least can muster a fake smile... - There were others with Starbucks and other drinks even though there was very limited seating... Which is a huge turn off for making this a regular place. - Way too much ice... Ask for no or little ice. - Too many bubbles. Don't tell me there's no such thing because there is. When you enjoy having a good ratio of bubble to drink and there's not enough drink. Then you can actually say there's too many bubbles. read more

Kung Fu Tea - So much ice. 1 part bubble. 1 part drink. 1 part ice. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Kung Fu Tea has hit a home run when it comes to location. Arguably, this has to be the best location to have a business like this. It's right across the Silver Spring movie theater and they only serve bubble tea to-go. The taste, quality, and speed of service are all on par with what I have experienced at the Rockville and Annandale Kung-Fu Tea stores. After watching a movie and leaving the theater, I will be hard pressed not to stop by and order a bubble tea on the way out. read more

Kung Fu Tea - to go only! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Kung Fu Tea is my go-to place for boba. They never disappoint. I love how you can customize the sugar and ice amount to your liking. I love trying new flavors each time. My favorites so far have been the strawberry slush and taro boba. Next on my list is the purple yam drink read more