Underwhelmed with the boba here, but I believe as a chain, their actual tea is decent…read more Unfortunately I wanted boba at night and wanted to avoid caffeine, so went with a simple fresh milk. At another location, outside of Chicago, I had tea that was solid but the boba was still mediocre. Not sure if it's the franchisees or the actual chain, but the toppings may not be freshly rotated. Double Purple Bubble Fresh Milk - ube lining, ube grounding, milk, and boba. Combo sounds pretty great, but felt like execution was off. Ube lining was decent and smooth, just took some effort to scrape. However I expected the ube at the bottom of the cup to be mashed similarly and it was not. Boba was chewy on the outside but ripped apart easily in the center, almost firm.

Nice Tsaocaa that also has a BBQ Chicken in it, they have great coconut water beverages combined…read morewith mango and matcha - great service )they have me both a mango and matcha when they mixed it up) and ambiance inside is cozy and cool. Check it out in Chicago's Chinatown!

If you're a mango lover, this is the place for you! Everything is fresh, packed with real mango,…read moreand not overly sweet. We tried the Mango Mille Crepe Cake and the Special Mango Juice Sago & Pomelo with Mango Ice Cream. The crepe cake came with a generous serving of fresh mango on the side, and the sago dessert was loaded with mango juice, pomelo, and topped with a scoop of mango ice cream. Both were refreshing and perfect for a hot day. Definitely worth stopping by if you're in Chinatown and craving a fruity dessert. I'll definitely be back to try more!

Nice spot for a sweet treat!!…read more This place is upstairs just FYI if you are looking for it. I LOVE mango sticky rice, but not ice cream, so I asked them to make A12 with no ice cream. I found it a little odd they don't offer just a basic mango sticky rice o the menu, but I was glad they were willing to modify for me. It was pretty busy in there but I was able to get a table and got my order within just a few minutes. I would definitely be back if I'm in the area again.

Cute cafe!!!!!! Really lovely atmosphere and vibes. It's a quaint Italian style cafe. A few cute…read moreoutdoor tables too. Outlets by every table inside. The bar is really beautiful and has cool lighting. Everyone who works here is really kind and welcoming. The breakfast sandwiches are delicious. The eggs are really fluffy and the sauce on top is tasty. The beverages are great too. I had an iced lavender sea salt latte and it was really refreshing. I also enjoyed the iced pistachio mocha latte. Subtle flavors and really smooth. I also had the Matcha Shakerato and it was amazing! I loved the amaretto in it and the flavors really pop. I loved the glasses that the drinks were served in as well. I love the concept here. It's a coffee shop/cafe/bakery by day and bar/lounge by night. I look forward to returning in the evening to experience more cocktails. (It's an amaro focused cocktail bar.) I look forward to trying more food and pastries too. They also have an aperitivo hour from 4-6pm that looks great too. I definitely plan on a being a regular. Fantastic experience!

Perfect cocktail bar serving South Loop! Happy hour vibes are on point and the service is amazing…read more Inventive cocktails, great ingredients, and welcoming staff. Interior is very warm and nice music selection while you enjoy your company! Pro Tip: Cafe during day hours

Delicious. The kind of place where there's always a kid doing homework or playing with legos at one…read moreof the tables in the back. Built on consistency and neighborhood loyalty. Basically two places in one: * Boba Tea - Grab a drink and walk the park across the street. Fantastic boba texture and flavor. * Restaurant - Focus on the Popcorn Chicken and the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup A easy place to make a regular haunt.

The food here is always consistent and you know what to expect. The purple rice roll is fresh,…read moreflavorful, and the ingredients insides come together perfectly. They also have a parking lot, but finding an open spot can be a bit challenging. The service is usually pretty quick even for togo orders.

I came to Hello Jasmine during a conference at McCormick Place because, let's be real, my dudes,…read morefood at the conference center is largely uninspiring and expensive. One of my friends who went to grad school in Chicago (whose food recommendations I trust with my life) told me I had to check out Hello Jasmine, so I hopped on the bus. I'm so glad I did. The cafe itself is ADORABLE. I happened to visit just before Halloween (10/28), and it was decorated in the most charming "spooky cute" way. There were little Halloween touches everywhere, and someone on staff is very clearly a Harry Potter fan. It somehow managed to feel festive, cozy, and cheerful all at once. I ordered the matcha fresh boba milk tea with fresh milk. My default is always 0% sugar because my biggest beverage pet peeve is when drinks are too sweet. (Despite being an ABC, one thing that definitely survived is my instinct to say "not too sweet, please".) The cashier gently talked me into getting 30% sugar because she said the matcha could be a little bitter otherwise. She was absolutely right. 30% percent was perfect. It was balanced, smooth, and so good that I accidentally drank it much faster than I meant to. (Oops.) I also ordered the pig blood rice cakes (made them spicy), and wow. I don't think I've ever seen these anywhere in Boston. They were seared, spicy, savory, just a tiny bit sweet, and 100% delicious. I was so excited to find something that felt a little harder to come by. 11/10, I would absolutely come back. In fact, my only complaint is that it wasn't closer to the convention center. I probably could have expensed lunch there, and honestly, those corporate dollars would have been much better spent here than on conference catering. I wish I lived in Chicago just so I could stop by more often. Hats off to Jasmine and the staff. It feels bright, authentic, and full of joy. I imagine it's exactly the kind of cafe where students go after a long week to recharge over a really good drink and something comforting to eat, and I'm so glad it exists.

I got the combo braised pork rice bento. The braised pork was a bit greasy and too rich for me this…read moretime. My fruit tea that I got with my combo bento was also too sweet for me; though I got half sugar, it tasted like more than half. Really generous portions for one though. From my experience, they seem to give more volume if you dine in vs take out. The wifi/password also did not seem to be working when I was there. This spot is away from the main Chinatown plazas, so it doesn't feel super crowded or overwhelming.

Gaijin may be a small restaurant, but it makes a big impression the second you walk in. The dining…read moreroom isn't huge, but it has this lively energy that makes it feel exciting instead of crowded. I even was able to watch the chefs cooking just a few feet away. I could hear the sizzling from the grill, smell the food cooking, and by that point I was more than ready to eat. Our server was really nice and gave us a bunch of recommendations. Everything sounded good, but I ended up going with the Pork Belly Yakisoba. This dish was packed with flavor. The noodles had that smoky, slightly charred taste, and they were coated in just enough sauce to make every bite rich. The sauce brought a nice balance of savory, a little sweetness, and plenty of umami that soaked into the noodles. The pork belly was easily the best part. It was incredibly tender and juicy, with just enough fat that it practically melted in your mouth. Every piece had those caramelized edges that added even more flavor. Then you get the crunch from the cabbage and bean sprouts, the freshness from the scallions, and the little nutty flavor from the sesame that tied everything together. Hahaha I'd definitely come back. This is one of those dishes that sticked with me long after I left.

There are few places in general across the US that serve up okonomiyaki, so I was thrilled to find…read morethis spot near my office. Ultimately, the food was just ok. I got the pork okonomiyaki lunch set and added a fried egg to it. I like that the table has a built in grill to keep it warm (I'm a slow eater, so this is extra beneficial for me). The bacon was quite salty, compounded by the okonomi sauce. Hoping the kombu vegetables would offset this, I mixed them into each bite to no avail. The pandan coconut mochi donut holes I chose were probably the highlight. They were crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and there was ample sauce for dipping. I think some people would find the service top notch here--constantly checking in on me and keeping water refilled. I guess that came with a cost: 3% service charge automatically applied, and the server proactively brought over a digital payment system, so the 18% tip I selected calculated off the total leading to what was essentially a tip of 23%.

My family came to Chicago on vacation and stopped by here for a quick treat. So worth it!read more

Refreshing! That was my first reaction after tasting Mario's for the first time…read more I got pomegranate on top and POG (passion fruit, orange, guava) on the bottom. The POG was excellent and tasted like a beach paradise! The pomegranate was lite and had pomegranate seeds in it. I liked the POG more. The line was long, but moved quickly. The staff knows what they're doing and move like a well-oiled machine. There's no place to sit, so get what you want and take a walk around the neighborhood. Of course, I highly recommend this one place!!

5 stars for Joy Yee Plus in Chinatown!…read more I really liked the drinks that they have here and they make them super fast even when they have a long line at their outside stand. got to try a Cookies & Cream Milk Tea which was delicious, perfect balance of tea with desert type flavoring, literally tasted like an iced tea with cookies & cream! The watermelon freeze is basically like a watermelon smoothie - if you like watermelon definitely try this one! The cups are bigger sizes which is nice too. Definitely try them if you're in Chinatown and want a great bubble tea/smoothie etc.!

This place is excellent - everyone stands in line at Joy yee - but just head over to plus…read more They do a great job making the desserts and drinks. Fairly good value also Fun environment