Was really looking forward to trying this place out! Walked in at 9:45pm on a Friday and was turned away because they were closed. Their website and yelp said they were open until 11:00pm. It was empty in there. Looked more like the girl wanted to leave early with her friend. Hope they change their website and yelp to reflect their "new" closing hours. read more

This tea company is awesome! I've been searching the web maniacally for weeks trying to find Balhyocha (Korean oxidized tea) and some high-grade Korean green teas without much results. I ran into O5 tea's website to not only find said rare Korean teas, but to find a variety of other high quality teas from all over the world. Their website is very well-designed and intuitive to browse. Not only is their website and tea selection awesome, but their customer service is top notch. There were some hiccups with a few things from my order being that it was in the middle of Black Friday. I was quickly prompted and had my problems resolved by Taryn McMaster who helped me through the whole way. She alerted me of the status of my orders frequently and even recommended me several other great teas that I might like. It's great to know that a customer service representative is so communicative and knowledgeable about the products. I highly recommend anyone to peruse both their website and brick and mortar store. Their website even has interesting bios about each tea producer and their growing regions. So each tea you buy comes with a story and character instead of buying some mass-produced Lipton tea. Also included are instructions on how long to steep your tea and at what temperature, which makes learning about the tea you buy so much easier! I live in Seattle and will definitely visit their brick and mortar store to explore more of their products! read more

Best spot in town for rare and loose leaf tea. They have a huge selection of Puer and great kombucha on tap that is made in house. Staff is friendly and very knowledgable !! read more

I was both baffled and disappointed by my experience at O5 Tea Bar last night. I feel bad giving this place a bad review, because the staff was very friendly and accommodating, and I could tell that they loved tea and tried really hard to do a good job here. My review and experience is based on their Chinese teas, since that's what I'm more familiar with. 1. All that tea gadgetry. Tea has a long history in Chinese culture. There's no such thing as a "Chinese tea ceremony," but the method of making tea the Chinese way is fairly standardized, with minor regional variations. This also includes the tea ware. It was very confusing to see O5 making Chinese tea with more tea things than you really need, and the incorporation of these things seem to be based on a desire to impress rather than to improve flavor. Interestingly, despite having all those unnecessary tea things, they still managed to pour tea leaves into nearly everyone's cup... 2. Quality of the tea. I've had 3 teas there. One of them I have never had before, so I can't really make a comparison. One of the other two is a rock oolong and is actually not bad. I will need a side-by-side comparison for that one (insensitive pallet here!). The last one is a dragonwell, and it is not great. Besides the teas we've tried, we've also looked at the leaves of some other teas. And they didn't look like high grade teas. 3. Bizarre selection of teas. I think tea shops should either specialize in one area of tea or have a good example of a selection of tea. (I'm talking about serious tea stores like O5, rather than potpourri stores in disguise *cough* David's Tea *cough*) The characteristics of a tea comes from several factors. And for Chinese tea, there are usually regions that produce the best examples of a particular type of tea. So it's very odd to see teas produced in atypical regions being selected and featured in a store like O5. For example, if O5 offered a selection of Mou Feng, then it's not so strange to include atypical Mou Feng. However, it's odd to see a Mou Feng from West Lake being the ONLY selection of that tea, when West Lake not known to make that tea. Secondly, the teas seem to be chosen based on the owner's personal likes and dislikes of the farmers, rather than trying to showcase each style of tea. There's 1 farmer who supplies 4 out of 8 or 9 oolongs that they carry. Another example of odd selection is one of the oolongs we've tried (1993 oolong from Taiwan). Oolongs in Taiwan are very standardized and have very similar flavor profiles. I was therefore very surprised that they featured a smoky Taiwanese oolong, which is very atypical. Taiwan is known for 3 types of oolongs. It's very bizarre that they carry this smoky oolong but not two of the three other well known Taiwanese oolongs. The representation also seems very disproportionate. For example, they have more types of pu'er than oolong, which is a far more diverse style of tea than pu'er. 4. Choice of tea making vessel. Teas can be made in a neutral vessel that doesn't get seasoned (eg. glass or glazed ceramic) or a clay pot, which can be seasoned. For a tea enthusiast, a clay pot is wonderful to have. Since clay can absorb flavor, the pot can improve the flavor of tea over time. This means that a tea shop can make a second rate tea taste better by using a seasoned clay pot. In order to do this, however, one must always make the same type of tea in the same pot. And mixing tea pots would muddle the flavors of tea. Anyways, there is no good reason for a tea shop that sells loose leaf tea to serve its customers tea made in an unglazed clay pot. And this is what they did at O5! I'm guessing it's the default practice there, since we had to ask for our tea to not be made such way. 5. Water. Yes I'm even complaining about the water. More specifically, the way water is heated. (They did a fine job purifying the water. It's delicious.) They have kettles sitting on top of induction heaters. This means that they have an unreliable heat source (inductions heaters are difficult to finely control). And as far as I can tell, they have no way of setting or checking the temperature of their kettles. Different teas are best made at different temperatures. High temperature can scorch delicate teas (white and green), but is needed to bring out the flavor of oolong. It seems like the kettles were boiling most of the time. And they didn't seem to be very methodical when cooling the water down to make the green tea (I didn't see them check by touching the side of the vessel). Also, the induction heaters make annoying beeping noises. Conclusion: I know that it sounds like I'm being difficult and snobbish. I'm really not. My expectations are set by my experience at another Vancouver tea shop. Go to Cultivate instead if you want good tea. read more

Unique experience.... Vancouver needs more of these places. Very knowledgeable staff, great tea and small dishes.

Stopped through here while spending time on West 4th for something different. I'm going to be quite honest, the place was pretty weird. The seating was kind of awkward and I got an uncomfortable feeling when I walked in. The tea was well...just tea and I'm my opinion shouldn't be that expensive. If I were to go here again, I would like for the staff to thoroughly explain what the are doing when making the tea as they were doing a bunch of fancy things that I really didn't understand what they were doing. Overall, just an overpriced trendy place to go to. read more

Wonderful place to just chill and drink lovely tea. They prepare it properly and often will explain the process as well as how the tea leaves are originally dried and prepared. I usually would spend about 2-4 hours here at a time just drinking tea and hanging out with staff members. The kombucha is top notch as well. read more

I've been going to O5 for the past 4 years and have been consistently happy. The staff are very helpful, pleasant and knowledgeable. The space is very clean and has a wonderful restful zen atmosphere. The gong fu cha tea service is a wonderful way to experience fine teas. I recommend it to all of my friends. read more

This is a lovely little place, the staff were so friendly and the tea was out of this world, this is a must for anyone who likes tea.

I attended a matcha lesson with Noriko, and it was a wonderful experience. At first we were a bit confused because we thought we'd be making the matcha tea ourselves, and Noriko first shared with us details about the tea ceremonies in Japan. She was so nice and friendly, very knowledgeable about Japanese teas, and just delightful! We got to try not only two types of high-quality matcha teas, but also different selections of Japanese tea. The sweet treats were also amazing - super delicious matcha macarons and ice cream mochi. It was totally worth more than what we paid for ($35)! Great experience to bring out-of-town relatives and friends, and also a great atmosphere to sit, relax, and enjoy some high-quality teas. read more

so i get it. trust me. i totally get what these guys are trying to do here. but i'm just going to say this...i love tea. green, white, herbal, oolong etc. but on a rainy Vancouver day, it was kinda hard to feel relaxed and comfortable here. it had a very modern, asian aesthetic, which again, i get. and i appreciated the ritual aspects of the service. but the seats were cold and oddly high relative to the counter making it hard to sit comfortably. and really, i would have LOVED a comfy seating area where tea lovers could sit and chat in warmth. personally, i would have had a more inviting comfy area in teh front of the store with a tasting bar at the back. having said all this. the quality of the tea is very high and cannot be matched. but be prepared to pay. it is pricey. and the quinoa salad for 7$...uh...no. it was served to me in basically a shot glass. defintiely eat at Capers across the street first. so great tea, not great comforting ambience (although yes aesthetically beautiful) and unbelievably high prices. read more

My family and I were out on the town tonight and walked by this small tea shop. Not expecting much, we entered the shop just looking for somewhere to sit and maybe get something to drink. My daughter and I ordered some tea and talked to the servers about how tea is processed and learned so much about the tea making process! We got our tea very quickly (impeccable service!) and could not believe our tastebuds. It was love at first sip. Will definitely come again. Great tea, great staff, great environment. So relaxing and rejuvenating! Definitely recommend if you're in town. read more

A place for tea lovers. I'm not one of a tea drinker but I really liked their kombucha. After attending their kombucha class ($10), they gave us a $10 credit only if we purchase the kombucha kit. I wish I could use it on everything, not just the kit. I would rather just drop by and picked up some whenever I want. I wanted to get their kombucha kit for $45 but not sure if I will commit to it. I wanted one so that I can modified mine with low sugar, and/or caffeine-free. I hope they can help me with that. They also didn't talk about how different tea will affect the result of the kombucha. This place also doesn't serve at food. I suggest they add something to their menu especially when there is nothing much around at night. Food and sweets made from tea would be nice. Finally, there is a long bar and nothing like small round table where you can gather around and chat. read more

The teas and the service here are amazing. They've got me hooked. Always looking forward to another visit there. I have a great time trying buying teas. I was never really a tea bar person before, but the setting here makes it really nice to sit and enjoy some of the finer stuff in life. The staff are all really kind and knowledgable. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a great place to take a friend or loved one for a great experience. Boom! read more

Every element is thoughtful and beautiful. With a truly refined taste in tea selection (I am a Tea Sommelier), you are welcomed into a environment that feels crisp like a wine-bar and warm like a friends home. One of my favourite places in Vancouver and nothing comparable is found on the West Coast. Go solo or take a date and enjoy a tea journey of the servers recommendation... you will not be disappointed with the unique experience! read more

Lovely and informed staff made the incredible tea and desserts an unforgettable experience.

What can I say...Always a good time a great conversation whenever I am here at O5 Rare Tea Bar. Excellent tea selections to bring home too. Definitely recommend it. read more

Delicious tea, fun atmosphere, knowledgeable staff...a fabulously fun evening of beverages, but with no hangover the next day! For pics and more info on my O5 tea experience, please see my food blog. read more

Love this place! Very calm and nice, lots of great teas and a great choice of kombucha.

Really great little place to relax and have an interesting pot of tea. Very knowledgable staff and reasonable prices.

I have to agree with Alan. Before discovering David's tea down the street (where I ultimately ended up buying some amazing green tea), I wandered into 05, attracted by the window offer of samples. The woman at the counter claimed, rather dismissively, they didn't actually provide samples and gave me the hard-sell on their most expensive green tea. When I mentioned that the sign on the window offers samples, which would help me make up my mind as to what I want to buy, she sneered at me and deflected. Their tea seemed nice but pricey for what you get. I wandered over to David's, a block over, and tried several free samples before purchasing some fragrant organic green tea, which also happened to be significantly cheaper than the same variety at O5. read more

This is my favorite place in Vancouver to sit in at! It's such a warm, welcoming environment with incredibly kind and knowledgable staff. I've been coming consistently for several months now for the kombucha (which is always to die for) but I spend a lot of time studying here as well. All the teas have a special story behind them in how they were obtained which adds to the unique experience. It's an open space due to the bar setting and it's very easy to start chatting with others around you as a result! I highly recommend checking O5 out, whether it's to grab something to go or to sit and relax for a couple hours to enjoy a good lot of tea! read more

O Five Tea is O so wonderful. The moment one steps into the rare tea bar, now open three months, one knows that it is a place of grace and expertise. The decor is perfect -- tending to minimalism in the Asian tradition with elegant touches in all the right places from the lighting, to the shelving to the ceramic bowls from which one drinks the fine tea. Managing partner Pedro Villalon has brought his five-year long passion for authentic tea, a passion which he combines with an encyclopedic knowledge of rare fine tea, how best to prepare it and how to appreciate it to O Fives 4th Ave location on the block to be on between Vine and Yew. He personally selects all the teas available, as he has his knowledgeable staff, stirred with the same enthusiasm for teas O Five sells. Tea lovers are able to sit at a tasting bar and chose from around 20 teas and watch it being prepared, often given a mini lesson and certainly a smell of what they will be enjoying as a tasting experience as well as a selection of five tapas dishes matched to the teas, which change daily. Teas are also available in packs to take home as are one of a kind ceramic wear crafted by both local and international artist. A wide selection of baskets are also available for the year-end gift giving period. I have personally tasted all of the teas and each one finely expresses the terroir in which it has been grown. Both hot and cold teas are available, the cold teas eleganty served in glass flutes and the hot teas in one of a kind ceramic bowls. Pedro and co-founder Brian Noble are just back from a tea hunting trip to Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan with new teas. As a purveyor of fine teas first as an importer and now a valuable member of the fine tasting community in Vancouver, I am ready and eager to taste the teas selected by a fine palate, who will teach me anew as Pedro has for the past three years. Watch this space for tasting notes on the new teas. read more

This is by far the best tea bar / tea store in Vancouver. The quality of their loose tea is far superior to any other place I have been in town (I have been really into loose, high quality teas for over 10 years). Their white varieties are incredible, and I think they are the freshest that I have ever been able to find. I will try some of the greens next time I'm there. The staff are also super super friendly and helpful, and the space itself is really beautiful. read more

As experiences go Vancouver is undergoing an enlightenment on the frontier of food and beverage - Flavours, flavours, flavours. A visit to O5 is the kind of event that reinforces this movement and are we ever blessed to have this kind of place to experience excellence in tea knowledge. These guys Pedro and Brian who have put this place together are remarkable tea hunters and you need to check them out when you are on 4th. Very cool concept and remarkable and interesting teas!! Savour the moment because they're taking it to a whole new level right here in Vancouver. read more

I was recommended this place by a friend. The service was horrible, when asked about what type of tea we were having, or a little history on where its from, they just shrugged and said they didnt know. The "bar" we sat at was dirty, and the place smelled of B.O. It was 8 dollars for a small cup of burnt tea, and the Kombucha gave my wife and I diarrhea. The owners of this company obviously are in it just for the money and dont know a lick about the tea world. read more

I had a group here for their Japanese Tea Ceremony and it was great! I loved the space and the knowledgeable staff. Also the Japanese lady that performed the ceremony was the sweetest thing! Will definitely be going back. read more