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    Royal Tapioca

    4.0 (71 reviews)
    Closed • Closed

    Royal Tapioca Photos

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    ROYAL TAPIOCA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Coconut jelly cup
    Lou C.

    I found this restaurant purely by accident. I was gonna eat at Ph Lúc Lc next door but it was closed during Lunar New Year weeks. So I walked away disappointed. Suddenly, I looked up at the sign Royal Tropical and and its banh mi menu. After reading some reviews, I decided to check it out. I brought my coworker to sample with me. It's easier to come on Sunday because traffic is a lot lighter than during weekdays. While sitting in here and looking around, I thought it was a Mexican cantina. I am always the only Asian among Hispanic customers. The pale green walls, maroon booths and decorations from the 70's gave me a nostalgic feeling. Folks behind the counter work hard to get food ready really quick. I love it. I've gotta tell you, the drinks and sandwiches were so delicious. My favorite banh mi is BBQ pork. The bun has a crispy shell that doesn't cut my mouth ceiling. All fresh ingredients satisfy my sense of smell and taste. Most of banh mi sandwiches are around $4. With a small boba tea at $3.25, that's a well balanced lunch. It's a true hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Spring Branch West neighborhood. If you are around Kempwood between Blalock and Campbell area, be sure to stop in for a treat.

    thai tea with egg pudding
    Daysi L.

    I've been coming to this place since i was 10 years old! it's always been so delicious and the customer service has always been so good. The banh mis here are amazing, always perfectly toasted and freshly cooked meat. I got their egg pudding for the first time and it was so good. The people who work here are always in a good mood! they usually have coconut jelly that is super good as well

    Antonio H.

    It's clean and there's ample parking. The drinks are very good. They don't have milk alternatives. They have mango slushes, which are vegan. My friend enjoyed her coffee drink with bobble. . I thought the mango slush was good. The service is counter service but prompt.

    BBQ with meatballs on the left, chicken and fried egg on the right.
    Phuong N.

    I'm not going to compare this place to places in Bellaire since we all know that's where you'd go if you really want better and cheaper sandwiches and drinks. Upon seeing the menu, I decided to order the BBQ pork and meatball combination sandwich since I love both kinds individually and always have a hard time deciding which to get. Dilemma solved, I thought. My husband ordered the chicken and fried egg (assuming it would be the sunny-side up version as pictured on the menu banner). Also ordered the green tea smoothie made with green tea ice cream. BBQ/meatballs ($3.50) -- the BBQ pork was not the char-grilled, sweet soy sauce marinade version I thought it would be. It also wasn't exactly the xa-xiu style either. Instead it tasted like it had the same marinade of Vietnamese beef jerky, the sweet and spicy red kind, except it was salty and not spicy. It wasn't horrible, it just didn't taste the way you'd expect it to when ordering a Vietnamese bbq pork sandwich. The crushed meatballs were tasteless. They were pretty light on the meat portions. Best part of the sandwich was the lightly toasted french bread. Chicken/egg ($3.50) -- not shredded, not sliced, but minced tiny chicken bits. It almost seemed like they put the chicken into a meat processor after cooking it. Not sunny-side up, not fried, but scrambled eggs. Mixed together, you might not know there was chicken in there unless you opened up the sandwich and poked around the scrambled egg for it. Individually, tasteless. Combined, tasteless. Best part of the sandwich was the bread. Green tea smoothie with boba ($4.25 for a large aka regular size everywhere else) -- you'd think it would be somewhat creamy since you have green tea ice cream and possibly some milk in the smoothie, but it wasn't even the slightest bit creamy. It was instead more on the icy, watery side. The tapioca, while the good consistency, lacked the honey flavor. The best part would be that it at least did indeed taste like green tea. Service was mediocre but friendly. There was no one waiting ahead of us and the wait for our order was about ten minutes with at 3-4 employees, so not the quickest.

    Banh Mi Combo
    Terry P.

    Decent sandwiches. The bread was well toasted, and the ingredients taste great. There was a bit of vegetables such as cilantro and pickled Daikin and carrots, but not as much to my personal liking. The Jasmine Tea was okay. There wasn't much of a tea flavor, and the address sugar was overpowering.

    T L.

    Best bbq sandwich! Their meat is very soft and good seasoning. Their homemade coconut milk jelly is the bomb! The best one I ever had! I tried other but this one have the perfect texture(not too hard nor soft) and it taste very rich and creamy with a aroma fresh coconut melt into your taste bud. Owner is a mid 50s(guessing) couple and a young hispanic cashier but they are very nice. The place is very small sketchy looking but never judge the book by it cover. Worth the drive for any foodies outta in a mood for a bbq pork sandwich and specially their homemade fresh coconut jelly.

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Mango slushie is mostly syrup. I saw them add one slice of mango to my drink. Not much else to write about. :(

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    15 years ago

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    11 years ago

    4 stars for taste but 1/2 a star for service. Young girl working behind the counter continues to be rude. Not going there for awhile!!!

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    16 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Great sandwiches, hot, friendly and fast. Must go to if in Spring Branch. Very delicious and inexpensive. Great back ground music and decor.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Royal Tapioca

    Review Highlights - Royal Tapioca

    “ALL the banh mi sandwiches are fantastic- the bread is perfection with the crunch on the outside but soft when taking a bite.”

    Mentioned in 17 reviews

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    Fiji Snacks and Smoothies - Taro smoothie with tapioca

    Fiji Snacks and Smoothies

    4.7(47 reviews)
    2.2 mi•Spring Branch

    Decided to give this place a shot since I was shopping nearby. The inside is really cute and the…read moreservice was quick! I ordered the fruit tea with tapioca, which was a little different for me since I usually go for milk tea when I visit a bubble tea spot. Great choice I made! My only con is the parking lot. It's unpaved and definitely needs some work.

    Came here again because this place was an absolute banger last time, and I needed to bring my BFF…read morehere while he was down from Austin. Blended Vietnamese Coffee - Love the potent coffee taste. They use Cafe du Monde, which is already a strong indicator of authenticity. It wasn't the "kick me in the face with caffeine" Vietnamese coffee I get from 85°C in Katy Asiatown, but it definitely hit the spot for my caffeine needs. It's still very sweet, so I'm hoping it doesn't make me crash during my volunteering. Honeydew Smoothie - My friend said it was too sweet, but he also fasted for five days (bless his soul), so I don't trust his taste buds. It had a very noticeable honeydew flavor, which is exactly why I liked it. Coconut Smoothie (w. Ube Foam) - This was definitely a banger. It was perfectly coconutty with a light, milky taste. It reminded me of a well-masked liquor drink--you can drink a lot of it without realizing how much you've downed in 20 minutes. Definitely my favorite drink of the day at this location. I keep forgetting to try their foam toppings, so I'm glad my BFF got one. I still have to come back for that guanábana.

    Photos
    Fiji Snacks and Smoothies - Inside

    Inside

    Fiji Snacks and Smoothies
    Fiji Snacks and Smoothies - Outside

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    Outside

    CHICHA San Chen - Green tea + milk + boba

    CHICHA San Chen

    4.3(159 reviews)
    8.2 mi•Chinatown, Sharpstown
    •$$

    I'm a big fan of CHICHA San Chen, and I've had the chance to visit locations in Southern California…read moreas well as the headquarters in Taiwan, so I was really excited to try the Houston location. I'm happy to say that the quality did not disappoint! What I love about CHICHA San Chen is that each drink is freshly brewed to order. Rather than preparing large batches of tea ahead of time, the tea is brewed individually when you place your order using their signature tea-press technology. You can really taste the difference--the tea is fragrant, fresh, and flavorful. My absolute favorite is the King Bubble Black Tea with Cream. The combination of the rich black tea, creamy topping, and chewy king pearls is just SO good! I was also pleasantly surprised that the Houston location still offers the Taro Series. The taro drinks are another favorite of mine, and it's wonderful to see that Houston has kept this part of the menu. After visiting CHICHA San Chen in different places, I can honestly say that Houston holds up beautifully. The tea quality, fresh preparation, and overall experience are exactly what I have come to expect from the brand. CHICHA San Chen never fails to deliver! If you're a serious tea or boba lover, this is definitely worth a visit.

    I have heard the hype for Chicha San Chen and I wanted to try it. This place is definitely a more…read moreelevated than your normal boba tea place and you can tell by the crowds. We had to wait a little in line but the service was fast! The tea tastes great and I like the cup they serve it. I appreciate that they offer your sweet level and ice level you prefer. And the prices are reasonable compared to other places I've visited. You see families of all ages come into this place, as it's shown in social media it definitely brings a crowd. One nice addition that I saw was a Photo Booth and tea tasting station! You don't have to worry about parking as it's located in a strip mall so there's quite a bit of spaces. Overall I enjoyed my time and would like to try other tea options here.

    Photos
    CHICHA San Chen - Green tea with milk and grass jelly.

    Green tea with milk and grass jelly.

    CHICHA San Chen - Cassie black tea + mousse

    Cassie black tea + mousse

    CHICHA San Chen - Mango high mountain pouchong tea with boba

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    Mango high mountain pouchong tea with boba

    Teahouse Tapioca and Tea - Passion Fruit Ice Blend, Sweet Potato Fries, and Popcorn Chicken... yum

    Teahouse Tapioca and Tea

    3.1(49 reviews)
    2.7 mi•Memorial

    Nestled in a shopping strip across the street from Memorial High School, and located next to a…read moregreat hamburger place next door called Southwell's, Teahouse serves up some great drinks to enjoy at anytime of the day. I've been here a few times up to date and I've gotten the chance to enjoy multiple drinks and some food items. Overall I have been pleased with what I've received and have had little to no complaints about them. They are just like any other boba spot, with adjustments to drinks, ice levels, sugar levels and all the other good stuff. The indoor seating is nice for both groups and individual studying. The staircase seating on the right as you walk in is a nice different concept to have. Service can get slow if it's busy, so be prepared to wait for a little bit, but the wait isn't that bad or slow if there are just a few people inside. This place is great to come after having a nice lunch or dinner, great for the Memorial HS students as well to drop on by!

    As soon as I walked in I felt transported to a serene, happy place. A cool, calm vibe with great…read moremusic. Comfortable seating. Quick service. The star of the show was the Thai tea and fresh watermelon juice. Both were so satisfying on so many levels. They have a great menu. You will be able to find what ever suits your mood that day. I promise you. On a beautiful day, I walked out on cloud nine. I will be returning......soon.

    Photos
    Teahouse Tapioca and Tea - Taro Cream Tea

    Taro Cream Tea

    Teahouse Tapioca and Tea - Bar area

    Bar area

    Teahouse Tapioca and Tea - Inside during weekday lunchtime

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    Inside during weekday lunchtime

    Royal Tapioca - sandwiches - Updated September 2026

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