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Sencha Tea Bar - Uptown

3.7 (248 reviews)
Open • 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

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SENCHA TEA BAR - UPTOWN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed
Good for working

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Teas
Bridget M.

Great selection of teas. Lots of options for boba. Super delicious. Good space to work as well.

Cheshire Cat & Queen of Hearts Drink
Déjà J.

Went to checkout the Alice in Wonderland theme they had.... The decor was good but everything else... not so much. We went at opening I guess (hours changed at the door but not online). They opened at 11am. There was only 1 person working. She seemed to keep busy for the most part, but wasn't very friendly. I know we went towards the end of the event but they seemed to be out of a lot of the drink toppings/ingredients and some of the special menu items in general. We originally ordered the Queen of Hearts & Cheshire Cat drinks as well as the Blue Caterpillar cheesecake. I also wanted to order the 'Drink me' drink but it was sold out. I'm not a big fan of chocolate and the Queen of Hearts drink was not great. It kind tasted like they poured a pack of hot chocolate into a cup of ice water. That was my friend's drink she ended up throwing it away after a few sips and buying the Mad Hatter Drink. The Mad Hatter drink was missing a few of the toppings like the candied limes. I got the Cheshire Cat drink and it was okay. The cheesecake was presented very cute but it was just simple cheesecake. I feel like I wouldn't order any of it again. Not sure if the parking lot right behind the cafe is for Sencha but there's a ton of street parking (at least during the week days) nearby despite all the construction on hennipen.

hot royal milk tea (left) and iced tea with passion fruit and yogurt flavors and boba
Jocelyn H.

I ordered a build-your-own iced tea with passion fruit and yogurt flavors and boba. I definitely should've adjusted the sweetness, since it tasted almost syrupy (that's on me, as it's an option on the menu). I found it a bit weird that the build-your-own menu didn't include choosing the kind of tea for the base, but I imagine that's something you can ask about (mine came with green tea, I'm pretty sure, which was perfectly fine). I'm giving Sencha four stars as a tea bar, not as a boba shop. The iced tea was good, and I enjoyed my boyfriend's hot royal milk tea. The boba, unfortunately, was too hard and lacked flavor. I get that the main draw here is the tea and that there may not be a lot of orders with boba, so the batch was sitting out for a while, but there's an expectation for the quality of an ingredient if it's on your menu. I would return to try different teas, and it looks like it could be a nice spot to study or do some work. I'd be curious to see the quality of the matcha drinks.

Desserts and menu
Mary T.

This Sencha Tea Bar is located in uptown Minneapolis. I spent a couple of evenings in the area and dropped by Sencha both times. I got a large berry bliss with peach popping boba. It took no time for my bubble tea to be ready. It was impressive. It lasted my entire trip from here to New Hope. It was so good. The peach flavour was excellent. It tasted like a ripe, juicy peach bursting in your mouth. The berry tea was refreshing, full of flavour, and awesome. I also picked up a couple of items while I was here. I got a small penguin plushie on a keychain. It was so cute that I had to get it. I also got some lemon looseleaf tea. I have steeped it and it's perfect. I love lemon tea a ton. The tea selection is impressive. I like the rotating storage unit attached to the ceiling. It's cool watching it spin. I paid for my items with a credit card. Although it has tap functionality, it didn't work effectively here. I had to insert it into the payment machine and then enter my PIN. It was a bit weird, but it all worked out. It does get a bit hot indoors if you plan on staying for at least an hour. I was happy that I had a t-shirt under my jacket. I recommend dressing in layers. I look forward to returning to try more teas. I like this tea place. (97)

Iced Tea lychee with Tapioca and Royal Tea Latte with brown sugar boba
Lindsay S.

After attending one of Sencha's tea classes and knowing the quality they have... I had to stop in when in Uptown! The inside is always cozy and the staff was once again super friendly. Drinks: Iced Tea lychee with Tapioca pearls- refreshing and perfect flavor of the lychee. Royal Tea Latte with brown sugar boba - this was sweeter than I expected, but I enjoyed the brown sugar boba! I would try them with something different in the future. I keep wanting to get the cute grey boba shirt here and they haven't gotten larger than a medium size. You can also buy a ton of cute items when in line for your drinks. So many tempting things! I will be back!

Seating
Sirad A.

Food service: They have a good selection of pastries. Liked the cheese balls I had to buy a second one. Drinks: their drink selection as pretty good as well. I have a very sweet tooth so am still ordering to find my sweet drink. Ambience: This place is meant for college and work life meaning they have great sittings both booth and chair sitting. They have plugs for charging!!!!! And the ambience is sooooo cozy. Perfect to study for finals and perfect place for zoom meetings and work related stuff. I love this place a lot. Parking: This place is located in the construction zone so the parking is very hectic but not impossible. Just be patient. -They have very cute merchs! -They have set events like chess games or Kpop themed event. -I would say this a great space!

Katherine G.

The tea selection was fantastic, and kids enjoyed their Boba teas. Pets are welcome. Lots of cute merch too. One small complaint - the wait was very long, as the place seemed to be understaffed

Tarp Bubble Milk tea with taro crystal boba
Ciara P.

Went to Sencha in uptown and enjoyed their taro tea. It's very flavorful and a little lighter to drink rather than a thick taro tea. The special crystal boba was a nice added touch and the staff was very nice and helpful. Also bought some loose leaf tea and excited to try it out. Definitely a quieter place to study or do work. First time at the uptown location, but enjoyed the atmosphere.

Pink Moon Latte and Ginger Mojitos
Aleah H.

Sencha is a fun way to mix up the evening ice cream/tea with a walk routine! You can grab a fun tea option (they have SO many, so you never have to repeat), and walk a few blocks to the lake for a beautiful walk! I enjoyed the pink moon latte, but tried my friend's ginger mojito and was instantly won over!! SO yummy, it is like the most fun mock tail ever! Parking is definitely a bit of a challenge as it is uptown, but if you are walking distance that's a non-issue. Most more fun drinks will cost you $4-$6 depending on size which can be a little spendy for tea, but is reasonable to me when put in perspective of a fancy coffee, two scoops of ice cream, or a cocktail! Overall, I am not a regular but will certainly be back when the craving for a refreshing tea returns!!

I didn't leave any fingerprince
Fox E.

Hey, Sencha. I should've Sencha the bill in the mail for the shoes of Barbie's that you threw in the trash a couple of days after we left one there. In fact I should've Sencha a lawsuit over it. Especially when you lied to me for days about what happened to them. Read on below. Bear in mind that throwing out our shoe is not reason for a 1 star review although it sucks and is horrendous customer service. But lying to me about it - 1 star. So. This Sencha location is my least favourite because Barbie gave me her shoe to use in the bathroom photograph and I left it in there. 2 days later I realized where I had left it and called them and the guy said that he thinks he saw it and I should call back and speak to the manager, next morning. I made it clear it was worth nearly $100. He assured me they had it - he thinks somebody took it home - but he'd find it. Hmmmmmm. I know, right. Already worrying. So, I tried for the manager every day for the next 5 days until I finally got a hold of her (1 week after I left it, 5 days after the kid said he'd seen the shoe in their lost and found), and she told me that they hadn't seen it. I pressed the issue and said that one of the others had seen it, and she said that they "probably threw it out" because they have a policy of throwing out everything that they find within a few days. Really? I mean, really? "We just get so much lost property here we can only hold on for a couple of days." Liar. I pressed her further and asked her to find out who threw away this $100 shoe and after 20 minutes of lying and going back and forth (not exaggerating... I actually started being accusatory, because I was very sure she was lying... and I was right), she admitted that she, herself, the manager, had thrown away the shoe. After blaming it on "some other employee" for 20 mins and changing her story 5 times. She had no idea how much it was worth blah blah blah. They only keep things for 2 days blah blah blah. But this all after lying to me for at least 20 minutes on the phone which was by far the most frustrating and infuriating part of all of this mess. So this company owes me a $100 pair of shoes, which are honestly probably only worth about 60 because they were heavily used on strip club stages and in Boba shops around the country - but still. Next, she offered to send me some coupons and apologized profusely and I think she even started crying on the phone. I don't want your tears! Just send me the shoe, or if you threw it out, pay for it! $20 in Sencha coupons is not going to do it... it'll be years before I'm back in Minnesota, most likely. And Sencha isn't even that great. Why not just send me a dollar bill in the mail... it's worth more to me than $20 of coupons. The problem is that she's a liar and and if I wasn't such a perceptive personality, persistent, determined, and good at reading people, I would have never known what happened to Barbie's shoe and she would have gotten away with it. Then she gave me her personal number to "discuss it further." I did not contact her, and did not save the number. How unprofessional are you, really? I mean really. So, I contacted the corporate office and they asked me what was wrong. I was very tempted to tell them the full story. I knew the manager's name and I'm confident I could have gotten her fired, if I'd wanted. Maybe even gotten my money back. But I stopped. I didn't bother telling corporate. I left them hanging. Truth is, I didn't have the heart to try and get her fired. I mean, someone once broke my nose at work (I worked with him), and I didn't even try to get *that* dude fired. It's not my style. It wasn't worth the money to me to cost someone her job. No matter how insanely unprofessional and dishonest she is. This is the same reason why I'm not naming her by name. But if this particular manager wants this review to be amended or if the owners want this review to be off of here then they should probably pay me what they owe me. $60 for the shoe would be great. On the good side the drinks are not bad - Taro Milk Tea was average, and my Fruit Black Tea was slightly better - but not as good as a couple of the other Sencha locations (University one is best, Madison one is decent, Mall Of America one is meh, but none of them owe me $60-$100 so they're all better than this one), and the atmosphere is much more like a Bohemian coffee shop than a bubble tea shop. And there's a huge mural of Prince on the rear wall in the parking lot. I was going to give them 4 stars for the drinks and nice atmosphere and great murals, but it's 1 star until they resolve this. And I don't mean with twenty f***ing dollars of f***ing coupons either. Having said allllll that. Despite my all out honesty and full disclosure, it has to be said. There are bigger things going wrong in the world than a damn lost shoe. It's just money. Don't avoid Sencha just because of what they did to me. Go there if you love it there. I'm sure you will anyway.

Royal tea latte
Xia Y.

If you're looking for a variety of drinks, this is the place. They offer a wide selection with super delicious drinks. Only downside is the limited parking and pricing is on the higher end (I paid $15 for two items). I tried their seasonal smoothie bowl but it was too liquidity. Could have used a little more ice/banana/power to make the content more thicker. It was literally a drink in a bowl. I had to sit there and drink it since I didn't want it to leak and spill in my car. I wouldn't recommend it. Other than that, the royal Tea Latte I got was good.

Around back and so worth finding!!!
stefanie m.

We were looking for the Prince mural. They have us directions. I had a peach tea with light bubbles. So good!!!!

Katy F.

Sencha is the best switch up when you find yourself growing tired of your usual Starbucks order! There have a huge selection of teas for you to choose from and have rotating seasonal drinks that are fun & delicious. Their menu is online and you can even order for pick up online, too. I personally love their milk tea and always opt for adding tapioca pearls. They staff has always been kind and engaging. You may have a wait and parking is kind of tricky, so I recommend walking if you live close enough or parking on one of the side streets! Also special s/o to their customer service team for being so great. I once got a drink I wasn't so fond of and they immediately refunded me. Overall, 10/10 spot.

Bubble BULK TEA TO GO

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1 year ago

Tea is so watered down... you'd think a tea place would actually know how to make tea. Not worth another visit, very disappointing.

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3 years ago

Great bubble team and wonderful service. They even have games for you to play while enjoying your tea

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We are so glad you enjoyed your visit! Hope to see you soon!!

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2 years ago

Ordered door dash from here. Loved the taro bubble tea. Definitely a weekly staple. I'll definitely go in person soon

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Uncommon Grounds - Outside

Uncommon Grounds

2.9(203 reviews)
0.3 mi•Uptown
•$$

I was gifted a bag of their coffee beans and looked forward to visiting and they did not…read moredisappoint. The space is so large! I enjoyed the uncommon chai in a very large booth. The barista was friendly and helpful.

I love chai. I love the flavor of all the spices and how it warms me up. I even make my own chai…read morefrom scratch with spices from my local Indian market, and when I feel fancy, I pour my chai from one cup to another like a chaiwala to froth my chai. So when I passed the sign here that said "Warm Scones, Great Chai", I knew I had to try it! It's located kitty-corner from Isles Bun & Coffee, so you can always pick up more pastries from there after if you're not feeling like having a scone. We were the first customers of the day, and the gentleman that opened the door for us was very friendly. I think the interior was very cute, it was very cozy and has a homey vibe, but with seating that looked like it was from a Marie Calendars or Bakers Square. It was super quiet in there, no background music. I was kind of afraid to talk and felt like I should whisper like I was in a library. I got the Uncommon Chai and a chai scone. While the scone was ok, the chai was underwhelming. It just tasted like hot milk with a sprinkle of chai flavors somewhere in there. I could barely taste any cardamom, cinnamon or clove as is common in chai. I would say this is probably a MN interpretation of chai, definitely not authentic. Kind of like my family's former Chinese restaurant in southern MN. Not authentic, but rather a Midwest version of Chinese food. The cafe is in an old house, so this place is not wheelchair accessible from what I could see.

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Uncommon Grounds - You order your drinks here

You order your drinks here

Uncommon Grounds - Inside

Inside

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Curioso Coffee Bar - Tons of seating options!

Curioso Coffee Bar

4.7(32 reviews)
0.6 mi•CARAG, Uptown

I ended up at this coffee bar after a little digging. I learned that Curioso Coffee Bar's approach…read moreto sourcing beans was shaped by the founder's time in Panama, where he roasted his own coffee using beans sourced directly from local producers and sold at his café. I know firsthand that coffee is king in Panama, so I figured anything inspired by their incredible coffee culture had to be worth trying. I visited Curioso on an early Sunday morning and immediately found it special. Not just for its coffee, but for the ambiance, service, and overall vibe. Curioso is a large, welcoming space that's part coffee bar, part brewery. I was immediately impressed by the variety of entertainment for all ages: arcade games, pool tables, dart boards, a skee-ball machine, board games, and even claw machines. Seating options are abundant, from cozy couches to tables and high-tops. There's a toddler play area and a library filled with books for all ages. The space feels family-friendly and is warm, welcoming community gathering space for all. I noticed flyers for free community events Curioso hosts, like Sunday Morning Yoga and Tuesday Trivia nights. The service was equally warm! The barista, although managing a busy Sunday morning solo, took her time to explain coffee options, highlight weekly specials with her own recommendations, and describe the pastries in partnership with Fruit & Grain and Bagels from St. Paul Bagelry. Oat milk is the standard for all their drinks! (Which I loved) We tried two speciality lattes: the "Butter Luck Next Year" (iced) and the "Blue Ribbon Peach Pie" (hot). Both were exceptional! Strong, robust, and delicious. Alongside, we also enjoyed an "Everything" handpie and a "Blueberry Lemon Curd" pop tart. Both pastries were out of this world delicious! I loooooved this pairing. I'm a sucker for savory, so the "Everything" handpie reigned supreme for me. Although I don't have a fur-baby (yet), I would like to include that Curioso is fur-friendly. I'm looking forward to returning several more times!

I visited Curioso recently as part of my 'Sip Scouter' coffee passport book…read more Knocking off just one star because the barista didn't know anything about this coffee passport book (but also giving them benefit of the doubt as they may have been new) and it seemed to take a bit for my drink even though the place was empty. I ordered one of their seasonal specials--the banana cream pie latte. It was very good. The ambiance was OK. Smaller seating area and located in a strip mall. Although my drink was good it wasn't necessarily something to write home about. I might come here again if in the area and in need of a coffee, but probably not a place I will necessarily seek out.

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Curioso Coffee Bar
Curioso Coffee Bar - Pinball machines galore!

Pinball machines galore!

Curioso Coffee Bar

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Isles Bun & Coffee - Extra frosting !

Isles Bun & Coffee

4.5(628 reviews)
0.2 mi•Uptown, East Isles
•$$

Hands down one of my top 10 favorite coffee shops in the Twin Cities! A true MN staple! The staff…read morealone make this spot worth returning to. They're always so friendly, quick to offer suggestions, and generally just great people; every single one of them. My go-to is an iced vanilla or hazelnut coffee paired with a puppy dog tail! I've also had their famous cinnamon rolls, scones, cinnamon coffee cake, and quiche, all of which I've ordered again and again. The portions are pretty generous, especially the rolls, so I usually split them with a friend or two. Their space isn't very big, but it still offers a decent amount of indoor and outdoor seating. I've spent many workdays and hangouts here and always feel so comfortable in their space. To top it off, their prices are unbeatable, they offer a treat to first-time guests, and they have a punch card system for returning frequent flyers like myself! There's nothing not to like about them!

The closest thing you'll get to biting heaven, in my opinion :) They won best cinnamon roll for a…read morereason! Some paid street parking available nearby! The interior of the space is small, and fills up quickly most days, especially weekends! Staff have the conveyor belt moving and you can expect quick and efficient service! Definitely not as aesthetic of a spot as other Twin Cities coffeeshops and bakeries, but you probably aren't headed there for the decor. What the space lacks in visual appeal, it more than makes up on in taste! The Cinnamon Bun is extra large, perfectly baked with crispy exterior and chewy inside, smothered in the best frosting you've ever had! Pair it with your favorite coffee order and your morning just got a million times better! Don't hesitate to venture into their other offerings as well...the caramel roll is top notch! This spot should be on anyone's MUST VISIT list when coming to the Twin Cities! Walk around nearby Lake of the Isles after for the perfect day!

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Isles Bun & Coffee - Outside sign

Outside sign

Isles Bun & Coffee - Special coffee

Special coffee

Isles Bun & Coffee - Interior

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Interior

Caffetto Café

Caffetto Café

3.9(129 reviews)
0.6 mi•Uptown
•$

Caffetto is the quintessential Minneapolis coffee shop--they've got tasty, reasonably priced drinks…read more(including a robust selection of teas both hot and iced), good hours, and a real fun punk cafe vibe (lots of fun graffiti and vintage pinball machines). I think Caffetto kind of corners a market that no one else has by being open so late--most coffee shops are barely open past noon, and they're open until midnight! I've personally spent many a late night there finishing up work--it's a really cozy atmosphere, and the selection of pinball machines in the basement are the perfect study break activity. The staff are all great and even when there's a line, they get through it quick and are still able to offer great recommendations--while I usually prefer an iced green tea with no ice, I've tried the lattes, cold press, Thai coffee, and hot chocolate and have genuinely never had a bad drink here. The only thing is to make sure you watch your step if you're walking in the basement--even though it has seating and pinball and the bathroom, it's more of an unfinished space with uneven flooring and I personally rolled my ankle and fell there last year haha.

I jetted from work early to try this coffee shop because I needed a change of scenery and…read more.. well... it's Tuesday. :) I was surprised to find that the cafe was packed at 2:30 in the afternoon, but got lucky enough to snag an intimate table in the corner, perfect for reading a book in peace! I had a triple decaf almond milk latte that tasted like it was caffeinated to me but didn't give me the buzz I'm so addicted to, that's when you know it's a good decaf. I love the coziness and the unique artwork in Caffetto. I look forward to coming back at an earlier hour to feed my addiction. But it's great to know I have a go to coffee shop for those afternoon cravings where the decaf tastes just as delightful! UPDATE- 2 hours later: there's additional seating and a pinball machine room in the basement, glad I went downstairs to the bathroom.

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Caffetto Café - Down th stairs for pinball, another secret door below that.

Down th stairs for pinball, another secret door below that.

Caffetto Café
Caffetto Café

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Sencha Tea Bar - Uptown - coffee - Updated October 2026

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