The worst thing about here is you may time it fairly well or you may time it poorly and have a long wait. Initially I think two people were making drinks but eventually it became all three people. For four drinks I think we waited 20 minutes or more. At least they are golden. I have noticed this trend here, so I think they do not staff too heavily even on hot and sweaty days. BLACK SESAME (light ice, 75% sweet): -- moderate plus authentic black sesame taste -- very creamy -- smooth -- perfect -- could consider 50% sweet but might be a touch too low for this beverage RATING = A+ MUSHU DRAGON OOLONG TEA w/PEACH (75% sweet, light ice): -- some peach chunks in bottom -- switched to fat boba straw after noticing issues -- for me 75% spot-on sweet for this one -- nice tea taste with up to moderate peach taste RATING = A read more

I tried the Iced High Mountain Mulberry Tea. It was very interesting strong tea, and it was good. Next time, I really like to try the Mocktail. Clean, nice and very spacious shop. Friendly staff. read more

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I was in the mood for a milk tea and Soma does the job. It's simple and satisfying. It's near the KFC in the back of the plaza. Parking is easy. Some seating inside. Casual. Good service. Please come and create your own adventure. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I got the banana chocolate milk tea with the recommended 50% sweetness which would be good if I didn't like sweets but for me, I think I should've gone with 100%. Otherwise, I think it was a pretty good darker and rich chocolate flavor with a hint of banana but it was still good. The drink came out very fast after ordering as well! There is limited seating inside but it wasn't too busy when I came in on a weekday night so there were tables available still. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Banana Chocolate Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

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My hidden gem Boba! Their Dragon mushu oolong milk tea is so so good. The employees take time to make the drinks, they use oolong tea and very strong tea flavors. Dont forget to add Boba!! So soft and chewy. I've been here at least 3 times, all of my friends approved milk tea from here . Direction: they are closer to KFC , maybe hard to find but its inside the A&J noodle parking lot. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

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I was looking forward to visiting Soma since it's one of my favorite milk tea spots in Taiwan. I was a little bit disappointed because the menu was different from the one that I was used to. My drink was still a little too sweet even though I got the lowest amount of sugar. My friend got no sugar and it was still a little too sweet as well. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

When this place opened a while back, I was pretty excited since some of the tea flavors were reminiscent of my home country Taiwan. The teas are delicious and taste very comforting. I tend to stay away from their more complicated concoctions (that's hubby's jam) so I stick to the High Mountain tea series. My favorites are probably the pineapple and passionfruit. Hubby is a fan of their Summer Mojito and sometimes he tries whatever special or seasonal drink they have. Folks are generally friendly and work fast to get our drinks out in record time. The place is cute definitely shows its age. The furniture started out nice and new but people can't have nice things and stains have started to mar the aesthetics of this place. I think this place is severely underrated due to its location. The quality of their tea beats a lot of the competition for sure. Check it out! read more

Cute tea shop located in a quiet corner of a shopping plaza. Amazing, strong tea flavor. Got the mango grapefruit tea which came with pulp. Basil seeds were free to add in. Fast service. Large space but not a lot of seating. I'm guessing most people grab and go. There is a restroom onsite for customers. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Mango grapefruit tea with basil seeds - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

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Maybe it was just what I ordered, but I wasn't the biggest fan of my drink. I got the banana chocolate milk tea, expecting a stronger banana taste. But the chocolate flavor just overwhelmed everything. Didn't taste tea, and didn't taste banana. I even questioned if there was tea in my drink. But nope, the order said banana chocolate milk tea. Will have to try some of their more typical flavors though, maybe those would be better. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Banana chocolate milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

The drinks are alright, it didn't leave a strong impression on me. I got the mango fest, a mango drink with grapefruit pulp. At first the grapefruit pulp was sour, but I left my drink in the fridge for a while and when I drank it again the sweetness from the mango infused into the pulp making it taste a lot better. My friend got a passion fruit tea, it was just okay. The service was decent. Unfortunately, while not bad, it's not that special so I wouldn't return. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Left passion fruit, right mango fest - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

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Their drinks are really good, especially the milk teas. I think their milk teas are better than their regular teas. They are on the pricey side (especially for the amount you get) and it took forever to get my drinks even with 3+ people working behind the counter. I think it took 20 minutes for the drinks to come out. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Oh Soma, I want to like you, I really do. Your drinks are aesthetically pretty but the taste just isn't there. I've been here a few times now and have tried a number of different drinks. Their recent buy one get one fifty percent off premium drink offer got me back again to give it another shot. I got fresh milk tea with oat milk at 50% sweet less ice, 2 coffee milk teas with one sub oat milk both no ice (my later drinks), and a hojicha latte 50% sweet regular ice because less or no ice is not an option. There is a sour tinge with my milk tea and coffee milk teas that leaves a weird taste in my mouth. The tea flavor just isn't there for me. My husband did enjoy his hojicha latte so that's a positive. When you walk in, you order at the kiosk. There is only one. I came early in the day so I was literally the 3rd order of the day. No one greeted me. I stood there for just a few seconds until someone came out and I flagged his attention to ask if I could get the bogo offer on the kiosk. He said yes and that's literally it. So I made my order on the self service kiosk. With mine being the only order, it still took a while to make my drinks. I can't imagine what it would be like if they were busy. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Fresh milk tea with oat milk 50% sweet - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

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They hit the nail on the head. I am a sucker for grapefruit and yogurt/yakult etc. They had one and I went for it and I didn't regret it. I forgot to ask for less sweet, and I was impressed that it wasn't on the super sweet side, so props to them for not leaning on tons of sugar to carry their drinks. They had a lot of unique drink options I'd love to try again next time I'm in the area. read more

I didn't have a chance to try this in Zhongshan in Taipei, so I was excited to see this here! We got the Mushu Dragon Oolong Milk Tea with boba at their recommended 50% sweetness. 5/5! Delicious, fragrant tea flavor. Definitely recommend getting this one if you want a strong tea flavor. We also got the Tri Blend Signature Milk Tea (black tea), 50% sugar, with boba. There was a rich caramel and milky taste, but I couldn't taste the tea flavor much. 4/5. Boba was chewy and on the harder side. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

A tiny little tea shop in Irvine where you can get your boba tea/caffeine fix. While the inside is very nice and pretty, the seating here makes you feel like you are waiting for a doctors visit with their one way facing benches. Definitely more of a place to just pick up and go with your order. The signature milk tea with boba is what I tried since milk tea is what I usually like having in new places. It was just ok to be honest. In my opinion it lacked a little dept and felt a little watered down. And the boba was slightly hard but that isn't a big deal for me as much as the flavor and the boldness of the tea in the drink. The matcha was a little better as I got to try a little of it as it had a nice earthy and strong flavor. Service is non existent as you can just order at the kiosk and no one greets or interacts besides when the drink number is being called. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Matcha and Signature Milk Tea with boba. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Nice little boba shop to try if ever you are in Irvine. I love how clean and welcoming this place feels when you walk in. The service was really good since it was mines and my husband's first time trying a boba place that sell Mocktails which it was pretty refreshing! The cashier that was helping us was nice, helpful and patient while we figured out what we wanted. I'll definitely come back again to try what else they have on their menu to try. Thank you Soma for making yummy boba drinks read more

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Parking: SOMA is located in a small strip mall. Parking was not too difficult for me on a weekend afternoon. Interior: The interior was small and cute. There was a couple of seats where you can sit as you wait for your drink but it did not seem like a place for sit down. Service: There was a cashier that took my order. They call your name when your order is ready. Drink: A couple of my friends were hyping SOMA up since it was from Taiwan. I got the passion fruit mountain tea. Honestly, it was not memorable. It tasted pretty watery. read more

I bought drinks on 06/17, but even now I still can't understand the attitude I received from the staff here. I drove 30 minutes just to get poor customer service. The space inside is decent, but there are no tables--only chairs?! It feels like they just want people come to buy and leave quickly :) The staff didn't even greet me, they immediately asked for my order the moment I walked in. The menu was just lying flat on the counter--how was I supposed to know what I wanted if there wasn't a big screen overhead menu while I was waiting in line? Aside from the drinks being good and affordable, I definitely would NOT recommend visiting again. I'd rather pay a bit more elsewhere and get the respectful service I deserve. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Good quality matcha! Parking lot is shared in a plaza with other restaurants. No line, easy to get in. Would come again! I got oat milk with 25% sweetness and it was more than enough sweetness. My friend got 75% sweetness and it was far tooo sweet for him. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Tri-blend Signature Milk Tea: 7.5/10 my cousin got this drink with 75% sweetness. Not bad tea flavor but thought it was overall okay Lychee High Mountain with Boba: 7.5/10 wanted something refreshing and enjoyed the lychee flavor. Boba was alright. Had a nice chew but wasn't the the best I have ever had. I also wished their cups were clear instead so you can see the actual drink but nice spot to try if you're in the area and wanna try something new! They also give samples on certain flavor of drinks as well! read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Tri-blend Signature Milk Tea + Lychee High Mountain with Boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Service: Came with a party of 3 on a Sunday around 7PM. Very friendly workers, they were super helpful in providing reccomendations. Drinks: I got the mangofest and it was delicious! Nice quality tea and you can taste real fruit and pulp in it. Would come again. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Inside - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

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Clean, aesthetic interior with polite service and fast work. Their fruit drinks tend to be sweeter than their milk tea- I ordered the tri blend signature with 75% sweetness and still tasted the strong tea. read more

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Steep Thoughts: Florence's Quest for (Her) Perfect Black Milk Tea Black milk tea: 1/2. I got the Tri Blend Signature, 25% sweet, less ice. The blend of teas adds a lot of complexity to the flavor, with earthy, malty, and grassy notes. If you like a strong tea flavor, this is definitely a solid drink to get. For my personal sweetness preference, I should've probably kept the recommended 50% sweet, as this was too strong and bitter for me. Other drinks: 1/1. Most drinks here are focused on High Mountain oolong tea, with some caffeine-free options as well as some fun "mocktail" drinks. Ambiance: 0.5/1. Simple and calming decor with some seating along the side while you wait for your drinks. Not designed to work in. The shopping center where this shop is located can get pretty busy, so parking is sometimes difficult. Service: 1/1. Order at the counter. Drinks come out very fast. Total: 3.5/5 read more

Nice esthetics when you first walk in with the sign. Very minimal decor, with 3 small benches to sit on and two side tables. The inside reminds me as if I'm waiting for a doctor appointment for a facial or something. Upon arrival not one of the two employees acknowledged or greeted. The bathroom was decent but could have used a moment to be tidied up. I ordered the matcha with 50% sweetness and I definitely could have gone to 75% if not 100%. It was super dense with not a lot of flavor of the matcha and more milk flavor than anything. The Tri Blend Signature Milk Tea with boba was okay. Not a ton of flavor and kind of watered down. The place was pretty slow and at random moments become busy and even when other customers walking in, not one single person was greeted and I'm not even sure the workers said a thing other than calling out the name for the order. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Tri Blend Signature Milk Tea with Boba & Matcha - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

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It wasn't busy when I went around 3pm on a Thursday. I got the Mushu Dragon Oolong Tea, no sugar, no ice, with complimentary basil seeds. The tea was too strong and concentrated in my opinion. I would have diluted it a bit or try it as a milk tea instead. Personally, I wouldn't get it with the basil seeds if I go again next time. Nothing wrong with it per se, just not the texture I prefer with my drink. The inside was very spacious, but not a lot of seats available. However, the service was pretty fast considering I went and ordered as a group with more than five drinks. If I'm in the area, I might give this another try and order a milk tea. read more

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Service here needs to improve. There was an elderly couple who was infront of me ordering and they didn't know how to order or what boba was. Instead of patiently explaining to the couple, the cashier who took their order was giving so much attitude. When it was my turn, I asked them if they had a certain drink that I saw on Yelp, but didn't see on their menu anymore. He didn't know himself and asked the barista. My husband and I ended up ordering the Tri Blend Signature with boba and the Mangofest with boba. We waited so long for our order and we saw the elderly couple get their order and then, new people that came in after got their order. While waiting, I kept hearing them say "Chris," but it wasn't our names and no one responded. They never double check or called out what the drinks were either. We waited too long, so we went up and ask if our order was ready. They ask what it was and said yes your drinks are ready. I looked and the cups said the name Christine, I said "but Christine isn't my name "and they said "well your drinks are ready." Drinks are okay and takes too long to come out. read more

Got the summer mojito and it was great!!! You cant adjust sweetness, though. Boyfriend said the boba was good, but added that you dont want to mix the mojito and the boba. "Weird combo, but thats not on Soma." He said. Wish i could control the sweetness of the mojito but it was good nonetheless! read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Summer Mojito - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Got to try out their new drink called Mushu Dragon Oolong milk tea and also tried out just the tea version, one with lychee, and their signature milk tea. I had tried their matcha milk tea another time but never reviewed it, so thought this would be a good opportunity to review everything. Matcha milk tea: 3.5/5 I got it at 50% sweet with boba. Matcha is strong enough to taste it which is a good plus! But I still felt it was a bit too milk for me. It's a good solid matcha drink for a boba shop which I find rare. Mushu Dragon Oolong milk tea: 5/5! This is my favorite drink I've had so far. I read the sign saying it's an osmanthus oolong tea base, which is one of my favorites. I also got it at 50% sweet and I think 50% is their recommended sweetness which is perfect to me. The osmanthus oolong was strong and you can really taste to tea. 50% sweet was just the right amount of sugar where it's not overly sweet and taking the tea taste away. I was pleasantly surprised with this drink. My boyfriend tried it too and he agreed that this was our favorite of the bunch. Mushu Dragon Oolong tea: 4.5/5 A good solid sweetened tea! Tea was strong and sugar amount was just right. It's basically just the milk tea..with out the creamer haha. I usually prefer milk teas over just tea so I didn't like this as much, but it was still very refreshing. Mushu Dragon Oolong tea with lychee: 4/5 At 50% sweet the lychee taste was a little interesting! It tasted more tarte than sweet to me, which was new for me since I assume it's just lychee syrup. It had the sweetness you'd expect but also not as week as other lychee syrups. This was probably my least favorite out of the bunch but if you're a lychee fan you may enjoy this. Recommend probably at 100% sweet if you want it sweeter. Signature milk tea: 4/5 The tea base is like 3 different tea leaves - I think it's all black teas? When I tasted it, it reminded me of a Hong Kong style milk tea..or maybe like an Assam milk tea taste. I generally prefer green tea over black so I didn't enjoy it as much. My boyfriend did like this, but didn't feel it was as wow factor compared to the Mushu Dragon Oolong milk tea. Overall this place has some solid drinks. Staff was very friendly and helpful. They offered samples when I went of their signture milk tea and the mush dragon milk tea. I'd highly recommend giving the mushu dragon oolong milk tea a try if you don't want just a basic green or black tea base. Osmanthus oolong does have a slight floraly taste but not too bad. I'd come here again for that drink alone! read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I've been on a hunting trip search around all of OC for a boba spot that strong in tea taste and SOMA is my new hidden gem! I really wanted to gate-keep this place but it would be such a bummer if you guys missed this boba spot since their drinks are super spectacular! If you into tea like me, SOMA just launched a new series called Wushu Dragon Oolong. We got 2 drinks from that series and their Golden Milk Tea with Signature Milk tea to compare the different tastes. The Wushu Oolong tea tastes very fresh! Since we also ordered a tea, we added lychee jelly as a topping to balance the flavor out, just in case the tea would taste too strong. The combination turned out amazing! Such a refreshing drink for a hot summer day! The wushu oolong milk tea tastes very unique with a light tea after taste. I like how every sip I took kept a tea aura inside my mouth that makes me have to continue drinking more to get that aftertaste feeling! Golden milk tea is stronger in aftertaste a little sip! The signature milk tea is also a must! Not too sweet but strong in a tea flavor! Remember to keep 50% sugar as their recommendation! The staff is super nice and helpful! They were so patient with me since it was my first time at SOMA, so they let me tried the sample before ordered to make sure I got what I wanted! The whole store is very clean and aesthetically appealing for every girl (or guys) like to take photos like me! read more

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SOMA Tea is a solid spot known for their high quality ingredients and drinks. This spot is located in a pretty busy plaza and can be found more off to the side. There are a decent amount of parking spots so that usually isn't an issue. Inside, they have a nice modern and minimalistic interior with a couple couches for seating. They have an extensive menu with different milk teas and high mountain fruit teas. Wifey and I tried the golden milk tea and the orange grapefruit mountain tea. Both drinks were refreshing and each had their own unique flavor profile! Overall, SOMA is a solid choice for some good quality drinks. The staff here are very friendly and welcoming. We will definitely be back next time to try some different drinks! read more

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12.29.2o24 Our friends got us a drink from this place after dinner. We didn't even go in. It was the signature boba milktea. It was pretty strong. If I were to get it, I would like to try one with passion fruit. The place was just a small shop with some seatings inside. read more

I literally have tried to go here for a boba mocktail 5 times in the past two months. The first time, they were randomly closed with a handwritten sign on the door even though online it said they were open. The second time, I called ahead to make sure they were open and they said they were. I walked in and there was a sticky note over the mocktails on the menu saying they were "sold out". I had literally come for the mocktails... lol. So I had to get something else (I can't have caffeine so my options were slim which is normal for a normal boba spot but I was expecting mocktails). The third and fourth times I've tried calling ahead because I was in the area and wanted to see if they had mocktails before driving there. But the phone won't even ring. I think they may have turned off their phone system? And the last time I tried to go, the same sticky note from weeks before was on the menu saying they were sold out of mocktails...again. I told the cashier that I've tried so many times to get one, and told him how the same note has said they've been "sold out" now two times I've come in. And they said they haven't had mocktails for awhile and they weren't sure when they'd be getting sparkling water back for them....THE NAME OF YOUR COMPANY LITERALLY HAS MOCKTAIL IN IT. I just want a boba mocktail hahaha. Please please get sparkling water and fix your phone system. I would have given you so much money the past two months if I could lol. I'll change my review once I can finally try one of the mocktails. read more

So many boba shops in Irvine, this one was just fine. Got the mushu dragon oolong tea which is supposed to be tea they roast to give it a smoky flavor but I didn't find it super special or tasty compared to other boba tea shops. My friend got the matcha milk tea and also wasn't that super impressed. Service on a saturday afternoon took. About 10min to get our drinks. Still would drive out to omomo read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Menu Dec 2024 - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Drinks were refreshing and service was quick! Small little tea shop hidden in Arbor Village Shopping Center. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - HIGH MOUNTAIN GREEN TEA WITH MANGO AND GRAPEFRUIT, STRAWBERRY MATCHA, and MUSHU DRAGON OOLONG MILK TEA WITH BOBA | IG:@stacy.eats - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I have to give a special shoutout to an amazing bubble tea shop! It's in Irvine, which is a little over an hour from SD, but it's totally worth the trip. Rumor has it they ranked #1 in the Taiwan Bubble Tea Festival Competition! I absolutely love their signature drink--the 'Classic Cha Ole'--priced at $4.50. It has a strong tea and milk flavor, and the value is unbeatable! This time, I also tried their 'Strawberry Matcha Refined Ole' for $7, and it was incredibly tasty too. Such a great bubble tea brand read more

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I had the brown sugar boba and it tasted, well interesting taste. They were out of regular milk and the boba tasted like red bean. Overall it tasted ok but with a couple tweaks it can taste much better. read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Tri Blend - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Mushy dragon oolong tea was flavorful and delicious. Crystal boba is the outstanding. Staff were friendly and helpful. Ambiance is casual and cozy with few seatings inside. Highly recommended! read more

SOMA Tea & Mocktail - Menu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

SOMA you have my heart in a choke hold. Literally love their tea. You can actually taste all the fresh fruit and tea flavors! I order it with zero sweetness and get all the wonderful flavors without any solution. By far one of my new favorite fruit tea spots, PLUS free basil seeds. What a vibe. Cute shop and service is always quick! Highly recommend if you were a YinFang fruit tea fan. If you enjoy the true depth flavors of tea and just natural tasting drinks, this is the spot! read more

The Mushu Dragon Oolong milk tea was pretty good! A bit strong tea flavor and a bit creamy, not too much. I got 75% sweet but it would've been perfect at 100% sweet. Their sweetness recommendation for their drinks is 50% so I thought 75% would've been good for me. The almond milk tea, however, was not good. It was grainy, like they didn't mix it well or something. We mixed it and shook it, but the texture of the drink was still grainy and gross. The boba for both drinks was pretty good and chewy, but inconsistent sizing which was funny and some were chewier than others. Also, my order was slightly wrong. I ordered my drink with no ice, but received ice. The other drink I ordered was a regular size, but I received and was charged for a large size. read more

Best original (black) milk tea & lavender milk tea anywhere! So many boba places come and go...I hope they never run out of business--Please show them support! read more