The popcorn chicken here is soo good!! They're generous with the portions, the chicken is not over fried, and there's so much flavor. The perfect snack for a walk around Berkeley! read more

When you're looking for a late-night snack or boba, Sweetheart Cafe is the place to go! They have the best popcorn chicken in the area: juicy, crispy chicken filled to the top of a brown paper bag. I always finish half the bag on my walk back home! Their boba is solid as well; my go-to order is their Thai Tea. The service is quick and fast, especially if you order through SnackPass. The best part is that it is open super late! read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Spicy Popcorn Chicken - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

The service is quick, the ambiance is a little offputting, the boba is DELICIOUS. it is hard to find a boba store that offers Sago as a topping so I was thrilled when I found out they had it here. The popcorn chicken is delicious always (interchangable with the nearby boba ninja, except for the fact that boba ninja gives you a sauce). Do not buy the grass jelly drink it is not good.... But every thing else I have had is great. A little expensive but normal for boba places in Berkeley. read more

Got the extra spicy popcorn. Sooo spicy and yummy! The portions are veryy generous. Order and pay on tablet. Small little mom and pop; def support!! read more

Sweetheart Cafe - F2. Spicy Popcorn Chicken extra spicy - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love their popcorn chicken. Prices have gone up a bit. $10 for popcorn chicken, but I still love it. They do it well here, big chunks of chicken fried to perfection, juicy and not oily. You order on a touch screen and you get a text when your order is ready. A great option for appetizers when you are waiting for food next door. I always stop by if I am around Berkeley for popcorn chicken here. Boba drinks are not as good as they use to be. But the snacks have remained solid. read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Popcorn Chicken - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

Food - called in to order the popcorn chicken. took about ten mins. IT'S SO FREAKING GOOD! chicken was moist and it wasn't too oily. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEIR POPCORN CHICKEN! It was $8.10 so a bit pricy IMO. Service - about a ten min from the time I ordered via phone. Ambiance - small, cute little shop. Hole in the wall. Kinda cramped and I didn't see any seating but delicious. read more

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Popcorn chicken made to order and its spot on! Portions are HUGE for the price (hopefully its safe chicken! LOLOLOLOL)!! Surprisingly pleasant for an OG provider. It's a whole in the wall, but that shouldn't deter you. So good. read more

While I am no expert, I worry for food safety here. However, eating food (looked like a pyrex bowl of tiramisu-like layered stuff to me) while making my drink... makes me suspicious of cross contamination at the least? No gloves and of course no mask, to differentiate their food and mine. Frankly, I almost tossed my drink shortly after receiving it. Worry much? While I want to argue I am not a germaphobe, yes. While Sweethearts has a nostalgic place in my heart, the way it is now compared to how I remembered it (perhaps my less-conscious self missing many of these points)... I have so many other options in Berkeley to choose from so why bother trying to rekindle such a memory. Oh also, they will likely not read your order notes. Perhaps a frequent behavior from those who utilize Snackpass - however, I do know vendors can switch these off for good and one won't have to deal with uncertainty whether their requests will be considered. Perhaps this is not as convenient for customers but maybe a smart move for the restaurant. read more

The popcorn chicken is a great amount for the price but tbh the drinks are not how they used to be the toppings taste old/funky and the drink itself tastes like something is missing the recipe. Popcorn chicken keeps us coming. read more

This Sweetheart Cafe location is right outside of the Durant Food Court / Durant Square. This is a very busy and popular late night spot, especially for the locals and students because most of these restaurants/shops stay open late. Parking is pretty hard here, especially on weekends and weeknights - everyone is double parked down the whole street on both sides, which leaves the single middle lane for cars to get through, which more often than not gets backed up. I still do not understand why this is one of the only few boba shops that requires a 'Berkeley Disposable Cup Charge' because most of the shops in the city of Berkeley do not have that fee. I used to come here at least biweekly, if not every week for those late night boba cravings, especially after a late night gym workout, since they are the only boba spot in the vicinity that opens late night, until 2 AM / 3 AM (depending on the day). The service is so bad here - it gets worse on every one of my visits. Although I feel like the service was always nonexistent, as I would just order ahead of time and quickly pick up my order when it is ready, at least I would not get attitude or bad service - ever since the younger employees started to work here during the late night shifts, I would always have some sort of issue / problem with either my drink or order and I would get an attitude, a scowl, and / or rude comment from one of them. The last couple of times that I ordered from here, I would either get the Jasmine Green Milk Tea with boba or the Sweetheart Black Milk Tea with boba and they would mess it up by adding too much sugar / sweetness or not forgetting to add any at all or adding too much or too little ice, so my drink is either all ice and turns watery quickly or tastes warm, so the ice and sugar / sweetness levels are not that consistent. If it is too sweet or if there is too much ice, I usually just deal with it, but when there is no sugar at all or not enough sugar or too little ice, I would nicely ask them to fix it, which I feel is pretty considerate, as it is easier to add ice / sugar than to have to remake the drink with less ice / sugar. Anyway, when you try to ask these particular employees (usually the same 2 - 3 younger ones) to fix it, they would always have some sort of annoyed demeanor or attitude towards you and when you get the drink back, the seal is all messily torn like they could care less - half there / half gone, instead of nicely ripped/taken off completely with a dome lid snapped on top. After they fix it by adding more sugar / sweetness or ice and I taste it, it usually tastes like a sugar bomb or way too watered down, but at that point, I usually just take the L and drink it. During my last visit, I was debating if I wanted to deal with attitude and possibly a messed up drink on that particular night, but I was not in the mood, so I decided to cancel my order - the app said I had to call them to cancel and gave me their number, which I called several calls with no luck. Unfortunately, I had no choice, but to go inside and it was the same trio working - I was told they do not have a phone line, even though they have a number listed on the ordering app, online, Yelp, etc., and that I had to contact Snackpass. I told them it has not even been 2 minutes, since I ordered and I spent those 2 minutes calling them, as Snackpass stated that was the only way to cancel the order. They tried stating that they cannot cancel my order on their end because it does not let them and that they already made my drink, and that I have to contact Snackpass - which I stated yet again that Snackpass said I had to call / contact them and they kept trying to tell me they do not have a phone line. Anyway, after going in circles, one of them in the trio finally *magically* cancelled the order on their screen behind the counter after they kept stating they could not. After this last encounter with these employees - I had it with their attitude and poor / unprofessional service, especially for drinks that are not consistent and made correctly. I will not be back to this particular location when I can just go to Boba Ninja around the corner for my late night boba fix (they are not open as late, but still fairly late - 1:30 AM / 2:30 AM, depending on the day) and the employees working there at least make you feel welcomed. read more

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When those Friday night boba cravings hit, you have to give in. I'm still on my mango boba kick, so I ordered small Mango with whole milk and 25% sweetness + boba. They also sell spicy popcorn chicken, so it's a no-brainer to throw that on your order lol. I did try to call in the order but no one answered the phone lol. Ah well, I ended up placing the order on the kiosk right outside. My order was ready in 15 minutes, so pretty quick for a Friday night. Parking is crazy, but to be expected near campus. Double park and hope for the best lol. The Boba hit the spot! 25% is the move as you don't fall into the sugar coma.The spicy popcorn chicken was surprisingly good for a boba spot! The portion size was massive, so I split with a friend. A little heat on the spicy scale but nothing extreme. Would totally order again. read more

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***3.5 Stars*** This is what you'd call the quintessential Berkeley establishment. A tiny milk tea shop serving up all of the deep fried goodies late into the night. Located right of off Durant and Telegraph, super close to the UC Berkeley campus. A UC Berkeley student's dream. But wait... it ain't just for Berkeley students. This is a great spot to grab a milk tea and some snacks. I was in the area and wanted to grab something quick but light. Insert Sweetheart Cafe. Saw that they had my beloved Avocado smoothie on their menu, and I went in for the kill. This place has all KINDS of deep fried snacks on the menu. French fries, onion rings, fish balls, spring rolls, corn dogs, popcorn chicken. You name it. I decided to order the deep fried butterfly shrimp. I should note that they charge a fee if you're purchasing anything with a card under $15. The avocado smoothie was creamy and thick with just the right amount of sweetness. It had a very mild avocado flavor, similar to one that uses powder instead of fresh avocado. But with a place like this, I wasn't expecting too much. It was still really tasty. The deep fried shrimp were surprisingly good too considering that they probably just fry it in the same oil as they do all of their other fried stuff. Again, not a huge deal for me. What kind of ticked me was that these shrimps were coconut shrimp. I do like coconut shrimp, but these have a different flavor than regular deep fried shrimp. No where on the menu does it state that these have coconut on them. My thing is, what if I had a coconut allergy? They really need to disclose this. On top of that, they gave me the absolute worst sauce to eat with these; buttermilk ranch dressing. Um... whaaat? I was already in the car going back home, so I didn't bother to go back to ask for sweet and sour sauce. But make sure that you check your items and ask them for the sauces that you need before you leave. For something fast and quick, it's not too bad. Just don't expect anything extraordinary. For a cheap fix, this place will hit the spot though. read more

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Stopped by here for a late night snack and some boba and was really pleasantly surprised! Aaron at the counter was super fun and very accommodating. Popcorn chicken was SO BIG and crunchy and juicy! 10/10 would come again - I already know I will get cravings for this! I got the medium spicy and it was really great, but I think I might go back for more spicy next time. The portion was also very generous. Also had the strawberry smoothie with boba and I have to say that the boba still tasted fresh and delicious even with it being later in the evening! Very chewy and soft, and it complimented the strawberry smoothie so well. They top the smoothie with whip cream but the smoothie itself tasted like a yogurt base and gave it a vibe of mango lassi but for strawberry flavor - also very good and highly recommend!! Overall: great food and drinks, even better service. I'll definitely be back for more and think everyone else should too: support local businesses during COVID! read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Popcorn chicken with sweet&sour sauce - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

5 stars for the popcorn chicken. It is everything you want and crave for in a popcorn chicken. Crispy, juicy, salty, flavorful, and not too oily. You get a whole bag (it's a lot) for $8ish. Unless I eat with others, it takes me a couple of days to finish it tbh. Service: It took around 10 minutes to make. Every time I order the quality is the same / consistent. Space: It's more of a to-go spot. read more

I've been going to Sweetheart since my Cal student days. They've been consistently good for the past 15 years since the first time I had their original boba tea. Some find them too sweet but they were my first taste of boba so for me they're gold standard, what I compare every boba too. Their tapioca is always so soft, and their original milk tea is perfect. My lactose intolerant husband loves that they use a dairy substitute too. read more

Their food is still alright, but their boba has definitely gotten worse. We had the almond milk tea with boba and the boba was super mushy. Also, all their food prices have gone up quite a bit. I understand inflation and supply chain issues, but I was pretty surprised. There were two main reasons for dropping a star from my previous review though (aside from mushy boba). The first being that we paid for a bag for our order (additional 10 cents) and they tried to hand us our food without a bag. We ordered 3 fried food items and they always leave it open to prevent it from soggifying, and given how busy Durant gets, we parked half a mile away so we purposely paid for the bag option, yet weren't given a bag until we asked for one. Second being that I asked about the Pokémon Go discount, and they claimed that it was weekdays only. This was the first I heard about that, and nowhere on the flier does it say that! Also on Telegraph Berkeley's most recent post, it was celebrating boba day and it looks like they did a cross promo with Sweetheart Cafe to advertise their Pokemon Go promo - yet it isn't offered when I got there! All in all, I'm not sure I'll be coming back given the competition around downtown Berkeley, but maybe for a late snack since Sweetheart Cafe does have the latest hours. read more

served me rotting watermelon in my slush i almost threw up. contacted for refund and got ignored twice.

I've been to this place quite a few times. I don't think it's a great place to go for bubble tea since every time I try to adjust sugars the guy says it's not possible or just says "it's not good sweet." I find it kind of odd that he doesn't respect my requests for sugar adjustments but maybe he has had bad experiences with customers asking for a refund or changing their drinks. I wouldn't do that, but everyone is different. Then the other day I ordered a bubble tea with grass jelly. I was really disappointed and disgusted to see that the grass jelly have this odd discoloration and also a weird texture (it wasn't jelly-like but more of it just sort of melted). I wasn't sure if it was moldy but I think that was the worst I've had because it didn't taste right. I had to throw the drink away. If I did come back here, I just wouldn't get the tea with grass jelly again (just boba or aloe). read more

Sweetheart Cafe - The grass jelly here has some of the weirdest textures - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This place used to be my favorite place for popcorn chicken until we got this unpleasant gross order! In the bottom of the bag, we thought it's a piece of garlic, unfortunately it's a worm! We returned it back to the store, he said sorry and asked if we'd like to have a new order! Sorry, never again! read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

Solid place that I always frequent for late night snacks. My personal favorites are the popcorn chicken and the various assortments of milk teas that students love Sweetheart for. Service is usually always quick (order ahead on the weekends though, as it can get pretty busy) and the owners are nice and friendly. Always had positive experiences, and this place is a Berkeley classic. read more

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I know that a lot of Berkeley students greatly treasure this place because "back in their freshmen years, boba is like $1 and a popcorn chicken + milk tea combo is $5." Long story short, this is a true Berkeley classic. Well, inflation messed up this place so badly that nowadays, for presumably the same quality boba and popcorn chicken (based on my friend's opinion), it is more than twice as expensive as a few years back. So, for the quality and boba, this place is now a rip off, even after the Pokemon Go discounts. The plus is that this is one of the rare places that still take Pokemon Go discounts, and as a level 24 player, it is a pretty nice 15% discount. However, at almost $4.50 (before tax) for this small of a boba drink, I could go to almost any other boba place and get something similar or better. The boba here is way too sweet, and the almond milk tea drink I got still looks like it is prepared from powder. I am severely disappointed by how this drink turned out. The only plus I see is that the boba is so soft and large like a mochi consistency rather than the mushy consistency, something that is quite on par with One Zo's boba itself. I opted for popcorn chicken that is non-spicy because I was not feeling the spiciness at that time. There is slightly more popcorn chicken in Boba Ninja than this place, though the popcorn chicken here is worth trying at least once. While there are some pieces that are quite dry, most pieces that appear dry are actually pretty crispy, which is a plus. There is also great flavor to the popcorn chicken, but there is quite an amount of MSG put into it. read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Black milk tea boba - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Ordered them through Uber eats and all their snacks DELIVERED, YUM! (no pun in intended) We ordered a few late night snacks, and sweetheart café accepted the order within seconds impressive! We ordered popcorn chicken, calamari rings, salt and pepper tofu, and egg puffs. All came out really flavorful and even though sweetheart, café is a 15 minute drive from my place, the food was still warm! Will be coming back again/ordering from here again :) read more

Sweetheart is on Snackpass, so I ordered on that app since there was a discount available. I got a black milk tea, large size, 50% sugar and no ice. Sweetheart is not quite as cheap as it was when I first went there many years ago nor do they have some of the discounts posted on the wall that they used to (with the exception of they still had a Pokemon Go player discount, last I saw), but still cheaper than the average boba place in the area. Their black milk tea has a rather interesting color, the orange deceptively looks like Thai iced tea even though it's really likely just a result of their ratio of tea to milk. The tea itself is nothing spectacular, but the price relative to the portion is what swings me to rate this as a 4 rather than a 3. Also, they are open quite late into the night which is convenient if you are craving boba at that time. read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Black milk tea, large - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

2022/10/31 15:00 come here for the chicken, not the boba - I ordered in person, which was cash only Spicy Popcorn Chicken ($9.45): fried bite-size pieces of chicken with thick and craggy batter - Huge portion! Easily shareable between 2-4 people. - not very spicy - classic Taiwanese popcorn chicken seasoning: super salty, a little sweet, white pepper, and probably MSG read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Spicy Popcorn Chicken - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

Say whatever you will about Sweetheart, but she gets it DONE. They're ALWAYS open, especially into the wee hours of the night. On one of my first dates in the past, we didn't realize it but we talked inside until like 3am and they stayed open for us without us even asking! The Chinese couple that runs this joint are OGs and, to me at least, contribute so much to Berkeley's "nightlife" vibe. I can always count on Sweetheart to fulfill my post-rehearsal or post-party boba and popcorn chicken cravings. Their fish roe balls and curly fries deserve an honorable mention too. There's almost always a line if you come here at night, like after 9pm. Last Saturday night I waited 30+ minutes for my boba but it was ok because I was drunk. A lot of folks like to compare Sweetheart to Boba Ninja also in Asian Ghetto, but to me there's no competition. Sweetheart's boba AND popcorn chicken are better. read more

we enjoyed pretending to be cal students during our quick stop here for a boba refuel on our roadtrip. the entire food court had really cute vibes and our drinks were good, not too sweet. they give a lot of toppings without ridiculous prices. good little spot for boba in town :) read more

I got their popcorn chicken and curly fries and they were both alright. The fries were a bit soggy. Some of the chicken pieces are super big and I kinda get tired of the flavor after a while. The portion sizes are very generous. read more

Curry fish balls were bomb. Thai tea was cool too. Able to adjust sugar levels. Priced a little bit pricier which is likely due to its close proximity to campus. My late-night ventures to this place as an undergrad for comfort food brings back good memories. Tiny shop located in Asian Ghetto. Cash payment is cheaper -0.30. read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

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When late night drunchies hit me, I hit Sweetheart Cafe. I really enjoy their spicy popcorn chicken with the sweet and sour sauce. Portion size is so generous, the bag of chicken they give you is literally bottomless. Tender, meaty bites with a nice subtly crunchy exterior. I really like that the coating isn't that thick. The spicy level for me is the right amount of kick to keep it interesting but definitely isn't too much where it becomes painful to eat. read more

Ever since I was a little girl, I would always go to Sweetheart in Oakland Chinatown next to Chinese school. It became a guilty pleasure when my mom would occasionally treat us for bubble milk tea there, and then became a more common spot when I got just a little older. I always liked to revisit Sweetheart for the childhood memories because the taste reminds me of that! Now that I'm in college, I've been going to the Berkeley location for avocado smoothie instead of milk tea since there are so many other milk tea places nearby. None of them, however, have an avocado smoothie comparable to sweetheart where it's very smooth, creamy, and the boba is the perfect honey soft texture when you first bite into it (it does get a bit harder after sitting on the bottom of the smoothie though). Overall, some of the softest boba and I love their milk teas for that classic taste you can't get elsewhere + the avocado smoothie for something that is more nuanced and less produced at other boba chains (and not nearly as well). read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Large avocado smooth with boba 50 sweet - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

Cute spot for bubble tea! Love the vibes and how it's a nice hangout spot with friends! read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

Go-to whenever I'm on Telegraph. I've been getting matcha shake with boba for almost 20 years!

I came to this place because I heard that their drinks were cheap and that they have sago. Sago is like the little pearls in tapioca pudding and they are delicious. I got the Mango and Coconut with Sago and Boba and it was really good. The boba was nice and chewy, the sago was perfectly sweetened and added a nice texture to the smooth smoothie. The smoothie had a strong mango flavor and a light coconut flavor in the background. It was overall a great drink. Would I get it again? Definitely no. I was charged about $6.50 for a small. Why would I come here to get an expensive drink when I can literally walk for a few seconds and get a cheap drink at boba ninja. Also, a lot of the boba was stuck together and I couldn't get it out of my straw. read more

For restaurants located near schools, it's always hard to tell whether the reputation is due to the narrowly focused perspectives of students taking a sugar break while studying and its associated nostalgia, or if its merited on a general level. The Sweetheart Cafe itself seems proud of its heritage, with certificates lining its walls showing off its restaurant or boba of the year statuses from 2009 onward. If I were a student, I could see how that is. But having tried dozens of boba places in my adult life, I have to put this one in the hype category. Sorry Cal people! I consider roasted oolong milk tea with boba to be a solid starter, with 50% sugar because I want to taste the quality of the tea. However even at that, I couldn't taste any tea because it was still way too sweet. Roasted oolongs usually have a distinctive nutty flavor that sets it apart from other teas, and this drink shared none of that. The boba was overly soft and mushy, and bits of dry patches within. The cup size was tiny -- it couldn't have been over 16 ounces for over $7. Even with current inflation, one would be able to find staple Taiwanese brands like Truedan or Xing Fu Tang with real brown sugar and self-made boba for that price. Although I've only tried one drink, based on that one experience, I'd have to consider Sweethearts low tiered boba for an inflated price. In SoCal, I think one would be able to find a cup like this for between $3-4. read more

Tiny spot! My family comes here almost every weekend - they love the pineapple smoothie! What I like most is that they offer FRESH FRUIT on their stuff! The owner even showed us the fresh durian! No powder mixes or artificial stuff! Unfortunately, I can't give the full five stars - I have to update my review when I get the chance to personally try their drinks... being on keto diet means you won't be able to purchase any goodies for yourself from here! But I wanted to leave a review because they've been open during COVID, and when my cousin's insist to drive from Oakland to Berkeley just for this smoothie... it is worth taking note of! read more

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Great place this was my first time i got popcorn chicken -spicy tho and that was amazing... I also got the deep fried shrimp that was also fire... Then i got a large milk tea thats also amazing asf!!!! The owner us awesome great attitude hella nice think i like this place if you got the munchies and you're hungry go n get that promise you wont be disappointed read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

Horrible customer service. Our Taro milk tea drink tasted horrible and we politely asked for an exchange and the rude guy with short black hair and bangs rudely refused to remake our drink or give us a replacement due to "policy". The drink was full. We didn't want a refund, just a simple fix to enjoy our drink we paid for. read more

I bought a cup of milk tea and fried chicken! The taste of milk tea is very bad! It seems to have been released for many days! Instead of freshly made! The taste of fried chicken is not bad! But I think if you have seen his production process and kitchen environment, many people will not touch anything in this store again! The kitchen environment is dirty and messy! There is nothing but scientific and technological chemical synthesis! Even if things fall to the ground, they will be tasted by the guests! Wake up... I won't come back again! read more

Best popcorn chicken you can get! I love the xtra spicy! Also the curly fries are bomb!

I tried this Sweetheart location for the first time in the three years I've been in the Berkeley area. It looks really small from the outside, and it actually is quite small. But don't fret, if you're looking for a place to sit and enjoy your drink/snack, there's bar seating on the inside and some tables outside in Asian Ghetto. I shared the curry fish balls (15/$5ish). They were not bad, not the best I've had, but it is the best in the area because this is the only place I can think of in Berkeley that has these Asian street food style snacks. The closest restaurant that serves these snack items will probably be Oakland Chinatown. They also have other snack items like popcorn chicken, fish balls, and squid that are worth a try! TL;DR yummy Asian snacks read more

Sweetheart Cafe - MEN'S pocky - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California