I definitely have a soft spot in my heart for Sweetheart Cafe. It was my favorite milk tea place to frequent in college, and those years lent a lot of good memories here. I remember walking back to my apartment at 2am a couple times (that's when the library closed) and really craving jasmine green tea with aloe, so I'd always try to stop by here. The usual closing time (I think Thursdays - Saturdays?) was 2am, but I'd get there around 2:15am and usually one of the owners would still be inside cleaning up and closing everything. He was nice enough to let me order through the window and go through the trouble of making the drink when everything had technically been put away, so I was super grateful to him. It's just such a nice thing to do even though it was really out of his way, and getting my favorite drink there made cramming for finals a little less painful (no justkidding, it was still bad, but at least I had something good to drink while stressing). The place itself is tiny, with maybe all of seven seats inside. The rest is taken up by boxes and packages of ingredients, so this probably isn't somewhere you want to sit and talk for a long time. The line also gets crazy long, especially on weekends at nighttime when all the college kids come out to play. It's also cash only, which is pretty standard since it's a hole-in-the-wall Asian place. My frequent orders here were: Iced jasmine green tea (no milk!) with aloe: I can't even count the number of times I got this drink, in a large size too! If you're a fan of aloe, you HAVE to try this combination. Make sure to get the jasmine tea without milk because if you get it with milk, the creaminess can overwhelm the delicate flavor of the aloe, and then the whole thing is more heavy and soggy instead of refreshing. The only thing about this is that sometimes the jasmine tea can be a little sweet, but once the ice melts a little and dilutes it, it's perfect. So refreshing on a summer night or after a heavy meal (which is basically all Asian Ghetto offers). Roasted green milk tea: I was a little hesitant to try this when they first came out with it about a year ago, but I'm really glad I did. It's made with roasted green tea leaves and brown sugar, and you can definitely taste the smokiness of the tea leaves. It's really good if you like barley milk tea or milk teas with smoky undertones. I also think the pairing with the brown sugar instead of regular sugar was a good call because it cuts through the bitterness of the tea leaves really well. Brown sugar does have an unique aftertaste that can take some getting used to though. I recommend not getting this with pearls because the pearls are a little sweet and the milk tea itself is already pretty rich and sweet, so sweet on top of sweet is a little overwhelming. Avocado smoothie: The best avocado smoothie I've ever had was probably at a Vietnamese restaurant, but this comes close to it. The only gripe I have with the avocado smoothies here is that sometimes the quality isn't consistent. There were a couple times where it was overly sweet with too much condensed milk, but more often than not, it's creamy and not too sweet, just the right amount to pair with some semi-sweet pearls. If you've ever been to the Sweetheart Cafe in Milpitas (I think they're a chain?), this location is definitely better with regard to their avocado smoothies. Fried popcorn chicken or squid balls: I know I'm in the minority here, but I'm not a big fan of their popcorn chicken or squid balls. The popcorn chicken does come out piping hot and I like the temperature, but I feel like the breading is a little over-fried so it's almost too crispy and cuts up my mouth when I chew it. The squid balls are just very underwhelming; it's the kind of premade filler-filled seafood balls you get at the supermarket, and I was done with the greasiness after just one. If I ever go back to Berkeley to visit, I'll definitely come back here for the memories and some good, inexpensive jasmine green tea with aloe. Have to remember to bring some cash with me though! read more

I really really liked this place. I go to UC Berkeley. It's open late, it's close, the boba is sweet, and the tea is yummy. Today I got my usual large black milk tea with boba. I was almost to the very end of it when my mouth detected something that was neither tea nor boba. I drank the tea so it wouldn't spill out of my mouth onto everything but opened my mouth to retrieve the foreign object. It was a bug. A dead bug was in my mouth. From the boba. I really liked this place and I understand that things like this happen, but to be completely honest, I worked at In-N-Out before this, and I'm less understanding as to how this happens because we are so uptight about the quality of our product. I understand that things like this happen, but I am disgusted and will not be coming back. read more

Sweetheart Cafe - I found a bug in my black milk tea with boba. I am disgusted. - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

Even in SF, Sweetheart Café has been one of my favorite places to go for tapioca. The best drink there I would say.. is the MT with tapioca! Bb helped me figure it out that their MT is HK style milk tea.. no wonder it's so darn good! For a 20oz or 24oz, it's about $4 to $5 I believe, and I know there's a combo that comes with the popcorn chicken with this beverage which comes to abut $6 to $7 I was super happy there was no hair in my drink haha (I've seen some YELP photos, yay I'm not one of them!) and I must say there popcorn is yummy, oily, huge pieces and always satisfies my craving.. but I am a sucker for local shops so.. head to 723 tea Station for popcorn chicken :) a bit small for quantity but quality is totally there read more

Old reliable. Never lets you down even in the most dire circumstances. 3 am quarantine boba hits different.

sweet balls, mochi and most of my favorite snacks makes the fat girl in me go "WEEEEEEEEEE!!!! My usual is the lychee green tea. The bonus is that it's in the Asian ghetto. I can go across the street and get a top dog, or Thai basil for my fried rice, OR go to IB Hoagies to get a large curly cheese fries with jalapeños to accompany my drink. Then I walk it off on campus to wash away some of the guilt from overindulging :) read more

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

Been going here for years and Sweetheart Cafe is just a simple, no frills boba spot. It's been a standing room only shop even before Covid, but now it has self-service kiosks you can order from too. I usually just get the Jasmine Green Tea boba and it has always tasted nice and refreshing. This boba spot also stays open much later than any of the nearby boba or coffee spots. Heck it's also open when most restaurants are closed. So many times during a late night when many spots have called it a night, Sweetheart Cafe has been there to satisfy my craving for sweet drink or a small bite. Just a solid and reliable boba spot in the Telegraph area. read more

Disgusting!! Bought the Red Bean Milk drink for $2.50 and all I could taste was the large amount of corn syrup that they put into the drink. The drink had the *slightest* hint of red bean flavor (clearly artificial), and was so sweet I think I now have diabetes. Would not recommend. Other notes: not that I would come here again, but expect long waits past 9pm when large groups of Berkeley kids like to frequent this place. read more

Sweet! What a treat! Even better than Moccacino Cafe Expect a line of Cal students here The Jasmine Green Tea is only $.99!! read more

Sweetheart Cafe has the usual boba drinks and they serve hamburgers, etc. store is really small. 1/2 the front is used for storage....so not much room to sit down at if at all. sampling: jasmine tea, (1.29) no tax -has some jasmine tea flavoring and a tenny bit sweeter than quickly's.. tea drips: -service courteous and fast read more

So Sweetheart Cafe is like some sort of a guilty pleasure for me when I started craving for a sweet drink or snacks while in Berkeley. Sweetheart Cafe was one of the only places dedicated to serving boba when I started at Cal, but now there are tons of boba places all around campus! Despite this phenomenon, I've always found a sweet spot in my heart for Sweetheart. They have a crazy wide selection of drinks to choose from with items such as Taiwan Style Green Milk Tea, White Gourd Drink, and Jackfruit w/ Sago. Two of my favorites that I recommend to others would have to be their Black Milk Tea and their Passionfruit Slushy. The Black Milk Tea has a nice condensed milk sweet flavor to it and the Passionfruit Slushy is a refreshingly fruit drink on a hot day. I also recommend their roasted milk tea for those who prefer hot drinks. Other than their drinks, Sweetheart Cafe has surprisingly good food and snacks. My go-to is their popcorn chicken which is great for sharing and generally well received. They also have some chili powder that can be sprinkled on for those who like a lil spicy kick with their snack. Sweetheart cafe also has other snacks like fried squid, fried fish balls, and chicken strips. I haven't tried it, but I'm also told that their burgers are actually pretty good. read more

Being an old timer who was at Berkeley BEFORE any boba places opened (Fun Fact #1: Mandarin House was the first to have boba on Southside.), I've tried them all and watched many a boba places set up and close shop. (Fun Fact #2: Lotus House used to be Old Tea House - same as the Davis one and a hippie coffee shop before that.) Sweetheart's always has a certain college nostalgia. We always get boba there whenever we're back in Berkeley. Yes, there are better ones in S.F., but they can't replace the memories that come rushing back. Many used frequent buyer stamp cards are a testament to that. (Fun Fact #3: Doing the math, one stamp card is ~$30 spent @ ~$3 per drink. Boba will make you broke.) Boba is sweetened - an acquired, addictive taste that makes boba from other places taste bland in comparison. Taiwan-style milk tea is the drink for the more tea flavor, although there's a unique taste that some might not like. The cheap drink specials are nice when on a budget, but they're pre-made and powdery. The usual fried chicken and squid are always delicious with peppery goodness. The packaged fobby snacks on display are overpriced, but in a bind, I've given in. Burger and fries are also available (which my friend loves better than any others on Southside), but usually a drink and a snack is good enough, and food can be had elsewhere. (Fun Fact #4: Boba is good with everything except drinking. ^_^) read more

The first boba place I ever tried when I first came to Berkeley, Sweetheart Cafe holds a special place in my heart. Their boba is always chewy, not soggy with just the right amount of sweetness. I love how they continue to honor the Pokemon Go discount even though the fever has died down and they remain one of my favorite spots for late-night drunchies and boba (2am closing time whoooo!!). Their teas are cheap with strong tea flavors. I like to stick with classics here like the honey black tea or jasmine green milk tea. Their fruit teas come from syrup, but their blended drinks are made with real fruit or powder (like taro). Although they don't have a lot of seating, you'll always find a crowd here late at night (especially on Fridays). I wouldn't say this a particularly family-friendly spot late at night. Their popcorn chicken is probably my favorite in Berkeley because for the price, they give you a lot and it doesn't taste as bland as Boba Ninja's. Overall: Not the greatest boba you'll ever have, but a staple in the Berkeley college student life. Sweetheart cafe is simply a mom and pop Asian boba shop that continues to stand against the wave of ever-increasing boba competition near campus. It's the boba shop that doesn't need to modernize because of the love they put in their food and drinks. read more

This use to be one of my favorite places to get boba because they were cheap, but over the last 2 years, they've gone up in prices and its pretty much the same as everywhere else now. Their milk tea is ok but the pearls have too much of a pasty taste in it. Quite disgusting actually. In my opinion the quality and service of sweetheart has gone down since 2008 when I first tried it..I use to get boba from here 2-3 and maybe 4 times a day..but not anymore. Haven't been here in a while and probably won't go back. I rather drive 30 minutes to get some decent boba than save $0.30 and get disappointed. read more

Boba is booming in Berkeley! As of recently, they are no longer cash only, though I think there is a minimum... This place runs on a college student schedule, and thankfully so. It's the closest boba joint to the UC Berkeley dorms and pretty much nonstop cranks out cheap, fast milktea like its coming from a neverending milktea spring. Their menu is verrryyyy extensive, so experimentation is tempting, but I find that I usually stick to a few dependable items: Hot Roasted Milk Tea, Jasmine Green Tea (and the Milk Tea version), Taro Milk Tea, and the Oreo Milkshake (it's the American in me, okay?). Their slushies aren't bad either. Typically their drinks tend towards the sweeter side and are loaded with ice so you end up finishing your cold drinks much faster than expected (though I guess you could try asking them to adjust). Taiwanese style snacks are also available for sale here - popcorn chicken and eggrolls are decent. Side note: their window counter is great for chatting and people watching at pretty much any time of day - you're almost guaranteed to see someone you know passing by if you're a current student. Free window shout outs anyone? read more

Sweethearts was the OG, #1-go-to boba place back in the early 2010's. Hanging out? Sweethearts. Studying? Sweethearts. Late night? Sweethearts. Hangover? Sweethearts. Why? Because it was cheap. $0.99 my freshmen year (2009), ~$2 my senior year. It's 2018, Sweethearts has withstood the coming and going, closing, increased rent, inflation, the fads and craze of eateries and boba tea shops in Berkeley. For old times sake, I got a small Jasmine Green Tea (the tea and shop that got me hooked on boba), and it was $4 (and it wasn't that good. I think it's the condensed milk. Condensed milk isn't "in" anymore). Unfortunately, with all the new tea shops popping up in Berkeley, I'd rather take my $4 somewhere else for some cheese foam, Earl Grey, large coconut/almond milk tea with pudding and aloe. Thanks for all the memories, Sweetheart Cafe!~ read more

Stereotypically, college students stay up late & eat at all odd hours of the day. Unfortunately, most restaurants around Berkeley that are of the yummier variety close earlier in the night. Sweetheart's hours are great. It's location on Durant Avenue in so-called "Asian Ghetto" is pretty convenient for Berkeley's dorm residents and apartment dwellers. Even if you live farther, if you're looking for FOOD, GREASE (the good kind?), and LIFE, you can generally find it at Ghetto or across the street at Top Dog or La Burrita. Also, it is undeniable that Sweetheart uses way more NATURAL ingredients than a place like Quickly does. It isn't worth it to skimp quality for speed. Sweetheart keeps it real. Yes, their menu can be confusing and repetitive. Yes, they don't offer some of the things ON their menu. But it is an OBVIOUS good choice for a place to hang out with friends or on the solo whether you'd like to sit down and chat or pass on through. [P.S. Their shaved ice isn't half bad if you're tired of boba or don't like tapioca.] read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Shaved Ice (Tapioca, Lychee, Red Bean) - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm a fan of this place. 1) It's cheap. 2) Service is quick. 3) They give you a lot of boba. 4) Black milk tea with boba. read more

If this was a battle between Quickly and Sweetheart for the title of better boba shop in the Durant Food Court, then Sweetheart would win--but only by a margin. Price: Sweetheart was always my default place to go because their prices on a regular bubble milk tea (no pearl) was only $0.99 before they raised the price to match Quickly. So now I have to dig for extra spare change to go along with my dollar. Jasmine Green Milk Tea: I usually get this one. I wish their green tea to milk ratio was larger, because I can barely taste the tea sometimes. Ask for little or no ice if you do not want your drink to be watered down in the next twenty minutes (unless you're a fast drinker). Tapioca: small, chewy, sweet. More pleasant to chew on compared to Quickly. Popcorn chicken: My favorite late-night snack! Tossed in salt, pepper, and maybe MSG (haha), it is always freshly made and hot. I try to share with a friend because eating one bag would be too heavy on my stomach. I don't get it too often because it is slightly pricey for me as a snack (I think it's like $4?). Service: I believe this shop is run by a Cantonese male. The entire staff is Chinese (probably most are Cantonese). They are quick and to the point about your order, so there is usually no "Hello, how are you today" and small chit-chat....which sometimes makes the people seem cold. They tend to warm up to people more if you speak Canto to them. Wait Time: Milk teas usually come out pretty quickly. But I have had more than a couple instances where I felt like I was waiting close to 10 minutes for a simple drink. Place tends to get crowded in the evening during peak dinner time. read more

Going to sweetheart cafe is like: Switching to econ because you didn't get into Haas. Wanting a large toy airplane but getting an old recorder as a kid. Living in a tiny unit 3 triple your freshman year. Eating at Crossroads because you spent too much this month eating out. Using the bathroom in Dwinelle instead of going home first. Microwaving hot pockets because you ran out of food at home. It's okay, it's not your first choice but it's not the end of the world. It gets the job done I guess. At least it's cheap and opens late, but there are many other boba places in Berkeley that have better quality tea. read more

As an Arizonan that likes to claim "I'm a Boba Freak" Id like to introduce you to the MOST AMAZING & Flavorful Boba I've EVER had! On a recent trip to California I had the chance to try a few places from San Diego up to San Fran. #1 is Sweetheart Cafe, EASILY! I only got the Raspberry Smoothie with Boba but the Boba itself had... depth, a flavor profile like no other boba I've ever had, perfectly made, perfect in EVERY WAY! See I told you I was a Boba Freak! LOL Go here... Get the Boba... You won't be disappointed.... Trust me, "The Boba Freak" from Arizona! Damn it... Now I want one! read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Raspberry Boba! "MindBlowing!" - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

Shared a popcorn chicken with the girl and she really enjoyed the milk coffee, extra sweet! Appreciate the quality and quantity Of food! Will return soon! read more

Way better than quickly's in many ways. Unfortunately, not in the price department. Sweetheart's can get pricey and their "value menu" is also seriously lacking in quality. Their value menu items are different from their regular price items regardless of the fact that they might share the same name. But on my bad days, I go here for the popcorn chicken and boba jasmine milk tea. You can't beat that. You also cannot beat their drink of the month. A couple months ago, they had boba papaya milk, now that's what you call authentic taiwanese. read more

Re-visited Berkeley to grab some milk tea, Kathleen wanted Sun Hong Kong, but Sweethearts for me! Ordered the usual, Taro Milk Tea to go, Grabbed the purple straw - matching, I know. Took a sip, knowing Sweethearts couldn't be beat, Looked up at my friends and exclaimed, "This is too sweet!" Kathleen gave me a face and said, "Told you so," Then reached for my milk tea to give it a go We agreed that the boba, though, was just right So it wasn't a total milk tea fail that night Sweethearts, I ask, please lower the azucar Cuz right now in my book, you are only 2 star : / read more

I got the Combo A, which was the popcorn chicken and boba. The popcorn chicken was so oily and not so good. It looked like it was fried in old oil. I think Quickly's has better popcorn chicken. My friend got the curly fries, which were a disappointment also. They were so crunchy that it hurt to chew on them. You should only get boba at sweetheart. read more

If you want to know how boba pearls should taste, try sweetheart cafe. They are sweet but not too sweet and springy not mushy. And definitely not hard. It's all about making the boba fresh and not skimping by giving out old boba. Of course you pay a premium for the delicious boba here. It's hard for them to complete with $1 boba sm around the corner at quickly's. Still they're worth a try. Just don't order avocado boba when you mean almond. Haha. It still wasn't too bad. read more

A decent place to get boba for under three bucks. I usually order thai tea and boba and I think it comes out to $2.89 with card. The boba is fine, but the thai tea is too milky and you can't taste the tea. However, I usually hang out with friends so it's a place we just get boba and drink together. The seating is pretty small and there's about 10-12 of us so we stand outside or go sit in the tables in the Asian Ghetto. Service is kind of fast, but not too friendly. I think they charge 50 cents for card, but sometimes you just want to have a drink. Like I said, an okay to boba for the price. FYI, the popcorn chicken is actually pretty good. I had a bite today and while it's a little salty, it's so much better than Crossroads and probably half the price too. read more

Came here with my best friend(months ago hahha), she was telling me how her and her brother came here one time and I just came and tagged along. It was a bit hard to find parking, surprising because it was past 11pm and we had to park behind some buildings a block away from this spot. It's really cramped inside, we could barely go through all the people just standing in there. She got her drink probably 5 minutes or a little more, but it was sort of quick. We weren't paying much attention, we were looking inside the place, checking out the drawings and their menu. It's basically a Quickley's to me. Pretty decent looking place, I'd like to try some of their stuff next time I'm around :) read more

it's not the best, but it's convenient. On snack pass, they have great deals on milk tea with boba and they always are consistent with their products and ensure that its up to par. Their popcorn chicken is alright, and they allow you to adjust the spice level via the spice containers near the exit. Are there better options? yes, but when Sweetheart is the only one then its worth it. read more

Their roasted milk tea with tapioca is pretty good! They have deals on their basic tea flavor drinks, such as black, jasmine, taro milk tea and etc. I like how they are open till late. They probably know college kids want to grab some tapioca drinks during the late night hours! read more

I only bumped this up to 2 stars because the gentleman at the counter was very nice and friendly. I was in desperate need of a milk tea fix and this was only spot within walking distance from where I was at. Unfortunately, I have nothing good to report about the milk tea. I ordered a lychee milk tea with boba and could barely taste any lychee. It tasted like sugar water with milk =\! How disappointing...I had to go next door to get donuts just to get the flavor out of my mouth. Never again! read more

HONEY LEMON W/ ALOE. Seriously, it's so difficult finding this exact drink. Some places have honey tea or lemon tea, but not honey lemon. Why???? Just try it. read more

The milk teas at Sweetheart are more tea-heavy, which is what I love about their drinks. Most places the tea flavor isn't that prominent. I have also tried their smoothies, and they use real fruit, no powder! Their boba is also really good, and the drinks aren't expensive at all. I would highly recommend Jasmine Green Milk Tea, Avocado Smoothie, and Mango Smoothie. Their Popcorn Chicken is also really good. read more

Sweetheart Cafe - Very small store, but there are some seating - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm a big fan of sweetheart cafe! I really liked their Taiwanese Style Milk Tea. Very creamy and smooth! The boba pearl were pretty good too--not as sweet as I like, but very soft and chewy! The staff here are super nice and they have lots of cool promotions and discounts. Currently, the are doing a discount for your level in Pokemon Go. I don't play PG (long story short, I don't have enough data), but I thought this was very creative and fun! Highly recommended whenever in Berkeley! read more

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Great for a late night boba/snack run, walk in and order on one of the two screen set up quick and simple, parking will be hard to find though read more

Sweetheart used to be my go to for cheap average boba. Not anymore. They are so expensive now why would I go here when I can go to feng cha or yinfang read more

I was looking for a boba joint that was open past 9pm during this Covid-19 lockdown and stumbled onto SweetHeart Cafe..they are open until 2am! Score :) I ordered their Popcorn chicken, which was fire ..BIG portions and piping HOT. I also tried their mango coconut smoothie that was light, refreshing and hit the spot Love that they are open late (until 2am) I will be back! read more

UGH. I'm sorry, but I HATE the boba from this place. Born and raised in SF so I'm pampered by GOOD boba and this place does not cut it. I'd rather go to Quickly's around the corner. Even my boyfriend who is from SF, but goes to Berkeley and frequents this place admits that when he comes home he wants "real boba." Usually my reviews are much longer, but all I can say is. The boba is undercooked -- TOO chewy. TOO much ice! Milk tea is mehhh below average for sure -- tastes watered down or maybe thats the excessive ice melting? Service is slow. Really, if you want REAL boba, BART over to SF and make a trip to Irving. read more

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

I always forget about this location, but something about Top Dog and boba gets me drooling. I love how this place is open until midnight to cater to the college crowd, and regardless of their location, their recipe stays exactly the same and always tastes good! Their mango milk is the perfect consistency for me, not too sweet and always icy cold. read more

My favorite place of all times in Berkeley. Located in the "Asian ghetto" and open late! Service: This is were the minus star comes in. Their service is decent, but would it kill you to put a smile on your face once in a while? Drinks: I love all their milk teas with tapioca. I like the way they make their tapioca as well. It's soft and chewy, but not too chewy. (that's the key to good boba!) And they are relatively cheap. Overall: I would definitely recommend this place! read more

They closed at midnight and served me at 12:05- 5 stars! Friendly and quick service! Hits the boba spot- also has some late night fried snacks for those boozy nights in Berkeley. read more

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

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