This is my go to whenever I'm in SD visiting my boyfriend. The service is very quick. You shouldn't wait no longer than 10 minutes regardless of how busy it may be. The boba and potstickers are the best. My favorite place to go for boba in all honesty. They're open late too since they're on a university campus. It's plus because my boyfriend works here too, lol. read more

I usually get their crispy chicken + triton milk tea but today i got their fries. I was just craving shoestring fries so i went here and originally i wasn't gonna get any seasoning but i opted for mild. I dont know wtf their definition of mild was but my fries were fucking coated in that shit. Whoever is in charge of seasoning is doing it wrong. I remember i ordered heavy spice before and they gave me my food with barely any on it. Tf bruh?? Might as well get it plain and season it yourself. read more

Tapioca Express - One of my fries, they coated that shit - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

I just ate here for the first time and i was left with a very mixed feeling about this establishment. I got the #7 short ribs, they were very tasty yet cold, and since i have class in a few minutes i didnt have the time to let them know that my food was cold. The rice tasted old and dry. The pot sticker was good and the salad is a waste in my opinion ( as a business expense). It doesnt look appetizing and is very plain and bland. The boba tea was ok. I am willing to give this place another try because it is cost effect and quick service( which is kind of a downside to customer service). I do love the quickness of overtime for order to readiness but the cashiers are very blunt and rude and rush you out of there. I hope they can have a more warm and welcoming greeting next time; it seems like they are just used to being quick and savy because they are constantly busy, but no one was behind me in line and seeing as this is my first time eating there, they did not leave a good impression. This place has potential to do better! read more

I like the convenience of being able to grab almond milk tea on campus but gosh, their food is TERRIBLE and expensive. Got a sausage rice and it was burnt and nasty. Do NOT recommend food here, unless it's their crispy chicken as a snack or something. Just grab a drink, and go to BK or shogun nearby instead. Also, seating is rather inconveniently sparse. They could probably easily fit in another 3 tables. read more

OKAY. I'm not gonna lie, I go here nearly every day since it's on campus. The drinks here may sometimes be less than perfect due to the inexperienced staff but it still provides that great boba fix (unless it's almost midnight where they routinely run out of boba T_T). Passionfruit snow bubble + crispy chicken snack so good. read more

Tapioca express has some good combo and some bad ones. The pop corn chicken is too dry but i love the fried squid balls !

I'm embarrassed to admit that It took me way too long to stop coming here. I've spent many a night inside Price Center pulling unnecessary all-nighters, messing around, drinking too much boba, and eating too much crispy chicken. It'd be midnight and after many hours of "studying" soooooo hard for my midterms/finals, I'd undeservingly reward myself with something to munch on "for energy" for the long night ahead (hahahaha). My options were either Burger King or TapEx. I'd always end up going with TapEx; I'm sure they stayed open until 1am during finals week especially for me, so I could stuff my fat ass with boba and chicken. The drinks here aren't even well made; often times, the drink I ordered was not mixed well, so the syrup settled to the bottom. I know, I know--I probably should have shaken it up a few more times before I stabbed the seal to death with a straw, but you know. Also, the teas never taste fresh at all; they kinda have a weird, sour twinge to them. The crispy chicken isn't even that good either. Those little unidentified chicken niblets would have the shit fried out of them, rendering them hard and dry. So why did I come here so often? It was probably because I knew I would fail that ochem or biochem test, so I would subconsciously buy myself these things as a pre-consolation prize for having failed so miserably at studying. I guess I could have also bought myself something from Burger King's dollar menu, but why settle for 24-hour-anytime BK when I can have special-hours-just-for-you TapEx. I always felt so touched by the fact that they would stay open an hour later than usual during finals week just to make more money off of fatasses like me. HOW THOUGHTFUL AND GENEROUS :') read more

$7 manager special somehow came out to $12.5. The special comes with a drink. I ask if I could sub it for matcha milk tea but instead I got charged an extra $5 for it when the drink cost $3.50 by itself? Also the chicken was literally just fat and breading. There were 3 or 4 piece of actual chicken meat. Disgusting. Threw up. And got ripped off by incompetent cashier. I was asked to pay an extra dollar for bring up a mistake in the order. In total, even if the Mata milk tea was extra, I didnt get the included drink with the meal. RIP off never again. read more

Whenever I have my boba craving, this is my go-to spot. The employees are super efficient and nice. Also, for a broke college student like myself, you can't beat $2.95 for a milk tea WITH boba. Also, for these chilly days in San Diego, I totally recommend the hot Triton milk tea for $3.50. Totally soothes my soul. 10/10 would recommend. read more

I love love loveeee Boba, but for some reason, the Boba here for me was a miss. They have great chicken though!

This is an update to my previous review back in January. Since then, they've slightly improved on their food. I only order F Combo, which is the Stir-Fried Vegetables & Tofu because it contained actual vegetables (broccoli and carrot) as opposed to the defrosted peas and corn. I don't know if it's just today, Finals, week, or because I ordered at 12:30, but the stir-fry today was disgusting. First of all it had absolutely no flavour, as in it was literally just rice and raw vegetables on top. Yep, the broccoli and carrots were still raw. I might as well went to Ralphs and cut me up some salad if that's what I wanted. There was also no sauce, which I'm thinking either they ran out or this is the new way of making their stir-fry. Furthermore it featured the defrosted peas and corn that I so love. (sarcasm) CONCLUSION: 1. CONSISTENCY does not seem to matter to this restaurant except with their drinks. Those are more-or-less the same at any tapex you go to. So stick to their drinks. 2. Their SERVICE is pretty good. Their Manager Alan is very considerate and friendly. I've had several mix-ups with my drink, such as them using sugar-free milk tea for my milk tea by accident making it taste oddly like water + boba. (I thought I was crazy). Their employee tasted/confirmed it and quickly made me a replacement. So yes, if you are not satisfied they are willing to fix it for you. By the way the TapEx on Regents (same ownership) has a slightly larger drinks menu. read more

After years of good food/drink, transparency, and reliability with our fundraisers (aka "boba runs"), Tapioca Express @ UCSD is the place to be at!!!! They have good food and drinks for a very reasonable price. One of the best places to eat at UCSD if ever in need for a quick drink, snack, or meal! Nice staff and are willing to accommodate any customer's needs. Truly one of a kind, so stop by and enjoy! read more

I often visit here seeing as its one of the only good food joints at UCSD. The crispy chicken here is tasty so order that if you don't know what to get as a newcomer! I've tried other snacks and combos as well including fried calamari (yummy), spring rolls, curry chicken, and more. All which were very satisfying. The boba drinks here are also very good. The teas are refreshing and the smoothies are perfect for a hot day in SD. Some of my favorite drinks are taro milk tea, regular milk tea, strawberry smoothie, lychee green tea, and of course thai tea. I recommend trying other Tapex locations off campus as you might get better and larger portions of food. read more

Trash food and scum quality. The crispy chicken felt like its been out for hours. The rice was hard, brittle, and dry which probably meant that it has been out for hours without cover. I was really hungry before but after taking two bites, I lost my entire appetite. I masked the awful taste with massive amounts of siracha sauce. This place only deserves 1 star for siracha sauce. read more

The almond snow bubble is so plain...I can barely taste the almond The tapioca milk tea tastes good but tea is way too strong read more

I've been charged double on my credit card Watch out for the cashiers and this is my second time they charge me twice

This is a decent Tap Ex, meaning that I have had better. The drinks here are never full to the cup, they give you like 9/10th of it. Food is also decent, however the food is ready so fast that I doubt its fresh. The boba is also very hard and stale. I am not sure where else you can get boba on campus, but I guess this satisfies people, seeing from the amount of people that come here. Try it out if you get a chance. I love the Honeydew milk tea, thats the only thing I like so far. read more

Best tapex I've been to in San Diego. Me in line today: "I wish all boba places were as fast as tapex". Literally your drink is sometimes out before you can get to the pick up counter. The manager is ;) too. read more

Honestly not the best tapioca place to get boba or snacks but can really occasionally satisfy a popcorn chicken fix.

EDIT (10/1/09): The owner contacted me and was very courteous, but his account was disabled when I tried to reach him. Anyway, I've been back once or twice and I'm happy to say that the cashiers were really, really friendly and the service was fast, considering how long of a line there was. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The only redeeming quality about this place is the fact that it's located in the center of UCSD campus. (The drinks aren't so bad, either.) I've been to this TapEx a couple times now and I am continually disappointed by the quality of their food (the spicy chicken snack, especially - definitely not worth the price) and the attitudes of (most of) the workers. I understand that most of them are students and they are probably stressed out, but it is never okay to be snobby and/or rude if you're working in customer service. Never. (This is not to say that all of them are bad, there has been one older man (the owner?) and one other guy who were actually friendly.) The convenience of the location is probably the only reason I'll return. read more

Their crispy chicken is SOOOOO good! I love getting my chicken medium spicy-always just enough heat. They also keep the spice packet outside in case you want more spice in your life! Also, I like that they fill up the bag all the way so I feel like I'm getting my money's worth. My favorite drink to get there is the trident milk tea-enough caffeine to keep me up studying, but not enough for me to be bouncing off the walls. 10/10 would recommend (especially if you're a broke college student like me!) read more

Truly awful "food". It's texture is unnatural and the sauce is some sort of nasty paste. Spice levels are adjusted by sprinkling cayenne pepper over everything at the very end. Their food might be considered a weapon if mass destruction. I felt like going outside and licking a tree to get rid of the residue. I think the chemistry department should look into this place. And possibly FEMA. read more

A Tapioca Express on campus is very convenient and provides a great place for study-snacking and to just hang out. Compared to other Tapioca Expresses, the quality of the food isn't up to par. The last time I ordered a crispy chicken here, it was not crispy and didn't taste very fresh, especially compared to the other Tapioca Express by Vons. The drinks are decent, probably one of the better choices around campus, but still far from great. read more

I love going here for a quick bite to eat between classes. Lines can be long at times but it's worth the wait.

I made a yelp account just to review this place. That's how bad it was. 1) The girl at the register gave me major attitude. Watching her try to flirt shamelessly at another customer later (who was trying his best to ignore her ugly face), made me resent her customer service even more. 2) My stir-fry tofu and vegetables looked like something that could be served at a refugee camp. Did I really just pay $7 for some carrots, broccoli sprinkled with red pepper?? 3) The tofu was sour. 4) Oh, did I mention the girl at the register? Again, watching her ugly face try to be cute and flirty was nauseating and made me lose my appetite for an already unappetizing meal. 5) Basically, never going here again. Unless I'm desperate or something. read more

A nice Taiwanese fast food located inside the Price Center of UCSD. It offered boba milk tea , slushes and other goodies. Rice with crispy chicken or ribs etc. read more

One of two places I frequent in Price Center East. The smell of fresh, fried, spicy squid balls stricking your nostrils at 10 o'clock in the morning is just too priceless I tell you! If you haven't tried your stab at some fried squid balls or fried fish balls, get on board with the rest of us please. Thank you. read more

I agree, this place on UCSD campus is mehh. I got a crispy combo and was stuck with the rice gets burned at the bottom of the rice cooker. I would usually let this go but it happened again, and to my other friends as well. Come on, we pay about $8 dollars for a combo and we get stuck with left over, burned rice!? =[ read more

I'm amazed at the low reviews! Always, without a doubt, a good standby if you're campus. The crispy chicken snack can probably give you a heart attack, but it is simply amazing. Greasy, crispy, savory...all in one! Another standby is the chicken bowl where you can choose between fried or grilled chicken and it comes with rice and a mini salad, all for a little more than 5 dollars. As for the boba....I usually go for the normal milk tea which always works. It's always enjoyable to both eat and drink at the same time. However, stay away, and I mean stay away, from the more bizarre flavors like green apple (artificial flavors, uck!). read more

I actually enjoy Tapex a lot. I love their crispy chicken and their calamari is awesome. I totally recommend the Earl grey milk tea, almond milk tea, and the yogurt slush. read more

I've never really been a fan of boba drinks at all in my life, but coming to UCSD and having Tapex conveniently on campus is SO nice! The workers are always so friendly with a smile on their face and you never wait very long for your order. My favorite is their Red Bean Milk, which I strongly recommend! Definitely my go to place :)! read more

The drinks are great and the crispy chicken is delicious. Good price too.

4 stars because it's the only boba place on campus. Not the best boba place, but it will grow on you if you live on campus and eat here often. The staff work very hard to process orders quickly. They give very generous portions of crispy chicken snack (popcorn chicken), while the calamari snack is only about half calamari and half deep-fried batter. I always get a large boba milk tea with no ice, or passion fruit green tea. I never get their combos because the vegetables look like they are the pre-washed salad mixes from the grocery store. Spring rolls are decent. read more

I like it. It satisfies your needs, what more can you ask for? Good boba place, deserves a lot more credit than it receives. Would recommend if you just want boba. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT FROM THIS PLACE????????? read more

it's the only thing i eat on campus :) nothing's better than having a yummy drink during lecture! definitely recommend this place! :) read more

Strongly recommend the Vietnamese iced coffee with boba! Also completed order in a timely manner.

Honestly I feel so embarrassed every time ordering here because it's so typical of me (an asian!!) to get this stuff! I LOVE their crispy chicken but definitely not at this location. Not sure why but it's just not up to par in my opinion. When they call your number and you don't get there fast enough, they scream it into the damn microphone. Calm down people! Freakin heard you the first time\ read more

Most convenient place to eat on campus. Great service and spacious environment~a very decent place to either catch up with friends or have a study session. I personally don't like to drink fancy tea, but boba black tea is one of my favorites and they really do a good job getting the taste to be exactly the kind that i like. I can't possibly imagine UCSD without tapex. read more

Customer service is pretty bad, although I might just have bad luck and got the mean workers serving me. Tapioca express is never really that amazing in general, but the line at this place gets pretty ridiculous at times. It's okay to get a quick boba drink as there is not another one close by, but it just never seems that worth it. The spicy French fries are decent and I haven't tried the other dishes, but I'm sure it tastes okay. The main thing that keeps me away from this place is the customer service. I understand that you're all college students under constant stress, but it should not effect how you treat customers. read more

The boba here is extremely low quality (even to TapEx standards). I understand that most boba shops only use powder to make their drinks, but 9 times out of 10 the milk tea tastes like water and the Thai tea tastes like black milk tea. The coffee milk tea also tastes like black milk tea. Their hot drinks are better, though. read more