Tapioca Express

247

710

3 years ago

TapEx remains the centerpiece of Price Center, and for good reason! It's open late, the service is great, and the food comes out fast. The meals here are decent and it's hard to beat how much bang for your buck you get here from its low prices. read more

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Heather H.

Thanks a ton for the shout-out! Super glad you're digging the vibes…

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Salma A.

4 months ago

the best food at ucsd! i love the beef short ribs so many food choices too love it!!!!

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Alan H.

Thank you very much for your review. It is very much appreciated!

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Tristan R.

4 months ago

the manager's special bowl is one of the best food items on ucsd campus, and the service is always great

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Alan H.

Thank you very much for your review. It is very much appreciated!

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Moss D.

4 months ago

as a ucsd student, tapex has been there in my darkest hour. i always get some kind of fruit tea which is usually really comforting. ty for your service tapex read more

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Alan H.

Thank you very much for your review. It is very much appreciated!

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Tiffany W.

4 months ago

the drinks here are pretty average, it's convenient that it's on campus for students. popcorn chicken is probably my favorite

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Alan H.

Thank you very much for your review. It is very much appreciated!

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personal i.

4 months ago

i love tapex, yum! i like the thai tea blended one. havent tried food but heard its okay.

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Alan H.

Thank you very much for your review. It is very much appreciated!

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Daniel C.

103

168

2 years ago

Tapioca Express in UCSD is overrated and just for your convenience. If you want the same thing and cheaper, I highly recommended the other TapEx closeby at Regents Rd that offers a daily crispy chicken meal deal for 8.99 with a tea drink. Don't get fooled by the Manager's Special or any discount there because it is not. read more

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Alan H.

Hi Daniel,…

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Jenny N.

266

508

1009

3 years ago

I may not recommend the boba too highly but I do love the popcorn chicken! I get the bag, not the combo and it's about $8 and makes me so full! It can be quick if you beat the lunch rush from the students. They have sauces on the side you can get on your own and there's plenty of seating inside and outside! It can be a long wait at times for the food but they get so many orders in and the food is warm when you get it! read more

Tapioca Express - Honey Green Tea with Boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

Tapioca Express - Popcorn chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Ally W.

Thank you for your honest feedback! We're glad to hear you love our…

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Poof R.

4 months ago

great boba!! service good and french fries really good!!!! the ambiance is pretty nice as well, easy to get

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Alan H.

Thank you very much for your review. It is very much appreciated!

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Eric C.

341

867

2 years ago

#1 combo is a steal in todays economy bruh. 12 bucks for a bev n a filling meal. it's also pretty good. chicken is crispy and rice is nice. also there's a big selection of sauces to choose from for the freeski. shi is just too gas for 12 bucks. can't beat the bargain man. read more

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Heather H.

Thank you so much for your enthusiastic review! We're thrilled to…

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Bellz S.

1 year ago

no one was at the register for a good 5 mins despite a group of like 4 workers standing in the corner in a group chatting. When cashier did come they were rude for no reason. Drinks are also inconsistent. Sometimes they really good sometimes ur snow bubble comes with large unblended chunks of ice read more

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Alan H.

Hi Bellz. We're really sorry for your bad experience. We will contact…

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John H.

2 years ago

very ok option for ucsd students. i usually get pork ribs meal which is very underrated Summary: Taste = taste of food Value = price, expertise, other non-food logistics Novelty = memorability among competitors Taste 3/5, Value 3/5, Novelty 3/5. Final score 3/5 read more

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Alan H.

Thank you for your review. Yes, the Combo #5 (Pork Ribs) are quite…

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Wesley T.

2 years ago

I just want to shoutout the service. Great people, especially one worker named Ethan. Someone received their order wrong and he handled it very kindly even during rush hour read more

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Alan H.

Thank you for your review Wesley. Yes, Ethan has great customer…

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Grace N.

Elite 25

165

133

424

4 years ago

A lot of people hate on TapEx. A lot. However, for me I believe that TapEx is severely underrated. $10 bucks for a meal I can eat for two days and it comes with boba? I honestly crave their crispy chicken sometimes and the free green tea goes so good with the combo meal. Been going here as a UCSD student and I still go sometimes for a quick meal! Good place for college students looking for a late night snack or quick meal :) Reccommend: Crispy Chicken Meal with Green Tea (add boba) Must eat the chicken with the sweet chili sauce that they offer on the side! The spice level is also not that bad so I usually get medium spicy. I would also recommend getting the #1 Crispy Chicken Rice over the Manager's Special Crispy Chicken Bowl because it comes with more food and includes a free tea drink. read more

Tapioca Express - #1 Crispy Chicken Rice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

Tapioca Express - Front - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

Tapioca Express - Menu 08/2022 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Emily V.

2 years ago

Great food to great that's on campus. I always use my triton cash! So I leave a very happy camper ‍. Service is fairly quick even when the are at their busiest. There is a place to sit at and it's great. Well there are plenty of places to sit at Price Center. read more

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Alan H.

Thank you for your kind words Emily! It's very much appreciated!

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Leilani M.

109

272

4 years ago

Last time I came my avocado smoothie craving was far from satisfied. I was reluctant but decided to give TapEx one more try and there was some improvement. Luckily my smoothie was blended better. I felt the avocado flavor was still lacking; my smoothie mainly tasted like blended condensed milk; however, I appreciate that it was blended better. read more

Tapioca Express - Avocado smoothie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Syphu H.

2 years ago

Great service! I was served at the register by a worker named Tyler. He was very helpful with choosing what drink I should get. He was very approaching and kind. read more

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Ally W.

We're so glad to hear that Tyler took great care of you and helped…

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Alice Y.

3 years ago

Updated review: the crispy pork was nicely fried, with a thin batter. The end pieces had fatty bits of the meat which made it tastier. I will say that the vegetables were mediocre and could use some more vinegar/ could have been fresher but overall it was a better experience. I will say that the lunch combo is a great way to get bang for your buck, they do not skimp on the protein portion and it comes with a drink(tea or soda). The staff is always polite and helpful and food is made to order, which is a plus in this food court. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy pork rice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Ramona V.

4399

2981

5232

8 years ago

It feels weird to review this Tap Ex LOL I haven't been to this Tap Ex in SO LONG! I used to be a student at UCSD a long time ago and I remember coming here often to get my boba fix and also get their pork buns. It's pretty decent for college campus food and it's also cost efficient. I remember getting Boba before GBMs or after classes with classmates. I went to campus over the weekend for exercise haha I walked the 4 miles around campus loop which is something I never even did as a student. Anyway, after my walk I wanted to get a drink so I ordered a Vietnamese Iced Coffee, the taste was ok but not the best I've had. There's a Tapioca Express on Convoy and I feel like if you are or were a former student at UCSD you probably never go to the Convoy one because you overdid your TapEx fix while you were at UCSD LOL read more

Tapioca Express - Vietnamese Iced Coffee Reg. $3.50 Large $4.50 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Kyle L.

Hi Ramona,…

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Nancy H.

Elite 23

222

186

467

4 years ago

I've been to this location since 2010. Every time that I have gone my drinks have been good and the crispy chicken, delicious. I have only had the crispy chicken and either the mango, pineapple or taro boba. Every time I have gone so far, they weren't busy. When on UCSD campus, this is a good place to get a quick snack. read more

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Ally W.

Thank you so much for being a loyal customer since 2010! We truly…

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Tiffany Y.

5 years ago

Kinda a bit of a hit or miss. The drinks are pretty safe since everytime I've gotten them they were great. The snacks are a bit more iffy depending on how busy the day is for them. Days near the beginning of the fall quarter and fundraising days are always a bit hectic. There will likely be a line and the quality of their stuff kinda slips through. Other than that they're a pretty solid go to place! read more

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Page 2 of 8

9500 Gilman Dr
Price Center
La Jolla, CA 92093
Directions
(858) 678-8821
Call Now

Full menu

Hours

What time does Tapioca Express open?

Tapioca Express opens at 9:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.Tapioca Express opens at 10:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday.

What time does Tapioca Express close?

Tapioca Express closes at 11:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Mon-Fri 9:00 AM - 11:00 PMSat-Sun 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Payment methods

Does Tapioca Express take Bitcoin?

No, Tapioca Express does not take Bitcoin.

Does Tapioca Express take credit cards?

Yes, Tapioca Express takes credit cards.

Food & Alcohol

Does Tapioca Express have catering options?

Yes, Tapioca Express does have catering options.

Does Tapioca Express have a drive thru?

No, Tapioca Express does not have a drive thru.

Indoor Amenities

Does Tapioca Express allow dogs?

No, Tapioca Express does not allow dogs.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Tapioca Express have bike parking?

Yes, Tapioca Express has bike parking.

Does Tapioca Express have outdoor seating?

No, Tapioca Express does not have outdoor seating options.

Does Tapioca Express have parking?

Yes, Tapioca Express has parking options.

Other Amenities

Is Tapioca Express wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Tapioca Express is wheelchair accessible.

Does Tapioca Express have free WiFi?

No, Tapioca Express does not have free WiFi.

From the Business

History

Beat the heat with our refreshing summer drinks! Choose energizing Yogurt Frosts (caffeine-free) made with real yogurt & fruit (Strawberry, Mango, Kiwi, Combo). Craving something vibrant? Try our Summer Lemonades (Strawberry, Watermelon, Honey Green Tea - contains caffeine) bursting with real fruit flavors. Feeling adventurous? Explore Snow Bubble delights, a delicious blend of milk, ice & classic/real fruit flavors (like avocado!). For ultimate indulgence, sip our Frosti Milk (caffeine-free except Honey Green Tea) - creamy milk, ice & toppings (Mango Nada, Strawberry, Mango, Brown Sugar). We have something to quench every thirst!

Ask the Community - Tapioca Express

Are there non dairy options like almond milk?

Most of our Milk Teas are actually made with a non-dairy creamer. For the drinks that do contain…

Do you accept apple pay?

They do! They take Samsung Pay as well.

Do they accept gift cards or gift certificates?

Yes, we accept Tapioca Express gift certificates. They're in $5 denominations.

Do they allow you to bring your reusable cups for boba tea?

Hi Grace, Yes, you are welcomed to bring your own reusable cup.…

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Inside

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

41 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Lana S.

101

2 years ago

I had both the Taro Tea Snow Bubble and the Thai Tea Snow Bubble, and they were each unique in their own way. The Taro Tea Snow Bubble was slightly sweet but had a pleasant flavor that's hard to describe--smooth and creamy with a hint of something special. On the other hand, the Thai Tea Snow Bubble had a wonderfully rich aroma, reminiscent of well-brewed black tea or perhaps Pu-erh tea, with a touch of warm spices. It wasn't too sweet, which I really appreciated, and the flavors felt balanced and distinct. If I had to choose between the two, I'd probably go with the Thai Tea Snow Bubble next time--it just had a more intriguing and memorable taste. Both are worth trying, though! read more

Tiffany K.

14 years ago

I guess its really more around a 3.5 BUT the location on campus is awesome. There are tons of tables and chairs around the place so you can get your studying done while getting your boba fix in. They also sell spring rolls! Which is amazing because boba and fresh spring rolls are two of my favorite things. I agree with people who say that the drinks are inconsistent though, but they're never THAT bad. They are just mixes after all. If you're willing to make the drive out to Tea station then yes the milk tea is better, but if you're in the area and trying to stay on campus this is the place to go. read more

Stephanie L.

17 years ago

I'm a big fan of their boba-it's always nice and Q! I usually stick with milk teas such as almond milk tea or hong kong milk tea, but when it comes to snow bubbles, I like the orange dream and cappucino snow bubble. They also have this new tea, the hibiscus tea, which I find very refreshing (it comes in a cool dark red color too!) As for the food, the combos are reasonably priced for being on campus, and the crispy chicken is yummy! read more

Sunny A.

13 years ago

The drinks are a bit sweeter than I like (compared to other boba places I've been to), but that can usually by mitigated by telling them to put less sweetener (for the not-fruity flavors). The food is okay, but like some earlier reviews state the quality is not consistent. Especially with the crispy chicken (get it spicy... it's good). You do get a decent amount of food for the combo plates though so hey. read more

Powerful Physiques S.

4 years ago

It's a very great and easily accessible boba place. Since moving to SD area from Orange it's been difficult finding them. I must say though I've found some small Thai and Chinese food places that serve better boba, mainly because it's bought or made daily and never frozen. Still 5 stars because of exceptional service, great flavors, never too busy ! read more

James N.

4 years ago

my second time being here. first time was with my roommate and friends from college. this time i brought my aunt. she has never tried boba before and she absolutely LOVES it. the employees were super sweet explaining what was inside certain drinks and much more to meet her dietary accommodations. looking forward to next time! read more

Ken P.

4 years ago

Omg the crispy chicken was mad dry and I couldn't even chew through it, it was absolutely disgusting , paid a whole eight dollars for this bs, the bag was also not filled full, and they didn't put the fried basil leaf the other locations usually do read more

Cody F.

4 months ago

This is my FAVORITE place to eat on campus. I love the workers and the food and drinks are always out fast, hot and yummy. Also, the best combo is the grilled chicken steak rice with no vegetables and extra rice + a Jasmine milk tea. read more

Sim S.

4 months ago

Tapex is my go to spot when I am studying late into the night. I don't always crave fast food and this place has the best food. I recommend the popcorn chicken and their Thai tea with boba. The workers there are really sweet as well! read more

Crystal S.

4 months ago

I love tapex! They have such a wide variety of drinks and their food is always fresh and out fast. My favorites are the thai tea snowbubble and a classic passion fruit green tea. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Christopher C.

4 years ago

It was really good! The tea I got was very fruity and the Boba was pretty well done. I would definitely recommend it if you enjoy fruity teas and slushies. Will definitely come back! read more

Shunyu L.

4 years ago

The drinks are yummy! My favorite is the honey milk tea. The food is tasty, I love the crispy chicken snack, friend pot stickers, and cream cheese dumplings! It is a bit loud though. read more

Stefanie H.

11 years ago

They are very efficient for the amount of customers they get. There is almost always a really long line but it goes by really fast. The drinks are inexpensive and food is good. read more

Khang T.

4 months ago

Amazing service and great tasting boba. I really enjoy all the milk teas here, they all taste pretty well and are made really fast. Britney was an amazing helper with my drink! read more

Michael M.

13 years ago

I like this place. It is in the campus so I can eat when I think i am studying. Also food and drinks are cheap and I am a student. Whenever I am in ucsd I eat here. Thank you. read more

Tyler H.

4 months ago

The service is great and the food is amazing! I loved the popcorn chicken and fries especially and the portion sizes are pretty big. Definitely coming back! read more

Sophia J.

12 years ago

Just your ordinary Tapioca Ex branch. Pricey milk tea but the taste is just similar to other milk tea places. Better get your bubble tea on a cheaper shop. read more

Brian C.

4 months ago

I love tapioca express mmmmmm and ethan is so cool and awesome. The fried chicken is also fire and dont forget to put your seasonings sweeeeeeeet read more

Luiza G.

4 months ago

I love any Jasmine tea they have here, I could genuinely get it for the rest of my life. It's also very quick service, so that is a giant pro. read more

Tasha G.

11 years ago

I looooooooooove this place!!! The food is just amazing to me. The chicken and calamri is just so crunchy and browned and delish

Tapioca Express - coffee - Updated October 2026

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3.9

(239 reviews)

Kristi made me the best jasmine tea and had a wonderful attitude and smile. Delicious drinks and…read morepositive service will be back!

85°C Bakery Cafe-UTC

3.3

(231 reviews)

Nice convenient location in the mall for a quick grab n go snack and reasonable priced coffee or…read moretea. Got a Thai tea that hit the spot on a super hot day. Very flavorful and not too sweet. Great selection of baked items. My bread was soft and fresh. I wish I would have gotten a second drink

Very disappointing customer service experience today around 4 PM. The staff overall seemed unhappy…read moreand unwelcoming, and one employee repeatedly made me feel like I was in the way the entire time I was there -- which was less than 5 minutes. While I was getting bread, I was asked to move aside so they could restock, which I completely understood. Then while waiting for my drink, I was told to step outside, which I also understood. But when it was finally my turn to get my drink, I was asked to move away yet again because they needed to return the bread bin to the baking area. I understand employees have work to do, but the repeated interruptions and tone made the experience feel uncomfortable and unfriendly. Hoping management can look into who was working around 4 PM today and improve how customers are treated.

Ding Tea

3.7

(787 reviews)

I've always like getting bubble tea from here. Their boba is one of the most tender and just…read moreperfect ones out there. This particular visit, we got three drinks: Roasted Oolong Tea (one of my go-to's; so refreshing and always a hit for me) - 5/5 Hokkaido Black Milk Tea with Boba (just the right amount of sweetness with a bold black tea flavor; boba cooked to perfection) - 5/5 Orange Green Tea with Rainbow Jelly (not my favorite combination; the OJ had a slight bitterness that didn't sit well with me) -3/5 The place was bright and clean when we stopped by. They have some tables and chairs if you wanted to enjoy your goodies there. Service was okay--we got our drinks pretty quickly, but the lady at the counter was a little meh. Maybe because it was later in the day and she was tired.

BOBA AND SNACKS (3.4 stars)…read more Ding Tea Mira Mesa is in a plaza and directly behind/adjacent from Little Sakana. You cannot see it from the parking lot. POPCORN CHICKEN ($9.25) - this was tasty, after working all day and thus being "dinner". HONEYDEW BOBA (~$6.50) - I asked for very little boba. The drink itself was average kind of on the sugary sweet side. But the boba pearls were hard. Next time I'll order this without boba! Until the next review...

everbowl

4.3

(57 reviews)

This could never compare to blue bowl, but it was still solid. It hit post run :) The best part…read moreabout it was the mango base, it was SOO YUMMY. The chia pudding was pretty bland though, and you only get a limited number of toppings from each category. I liked the fruit!

love their smoothies! their acai bowls are good too. the parking lot gets pretty busy though and…read moreyou have to pay after 15 minutes so i usually just do pickup orders.

Vitality Bowls

4.0

(225 reviews)

Good selection of healthy food such as wraps, acai bowls, sandwiches, and even has a kids menu…read more It's kind of small to eat inside but there is limited seating inside. The place is overall clean and everyone was kind and welcoming. Right next to an orange theory and in a plaza called town plaza with cvs and lots of parking. We tried the avocado toast it was good came with lots of sunflower seeds, chia seeds, tomato and feta cheese-$8.50. I got the superfood acai bowls-also very good with lots of berries and fruit-$17 Breakfast power wrap-no meat I didn't realize, it had eggs, potatoes, pickled onions, sun dried tomatoes, avocado- it was good as well-$17? I think. Just everything kinda pricey lol but it's San Diego and it is fresh.

I love this chain and used to go to another location with the worst service just to get their…read moresmoothies. I just stopped into this location and the guy at the counter was suuuper pleasant and helpful and the smoothie was super fast and better than the ones I originally fell in love with at the other location. Amazing. Highly recommend

Cafe 86

4.4

(350 reviews)

Food was really good, service was great, and the overall vibe and ambiance were amazing. I'd…read moredefinitely come back again!

This place is complete and utterly UBE HEAVEN!! The place was small, but charming; the feel and…read moreaesthetic was welcoming. The staff also greeted us once we stepped inside. They don't have a lot of seating inside the cafe, but there are lots of tables and chairs outside at the plaza area. We were incredibly happy and super impressed with every single thing we got--from the drinks, to the desserts, to the famous halo-halo. Everything was delicious and perfectly balanced in flavor; none of them were overly sweet or bland. Here's everything we tried: ORIGINAL HALO-HALO: 9/10 This one was the more traditional version, having the brown sugar milk base with ube ice cream on top. It was really good, a little more on the sweet side. But I just loved and preferred the upside down version more. UPSIDE DOWN HALO-HALO: 10/10 This one had the ube base with vanilla ice cream on top. I loved this one so much more than the original. I really liked how the ube flavor stood out. I just think this one was more balanced compared to the original. UBE MATCH LATTE: 9.5/10 I love that the ube flavor was prominent enough here that you can really taste it with the matcha. None of the two overpowered the other--it was the perfect balance. It wasn't too sweet either. I also appreciate that they did not charge an additional fee for any of their milk substitutes. UBE BUTTER BAR: 9/10 This dessert tastes *so much* like the ube halaya we have and LOVE in the Philippines. Ultimate *chef's kiss*! UBE CRACK CHEESECAKE: 9.5/10 Creamy and luscious with a really good amount of ube flavor! Would gladly have another piece of this dessert, or five. UBE LECHE FLAN CUPCAKE: 7/10 I had high hopes for this one, but the leche flan on top was not as soft and bouncy as a leche flan should be. I found it a bit dry, like it was sitting out for way too long. The cupcake was okay--good ube flavor, but a bit dense and dry too. MILO CUPCAKE: 9.5/10 This one was really good--the cupcake was moist and fluffy with a great amount of chocolate flavor. I think the Milo was only in the icing, but I only got a slight hint of it there. Still very very tasty though! Overall, this was by far the best and most Filipino-tasting ube I've ever had here in the US--and we've had a lot of ube here. Will definitely be back!

Feng Cha Teahouse - San Diego

4.3

(377 reviews)

Great spot to grab boba and some snacks like popcorn chicken!…read more My favorites are the strawberry freeze, mango freeze, and taro freeze. They're really fun and refreshing, although I do sometimes wonder if they use real fruit because the flavors can taste a bit artificial at times. Still a solid go-to when I'm craving something sweet and quick.

I rarely leave one-star reviews, but if I could, I would leave this place ZERO stars. I ordered the…read moreTaiwanese popcorn chicken, black tea, overflowing grapefruit, and oolong milk tea. The drinks were SO bad that I had to write this immediately because I'm still annoyed thinking about it. I seriously cannot believe I spent almost $30 here. Even my parents complained about how awful the drinks were, and my chill and nice Asian parents literally never complain. I was excited to try this place because the reviews were good. I actually came during the soft opening a long time ago and didn't really like it, but I figured maybe they improved since then. Nope. There was nobody in line when I walked in, and while I was trying to enter my phone number for rewards points, the cashier started the order before I could finish so the screen disappeared. When I asked about it, she said it would pop up later... it never did. I even did a second order for more drinks after and still couldn't enter my number. The interaction itself was also awkward. I clicked "no receipt," then she handed me the ticket order paper asking if I wanted it, then immediately said "never mind, this isn't your receipt". She was so slow and I was getting anxious with my two kids under three. But honestly none of that would've mattered if the drinks were good. But they were AWFUL. Genuinely some of the worst boba drinks I've ever had. The worst drinks I ever had. I literally watched her make the drinks halfway and then top them off with water. My fruit tea and black tea tasted like watered-down nothing. Barely any tea flavor at all. The oolong milk tea somehow just tasted like plain milk with zero tea taste. I kept sipping it thinking maybe I was crazy, but nope. I paid $21 for water and milk. I watched her make another customer's drink before mine, she kept putting the lid on wrong and every time she shook it, the milk tea spilled. This happened like five times. I spent money on three drinks and popcorn chicken and didn't enjoy a single thing. Yes, the Taiwanese popcorn chicken was probably one of the worst I have ever tasted it. Super disappointing and definitely not coming back.

It's Boba Time

3.5

(1.1k reviews)