I haven't been here in so long, so coming back was such a nice surprise! The place looks pretty different from how I remembered it growing up. It feels more modern and has a great atmosphere while still feeling familiar. The food and drinks were just as good as I remembered as a kid and definitely did not disappoint. Shoutout to Ryan for helping me out too, he was super chill! It's great to see that even after all these years, the quality and customer service are still there. I'll definitely be coming back more often! read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

Yummy! Haven't been here in years. Friendly welcome and service. Refreshingly delicious boba drinks. read more

Tapioca Express - The Crew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

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This was good. The drinks were good and had various options. We also got the chicken and potstickers. Both were good as well as the side of I believe it's called chi chi sauce. The environment was chill. I will say the wait time was a little long. Other than that a pretty good place. read more

Was really hoping this would be a new favorite but it wasn't. Drink tasted severely watered down. My son even agreed that it was mid at best. We prefer It's Boba Time over this one! read more

Tapioca Express - Watery oolong milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

12 years later I return here to Tap Ex for Fried Tofu .... and was pleasantly surprised! The spice, seasoning and crispiness of the tofu was up to par and cut into the most perfect bite-sized pieces! I'm very happy! Talk about a redemption story :) I can't wait to return here and try the expansive menu, it's grown so much! I glanced and saw mozzarella sticks, and tempura as well .. On another note** I love that the kiosk also asks how spicy you want the snacks and what sauces you prefer .. read more

Tapioca Express - Spicy fried Tofu in sweet and sour sauce - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

I've been going to this store so often because of how good their crispy chicken are but lately it hasn't been hitting the same as before. I noticed the spices (idk what they are but it had like chives or green onion powder or something), but they have been non existent recently. it literally just taste like batter and chicken, as well as the spiciness ofc but non of the aromatic spices. The Boba drinks have been consistent overall. read more

Tapioca Express - Mild Spicy Crispy Chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

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Roach run!!! While waiting for my food and drinks, a roach crawled by my feet. I take a photo and told the worker. They did nothing. I thought maybe they didn't hear me. Told another worker. That worker just looked at me then disappeared in the back. Again did nothing. I got my food and told the 3rd worker bagging my stuff and they smiled and said oh I'll get it. He smooshed it with his foot and got rid of it. Question: how many workers does it take to care enough to get rid of the roach? They were so nonchalant hard not to believe it's just a normal everyday occurrence. read more

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bad customer service, employer name ryan. order two bobas and they close at 11pm btw. stared me down giving attitude. bad place to buy bobas or have any type of service. read more

Tapioca Express - this employer gave me a bad stare when i just ordered 2 boba, bad customer services. need to teach him some manners. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

Delicious i got the coconut milk tea & will be ordering from here again. They stay open late too which is nice! read more

Tapioca Express - Coconut MT - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

After a big Korean food outing, 20 of us headed to Tapioca Express in National City, and it was perfect for our group! The service was great, we sang happy bday to our friend, and they even played a happy bday music for us which was funny and nice. the ambiance was laid-back and spacious enough to fit all of us comfortably. As for the boba, it hit the spot! My wife is currently doing a sugar-free diet, and she ordered the taro boba with no sugar--and surprisingly, it was pretty decent! Definitely a great spot to chill with friends and satisfy that boba craving. We'll be back! read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

I ordered a Tiger Milk Tea with mixed boba. The service was okay--got my order through their self-serve monitor, which seems to be the standard in most fast food spots these days. It was a bit on the slow side, but to be fair, they were pretty busy. Also, it was warm inside, and the staff was visibly sweating--probably working harder than the AC. Not the most refreshing atmosphere, but hey, at least the boba was decent! read more

I always enjoy having a snow boba. I really like the variety of flavors they have here and the most popular flavors. We ordered from the popular flavors this time and I was very glad I did. I got the strawberry peach mango one and my fiance got the cookies and cream with boba. Wow talk about dessert in a cup! So delicious and refreshing. I need to get all the flavors now. read more

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I have ordered the crispy chicken from other Tapioca Express that was delicious. The chicken pieces were big and tasted great. I'm disappointed that this is what I got when I opened the bag at home. Looks like the bottom of the bag from their frozen chicken. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy Chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

I've been going here for about 5 years now never disappointed me! I love their boba and the variety of toppings they have! Their food is delicious they have different spice levels. Their drinks they have are so good and can be made to your liking! I've had their avocado, Thai tea, taro, Ferrero Rocher, oreo, and their brown sugar. I always forget to take pictures cause I ended up drinking it before I can. read more

Tapioca Express - Chi Chi Fries Combo (Bottled Water) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

Located in National City in a large shopping center. Parking can be scarce as there are so many other businesses and restaurants in the same shopping center. Not only do they serve Boba but, they also serve food. Friendly young staff and they are pretty quick on getting your drink orders out. My go to is the Snow Bubble beverage. They offer all sorts of different beverages and add-ons to your liking. Pricing is pretty fair, nothing too outrageous. We have had the following flavors of their Snow Bubble: Strawberry with lyche jelly - delish Cantaloup with lyche jelly - delish Mocha with boba - delish Caramel with boba - delish Hazelnut with boba - good Melon with lyche jelly - delish If in the area and you're wanting a cold refreshing beverage, definitely stop by Tapioca Express! Tip: you can also ask them to make your beverage with extra ice to make sure it is extra thick to beat the heat! read more

Tapioca Express - Hazelnut & melon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

Best boba milk Thai tea with always soft boba not over cooked . The reason i like this place is their menu they have a large variety of drinks ,milk teas,snow bubbles ,Red Bull infusion ,yogurt frost,cheese foam , coffee,snacks,rice combo, manager's specials . Kitchen hours 10am/10:30pm Place is always ac cool and clean . My favorite snack calamari with rice combo Check it out:) read more

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The food and drinks are always good, but that's not why I'm here. The bathroom is disgusting! I have a feeling the employees have their own private bathroom, because if they had to use the customer bathroom, they'd die. Please clean it up or don't even offer it. It's that gross! (If this isn't taken care of, I will post pictures.) read more

Still my go to for boba. This location is located inside the seafood city on orange ave. I like fruity boba drinks and snow bubbles(I believe that's mixed with milk). My go to is lychee snow with lychee jellies or mango snow w/ boba. Quick service. read more

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I've been going to TapEx since college in the late 2000's from their OG location on Convoy. This spot in National City isn't bad either. Walking in, you get that muggy and stuffy feeling. It's loud and built for the crowd who just want to hang out here. The bubble teas and milk teas are good if you're in the mood for it. I always get crispy fried chicken shack and calamari rings. read more

Usually have a good experience over the years. This time was alright. My chicken had no spice, I asked for medium to spicy. And my drink didn't have flavor. Tasted powdery. I've been here more times than I can count and this was the first time it was a miss. Definitely depending on who cooks your food and makes your drinks. The service this time was probably the best. The girl who helped was sweet and friendly. And she was willing to help, even though I've been here so many times I always like to browse the menus but end up ordering the same thing. Honestly the Clairemont location is better, but I'm not driving there and I'd rather support my local shops. I'm happy they're just down the street. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy Chicken snack - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

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I hadn't been to Tapioca Express in a while, but I was pleasantly surprised to find they offer 0% sugar and dairy-free options. This is a rare find at many boba spots, and it's a big plus for those of us with dietary preferences. You can get snow bubble tea or regular bubble tea with 0% sweetness for the following flavors: taro, matcha, or avocado. I opted for the taro snow bubble with coconut milk substitute and 0% sweetness. While it wasn't the best snow bubble I've ever had, I really appreciated that they catered to both my dietary needs and flavor preferences. The coconut and taro combination worked perfectly together, and the sweetness level was just right for being 0%. Service was pretty quick, and the cashier was nice, which added to the overall experience. The ambiance is pretty average, though--it could definitely use a little upgrade to make it more inviting. If the taro had been fresh with some chunks of Taro, this would easily be a 5-star drink, but as most Boba spots do, they make their drinks out of the premade powder, which is probably what happened here. But overall, the flavors were well-balanced. Not sure I would go out of my way to come back to tapioca express but if I'm in the area and that's with my friends wanna get, I will definitely try some of the other 0% flavors in the future. read more

"I always go to Tapioca Express for one thing: Honeydew Milk Tea. It's my go-to order, and I've never felt the need to try anything else because it's consistently great. The honeydew flavor is smooth and just the right amount of sweet, which keeps me coming back. The place is usually pretty quiet--probably because Starbucks is right next door and gets most of the traffic. But if you're looking for a quality milk tea without the crowd, Tapioca Express is a solid choice. As long as they keep the honeydew just the way it is, I'll be a regular." read more

Haven't been to this Tapex yet and it looks much more modern and renovated compared to some of its other locations in SD. I probably was the first customer upon opening but I simply go here for their popcorn chicken. The girl really loaded the bag and the chicken was the freshest I've ever had it. Every location differs in menus and over here the manager's specials that I want to try are the ChiChi or Sisig Fries. Other than that, the establishment was clean and there's plenty of seating. I'll frequent this location more often now! read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy Chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

I always loved coming here, I like getting the crispy chicken snack. But seeing this tonight became the downfall of me ever coming back. I was waiting and noticed this roach come out from the bottom of the seats. They need to take clean maintenance serious and actually take care of there store. read more

Tapioca Express - Cockroach - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

I ordered 4 drinks with Boba 2 Almond snow w/ boba 2 vanilla cookie w boba The Almond brinks have no flavor at all And the 2 vanilla cookies drinks are chocolate and I called them and they said oo our vanilla. Cookie are made with chocolate, even in the picture the drink looks like vanilla , makes no sense and tastes horrible read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

Quick & friendly service . Drinks on point! Unfortunately No Longganisa was available @ Two in the afternoon. 4/5

First time coming here and I was highly impressed by their selection. They have so many options it's hard to pick one. I ordered the Ferrero rocher smoothie and a lavender mango milk tea. They both tasted good and were reasonably priced. Only reason why I'm not giving them a higher rating is because of the lack of customer service. No one seemed approachable and they were more concerned with the conversations they were having with each other than paying attention to the customers. The place could have definitely been a little cleaner, as there where dirty tables and napkins on the floor. read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

So good love the boba here. The boba was super good and chewy. But the restrooms weren't the best they weren't clean and it was messy read more

Tapioca Express - Strawberry Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

the National City staple! One of the first boba shops before they opened one in every corner.... But you can't go wrong with the classic popcorn chicken plate and drink of choice! I'll take a combination yogurt! read more

Customer service & tea were great & I appreciate the restroom. BUT the bathroom had no soap, no toilet paper, no seat covers, no paper towels, no sanitizer & the dryer didn't work. I told the young man at the counter. ** I know it's in the Filipino (Asian) part of town & others may be "shy or reticent" to complain, so I'll take on the duty & voice to improve things for all of us. I saw a man come out wiping his hands together & shaking his head, so I figured something was up, but he didn't say anything. I come from a healthcare background, so I just imagine the possible bad germ scenarios in public places right now. ~Yes they have sanitizer at the counter, but that's not helping the folks who use the RR. When I see minor things neglected like bathroom cleanliness, it makes me paranoid about other practices in the kitchen, etc. IF your employees are supposed to wash their hands, I sure hope they have supplies in THEIR restroom. Pls stock supplies for customers & check frequently (like every few hours) so folks don't spread diseases around. Thx. I carry hand sanitizer at ALL times, but others are not as careful. read more

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I love this place. This is the only place I know that can make a good strawberry passion fruit snow bubble with boba. My friend got the honey melon snow bubble with boba. Friendly service. read more

Tapioca Express - Strawberry Passionfruit Snow Bubble with boba and Honeydew Snow Bubble with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

We were in the area and decided to stop by to grab some boba. The store is well kept but the outside parking lot is a mess. The drive thru for Starbucks blocks most parking spots out front and the other side is Popeyes drive thru which spills into street. Just be aware. Same menu items as all other locations. There were quite a few people ahead of us when we arrived but our drinks still came out quickly. I ordered a strawberry milk tea with boba and bf had green tea. Both were great and boba was cooked just right. Overall this location is great only problem is the parking lot. read more

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I loved Tapioca Express before all the ones near me rebranded. I was so excited there were Tapioca Express establishments in San Diego when bf and I went for a visit. We ordered a tapioca milk tea and jasmine milk tea. The menu said "tapioca milk tea" was about $4.25 or so. The old Tapioca Express locations I've visited before had both the regular milk tea and tapioca milk tea listed as the same price, so I assumed this would be the case here. However, the cashier charged me for boba as an add-on. When I asked her about it, she kindly told me there was no option for tapioca milk tea on the POS. I do not blame the cashier at all, but do think the menu sign is misleading on this part. I found this a little annoying, but most boba stores charge separately for tapioca pearls so I just paid for it and moved on. Our drinks came out quickly. The basic milk tea tasted a bit like how I remembered it to be and I was delighted. Then I tasted the tapioca pearls. The texture was alright but completely lacked any sweetness or flavor to it. I was so sad. I tasted bf's jasmine milk tea and it tasted weirdly minty. He drank a few tiny sips and threw it away. This place was disappointing to say the least. read more

This isn't the first time I've placed an online order through their website and they missed an item (this time was boba). When I called to report it, the only way to get a refund was to physically drive back to the store. Employee made sure to verbalize the fact that it was only a few cents. Typically, no biggie but now, I'm tired of repetitively being charged for mistakes the company continues to make. Living far from this location makes it a bigger problem over a mistake that I shouldn't be hassled over. Additionally, the crispy chicken was burnt and inedible. Just an unlucky experience, I guess. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy Chicken Rice with Milk Tea Combo - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

I love the boba here! So soft with the right chew. The fried snacks are pretty delicious too! I got the chicken eggrolls. They're like little lumpia's with this delicious sweet-and-sour sauce. Customer service is excellent here! Very helpful staff and the ambience is pretty relaxed. read more

Tapioca Express - Boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

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My milk tea place in NC! They have milk tea, slushies, yogurt frost, appetizers and snacks.. service is fast and cool place to hang out. read more

Tapioca Express - Yogurt Frost with lychee jelly and Avocado Snow Bubble with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

I came here to grab a quick little something to eat before a meeting. Boy what a mistake. First of all, it took 15 mins to get through the line of people (it was around 3:00pm on a Wednesday). I ordered some munchies. Some crunchy chicken and some fries. Both tasted bland even though I had said mild with heat. Also, the fries tasted particularly bland. Some salt would've been nice...they almost tasted like powdery. The crunchy chicken snacks should be called crunchy with a tad of chicken...because they certainly didn't have much it felt like I was eating fried batter and no chicken. Yuck. I won't be back here...EVER. Waste of money and time. Maybe their drinks are better? I was going next door to Starbucks so I didn't get a drink but everyone coming in was getting them...? read more

Tapioca Express - Bland chicken with Barry any chicken...mostly fried batter crust - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

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I have been coming here for a long time. Favorite food: Milk tea with boba and crispy chicken snack medium In the past there has been issues with employees such as taking forever to get a drink while completely ignored. I was tempted to never come back because I just felt so disrespected. Though I did not give up on this place and I have not been disappointed. Greatly appreciate that you have stayed open during stay at home order. read more

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So it says open online and yet I pull up.... It's closed. So I drove here from Tim Buck Two (or however you say it) and they got a janky sign on the door talking about "closed ." Safe to say I'm angry but wtv, they'll get what's coming to them. Place is dead inside anyway with evil vibes so thanks for saving me from that. read more

Thursday, 1800, 22 Feb 2024 I am completely and utterly disappointed in the service I received. The staff was unwelcoming and made us feel like an inconvenience as we walked in. Communication was deemed rude and impolite. As for our food, they seemed to have made it rushed to get us out. My crispy chicken isnt even spicy as I ordered it that way. They even acted rude to another customer by rushing her to get her order with an unneeded and aggressive "EXCUSE ME". On another note, the usual staff who are young adults, make their customers feel welcomed and taken care of. And also take pride in their work. HAVE MORE STAFF LIKE THAT PLEASE. OTHER THAN THAT, TRASH UPDATE: BOBA WAS HARDER THAN A ROCK read more