This Tap Ex is okay, as in it gets your boba fix in if you're in the area. I live around here so it gets it done. I'm rating it so low because the location is really small as in there is the entrance and a hallway, literally. Also, just so you know, people like to bring their kids in here so that makes it even more cramped. The crispy chicken is really good here but they give tiny pieces compared to the Convoy location but I feel like they give you more at this location which is cool by me. The boba is a tad sweeter here than other locations so be aware of that. I would have given 3 stars instead of 2 but my last experience kind of pissed me off. My friend and I both ordered jasmine milk tea with boba and well, the order went through, right? So here's where I get pissed, they call me up 15 minutes later to tell me they ran out and so I can order something else, which I did but I wish they would have told me BEFORE I ordered -_-. And when my friend got his drink, there was 10% less drink, the drink wasn't at the top, and they didn't even reimburse or apologize. Honestly, they really could have said, "hey you might get a little less if you still want that or you can order something else" but they didn't -___-. Edit: HEY, STOP PUTTING BIG BOBA MIXED IN WITH MY MINI BOBA -________- read more

I come to the Chula Vista area a few times a year and I swing by this spot sometimes. The interior has changed a lot, it's very nice inside. It resides a bunch of Filipino teens that look like they make Youtube videos and sing to every song that is playing on the radio. My order came out promptly, then I looked around to see their other items on their menu and they sounded really good, like the green tea kit kat or halo halo something. I got a taro milk tea with boba. It was not good. The boba was decent, but the milk tea was more of a thick chocolate tasting milk. At least it was purple. The prices are fair, not too cheap not too expensive. They're open till 1:00am on the weekends so that's cool. read more

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

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We always get our boba drinks here. Like always. We came at 10p on this National City location to study for a bit and the cashier said they're not giving out passwords anymore right after we got our drinks. I didn't even get to ask why in my annoyance. Not cool. read more

Tapioca Express - Not giving out passwords anymore? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

Slow service... Came in late Sunday night...hmm around 10 ish. Place was packed but there was no one in line. I'm guessing everyone there got their drinks or just there hanging out. I went to the bathroom and my bf ordered our drinks. As we were waiting I noticed the 2 employees behind the counter chit chatting away not caring about getting our drinks out or anything. Like the other reviews...the service sucks! 20 minutes later our drinks finally came out. Like really?!!!...20 mins to make something that only takes a few minutes to do. read more

The first time i stumbled into this place was in Clairemont Mesa, since then they have expanded. This one is located by the chic-boy rotisserie, Starbucks, and manila seafood on plaza blvd. If your craving boba and quick bites this is a great place to come to in National City. I usually oder a thai tea with boba, or their melon snowbubble. Their crispy chicken is always a local favorite, i always order mine HOT with a side of both ranch and sweet n' sour (sometimes they charge extra.) I'm a big fan of their sisig fries, a filipino fusion food (fries topped with seasoning, sisig , jalapeños , and cheese) a must try ; made to order with your desired spice level. ( no spice, mild, medium, hot) A great place for different style fast food at a reasonable price. read more

As a patron of tapex, I really have no problems with their drinks and quality of service. i feel like if you been to one, then you been to them all type of attitude toward chains anyway and I like it that way. But this review is more so to inform folks that if you plan on kicking it at tapex for more than 2.5 to 3 hours and you drove and parked in the GROVE PLAZA parking lot, be aware that they will tow you! Being towed there myself, I will admit that I wasn't being cognizant of the signs posted that advises you on parking policy of the lot, but as a patron and consumer of the businesses in the Plaza, who does so anyway?!. Especially if you're say a person who likes to work at cafes like starbucks to work on stuff for long amounts of time, you usually don't question whether your car is going to get towed. As you sip your coffee/tea/boba, working away on your project/chatting for an hour or so, and buy another cup, and continue...As a paying costumer, I find it rather ridiculous that I'm penalized for contributing to the economy as a consumer. Anywho, this tapex is fine, but bad location for folks who just want to chill, sit, work/or chat for a while. ...I hope folks still come here, but because of the property it is on...I'd rather not come back. Sorry tapex, but I'll take my money and consumerism else where...to another tapex probably on convoy. (so don't worry) read more

TapEx as the locals call it is a great place to find an extensive menu of drinks with the option of adding bobas and jellies. You can drink-in or take-out, and if you need to munch and crunch, they have a good snack menu with various fried eats. Our favorites are The Watermelon Icy with boba/mango stars and Vietnamese Iced Coffee with boba. You can also order mixed boba with a combination of big and small pearls, or also a combo of bobas and jellies. This place is close to my house, and it's always good. If it's not right, return it and ask for a redo or return. I've never had to, but I have requested redder riper pieces of watermelon before and they were quite accommodating. read more

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My go to place for awesome milk tea and pretty great sisig fries... My usual go to order: Large milk tea with lychee jelly (don't forget extra ice)... u can get this with an extra charge when you order sisig fries (coz it comes with a drink) The environment is young, filipino... and they are open very late. The customer service is hit and miss sometimes but they are usually pretty nice. Parking is ok but seriously don't park more than 3 hours here.. i heard people get towed... I tried their calamari and chicken. The popcorn chicken was really good and i like the calamari (but they kind of stiff u with the calamari)... read more

Tapioca Express is not the first or second or third place where I would go for boba. But if I want late Filipino pub grub and 90s R&B to go with it, sure I'll order a drink, too. There's no place that feels more National City to me. read more

Only giving this location 2 stars because... - bathroom is ALWAYS dirty. - drinks are very inconsistent. Some days, they'll be flavorful & other days, taste watered down. My iced milk tea tastes like watery milk today... - employees not always friendly/acknowledging - ALWAYS out of SOMETHING I want: always out of a certain flavor I want that IS NOT seasonal, or a snack I'm craving, like sisig/longanisa fries. Merp... Additional: - not much sitting area. More like a "pick up & get the hell out" kind of joint. Not that you'd want to sit & hang out there anyway. read more

My drink was very good. Avocado bobo was refreshing and actually tested liked avocados, not imitation smoothie. Very very good!!! My only complaint with this place was the super slow service and watching the young employees "playing" behind the counter. I can see they were high school age so I expect joking but not really playing liked chasing each other around. Of course our drink order was messed up and said sorry. Our total time to get our boba was about 20 mins. Get this....there were only a few people ahead of us. I would still go back because my wife's family close by and I did enjoy my drink.but can I get better service here and someone to be professional enough to make a great boba in a timely manner. read more

This is the second time I've been here. The first time was fine, but this time I ordered a regular jade green milk tea (it's under the milk tea section and listed as "jade green") and when I got the tea it was the regular jade green tea. I figured maybe she just didn't hear me say the milk tea part so I asked if I could switch it. She basically started asking if I wanted these other milk teas, and made it seem like I was stupid for wanting that tea. It's clearly on the board. If you don't have Jade Green milk tea then take it off the menu. Then to top it off, the fries I ordered had a nice hair, that my friend even described as looking like a pube, in my fries. Yay. Also, we were here for about an hour and the tables are all dirty and there's chicken and napkins all over the floor and seats. read more

I went inside ordering drinks for myself & my family. It was around 10pm but they are open til 11:30pm, it was empty. As soon as I started ordering my drinks this guy starts looking at me up & down from behind the cashier & starts mocking me. Literally right in front of me as If I couldn't hear him. I let it go I didn't say anything. Then while I'm ordering a little girl comes right up to the cashier & stares at me as if I just ruined her whole night WHILE I'm still ordering. First off I knew I was ordering a lot, but 1) there was no one else in here 2) you chose to work in costumer service so dont be upset when costumers come into your place of work. The cashier herself was great & didn't have an attitude like the rest of her coworkers. Also, they forgot one of my drinks so that was cool. read more

I've been here a few times since they have opened, and I have never had a bad experience. The drinks are good, and so is the food. I can't comment on the boba because I prefer my drinks without them. My only complaint would be the spice levels for the food, because I love my food spicy! Their "extra spicy" is equivalent to "mild" at the Convoy location. Next time, I'll probably ask for extra extra extra extra butthole burning spicy. read more

because sometimes u need delicious balls in your mouth...boba dat is :) wide variety of flavor combinations - something for everyone & create your own...quick service never been in this place longer than 5min :d u must order earl grey snow bubble with boba it's the best! try green apple slushy for your tart tooth :) vanilla cookie snow taste just like cookies&cream for dat sweet tooth! dat fam says get your boba on @ tapioca express!! read more

Tapioca Express - EARL GREY SNOW BUBBLE WITH BOBA! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

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3rd time going here. 1st time was during grand opening. No line, but order took around 10 minutes and it didn't have boba, which I had ordered and was on my receipt. However, the clerk was apologetic and offered to make another 2 orders. 2nd time was after grand opening but I had to wait in line because it was busier inside than the 1st time I visited. My order took more than 15 minutes but the drink tasted very watered down (my 1st drink choice was not available the clerk had said). The 3rd time, yesterday, it was a bit busy, busier than my 2nd visit. It took exactly 25 minutes for my order. The clerks were obviously flustered because other customers were waiting for awhile and were expressing their concerns among each other. 2 seperate customer groups came back to the clerk because their order was incorrect. What also made this visit bad was that my 1st drink choice was not available and also there were out of boba. I hope the owner/manager takes care of the service issue. I noticed I'm not the only one from the reviewers here who have commented on the poor service when it comes to waiting for orders. read more

Oh no no... If you plan on coming here because you're a fan of Tap Ex.. stick with Convoy! The selection changed and the drinks do not taste the same. I came in here with my wife and this place is literally a hole in the wall. There is no where to sit and don't even think about sitting to socialize. The menu itself is another story. It will CONSTANTLY change, and instead of actually changing the menu, they cover up old items with printer paper and write over it with a marker. Save yourself some money and time. Go to a different Tap Ex. read more

Okay usually I drive all the way to Convoy for my Boba fix. When I heard Tap Ex National City was open I knew I needed to pay a visit. When I got there my friend and I ordered 2 crispy chicken snack size and 2 milk teas. Simple right ? Thats what we thought. It took 45 minutes to get our order. To get our order we had to go up the the register because its ridiculous when boba and milk tea are already pre made. When we got our order the 2 orders of crispy chicken were a quarter full ? plus it was room temperature not fresh like you get by state and convoy. Very disappointed i'd rather make the drive to state or convoy even though I live down in Eastlake. read more

A tap ex employee told me to yelp them so here it goes.I Gotta give them a 5 star for a pretty fast service and a friendly atmosphere.Half of the employees that works here already knows what I always order(Regular/Small Taro Milk tea,Light ice,Light boba or no boba) since I'm a regular customer here.I like how my taro milk tea is always already by the time I'm done paying lol.how awesome is that right?it's like I walk in,they see me,start making my drinks and when I'm about to pay,bam,my order is ready hahaha.I have tried their crispy chicken and it's okay.Wish it had more meat in it.;/ I also like the employees.they cool peeps.aight I'm thirsty.time to down this taro milk tea.pz. read more

I have given this place 3 chances to redeem themselves. Each time the places looks like the owner doesn't care to clean or fix the interior of their space. The place is gross don't bother going here. I'm comparing it to the Convoy and Bonita location where there space is clean and customer service is much better. The Starbucks next door is pretty bad too. There is a reason why they call National City NASTY City!! read more

They have improved a lot since it first opened. I get boba with my brother once in a while. I really like the new interior look. Im glad it doesn't take like 20 mins for my drinks now. I usually get a honey green tea or a taro milk tea with egg pudding. Not a fan of TapEx smoothies. They have a variety of snacks but its a little pricey. Parking can be a hassle sometimes especially because there's a drive thru Starbucks and a Filipino market. read more

I reported this disgusting facility to the health department for their roach infestation. Look through the photos and you'll see that my encounter in regards to sanitation conditions is not alone. Lets see if they pass or fail, either way, with flying colors. read more

Tapioca Express - Big ass roaches in their bathroom. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - National City, California

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I went back! Looking at other reviews for this Tapex, I saw a review that seemed to be directed toward me. Unless, I'm paranoid. In my defense, I was just stating it like it was, but I'll admit I was a bit harsh. Anyway, I was EXTREMELY surprised by how vacant it was. It's most likely because the grand opening is officially over. I ordered a Large Thai Tea w/boba and a Large Milk Tea w/boba. I could nitpick and say that the cashier could improve her listening skills as I always say my order just as is written so they don't have to ask questions, but I won't. Even though I just did. Heh. But the workers were friendly, which is why it didn't bug me as much. So right after I paid, I sat down on the bench directly in front of the register. And just when I folded up my receipt and put it in my wallet, my drinks appeared! It's MAGIC! It was a bummer that the color of the straws available didn't match ANY of my drinks. You would not believe how tempted I was to ask if they had different straws. I seriously had to take a couple breaths while muttering to myself, "Let it go. Just let it go." On my way out, I saw this foo with a fox haircut. Go away, bro. As for the drinks, boba was soft and chewy. However, they are STILL a bit watery. Instead of getting my normal Almond Milk Tea, the Almond Snow Bubble has now become my regular drink. The first time I tried it, I knew it tasted familiar but couldn't necessarily pinpoint what it tasted like. The second time, it just hit me. It tastes like Agar-Agar! One of my absolute fav drinks! If you're Filipino, you should know what that is. Now, I look forward to getting the Almond Snow Bubble because I rarely have Agar-Agar nowadays. Well done my young grasshopper. Master is pleased. read more

It was a bit strange to read the over the top negative reviews while we were waiting for our order! We ordered sisig fries(off the menu) and Jasmine milk tea. While the quality of the pork could have been a little better, it was good and the tea was great. We didn't wait long and the service was great. The space is a good place to eat. read more

Got iced jasmine green tea with grass jelly. The tea is super strong. The grass jelly is good but the tea is very strong. I just took 1 slip and you can tell that it's really strong. The service is pretty fast and friendly. The seating area is pretty clean. They have a bathroom here as well if anyone is wondering. There's a good amount of parking but I came around 10pm so might be different during the day. The price for my drink is about $3.25 for a medium sized cup and grass jelly. read more

When I want some boba I know I should not go to the Tap Ex on Plaza Blvd. for they are SLOW Slow slow. With so many workers you think it'd be faster, better off making the drive up to Convoy and getting served by boba masters. read more

I've only been here 3 times as I work just down the street and all 3 times has been pleasant. Chi chi fries- an Asian version of carne asada fries! A combination of crispy Cajun fries, crispy popcorn chicken all smothered in chipotle sauce and cheese. I swear if my stomach was able to handle this meal I would eat this every day because it is so darn good! Ask for extra cheese and chipotle sauce because they do skimp out on the sauce a bit since the fries on the bottom were untouched by the sauce. Mango and strawberry yogurt slush- a hit and miss depending on who makes it. The first time I got it, the yogurt slush was a bit tart yet still delicious, second time was perfect! It was sweet but not too sweet and more to my liking. Topped with chunks of strawberry and mango pieces as swirled with strawberry and mango syrup. I also like that they have more drink options to go with their combos. The Tapioca Express in Convoy and El Cajon gives you the option of black or green tea but this location allows you to choose from various types of milk teas as well which I thought was awesome. One star deducted for the royal milk tea because that's my favorite and it was too fragrant for me :( read more

Never coming back here again. 30 min to make a milk tea? Good amount of people but looks a little short staffed. If I were the owner I would stop what I'm doing and help my employees out. Only reason I gave the second star was the milk tea was pretty good. Work on your staff and look of your location. read more

Ordered a simple large milk tea with rainbow jelly here. There were not many people ordering so I was basically instantly next up to order and my order finished quickly. However, the drink was not very satisfactory. I felt that there was not enough sugar in the drink and it tasted fairly bitter. The rainbow jelly had no taste either which was fine since most rainbow jellies I've ordered from other places were similar. I've also had trouble locating the size and pricing of the drinks. But the pricing seemed just right in my opinion at less than five dollars. I would give this place another try the next time I am in town for the other menu items and will update this review. read more

They make the teas here faster than in convoy ! Location is ok but place is smaller Staff is attentive and mindful of special request read more

I usually don't take time to write reviews but I dropped by to this tapex, and noticed the favorites list and I saw that they have green tea kitkat on there. AND I LOVE GREEN TEA KITKATS. So I gave it a shot and omg. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. LIKE MMMMMM GIRL. GET THIS DRINK. OMFG. Tapex usually just satisfies my boba crave, BUT THIS SPECIFIC TAPEX I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU FOR A GREAT DRINK. I LOVE YOU GUYS. But anyways yes the Green tea kitkat and also the Ferrero Rocher drink is delicious. read more

Oh my gosh, a new Tapioca Express where every drink and food actually TASTES right. The line was through the door and the wait was reasonable. I mean, given the large crowd, the new staff and the two blenders they currently have to work with, of course things are going to take time. I expect any tapex to take time to give me my order. How else are they going to get every single drink and snack from the hella long line right? I am happy about this tapex. First time I went I got a coffee milk tea and crispy chicken, just because those two things are the staples of my tapex orders time after time. The boba wasn't excessively chewy, which is good AND THE CHICKEN WAS ACTUALLY CRISPY (which is hard to find in the new Tapioca Expresses that have been opening up in the past few years.) My friend ordered the watermelon slush and the calamari, and another friend ordered the Hazelnut snow bubble. We each shared our orders, to find that the calamari was delicious, the watermelon slush tasted like real watermelon and not that artificial crud, and the hazelnut snow bubble was probably one of the best things we've ever tried. And the amount of food they give you is really good. We had a hard time finishing the chicken and calamari, and we only ordered two bags! I came by again last night and practically died over the Vanilla Cookie Snow Bubble. Everything so far has been delicious. I think I'll be at this Tapex a lot more than I'll ever at the one in Convoy anymore. It's convenient and I don't have to park a block away just to eat there. read more

Dude, I just came in at opening and already irritated. First off door was open at 1056am and they kicked me out......okay. Then when I come back at 11, they proceed to tell me the tapioca wasn't ready for another 15 minutes and that is a generous estimate. Third, I was a penny short and they wouldn't hook me up so I had to break a larger bill. if their avocado snow bubble and spicy chicken wasn't so good I wouldn't return. read more

Although the staff seemed friendly and nice, it took 40 minutes to receive 1 order of crispy chicken and 2 drinks. Although the food and drinks tasted fine, the wait was unacceptable. Additionally, my boyfriend and I were not the only customer's waiting. 3-4 other customers/families that came after us had not received their orders when we finally left. They had been waiting about 30+ minutes. Since this branch is new, we're giving it the benefit of the doubt. We'll likely return within the next few weeks. If the wait is still as long, we'll likely end up going to Convoy. read more

I guess you just have to expect that all Tapexs are riddled with a very high level of noise - from their blenders to the music to the people who hang out in there. The noise at this store was unbearable. Our drinks came out OK but I couldn't wait to get out as I felt like my eardrums were going to explode. The employees there could also be a little friendlier, although I can see they were quite busy and frazzled even with 4-5 of them behind the counter! read more

A neglected child version of Tapioca Express. It is old and lacking character. The menu is wide which is usual for any Tapioca express but the staff seem nice enough to my liking. I had the Taro snow bubble which came out in a seemingly huge plastic glass. Its quite a reminder that I am back in states. My drink tasted so sweet, uber creamy and rich but then it could be very well just my palate. So i had to just dilute it with cold water when I came home. The boba on the other hand was just perfect. Overall, good enough place for me to visit again. read more

This Tapioca Express is alright, just like how everybody else has been saying. I don't live in National City, I live in Mira Mesa, but the only reason I come here is for their famous Sisig Fries. One day I had a regular sized Strawberry Snow Bubble here and to be honest, it was too sweet for my liking. The Tapioca Express that I always go to on Convoy in Clairemont is my favorite one to get a Strawberry Snow Bubble from because they put real strawberries in the drink and it doesn't taste like they put strawberry syrup in it like this TapEx did. I'd have to say this place has it's good and bad days with their sisig fries. This afternoon my boyfriend and I trekked out to National City again to grab some and it wasn't that great. About 1/3 of the box was filled with actual sisig and the rest was just a whole lot of melted cheese on top, lots of jalapeños, and some sort of ground beef (?). If you live in National City and this is the only place to grab some boba then go for it. But if you're just looking for some food, I'd probably go somewhere else. Their service is rather slow as well when they have about 4-5 people working, which is odd. I'm sticking to my favorite Tapioca Express on Convoy! I'm getting tired of the sisig fries, anyways. Besides that, go to a real Filipino restaurant and grab some sisig if you want some. :) read more

I came in last week to fulfill my late night craving for a fruity snow bubble -I shouldn't have wasted my gas because the service was completely lacking! I had already planned on tipping extra since I knew I came in right before closing and I know how much that last order can suck when you're trying to close up shop. As my boyfriend and I approached the counter, a group of girls were standing there talking to the cashier (I won't put her name in this review, but it starts with an M). The group noticed I was waiting to order so they moved over but continued their conversation. Instead of asking the group to hold on, the cashier entertained this conversation while trying to get my order which I found extremely rude (...I was practically apart of the conversation that was happening so I guess I'll shout out @hairbyilse on IG) read more

Not the best, but not the worst. This Tapex has that Asian vibe to it like the one in Clairmont minus the tvs music and board games. But the food and service is good. I can't complain this is the one I'll most likely visit the most. I enjoy this one bet then the one on el cajon blvd. read more

I always come here for the crispy chicken combo and boba. The selection is nice and they always have my order right. It's right next to Starbucks but I feel like they hold their ground and get lots of customers too! I love getting a classic milk jasmine tea with boba! read more