Newly Remodeled... very clean and nice. Service is always friendly and fast. I normally just grab a Milk Tea w/Boba but occasionally grab a snack size fried chicken. Always delicious, with the perfect amount of spice. read more

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Close to my house and convenient, I love to come grab boba drinks for my family. They have a wide variety of drinks from milk tea to mango slush. I normally get the house milk tea with boba or taro milk tea with boba. Their fried tofu, fried squid balls and pop corn chicken are pretty delicious. The staff are efficient and get the orders out quickly. The seating area isn't super luxurious but there are a few tables and chairs. read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I'd been coming to TapEx with my friend since we were teenagers, so it is pretty nostalgic. I generally prefer other boba shops, but this one is good if you're in a crunch. A lot of the UTC boba shops don't stay open late like this one. I usually get a snow bubble (strawberry and thai tea) which has always been pretty good. Definitely the cheapest boba you will find in SD - i think the snow bubble was under $6 total. With that, the restaurant smells a bit funky and the furniture is pretty old/worn down. I prefer the outside seating. The claw machine is a fun touch! I won a toy on my first try, but my friend didn't after about 5 tries. read more

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We were around the corner and since it has been a while since we last visited a Tapioca Express we decided to give it another go. We ordered the Crispy Chicken Combo paired with a Sweeten Black Tea and a Korean Short Rib Combo paired with a Milk Tea. Gotta admit that both hit the spot if you are looking for something quick and filling. This location def hits vs some others previous ones that I've been too so if you are in the area and want that Boba Meal combo. Def stop by. read more

Tapioca Express - Korean Short Ribs Combo - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Randomly stopped here with my guy cuz I was sicky and wanted something cold on my throat. Very unimpressed by this place. We were the only ones here and it still took them over 20 mins to make our two drinks. I got a Taro slush and there was zero taro flavor at all. Very disappointing. Of course I still drank it because the cold felt amazing on my throat. Plenty of other places that are way better than this one. Edit for owner: I stopped by 03Dec2024 read more

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I had to run an errand and I checked nearby for any boba shops I have not visited yet. There were 2 spots nearby and I decided to come here due to the reviews on the food at this spot. The place is in a shopping plaza, a couple spots right in front and many throughout the whole parking lot. The inside is very basic, nothing stood out in decorations or seating. I did see they have some board games available to play if you end up hanging out. They had the menu hanging above, but it was not that easy to see. (a bit dark) They did have an actual menu in front where you ordered. It definitely looked like more things in the menu vs what appeared on the wall. I didn't see many 'speciality' drinks on the menu. They have the milk teas, the fruit teas, ice slushy, snow bubbles, fruit sodas. These are the items I got: 1. Thai tea with mixed boba (big & small boba) This was run of the mill Thai tea, I could not tell you if this was freshly brewed Thai tea being used, but if I had to guess, I don't believe so. The boba were good, the smaller ones were soft and chewy. The bigger ones were not as good but decent. They skimp on the toppings.  3/5 2. Passion fruit green tea with grass jelly with sea salt foam. I got this for my sister, she noted that the foam was uber delicious, the drink was ok. It wasn't bad nor good.  She noted it had only a few pieces of grass jelly. 3.5/5 3. Mango Fresh Fruit tea with green apple jellies These were different from the slush/icy drinks since those use flavored syrup while these have real fruit. It was pretty sweet. 3.8/5 4. I got shrimp balls, I was hoping these would be panko fried shrimp in ball form, but they are like fish balls but made of shrimp. They did put the seasoning they put on the crispy chicken so that part made these better. These were not bad but not what I was expecting. 3/5 5. Crispy chicken- I came here due to the reviews,  I do think they give you a pretty good portion for the price, but the chicken was overdone, chewy and in all different sizes. I have had this type of chicken many times and the fact it being dark meat but dry and overdone is a travesty. You really have to cook thigh meat to death to make it this chewy and hard OR this was old fried chicken. Let's just say I was very disappointed. The seasoning was good, too bad the meat was terrible. 1/5 I might visit this joint again but definitely not any time soon. Food: 2/5 Service: 3/5 (took a little bit longer than expected and the chicken was still bad!!) Ambiance: 3/5 read more

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Came here on a weekday to study and it was quite nice. It was quiet and the food was very affordable. You honestly can't get these prices around here, especially during happy hours, these days. Happy hours start at 10AM, so right when it opens and honestly, I was glad because I was going to wait until 11AM to go in. Ordered the Tapioca Express Crispy Popcorn Chicken Combo with Boba Milk Tea which came out to be under $10. They were also very generous with the chicken and the amount provided. The chicken was good. It wasn't the best but it was still juicy and cooked thoroughly. The outer layer was crispy, and their spice level had a nice kick to it. I did wish they mixed it with the other chicken rather than just sprinkling it on top though. Boba tasted like every other boba places. Love that they give boba without additional cost so that's a huge win. Other than that, I would love to be back with my headphones to study since it was quite spacious and staffs were friendly. WiFi is fast and parking is free since it's shared with the other businesses. read more

Tapioca Express - T.E. Crispy Popcorn Chicken Combo with Boba Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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They have a happy hour milk tea special that we took advantage of. They also had a special on their crispy chicken for $3. The milk teas were a little on the sweet side but the boba was good. The crispy chicken was ordered with a medium spicy level and it was delicious! Whatever flavoring that they sprinkled on the fried chicken was so good! read more

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Visiting and So disappointed, they kept getting my drink wrong and my food. It was only three crisp chickens, and two boba drinks. It was. Horrible experience. It used to be better read more

Why is there half the amount of chicken than usual in my combo? Are they cutting back? Are we in a depression? read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Ordered Thai tea snow bubble asked for not too much boba and it was perfect, taste and portion. Tofu snake medium spicy right amount of heat and crunch.. chicken snack good portion and heat but they were so hard to chew and tough to eat.. maybe if they sliced smaller and fried less. Will be back for the really good tofu!! read more

I gave them 3 strikes and that's it. We won't go back there again. Food is gross. I ordered grilled chicken and there was a fairly big metal piece you used to clean in the kitchen inside the chicken. I showed the shop staff what I found. They said they can give me refund or make me a new one. I totally lost my appetite so I accepted the refund. Today we went there for Boba tea (we wouldn't risk to order food from here again) and French fried for my kids . I ordered Blended tea with boba and fried with NO Spice. I didn't notice there were not boba in my drink until we walked out for a while. I went back and asked why no boba in my drink. They said they did not see the boba in the order. And after we tried the fried. I tasted the spicy and I saw chili powder on it. That was the last straw. We won't go back again. They screwed up too many time. Plus very disgusting food preparation and cooking. Let's hope the better business in the neighborhood like Jersey's mike take over soon. read more

I accidentally ordered the wrong thing and they corrected it with no cost--such nice service! This is also just my favorite boba spot in SD (: read more

pretty butt ngl. i came like 20 mins after opening n the chicken from my #1 combo felt old as hell n tough bruh. rice was dry asf too. some grains were dumb hard. but this is def a bargain for like 11-12 bucks.so ill bump up to a 2 stars read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Short story but I was having a tough day and wanted to stop by tapex before going to mt soledad for a picnic. I was greeted by the front cashier Brent, he was truly an angel! He was THE nicest person who's worked at any establishment. Served everyone smiles, and always asking if you're having a good day after your order. I ordered a chi chi fries (fries, cheese, popcorn chicken, some chipotle sauce) so good! Definitely come here for the munchies!! And my usual popcorn chicken with rice!! (Always a good choice in my opinion can never go wrong) this was a HUGE portion! They hooked it up with chicken, other locations skimp out for some reason! Good for 2-3 people!! Squidballs!! Always great, made to order, crispy, and always fills that late night craving. I've had their drinks here as well and they're all great but my usual is taro so you can't really mess that up haha Will come back solely for the service! read more

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Good local neighborhood boba shop but very run of the mill, nothing great. Prices are high considering their location and after ordering food several times now, I can say definitively that they're inconsistent when it comes to food. Sometimes overcooked, sometimes too spicy when same spice level was ordered, at least boba drinks have been consistent. I suggest skipping their food. As for the chewiness of their tapioca balls (boba), it leans towards the tuffer side -doesn't have the right consistency for boba lovers but fine for the average person that doesn't know better from having been in Asia. read more

I been going here for years, after gym I eat here I usually get Pop corn chicken combo or tofu with rice. They been serving me the portion of snack. which is $3 and some change but charge me $5 and some change or $14 with combo and drinks. Just bunch of rice and small portions especially the tofu. I don't think the owner likes me here. Its only " James " the one that serves good here. Most of them are snobbish. I don't mind the attitude but at least make the portion or item right. read more

Never been in a more disgusting place that's serving food. Everything is caked with dirt and grease. Need a shower after sitting here for a 10 minutes. read more

Very nice staff, always super friendly. The drinks are usually a hit or miss. If you're looking for something to drink you can't go wrong with either their black or green tea or any of their snow bubble (blended) drinks. I wouldn't necessarily recommend their milk tea drinks, I feel like the ones I had so far can be a little watered down. To this day, the lychee or passionfruit snow bubble with boba are my favorites. If you're getting boba I recommend going in the afternoon or later, that's when they have their fresh boba. Their combo meals are also pretty good and they have great deals for some of them during happy hour. I like getting their crispy chicken combo, along with a snow bubble drink. It also comes with a very generous portion size for the combo meals. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy Chicken Meal - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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My favorite place to eat in all of San Diego. Great tasting food, cheap and boba is delicious. Really close to a nice park, and the actual place itself just feels like it's stuck in the early 2000s (I mean this 100% as a compliment-- it's just cozy). I go here after work, surfing, studying; Tapioca Express fits every scenario, every time. Staff are always super courteous, and they seem to care. I always love introducing my friends to this place, and it's perfect for a small snack or a real meal. read more

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This is a long-standing boba joint in a Vons plaza. The drinks are reliable, traditional, and reasonably priced and not as creative or expensive as the new wave of boba joints. Interior is a bit sterile and sparsely decorated. Service is fine and usually staffed by at least two employees. read more

placed 2 drink orders through doordash, & received a lil snack in the drink LOL... jokes aside, found an eyelash underneath some layers of my drink. so disgusting. read more

Tapioca Express - eyelash in drink - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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A great place to grab a fun drink! I love boba tea! They have a huge variety of flavors and a good assortment of alternative milk. I came here with friends right before they were closing and they were kind and patient as we reviewed the massive menu and made our selections. The flavors were good and they weren't stingy on the boba! I would definitely come back next time I'm in town. We need this company in NYC too!!! Happy Sips! read more

My lychee green tea was just what I wanted ! The lychee flavor was just right and my drink was made just the right sweetness level. I did not have high hopes but decided to try this spot and I'm glad I did. Happy to have found a good tea spot in La Jolla! read more

Randomly decided to try this place and regretted it. The tea tasted weird and the toppings were scarce. Most importantly the green tea had a strange after taste that I have never experienced before in any of the hundreds of places I've had boba tea. I had to toss the whole cup. Yuck. And inside the place was extremely dirty and smelled like oil and grease. Wouldn't recommend this place. read more

Lots of parking in the area, located near a Vons. Staff was friendly. Got their crispy chicken snack. It was really over cooked. Some pieces were hard and stringy. Don't recommend to get this, the one on Convoy was better. read more

Tapioca Express - T.E. Crispy Chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

If you're near UCSD or if you're me and my dad we were in the area because of the VA. The VA is by far one of the worse places to go to so as a reward for myself and my dad before we drove home I ordered us some boba and crispy chicken. I actually like the fact that it's not at UTC and just in a shopping center because parking is always easy to find as it's in a grocery store center and mostly surrounded by apartments. Only a few times were the boba was hard and lacked flavor but after the dozens of coming here the quality is fairly consistent. Yes there are better places but if you want the boujee boba but if you want the Starbucks of Boba then TapEx is it. Also the crispy chicken always comes out perfect but you do have to ask for sauce! read more

They are located in the Vons shopping center near one of the entrance driveways with plenty of parking. At this writing they are accepting phone orders and Uber Eats will deliver. We went inside to order and just waited outside until it was ready. They are always super fast even when they have a long line. This was the first place I went to with daughter to try my very first snow bubble with boba. We have frequented this place for all four years of her high school and now into college. We love their chicken bowls, snow bubbles (so many flavors to choose from!) and chi chi fries! Thanks for serving such delicious food and drinks! We appreciate all you do! For more information go here: https://www.tapiocaexpress.com/about/ read more

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Great lunch prices!!! My fav is the grilled chicken combo! I get it medium spicy, with sweet and sour dipping sauce and I upgrade the drink to a snow bubble... all this for under $10! Each time I order here and my coworkers know I'm heading over... I end up ordering to go for a bunch of them! Great refreshing drinks to get you through the day! read more

Low quality tea. Flavors taste chalky. Tapioca not always fresh. Been here a few times when desperate for a Sweet drink. Drinks are sweet but often overly sweet. They don't use a high quality tea me you can tell by the consistency. A few of the flavors were sort of chalky consistency. Not sure what they are using to flavor but it doesn't really work. Boba balls are sometimes hard and not the normal chewy. Overall, not a great experience. I remember getting this place before boba was popular. I'd you're desperate it's okay. Otherwise there are so many really good places in the area. read more

The Server Jonathan Ho was immaculate. Absolute stud. His service was very meticulous and precise. Like a peregrine falcon swooping to catch his prey, his speed at handling my food and drinks was shockingly swift and agile. What a specimen of a worker. Five stars for this young man with a bright future ahead of him. I will say there seems to be a fly problem however and I believe this establishment should utilize the naturally gifted Jonathan and deploy him to catch these flies that roam around the dangerous corners of Tapex. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy Popcorn Chicken Bowl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

The parking is shared with other business. Parking spaces are average in side. There are a few spots right near Tap Ex. The driveways on Palmilla and Arriba are both low car friendly. During covid the seats and chairs are all put away, everything is for to go. Ordered what I would usually order at the Tap Ex in Clairemont which would be crispy chicken rice or crispy calamari rice. The biggest difference in the combo from this and the Clairemont location is there isn't a fried egg and a seasoning/meat on top of the rice. The overall quality and taste is the same and good. Customer service was great. Everyone wore a mask and followed proper protocol. If I'm in La Jolla and have a craving for Tap Ex I'll head go this place or get it delivered. read more

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I was craving boba and this happened to be near by. They do not have indoor seating due to covid. They had a few people in there when I arrived but they are quick. I ordered a large milk tea with boba. The employee shouted out "tapioca milk tea" and handed it to me. I thought those were two different drinks but I took it. It didn't taste as good as milk teas I get from other places. I'm more annoyed with how little boba I got considering I ordered a large. read more

Tapioca Express - a hand holding a cup of coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Wowww! Give my man Ryan a raise !! He delivered awesome service and the food was great. I ordered through the door dash app and unfortunately it does not allow you to add certain condiments and sides. However , I gave the store a call (A little extra I know) and asked if they could slide some into my order. Ryan (although busy at the store) had a polite and courteous attitude about it and hooked it up. Hat offs brotha. 5/5 read more

This place is a chill study spot. They used to be open until midnight but not anymore, only till 11pm. Doesn't seem like one hour makes much of a difference but to a student it does. There are plenty of outlets and single tables here so it's good place to study and get your boba fix in. There is really cute lanterns at the top of the ceiling here which is a nice baby blue color. I feel like every time I study in here there are flies which is kinda gross. And the bottle with the ketchup is literally crusty. I just want to know if they ever clean that thing or they just keep refilling it or if they intend to get a new ketchup bottle anytime soon. I ordered a coconut milk tea with the "baby" boba and it literally tasted rotten. Like there was mold or something in it. I order enough coconut milk teas that I know what they taste like and to know when there is something "off" about them. Unfortunately since the pigment of the drink doesn't allow me to see any "rottenness" I can't prove that to you unless you taste it for yourself. At least when I went to the cashier and told him, he was super nice to make me a different drink (a grapefruit green tea) and upgraded me to a large size. read more

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They have a happy hour boba! This is my new destination tea place! Located near ucsd with plenty of parking.

I ordered there a regular Oolong milk tea without boba and was a bit disappointed by the taste. It was tasting just like milk. read more

Tapioca Express - Oolong milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I went in hoping to get some milk teas because I have been told in the past by an employee that this location has Vegan milk options. However, when I went in tonight and tried to order a coffee milk tea, the employee working told me that they premix the tea with the nondairy creamer, which is most likely not vegan because it never has been at any Boba shop I've asked. Even though the name says nondairy, they often have milk derivatives that don't make them suitable for people with dairy allergies or who are vegan. It obviously works great for people who are lactose intolerant, though. I'm just confused on why they even offer vegan milk options, like soy milk, if their milk teas can't actually be made vegan because the non-dairy creamer is mixed in with the tea ahead of time and then they just add flavoring to make the different drinks. read more

I sometimes crave the crispy chicken from TapEx, in extra spicy. It's always a nostalgia hit for me whenever I stop by. I don't live in the area anymore, so if I ever find myself down in SD, TapEx is one of my stops. There are better options for milk tea, but I like to get the Taro Snow Bubble (50% sweet) once in a while. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy Chicken Snack w/ Ranch - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Tapioca Express never disappoints! We usually like ordering from this location off of Ubereats and the drinks always come out the way expected and the popcorn chicken turns out great as well. When you are looking for this location on google maps, this location usually doesn't pop up unless you put in the exact address. Definitely recommend! read more