Just your basic boba shop lol. Nothing extravagant. It's in a hub of all things foodie Asian in SD, so it'll get really crowded! It honestly doesn't matter what time you go, but there will always be a line. Especially on the weekends in the afternoon or evening! There are better boba places, so I'd recommend to just go somewhere else. Other places will have lines too, but they're way more worth it than TapEx! read more

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

I've been coming here for years and never realized I have never reviewed this place on Yelp! This place is a great place to come with a large group because their menu is extremely extensive - there will definitely be something for everyone's preference. From typical milk teas to various fruity "snow bubble" (their version of an icy), their drinks are always consistent in taste and quality. Speaking of quality, I personally don't feel like they have the most high-quality drinks but they get the job done and your craving satisfied. Some of my favorites are their Matcha Snow Bubble and Thai Tea with baby boba (yes, they have baby boba here!) One thing they do right is their popcorn chicken ("crispy chicken") - get it in a snack size or if you're hungry, their meals are a good deal too. The chicken is always perfectly fried, super moist and soft, and full of flavor. They even had little bits of basil. If you're not a fan of popcorn chicken, they also have other snack options such as calamari, cream cheese wontons, wings, fries... Parking is a nightmare and the lot seems to be packed no matter what time or day you go. There is street parking on the side of the plaza but those spots get filled quickly too. Your best bet is coming with a little patience and trying to snag a spot in the plaza since people are always coming and going. Above average quality, consistent in taste, and yummy snack options! read more

Been coming here for years. They're chicken combo is my go to lunch/dinner choice with an upgrade of passionfruit green tea with boba. I like all the TapEx locations. My only complaint about this one is the parking lot. I have to circle a few hundred times during lunch, and even dinner times, to find a spot. I end up giving up and go somewhere else. But, two thumbs up for their cream cheese wontons and crispy chicken. read more

My favorite Tapioca Express spot! I like coming here to get the chicken and rice combo. They give you an abundant amount and drinks are always made really fast. The chicken is crispy and well seasoned. It comes with white rice and steamed veggies. Every now and then I like to mix a few flavors to taste something new. A lot of varieties and choices when it comes to picking what you want with your drink. From aloe bits, boba, jelly, etc. Spacious and they also have games for you to use and play with your friends. Parking can be a hassle though.. read more

The Strawberry snow bubble pared with the spicy chicken is always a go to for me never disappoints if u dont like too much spice chose a level 2 or 3! read more

Tapioca Express in Convoy is a nice spot to get your boba fix... and even that crispy chicken goodness! I used to frequently come here and they used to have a location at SDSU then they closed it, so Convoy was the spot to go to especially for a late night option. I've also been to Otay and UCSD TapEx. The selection of drinks they have is huge, and even better if you are hungry they have bites! My normal favorite drinks would be: Iced Almond Milk Tea, Thai Tea, and Taro Milk Tea.. sometimes with boba depending on my mood. The boba is at a small extra charge, and is sweet, chewy, and filling. On busy nights parking can be tricky here, but there is sidewalk parking as an option. They have good service, yummy drinks, and outlets also which is a plus!~ read more

Tapioca Express - Almond and taro iced milk teas with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Been here many times over the last decade as it was one of the original spots to serve boba for cheap. They've increased their prices but still provide good drinks and snacks. It's hard to get to as parking is very limited in this busy strip mall but well worth the stress. Lines tend to be a bit long most times as they're drinks are that good. There's decent seating for about 50 guests and a few tables outside too. If you're craving boba and are in Convoy drop by here. My favorite is the Large Mango Slush. read more

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

See all

Love this place's food! Their food options is what separates them from the other boba places. Also that they have tiny boba. Their popcorn chicken is sooooo good! it comes with little picks so you dont have to touch it with your fingers and can share. They also have a big meny, so far I have only had that and their sweet potato fries. Their boba is ok, not the best but still good. If you get the small boba and frozen drink, the bobas do tend to get hard, so you have to drink it a little quick. This place has tons of seating and is super busy all the time. So try to go during the day (night is busier). read more

See all

Where do I start. I've been coming to this place for years. This is the best tapex in all of San Diego. I come here for ONE thing, their crispy chicken meal which is amazing!! I get it extra spicy with ranch on the side and it always hits the spot. The salt n pepper fries are also good! Downside is they only give you two sauces per meal which is annoying because I love my sauce. They charge extra for more which seems a little unnecessary if you ask me. Another thing is their spice level. For some reason after all these years I still can't figure out the scale. Guess it depends who's making the chicken. Parking can also be a pain in this lot. Even street parking around the area seems impossible at times. Lots of bad drivers so beware. Overall I love the chicken here but don't come here too often because there is better food in San Diego. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy chicken and salt n pepper fries - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

PROS: + they have baby boba + cheap calamari snack + games available + lychee slush + hangout place for UCSD kids under 21 :P CONS: - parking - not authentic tea Not the best place for good boba, but it's a chill place for under 21 folks to hang with their friends :) read more

See all

Fun atmosphere, extensive menu, good costumer service, yummy drinks. The mango smoothie we got was delicious and the tapioca (boba) added a great texture to it. We only had a smoothie we would be going back to try additional flavors. What we had was the mango snow with boba. Highly recommend it! read more

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

Essentially the Starbucks of the Asian world, Tapioca Express was the franchise that put tapioca balls on the San Diego radar. They are located in the corner unit of the busiest center on Convoy Street and draw hordes of people each night, so parking may be a serious issue if you decide to visit, so street parking is highly recommended. Joining some old MASA friends for a bite and boba after their first GBM, I decided to order the crispy chicken meal with the tapioca black tea. For the quality and quantity of the food, the price really is astronomical at over $7.00. Served over a handful of steamed rice, an overcooked egg, and soggy vegetables, the lukewarm bits of battered chicken weren't really much to write home about. Tapioca Express is constantly busy and, while I can tolerate a certain amount of decline in quality due to that factor, the price really blows me away. The drink itself was also quite disappointing. The chilled tea was barely brisk and the boba itself had an oversaturated outer shell, while the core can be described as al dente, suggesting that the boba had not been very fresh. Even though it's not my favorite boba place in the world, I guess I can't complain too much about Tapioca Express since it is clearly very popular and has uncanny staying power in the sea of neighborhood copycats. I only wish that they would crank up the quality a bit, especially considering their prices. It's still not as bad as tea shops like Tea Station, where a single large drink can cost upwards of $7, but for what it is, it's absolutely ridiculous and the owners should be proud that they've fooled their patrons into allowing them to make money hand over fist. Food: 6/10 Service: 6/10 Price: $ Atmosphere: 7/10 read more

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

Yummm!! I love love this place! My favorite is taro milk tea with lychee jelly! :) I also Tried their iced cappuccino with coffee jelly and it was delicious as well! I did not like the boba plain milk tea that much though- parking is difficult but you can park around min sok chon or street parking to burn off the calories that u consume here ;)) read more

Tapioca Express - Taro with lychee jelly, milk boba, almond milk with coffee jelly! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Wow I've been going here for years and it seems the quality has dropped immensely... Got strawberry green tea: Incredibly syrupy. It was disgustingly sweet. I threw it away after a few sips. Chicken/tofu snack: These were super salty and didn't have the spicy flavor it usually does even when getting medium. Medium usually burns my mouth towards the end. Jack fruit drink: this was good. Sweet but good flavor. Overall I will probably stop coming here. The parking makes it incredibly difficult anyway. read more

It's ok if you're cheap and craving something salty+sweet and are ok with low quality. It's like having a meal at 7-11. I couldn't believe the food prices until I ate it. Believe. Lol! The boiled pork dumplings are like the cheapest low grade ones you might find at a place like Food for Less. The Taiwanese chicken was a large quantity but overall not impressive. Satiating but not satisfying. Now on the other hand- the Durian shake was $4.35, basically the same price as most food options but it was the best thing I ordered. Will I be back? mmm, prob not unless I've just had my wallet stolen and am ravenous. Too many other good options in this mall. read more

Service was not great.. the guy at the counter maybe said one word. Drink is okay but with all the boba places near, isn't worth d stopping at. read more

Had the lychee icy. Didn't taste much lychee and it was more chunk of ice then slush. Good thing is the quantity for cost was good. Parking is tough since its a small lot with a lot of restaurants. Best to park on the side street. Probably won't come back. read more

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

This place used to be poppin, now it's really dead lol. I finally came back last night after years. The only thing I come here for is the crispy chicken! Which is still bomb ! I got a combo which comes with rice, crispy chicken, fried egg & veggies. Also comes with black tea or green tea or you can upgrade to any other drink. Staff was great, plenty of seating. Parking sucks ALOT. read more

Tapioca Express - Jasmine green tea with mango jelly! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Came here at the recommendation of my baby bro. Evidently, he knows all the Asian "hot spots". Arrived on a Sat night around 11pm. It was difficult to find at first since the sign was not lit, but with all the little Asian kids hanging outside, it was easy to spot in the corner of this shopping center. Luckily the line wasn't very long at the time, but several minutes later, it was literally out the door. The menu was extensive, which included various types of drinks and snack items. I ordered my Viet (iced) coffee with boba and chinese donuts. I truly wanted to like this place, but the wait was just too long. My order took about 20 minutes, and I was not happy. While waiting, I noticed that the counters, tables and floors were not maintained. This definitely made me want to take my order to-go. My coffee was good, and the donuts were pretty filling. I would definitely come back again and try a different drink and other snack items. read more

See all

Growing up in northern Cali I use to love getting boba drinks with my cousins. A really refreshing, tasty, fun, cheap drink. So here in San Diego my friend introduced me to Tapioca Express. And while they're pretty much the same tasty drinks down here as up north, there are a few negative differences. The first is the price. The boba drinks at this place are a bit more expensive than what I am use to. The second is the general demographic this place attracts. I just don't like dealing with the rowdy teens and early twenties crowd. And third is the parking. If you've ever been to this parking lot you know what I am talking about. This lot is always full, and it seems like all the young people there just like to walk to their car, sit in it, and do I don't even know what, while you wait with your blinker on for them to pull out. Super frustrating! So while the drinks here are good I don't come as often as I would like due to the young crowd and parking situation. read more

Tapioca Express - almond milk tea and watermelon juice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

PARKING IS HORRIBLE! Now that I got that out of the way, everything else about this place is great. I haven't tried a drink I haven't like yet and the crispy chicken is awesome. I usually call ahead if I'm ordering the crispy chicken so that I can just pop in and take it to go. This place is usually packed with college and high school kids so it's hard to find seating. Not a good place to just have a drink and catch up with a friend because it's loud. read more

Love their taro milk tea with boba... BOBA is the best here in SD, they make it perfectly here. I get the peach slush and its great. SO much variety, you can't go wrong. Spicy crispy chicken is goo too... and they have great food combos. Again a lot of variety. Good place for hangout any time... they have games, and seating here is great. Restaurant: Located in a very small restaurant center in Convoy. Neighbors include Tofu House, Crab Hut, and Yogurt Land so the parking lot is always full..So you have to look around for a bit, but you will eventually find it. read more

Tapioca Express - Food menu... Combos!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I have conflicting feelings about this place. I love the snow bubbles and milk teas (with boba, of course) and their crispy chicken snacks, but I always hate going in here. This is going to make me sound so old, but the place is crawling with the late-teen and early-20's crowd, and it's SO loud in there. It's always packed, so finding a table can be difficult, if you're interested in staying for a bit. They offer board games to those kids who grew up as the board game was being phased out, so that just encourages them to hang around even longer. That's not to say I haven't hung out to suck on my snow bubble or munch on the chicken or dumplings, but I don't usually choose to. The snow bubbles are so good! My favorites are the coconut strawberry, taro coconut and the passion fruit. I love that they use actual pieces of fruit in the drinks, because I've been to some locations where the fruit never makes it into the cup. Their snacks are good, too, and the spices aren't subtle at all. If you get hot, it really is! We usually order crispy chicken and the pot stickers in the medium. We tried "hot" once, and could barely make it through the bag. Our throats were sweating! Don't be deterred by all the people inside! Even when the line is going out the door, they move you along quickly. read more

See all

Eh, I am not a fan. I ordered the Taro Snow Bubble with boba & it was bland. I do not know if they use powder or syrup to make the drink, but they do not put enough flavoring. In addition, the boba was hard & not chewy. However, with the Snow Bubbles, they give you a little extra since they do not seal the cup. If you like quantity versus quality, order a Snow Bubble. My boyfriend ordered the Green Apple Mango Tea with baby boba. For the Teas, they pour it from a bottle without mixing it beforehand causing your drink to be unsweetened because the sugar is left on the bottom of the bottle. I have been here before & despite their Snow Bubbles & their Teas, their Milk Teas are better. Tap Ex is a popular place for friends to come & hang out, especially since it is opened late: Sunday - Thursday: 11a-12a Friday - Saturday: 11a-1a Also, it is a popular place to study, which I find difficult since it is usually very loud with the music & people's conversations. If you do plan on using your laptop & need an outlet, I would call them beforehand to see if they even have outlets available because I did not see any. Parking is ridiculous, especially for lunch & dinner, actually maybe all the time! Save yourself a headache & a possible collision by parking next to the dealerships. read more

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

I'm obsessed with Tapioca Express. I love the coconut strawberry snow bubble with pineapple coconut jelly added. Their spicy chicken app and cream cheese wontons are delicious. They are open during COVID-19 with great service!! read more

I feel uncomfortable when i'm sitting here 2 hours before they close and they're already putting up the chairs. I completely understand that you need to pre-close but putting up the chairs so that no one can sit during hours of operation is not okay.. I'm surrounded by a tower of chairs and like I mentioned, there is still 2 more hours until they close and I feel like they're just rushing everyone out. What if someone wants to come in and sit to have a drink, they have to put the chairs down themselves? It's happened more than once and each time is an uncomfortable experience. Btw, it took them like 10 minutes so they definitely could've waited until later to put the chairs up. read more

See all

Came in 7/20/21, evening time for some boba and had a not so great encounter with an employee. I simply asked the employee a question regarding one of the milk teas. She was very rude and answered my question with attitude. This girl needs to learn some serious communication and customer service skills. read more

The food tastes good with affordable price. They increased the prices lately but still affordable.

Fav boba place! They have a big variety of flavors of tea, slush, and milk. The parking sucks, but you'll find that's how all of Convoy is. I've tried the fried tofu and calamari from their food menu and both were deliciously well-seasoned. read more

Mhmmmm bobaaaaa. Love their Thai iced tea snow bubble with boba! Every time I order a drink and add boba it's never stale and hard like how other places get which means they make it fresh daily! I also love ordering their spicy chicken snack and love how unbelievably spicy they can make it..LITERALLY! I've been to the other locations and tried the spicy chicken and nothing tops the one they serve at this location in Convoy. The seasoning consists of salt, pepper, and 5 spice powder with some Thai basil and the texture has a chewy crunchy coating from the potato starch..mhmmm I like to dip it with their sweet and sour sauce. Parking definitely sucks here since the spaces are so tiny and are always packed but you can always park on the street if you don't mind walking. read more

Tapioca Express - Xtra spicy chicken snack - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

This is my son's favorite place. They have a few locations all over town and I can count on them to have his favorite crispy chicken snack. So when you have a picky kid who only eats chicken nuggets it's pretty impressive that he'll eat this without any ketchup. Because the seasonings they put on everything is so good I usually order the fried tofu. And if I'm hungry I'll order one of their curries. And of course you have to have a bubble tea. read more

The drinks are good but, the customer service is bad! They didn't greet us and have an attitude when you order or they are only nice to some people. They all look so miserable working there. read more

Tapioca Express - The girl on the left needs to learn customer service 101. I gave her a tip hoping she can use it for her college education. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Very clean place that serves good boba tea and other assorted drinks. The service is fast and professional. The people here are nice. The drinks are all good, I have tried so many and not had a bad one yet. It's enjoyable to just relax here, and it's easy to get to and park. read more

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

Their popcorn chicken is my favorite in San Diego! It's been consistent for years and the portion for their snack option is a decent size. Their boba tea is pretty basic but good. The only downfall to this place is probably the parking lot. It's terrible. Went here on a Wednesday for lunch and there was no parking. On weekends at night, it's even worse. TIP: If you're going on a weekday for lunch, park your car on the side of Min Sok Chon & Somi Somi and walk over. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy Chicken Snack- Spicy $4.58. Good portion size. Ask for Ranch dipping sauce - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Tap X is the first place I had boba way back when. I've been here countless times and have always really enjoyed the food and drinks. For drinks, boba tea and snow bubble are great. The peach black tea boba is a favorite. Thai iced tea is also pretty decent. For food, I love me some crispy chicken or calamari, extra spicy. If that's not hot enough you can ask for siracha read more

I gotta say that if you've lived or experienced high school life in San Diego circa early 2003-09. This was THE spot for high schoolers to hang out. I remember being in middle school and wanting to come out here. Times have changed and new crops of boba places have appeared on Convoy now, so a lot of TapEx's popularity has dialed down. But to this day, this spot is RELIABLE. We stay loyal to the popcorn chicken here and their snacks. Service may be iffy here and there but, if you're counting on a good chicken snack at 11:30 pm on a weeknight, then you can count on TapEx. Shoutout to their extensive boba/tea/snow bubble menu. read more

I haven't been here for a long time but this place is still an oldie but goodie! Prices are reasonable but the parking can be a pain at certain times. We got lucky and got a spot right away. I tried the new dish - Fish Fillet with Rice (mild), it comes with Jasmine Green Tea. The combo includes veggies, fried egg, and minced pork on top of the white rice, all for $7.98!! My friend got a milk tea boba and popcorn chicken appetizer! Ranch is my personal favorite as a dipping sauce! All really delicious on a hot day in San Diego! I recommend this place especially if you want something quick and yummy! read more

Tapioca Express - Fish Fillet /w Rice (mild) - $7.98 Comes with free Jasmine Green Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Yeah, this place sucks. Workers look like they're on of quitting their job. Thai tea taste like a**. If you can't make a decent cup of Thai tea.. then you shouldn't even be in business. Terrible customer service.. guy just stood their w/o a greeting or any type of interest about taking my order. Someone buy this place and fire everyone. read more

How long does it take to make drinks at this place. Literally waited 30 mins and the drinks were just sitting on the counter. We ordered food and ended up canceling. The manager was A-okay having his employees standing around. Asked about our dumpling order and was told he doesn't work and the kitchen and didn't bother to check. Never spending a dime here again. read more

The first time I had Tapioca Express was at this location years ago, and I thought I fell in love. Coming back to this place over the past two or so years is definitely not the same, though. This place used to always be crowded, but it has died down so much. It isn't the same as what it used to be in regards to multiple things. First of all, the workers don't have any customer service. They look like college students who would much rather talk to one another and joke around, than actually do work. More recently, when my friends and I were here eating and just enjoying each other's company, we felt like they wanted to kick us out because they started closing down at 11:30PM on a Friday (when they close at 1AM.) We weren't even the only ones there. I understand preparing for close, but putting all the chairs up and cleaning around us doesn't make it seem otherwise. Their boba drinks are still good, but for some reason, the food has gone down in taste. The calamari is pretty much the same, but the chicken isn't. The popcorn chicken is always chewy, and the chicken wings have too much pink/red in them sometimes. Also, they don't ask you if you want sauces anymore, you must ask them. Their sauces are pre-packaged now, as opposed to the ones they would put in clear containers. The old sauces were much better... their sweet and sour sauce is reminiscent of McDonald's, and I don't want to dip my calamari in that. I'd probably only come back for some boba drinks and possibly their calamari late at night after work with some friends; otherwise, I don't see myself coming here. read more